ã€ŠBeg Me to Remarryã€‹


 Chapter 1 - 1 001 Arent you afraid Ill die

    ?Chapter 1: 001 Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll die?   Chapter 1: 001 Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll die?                                   ¡°He Xing, aren¡¯t you afraid that I might die?¡±

    Within the private ward of He Family Hospital, Fu Han removed her engagement ring and held it in her palm as she watched the man before her.

    The twilight was heavy, and the dim yellow light within the room cast a nted shadow across the man¡¯s face, highlighting his sharp and exquisitely handsome features.

    He Xing stood silently before Fu Han, his handsome brows and cold, thin lips making him appear even more indifferent.

    He watched Fu Han without a word, finally speaking in a deep voice after a long while, ¡°The doctor has alreadypleted the examination. You can be discharged tomorrow, and I¡¯lle to pick you up in the morning.¡±

    Fu Han immediately let out a coldugh, ¡°Save your solicitude for your childhood sweetheart.¡±

    She clenched her fingers tightly around the engagement ring, the sharp edges instantly cutting into her palm.

    ¡°After all, she is the one who almost yed with her own life.¡±

    ¡°Fu Han,¡± He Xing¡¯s face darkened a few shades, ¡°It was just an ident.¡±

    ¡°An ident?¡± Ayer of foreboding shadowed Fu Han¡¯s eyes, ¡°You call this an ¡®ident¡¯?!¡±

    Fu Han slowly straightened her body, staring into He Xing¡¯s eyes as she said word by word, ¡°Do I need to remind you of what happened?¡±

    A few hours earlier, she had attended a banquet at the Xia Family with He Xing.

    The Xia Family¡¯s Lady, Xia Ning, and He Xing had grown up together. As the two families were old friends and Xia Ning had returned from studying abroad, she personally invited He Xing, who of course would not refuse.

    What no one expected was that, after the banquet, as a few of A City¡¯s finest gathered alone, Xia Ning would stand by the poolside with a radiant smile and ask, ¡°He Xing, if Fu Han and I both fell into the water, who would you save?¡±

    What happened next was absurdly tragic.

    Right after Xia Ning uttered those words, she and Fu Han indeed both fell into the pool.

    Then, as Fu Han, who couldn¡¯t swim, watched, He Xing did not hesitate to dive into the pool towards Xia Ning, allowing his fianc¨¦e to sink to the bottom.

    ¡°He Xing.¡± Fu Han smiled again, but the smile did not reach the bottom of her eyes, ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    He Xing looked at Fu Han emotionlessly, and after a long while, he left a cold remark, ¡°Rest well.¡±

    He then turned and left the ward.

    Fu Han felt as if all her strength had been sapped in an instant, and her throat so dry she closed her eyes.

    The ring in her palm had pierced through the flesh, the pain causing her to break out in cold sweat and her wrist to twitch, but Fu Han found it strangely satisfying.

    The pain made her clear-headed, also allowing her to face the truth she was unwilling to confront.

    Not long after, the sound of the door opening was heard again.

    Fu Han raised her head and saw a slender shadow slowly walking in, quietly standing beside her bed.

    It was Xia Ning.

    ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Xia Ning said casually, ¡°He Xing asked me to apologize to you. I didn¡¯t expect such an ident to happen.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face was full of perfunctory expressions, her eyes revealing the usual arrogance and impatience, it seemed like she regarded Fu Han as something filthy, as if even looking at her was a desecration.

    Fu Han curved the corner of her mouth and tossed a simple word at her, ¡°Scram.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyebrows arched, her voice mocking and sharp, ¡°Fu Han, can¡¯t you take a joke?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s expression turned icy as she listened to Xia Ning¡¯sughter, ¡°It was just a joke, who knew you would slip and fall into the pool too?¡±

    ¡°A joke?¡± Fu Han repeated the words slowly.

    ¡°Otherwise, what? Do you think someone is deliberately trying to harm you?¡±

    Xia Ningughed sharply, ¡°No wonder they say you country girls are dull. You act like you have a persecutionplex. If it weren¡¯t for your parents saving Mr. He¡¯s life with their own, do you think He Xing would be engaged to you?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes twitched, she turned to get out of bed but suddenly felt a dizzy spell.

    ¡°Xia Ning, it was your brother who pushed me into the pool,¡± Fu Han steadied herself on the bed, hatred shing in her eyes.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell He Xing,¡± Xia Ning sneered, ¡°Did anyone see my brothery a hand on you? Do you think He Xing would believe your words?¡±

    Fu Han red coldly at Xia Ning, who took two steps back and said, ¡°What, you want to hit me? He Xing is just outside; if he saw you acting like this, he would dislike you even more.¡±

    She yed with the hair on her shoulder, tilting her head coquettishly, ¡°Go ahead and hit me. If it can make He Xing see your true colors andpletely distance himself from you, this idiot, I¡¯d have umted merit for the He Family.¡±

    Fu Han watched Xia Ning expressionlessly, Xia Ning¡¯s smile also faded, ¡°Fu Han, one should know their own worth.¡±

    Her expression turned into one of resentment, and in a lowered voice she said bitterly, ¡°It is me he truly likes; we are the match made in heaven. Even if you died in front of him, all he would see is me. Threatening Mr. He with your parents¡¯ lives to bind He Xing to you for five years, you¡¯re really shameless. If only you could have really drowned tonight.¡±

    After saying this, she snorted haughtily and elegantly turned to leave the ward.

    Watching Xia Ning¡¯s retreating figure, Fu Han suddenlyughed.

    He Xing had Xia Ninge to apologize to her?

    She took a deep breath, disgust shing through her eyes.

    It had been five years, and indeed, there were some things¡­ it was time for her to wake up.

    Fu Han threw back the covers and got out of bed; a chill immediately swept through her body, and fear from sinking to the bottom of the pool still lingered in her heart.

    At that moment¡ª

    At the brink of death, she had actually assumed that He Xing would save her¡­

    Fu Han shook her head, tossed the engagement ring onto the table, and resolutely walked towards the door of the ward.

 Chapter 2 - 2 Long time no see 002

    ?Chapter 2: Long time no see, 002   Chapter 2: Long time no see, 002                                   Three yearster¡ª

    Fu Han stood in front of the He Family¡¯s vi gate, her expression slightly dazed.

    After such a long time, she never thought she woulde back to this ce.

    A deep ck Bugatti slowly approached, Butler Li was about to greet the master into the house when his gaze unintentionally swept over Fu Han, and after a moment of stunned realization, he rushed over, ¡°Lady?¡±

    Excitement shed in his eyes, and with disbelief, he sized up Fu Han, ¡°You¡¯re really back!¡±

    Familiar faces came into view, and Fu Han sighed softly in her heart, smiled gently at Butler Li, and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Uncle Li.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. The old master will surely be overjoyed to see you.¡±

    As he spoke, Butler Li hurriedly ushered Fu Han into the vi, ¡°Quick, I¡¯ll take you to see the old master right now.¡±

    ¡°How has the old man been?¡± Fu Han asked as she walked in with Butler Li.

    A week earlier, she had seen an economic brief stating that the Chairman of the He Group was critically ill, and the vast He Group would be entirely handed over to CEO He Xing.

    Although she had stormed off in a huff years ago, vowing never to return to A City, the old Mr. He had been kind to her, and she was no longer the impulsive and naive Fu Han of three years ago.

    So, she rushed back from C Country immediately.

    ¡°The old master is getting on in years, after all.¡±

    Butler Li sighed helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s the same old ailments, the doctor only said to take good care, not to get agitated and to cultivate one¡¯s character, but there¡¯s nothing serious. The media blew it out of proportion.¡±

    Fu Han nodded and headed towards the vi¡¯s entrance with practiced ease.

    Butler Li stole a nce at her, his expression reflecting some hesitation.

    But in the next moment, Fu Han¡¯s steps suddenly halted; she stood still and looked forward.

    Two familiar figures came into her view.

    One tall and straight, the other slender and delicate.

    In the sunlight, the shadows of the two ovepped intimately, forming a perfectly matched scene.

    Fu Han¡¯s lips curved into a shallow smile, and she strolled up at a leisurely pace, ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    In front of the vi, He Xing came out expressionless, with Xia Ning following closely behind, ¡°Brother Xing.¡±

    He Xing carried on as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, without any pause in his stride, and he didn¡¯t spare Xia Ning any extra nces.

    A flicker of displeasure crossed Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, but she bit back her irritation and grasped He Xing¡¯s arm, ¡°Wait for me.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s cold eyes swept over her, his gazending on Xia Ning¡¯s hand.

    The air around them tensed instantly, and Xia Ning awkwardly withdrew her hand,forting him with understanding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The doctor said there¡¯s nothing wrong with the old master, it¡¯s all those journalists making wild guesses. I¡¯ve already asked my brother to handle it, and that reporter who spread rumors will soon be out of the circle¡ª¡±

    ¡°Xia Ning,¡± He Xing interrupted her indifferently, ¡°Are you that idle?¡±

    Xia Ning stiffened, grinding her teeth and forcing a reluctant smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back first, I¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, a familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.

    ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    He Xing turned around abruptly while Xia Ning was initially startled and then stared wide-eyed in shock.

    Fu Han ascended the steps, her gaze sweeping over the two of them. She offered a polite smile and then headed inside the house.

    He Xing¡¯s pupils deepened, and he stepped past Xia Ning to stand in front of Fu Han, grabbing her wrist, ¡°Fu Han?¡±

    His deep voice reached Fu Han¡¯s ears, echoing like the elegant chords of a cello.

    Fu Han¡¯s ear tickled involuntarily, and she turned to He Xing, ¡°I¡¯m here to visit the old master.¡±

    Her face was candid, her eyes clear, and her voice as gentle as the spring breeze in March, yet it somehow felt distantly aloof.

    He Xing¡¯s dark eyes narrowed slightly, his fingertips slowly tightening their grasp.

    Fu Han shifted her wrist ufortably. Realizing her desire to pull away, He Xing wordlessly drew her inside the house, ¡°Together.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s gaze immediately fell on He Xing¡¯s right hand resting on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder.

    His fingers were long and well-defined, and his wrist created a sharp, handsome curve on her shoulder.

    In A City¡¯s business circles, everyone knew the He Family¡¯s heir had a cold demeanor, even towards family members, including Fu Han three years ago.

    But now, he was taking such an intrusive stance to approach Fu Han?

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes reddened as if they were about to bleed.

    In contrast, Fu Han merely nced briefly at He Xing, not dodging his closeness, and with one hand in her trench coat pocket, she entered the vi with He Xing as if it were the most natural thing to do.

    Watching their close departing figures, Xia Ning bit her teeth in frustration and hurriedly followed after them.

    Butler Li had already retreated into the house on seeing He Xing and informed the old Mr. He of Fu Han¡¯s return.

    In the bedroom on the first floor, the other visitors had been asked to leave, and the old Mr. He watched Fu Han approach, his usually sharp eyes now tinged with red.

    Fu Han knelt directly in front of the old master, sighing, ¡°Grandfather¡­¡±

    The old Mr. He raised his hand to strike Fu Han but stopped just short of touching her and instead heavily patted her head, angrily saying, ¡°You still remember toe back!¡±

    ¡°Running away from home was my fault.¡±

    Tears flickered in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, ¡°I deserved to be punished by you.¡±

    She had been raised by the old man¡¯s side since she was a child, treated no differently than any well-to-dody.

    The old man did indeed love her like his own granddaughter, and while she did not regret leaving the He Family three years prior, she indeed owed the old man an exnation.

    The old Mr. He¡¯s gaze swept over He Xing standing behind Fu Han, and then to Xia Ning who had followed them in, a sharp glint passing through his astute eyes.

    ¡°Stand up.¡±

    He frowned in displeasure, ¡°How did I teach you before? We of the He Family are born noble and need not bow to anyone; don¡¯t let outsiders see you as a joke.¡±

    With that, he cast a subtle nce at Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning paused in her tracks, standing at the doorway with unbearable awkwardness, yet managing to muster a smile, ¡°Grandfather looks much better. Fu Han should¡¯vee back sooner.¡±

    As she spoke, she looked at Fu Han as if by ident, ¡°Where have you been all these years? We really should catch upter.¡±

    The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense, but upon hearing this, Fu Han smiled.

    First, she checked the old master¡¯s expression and saw him merely sigh deeply, unaffected by Xia Ning¡¯s words.

    Her gaze then drifted over to He Xing¡¯s hand, and Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but be startled again.

    He Xing¡¯s finger bore a ring¡­

    And it was a match to her own engagement ring.

 Chapter 3 - 3 Ridiculous 003

    ?Chapter 3: Ridiculous 003   Chapter 3: Ridiculous 003                                   ¡°I left in a hurry three years ago.¡±

    Fu Han hooked the corner of her mouth sarcastically, with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, and said to Xia Ning, ¡°A few days ago, I suddenly remembered that when I left, I had forgotten to dissolve my engagement with He Xing.¡±

    She nonchntly yed with her long hair. ¡°Hearing that the Xia and He families were nning to unite in marriage, I had to rush back and vacate the spot for you, lest Lady Xia marries without a proper title, how inappropriate that would be.¡±

    ¡°You! What nonsense are you spouting!¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned unmistakably sour, ¡°Who said that I and Brother Xing¡­¡±

    ¡°There is no marriage union.¡±

    He Xing interrupted Xia Ning coldly, his gaze unwaveringly on Fu Han, ¡°Everyone in City A knows who my fianc¨¦e is.¡±

    Fu Han did not even nce at him but turned to speak to the He family patriarch, ¡°Grandfather, I want to cancel the engagement.¡±

    Although the He family patriarch was lying in bed, he looked hale and hardy, not at all on the brink of death.

    With He Xing¡¯s capabilities, could he really have let such rumors spread?

    A thought shed through Fu Han¡¯s mind, and she suppressed it with a light chuckle.

    ¡°Have you really decided?¡± the He family patriarch looked at Fu Han seriously.

    ¡°Grandfather!¡± He Xing¡¯s expression grew even colder.

    Without waiting for Fu Han to reply, he once again grasped her hand and enveloped her waist, saying coldly, ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    Having said that, he restrained Fu Han and headed toward the second floor.

    Xia Ning¡¯sposure copsedpletely. She awkwardly greeted the He family patriarch and then beat a hasty retreat.

    The He family patriarch rubbed his brow in annoyance and uttered with a sneer, ¡°Had I known this would happen, why did I ever begin?¡±

    In the second-floor bedroom, He Xing closed the door with a snap and said emotionlessly to Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han.¡±

    Fu Han rubbed her sore wrist, her eyes sparkling yfully as she looked around the room, ¡°Three years gone, and my room has been kept just as it was.¡±

    It was evident that someone had been meticulously maintaining it.

    ¡°Fu Han,¡± He Xing¡¯s gaze was icy as he repeated, ¡°You want to cancel our engagement?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I leave the ring behind three years ago?¡±

    Fu Han looked at He Xing with feigned surprise, ¡°I thought I had made my intentions very clear.¡±

    ¡°Are you still holding a grudge about that incident at the water?¡±

    He Xing took a step forward, his towering figure enveloping Fu Han tightly.

    ¡°He Xing,¡± Fu Han sat down on the sofa, supporting her chin with one hand and smiling, without answering his question, ¡°You released the news of Grandfather¡¯s critical illness, didn¡¯t you? You calcted that I woulde back upon hearing the news, which is why you let the rumors spread.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face remained impassive, but his eyes deepened, evidently confirming Fu Han¡¯s guess.

    ¡°I am twenty-five this year, not fifteen. You don¡¯t need to be so concerned about repaying a debt to me. Nor do you need to sacrifice your own life for Grandfather. I¡¯ve been doing just fine on my own,¡± Fu Han said with a meaningful smile.

    ¡°You really are still angry,¡± He Xing¡¯s face grew even more displeased.

    ¡°Why would I be angry at you?¡± Fu Han sighed helplessly, ¡°Aren¡¯t I merely stating the facts?¡±

    Removing her coat, she revealed her slender and exquisite figure, which entuated her long neck and radiant features.

    Shedding the deeply concealed inferiority and endurance of the past, Fu Han now resembled a rose blooming in the wind, noble yet thorny, her gentleness veiling a sharp and mysterious edge.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t cared about that drowning incident for a long time now, after all, when it happened, you were closer to Xia Ning and it was only natural to save her first. Besides, I wasn¡¯t seriously hurt,¡± Fu Han exined understandingly, ¡°Even if I was really upset back then, I¡¯ve long since let it go. You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself anymore.¡±

    With a gentle look at He Xing, she said, ¡°My father was just a driver for the He family, and my mother a servant. Although Grandfather raised me as if I were his own granddaughter, I am ultimately a daughter of servants and do not truly qualify as ady of the He family. It was just because they protected him during a car ident, pulling him from the wreckage with their dying breaths, that Grandfather raised me so kindly. I am already grateful enough; there¡¯s no need for you to lose a lifetime over it.¡±

    She shook her head with relief, ¡°Three years ago, those young masters anddies by your side kept repeating these things to me, wanting me to recognize my ce, using me ofing between you and Xia Ning.¡±

    Fu Han got up, approached He Xing, and said, ¡°I neverined to you, for fear of troubling you, afraid that you would grow impatient with me. But when ites down to it, all this stems from myck of self-awareness, from my absurd wish on my birthday for something I shouldn¡¯t have desired.¡±

    On her Coming of Age Ceremony, the He family patriarch asked her what she desired for her birthday, and with all the courage she had in her life, she told the patriarch:

    She wanted to marry He Xing.

    So, to repay the debt, the patriarch decreed the marriage, binding He Xing to her from then on.

    ¡°Luckily, I¡¯ve alreadye to terms with it.¡±

    Fu Han said with an air of nonchnce, ¡°The past is the past, I wish you and Xia Ning a lifetime of happiness.¡±

    After speaking, Fu Han tried to walk past him to leave the bedroom.

    Suddenly a forceful grip came upon her shoulder, He Xing grabbed her and spun her around, trapping her against the wall with a firm hold on her waist, ¡°The engagement will not be canceled.¡±

    A storm seemed imminent in his eyes, yet he provided no extensive exnation to Fu Han.

    ¡°What now?¡± Fu Han leanedpliantly against the wall, her face showing no signs of panic.

    As their breaths intertwined in the charged air, Fu Han looked at He Xing with amusement, ¡°You used to be so indifferent to me, as if spending an extra word on me was a waste of your time. And now you insist on marrying me? Don¡¯t tell me, after I was gone for three years, that you suddenly realized the person you truly love is me?¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 004 Cold and Thin

    ?Chapter 4: 004 Cold and Thin   Chapter 4: 004 Cold and Thin                                   Slim fingers lifted, and Fu Han¡¯s fingertips glided over his cold and handsome profile, but her voice carried a trace of contempt, ¡°Then, I must truly be ttered.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s long fingers suddenly tensed, his lips thinned, pursed tightly, and his gaze deepened further.

    Fu Han remained unaffected, simply smiling innocently at He Xing.

    After looking at her deeply for a moment, He Xing slowly loosened his grip and said, ¡°The wedding won¡¯t be called off. Stay at home obediently, I will hold a banquetter and announce our wedding date.¡±

    Having said that, he turned and left the room with a cold face.

    Watching He Xing¡¯s frosty retreating figure, Fu Han, with a thoughtful smirk, scoffed lightly, ¡°Pathetic, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    That very evening, the He Family vi held an extremely grand banquet.

    Fu Han dressed casually, throwing the evening gown prepared by He Xing into the corner of the room, and leisurely sat in the back garden, drinking tea and admiring the moon.

    The cool moonlight reflected off the vast swimming pool, and Fu Han, deep in thought, leaned against the pool¡¯s edge, her loweredshes hiding the dark light in her eyes.

    ¡°Fu Han!¡± He Xing found her, and from a distance saw her sitting by the pool, lost in thought.

    A sharp sting pierced his heart, and his pupils contracted as he strode over to Fu Han and yanked her up forcefully.

    ¡°What are you doing!¡± He Xing¡¯s face was tense, his gaze on Fu Han unusually shrouded with hostility.

    Taken by surprise, Fu Han spilled her tea on He Xing, instantly ruining his expensive suit.

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing,¡± Fu Han said, her voice devoid of emotion, watching him, ¡°Afraid I¡¯ll get desperate and jump in?¡±

    She set the tea cup aside with augh, ¡°Have you ever heard of someonemitting suicide in a swimming pool?¡±

    The incident where she fell into the water three years ago hadn¡¯t left her with a psychological shadow; it seemed more like it had be a psychological shadow for He Xing.

    ¡°He Xing,¡± Fu Han said nonchntly, a slight curve to her lips, ¡°I¡¯ve learned to swim.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s long finger suddenly paused, his breathing slightly hurried and his restraint more evident, as he dragged Fu Han towards the lobby, ¡°It¡¯s time for the banquet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Fu Han said slowly, sitting back down, ¡°I hate crowded ces.¡±

    She tilted her head with a smile, ¡°Are you going to force me to go?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s breathing tightened again as he stared at Fu Han, ¡°You are thedy of the banquet.¡±

    Ever since Fu Han returned to the He Family, He Xing had noticed a stark change in her.

    No longer was she self-deprecating or overly sensitive; it was as though she had grown ayer of sharp spines, yet she wore a mask of mellowness, her behavior casual and indifferent, seemingly unprovocative yet just as aggressive.

    This new Fu Han seemed strange to him, almost unreachable, as if she sat before him, enveloping He Xing in a sensation of grasping at void.

    ¡°Thedy of the banquet, huh?¡± Fu Han tasted those words, chuckling, ¡°Suit yourself. I don¡¯t know any of those political and business elites in the lobby, and I can¡¯t deal with those scenes either.¡±

    Looking at Fu Han¡¯s serene expression, He Xing couldn¡¯t help but frown tightly, yet he did not insist on her attending anymore.

    He went back to his bedroom to change his clothes, then brought a few young masters anddies to the back garden.

    ¡°Miss Fu, long time no see.¡±

    A familiar voice reached Fu Han¡¯s ears. She turned her head and saw a man with gentle features walking up, arm in arm with Xia Ning, his gaze turning colder by the second.

    It was Xia Cheng, the eldest son of the Xia Family and the brother who doted on Xia Ning the most.

    Xia Cheng looked over Fu Han from top to bottom, his smile gentle and polite, yet his brows cloaked with a hostility unbing of his demeanor.

    The He Family was regarded as the leading family among A City¡¯s four major ns, and those who hade were all long-time friends of the family, and childhood friends of He Xing.

    Xia Ning grew up surrounded by these elite young masters, always the center of attention, and regarded as A City¡¯s number onedy.

    She and He Xing seemed an ideal match, and everyone thought she would surely marry him, until Fu Han appeared out of nowhere.

    Xia Cheng nced at Xia Ning in his arms, noticing the sorrow that lingered in her eyes and thus darkening his expression further as he addressed Fu Han, ¡°Miss Fu, you disappear without a trace for years on end. Where have you been ¡®highly situated¡¯?¡±

    The atmosphere in the garden abruptly tensed under the night sky, bing all the more silent, as the two people following Xia Cheng let out a snicker.

    Fu Han¡¯s humble origins were her deep-seated insecurity; the slightest hint would make her jump.

    Everyone could tell that Xia Cheng was mocking Fu Han.

    ¡°Photographer,¡± Fu Han replied nonchntly, ¡°Looking at scenery, taking photos, nothingpared to the busy lives of all the young masters anddies here.¡±

    Xia Cheng and the others were taken aback.

    Fu Han used to always be evasive about her background, any hint of her low status making her contort her face into an awkward grimace as if she had been maliciously targeted.

    But now, that sensitivity and sharpness were gone from her; it was as though her edges had been smoothed over, or perhaps she had concealed them altogether, making her even more imprable.

    ¡°Is the banquet over?¡±

    Fu Han turned her head to He Xing, ¡°Did you bring these noble sons over for a small gathering? It¡¯s a bit like the night Xia Ning and I fell into the water three years ago, aren¡¯t you afraid of another ident?¡±

    The air around tensed once more.

    With her candid teasing about the past conflicts, Fu Han unintentionally added ayer of awkwardness to the gathering.

    He Xing sat down beside her indifferently, his left hand instinctively wrapping behind her, as if he was bringing her under his wing, afraid she might fall into the pool, ¡°As you wish.¡±

    His casual tone made Fu Han raise an eyebrow.

    As you wish?

    What exactly was He Xing trying to imply by bringing these people before her¡­

    ¡°Fu Han.¡±

    Xia Ning broke the stagnant air, mustering a smile and taking a couple of steps forward, ¡°Let¡¯s not bring up past events. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other, and we really should catch up. Don¡¯t dwell on the old days¡­¡±

    ¡°Xia Ning,¡± Fu Han interrupted her directly, lifting her hand and beckoning Xia Ning with her fingers, ¡°Come here.¡±

    Xia Ning hesitated, and Xia Cheng, with a stern face, said, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°What do you think I want to do,¡± Fu Hanughed coldly, ¡°after all, Xia Ning is your cherished little princess, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s okay,¡± Xia Ning reassured Xia Cheng with a smile, then nced at He Xing, but his gaze remained fixed on Fu Han, not sparing her even a sliver of attention.

    Suppressing the full extent of her resentment, Xia Ning approached Fu Han and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and she suddenly stood up, grabbed Xia Ning by the cor, and, with a swift movement, flung her into the swimming pool.

 Chapter 5 - 5 I did it on purpose

    ?Chapter 5: I did it on purpose   Chapter 5: I did it on purpose                                   With a ssh, Xia Ning¡¯s screams pierced the sky, and the faces of Xia Cheng and the others instantly turned pale as they jumped into the pool in a panic.

    Only Fu Han and He Xing remained, one seated and one standing, indifferently watching the few people floundering in the pool.

    ¡°Fu Han! Have you lost your mind?¡±

    Xia Cheng climbed out of the pool with Xia Ning in his arms, his face twisted in rage as he charged at Fu Han.

    In an instant, He Xing stepped in front of Fu Han. His cold gaze swept over Xia Cheng, engulfing him with a tangible pressure. Xia Cheng stiffened, his face darkening as he said to He Xing, ¡°What do you mean by this.¡±

    ¡°Have you cooled down?¡± He Xingpletely ignored Xia Cheng and instead turned to Fu Han.

    Cooled down?

    Fu Han looked surprised.

    He Xing had called these proud individuals here to vent her anger for her?

    That was indeed fresh news.

    With an amused smile, Fu Han stepped out from behind He Xing and looked at Xia Ning, pale in Xia Cheng¡¯s arms, saying, ¡°Xia Ning, I was just joking with you. What¡¯s there to be so frightened about?¡±

    She still clearly remembered what Xia Ning had said to her at the hospital back then.

    Fu Han moved forward a step, her gaze lowered to Xia Ning as she sneered, ¡°Xia Ning, can¡¯t you take a joke?¡±

    The faces of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning instantly turned the color of a pig¡¯s liver.

    Everything that had just happened was enough to prove He Xing¡¯s attitude: he was here to settle old scores from three years ago.

    ¡°Brother He¡­¡± Xia Ning¡¯s face was full of grievance and sadness.

    She never imagined that He Xing would allow Fu Han to bully and humiliate her.

    Just a few years ago, he had always protected her.

    ¡°Have you cooled down?¡± He Xing still looked at Fu Han, determined to get an answer from her mouth.

    ¡°Boring.¡± Fu Han, her interest waning, turned her head and let out an elegant yawn. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest now. You do as you please.¡±

    Having said that, she headed straight for the bedroom.

    ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± A few stepster, she paused, turned to He Xing with a smile and said, ¡°Still, I have to thank President He for this bted action. It¡¯s resolved the anger I felt when I was pushed into the pool three years ago.¡±

    Three years ago, she hadn¡¯t fallen into the water by ident; it was Xia Cheng who had pushed her in.

    Fu Han returned to the bedroom with a cold face, and as soon as she was about to close the door, a force from behind mmed her against it, gripping her waist tightly.

    ¡°What, after a few years, President He suddenly likes this position?¡±

    Fu Han nced at the arm around her waist, noting that this was the second time today He Xing had pressed her against a door.

    He Xing did not answer.

    The familiar and oppressive breath between their lips covered her mouth, as He Xing¡¯s tall figure enveloped Fu Han tightly, fiercely taking her breath away.

    Fu Han¡¯s face darkened, she raised her hand to push He Xing away, but his strong arms pinned her down fiercely. She soon became dizzy from the kissing, melting like spring water in He Xing¡¯s arms.

    Past memories inevitably came flooding back into her mind.

    After their engagement, although He Xing had been extremely cold to her, whenever they were alone, he would show a passion that was on the verge of losing control.

    Because of the emotional chaos in bed, Fu Han had once believed that she held a special ce in He Xing¡¯s heart.

    His long fingers, carrying uncontroble heat, slid from her waist down under her skirt, raising the hem. Fu Han¡¯s body shuddered as she turned her head to break free from He Xing¡¯s thin lips, and with a downcast gaze, she asked, ¡°How long have you been without a woman?¡±

    Seeing her getting so agitated.

    ¡°Was Xia Ning not satisfying you?¡± she asked with a subtle sneer.

    He Xing¡¯s fingers paused, he looked at Fu Han coldly and said, ¡°There was never any Xia Ning.¡±

    There had never been anyone else between him and Fu Han.

    Fu Han pushed He Xing away, straightened her clothes, and sat down on the sofa. ¡°So, President He, you have been chaste for my sake for three years?¡±

    With an air of self-mockery, she curled her lips, ¡°Even if you have always been pure, you don¡¯t have to wrong yourself.¡±

    In City A, how many distinguisheddies saw He Xing as the man of their dreams? Just a nce and a beckon from him would have hordes of beautiful women throwing themselves into his arms.

    ¡°Fu Han.¡± He Xing, from a position of authority, looked down at her. ¡°Must you really speak to me like this?¡±

    Three years ago, although she was impulsive, she was simple and easy to see through.

    Not like now, with a tempting smile on her face, yet her words carried a sarcastic bite.

    ¡°Three years ago, why didn¡¯t you say it was Xia Cheng who pushed you down?¡± He Xing asked.

 Chapter 6 - 6 006 Pride

    ?Chapter 6: 006 Pride   Chapter 6: 006 Pride                                   It wasn¡¯t until Fu Han left and the He Family searched everywhere for her that He Xing saw in the surveince that what happened years ago wasn¡¯t an ident. Xia Cheng had deliberately tripped Fu Han, causing her to fall into the swimming pool.

    Afterward, Xia Cheng offhandedly imed it was just an ident, that he didn¡¯t know Fu Han couldn¡¯t swim, and he was just trying to y a joke on her.

    ¡°Would it have mattered if I had said something?¡±

    Fu Han stared at He Xing and said, ¡°I¡¯m just a daughter of a servant from the He Family. Even though the old master raised me like his own granddaughter, in the eyes of you proud sons of heaven, I¡¯m still a lowly person. As a child, I refused to lose, refused to bow my head like Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, so when I was wronged, I would retort without thinking. How did you treat me back then?¡±

    Fu Han scoffed coldly, word by word, ¡°You said, ¡®Fu Han, stop making a fuss.¡¯

    She had defended herself and protested, but each time, she was met with his impatient rebuke.

    ¡°Three years ago, after I fell into the water, didn¡¯t you also emphasize at the hospital that it was just an ident?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s voice was as cold as that of a bystander.

    He Xing and Xia Ning had been childhood sweethearts; she was just an outsider living off their charity.

    ¡°He Xing,¡± Fu Han said firmly, without blinking, ¡°I¡¯vee back to break off our engagement.¡±

    But she didn¡¯t expect that He Xing would insist on this absurd engagement or that he would even host a banquet to announce their wedding date.

    ¡°The wedding is set for three months from now,¡± He Xing said as if he hadn¡¯t heard Fu Han¡¯s words, with an extremely somber expression.

    The warmth and loss of control from earlier had vanished into thin air, and He Xing forcefully gripped Fu Han¡¯s chin, ¡°The mistress of the He Family will only be you.¡±

    Fu Han, with an indifferent smile, brushed him off, ¡°Whatever you say.¡±

    He Xing nced at her heavily and ordered coldly, ¡°A designer wille to tailor your wedding dress tomorrow. Stay at home and don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±

    Having said that, He Xing turned and left.

    Fu Han leaned on the sofa, watching He Xing¡¯s retreating figure thoughtfully, and after a long while, she let out a sneer, ¡°Heh, truly pathetic.¡±

    The next morning at seven o¡¯clock, Fu Han got up early, dressed neatly, and leisurely went downstairs.

    He Xing, in a deep ck suit, was staring at theputer reading a brief. Hearing the noise from the staircase, his deep ck eyes immediately fell on Fu Han.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± Fu Han greetednguidly, then walked straight toward the door.

    ¡°Fu Han,¡± He Xing frowned, ¡°the designer ising today.¡±

    ¡°I have to work; I don¡¯t have time to deal with those boring people.¡±

    Fu Han didn¡¯t stop her steps, her brows also showing impatience.

    ¡°Work?¡± He Xing stood up and blocked Fu Han¡¯s path, his gaze sweeping over her.

    Fu Han was still wearing a sharp coat, which made her look tall and graceful.

    In her hand, she carried aptop, and over her shoulder, she carried a camera, revealing a side of herself He Xing had never seen before.

    ¡°The He Family can¡¯t afford to keep you?¡± He Xing frowned unhappily, seemingly very dissatisfied with her making public appearances.

    ¡°What does everything of the He Family have to do with me?¡±

    Fu Han let out a scoff due to He Xing¡¯s entitled tone, ¡°I¡¯m not like those young masters anddies of yours¡ªwithout hard work, I¡¯d be left to the winds. Grandfather might have raised me for so many years, but I don¡¯t have the thick skin to keep spending the He Family¡¯s money.¡±

    The old master of the He Family had already agreed to their annulment, and she could clearly see that he wouldn¡¯t interfere with her choice, leaving them to deal with their feelings on their own.

    Then she didn¡¯t have to y thedy in front of He Xing anymore out of consideration for the old master.

    ¡°The designer ising today to take your measurements for the wedding dress,¡± He Xing emphasized.

    ¡°Then let them wait,¡± Fu Han said with an indifferent face, ¡°How is it, you already called me the future Mrs. He, shouldn¡¯t I be the one to fit their schedule?¡±

    With that, Fu Han pushed He Xing aside and walked out the door without a second nce.

    He Xing¡¯s eyshes drooped slightly, and he followed Fu Han, asking, ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll drive you.¡±

    ¡°Xia Family media,¡± Fu Han didn¡¯t refuse He Xing and, seeing his car parked at the door, naturally opened the door and got in.

    ¡°Xia Family?¡± He Xing¡¯s hand tightening the seatbelt tensed, and a sharp look appeared in his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re going to work at the Xia Family?¡±

    The Xia Family controlled most of the media lifelines in City A and was the true leader in the City A media industry.

    Xia Cheng was now the CEO of Xia Family media, and Fu Han had just pushed Xia Ning into the water yesterday; today, she was saying she would work at the Xia Family?

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Fu Han nced at him nonchntly, ¡°I have a friend who works at a newspaper office under the Xia Family. They just happen to be short of a photographer, so he rmended me.¡±

    ¡°Fu Han,¡± He Xing¡¯s voice turned colder, ¡°what exactly do you intend to do bying back this time?¡±

    Even if some aspects of her character had changed, there were some things deep down that would never change.

    Fu Han had been clear about love and hate since she was young and was not one to suffer losses.

    If she could throw Xia Ning into the water after three years, she couldn¡¯t possibly be nning to work at the Xia Family with peace of mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a small-time photographer,¡± Fu Han looked at He Xing with amusement, ¡°what waves could I possibly make under the hands of people like you?¡±

    Curiously, she sized up He Xing, ¡°Are you worried that I¡¯ll cause trouble for your childhood sweetheart? Then why did you watch indifferentlyst night as I threw her into the water?¡±

    That waspletely opposite to his reaction three years ago.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite curious.¡±

    Fu Han twisted a strand of her hair and asked, ¡°You¡¯re cold to everyone else, even though you¡¯re from aristocratic families, you¡¯ve never shown any closeness to the Xia Family. But you¡¯ve always been so tolerant of Xia Ning, standing by her side no matter what she does.¡±

    She teased jokingly, ¡°What, did the Xia Family save your life or something?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡±

    Unexpectedly, He Xing responded solemnly.

    Fu Han was taken aback, only to hear He Xing say, ¡°The year I was ten, my parents died in a car crash, and it was Xia Ning¡¯s mother who pulled me out of the car before she died.¡±

 Chapter 7 - 7 007 Apologizes

    ?Chapter 7: 007 Apologizes   Chapter 7: 007 Apologizes                                   Well, car idents certainly do seem frequent around here.

    Fu Han justughed, the previous numbness already gone, her lips curving into a yful smile, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. No wonder He Xing is so smitten with her, it¡¯s quite understandable.¡±

    His life, of course, is precious, more so than his own¡ªsaving Xia Ning was inevitable. That was a life-saving bond.

    He Xing¡¯s face darkened, his brow furrowed tightly, dissatisfied, he said, ¡°What do you mean ¡®so smitten¡¯? I told you, there¡¯s never been a Xia Ning in my life.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, no Xia Ning.¡± She carelessly hoisted her camera, looked up and smiled lightly, ¡°He Xing, I¡¯m going to bete for work, we can talk about whatever it is after I¡¯m off.¡±

    He Xing suppressed the suffocating irritation and took out his car keys, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡±

    ¡°Then, much obliged?¡± She agreed cheerfully.

    The more He Xing observed Fu Han, the less he understood her thoughts. From all indications, she was still furious, otherwise, how could such fiery feelings be cast aside so easily?

    But even while furious, she didn¡¯t hesitate to ept everything he offered.

    His deep ck eyes fixed intently on Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure.

    He didn¡¯t understand, what exactly did Fu Han want, he just didn¡¯t get it.

    The path from the He Family mansion to the garage was one Fu Han knew well, her trench coat fluttering, her graceful figure provoked mes of desire in He Xing¡¯s eyes. She unceremoniously opened the car door, sat in He Xing¡¯s luxury car, fiddled with the cameraponents in the backseat, and didn¡¯t look at He Xing again.

    He Xing focused on driving, reached the Xia Family¡¯s newspaper office, she got out of the car and he promptly followed.

    ¡°Ah, He Xing, please stay back. I don¡¯t want to cause a stir the moment I show up, thank you for taking the time to drive me to work today, go back and rest.¡± She tossed her long hair and put it up into a bun, showing him out.

    Was this how she treated him, like a tool?

    The expression on He Xing¡¯s face was poor, his gloomy visage etched with annoyance, but he didn¡¯t insist on following her in.

    Settling back into the car, he stared broodingly at Fu Han¡¯s figure, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it up.

    Truly annoying.

    ¡°Han Han, my dear sister, you finally came. We are about to start,¡± Zhu Lian approached with a worried face, grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand, and hurried her toward the photography studio, too anxious to notice the luxury car behind them.

    They hadn¡¯t known each other for long, but their rtionship was not bad.

    Fu Han chuckled lightly, ying with her camera, ¡°I got held up on the way, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯mte, right?¡±

    Zhu Lian was in a hurry, pulling her into the room to get ready. The celebrity they were shooting this time was a popr young starlet, personally chosen for their magazine cover shoot, partly in consideration of the Xia Family¡¯s influence.

    Fu Han adjusted the camera settings, took a few practice shots at the model, and after the click of the shutter, she looked at the photo in the camera and nodded, ¡°Hmm, not bad. Really photogenic.¡±

    ¡°Let me see, let me see,¡± Zhu Lian leaned in, impressed by the model¡¯s perfectly captured expression, hair flying in the wind, a picture of untamed freedom, and eximed, ¡°My gosh, Fu Han, your skills are incredible, how can your action shots look so stunning?¡±

    She had never seen such a casual photographer before.

    ¡°Skills or not?¡±

    ¡°Miss Xia, Miss Xia.¡±

    Zhu Lian quickly bounced away from Fu Han, bowing somewhat nervously, ¡°Good day, Miss Xia.¡±

    Seeing a familiar figure, Xia Ning¡¯s expression darkened slightly, venting her anger on Zhu Lian, a lowly editor, ¡°What¡¯s this idle chatter during work hours? And who is she? I don¡¯t recall our newspaper office hiring this person.¡±

    ¡°Miss Xia, this is the photographer I hired; she has already passed the review and from today, is a part of our newspaper office,¡± Zhu Lian promptly dered Fu Han¡¯s identity, then introduced enthusiastically, ¡°Fu Han, this is the younger sister of our Boss Xia, Miss Xia Ning,e and say hello.¡±

    Being away from City A for three years, aside from the young lords anddies around He Xing, there were few left who knew her.

    Fu Han turned around calmly, her nod neither servile nor overbearing, her tone flippant, ¡°Miss Xia, I¡¯ve long admired your name.¡±

    ¡°Fu Han? It¡¯s really you.¡± Xia Ning smirked with sarcasm, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to work at one of our subsidiary newspapers? He Xing really should have let you rest at homefortably rather than having you work here, exposed to wind and sun.¡±

    Her eyes glinted darkly, though her lips were curved.

    What a coincidence, merely a day after she had pushed her into the water, she showed up to work at her newspaper office. Fu Han, you really are fearless. Did you think you could still rely on He Xing¡¯s support while you¡¯re in Xia Family territory?

    In such mockery, Fu Han simply smiled indifferently, ¡°No need for Miss Xia to worry about me, I just like photography, and your brother He Xing wanted to provide for me, but I felt it wasn¡¯t right topete with you for that honor. I have to work now, so let¡¯s not get into details.¡±

    She picked up her camera and walked toward the model.

    Her casualness was at its peak, as if in her eyes, there was only photography, casually brushing off Xia Ning.

    When had Xia Ning ever been so belittled?

    ¡°Fu Han! I am your boss now, is this how you talk to your boss?¡± She said furiously.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Fu Han sighed deeply, tidied her disheveled hair, and said with slight impatience, ¡°Miss Xia, I really need to work now.¡±

    Work? Was her word not more important than work?

    So Xia Ning¡¯s fierce gaze turned to Zhu Lian, ¡°Is this the kind of good employee you¡¯ve recruited? She doesn¡¯t act like an employee at all!¡±

    Zhu Lian hadn¡¯t anticipated that Fu Han had a past with Xia Ning and internally cursed her luck. She really should have vetted Fu Han before bringing her into the newspaper office. She wondered if Xia Ning would hold a grudge against her¡­ She didn¡¯t want to lose her job.

    ¡°Miss Xia, I am sorry, so sorry,¡± she turned and said resentfully, ¡°Fu Han! What are you doing? Don¡¯t make trouble! Come apologize to Miss Xia right now!¡±

    ¡°Fu Han, you wouldn¡¯t want to see your friend getting fired, would you?¡± Xia Ning watched her with a smug look.

    She wanted to see Fu Han, who was too proud to back down, struggle to prevent her friend from being fired.

    ¡°Fu Han, please don¡¯t get me in trouble! I kindly offered you a job. I didn¡¯t do it so you could cost me my livelihood!¡± Zhu Lian whispered nervously to her.

    What will you do now, when there¡¯s no way out?

    ¡°I am sorry, Miss Xia.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned grim immediately, displeased with her performance.

    Why? Why did Fu Han appear so nonchnt? Even when Fu Han was bullied to the point of unbearable pain in the past, she never apologized to her. Back then, Xia Ning had spent countless efforts to force those three little words out of Fu Han, and now, why was there no feeling of satisfaction from the apology, but increased irritation instead?

    Fu Han raised her eyebrows, showing no reluctance, bending her body smoothly, still at ny degrees, ¡°I was the one who spoke out of turn to you¡­¡±

    Before she finished speaking, her bent body was stopped by a pair of strong hands, gently pulling her into an embrace, He Xing¡¯s eyes cold, ¡°Let¡¯s see who dares to demand an apology from my fianc¨¦e.¡±

 Chapter 8 - 8 Isnt 008 a friend

    ?Chapter 8: Isn¡¯t 008 a friend?   Chapter 8: Isn¡¯t 008 a friend?                                   ¡°He-ge¡­¡± Xia Ning¡¯s fierce expression immediately softened to a gentle one, her aggrieved look of ¡®pear blossoms bathed in rain¡¯ truly tugging at the heartstrings.

    He-ge?

    Zhu Lian¡¯splexion turned deathly pale, hurriedly lowering her head.

    Who in A City didn¡¯t know about the fabled story between Xia Ning and He Xing, her single address of ¡®He-ge¡¯ was enough to send everyone into a state of shock.

    But his fianc¨¦e? Zhu Lian caught the crux of the matter, her gaze shifting towards Fu Han who was off to the side.

    What to do, Fu Han was He Xing¡¯s fianc¨¦e; and just now she had asked Fu Han to apologize to Xia Ning, wouldn¡¯t that be extremely annoying? Could Fu Han end up holding a grudge against her because of it?

    Zhu Lian was so frightened her hands began to tremble.

    He Xing only furrowed his brow, his eyes coldly fixed on Xia Ning, ¡°You asked Fu Han to apologize to you?¡±

    She was taken aback for a moment, her eyes reddening and nearly brimming with tears, ¡°He-ge, I just, just thought she was too impolite, so I wanted to discipline her on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e, I don¡¯t need you to point fingers, do I?¡± He Xing¡¯s indifferent gaze swept over Xia Ning, his words as chilling as his stare.

    Xia Ning bit her lower lip tightly, not uttering a sound.

    ¡°Stop arguing. If this goes on, I¡¯m going to fall asleep.¡± Fu Han yawnedzily, pushing He Xing aside and heading straight for the camera, ¡°President He, I¡¯m not your fianc¨¦e. If you want to stand up for your wife, go ahead with Xia Ning, but don¡¯t dy my work. I don¡¯t like working overtime. Zhu Lian, let¡¯s get started. It¡¯ll be toote if we don¡¯t finish in time.¡±

    Without amand from Xia Ning, Zhu Lian dared not move.

    She wanted to speak out, but then she saw Xia Ning with a dark face, almost brimming with hatred, staring fixedly at Fu Han.

    Hearing the name Xia Ning, He Xing furrowed his brow; why was she still dwelling on the past?

    ¡°Fu Han, what exactly are you dissatisfied with? I¡¯ve exined the situation in the past, and Xia Ning and I are not what you imagine¡­¡±

    ¡°Boring.¡±

    This was the second time in two days that He Xing had heard her call something ¡®boring¡¯.

    Those two simple words set off a fiery anger in him, yet he couldn¡¯t muster any emotive response.

    Fu Han snorted with a scoff through her nose, a look of indifference in her eyes as she turned back, ¡°President He, could it be that you see yourself as too charismatic? Isn¡¯t my attitude clear enough? I, I no longer love you. We¡¯re not children anymore, crying and fussing to get back a lost candy. You are He Xing, what kind of woman can¡¯t you find? Please don¡¯t bother me at work anymore.¡±

    The sentence pierced his heart like a sharp spike.

    He Xing didn¡¯t understand.

    No longer in love? Did she really not love him anymore? Could those once profound feelings be discarded so easily?

    ¡°I won¡¯t look for other women.¡± His voice was low, but his eyes were obsessive.

    Fu Han was taken aback, not expecting him to express his feelings so directly in front of Xia Ning, then responded indifferently, ¡°As you wish.¡±

    She ced her hand on the camera and started shooting.

    ¡°You go ahead and work.¡± He Xing did not continue to pester her.

    Turning to see Xia Ning standing quietly to the side, he said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t try to threaten her with the tactic of firing her friend. That kind of maneuver is too despicable.¡±

    Xia Ning stiffened, clenching her back teeth tightly.

    In essence, He Xing was solving Fu Han¡¯s potential worries while insulting Xia Ning, calling her actions dirty. Why had everything changed with her return? Surely she was the one that everyone said was perfectly matched with He Xing, so why was He Xing so infatuated with this woman?

    Firing Zhu Lian was now out of the question; she didn¡¯t want to provoke He Xing.

    Fu Han worked very earnestly, and He Xing and Xia Ning moved chairs to sit on the side. Xia Ning leaned over, and He Xing subtly kept his distance.

    ¡°He-ge, I really understand my mistake about Fu Han, please don¡¯t be mad at me, okay?¡± Her eyes were watery as she locked onto He Xing, her face full of regret that seemed genuine.

    He Xing was not buying it, merely saying, ¡°Go apologize to Fu Han.¡±

    Xia Ning could only grind her teeth, ¡°Fine.¡±

    Ask her to apologize to Fu Han? That was never going to happen.

    Her failed ttery only pushed the atmosphere between them to a new peak of awkwardness, so much so that even Zhu Lian could see the invisible smoke of gunpowder between them.

    He Xing was particrly resolute in his attitude, protecting Fu Han at every turn, while turning a cold shoulder to Xia Ning.

    Swallowing hard, Zhu Lian carefully approached Fu Han from behind, whispering, ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯m really sorry about earlier. In a moment of panic, I asked you to apologize. Sorry, I¡­¡±

    ¡°This matter? I haven¡¯t taken it to heart.¡± Fu Han instructed the model to strike a different pose while adjusting the camera settings, and then with a gracious smile, she expressed her understanding, ¡°I get it, you¡¯re Xia Ning¡¯s staff, and arguing with her could cost you your job. You¡¯re also doing this for your work, I don¡¯t me you.¡±

    She was quite generous.

    He Xing heard everything clearly, his hawk-like eyes fixed on Fu Han. He wanted to glean more information from this.

    Zhu Lian breathed a sigh of relief. Fu Han¡¯s eyes were so sincere, her smile so radiant, she surely didn¡¯t mind. In the future, she would be more careful not to upset Fu Han.

    Encouraging herself silently, Zhu Lian¡¯s face beamed like a flower as she supported the camera, ¡°Let me help you.¡±

    Fu Han smiled lightly, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She really knew how to act.

    Xia Ning¡¯s gaze was scorching with disdain as if trying to see right through Fu Han, internally she had already shed and tortured her a thousand times over.

    The shooting continued until six in the afternoon when Fu Han got off work. ncing over and seeing that He Xing and Xia Ning were still there, she lifted her vermilion lips in a sneer during a moment of collecting her things, ¡°President He and Lady Xia seem to have some free time. Don¡¯t you have official business to take care of?¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face shifted slightly, ¡°Overseeing the Newspaper Office is part of my job.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that must be really tough,¡± Fu Han replied casually, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and walking out, ¡°Both of you, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±

    The past image of Fu Han trailing behind He Xing was still vivid in his mind, that girl who used to be content only by He Xing¡¯s side, but she had now be someone who was always eager to sever ties with him.

    He Xing¡¯s brow knitted tightly, feeling unustomed, and he hurried after her.

    Fu Han was fiddling with her phone, pulling up Zhu Lian¡¯s number from the contact list, her pale, slender fingers swiping to add it to the cklist.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she your friend?¡±

    He Xing inquired.

    Fu Han turned with a lightugh, her eyes brimming with teasing, ¡°From now on, she¡¯s not.¡±

    With a locked screen, she tucked the phone into her pocket, and in that moment, the distinction between love and hate solidified for He Xing, affirming that Fu Han was still the same Fu Han, the Fu Han of the past.

    ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t changed all that much.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief at that realization.

    Who knew that Fu Han wouldugh and say, ¡°Really? Then it seems President He¡¯s eyesight has been growing worse over the years, thinking that I¡¯ve changed.¡±

    A gust of wind came up, scattering her hair, and Fu Han just brushed away the stray strands as if the wind could carry her away, her gaze not on He Xing¡¯s face but towards the horizon.

    It wasn¡¯t her who had changed, it had always been He Xing.

 Chapter 9 - 9 009 Denial

    ?Chapter 9: 009 Denial   Chapter 9: 009 Denial                                   Xia Ning saw the two of them flirting with each other at the doorway, and a shadow crept into her eyes, her fists clenched tightly.

    Fu Han looked beautiful against the wind, the setting sun casting a golden glow over her. He Xing¡¯s gaze darkened, unable to look away.

    ¡°Shall we go? Mr. He, didn¡¯t youe out just to give me a ride home?¡±

    She hid her earlier smile, now with a touch of chill and casualness, she indifferently extended the invitation to He Xing.

    If there¡¯s a free ride, why not take it?

    He Xing came to his senses, remained silent, and pressed the key fob, opening the car door.

    No sooner had Fu Han set foot in the car than a powerful force pushed her from behind, and without any defense, shey on her back on the rear seat, while He Xing leaned over her, trapping her within his arms, their faces only inches apart in an incredibly intimate pose.

    ¡°Mr. He, are you that desperate?¡± she asked, lifting the corners of her lips without giving face, her inspecting gaze slowly traveling down from He Xing¡¯s neck, waist, abdomen, and further down¡­

    The man¡¯s face twitched, and his thin lips pressed into a tight line: ¡°Fu Han, do you really think I wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it, but is Mr. He nning to give everyone a show? You¡¯ve be quite open-minded in the three years we haven¡¯t seen each other.¡±

    He Xing felt a tingling in his scalp from her nagging, his teeth clenched as he forcefully suppressed his emotions.

    Fu Han tilted her head to nce at Xia Ning, who was still standing behind him, and with a provocative lift of her eyebrow, she said interestedly, ¡°If you don¡¯t get up now, your little wife is going to start crying.¡±

    She seemed unafraid of being aggressively affectionate, yet she imed over and over that she no longer loved him.

    Fu Han, after three years, how have you be so casual?

    Darkness lingered in He Xing¡¯s deep eyes, but his interest waned. He pushed himself up off the seatback, and exined formally: ¡°She¡¯s not my little wife, and don¡¯t misunderstand, I just slipped and fell. Get in the car.¡±

    He even reached out his hand, very gentleman-like, trying to pull Fu Han up.

    When obliged, it¡¯s best toply, taking He Xing¡¯s hand, Fu Han sat up and straightened her messy hair, casually admiring the scenery around her, not even sparing Xia Ning a nce.

    Xia Ning clenched her teeth, a surge of frustration building in her chest with nowhere to release it.

    ¡°Brother He, could you give me a lift too?¡± she blocked He Xing, who was about to get into the driver¡¯s seat.

    He Xing cast her only a fleeting nce: ¡°I have urgent matters and need to go home. I¡¯ll call you a driver. Wait here, and they¡¯ll take you back in a bit.¡±

    His slender fingers fiddled with his phone, sending the driver the location.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face went deathly pale, but she could only remain silent.

    After ditching her, He Xing finally got in the car, started the engine, and drove off, leaving a trail of dust.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite heartless,¡± Fu Han teased. She had not seen Xia Ning look like that three years ago, but for a man, she now just found it foolish.

    He Xing drove, his eyes holding a heaviness she couldn¡¯t understand: ¡°I¡¯ve done all I could.¡±

    Was he exining to himself that he had only ever been dutiful and righteous towards Xia Ning?

    Fu Han curled her lips, resting her head in her hand as she looked out the window, thinking that when this man yed the fool, he was quite extraordinary.

    After arriving home, He Xing volunteered to carry the heavy camera for Fu Han. Just as he picked it up, the weight made his expression turn cold: ¡°Next time, you can leave such troublesome tasks to the servants.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is Mr. He feeling sorry for me?¡± Fu Han strolled nonchntly, stepping carelessly along the patterns of the ground, like a lively child.

    He Xing nced at her: ¡°If you were content staying at home as Mrs. He, you wouldn¡¯t have to do this hard work.¡±

    He had watched the whole shoot today and knew whether it had been difficult.

    Fu Han looked up, a hint of a smile in her eyes, her lips curving: ¡°Mr. He, better hold back on that thought. Grandfather has already agreed to my annulment, and our marriage arrangement isn¡¯t even set in stone yet. What can you do to me?¡±

    Speaking of Grandfather, He Xing¡¯s face predictably darkened: ¡°This is a matter between us; what Grandfather says doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t count,¡± she changed her tune, the yful smile re-emerging, her fingers lightly twirling a lock of hair, ¡°So does that mean the engagement Grandfather arranged initially doesn¡¯t count either?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face went cold, he turned abruptly: ¡°Fu Han! Are you really eager to cut all ties with me?¡±

    But Fu Han justughed, snatched the camera from his hand, and briskly walked toward the bedroom: ¡°Whether we sever ties or not, don¡¯t you already know?¡±

    The bedroom door closed firmly, and He Xing¡¯s head began to throb. He stretched his right hand to press against his forehead, trying to alleviate the pain, but a wave of overwhelming frustration surged up from the bottom of his heart.

    What a headache.

    He was bing less and less able to understand Fu Han, what she wanted to do, or what her thoughts really were.

    He Xing left soon after, as he hadpany business to deal with, and drove straight to the He Group. Just as he walked into the office, an elegant andposed man came striding in with a powerful presence.

    Xia Cheng walked into He Xing¡¯s office, mming the door shut, his usually gentle eyes now showing rare dissatisfaction: ¡°He Xing, you haven¡¯t exinedst night¡¯s matter to our family, and yet you still went to our house to bully my sister today? Are you truly dismissing us now?¡±

    Without even a nce up, he sat down and picked up a pen, gently flipping through some pages: ¡°Did Xia Ning tattle on me?¡±

    Xia Cheng choked on his immediate response, pausing to control his slightly hurried breath: ¡°Can¡¯t I tell when my own sister is aggrieved? And atst night¡¯s party, weren¡¯t you the one who hosted it under the pretext of marrying Fu Han? What about Xia Ning then?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s deep ck eyes were as still as dead water, his hands sped together on the desk: ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever saying I would marry Xia Ning. As for your question, she¡¯s still the same as before, just a friend. Who I marry has nothing to do with her, right?¡±

    ¡°You know she likes you!¡± Xia Cheng mmed his hand onto the desk, the nging sound even reaching outside.

    Finally, some emotion appeared in He Xing¡¯s eyes, a cold anger climbing from their depths. His gaze shifted upwards, and he said, ¡°Just because she likes me, am I supposed to marry her? I am already engaged to be married. If we¡¯re speaking of morals, she should know she can¡¯t like me.¡±

    With those words, Xia Cheng was thoroughly angered.

    He now saw it clearly, He Xing was resolutely unwilling to give the Xia family an exnation, implicitly and explicitly protecting that woman Fu Han. No wonder Xia Ning hade home crying so heartbrokenly.

    This wasn¡¯t just about being wronged; it was like having her heart gouged out!

    ¡°He Xing, have you truly forgotten the life-saving grace my mother once showed you? Xia Ning is the one you should marry!¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face turned instantly overcast.

    Was he so desperate that he would use his own biological mother as a bargaining chip in a moment of urgency?

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I despise more than people who threaten me.¡±

 Chapter 10 - 10 010 Gloomy

    ?Chapter 10: 010 Gloomy   Chapter 10: 010 Gloomy                                   Although he was paranoid and gloomy, he was not unreasonable, and discussing non-excessive matters with him would not be too difficult. But whenever principles were involved, if he said no, it was a firm no, especially when it came to threats.

    A dark shadow crept over He Xing¡¯s face, and only icy turbulence remained in his narrow eyes as he rose to face Xia Cheng, ¡°How much has the He Family supported the Xia Family over the years? Has Young Master Xia ever calcted it? From your decline to your current achievements in A City, hasn¡¯t it all been with the support of my He Family? You talk about a life-saving debt? Yes, I acknowledge it, but without the He Family, how long could the Xia Family havested?¡±

    His cold face conveyed all this to Xia Cheng, who was usually gentle and became speechless under his imposing demeanor, frowning in silence.

    ¡°The debt I owed the Xia Family has been repaid over these many years, more than enough. I can continue to support you and maintain good rtions, but if you insist on morally ckmailing me over this matter, don¡¯t me me for severing cooperation with the Xia Family.¡±

    The gaze in He Xing¡¯s eyes was like that of the Grim Reaper, proiming the Xia Family¡¯s doom.

    He could marry Xia Ning out of gratitude, but in doing so, he would reim all the support previously given to the Xia Family, and whether the Xia Family would still exist at that point was another matter.

    Xia Cheng¡¯s lips tightened, and his previous confidence disappearedpletely.

    In the end, he was no match for the domineering aura radiating from He Xing, and his gaze began to dodge nervously.

    It was only with the support of the He Family that the Xia Family could stand firm in A City. This was the reason for He Xing¡¯s confidence. If they left the protection of the He Family, could the Xia Family still survive in A City?

    He was not sure, especially wary of making such a decision on behalf of the Xia Family.

    Xia Cheng finally chose to leave, pushing open the office door, but unexpectedly made eye contact with Fu Han leaning against it. As their eyes met, Fu Han was the first to smile, ¡°Don¡¯t doubt it. I heard everything you two were discussing.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Xia Cheng¡¯s brow furled with rage, using the woman of provocation, ¡°Lady Fu, after all these years, your skin has gotten thicker, stooping to eavesdropping.¡±

    ¡°Still not as thick as the Xia Family¡¯s skin when ites to moral ckmail,¡± she replied with a light smile, a clear, spirited look in her eyes, gracefully straightening up, ¡°Have you finished, Young Master Xia? If so, could you step aside? I have business with He Xing.¡±

    She extended a hand in a ssic gesture of invitation and turned her head with a light chuckle.

    Xia Cheng¡¯s breathing grew rapid with frustration, his teeth clenched as he snarled, ¡°Lady Fu, there¡¯s no need for such roundabout insults. You can¡¯t be too happy for long. He Xing didn¡¯t love you then, and he won¡¯t love you now.¡±

    Fu Han sighed with resignation, ¡°It¡¯s for the best that he doesn¡¯t love me.¡±

    Why did everyone still think she was deeply in love with He Xing? It was quite a buzzkill.

    Her seemingly carefree attitude only aggravated Xia Cheng further. Fu Han clearly still fancied him yet behaved coyly, making Xia Ning ufortable, right? Wasn¡¯t it just to draw attention?

    ¡°If you truly don¡¯t want his love, you would do well not to interfere with Xia Ning and He Xing¡¯s feelings, Lady Fu. Please, choose wisely.¡±

    ¡°Choose wisely? Interfere?¡± Fu Han scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I have no interest in He Xing whatsoever. I¡¯m here to break off the engagement, and as for why Xia Ning can¡¯t win He Xing, well, that simply shows herck of capability.¡±

    She pushed past Xia Cheng and was about to walk inside when she nearly bumped into He Xing. Taking a step back, she looked up, ¡°He Xing, have you been enjoying the show here all along?¡±

    Seeing He Xing, Xia Cheng suppressed his anger and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±

    Then he disappeared.

    He Xing looked at her with a dark expression, the earlier words still echoing in his ears like needles pricking his heart, ¡°No interest at all? Fu Han, after all this time, why are you still acting stubborn?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being stubborn,¡± she replied, her arms folded and her gentle gaze fixed on him, ¡°Grandfather asked me to remind you toe home for dinner tomorrow night. He wants to get together, so don¡¯t bury yourself in work and forget the time.¡±

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t wanted toe, but her grandfather was her only rtive, and she couldn¡¯t refuse him.

    He Xing silently nodded, ¡°Alright, I know.¡±

    Having ryed the message, Fu Han turned to leave, but He Xing quickly grasped her arm and pulled her back, his eyes serious, ¡°Fu Han, what exactly are you dissatisfied with about me?¡±

    Why, no matter what he did, no matter how he tried to appease her, did she remain indifferent?

    Fu Han kept her usual smile, ¡°I am quite satisfied.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s grip on Fu Han¡¯s arm tightened.

    That same phrase, that same expression, that same smile. He was increasingly unsure whether Fu Han was mocking him or truly didn¡¯t care anymore.

    A wave of nameless irritation surfaced, He Xing¡¯s fingers trembling. He wanted to say something, but the moment his eyes met Fu Han¡¯s, his words were cut short.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going now,¡± she said.

    Breaking free from He Xing¡¯s hold, she headed toward the elevator, casually stepping and pressing the down button.

    At seven in the evening, thepany¡¯s hallway lights were dazzling, illuminating every corner, and He Xing stood within that glow, his dark eyes concealed.

    The moment he saw Fu Han at thepany, he thought there could be a turning point, but unfortunately, there was none.

    The next day, Fu Han resigned from her job at the Xia Family Newspaper Office, for no other reason than not wanting to work with someone she found irritating. Her carefree and whimsical nature only desired to bask in the wind, taking photos and editing pictures, a truly simple life.

    After leaving her job, she did not stay home. In the morning, she took her camera out for photography and only returned for the dinner arranged with Grandpa He in the evening.

    All the seats were filled when she entered, except for the one beside He Xing.

    Fu Han nced at the sumptuous spread on the table, smiling as she picked up a spare chair and sat next to Grandpa He, ¡°Grandpa! I¡¯ve missed you after just one trip outside!¡±

    He Xing looked displeased.

    The others kept their heads down awkwardly, not daring to look at He Xing¡¯s expression.

    Lady Fu was clearly disrespecting He Xing, deliberately bypassing him to get close to Grandpa ¡ª wasn¡¯t she just asking for trouble?

    Grandpa He coughed lightly, smiling kindly, ¡°Good child, Grandpa has missed you too. Come, let¡¯s eat. You¡¯re back home so rarely, make sure you eat well to recover your strength. You¡¯ve gotten thinner.¡±

    So be it. If she didn¡¯t want to sit next to He Xing, then she wouldn¡¯t.

    Grandpa He yed along with her act, hoping to dispel the awkward atmosphere.

    At that moment, He Xing stood up, his face stern as he grabbed Fu Han¡¯s arm and pushed her down beside him, saying, ¡°This is where you belong. It¡¯s hot weather, don¡¯t always cling to grandfather.¡±

 Chapter 11 - 11 011 New Ring

    ?Chapter 11: 011 New Ring   Chapter 11: 011 New Ring                                   Dragged over forcefully, Fu Han propped her chin and sat beside him, barely perceptibly exhaling a sigh, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll just sit here.¡±

    The disdain for He Xing was not hidden at all.

    The others bowed their heads, not daring to speak, and He Xing¡¯s expression was extremely poor, leaving the elder Mr. He puzzled.

    Fu Han had been deeply in love with He Xing back in the day, although the elder Mr. He understood that He Xing had failed to reciprocate her deep affection, it shouldn¡¯t result in such aversion. Could it be that he already had someone else in mind?

    In an attempt to ease the awkwardness, the elder Mr. He coughed lightly, ¡°Han Han, you mentionedst time that you wanted to break off the engagement, could it be that you have someone else you fancy? What¡¯s the reason, you must have one for calling off the engagement, right?¡±

    A reason?

    Fu Han nced at He Xing with a strange expression. Could it be that Elder Mr. He was asking on behalf of He Xing?

    He Xing held his chopsticks with ease, his deep ck eyes flickering towards her for a moment, his emotions obscure and dark, but tightly fixed on her.

    The corners of Fu Han¡¯s mouth curled up in an amused arc. Did he really care so much whether she had someone else in mind?

    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve already agreed to the cancetion of the engagement; whether I have someone else in my heart really isn¡¯t important anymore! I¡¯ll definitely bring them to meet you for inspection when the timees!¡± Fu Han¡¯s eyes curved into crescents, obediently raising her hand and serving meat to Elder Mr. He.

    Elder Mr. He¡¯s eyes nearly crinkled into slits as heughed, ¡°You child, still so secretive.¡±

    ¡°Even love can make me shy!¡± Her cheeks a shade of pink, she suddenly seemed like a demure woman, glowing radiantly like a blooming rose.

    Elder Mr. He simply smiled, ¡°Alright, alright, the matters of you young people are for you to handle. I¡¯m just an old bag of bones now and shouldn¡¯t pry.¡±

    Then, he affectionately offered some food to Fu Han.

    He Xing lowered his head to hide the gloom in his eyes, eating in silence with a face so dark it could drip water, clearly dissatisfied with Fu Han¡¯s response.

    All this shyness, all this unimportance, they were nothing but excuses to dodge the question. Fu Han was rushing to call off the engagement as soon as she returned, and coupled with her blushing demeanor, it was almost certain she had someone else in mind.

    The more he thought about it, the stronger the pressure he felt in the palm of his hand became. Setting down his chopsticks, He Xing stood up indifferently and said, ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±

    With the host gone, the dining room immediately fell intoplete silence.

    The elder Mr. He¡¯s face, already lined with wrinkles, showed traces of worry and regret. He was well aware of the bitterness in He Xing¡¯s heart, only it was a pity that his attitude towards Fu Han was well known, and winning her back would not be easy.

    Fu Han continued the conversation with Elder Mr. He without care, putting aside her and He Xing¡¯s emotional issues, Elder Mr. He¡¯s fondness for Fu Han was certainly no lip service.

    After dinner, as Fu Han left the dining room and headed upstairs to her room, she was suddenly yanked into a corner, then enveloped in a clear breath.

    Pressed against the wall again, even Fu Han ran out of patience.

    ¡°President He, what are you trying to do now?¡± She confronted He Xing without fear.

    His deep eyes seemed to draw Fu Han in, his breath hot against her neck, ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡±

    ¡°President He cares so much about my personal life?¡± Fu Han¡¯s lips curved in amusement, her red lips slightly parted, exuding a tempting luster at close quarters, ¡°He Xing, are you perhaps a little too interested in me?¡±

    His narrow eyes flickered with irritation, ¡°You are my fianc¨¦e; I have every right and reason to inquire about everything regarding you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve called off the engagement, not anymore,¡± she said casually

    That look nted a thorn in his heart, and He Xing, through clenched teeth, said, ¡°It¡¯s not called off yet!¡±

    Fu Hanughed lightly. She wanted to say something more when an intensely emotional kissnded on her lips. This time, He Xing was not gentle ¨C each meeting of their lips was like a tempest.

    His hand on her waist, a heated atmosphere began to rise between them.

    Fu Han let him kiss her passionately until after a while she pushed him away, ¡°It seems that President He is quite interested in a ¡®field battle¡¯ now? We are in a corridor ¨C if someone sees us, isn¡¯t that a bit too intense?¡±

    She meant it as a kindness, wanting to spare the eyes of the servants working in the He Family residence.

    Fu Han arched an eyebrow; her alluring gaze drifted unintentionally to a spot behind He Xing where a servant stood timidly, petrified to the spot, too scared to move.

    Before He Xing noticed her, she quickly curtsied to Fu Han and hid behind the wall.

    Without time for a closer look, a cold object passed between her fingers, and a silver ring appeared on the middle finger of her left hand. It was different from the one she had received when she and He Xing got engaged, yet it bore some resemnce.

    ¡°President He, what is this?¡± Fu Han looked down, her glistening eyes cold and emotionless.

    He Xing knew she harbored resentment in her heart and simply replied, ¡°The engagement ring; don¡¯t lose it again.¡±

    As if afraid that he would see through the obvious lie, He Xing walked away. Fu Han lifted her hand to the light and the diamond sparkled brilliantly.

    Her lips curled into a sneer, and she let out augh. Was He Xing giving her an out? So certain she must have lost it?

    Her gaze swept past the corner where the incident had urred, and Fu Han¡¯s expression suddenly chilled. In a moment, she turned and shoved open the door to her room.

    As for the servant, let her do as she pleases.

    The servant behind the wall had already disappeared; momentster, Xia Ning received a phone call.

    ¡°Miss Xia, just now I saw President He and Miss Fu kissing in the corridor, and President He gave Miss Fu a new ring, so I rushed to report it,¡± said the servant¡¯s voice.

    ¡°OK, I understand.¡± Xia Ning lowered her eyes and hung up the phone.

    Half a minuteter, she grabbed the vase from the table and smashed it on the floor with a loud crash, drawing the attention of many.

    Xia Cheng was the first to rush in. As he pushed the door open, he mumbled anxiously, ¡°Xia Ning! Xia Ning, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    When he turned around, Xia Ning¡¯s face was tear-streaked; she buried herself in Xia Cheng¡¯s embrace and cried, ¡°Brother, what do I do? Fu Han is going too far! She keeps clinging to He Ge, and now he doesn¡¯t like me anymore, what do I do¡­¡±

    Seeing the shattered porcin and debris, Xia Cheng understood his sister acted in despair; he hugged her tightly as his face darkened, consoling, ¡°It¡¯s alright, everyone knows He Xing likes you. Fu Han won¡¯t be able to act so arrogantly for long; don¡¯t worry.¡±

    But he was well aware of He Xing¡¯s attitude and chose not to tell Xia Ning what He Xing had said that day. He nned to bring it up in a few days, not expecting Xia Ning to go so crazy over that man.

    It seemed he must help Xia Ning win He Xing and not let a woman like Fu Han truly bind herself to the He Family.

    Xia Ning kept crying, and Xia Cheng pitied her deeply.

 Chapter 12 - 12 He pushed 012

    ?Chapter 12: He pushed 012   Chapter 12: He pushed 012                                   ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother will definitely help you. Your happiness is what matters the most,¡± Xia Cheng promised, his usually gentle expression twisting into something fierce as he thought of a way to force He Xing into a response.

    Xia Ning¡¯s lips curled up into a proud smile.

    The A City was bustling with extraordinary excitement today, the scorching sun shining down on the streets and alleys, the weather exceptionally fine.

    Xia Ning, who hadn¡¯t apanied Grandfather He in a long time, was strong-armed by the old gentleman¡¯s adamant demands to join him in the courtyard to bask in the sun. She supported the elderly man, her face brimming with a smiling expression: ¡°Grandpa, take your time.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you are not allowed to run around again today. You¡¯re only back for such a short visit, but we can hardly even get a glimpse of you,¡± Grandfather He said, his rough hand covering Fu Han¡¯s and patting it twice.

    Fu Han smiled tenderly: ¡°Today I won¡¯t go anywhere else, I¡¯ll just stay here with you.¡±

    Grandfather He beamed with joy, ncing back at He Xing behind him: ¡°What are you standing back there for? Hurry up and follow!¡±

    All of this was for this ingrate of a boy.

    Fu Han pretended not to notice, swiftly arranging Grandfather He¡¯s lounge chair, helping him sit down, and then she brought over a stool and set up the fruit. Aside from having He Xing behind her, everything was peaceful and serene.

    Cold indifference flickered in the depths of He Xing¡¯s dark eyes as he nced at her left hand¡ªthere was nothing there.

    The ring had been taken off again.

    Just how much did she hate being engaged to him?

    ¡°He Xing!¡± Xia Cheng approached from not too far away, followed by a horde of maids, looking anything but like he was here for a friendly visit.

    Grandfather He frowned: ¡°What are you doing, Xia Cheng? Making such a fuss.¡±

    Catching sight of Grandfather He, Xia Cheng toned it down a bit, ¡°Grandfather, you¡¯re here too. Just in time to help me seek justice.¡±

    Seek justice?

    Fu Han arched an eyebrow, it was probably about the Xia Ning incident, right? She crossed her legs and casually handed an apple she had peeled to Grandfather He: ¡°Grandpa, here, have this first. We¡¯ll listen to him slowly.¡±

    With an air of utter disregard, she infuriated Xia Cheng: ¡°Lady Fu, I¡¯m here today to seek justice! You haven¡¯t forgotten about pushing Xia Ning into the water that night, have you? Xia Ning has fallen ill with a high fever and is lying at home¡ªit¡¯s partly because of you.¡±

    His tone was sharp and spiteful, out of his deep concern for his sister, making Grandfather He¡¯s expression darken once again.

    What pushing into the water?

    ¡°I am well aware of the kind of person Fu Han is, she would never do such a thing,¡± Grandfather He instructed Fu Han to put down the apple and straightened up, ¡°Tell me what happened. I will not ept groundless usations. While Fu Han may not be my blood-rted granddaughter, she is still my granddaughter. If I find out that you dare to bully her, I will not let it slide.¡±

    This level of protection warmed Fu Han, who had remained silent. Sure enough, it was Grandpa who cherished her the most.

    Xia Cheng scoffed, his gaze shifting to He Xing as if ming him for bringing up the past.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to seek justice today,¡± Xia Cheng said, his voice lowered, his eyes full of worry, ¡°Xia Ning caught a serious cold and has had a fever for thest couple of days. She¡¯s still bedridden. Shouldn¡¯t Lady Fu at least apologize?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Bedridden?¡± There was a hint of a smirk on Fu Han¡¯s lips, a teasing nce in her eyes as she elegantly lifted her head to look at him, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Lady Xia working at the Xia Family business just a few days ago? I saw her when I was there for work. We even chatted for a bit, so howe she suddenly can¡¯t get out of bed?¡±

    He Xing involuntarily lifted the corner of his mouth, staying silent.

    How quick-witted she was.

    Xia Cheng was taken aback, at a loss for words for a moment: ¡°This¡­ But there has to be an exnation for Lady Fu pushing Xia Ning into the water, right? Now that Xia Ning is sick, whether it¡¯s from falling into the water or not, surely Lady Fu has some responsibility.¡±

    ¡°How can you prove it was Fu Han who pushed her?¡± He Xing suddenly cut in, his gaze subtle.

    Fu Han turned her head. What was his problem? What was he trying to say?

    ¡°Everyone saw it that day at the party, He Xing. Are you trying to make excuses? I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Xia Cheng said, his brow furrowed, a bad premonition taking root.

    He Xing might be young, but he was incredibly cunning. Who knew what tricks he was thinking of now.

    Fu Han watched him intently, waiting for his next words.

    Then He Xing said, ¡°It was getting dark at that time, and you probably didn¡¯t see clearly. The person who pushed her into the pool was me.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Xia Cheng stared at He Xing in disbelief.

    Even Grandfather He was shocked, his gaze falling on He Xing.

    Wow, this was quite the game he was ying. He pushed Xia Ning into the pool? For what reason? To repay kindness with enmity? Or for her?

    ¡°I already mentioned it before. You pushed Fu Han into the water, I pushed Xia Ning into the water. Are we even now?¡± He Xing nonchntly adjusted his cuffs, his demeanor aristocratic, silent as he locked eyes with Xia Cheng.

    ¡°It was clearly Fu Han who pushed her¡­¡± Xia Cheng started to argue.

    Having listened for a while, Grandfather He also understood, and sat up straight: ¡°Enough, stop fighting. No matter who did it, you need to provide evidence. He Xing, if you really did it, apologize to Xia Cheng.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He Xing bowed solemnly at a ny-degree angle, and then straightened his back, as if ignoring everything as he sat beside Fu Han.

    Fu Han looked at Xia Cheng innocently: ¡°He Xing has apologized. Shouldn¡¯t you also apologize to me? I haven¡¯t forgotten what happened that night three years ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Xia Cheng. We should be reasonable. You owe Han an apology too,¡± Grandfather He immediately chimed in, his prating gaze holding Xia Cheng in ce, not missing any of his expressions.

    Xia Cheng gritted his teeth.

    This whole family was obviously ganging up to bully him. One apology and they think they can send him on his way?

 Chapter 13 - 13 Go with the wind

    ?Chapter 13: Go with the wind   Chapter 13: Go with the wind                                   Three pairs of eyes were staring fixedly at Xia Cheng, his face twitching faintly.

    ¡°Apologize, or what do you think He Xing was doing by saying ¡®sorry¡¯ to you?¡± Fu Han propped herself up on the small table with one hand, tilting her head to look at Xia Cheng. Her hair shimmered golden in the sunlight, and she curved her lips into a yful smile.

    Grinding his teeth, Xia Cheng nced at Old Master He and reluctantly apologized with a bow of his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She had waited a whole three years for this bted apology. She never expected to get it back in such a way.

    ¡°Good!¡± In the silent atmosphere, the elder pped his hands cheerfully, ¡°Since it¡¯s all settled, let¡¯s disperse. Xia Cheng, isn¡¯t Xia Ning supposed to be resting at home? You should hurry back and take care of her, don¡¯t dy.¡±

    Was this an order to leave?

    He hadn¡¯t achieved his purpose ofing to the He Family. Stepping forward, he said tactfully, ¡°However, Xia Ning said she wanted to see He Xing. He Xing, why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±

    Fu Han chuckled. This wasn¡¯t about wanting to see He Xing at all; it was clearly about proving to her who He Xing valued more.

    She continued eating her watermelon with indifference, already removing herself from the situation.

    He Xing sat up straight, his eyelids not even twitching as he said casually, ¡°You want me, the person who ¡®pushed her into the water,¡¯ to visit her? Aren¡¯t you afraid it would cast another shadow on her?¡±

    What shadow! It was clearly Fu Han, that arrogant woman, who pushed Xia Ning in!

    Xia Cheng was so angry he was fuming, his breathing quickened. No wonder Xia Ning ended up in such a state; He Xing was so protectively firm towards Fu Han. He was about to explode with rage.

    Such an ingrate.

    Fu Han sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, ¡°Go on then, haven¡¯t you heard she wants to see you? You needn¡¯t worry about any shadows that might emerge.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed.

    What was she saying? Was she not refusing because she was worried about upsetting her?

    Fu Han, this main culprit, seemed rather pleased, her crystal-clear eyes sparkling as she teased, ¡°Or maybe, should I go too? After all, it¡¯s only proper to visit someone who is ill.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best not to visit¡­¡± His face pale, he quickly declined, suppressing the turmoil in his heart as he responded.

    That Fu Han had the nerve to go with them? How shameless. His initial intention was just to create an opportunity for He Xing and Xia Ning to meet. If those young masters were called, the illness couldn¡¯t be kept secret.

    There were quite a few among them who studied medicine.

    Fu Han was well aware of Xia Ning and Xia Cheng¡¯s little ruse. She pulled out a tissue to wipe her hands, every move graceful, ¡°What decline? I happen to have time, and it¡¯s only right to visit an old ymate.¡±

    She stood up, putting on her sun hat, ready to follow He Xing.

    He Xing stood up: ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll go see her.¡±

    ¡°No need! The doctor said that Xia Ning needs rest now, and too many visitors will only slow her recovery. Grandpa He, I will go back to take care of Xia Ning now, farewell!¡± Xia Cheng waved his hands in refusal, nodding to the elder, and made a hasty exit.

    Fu Han sat back down, flipping her hair lightly: ¡°Boring.¡±

    And she thought she might have more fun.

    Old Master He burst outughing, his hearty voice echoing through the backyard, ¡°Han Han, you really are mischievous. I know the Xia Family well enough. And Xia Ning, she is probably not sick at all. You two don¡¯t need to go if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m not gone yet, and I won¡¯t let them walk all over us.¡±

    ¡°Oh Grandpa, what are you saying? That¡¯s such an inauspicious thing to say. You¡¯re strong and healthy; don¡¯t speak of such unlucky things. I¡¯m expecting you to live a long, long life,¡± said Fu Han sweetly, hooking her arm through Old Master He¡¯s, her smile radiant.

    He Xing silently took a piece of fruit, ncing towards Fu Han.

    He had never noticed before, but she was quite sharp-tongued.

    ¡°He Xing, when you¡¯re free, take extra care of Han Han for me. She hasn¡¯t been back in three years and doesn¡¯t have many friends here. The only help she can get is from us,¡± said Old Master He seriously, patting He Xing twice.

    ¡°Hmm, I know,¡± he agreed readily, with not a hint of reluctance.

    Fu Han was ustomed to He Xing¡¯s dedicated attitude. After all, this man was just anxious about seeing something that once belonged to him disappear.

    Eating her fruit leisurely, Fu Han ignored He Xing next to her, chatting and enjoying tea and flowers with the elder, also exuding a charm of her own.

    He Xing¡¯s deep eyes were etched with the image of Fu Han¡¯s enticing figure, watching her for a long while before lowering his head to unlock his phone.

    A social media group of the sons and daughters of A City¡¯s elite had been bustling with conversation. Somehow, they had obtained the news of He Xing iming to be the one who pushed Xia Ning into the water.

    The discussion was heated.

    [Did you hear about what happened with Fu Han pushing Xia Ning into the waterst night? Today, Young Master He stood up for Fu Han, saying he was the one who pushed her?]

    [This must be true love, huh! I¡¯m betting on Fu Han.]

    [I¡¯m still more optimistic about Xia Ning. But Young Master He¡¯s actions are really puzzling; who does he really fancy?]

    How boring.

    He Xing with his long fingers scrolled on his phone, tapped the add sign, and pulled Fu Han into the group.

    The group chat message immediately showed: He Xing has invited Fu Han to the group.

    The group fell silent.

    What just shed by? Fu Han? Lady Fu joined? And she was invited by He Xing?

    When had He Xing been active in the chat? He never participated in group chats, which led everyone to subconsciously think he wasn¡¯t there. Only a few who knew he was part of it didn¡¯t speak up.

    And so the tragedy was fermented.

    Fu Han¡¯s phone pinged; she picked it up, nced at the message, and sent a question mark into the group.

    Fu Han: ?

    Every single spective message was there, unmistakable.

    That moment He Xing stepped in: In my rtionship with Fu Han, Xia Ning was never involved. Don¡¯t specte anymore. Xia Ning and I are just friends.

    The silence returned.

    Fu Han is the one that matters? But why did it always seem like He Xing was extra nice to Xia Ning, all the while ignoring Fu Han?

    To go silent now would indeed seem too intentional. It wasn¡¯t long before someone initiated the responses: [Cough cough, so that¡¯s how it is. Boss He, you¡¯re not being fair, hiding Lady Fu at home all this time, and nobody knew you liked her!]

    [Yeah, if you hadn¡¯t said anything today, I still wouldn¡¯t have known about this.]

    Others started to tag Fu Han, calling her sister-inw.

    Fu Han locked her screen without looking at any of the messages and raised her eyebrows at him.

    iming his territory now, did he really think she would take this seriously?

    Seeing the messages, Xia Ning felt her breath quicken, and she was so mad she almost threw her phone to the ground.

    Sister-inw? What sister-inw! They hadn¡¯t even set a date and they were already calling her that; how could these people be so opportunistic? Had He Xing said he was getting married? Had he?!

    To think He Xing would openly defend Fu Han in the group chat, dismissing the other as only a friend¡­ What does friendship mean? She wanted He Xing¡¯s heart, not to be his mere friend!

 Chapter 14 - 14 Dissatisfied with 014

    ?Chapter 14: Dissatisfied with 014   Chapter 14: Dissatisfied with 014                                   Hearing the footsteps outside, Xia Ning immediately changed her expression. Skilfully squeezing out a few tears, she cried so piteously as if ¡°pear blossoms bathed in rain,¡± looking utterly pitiable.

    As Xia Cheng pushed open the door and saw this scene, he immediately strode over: ¡°What¡¯s there to cry about, there are plenty of men in the world besides him!¡±

    When even her own brothershed out at her, Xia Ning¡¯s crying intensified: ¡°But only He Xing is worthy of me!¡±

    Xia Cheng felt an internal irritation upon hearing this. After being yed like that by He Xing today, anyone¡¯s heart would ache.

    Yet it was only his silly little sister who, despite the evident signs from the other party, still stubbornly clung to the past.

    Xia Cheng could only sigh deeply, sat beside the bed and gently patted the woman¡¯s back, coaxing her in a suppressed tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, whatever you want, big brother will surely get it back for you.¡±

    Speaking of which, a shadow crossed Xia Cheng¡¯s eyes, not believing He Xing could find another woman exactly like Fu Han.

    It wasn¡¯t until Xia Cheng left the room that Xia Ning slowly wiped the tears from her eyes, a look of hatred on her face.

    She refused to believe that after all these years, Brother Xing¡¯s heart would still have a ce for that vile woman.

    The next morning, Fu Han was awoken by the ring of her phone. She groggily picked up the call and rubbed her messy hair before slowly speaking, ¡°Who is it? What¡¯s the matter this early in the morning?¡±

    The caller knew right away she was cranky for being woken up and quickly apologized, ¡°Han Han, I¡¯m sorry. The time difference got me; I forgot it¡¯s morning there.¡±

    ¡°Nan Qing! You¡¯re back too?¡± Fu Han virtually snapped out of her dream at that instant.

    Of the few friends she had over the years, Nan Qing could definitely be counted as one.

    Three years ago, when she went abroad to study, she was attracted to this girl at first sight. Sheter found out they came from the same ce.

    She had a lot to thank Nan Qing for, having learned so much and experienced the warmth and coldness of human rtionships in M Country.

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t find any interest in anything without you, so I came back!¡±

    Hearing Nan Qing ramble on, Fu Han curled her lips, guessing that person must have returned.

    As Fu Han remained silent, Nan Qing got more excited, ¡°Hurry up ande to the Cafe; I¡¯ll introduce you to someone.¡±

    Nan Qing anticipated Fu Han¡¯s refusal and hung up hurriedly before she could speak.

    Fu Han stared at her phone expressionlessly, but eventually resigned herself to getting up from the bed.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    He Xing caught sight of her as he heard footsteps and looked up to see Fu Han dressed in a snow-white knee-length skirt with light makeup on her face. Recalling his grandfather mentioning his love interest, he could no longer sit still and asked.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t even spare an extra nce at the man, her red lips responding lightly, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡±

    The man could not be satisfied with that answer and, grabbing Fu Han¡¯s arm, he quickly walked towards the door.

    Old Master He shook his head helplessly at this scene, thinking that Han¡¯s heart was truly hurt.

    Couldn¡¯t nice words be spoken nicely? He truly hoped he wouldn¡¯t have regrets when he reached his own age.

    ¡­

    ¡°Let go!¡± A hint of annoyance swept through Fu Han¡¯s eyes as she forcefully pulled her hand back.

    Before Fu Han could speak, a force suddenly came from her shoulder, and He Xing pressed her firmly against the wall.

    Fu Han¡¯s back hit the wall painfully, and she inhaled sharply, though her face remained expressionless, ¡°He Xing, how desperate must you be to watch my every move tomorrow?¡±

    A wave of irritation rushed through He Xing¡¯s heart, and with one hand pinching the chin of the woman, he kissed her without allowing any objections.

    The taste of tobo from the man¡¯s mouth filled Fu Han¡¯s, with He Xing seeming particrly insatiable, deepening the kiss again and again.

    It took all of Fu Han¡¯s strength to push the man off her. She looked coldly at the man before her and harshly wiped her mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it this way, He Xing, I¡¯ve long stopped loving you. This sort of thing only makes me feel disgusted!¡± Fu Han emphasized the word ¡°disgusted¡± and then turned to leave without looking back.

    He Xing stood there in a daze, seemingly unable toe back to his senses for a long time.

    He felt that nothing about Fu Han had changed, but the look in her eyes just now had never appeared on the former Fu Han¡¯s face.

    He Xing suddenly felt panicked as if something vital had been gouged out of his heart.

    With a loud ¡°bang,¡± He Xing¡¯s fist mmed into the wall, the blood staining the wall as it slowly trickled down.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, Fu Han arrived at the Cafe as promised and was led by the waiter to the seat opposite Nan Qing.

    ¡°You¡¯re back and wearing sunsses, acting like you¡¯re hiding from debtors,¡± Fu Han teased the woman, then casually picked up the coffee that had been pre-ordered and started drinking.

    After cautiously surveying her surroundings, Nan Qing finally spoke in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m afraid my beauty will cause plenty of trouble.¡±

    Seeing the careful demeanor of the other party, Fu Han justughed lightly, not prying further.

    ¡°Wait a minute, let me introduce someone to you. Aren¡¯t you currently jobless? He¡¯s perfect for you!¡±

    Witnessing Nan Qing¡¯s confident demeanor, Fu Han swallowed the words she wanted to say.

    She knew she needed a job now, especially after the events of the morning, and she had to find an excuse to move out of the vi quickly.

    Otherwise, who knows how often what happened this morning would recur?

    ¡°Thank you for helping me like this,¡± Gratitude, rarely seen, appeared on Fu Han¡¯s usually impassive face.

    Nan Qing, unsatisfied, flicked Fu Han¡¯s head hard, ¡°It¡¯s been three years, I don¡¯t need your thanks. I sincerely consider you a friend. How many times do I have to tell you?!¡±

    Hearing the other¡¯s annoyed tone, Fu Han turned her head away. She just didn¡¯t want to bother anyone.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Listening to Fu Han¡¯s indifferent tone, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t kindle her ire anymore.

    ¡°Forget it, it must be a debt I owe you from a past life,¡± Nan Qing said helplessly, resigning herself to fate.

    After a long exchange between the two, the sharp-eyed Nan Qing spotted a man entering and loudly called out, ¡°Over here, over here!¡±

    Fu Han looked toward the entrance upon hearing the voice and her expression immediately darkened, her eyes questioning as she looked at Nan Qing.

    ¡°Is this the person you were talking about?¡±

    If it really was him, Fu Han wished she could pick up her bag and leave right away.

    The man approached, and upon seeing Fu Han, his eyes briefly revealed an imperceptible tenderness.

    ¡°You took your time, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯dnd at nine? It¡¯s nearly noon now; hurry up and treat us to a meal!¡± Nan Qing grumbled discontentedly.

    Su Cheng scratched the back of his head, smiling apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s because I got caught up in this morning¡¯s traffic.¡±

    Su Cheng noticed a gaze fixed on him and his ears turned red covertly. Turning to her with a shy face, he said, ¡°Fu Han, long time no see.¡±

 Chapter 15 - 15 The person in my heart

    ?Chapter 15: The person in my heart   Chapter 15: The person in my heart                                   Watching Fu Han remain silent, Nan Qing looked up with confusion at the two of them, ¡°Are you guys transmitting messages through eye contact?¡±

    Why did she always feel like there was a strange atmosphere between them?

    ¡°Long time no see.¡± After a while, Fu Han finally uttered these four words.

    The man before her had confessed his feelings when she was almost back. If possible, Fu Han truly wished she never had to see him in her lifetime.

    In the three years in M Country, no matter where she went, his figure was always behind her.

    Over time, the two gradually became familiar with each other. Who would have thought that Su Cheng would pull a love confession stunt?

    ¡°Nan Qing, I have something else to do, so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Saying so, Fu Han picked up her bag and prepared to leave.

    Nan Qing, observing the awkward atmosphere between them, felt her gossip cells stir, not wanting to let such a rich source slip away.

    ¡°Youe back here, like you have anything else important without a job. Exin to me what¡¯s going on between you two,¡± Nan Qing demanded, legs crossed, looking judgingly.

    The two just looked at each other, and Fu Han turned her head and sat back down.

    Nan Qing looked meaningfully at the two, wondering if there was some tension between them.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t sulk, hurry and cling to Su Cheng¡¯s coattails. He came back to start his ownpany.¡±

    Su Cheng, embarrassed, smiled and hooked the corner of his mouth, but his gaze stayed on Fu Han, ¡°Sister Qing, stop ttering me.¡±

    Fu Han leaned casually on the couch, scrutinizing the two before her until she finally spoke, ¡°I still prefer freedom, the rules and regtions of apany suffocate me.¡±

    The meaning behind those words was clear to anyone; she didn¡¯t want to work at Su Cheng¡¯spany.

    Seeing Fu Han so determined, Nan Qing didn¡¯t know what to say and decided to gently guide herter on.

    Fu Han listened to their conversation and finally stood up after a long while, ¡°I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Fu Han left without looking back, and Nan Qing and Su Cheng exchanged nces before hurrying after her.

    ¡°Han Han, why are you running so fast?¡± Nan Qing followed out and, seeing Fu Han¡¯s figure, reproachfully said.

    She was panting heavily and, getting no response, finally looked up and met the man opposite her eye to eye.

    Nan Qing immediately avoided his gaze, not knowing why it seemed like his look could freeze someone instantly.

    ¡°Are you stalking me?¡± Fu Han squinted her eyes, staring expressionlessly at the man before her.

    Su Cheng nced at He Xing, quickly grasping the situation. He stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Fu Han¡¯s with tenderness in his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, put on more clothes.¡±

    Fu Han merely looked up at the man, a rare glimmer of something crossing her eyes, allowing Su Cheng to drape a coat over her shoulders.

    Seeing Fu Han didn¡¯t pull away, his heart rxed. He turned his head and smiled fondly at the man before him.

    ¡°May I know if this gentleman has any issues with our Han Han?¡±

    He Xing didn¡¯t even give him a nce, his gaze fixed on Fu Han all along, anger barely contained.

    ¡°Is this your beloved?¡± He Xing asked with cool disdain, as if his stare could chill the very air around him.

    Fu Han just chuckled softly and slightly curved her lips, ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±

    ¡°Answer me!¡± He Xing shifted his re to Su Cheng, his eyes rapidly bing more menacing.

    Su Cheng felt a twinge of fear, but bolstered by the warmth of the woman in his arms, he said bravely, ¡°I like Fu Han, so please don¡¯t bother her anymore.¡±

    He Xing looked at the man briefly, still waiting for Fu Han to speak.

    Fu Han deliberately hooked her arm through the man¡¯s, her eyes brimming with intense affection, staring at Su Cheng, ¡°As you see, haven¡¯t you always wanted to meet my beloved?¡±

    Seeing the woman¡¯s smiling face, He Xing felt something blocking his chest, as if his blood had stopped flowing.

    He Xing suddenlyughed bitterly, disappointment filling his eyes, ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯re doing great.¡±

    He had always felt that Fu Han would always love him, that she¡¯d never leave in this lifetime¡­

    Fu Han looked at the man before her, a strange light passing through her usually dull eyes, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With that, Fu Han turned and left without sparing a second nce.

    Nan Qing and Su Cheng exchanged looks and quickly followed.

    After walking a bit, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity, ¡°Han Han, is that your¡­¡±

    From the conversation just now, it was clear the rtionship between the two was anything but simple. Nan Qing could confirm without a doubt that the man was He Xing.

    After all, when Fu Han was drunk abroad, she¡¯d always been muttering this name.

    ¡°Nan Qing, stop asking. I can¡¯t give you an answer,¡± said Fu Han, not wishing to recall past memories on her own. She just wanted to strive for a better life now.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened earlier.¡± As she spoke, Fu Han¡¯s gaze moved to Su Cheng behind her.

    Only then did the absent-minded Su Cheng respond to her voice, ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s nothing, really.¡±

    As he spoke, his look became instantly wistful ¨C that person was the one Fu Han had always kept hidden in her heart.

    He was a man, and he could clearly see that He Xing loved Fu Han.

    Seeing He Xing in such a state, Fu Han just nced at him indifferently before looking away.

    She didn¡¯t want to exin her rtionship with He Xing; after all, these matters would eventuallye to light. Exining now would just seem too deliberate on her part.

    ¡°Fu Han,e work for mypany. Not for any other reason but because I truly admire your photography style,¡± Su Cheng said.

    Nan Qing chimed in quickly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be overworked at Su Cheng¡¯spany and you¡¯ve wanted to leave there soon, right?¡±

    Although He Xing was indeed good-looking, what use was that if her sister wasn¡¯t happy?

    Fu Han lowered her head, pondering for a while, and ultimately decided to consider the offer.

    ¡°No worries, thepany¡¯s doors will always be open for you,¡± Su Cheng responded, surprised by her answer and smiling with glee, revealing his small canine teeth.

    ¡°By the way, Sister Qing, what are you nning to do now that you¡¯re back?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s train of thought was derailed by Su Cheng¡¯s sudden question, ¡°Me? Justzing around at home, living off others.¡±

    After saying this, Nan Qing sighed with relief inside. She had sneaked out, after all, where could she return home?

    Fu Han, seeing that it was gettingte, bid them farewell and took a taxi back to the vi.

    She stood at the door, looking at the brightly lit house, unsure of where to go.

    ¡°Han Han, you¡¯re back,e and eat,¡± called the old Master He as soon as he saw Fu Han standing in the entranceway.

    Fu Han nced around, saw no sign of He Xing, and then sat down next to the old master.

    ¡°You girl, always out and about, never spending time with me,¡± the old Master Heined coquettishly, turning his head away.

 Chapter 16 - 16 Are you still blaming me in 2016

    ?Chapter 16: Are you still ming me in 2016?   Chapter 16: Are you still ming me in 2016?                                   Fu Han bent her eyes, her face full of smiles as she held onto Elder He¡¯s hand, yfully saying, ¡°Grandpa, haven¡¯t Ie to keep youpany?¡±

    All she heard was Elder He snorting, but his eyes were full of tenderness as he ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair.

    The servant, seeing the harmonious scene between the two, felt it inappropriate to disturb them but still approached, ¡°Master, the young master says he won¡¯t being back tonight.¡±

    ¡°That damn boy noting back again, old and with no one by the side anymore, only willing toe back when he sees me lying in bed, unable to move.¡±

    Elder He blustered,pletely unaware of the hint of indistinct emotion that crossed Fu Han¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Grandpa, you¡¯ve got me to keep youpany,¡± she said.

    Elder He sighed softly, thinking that nothing couldpare to thefort she provided.

    After dinner, Fu Han made up an excuse to go upstairs. As soon as she entered the bedroom, she kicked off her shoes andy down on the bed.

    She had wanted to suggest to Elder He the idea of moving out, but after hearing what her grandfather had just said, she simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it.

    Elder He was the only one who had truly cared for her these years, and she couldn¡¯t bear to see him get hurt.

    Fu Han¡¯s mind was a mess, and she unknowingly drifted into a deep sleep.

    On the other side, He Xing squinted at the crowd dancing in the ballroom, ceaselessly downing one drink after another.

    At a distance, a man in a suit and leather shoes held his drink and chatted amiably with the women beside him. Noticing the situation here, he shook his head helplessly and walked over.

    ¡°What¡¯s upset you this time, that you¡¯vee here to drown your sorrows in alcohol?¡± The man¡¯s face was always smiling, but a closer look revealed a hint of coolness in his eyes.

    He Xing kept his head down, drinking, and took a long while before he muttered to himself, ¡°Tell me, can someone really find a new love that quickly?¡±

    Ji Liangchuan looked at the man beside him somewhat surprised. Having grown up together, this was the first time he had ever seen his brother drink over a woman.

    No, this was the second time. The first time was three years ago, and he was bing more and more interested in that woman.

    Too bad for Fu Han though, even though he had never met her, he had heard quite a bit about her from others in their circle. Such a sentimental person, yet this guy just wouldn¡¯t cherish her.

    To make the usually fastidious He Xinge to this bar in the dead of night to get drunk, he had to see what was so special.

    ¡°Sure, why not. Maybe the heart died, maybe they think thest one wasn¡¯t as good as the next, anything¡¯s possible.¡±

    Hearing Ji Liangchuan¡¯s words, He Xingughed self-deprecatingly and whispered, ¡°She¡¯s still ming me, still ming me¡­¡±

    Looking at the other person now drunk to the point of stupor, Ji Liangchuan felt helpless; he couldn¡¯t take him in tonight.

    Ji Liangchuan found He Xing¡¯s phone and seeing the only contact listed, he tugged at the corner of his mouth and sighed softly, ¡°Another deep-feeler.¡±

    Then, Liangchuan dialed the number with his slender fingers, and after a while, the other side finally picked up.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Hearing the other end¡¯s heavy drowsiness, Liangchuan looked at He Xing and chuckled softly. It looked like a case of unrequited love.

    ¡°He Xing is drunk. Could youe and pick him up?¡±

    Hearing the man¡¯s gentle voice, Fu Han forced herself to sit up from the bed, ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡±

    Liangchuan looked at He Xing, who was still muttering, and thought it seemed he had encountered a cold beauty. Well, let it be a favor for a brother.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to close up, and if you don¡¯te, he¡¯ll be left out on the street. Being on the street is not a big deal, but the bar here, with all sorts of people¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle!¡±

    As soon as she got the address, Fu Han hung up the phone. She hadn¡¯t expected the world to have such talkative people, truly annoying.

    Fu Han quickly got dressed and headed downstairs only to see Elder He standing on the balcony on the phone.

    Hearing her, Elder He turned his head and looked at Fu Han, ¡°Hurry there and back, it¡¯s unsafe for a girl outside at night,¡± he said before continuing his dispute with the person on the phone.

    Fu Han paused mid-step. Why did she always feel that Grandpa knew what she was going to do? Never mind that now, first to pick up that troublemaker.

    If Fu Han had known the state He Xing would be in, she would definitely not havee, no matter what was said.

    Looking at He Xing sprawled over the bar, dead drunk, Fu Han twitched her mouth, ¡°This one, you guys really should just throw him out on the street.¡±

    Liangchuan had been watching the woman since she entered, her makeup-free face remarkably clear, her peach-blossom eyes contemting He Xing on the table, seemingly deep in thought.

    Liangchuan was stunned. He never thought there could be two people so alike in the world.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare do that; we would be legally responsible,¡± Ji Liangchuan said, his eyes warm with a gentleness he didn¡¯t notice himself.

    Fu Han had no choice but to resign herself to the situation, and with some effort, she helped He Xing up from the bar.

    He Xing opened his eyes and seeing the person in front of him, thought he was hallucinating, ¡°Fu Han, why won¡¯t you forgive me?¡±

    Fu Han, after hearing this, remained still for a moment but said nothing.

    Liangchuan opened his mouth. So that¡¯s Fu Han, the one who had liked He Xing for so many years.

    ¡°Let me help you,¡± Liangchuan still with his gentle demeanor, assisted Fu Han in tossing He Xing into the car.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± After saying that, Fu Han got into the car, rubbing her temple in irritation, not giving Ji Liangchuan a second look.

    Watching the car disappear in the distance until it became a speck, Ji Liangchuan finally turned and went into the bar.

    He walked to a table, picked up a photo frame with a gaze that suddenly turned soft as water, ¡°Taozi, did you see that?¡±

    The woman in the photo was beaming with joy, looking exactly like Fu Han who had just left.

    It took a long moment for Ji Liangchuan to murmur softly, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you talked to me.¡±

    Met only with silence, Liangchuan gave a bitter smile, put down the photo frame, and walked alone to the bar to drink.

    ¡­

    Fu Han, with much difficulty, helped He Xing into the vi. The servants rushed to assist when they saw her.

    But the drunken man was far from cooperative, iling his arms and yelling, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, nobody touch me¡­¡±

    The servants exchanged nces but dared not approach. Fu Han twitched her mouth, looking at the man beside her, still drunk and messy.

    She couldn¡¯t just drop He Xing on the floor in front of all these people; Fu Han had no choice but to support the man as she staggered upstairs, not forgetting to instruct, ¡°Get some honey water ready.¡±

    The servants nced at each other, ¡°Miss Fu still has feelings for the young master,¡± they said, nodding in agreement.

    Fu Han expelled much effort before she managed to fling the man forcefully onto the bed, not bothering to look at He Xing, she turned to leave.

    The moment before, still drunk on alcohol, He Xing suddenly grabbed Fu Han¡¯s wrist.

 Chapter 17 - 17 Dont leave me 017

    ?Chapter 17: Don¡¯t leave me 017   Chapter 17: Don¡¯t leave me 017                                   He Xing used some force, pulling on Fu Han¡¯s wrist and giving a yank, which resulted in Fu Han falling onto the bed, her delicate and fair hands pressing against He Xing¡¯s warm chest.

    A flicker of impatience crossed Fu Han¡¯s eyes as she tried to rise from the man beneath her.

    He Xing, feeling the person in his arms attempting to leave him, wouldn¡¯t agree to it. He flipped over, pressing Fu Han beneath him.

    The man¡¯s heated breath sprayed across Fu Han¡¯s face, making her feel ufortable. Just as she was about to get up, his soft and dense kisses rained down upon her.

    Fu Han wanted to evade, but was firmly imprisoned within his embrace.

    He Xing¡¯s kisses deepened, and Fu Han¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. With no other choice, she could only bite towards the corner of the man¡¯s mouth.

    There was only a muffled grunt from the man, but his actions didn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°Lady Fu, your honey water¡­¡± The servant, who had been knocking on the door for quite some time and saw no sign of it opening, could only push the door open and enter, only to encounter this scene.

    Upon hearing the noise, Fu Han took the opportunity when the other party was distracted and fiercely pushed He Xing away from her body.

    A sound of bone hitting the bed frame followed by a muffled grunt from He Xing could be heard, then silence ensued.

    Fu Han wiped off the mark the man had left on her mouth, turned her cold eyes towards the man on the bed, and truly wondered if he was actually drunk or only pretending.

    Forget it, it won¡¯t matter to her anymore after this. Fu Han turned around and headed straight for the door.

    ¡°Miss Fu, this honey water¡­¡±

    ¡°Deal with it yourself,¡± Fu Han said coldly and quickened her steps towards her own room.

    The servant watched Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure, and ultimately stiffened his resolve and walked in.

    But no sooner had he attempted to give the honey water to He Xing than he was pushed aside by the man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me¡­¡±

    The servant¡¯s face immediately turned frantic. He put down the honey water and hurriedly ran out.

    ¡°Fu Han¡­ don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± He Xing murmured the woman¡¯s name endlessly under his breath and, at some point, deeply fell asleep.

    However, Fu Han didn¡¯t have it so easy. She returned to her bedroom, rushed into the bathroom, and washed herself clean.

    She didn¡¯t want even a trace of He Xing¡¯s scent on her.

    Upon exiting the bathroom, Fu Han¡¯s gaze dropped, as if she had made some significant decision in her heart.

    She reached for her phone and dialed a contact. Shortly after, the other party answered the call.

    ¡°Han Han, what¡¯s up sote at night?¡±

    Listening to Su Cheng¡¯s gentle voice, Fu Han felt a bit of her gloominess dissipate.

    ¡°I want to go to yourpany.¡±

    Su Cheng was surprised by Fu Han¡¯s response. He had expected her to have a hundred reasons to refuse him, but he had never thought she would agree.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Su Cheng hesitated, scarcely believing his own ears, and feltpelled to ask again.

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± After that, Fu Han, toozy for further talk, bluntly hung up the phone.

    Fu Han felt physically and mentally exhausted and buried herself deep within the covers. It seemed only in this way could she iste herself from all the vexing things outside.

    The next day, He Xing rubbed his groggy head as he sat up in bed, his eyes scanning the familiar walls as he fell into deep thought.

    He vaguely remembered being brought back by Fu Han. He seemed to have kissed her too, and the sullenness in his eyes finally dissipated somewhat.

    He Xing, now in a better mood, took a shower. Having dressed properly, he was just descending the stairs when he heard Fu Han and Grandfather chatting.

    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m off to work.¡±

    ¡°The He Family is not so poor that we can¡¯t support you. Grandpa would feel heartache seeing you out working in the harsh weather.¡±

    Fu Hanughed. Grandpa had misunderstood her job. While she knew Grandfather cared about her, moving out was her urgent priority.

    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m just going to have some photos taken of me. I won¡¯t have to endure the harsh weather yet.¡±

    Seeing Fu Han so insistent, the old master could only give up, but still¡­

    ¡°Grandpa absolutely won¡¯t agree to you moving out. It was difficult enough to have you back, and now you want to move again.¡±

    ¡°Who allowed you to move out?¡±

    Just as Fu Han was about to speak, a cold voice interrupted her.

    She knew who it was without even turning around and said coldly, ¡°Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?¡±

    He Xing strode quickly down the stairs with a grave face and tightly grasped Fu Han¡¯s wrist, demanding, ¡°Why do you want to move out? Did that man tell you to?¡±

    Listening to He Xing¡¯s tone, Fu Han¡¯s previously good mood vanished instantly, and she stared directly into his eyes, ¡°Whether I move or not is my choice. Do not speak to me in that high-and-mighty tone.¡±

    What she hated most was He Xing¡¯s presumptuous attitude!

    He Xing¡¯s eyes filled with a bloody rage as he tightly confined Fu Han to a chair, saying coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to move, understand?¡±

    Seeing He Xing like this, the old master shook his head; the kids these days just don¡¯t know how to talk properly.

    ¡°He Xing, sit down and eat!¡± the old master said reluctantly.

    But He Xing had no intention of listening, his gaze fixated on Fu Han¡¯s eyes as if seeking the answers he desired.

    ¡°He Xing, I am not your property; I have my freedom. Grandfather has already agreed to annul our engagement. You have no right to interfere in my affairs.¡±

    He Xing wanted to sew this woman¡¯s mouth shut at that moment; why did nothing she say please him?

    Especially seeing the calm in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, his heart grew even more restless. Did he really mean so little to her?

    ¡°No right to interfere? Fu Han, until the day I agree, you remain my fiancee, He Xing¡¯s fiancee,¡± he said grimly, his handsome brows unconsciously furrowing.

    Fu Han ncedzily at the man, pushed his hand away, and rose. She had no energy left to argue anymore.

    From three years ago, the moment she felt misunderstood, she didn¡¯t want to exin a single word. Anyway, there wouldn¡¯t be any contact in the future.

    Fu Han¡¯s previously icy face softened into a sweet smile as she turned to the old master, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m off to work now; I¡¯lle back tonight to keep youpany.¡±

    Fu Han looked around. The only thing she really cared for here was Grandpa.

    As for those rotten-to-the-core memories, she didn¡¯t fancy them at all.

    ¡°Han, be careful on the road,¡± the old master sighed, his heart heavy. He had hoped his grandson would escort her.

    Now, it seemed Han wouldn¡¯t even want to share a word with that stupid boy.

    After Fu Han left, He Xing stared at the table, motionless for a long while.

    Only after some time did he regain his usual demeanor, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m heading to thepany.¡±

    The old master looked at He Xing¡¯s back for a while and sighed deeply. When would this boy finally grow up a bit?

    Han was such an excellent girl; he didn¡¯t want to just hand her over to someone else!!

 Chapter 18 - 18 018 brushes off my words like theyre just wind in

    ?Chapter 18: 018 brushes off my words like they¡¯re just wind in his ear   Chapter 18: 018 brushes off my words like they¡¯re just wind in his ear                                   Fu Han arrived at thepany and observed the surroundings, not expecting Su Cheng¡¯s taste to still be on point.

    ¡°Are you Miss Fu? Our CEO is waiting for you in the office,¡± just as Fu Han was still examining the environment, the sharp-eyed receptionist spotted her and approached politely.

    Fu Han nodded slightly and then followed the receptionist¡¯s footsteps into the elevator.

    By this time, Su Cheng had already been sneakily waiting in his office for Fu Han¡¯s arrival.

    He thought it would take a lot of effort and be very difficult to persuade her toe; he never dreamed it would be this easy.

    Upon hearing footsteps outside the office door, Su Cheng quickly returned to his executive chair with long strides and looked solemnly at hisputer.

    Knock, knock, knock¡­

    ¡°Come in,¡± Su Cheng said and immediately diverted his gaze, hiding the panic in his eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Su, Lady Fu is here.¡±

    Only after the receptionist finished speaking did Su Cheng stop his movements and look up at the woman in front of him, noticing her ears were already flushed with red.

    The receptionist, sensing the atmosphere between the two, tactfully excused herself, leaving them alone.

    ¡°I never imagined that my cheerful and sunny senior would be my aloof boss; this stark difference in roles is quite amusing.¡±

    Embarrassed, Su Cheng touched his neck upon hearing Fu Han¡¯s words. He wanted to maintain a cool facade, but now exposed by Fu Han, he found it impossible to continue the charade and quickly crumbled.

    ¡°It was a bet with my dad, to prove to him that I could make a name for myself in City A.¡±

    Hearing Su Cheng¡¯s words, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of envy; if only she could have been so decisive.

    With anguid smile, Fu Han teased, ¡°You¡¯ll definitely make it, but what am I supposed to do here?¡±

    While she had agreed toe here, Fu Han didn¡¯t even understand what thepany did.

    Getting back to business, Su Cheng¡¯s excitement returned, signaling Fu Han to sit down before slowly exining, ¡°Don¡¯t you enjoy photography? Just taking pictures ofndscapes or people you like and giving them to me is enough.

    However, you might asionally need to shoot some advertisements or celebrities, because, after all, thepany still relies on them¡­¡±

    With each word, Su Cheng sounded less and less confident; he didn¡¯t know if someone as free-spirited as Fu Han would enjoy such mundane tasks as taking pictures of celebrities and adverts.

    ¡°Okay, when do I start work?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Su Cheng was caught off guard and took a moment to respond, not expecting her to agree so readily.

    ¡°You can start right now.¡±

    Fu Han nodded and after thanking him, left guided by the assistant.

    ¡­

    This was the first time He Xing hade home so early, standing on the second-floor balcony looking outside.

    It wasn¡¯t until evening that Fu Han finally stepped out of an Audi. The gloom that had enveloped He Xing¡¯s eyes finally found a touch of brightness.

    However, upon seeing the man who followed right behind her, a vein throbbed on He Xing¡¯s temple, and the previously warm air around him turned instantly cold.

    ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯re not being obedient¡­¡±

    After a while, He Xing took out his phone and dialed a number, saying into the receiver, ¡°Find out who brought Fu Han back.¡±

    Once he finished, He Xing hung up and looked down at the ground floor for a moment before heading inside the house.

    Downstairs, Fu Han sensed someone watching her and nced up to the second-floor balcony, but it was empty.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Cheng followed Fu Han¡¯s gaze and asked, puzzled.

    Fu Han shook her head,cking any real energy, ¡°Nothing, I might have seen it wrong. Thank you for bringing me home today.¡±

    ¡°No problem at all, it¡¯s what I should do anyway,¡± Su Cheng said, touching the back of his head.

    Fu Han smiledzily and without looking back, entered the vi.

    With a soft sigh, Su Cheng watched her slender figure move away, feeling like he had gotten a step closer to her today.

    Right after entering the house and checking with Grandpa He, Fu Han went upstairs, feeling unexpectedly fulfilled today.

    She had just reached the corridor when a forceful pull dragged her into a room abruptly.

    By the time Fu Han collected herself, she had already forcefully collided against the wall, experiencing a sharp pain in her back, and the man¡¯s hot breath was on her face.

    ¡°He Xing, what kind of madness is this!¡± Fu Han¡¯s eyes zed with anger as she red and asked with a cold tone.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and he stared intently into her eyes, attempting to find the answers he wanted.

    ¡°Do you like him that much?¡± he asked, his voice colored with jealousy. Did she bring him here deliberately to make him watch their intimacy?

    Fu Han burst intoughter, her eyes still calm, ¡°Like him? Of course, I do. Tender, considerate, sunny, and cheerful; isn¡¯t that what I like?¡±

    The man clenched his fists tightly, anger seemingly about to erupt from within.

    ¡°What, have you fallen for me?¡± Fu Han sneered lightly after speaking, implying the idea of the illustrious He Xing falling in love was ridiculous.

    As He Xing raised his fist, there was no fear in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, which remainednguidly fixed on him.

    He Xing, with his inner cheek clenched in his teeth and a ¡°bang,¡± did not let his punchnd on Fu Han¡¯s face.

    ¡°Get out, and don¡¯t let me see you,¡± He Xing lowered his hand and turned around, his eyes downcast as he spoke with a cold tone.

    Fu Han merelyughed softly and without a backward nce, left the room. She felt tired; she had no lust for theseteing affections.

    After Fu Han closed the door, He Xing turned back and looked toward the doorway, his inscrutable eyes reflecting thoughts unknown.

    The next day, to avoid meeting He Xing, Fu Han got up exceptionally early. But as soon as she came downstairs, she saw Xia Ning sitting in the living room chatting andughing joyfully with Grandpa He.

    ¡°Grandpa, good morning,¡± Fu Han greeted Grandpa He with a smile, looking sweet and obedient.

    ¡°Han, why are you up so early? You should sleep more if work is tiring you out.¡±

    Before Fu Han could respond, Xia Ning interjected quickly, ¡°Why won¡¯t youe work at the Xia Familypany? Since we know each other, I¡¯d definitely give you benefits.¡±

    Fu Han frowned slightly; she really couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so shameless. Just a few days ago, who was it pretending to be sick, making her apologize, and now cozying up shamelessly?

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, I¡¯m quite content with my current job.¡±

    Fu Han rolled her eyes and walked past to sit beside Grandpa He, coquettishly hugging his arm, ¡°Grandpa, why is everyone allowed toe over?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Xia Ning red at the person in front of her, her carefully applied makeup distorted by anger.

    ¡°There¡¯s a Charity G at the Xia Family tonight, she¡¯s here to deliver an invitation,¡± Grandpa He exined.

    No sooner had Grandpa He finished speaking than Xia Ning looked at Fu Han with an air of arrogance, as if to say, she had legitimate business here.

 Chapter 19 - 19 Do you love a woman who does not love you

    ?Chapter 19: Do you love a woman who does not love you?   Chapter 19: Do you love a woman who does not love you?                                   ¡°After the delivery, why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± Fu Han spoke bluntly, even ncing at the clock, ¡°Well, if you wait another half an hour, you can have dinner here.¡±

    If Xia Ning could tolerate that, she wouldn¡¯t be Xia Ning!

    Immediately, she stood up with a stern face, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck! This ce is not your home.¡±

    Fu Han looked at her with a smirk that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, that overconfident demeanor suddenly made Xia Ning realize something: this ce wasn¡¯t her home either.

    ¡°Enough, it was all a misunderstanding.¡±

    The elderly Mr. He ced the invitation in Fu Han¡¯s hand, not waiting for her refusal, he took the initiative to say, ¡°I am getting old, and I don¡¯t want to move around much at night.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, a ce like the Xia Family¡¯s Charity G isn¡¯t fitting for me,¡± Fu Han said. It was probably the kind of ce where those eager for fame would scramble to show off first.

    Fu Han was clear about her status, and she had no interest in clinging to the Fu Family¡¯s name to remain in upper-ss society.

    Just what Xia Ning wanted to hear!

    A hint of a smile spread across Xia Ning¡¯s brow as she provocatively stared at Fu Han, ¡°No way, after a few years away, you¡¯ve be so timid as to duck this situation? Right, you wouldn¡¯t even qualify for the attire to attend such a ce, let alone a malepanion¡­¡±

    Sabotaging Fu Han was just an offhand action for her.

    Xia Ning was always picking on what used to matter most to Fu Han, but this time she was destined to be disappointed.

    Fu Han simply curled her lips into a smile, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, ¡°What you mean is, your family¡¯s Charity G focuses more on how the guests dress than the actual cause? Putting the cart before the horse?¡±

    She casually waved her phone in her hand, which happened to contain a recording of Xia Ning¡¯s earlier mockery. Once released, it would certainly disrupt the arrangements for tonight¡¯s event at the Xia Family.

    Instantly, Xia Ning¡¯s expression changed, ¡°Give it back to me!¡±

    ¡°No! It depends on how you perform this time,¡± Fu Han said nonchntly, tossing the phone in her hand from time to time.

    Seeing the behavior of the two, the elderly Mr. He felt a headacheing on and intervened, ¡°Xiaohan.¡±

    ¡°I know, grandfather. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just teasing her for fun,¡± Fu Han said warmly, her face bright with a cheerful smile, which made Xia Ning fume inwardly.

    Fu Han had indeed changed.

    She had be smarter and knew how to hit Xia Ning¡¯s weak spots!

    Xia Ning wanted a swift resolution, ¡°Regarding the g, I will be waiting with my brother and the others for the He Family to arrive on time.¡±

    ¡°I hope by then, it won¡¯t be a certain someone showing up alone, losing face for the He Family¡­¡± Xia Ning said somberly.

    Her words hinted at another trap, didn¡¯t they?

    Fu Han was about to raise an eyebrow when a familiar male voice rang out at that moment, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I will apany her.¡±

    He Xing appeared as though he had just dealt with something, his expression indifferent.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need¡­¡± Fu Han was about to refuse when He Xing cut her off, ¡°The brand will send clothes over, get ready.¡±

    The next moment, he took a call and strode upstairs.

    ¡°Grandfather, I have something to say to him,¡± said Fu Han, no longer caring that Xia Ning was present. With the elderly Mr. He¡¯s permission, she quickly followed He Xing¡¯s steps.

    ¡°How can this be? He Xing should be apanying me tonight at the Charity G hosted by the Xia Family.¡±

    As the youngest daughter of the Xia Family, a malepanion was incredibly important, yet He Xing had chosen Fu Han over her!

    Just as Xia Ning was about to leave, the elderly Mr. He¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Give it up.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, what are you talking about¡­¡± Xia Ning¡¯s delicate face clouded over with a touch of gloom, as she tried to maintain herposure with her eyes shimmering, making her look pitiful.

    Mr. He hesitated, not wanting to hurt the girl who had lost her mother at a young age and whom he had looked after, he said gently, ¡°He Xing has his own considerations.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± said Xia Ning, bowing her head and walking towards the exit, changing her direction from heading upstairs.

    Seeing her figure, Mr. He feltpassion but still called a maid to give Xia Ning a jade pendant from his collection.

    Xia Ning sat in the car, holding the jade pendant the maid gave her.

    Under the moonlight, the jade was clear and green, and she shed her earlier despondent demeanor, asking the maid with indifference about Mr. He¡¯s reaction.

    The maid spoke up, and upon hearing her, Xia Ning let out a snort of coldughter, ¡°What¡¯s the use of sympathy?¡±

    In the end, Mr. He didn¡¯t value her above Fu Han; he only looked after her out of gratitude for her mother¡¯s life-saving favor to He Xing.

    ¡°You go back and keep watching,¡± Xia Ning said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the maid nodded and turned back.

    Meanwhile, upstairs.

    Fu Han caught up with He Xing and handed him the invitation, ¡°Since you¡¯re back, I won¡¯t go.¡±

    She turned to leave but was immediately pinned against the wall by the man. He Xing¡¯s warm breath sprayed onto her delicate neck.

    His voice was husky, as if filled with some danger, ¡°Let¡¯s go togetherter.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Fu Han tried to break free, only to be trapped closer by the man¡¯s legs.

    He Xing¡¯s ardent kisses fell on her neck. Fu Han took a deep breath, mustered her spirit, and said coldly, ¡°Are you sure you want to force yourself on a woman who doesn¡¯t love you right now?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s ears turned red, one hand supporting the wall as she lifted her head to look at He Xing, ¡°It¡¯s normal.¡±

    Her eyes were icy, but the blush at the corners could not hide their luster.

    He Xing stared at her intensely, his hand gripping her jaw, forcing her to meet his gaze.

    ¡°If you want to move out of the He Family, you must attend the Charity G tonight.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite a stance.¡±

    Fu Han smiled slightly, ¡°The Xia Family, truly more important than your life.¡±

    For the Xia Family¡¯s Charity G, He Xing was even willing to have her move out of the He Family. She had spent some time on the way back thinking about how to exin herself to the elderly Mr. He.

    He Xing¡¯s expression was unreadable; he simply bent down to kiss her.

    That ardent desire to consume herpletely melded into the kiss. ¡°It¡¯s not the Xia Family, it¡¯s Du Wanting.¡±

    His deep voice carried a trace ofplexity.

    He left those words behind and walked away.

    Once Fu Han confirmed he was gone, she leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, ¡°What¡¯s with this guy¡­¡±

    Just yesterday, he acted as though if she dared to flee, he would hunt her down across the world. Now his tune had changed. Could it be Du Wanting was his new me over the past few years¡­

    Fu Han smirked to herself. As soon as she returned to her room, people from the brand had already delivered the clothes, and even a designer from the styling studio was there with an innocent smile, offering her service.

    With a feast of clothes, essories, and makeup before her, Fu Han wanted to flee, but the gentle butler decisively closed the door.

    ¡°Miss Fu, good luck.¡±

 Chapter 20 - 20 020 Fu Han 80 million

    ?Chapter 20: 020 Fu Han, 80 million   Chapter 20: 020 Fu Han, 80 million                                   ¡°Wait, Butler, let me out¡­¡±

    She was sure these stylists and makeup artists were going to be the death of her!

    Fu Han¡¯s plea for help waspletely ignored by the butler.

    After closing the door, the butler turned to leave, but seemed to remember something and specifically went to He Xing¡¯s room.

    At that moment, He Xing was propping his chin with one hand, his eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.

    ¡°Sir, should I send the usual gifts to Mrs. Xia¡¯s grave?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was very soft, yet the butler caught it, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll notify them right away.¡±

    The door closed gently and He Xing opened his eyes, then he turned on his phone, deep in a hidden corner of his ount there was a photograph.

    The chaotic, frantic, cruel scene of the car ident from years ago, the woman lying on the ground, covered in blood, carefully cradling a young boy, even in death from excessive blood loss, her instinct was still fighting for the survival of a young life.

    The man¡¯s handsome face, tinged with a trace of mncholy, now showed aplex expression, ¡°Mrs. Xia¡­¡±

    In the photo, Du Wanting bore none of theposure and steadiness she was known for publicly; her smile was filled with sweetness.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the Xia Family¡¯s Charity G, he would have sent flowers to Mrs. Xia as usual.

    This year¡¯s move by the Xia Family overturned his usual ns, forcing He Xing to send the flowers ahead of time.

    It was solely for the life-saving grace, for the woman who, in the face of imminent danger, still said with a trembling voice that the child must survive, that many people wished for him to live well.

    From that moment on, he knew he was needed by others.

    ¡°You cane out now.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s just a charity g, do I have to dress up so extravagantly?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not extravagant,e on out¡­¡±

    Fu Han was dragged out, her face reddened, ufortably looking at herself in a deep V red cocktail dress, high heels, and her neck, wrists, and ears adorned with expensive jewelry.

    This didn¡¯t suit her, it was too precious, as if all these had been firmly tied to an unrestrained wind.

    A wall mirror perfectly outlined the woman¡¯s charm; light makeup was always appropriate, but even the heavy makeup she wore today was not out of ce.

    The butler, stylists, and makeup artists couldn¡¯t stop praising, and Fu Han tugged at her lips, still unustomed, she turned to go change, but someone grabbed her wrist from behind.

    He Xing came from behind, wrapped an arm around her waist, and rested his chin on her head, ¡°You look quite good.¡±

    Seizing the moment, the others quietly walked outside.

    ¡°Let me make it clear beforehand, I¡¯m a rough person who doesn¡¯t understand ceremonies, so if I embarrass you tonight, I won¡¯t be responsible for apologizing,¡± Fu Han said with a half-smile, curling her lips in pleasure.

    She spoke half-truths, but He Xing believed it would be odd if her words didn¡¯t cause a stir at the event.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± He Xing said, leading her by the hand out of the room. As they walked, he said, ¡°Tonight¡¯s g is a charity event held by the Xia Family in memory of Mrs. Xia. All auction proceeds will be donated to the Du Wanting Mother¡¯s Love Foundation for special contributions to women and children.¡±

    ¡°Du Wanting is Mrs. Xia¡¯s name?¡± Fu Han responded quickly.

    He Xing gave a single nod and then, they got into the car.

    Fu Han clicked her tongue, carelessly twirling her hair as she looked out the window, the glittering lights reflecting in her eyes.

    He Xing nced over, and seeing that scene, his gaze darkened a bit.

    The woman who had once cared about him so openly, after leaving for several years, could she really let go so freely?

    The venue arrived in the blink of an eye, and it was clear that the Xia Family had put a lot of effort into it.

    The vast estate shone under the lights, making the night as bright as day. Stepping onto the red carpet, Fu Han surveyed her surroundings with disinterest as He Xing escorted her into the Auction Hall.

    The Xia Family members were all dressed up, weing the guests one by one. Xia Cheng spotted He Xing from a distance and was about to greet him when he caught sight of Fu Han by his side. His smile froze, and he purposefully blocked Xia Ning.

    ¡°That, sister, the son of the electrical tycoon has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re hiding something from me! I must see it!¡±

    As soon as Xia Ning looked over and saw Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s intimately close appearance, a hint of jealousy flickered in her eyes, and she grew a bit resentful.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry!¡± Xia Cheng had to soothe her, only to be red at by Xia Ning, ¡°I¡¯m not crying, the wind just blew something into my eye.¡±

    She bit her lip and left quickly.

    Xia Cheng felt aggrieved just looking at her retreating figure, his expression changed, and he began to think, then he called over a waiter and gave some instructions.

    Xia Ning walked a few steps away, hiding and observing Xia Cheng¡¯s reaction, with a cunning smile curling her lips. Before she could revel in her ploy for long, a familiar male voice came from behind, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t always boss around your brother.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± Xia Ning turned around hastily, warily saying, ¡°I, I understand.¡±

    ¡°You can pursue someone, but don¡¯t let He Xing drift away from the Xia Family and dy important matters.¡± The stern-faced man advised before leaving.

    Xia Ning watched his departing figure, her lips moving silently.

    What exactly was the so-called ¡°important matter¡±?

    At the auction, a professional host was in charge of warming up the crowd.

    Fu Han propped her chin with one hand while He Xing was invited away by business associates for a chat, everywhere there was an air of utilitarianism.

    Tch, she didn¡¯t fit in with these refined folks¡­

    Suddenly, someone took the seat next to her.

    ¡°Not used to this ce?¡± Xia Ning asked with a lightugh.

    Fu Han looked over, offering no reply but a smile that was not quite a smile.

    ¡°I know that someone of your background probably never imagined being in such a high-ss ce in their lifetime,¡± Xia Ning said softly, with an undertone of scorn, while those eager to greet her probably had no idea what she was talking about.

    ¡°Impressive, huh.¡± Fu Han rested her cheek in her hand, ¡°Turning a charity g into a business, not bad at all.¡±

    She had noticed earlier how the Xia Family was covertly using the guests¡¯plicity to make donations to the Du Wanting Charity Fund to dodge taxes.

    It appeared that Xia Shi Media was also working hard tonight, using this charity event to boost the Xia Family¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°¡­Heh.¡± Xia Ning red at Fu Han, waiting for the host to start exining the first item andmence the auction. She slowly spoke up, ¡°This is a jade chessboard from the personal collection of the Citibank CEO¡¯s grandfather. Tonight, you can take your time looking, as you probably will only be able to see it on TV after today.¡±

    Fu Han turned a deaf ear as if Xia Ning¡¯s words were just wind passing by her ear, noting that the event did indeed seem too mercantile and showy just from the surface.

    Resting her chin in her hand, she watched disinterestedly until suddenly, the spotlight for her seat lit up.

    The host immediately read out her seat number: ¡°Guest number 79 has raised the bid, 80 million.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Fu Han perked up, only then noticing that her seat was special, the button to raise the bid was totally different from everyone else¡¯s.

 Chapter 21 - 21 021 accidental discharge

    ?Chapter 21: 021 idental discharge   Chapter 21: 021 idental discharge                                   Others simply pressed a small remote in their left hand to raise the bid and join the game.

    But Fu Han¡¯s little remote seemed nothing but decoration, as the actual bidding remote was located in an easily overlooked spot on the table.

    She had been set up.

    Xia Ning¡¯s trivial chatter was all to lower her guard!

    Fu Han suddenly looked at Xia Ning, who made no effort to conceal her triumph, her lips curving into a pleased smile as she said, ¡°Eighty million, can you afford it?¡±

    No one on site couldpete with Fu Han; items auctioned for eighty million were quickly processed by the manager.

    The surrounding guests curiously watched, setting aside the auctioneer¡¯s ongoing announcements to be astonished at the revtion of Fu Han¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Time to pay up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we can verify cash and check payments on the spot.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s tone rose, and Fu Han knew that iming she had been tricked would do no good; people would only know that she had won the auction but couldn¡¯t pay.

    For a moment, the radiant Fu Han remained silent, rapidly considering her next move.

    ¡°Forgot to bring money? No problem, I can lend you some. Given our rtionship, of course, I would help,¡± Xia Ning said as she took out a checkbook, ready to sign.

    ¡°No need,¡± Fu Han interrupted, preferring to suffer embarrassment than ask Xia Ning, the very architect of her downfall, for money.

    Xia Ning raised an eyebrow and smiled without offering further help, intriguingly watching how Fu Han would embarrass herself.

    The other attendees grew impatient, their expressions changing as they wondered if Fu Han was having second thoughts about paying.

    If it were a typical charity auction, a breach of contract fee would suffice. Unfortunately, this time the Xia Family hosted it, and even a hint of disgrace could make headlines in City A, spreading rapidly nationwide¡­

    Under the weight of such peculiar stares, Fu Han could not sit still, ¡°Can I go back and get the money?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the manager snapped back, looking at her suspiciously, ¡°You¡¯re not nning to run off without paying, are you?¡±

    He didn¡¯t control his volume, drawing more onlookers and provoking a chorus of murmurs.

    Fu Han felt a headacheing on, contemting exposing Xia Ning¡¯s remote control trap, but then she noticed the table had been tidied up.

    Someone must have cleared away the trap while she was distracted by the manager!

    ¡°No way, you don¡¯t want to pay, do you?¡± Xia Ning started her insincere taunting again.

    The manager became aggressive, ¡°Lady Fu, please don¡¯t create more work for us¡­¡±

    At that moment, a cool male voice intervened, ¡°Eighty million here.¡±

    He Xing casually ced a check on the tray in the manager¡¯s hands and naturally sat down next to Fu Han.

    The manager was bewildered; this wasn¡¯t what they had discussed earlier.

    Fu Han was startled; wasn¡¯t He Xing supposed to returnter? She vaguely heard others mention an important project they needed to discuss with him when he left.

    ¡°He Xing, why did youe back?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s smile stiffened; damn it, she had arranged for him to be dyed!

    ¡°Felt likeing over,¡± He Xing replied sinctly, casually twirling a ring on his finger.

    Fu Han noticed the gesture; the ring was their engagement ring from before.

    Xia Ning noticed too, biting her lip in resentment, ¡°I thought you¡¯d have more to say to my father.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± He Xing¡¯s response remained infuriatingly on the edge.

    Without waiting for Xia Ning to speak, he turned to Fu Han, ¡°You need to touch up your makeup.¡±

    Before Fu Han could react, He Xing had taken her hand and was leading her outside. After a few steps, as if remembering something, he looked back at the manager, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone verify the items.¡±

    It¡¯s true that the Citibank CEO¡¯s wife had donated the items for auction, but no one could be sure they would arrive at the new owner without issues.

    Then they disappeared from view. Xia Ning¡¯s expression darkened as she gritted her teeth, ¡°¡­He actually went that far.¡±

    Eighty million wasn¡¯t a small sum, but she had arranged everything, even predicting that He Xing¡¯s cash flow was somewhat tight.

    Even so, he had thrown all that money away for Fu Han.

    ¡°Lady, what do we do now?¡± the manager asked, regaining hisposure and looking anxious.

    ¡°If it¡¯s due, pay it. Don¡¯t dy,¡± Xia Ning barely finished her words when another supervisor hurried over, agitated, ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a problem with the jade chess set¡ªone of the jade pieces is missing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Xia Ning stood up abruptly.

    This auction was turning into a disaster!

    Fu Han was pulled by the hand into the men¡¯s restroom. As soon as the door mmed shut behind them, He Xing pushed her, and shended on the toilet seat.

    He Xing casually closed the door, leaned over, and lifted her chin with his hand, his brows casting a shadow, ¡°Didn¡¯t you think to call me earlier?¡±

    He actually meant toe two minutes earlier, to watch the struggle, expecting Fu Han topromise and show weakness at such a time.

    In reality, he was wrong; Fu Han had faced everything head-on, without retreat, even in such an awkward moment.

    ¡°Why call you?¡± Fu Han had to look up, still smiling without a hint of shame or annoyance, ¡°I will pay you back that money.¡±

    Eighty million wasn¡¯t a trivial sum, but she believed she could handle it.

    He Xing looked at her intently, his cold gaze tinged with mockery, ¡°Are you sure? Eighty million, say it¡¯s not a lot.¡±

    His hand wandered from her waist to her chest, ¡°If you be my lover, we can write off the sum¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll start paying you back in six months,¡± Fu Han naturally took out her phone to write and sign a digital note.

    He Xing interrupted her, ¡°Are you so anxious to sever ties with me?¡±

    Fu Han looked at him with a smile, not saying much, but her intention was clear.

    What rtionship did they even have to speak of?

    He Xing gazed at her deeply before suddenly leaning in to kiss her, his hand clutching the back of her head and his other hand gripping her waist.

    The intense kiss seemed to melt everything away, including them both. The man¡¯s dominating and aggressive tongue swept through her mouth, leaving no room for retreat.

    The small space became charged with intimacy as he kissed her, gradually moving from her lips to her neck, then her chest¡­

    Fu Han caught her breath, her flushed face unable to hide her feelings, her eyes misty with both passion and coldness.

    Struggling to push him away only allowed him to press her legs together even tighter, and just when things were about to escte, Fu Hanughed, ¡°Are you sure you want to have rtions with me in a ce like this?¡±

    The man¡¯s gaze had been undisguisedly invasive, but he reined in his actions.

    He Xing slowly straightened his clothes, the low tone of his voice breaking the silence, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay those eighty million. This deal is off.¡±

 Chapter 22 - 22 She is guiltless to anyone

    ?Chapter 22: She is guiltless to anyone.   Chapter 22: She is guiltless to anyone.                                   Can¡¯t close the deal?

    What did He Xing mean by that!

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze towards the other party was tinged with a hint of curiosity.

    ¡°The Lady CEO from Citibank donated problematic items,¡± He Xing said sinctly, not mentioning how thedy wanted to take the opportunity to give the Xia Family a warning; naturally, he was quite willing to teach the Xia Family a lesson on behalf of He Xing at this moment.

    What He Xing and the other party had traded was naturally not something Fu Han needed to know.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back,¡± He Xing turned and walked away.

    Fu Han arched an eyebrow but still straightened her clothes and followed.

    Their return did not draw much attention. In fact, at this moment, many in the upper-ss society had turned their focus toward the Xia Family.

    Not long ago, they had learned that some of the items donated by the Lady CEO from Citibank were missing, with their whereabouts still unknown. With the items not intact, the deal would not be valid, and the money could not be donated.

    As the organizer, the Xia Family also had to bear the scrutiny of others about their supervisory and hosting abilities.

    Now Xia Cheng was frantically busy, while Xia Ning, feeling like she had caught onto some clue, couldn¡¯t wait to sit back next to Fu Han.

    She raised her hand to cover her lips but used an usatory tone with Fu Han, ¡°Just now, did you do something to the jade chessboard?¡±

    Fu Han looked towards Xia Ning with a slight smile, saying nothing, but perfectly hitting Xia Ning¡¯s nerve at that moment.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think that this incident can have any impact on me, do you?¡± Xia Ning sneered, ¡°I hope you know, not every toad can dream of eating swan meat.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Fu Han interrupted her self-directed harangue, ¡°What is the purpose of this pointless chatter you¡¯re giving me?¡±

    She roughly guessed what He Xing had done in private; the smile emerging on her good-looking face seemed to mock Xia Ning¡¯s impotent rage.

    The smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face faded, and she lowered her voice, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I didn¡¯t die in the water.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll definitely return everything you once gave me,¡± Fu Han raised her hand to touch the other¡¯s head, but it was suddenly knocked away by Xia Ning.

    Thedies nearby heard themotion and looked over with curiosity.

    They just happened to see Xia Ning¡¯s arrogant and domineering demeanor.

    ¡°You!¡± Xia Ning realized her public image was in jeopardy.

    She immediately got up to leave, and before she did, she venomously threatened, ¡°You have the nerve; just keep relying on He Xing.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Fu Han repliednguidly, further infuriating her.

    In fact, she soon learned what Xia Ning was preparing to do.

    It seemed the Xia Family, in an attempt to change their negative image, had burst out with many offerings¡ªthe school in the impoverished mountain area, restaurant and educational slots were all thrown out.

    Even the Xia Family included the participants on the Xia Media promotion page for the next month.

    Once the news dropped, the crowd was stunned. Fu Han propped her chin, realizing this was her attempt to embarrass her at all costs.

    Basically, the cheapest here would cost a million, something that an ordinary person like Fu Han simply couldn¡¯t afford¡­

    ¡°Do you find it boring?¡±

    After finishing his conversation, He Xing sat beside her.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just watching the show,¡± Fu Han watched as almost everyone in attendance joined in, including inte influencers brought by wealthy second-generation heirs who clenched their teeth and joined, preparing to share the joke with her close friend Nan Qing.

    In Xia Ning¡¯s mind, she was probably only able toe up with the idea of forcing people to pay money to humiliate their faces.

    ¡°Miss Fu,¡± suddenly, Xia Ning on stage interrupted her speech, her eyes smiling towards Fu Han¡¯s direction, and into the microphone she said, ¡°I heard you just came back, want to go big?¡±

    Xia Cheng obligingly pushed forward the next three ns.

    The first was to sponsor a hundred poor students to study abroad, with spending starting at five million a year;

    The second was to set up tenrge libraries, a conservative estimate costing ten million;

    The third was to build roads and bridges in impoverished mountainous areas, conservatively costing eight million.

    To the wealthy scions, socialites, anddies in attendance, this was nothing more than a drop in the bucket, depending only on whether they were willing to spend the money.

    But many people knew about Fu Han¡¯s past, and whether she even had a million to her name right now was debatable.

    Was this meant to deliberately make someone look foolish?

    ¡°What do you think, Miss Fu? Want to give it a try?¡± Xia Ning seemed to have thought of something, her expression one of awkward fear, ¡°Of course, I just noticed you¡¯ve been alone all night, not keen on chatting with others, worried you¡¯d be bored.¡±

    Many pondered, Fu Han had just returned and hadn¡¯t yet actively joined the upper-ss social circles; it seemed she really wasn¡¯t suited to be the Lady of the He Family.

    Under the public eye, Fu Han did not show a sign of weakness but smiled and was about to stand up when her hand was grasped.

    He Xing¡¯s expression was indifferent as he spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it for you.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Fu Han slowly, but resolutely, withdrew her hand, the spotlight shining on her.

    She curled her lips, radiantly beautiful, far surpassing female stars, her every smile and frown carrying a defiant vor.

    ¡°I can do all that, but Miss Xia, as the host today and the nominal consultant for Xia Media, would you care to demonstrate?¡± Fu Han spoke while pressing on her phone.

    This action, observed by everyone, resulted in various spections.

    He Xing narrowed his eyes slightly, it seemed she already had a solution.

    Xia Ning, thinking it must be He Xing footing the bill, was instantly itching to bite, and Xia Cheng, seemingly casual, came over and whispered, ¡°Maybe we should let it go?¡±

    The Xia Family could indeed spend the money, but the point of the Charity G was to whip up a frenzy over the phnthropy of the wealthy, to establish a certain status for the Xia Family in the social elite circle, fulfilling Father Xia¡¯s goal.

    Now that Fu Han had spoken out this way, they would have to shell out hundreds of millions for no reason, straying far from their original n to achieve the greatest objective with the least money.

    ¡°No, I want to see how she does it,¡± Xia Ning really had it in for Fu Han.

    She turned back, her face adorned with a benign and harmless smile, speaking gently, ¡°I can do all that. Just one thing, Miss Fu, show me the proof first.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Fu Han approached, her radiant presence on the red carpet, casually projected her phone screen onto the projector.

    ¡°Wait, what are you doing¡­¡± Suddenly pushed aside by Fu Han, Xia Ning had no chance to react before she heard gasps from below.

    The phone indeed disyed the years Fu Han had spent volunteering in impoverished areas, helping in reconstruction after disasters like earthquakes, and the nearly a thousand poor students she had funded for schooling.

    These sums also amounted to millions, but the hands-on experience far surpassed theedy of the socialites throwing money at charity for fame.

    He Xing¡¯s look shifted, his gaze lingering on the phone screen on a spot of post-disaster reconstruction.

    So, this was what Fu Han had been doing all along?

    Free of her once-fianc¨¦e title with He Xing, Fu Han had lived a leisurely and untroubled life over the past few years, with a clear conscience.

 Chapter 23 - 23 023 just mistakenly created the wrong character

    ?Chapter 23: 023 just mistakenly created the wrong character setting.   Chapter 23: 023 just mistakenly created the wrong character setting.                                   Wealthy socialites anddies can ridicule others¡¯ backgrounds on a regr basis, but there¡¯s not much to criticize when ites to physically supporting poverty alleviation and volunteering.

    Many present had updated their perception of Fu Han to some extent; now they didn¡¯t see her as the insecure and entric person she used to be. Indeed, she seemed daring and decisive, with clear love and hate¡­

    ¡°Anyone can do that kind of thing!¡± Xia Ning caught a hint of discord and began to speak recklessly into the microphone.

    Xia Cheng thought to himself, ¡®This is bad,¡¯ seeing that many disapproving gazes were cast their way. Meanwhile, Fu Han, with a graceful smile, calmly said into the microphone, ¡°Regarding the goals Miss Xia has mentioned, I will achieve each and every one of them. It may take ten or twenty years, or even my whole life, but I will aplish them.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and at that moment, apuse broke out, and instinctively, everyone joined in.

    In just an instant, the venue, originally hosted by the Xia Family and meant to bring them both fame and fortune, became the stage for Fu Han alone!

    No matter how discontent the Xia Family members were, they hurriedly pulled Xia Ning away.

    And Fu Han¡¯s gaze settled on He Xing.

    In the sea of people, the tall figure of He Xing stood out. Only she knew that He Xing was the first to apud, initiating the response from others.

    Upon returning to her seat and ignoring the greetings of the wealthy around her, she was about to speak when He Xing grabbed her hand and led her outside.

    ¡°Where to?¡± She didn¡¯t think much and instinctively followed his steps.

    ¡°To get some air,¡± He Xing¡¯s voice carried a hint ofplexity.

    For example, was leaving her to go to those impoverished areas really that interesting.

    The door was opened, and the two left.

    The other wealthy socialites decisively followed suit.

    The Xia Family members were too slow to stop them; in a blink, the vast venue was empty. Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, the siblings, appeared somewhat awkward.

    Xia Cheng¡¯s father, who had been standing backstage, now stepped forward with an impassive face and an icy tone, ¡°Ah Ning, what did I tell you before? Today you actually ruined our n.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy, I just couldn¡¯t hold back¡­¡± Xia Ning said, her voice choking with sobs.

    If Xia Cheng had any me for his sister before, now there was only sympathy.

    He couldn¡¯t help but step in front of Xia Ning, ¡°Dad, Ah Ning didn¡¯t do it on purpose. If it wasn¡¯t for that guy Fu Haning back, Ah Ning wouldn¡¯t be so upset. After all, she¡¯s known He Xing the longest.¡±

    Xia Cheng didn¡¯t regard Fu Han¡¯s sudden fianc¨¦e highly, neither her status nor her educational and professional capabilities; she was no match for his sister, Xia Ning.

    ¡°Silence!¡± Their father¡¯s voice boomed like thunder, his tone unkind, ¡°If you can¡¯t win, how can you call yourself a daughter of my family! You botched the Charity G today, causing the Xia Family¡¯s credibility and oversight to be questioned.¡±

    ¡°Xia Ning, know your ce, use your advantages, and get the He Family to settle this matter, or else¡­¡±

    Leaving behind that warning, their father turned and walked away.

    Only then did Xia Ning begin to cry, and Xia Cheng stepped forward to hold her and reassure her, insisting it was alright and that he would solve everything.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault, I couldn¡¯t win He Xing¡¯s heart¡­¡±

    At this moment, Xia Ning, who should have been weeping, bit her lip and a shadow crossed her eyes; Fu Han, you¡¯re truly a thorn in my side.

    No sooner had they left than Fu Han was taken by He Xing to a car.

    He pressed the elerator hard and the car sped up quickly, causing Fu Han to instinctively grab onto something to prevent from being thrown out.

    Seeing the speedometer near 200, she shouted, ¡°He Xing, if you want to die, go alone. Don¡¯t drag me into it!¡±

    ¡°Does doing those things really matter that much to you?¡± He Xing¡¯s expression was cool, his voice betraying no real emotion.

    But this question seemed to hit Fu Han¡¯s funny bone, and a genuine smile spread across her face, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Our chit-chat time is over, remember your promise to me from before? You apanied me to the Charity G, now you agree to let me move out.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±

    He said that, but then he suddenly took a sharp turn, and Fu Han, caught off guard, fell into He Xing¡¯s arms.

    She tried to sit up but was held fast by He Xing with his free hand.

    When she attempted to move, he warned, ¡°Move again, and I can¡¯t guarantee what might happen next.¡±

    Fine, it seems He Xing has upped his game.

    Fu Han had no choice but toply.

    Waiting for the car to stop, she exited hastily, only to find out that they were at a vi.

    He Xing casually tossed the car keys to a servant and pulled Fu Han inside.

    The butler and servants all bowed respectfully to them, greeting, ¡°Sir, Lady, good.¡±

    ¡°I am Fu Han.¡± Fu Han repeated, seeming to smile harmlessly, which almost caused several servants and nannies to slip up.

    The overpowering pressure emanating from He Xing nearby, they struggled to control their lips, barely managing not to jeopardize their sries.

    ¡°Thedy will live here from now on.¡± Having said that, He Xing pulled Fu Han upstairs.

    Entering the room, he closed the door behind them ¨C Fu Han hadn¡¯t even got a clear look before she was pushed onto the bed by He Xing.

    His actions were sudden and caught Fu Han off guard.

    She tried to get up, but He Xing was already there, restraining her waist with one hand and lifting her chin to kiss her.

    The man left marks on her without restraint.

    The valuable gown was torn off with a rip and casually removed by He Xing, pressing Fu Han into the pure ck silk covers. He Xing maliciously bit her lip, spreading a rust-like taste between their lips and teeth.

    The buttons were easily undone, and Fu Han¡¯s attempt at resistance was quickly subdued by He Xing. He easily parted her legs with his own.

    The disparity between their physical strength was overwhelming, and Fu Han found herself quickly drained of energy, despite the years she had spent carrying heavy cameras and running around.

    She decided to let things take their course.

    Perhaps it was this shift in mindset, herck of active cooperation made He Xing feel as if he was taking on the role of a sex worker.

    He paused, his gaze darkening as it swept over the plum blossom marks on her pale neck. His low voice wasced with a hint of sexiness, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of what I might do to you?¡±

    ¡°What do I have to be afraid of.¡± Fu Han slowly sat up.

    Without any sense of the embarrassment she should feel for having been seen naked by him, she began rebuttoning her clothes while speaking, ¡°Having the esteemed CEO of the He Family at my service¡ªI should be happy.¡±

    Her smile beamed brilliantly, but the more she smiled, the more apparent it became that there was no emotion behind it.

    Perhaps, she had long put aside all of her past¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you can let go,¡± He Xing lifted her chin with one hand.

    Fu Han, without fear, replied, ¡°CEO He, whatever you want me to say, I¡¯ll say.¡±

    He Xing stared at her for a moment, then suddenly sneered, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    After dropping that line, the man mmed the door and left.

    Fu Han looked in the direction of the door, scoffing with sarcasm, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll just see.¡±

 Chapter 24 - 24 You will never surpass me in your lifetime

    ?Chapter 24: You will never surpass me in your lifetime   Chapter 24: You will never surpass me in your lifetime                                   Perhaps it was the scene from the night before that caused Fu Han¡¯s dreams to be a chaotic mess¡ªthere were shes of their past as a couple, lost in passion, nearly crossing the line, as well as countless times she watched He Xing embrace the fragile Xia Ning¡¯s figure as he left resolutely.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±

    ¡°I told you, I really didn¡¯t do anything to Xia Ning!¡±

    The young girl held her face in pain, but was soon reced by a cool photographer with his hands in his pockets, striding forward unaffected.

    ¡°Romantic love is so boring, not as interesting as the great mountains and rivers or the freedom of photography¡­¡±

    Then, Fu Han was woken up by a phone call from her best friend Nan Qing.

    Yawning and groggy, she answered the call, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Xiaohan, you¡¯ve made it big! I just heard from a colleague today that you single-handedly messed up the charity g for celebrities and tycoons held by the Xia Family yesterday! All the press releases and marketing ns they¡¯d prepared became useless!¡±

    Listening to Nan Qing¡¯s excited words, Fu Han remembered what had happened the day before.

    She immediately went to the restroom to freshen up, and as she looked in the mirror at the marks on her neck, her gaze froze for a moment, until Nan Qing¡¯s voice brought her back, ¡°Xiaohan?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. After all, the Xia Family just wanted people to donate money yesterday, they self-destructed at the slightest provocation from me.¡±

    Fu Han was swift and decisive, earning money for a bank ount effortlessly while chatting with her friend on the phone.

    Within a minute, the money was returned, with the same reason for refusal: I have enough money here, take care of yourself.

    Fu Han propped her head with one hand, now feeling a headacheing on.

    Nan Qing¡¯s chatter was still ringing in her ears when Fu Han suddenly interrupted, ¡°Xiaoqing, help me figure out how to get Aunt Zhang to ept my money?¡±

    When she was abroad, she had received a lot of care from this kind-hearted Aunt Zhang. The woman, gentle and introverted, always had a pensive look and often meditated with an amulet in her hand.

    Although Aunt Zhang only had a modest ie, she had taken care of many travelers in a strangend, giving those who were disheartened a ce to rest, so they wouldn¡¯t be homeless.

    ¡°That, I can¡¯t help you with. Last time I heard even Suofeiya and her group¡¯s donations were declined by Aunt Zhang, let alone your offer of cash,¡± said Nan Qing, who also had some acquaintance with Aunt Zhang.

    Fu Han sighed, took the subway to the office for work, and was highly efficient. Even being tasked to photograph several people in one go didn¡¯t affect her, and she even produced images with original concepts that won her colleagues¡¯ admiration.

    In the afternoon, everyone discussed ordering afternoon tea. While Fu Han idly spun a pen and zoned out, a colleague took the initiative to ask.

    Su Cheng approached at that moment, just in time to overhear the question to Fu Han, and his ears perked up.

    ¡°Um, just lemonade is fine,¡± Fu Han wasn¡¯t fussy about such material needs.

    The colleague quickly made a note, and then someone came along, suggesting gift ideas for their own stubborn and prideful grandparents who refused to ept presents.

    Once this topic was broached, the office came alive with many voices offering suggestions,pelling Fu Han to chime in involuntarily, ¡°I have an aunt overseas. She¡¯s a great person who¡¯s looked after a lot of people who¡¯ve faced rejections in a foreignnd¡­¡±

    Most importantly was finding a gift for Aunt Zhang. After a brief understanding from Fu Han, the others warmed up to the idea of Aunt Zhang and became even more enthusiastic with their suggestions.

    Su Cheng, meanwhile, mused from a distance, remembered the matter and quickly went online to consult with friends and rtives for ideas.

    When the rush-ordered gifts arrived, Su Cheng approached Fu Han¡¯s desk with a gentle smile, only to find it empty.

    Seeing the boss arrive, colleagues, thinking it was a surprise check, blurted out without thinking, ¡°Fu Han had to step out for an external task.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Su Cheng suppressed his annoyance and turned to leave.

    But as he departed, the employees were abuzz with spection about Su Cheng and Fu Han¡¯s rtionship.

    At the same time, Fu Han faced the biggest challenge of her career.

    Su Cheng Company dealt with copywriting, advertising design, and nning. Naturally, arge part of their business was connected to the entertainment circle.

    This time, they were photographing a recently famous actress whose domestic poprity had skyrocketed, and she was on the verge of bing A-list.

    Through Fu Han¡¯s lens, the artist indeed had some work done on her body and face, but it didn¡¯t stop her from finding the right angles to photograph.

    If only the artist wasn¡¯t too picky and troublesome¡­

    ¡°No, this angle doesn¡¯t make my butt look good, take it again!¡±

    ¡°Are you even a professional? This is infuriating! I have a big chest, but you made it lookpletely unimpressive!¡±

    ¡­

    The starlet Jiang Ling spoke with a perfectly whiny tone, her baby face and ample bosom constantly used to cutesily charm her manager and the sponsors, who couldn¡¯t help but make way for her.

    Fu Han pulled her hat lower and turned to leave, nning to adjust the equipment.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Once the sponsors left, Jiang Ling instantly changed her tone, lifting her chin arrogantly, ¡°You did an okay job taking photos. How about I pay you six thousand to work for me?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Fu Han just smiled, with no intention of responding.

    Seeing herck of reaction, Jiang Ling grew even more dissatisfied. Her manager, arriving just then, upon seeing her demeanor, quickly tried to soothe matters, ¡°Let¡¯s settle down, we¡¯ve finally got someone to help us meet He Xing. You must behaveter; now is not the time to throw a tantrum.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m letting it slide just this once,¡± Jiang Ling said as she quickly started excitedly discussing what to eat at the uing meeting with her manager.

    Fu Han, who hadn¡¯t walked far, overheard this and clicked her tongue in annoyance, adjusting her camera with a bit more force than usual.

    Seems like He Xing¡¯s romantic encounters haven¡¯t lessened over the years¡­

    Perhaps enticed by the uing meeting with He Xing, Jiang Ling became less troublesome for the remainder of the photo shoot. With improved cooperation, Fu Han rapidly produced several exceptional sets of photos, leaving the sponsors torn choosing for their campaign and posters.

    ¡°Any of them will do! The problem now is deciding which set to use for the publicity and the physical posters,¡± they said.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m heading off.¡±

    Fu Han nodded and turned to leave.

    But she was stopped by Jiang Ling¡¯s assistant, as Jiang Ling stood in front of her with arms crossed, raising an eyebrow, ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve been shooting with your hat and sunsses on all day. What, can¡¯t your face see the light of day?¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice was capricious and sharp, causing the manager, who was just escorting a man into the shooting area, to twitch. He instinctively turned to exin to the man.

    But the man just looked on, focused on the woman Jiang Ling was taunting.

    ¡°It¡¯s off work time now, Miss Jiang,¡± said Fu Han in her good-natured way, reminding her and turning away, unwilling to engage further.

    ¡°Damn it, who do you think you are to ignore me! You¡¯ll never earn as much in your whole life as I do in one year!¡±

    As she spoke, Jiang Ling quickly snatched away Fu Han¡¯s hat and knocked off her sunsses.

 Chapter 25 - 25 025 Looking for Trouble

    ?Chapter 25: 025 Looking for Trouble   Chapter 25: 025 Looking for Trouble                                   Jiang Ling had her nails done, sharp as talons.

    With a willful flick of the hat, she scratched Fu Han¡¯s scalp, even plucking out a few strands of hair.

    Fu Han gasped for air, clutching her head and wondering if she would go bald.

    But everyone else was staring at her face in shock, unconsciouslyparing her to the actress Jiang Ling.

    Fu Han had a slightly wheatishplexion, a symbol of health and youthful zest, with exquisite features, and outstanding beauty.

    Just a touch of red lipstick made her dazzling to the point that it was hard to look away¡­

    Jiang Ling snapped out of it, clenching her fists and staring intently at the other¡¯s face.

    She knew she rarely felt such aggression towards someone unless they posed a significant threat to her.

    She dared to dress scantily, and the woman in front of her could do the same, or even surpass her in gaining attention more quickly.

    A surge of indignation rose to her heart, and she blurted out, ¡°No good, I don¡¯t want any of the pictures taken today! I¡¯ll make it clear to yourpany, if youe over again, I will refuse to shoot.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Lingling¡­¡± The agent was scared witless, wondering why such words were being said in public.

    Fu Han, who had be the center of everyone¡¯s attention, simply arched an eyebrow and nonchntly tied her hair up with a piece of string.

    ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯ll tell the Boss.¡±

    Her voice waszy and indifferent, as if talking about the weather, casually infuriating Jiang Ling without showing any sign of response.

    Having said her piece, she turned to walk away, only to have her hand grabbed by someone.

    A man¡¯s oh-so-familiar voice said, ¡°You dropped something.¡±

    Turning to look, Fu Han saw He Xing ce the sunsses in her hand, to which she naturally said thanks.

    Just as she was about to leave, He Xing was following along with her.

    Jiang Ling and her agent became frantic, hastily trying to exin, ¡°Sorry, Mr. He, I was a bit foolish and did something strange.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the way to the restaurant.¡±

    Many people at the shoot pretended to work, but their thoughts were all following the main subject of themotion.

    Fu Han realized what was key and halted suddenly, leisurely reminding He Xing, ¡°Wake up, you haven¡¯t sorted out your romantic entanglement yet.¡±

    ¡°Romantic entanglement?¡± He Xing looked puzzled as if hearing strange news, a hint of confusion crossing his handsome features.

    That kind of expression never appeared on the man who was known to the outside world as invincible in the Mall and omniscient.

    Jiang Ling and her agent were so anxious they couldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s a friend introduced by Ji Liangchuan, said to be suitable for the leadingdy in a movie the Group is nning to invest in and shoot,¡± He Xing said, unusually talkative.

    Fu Han responded with an ¡°oh,¡± unbothered, just checking the time and considering when she could leave.

    This rare opportunity to be out on an assignment and possibly leave work early was spoiled by He Xing¡¯s troublesome affair¡­

    ¡°The previous agreement is off,¡± He Xing dropped this statement and pulled Fu Han into his car.

    ¡°Wait, Boss He, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding!¡± The agent panicked, toote to catch up with the car.

    His chubby face was filled with regret as he turned to look at Jiang Ling, who still stood frozen, disbelieving what had just happened, and couldn¡¯t helpshing out in anger, pping her across the face.

    ¡°You like to act like a spoiled Lady, so why bring that attitude outside? If the news of you losing resources gets out, you¡¯ll definitely get crushed by your peers!¡±

    ¡°Brother He, save me, it wasn¡¯t on purpose, I just genuinely found someone disagreeable¡­¡±

    What happened afterwards was none of Fu Han¡¯s concern.

    She tried to free her hand from the hold, but instead was gripped even more tightly.

    ¡°Boss He, are you sure you want to go with me?¡± Fu Han nced at the time, her lips curling into a smile, ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy some adult nightlife.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually curious to see what your so-called nightlife is like,¡± He Xing said, his gaze darkening and his voice deepening.

    He exuded a forbidding frostiness that made even the driver shiver.

    Yet Fu Han was still nonchnt, ¡°Sure, as long as you don¡¯t ruin it.¡±

    The man smiled cryptically, only deepening the unease.

    The designated driver shed tears of frustration, mourning a minute¡¯s silence for the bar owners who might sufferter.

    Meanwhile, at Time Restaurant.

    The reserved private room was abruptly flung open.

    Xia Ning looked around as if searching for someone. The server spoke softly, nervously mentioning, ¡°This room was reserved by the actress Jiang Ling, but she hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve booked the room next door; let me know if there¡¯s any noise,¡± Xia Ning said, her eyes cold as she ced a monitoring device in a fake flower atop the wall and turned to leave.

    Then, she heard the server on the phone, ¡°Huh? The room is canceled, the actress isn¡¯ting¡­ so, Lady, what about the person who was supposed to dine with her?¡±

    Without needing an answer and just by the server¡¯s flustered look, it was all too clear.

    Xia Ning clenched her teeth, ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Her stakeout n had just gone down the drain!

    Just then, an acquaintance called, excitedly reporting where He Xing was spotted at the bar.

    Usually, Xia Ning would rush over eagerly to intercept, but she lost interest immediately, ¡°I¡¯m not going! He won¡¯t go anywhere!¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay, I thought you¡¯d be happy to know.¡±

    Once the call ended, the acquaintance, watching the distant He Xing at the bar, receiving one invitation after another with an aloof expression, murmured to himself.

    ¡°That¡¯s odd, Xia Ning would normally jump at such a chance.¡±

    In the bar, men and women in the dance floor spent their energy wantonly.

    The clinking of sses at the bar and in the private rooms, and now, due to He Xing¡¯s presence, many were drawn like moths to a me, rushing towards him.

    Despite the intimidating chill emanating from He Xing, these people couldn¡¯t resist his allure and kept approaching.

    Not far off, Fu Han, after much struggle, finally broke free and breathed a sigh of relief.

    Nan Qing, who had been waiting outside to pick her up, was stunned, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    ¡°Listening to your call, I thought you were just bringing someone to help carry heavy stuff, but I never imagined you actually brought He Xing,¡± Nan Qing said.

    ¡°To be urate, he insisted oning,¡± Fu Han shrugged, skipping the details of how she had been surrounded at the shoot.

    Nan Qing paused before giving a thumbs up and sincerely said to Fu Han, ¡°Impressive, from now on, I¡¯ve got to call you ¡®Sister Han.¡¯

    ¡°Too old-fashioned, pick another,¡± said Fu Han, tugging herpanion along, their next destination being the Casino beneath the bar.

 Chapter 26 - 26 Darn it it escaped again

    ?Chapter 26: Darn it, it escaped again.   Chapter 26: Darn it, it escaped again.                                   He Xing finally squeezed out from the encircling crowd of stunning beauties with hot figures, scanning the bar for sights that were a barrage to his eyes, the cacophony of colors from the dazzling lights, the women writhing in the dance area like a tangled mass of serpents, and the men and women by the bar either downing shots or locked in kisses.

    The Liangtao Bar was as lively as ever, yet as his gaze swept across the scene, he couldn¡¯t spot the woman he couldn¡¯t forget, even in his dreams.

    ¡°Damn it, she ran off again?¡±

    A cold light shot out from He Xing¡¯s eyes, a fierce wish igniting within him to reduce these mingling men and women to ashes.

    The sultry bar seemed to drop in temperature suddenly, and those close to He Xing even felt goosebumps forming on their arms.

    ¡°Smack!¡± With force, he set down his ss, ready to go find that woman who always seemed to dodge him upon sight.

    Suddenly, a slender handnded on his shoulder.

    Without any apparent effort, Ji Liangchuan had He Xing sitting down again.

    ¡°Bro, you¡¯ve changed so much over a woman, I hardly recognize you,¡± Ji Liangchuan slurred, his facial expressions indiscernible beneath the flickering lights, yet his breath reeked of alcohol.

    He Xing¡¯s face changed, but in the end, he neither admitted nor denied it.

    ¡°You know¡­¡± Ji Liangchuan gulped down another cocktail, burped loudly, and a pungent smell wafted over as he patted He Xing on the shoulder: ¡°You and Fu Han are just like a pair of quarrelsome lovers; three years ago, she clung to you, and now three yearster, you¡¯re the one following her around.¡±

    A glint of ice appeared in He Xing¡¯s eyes as he nonchntly shrugged off his shoulder, shaking off Ji Liangchuan¡¯s elbow: ¡°I¡¯m not a follower; I¡¯m just reiming what¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°But Fu Han is a person, not a thing,¡± Ji Liangchuan replied, his eyes clearing of their drunken haze, reced instead with a purity resembling rainwater.

    He Xing was taken aback, wanting to say he never regarded Fu Han as a thing, but then he thought, why bother exining such things to Ji Liangchuan?

    Over there, Ji Liangchuan spoke up again: ¡°Thest time you were drunk, you kept calling out Fu Han¡¯s name. If you really like her, you should respect her choices. The more you press her, the more she¡¯ll want to escape your grasp.¡±

    ¡­

    Deep into the night, the irregr moon hung like a hook overhead.

    Neon lights painted the night sky a deep navy blue, almost ck, but devoid of a single star.

    Fu Han gestured above her head; if there were stars, they should shine like diamonds, yet still more faint than the moonlight¡¯s glow.

    ¡°Is this the ce?¡± Nan Qing pressed the brake while curiously surveying, ¡°A detached vi halfway up the hillside, not bad at all. It seems He Xing is really nning to hide a beauty in the golden house.¡±

    ¡°Even if he wants to hide a beauty, I¡¯m not that beauty,¡± Fu Han replied briskly as she opened the car door and called out: ¡°Hurry up and follow, let¡¯s get this over with before anyone notices.¡±

    Nan Qing, hunched over and trailing behind Fu Han, muttered, ¡°I mean, moving houses in the middle of the night, couldn¡¯t you call a strong fellow to help, like Su Cheng would surely be d to.¡±

    ¡°All you talk about is Su Cheng; don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fallen for him,¡± Fu Han said, climbing up a drainpipe, oblivious to Nan Qing¡¯s face flushing faintly in the darkness.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t notice Nan Qing¡¯s soft mutter, ¡°What nonsense, Fu Han, it¡¯s clear Su Cheng likes you.¡±

    On this dark and windy night, it seemed the perfect time for sinister deeds.

    But on this night, Fu Han neither intended murder nor arson; she simply aimed to free herself thoroughly from He Xing.

    It had been a while since her return, and her thoughts remained unchanged: leave He Xing behind, live a truly free life, be herself, no longer considering someone else her world¡¯s axis.

    What mattered most was that since she came back, there had been several close encounters with He Xing. Although she wouldn¡¯t admit it out loud, deep down she knew her body still held memories of him and reacted involuntarily to his provocations. If this continued, her resolutions might just end up being an act of futile resistance.

    She had just stealthily left the bar, and He Xing would undoubtedly need to make some effort to find her. As long as she was quick enough, she could leave before He Xing returned.

    Over these three years, Fu Han had grown ustomed to freedom, taking minimalism to heart. Her belongings were few ¡ª clothes and skincare products could easily fit in a single suitcase.

    Atop her list of treasures was the SLR camera slung over her shoulder ¡ª thetest model of the year, a purchase made after much deliberation, and one of the foundations of her future livelihood.

    Nan Qing, holding the tripod, descended with some difficulty, while Fu Han waited below to receive it: ¡°Be careful, that¡¯s expensive. If it breaks, I¡¯ll have to find another through a shopping agent,¡± she admonished.

    ¡°I know, Miss,¡± Nan Qing sighed in resignation, relieved as shended safely.

    The rumble of the car engine starting up and Fu Han, seated in the passenger seat, looked through the rear-view mirror at the silhouette of the vi, her expressionplex.

    This was the second time she was leaving He Xing¡¯s side. Three years ago, she left with a heart riddled with scars. Now, her heart was whole, yet it felt as if it was being crushed by a weight, making it hard to breathe.

    But if she didn¡¯t leave, wouldn¡¯t her heart be weighed down by more than just a single stone?

    At the red traffic light, the Rover slowed to a halt, with a Lamborghini facing it on the opposite side of the road. Both cars had their high beams on, making it impossible to see who was inside the opposing vehicle.

    Excitedly, Nan Qing tapped Fu Han¡¯s hand: ¡°Did you see that? A custom Lamborghini, one of fewer than a hundred worldwide. My dad missed out on one and still regrets it to this day.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, that¡¯s his car,¡± Fu Han whispered the moment she heard ¡°Lamborghini,¡± sliding down in her seat to hide herself.

    The He Family¡¯s vi on the hillside was secluded, and having been in the Lamborghini a few times in recent days, she had a good guess as to what was going on when she suddenly encountered one now.

    ¡­

    Nan Qing¡¯s family was oblivious to her return from M Country. She had rented a luxurious four-bedroom, two-living-room apartment all to herself in the heart of A City. She had been fretting about living alone in the echoing emptiness of her new ce.

    Now that Fu Han was moving in, she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement: ¡°Fu Han, there are two rooms with balconies and bay windows, one for each of us. The other two rooms will be our offices; you can do whatever you want in there.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. We¡¯ll split the rent,¡± replied Fu Han, making the bed as she casually inquired, ¡°How much is the rent per month? I¡¯ll transfer it to you.¡±

    ¡°Although I¡¯m not short on cash, I know you won¡¯t be happy if you don¡¯t contribute,¡± Nan Qing said as she ced a contract on the coffee table, ¡°And I know you¡¯re quite well-off, having earned quite a bit from your part-time jobs over the years. Why not consider buying your own ce?¡±

    The movement of Fu Han¡¯s hands involuntarily stalled as she looked at Nan Qing, though her gaze seemed to drift past her and out of the living room¡¯s patio doors, towards the night sky illuminated by the neon lights, glowing warmly.

    After what felt like an eternity, she let out a drawn-out sigh, ¡°How can I buy a house when I¡¯m not sure where home is?¡±

 Chapter 27 - 27 027 The Familiar Characters

    ?Chapter 27: 027 The Familiar Characters   Chapter 27: 027 The Familiar Characters                                   He Xing returned to the vi, everything was as usual. The servant was wiping the green nts in the living room and immediately rose to greet him with a bow upon seeing him.

    He took the stairs two at a time and pushed open Fu Han¡¯s room, which was as disheveled as if it had just been robbed.

    Without a second thought, it had to be Fu Han¡¯s doing.

    He Xing clenched his teeth so hard they made a grinding sound, his gaze falling upon the desk where a piece of paper was held down by an inkstone.

    ¡°I¡¯m gone. Don¡¯t look for me. Tell Grandfather I¡¯ll visit when I have time.¡±

    The departure note was simple, with no beginning or end, but He Xing recognized the handwriting as Fu Han¡¯s.

    For three years, this was the first time he had seen Fu Han¡¯s writing, still familiar and graceful with a fountain pen, but the strokes were now deeper, pressing through the paper, the edges of each character seemingly more incisive than before.

    He Xing crumpled the thin sheet of paper in his hand, which would turn to dust if he squeezed just a bit tighter.

    Yet, in the end, he carefully smoothed out the paper, folding it into a rectangle, and ced it in the innermost part of his wallet.

    He pulled out his phone and made a call, his low voice sounding clear in the empty vi, carrying an inexplicable chill, ¡°You have five minutes. I want to know where Fu Han is now.¡±

    As five minutes were about to pass, He Xing¡¯s phone rang at thest second. It was his assistant Liang Tao¡¯s callback, ¡°President He, I¡¯ve found her. Miss Fu is at¡­¡±

    He Xing¡¯s expression softened somewhat. After hanging up the phone, he strode downstairs; there was no reason to linger without her there.

    The Lamborghini roared to life again, speeding away and leaving a long trail of gasoline fumes behind.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s words echoed in his brain, if she hadn¡¯t gone to that man, then perhaps it was not so bad to let her leave for a while.

    ¡­

    The next morning.

    Nan Qing squinted as she opened her room door, greeted by a rich aroma washing over her.

    Following her body¡¯s instinct, she half-closed her eyes, walked forward, and ended up in the kitchen.

    This was Nan Qing¡¯s first time in the kitchen since moving in. The pot was still steaming, and beneath a white porcin bowl, pressed down by a piece of paper with Fu Han¡¯s handwriting, ¡°I¡¯ve gone to work. Remember to eat when you get up.¡±

    Nan Qing lifted the pot lid to reveal a simple egg noodle dish. Except for eggs and noodles, her fridge contained nothing else, likely brought by the housekeeping auntst week.

    It was the simplest bowl of noodles she had eaten from childhood to adulthood, and also the tastiest.

    Afterward, Nan Qing surprisingly took the initiative to wash the dishes, which was also the first time she had willingly washed dishes in her life. If her family had known, it probably would have blown the roof off.

    While she was doing the dishes, Fu Han had already arrived at Su Cheng¡¯spany.

    Although Su Cheng imed it was a smallpany he started without his family¡¯s help, the location was undeniably good, situated in the city center and just five subway stops from Fu Han¡¯s ce.

    Being in a hurry, she could only take the freight elevator, which carried two decorators and a two-meter object wrapped in paper besides herself, its contents unknown.

    They all got off on the same floor. One of the decorators asked her, ¡°Do you know where Su Cheng Creative Advertising Company is?¡±

    Fu Han was somewhat surprised as she hadn¡¯t seen any sign of renovation at thepany over the past few days.

    Yet she coolly replied, ¡°Just follow me.¡±

    Upon reaching thepany, she went straight to her office. Su Cheng had given her the position of Chief Photographer, which came with a private office. Apart from Su Cheng, she was the only one in the entirepany who enjoyed such a privilege.

    When Fu Han first joined thepany, some staff members had their murmurs, thinking she only received special treatment because she was pretty and the boss took a liking to her.

    If this were Fu Han from three years ago, she couldn¡¯t have tolerated even a hint of disrespect without seeking immediate rpense; however, three years taught her a lot, including that not every fight needed to be head-on¡ªsometimes a softer approach could achieve the desired effect too.

    For instance, she ignored the rumors, and yet every photo she took turned out exquisitely beautiful, to the point where thepany¡¯s photo editors imed her pictures needed no editing.

    Skill is always the most effective tool to silence criticism.

    Fu Han had barely processed half of yesterday¡¯s photos when a knock on the door came. Without lifting her head, she said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    The next moment, the door swung open from outside, a gust of wind carrying with it a young voice, ¡°Han, you have to see what¡¯s going on outside, it¡¯s bustling!¡±

    This was the assistant Su Cheng hired for her, supposedly to carry gear during outdoor shoots.

    But asking Fu Han to let a fresh college graduate, whose height barely reached her shoulders, carry heavy equipment just didn¡¯t sit right with her, so they ended up working together on outdoor shoots. She would carry the expensive DSLR while Zhao Ting managed the bulkier but lighter tripods and such.

    Though they hadn¡¯t been together long, Fu Han already fully understood Zhao Ting¡¯s dramatic nature, always blowing things out of proportion.

    Fu Han had no interest in joining themotion, but having over-salted her noodles that morning, she felt quite thirsty and, reluctantly, allowed Zhao Ting to pull her out of the office with her water bottle in hand.

    At the peak of office hours, the reception area was unusually lively, everyone eagerly discussing something.

    Seeing Fu Han emerge, the crowd¡¯s gaze varied.

    Su Cheng, however, showed great excitement, taking her outside thepany doors to look.

    To the left of thepany¡¯s entrance hung a sign about half a meter wide and over a meter tall, inscribed with ¡°Cheng Lianhan Cultural Limited Company.¡±

    Without turning around, Fu Han could acutely feel everyone¡¯s burning stares behind her. Her face grew hot, and she masked her embarrassment with a cough, ¡°That name is quite non-mainstream, it doesn¡¯t sound good. Let¡¯s stick with the original one.¡±

    As the two were talking, they didn¡¯t notice the nearby elevator doors open, and two men stepped out, one behind the other, the one in the lead being He Xing, dressed in a business suit.

    With one nce, he saw the gilded signboard, a wave of icy disdain boiling up within him, as if to obliterate everything in this world.

    There, Fu Han had managed to dismantle the ¡°heart¡± under the character ¡°Lian¡± using tools she found. Satisfied, she pped her hands, ¡°If you insist on not keeping the old name, let¡¯s go with this one then.¡±

    Su Cheng stood dumbfounded, looking at the noticeable gap between the words ¡°Cheng,¡± ¡°Yihan,¡± and ¡°Han,¡± feeling as if his heart had been gouged out.

    Time rewound to a few months prior, when he learned of Fu Han¡¯s impending return to the country and, unable to control his emotions, he intercepted Fu Han andid bare his feelings for her.

    Now, that heartache had not subsided in the slightest as he recalled the moment.

    What was today¡¯s incident,pared to that day? The rejection in a public setting was the same.

    But should he give up just like that? Of course not; the war wasn¡¯t over yet.

 Chapter 28 - 28 What on earth do you want to do 028

    ?Chapter 28: What on earth do you want to do, 028?   Chapter 28: What on earth do you want to do, 028?                                   He stepped forward, ready to say something.

    Unexpectedly, a cold wind blew and while everyone was shivering, Fu Han had already fallen into a familiar embrace.

    Without looking back, she knew who it was. Her arms tried hard to break free, but in the face of absolute strength, her efforts were like a y ox melting into the sea without causing the slightest ripple.

    The voice of He Xing, devoid of any warmth, rose above her head, ¡°You can tell the scale of apany by its name; yours is so tacky that I am guessing thepany is on itsst legs.¡±

    If anyone else had said this, Fu Han would have sneered, and even spat to show her disdain.

    But this man was He Xing, the Executive Chairman of the He Group¡ªone of the foremost families in A City. Not to mention A City, in Country Z, there were hardly a few who would dare to question his words.

    Fu Han understood why He Xing was so angry: because of her leaving without notice, and perhaps also because she had epted that she ¡°liked¡± Su Cheng¡ªalthough it was really just a cover she found, not that she truly liked Su Cheng.

    But for whatever reason, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch He Xing ruin Su Cheng¡¯spany.

    With a sudden burst of strength, she broke free from He Xing¡¯s embrace and positioned herself protectively in front of Su Cheng, ¡°He Xing, what exactly do you want? ¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. He looked at Fu Han deeply, as if seeing her for the first time.

    And wasn¡¯t it practically the first time? The little girl who used to follow him everywhere was now standing in front of another man, a bitter irony.

    ¡°I only do what I want to do.¡±

    After saying this, He Xing turned and left without any further dy, as Liang Tao carried the briefcase and scurried to keep up.

    In the distance, Fu Han could faintly hear the soft murmurs of the staff behind her, talking of each looking out for themselves, and a looming disaster.

    ¡°What are you all doing here during work hours? Got too much time on your hands?¡± Fu Han spun around abruptly, her peach blossom eyes wide open in concert with her pale face, giving her a serious air.

    A chill went down the spines of the staff, and they scattered like birds and beasts.

    Fu Han offeredforting pats on Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    Once she had spoken, she turned and left, not seeing Su Cheng¡¯s expression, nor hearing his cold sneer, ¡°I want to see who can bring down mypany.¡±

    Fu Han caught up with He Xing in the underground parking lot, where he was leaning against the door of his Lamborghini, a cigarette between his slender fingers. The ash was long, lingering on the brink of falling.

    The ash was grey, and in between the white of the cigarette was a hint of barely visible golden me.

    Fu Han never liked the smell of cigarettes. She frowned, but ultimately walked towards He Xing.

    Pondering He Xing¡¯s frantic behavior since her return to the country and now in the empty parking lot, Fu Han finally halted a meter away from him, ¡°Speak, what exactly do you want?¡±

    ¡°Is that how you ask for a favor?¡± He Xing tossed the cigarette on the ground and stamped on it twice, his handsome face mocking.

    Fu Han crossed her arms, ¡°Mr. He, how would you like me to beg you? Get on the ground, or strip and lie in bed? I¡¯m willing to do whatever you want, as long as you¡¯re generous.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s back straightened sharply, and for a moment, he felt an urge to push Fu Han against the wall, but he refrained from doing so.

    Her casual words and indifferent attitude clearly conveyed, ¡°Everything you do is within my expectations.¡±

    Feeling defeated for the first time since he was born, He Xing red at Fu Han viciously, ¡°Do you like Su Cheng that much? To the extent that you¡¯re willing to pay any price for him?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± All the rationality left in Fu Han could only support that one word. Her nails, not very sharp, had pierced her palm. Fortunately, the pain retained herst shred of sanity.

    Love, career¡ªwhat were they? For the first 22 years of her life, she lived without freedom or a sense of self, all for the sake of love. In the following 3 years, she realized nothing was more important than freedom.

    Now, she had finally left the He Family.

    If she showed any weakness, she knew He Xing would drag her back.

    So, she could only say to herself, ¡°Sorry, Su Cheng. I¡¯m using you as a shield. If I can¡¯t give you love, I¡¯ll at least help you in business.¡±

    ¡°Fine, very well,¡± He Xing said before forcefully pulling open the car door and climbing into the backseat, not giving Fu Han another nce.

    The driver¡¯s door opened, and Liang Tao emerged to hand Fu Han a folder, then hurried back into the car without another word. Momentster, the Lamborghini drove off into the distance.

    It was only when the Lamborghini was no longer in sight that Fu Han slumped to the ground.

    She had no strength left; all her power had dissipated in the confrontation with He Xing.

    If He Xing had looked at her for even one more second, she might have had an emotional breakdown, and what may have followed was beyond her ability to predict.

    ¡­

    When Fu Han returned to the office looking distraught, Su Cheng immediately came over with concern, ¡°Fu Han, are you alright? I was telling you, there¡¯s no need to go looking for Mr. He, I¡¯m not afraid of him at all.¡±

    Fu Han nced at the pale Su Cheng without saying a word, but she thought, if you¡¯re not afraid of him, why do you look so awful?

    Su Cheng didn¡¯t get a reply but his gaze unintentionally fell on the office desk. Therey an embossed golden invitation: ¡°Across the Heavens Photography Contest.¡±

    The Across the Heavens Photography Contest, held every three years, is the highest event at the Country Z Photography Festival. Many renowned photographers from all over the world participate. The qualification requirements are strict, and the threshold is extremely high.

    It¡¯s said that even the tickets to view thepetitors¡¯ works are priceless.

    His eyes lit up, ¡°Fu Han, is this your invitation? You¡¯re amazing to even participate in the Across the Heavens Photography Contest. You¡­ you¡¯re definitely going to be the most famous photographer in Country Z.¡±

    When Fu Han returned to the country, she indeed thought about joining thispetition, but now that she indeed had the invitation, it felt like a hot potato.

    A person can be veryplicated, outwardly cold to her, yet affectionate in private; he was the one who said she shouldn¡¯t work, yet he also sent her thispetition invitation.

    In the folder Liang Tao handed her was this invitation. Now this invitation and the pallor on He Xing¡¯s face before he left were interwoven, leaving her with a nagging restlessness.

    She shoved the invitation into her drawer, fighting the irritation, ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating, I haven¡¯t decided whether or not to participate in the photography contest.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Su Cheng¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t win an award, it would be good just to go and learn something.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I have things to do now, please leave. We can talk about the restter,¡± Fu Han issued a dismissal, and after Su Cheng left, she double-checked that the office door was locked.

    Right now, she just wanted a small space of her own, somewhere she could sort through her emotions.

    She had no idea how much time had passed, but then she pped her cheeks hard and told herself, ¡°Fu Han, wake up. Are you really going soft over such a small favor?¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 029 has become a neighbor

    ?Chapter 29: 029 has be a neighbor   Chapter 29: 029 has be a neighbor                                   Vi area in Clearwater.

    Thevish living room is decorated in a European pce style, with a crystal chandelier upying almost half of the ceiling, making the room as bright as day; the valuable calligraphy and paintings dilute the nouveau riche vibe of the ce.

    However, with countless paintings hung in the living room that is asrge as half a basketball court, the excess seemingly detracts, adding a somewhat incongruous feel to the luxurious space.

    Xia Cheng, d in a deep blue silk pajama set, lounges on the sofa, legs propped up on the coffee table, eyes glued unblinkingly to his phone, watching videos of curvaceous beauties dancing.

    The sound of slippers approaches from behind him, and he reflexively stuffs the phone under a cushion.

    Xia Ning, covering her mouth to stifle herughter, teases, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re all grown up and yet still so afraid of Dad? It¡¯s just watching pretty girls, what¡¯s the harm? If you want to watch, just watch.¡±

    Relieved to see it¡¯s her, Xia Cheng exhales and replies irritably, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you applying your face mask? What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± retorted Xia Ning with a re, adjusting her rice-whitece-trimmed gown, her corbone visible just below the neckline.

    ¡°Without you saying so, I wouldn¡¯t let her off either,¡± Xia Cheng scoffs coldly, a proud smile spreading across his face. ¡°That wretch dared to ruin our charity g, to not seek revenge would not befit a gentleman.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you are the best,¡± Xia Ning says with a sweet smile, affectionately linking her arm with Xia Cheng¡¯s. ¡°This time we must make sure she loses face and can no longer stay in the country.¡±

    The siblings¡¯ughter echoes far across the spacious living room, its reverberations lingering, sending chills down the spines of the servants listening in.

    ¡­

    Fu Han finally sees the end of her workday. She declines Su Cheng¡¯s invitation to dinner and his offer to drive her home.

    She¡¯d just inserted her key into the lock, and before she could turn it, the door creaked open from the inside.

    Nan Qing¡¯s face, brimming with a smile, appears. ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯re finally back, I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°?¡± Fu Han tilts her head, her expression one of confusion.

    Nan Qing drags her to the kitchen, where the counter is piled with bowls and dishes filled with neatly chopped vegetables.

    The slices of cucumber are uneven, resembling chunks rather than slices; the tree-like roots on the wood ear mushrooms have not been removed; the fish has not been scored; and the chicken is butchered into weird shapes, almost looking like pulled chicken on first nce.

    In the face of Fu Han¡¯s bewildered look, Nan Qing scratches her head as though presenting a treasure. ¡°Fu Han, my chopping is not bad, right? I washed these veggies all afternoon; I¡¯ve done my best¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you even know what your own kitchen looks like?¡± Fu Han asks, patting her head, then ushers Nan Qing out, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this; you go and rest outside.¡±

    During the day, Nan Qing had called her several times to praise the egg noodles she made that morning and said they would dine at home that evening, with Nan Qing promising to go grocery shopping in advance.

    Fu Han doesn¡¯t understand how her clearly oversalted noodles could have brought Nan Qing such joy, as Nan Qing did not seem like someone who preferred strong vors.

    But she didn¡¯t n to delve into it any deeper. Her rtionship with Nan Qing had grown from a chance meeting to one of close friendship, intersecting their lives for only three years.

    Besides, during those three years, she grew ustomed to her freedom, disliking discussions about the past and never probing into others¡¯ histories.

    Donning an apron, she picks up a kitchen knife and starts to make proper cuts, scoring the fish and re-marinating it with spring onions, ginger, garlic, and cooking wine.

    The cucumber slices are too thick; she carefully re-slices them thinner.

    And then there is the chicken, wood ear mushrooms, leafy greens, and more.

    It¡¯s strange, but she feels a sense of calm while chopping and cooking, as if the troubles that had been on her mind all day had faded away.

    Years ago, her father was the chauffeur for the elder Master He, and her mother was a servant with exceptional culinary skills, cooking specifically for the elderly master and He Xing.

    In her memory, after school, her mother would set up two chairs in the kitchen¡ªone taller, one shorter¡ªfor her to do her homework; when the elder master came home, her father would join them in the kitchen to help or to tutor her.

    Back then she didn¡¯t think much of it, but in retrospect, she considers those times the happiest of her 25 years of life.

    Even though she was the daughter of a servant and a chauffeur, she was also the cherished darling of her parents and never had to cook; after their passing, the elder Master He was very kind to her and she still stayed out of the kitchen.

    But from watching and learning, she could make simple dishes, and during her three years living abroad, she often cooked home-style meals to alleviate her homesickness.

    The braised carp is topped with a thick sauce and sprinkled with vibrant green spring onions, looking rather appetizing.

    The chicken soup is clear, with the fragrance of the chicken and the aroma of shiitake mushrooms intermingling.

    And not to mention the cucumber, ham, and egg dish, disying the enticing colors of red, yellow, and green.

    Nan Qing, stuffing her mouth with food, speaks unclearly: ¡°Fu Han, why don¡¯t I give you the rent back, and you can just cook me a meal when you have time? Your food is too delicious.¡±

    Fu Han puts down her chopsticks and says incredulously, ¡°Nan Qing, do you perhaps have a unique taste? The food I make is very ordinary, yet you sing its praises.¡±

    ¡°The food you cook reminds me of my grandmother¡¯s cooking,¡± says Nan Qing, with tears rolling down her cheeks, falling into the chicken soup, and disappearing in an instant.

    Fu Han isn¡¯t sure how to console her and can only say stiffly, ¡°Then you should eat more. I will still give you the rent as usual. Cooking is something I enjoy, so I¡¯ll do it when I have the time.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do the dishes, chop the vegetables,¡± Nan Qing¡¯s face turns red and she coughs awkwardly, adding, ¡°Although I¡¯m not good at chopping, I¡¯ll work hard at it.¡±

    ¡­

    At the same time, He Xing stands beneath their building, his gaze slightly lifted toward their floor, where a faint light shines from the balcony¡ªa warm orange glow that stands out in the night sky.

    The streetlight elongates his already tall form, distorting his shadow as though it stretches directly to Fu Han¡¯s balcony.

    He closes his eyes slightly, his long eyshes casting arge shadow on his face, the depths of his dark pupils veiled by hisshes, obscuring the light within.

    asional passersby take a second look at him, sensing the chill that emanates from his entire being, and hurry away.

    He Xing exudes an aura that says, ¡°Keep away.¡±

    It is unclear how much time has passed when a tall and muscr figure rushes toward him, stopping a meter away, his voice low and respectful, ¡°Young Master, everything has been arranged.¡±

    He Xing nods slowly and strides ahead, heading straight for the building where Fu Han lives.

    As the elevator doors open, Liang Tao follows behind He Xing and points left, saying, ¡°Young Master, Miss Fu Han lives in 2501, and you will be in 2502; there are two apartments per floor.¡±

    He Xing surveys the area, noting the clean and well-ventted corridor free of any unpleasant odors¡ªit¡¯s barely suitable for residents.

    He eventually nods, ¡°Alright, from today on, I will live here. Call Grandpa and let him know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± Liang Tao hands over the keys and promptly departs.

    He Xing stands in front of the elevator, his gaze resting on apartment 2501, hesitating if he should go over and knock on the door directly.

 Chapter 30 - 30 Descendants will have their own blessings

    ?Chapter 30: Descendants will have their own blessings.   Chapter 30: Descendants will have their own blessings.                                   Today¡¯s events at Su Cheng Company were still vivid in his mind, and a hard-to-suppress rage was still smoldering in his heart.

    Eventually, he snorted coldly, turned around, and walked towards 2502. With a click, the door opened, and then with a ¡°bang,¡± it was forcefully shut.

    An hourter, He Xing emerged in his bathrobe. He remembered Liang Tao mentioning that the balcony of the living room in 2502 was very close to 2501¡¯s, allowing direct view onto the neighboring balcony.

    He hesitated, but in the end, he strode onto the balcony, only to find that there was no light on the opposite balcony¡ªutter darkness. Not to mention a person, not even a shadow was to be seen.

    He returned to the living room, irritated, when hisputer made a ¡°beep,¡± indicating an iing email.

    Upon opening it, he found it was from Liang Tao. If Fu Han was here, she would definitely be surprised enough to cover her mouth in astonishment.

    Because the email¡¯s photos were of her and Su Cheng¡ªspecifically from the day of Su Cheng¡¯s passionate confession before she returned to the country.

    Though she had tried to be low-key while abroad, her face didn¡¯t allow for obscurity. Thus, it wasn¡¯t surprising that her passionate confession from Su Cheng, which drew many onlookers, was photographed.

    This was the first time He Xing looked at an email from Liang Tao so seriously. He seemed to read that short message at least ten times over, and finally, the tension on his face eased somewhat.

    ¡­

    At Lanwan¡¯s detached vi.

    The spacious dining room was filled with beautifully-prepared dishes, their rich aromas wafting throughout.

    ¡°With Xiaohan and Xiao Xing not at home, mealtime really loses its charm,¡± the old Mr. He barely touched his food before putting down his chopsticks, wiping his mouth, preparing to get up.

    ¡°Master, have some more,¡± the elderly servant, who had been standing behind Mr. He, stepped forward two paces¡ªhe had been standing by the wall, virtually unnoticed: ¡°The young master bought a small apartment in Huating No.1 to be closer to Miss Fu Han, with your support too.¡±

    Mr. He looked back at the servant who had served him for decades and eventually smiled, ¡°Old Zhou, you are right. Give them enough rope and they¡¯ll tie themselves. I shall not meddle in the affairs of young people, let them sort it out themselves.¡±

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re at ease with it.¡± Old Zhou rolled up his sleeves and served Mr. He a bowl of Bird Nest Porridge: ¡°Children and grandchildren have their own good fortune. Besides, Miss Fu and the young master grew up together. Even if there are misunderstandings, so many years of friendship won¡¯t change.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that He Xing¡¯s character, who keeps everything bottled up inside, will allow the misunderstanding to deepen,¡± Mr. He sighed deeply, but in the end, he took the Bird Nest Porridge.

    ¡­

    At dinner, Fu Han shared with Nan Qing about the photographypetition, saying the contest slot was given by He Xing; she was unsure whether to participate.

    Nan Qing¡¯s round fingertips almost pierced her forehead, ¡°Are you stupid? Didn¡¯t He Xing say he could provide for you? What you need to do is to prove to them that even without the He Family, you can still livevishly.¡±

    She was already somewhat tempted, and hearing this, she hesitated no longer and decided to devote all her energy to thepetition.

    It wasn¡¯t just about participation, but about returning with honors.

    Thus, after dinner, she plunged into her studio to begin selecting works for the contest.

    ording to the organizingmittee¡¯s rules, the preliminary round required five photos, the semifinal three, and the final round only one.

    In the past three years, she had traveled to many ces abroad, amassing countless photos, each of which was worth treasuring for a lifetime.

    After selecting the photos, she turned off the lights, converting the studio into a darkroom, leaving only a small redmp on, and began developing the photos.

    Just as the photos were nearingpletion, the darkroom was plunged into darkness, the unexpected ckness startling her with a jolt.

    The next second, hurried footsteps resounded, and Nan Qing was pounding on the door: ¡°Fu Han, is there a ckout?¡±

    Fu Han took out her phone from her loose jeans, turned on the shlight, and stepped out, ¡°There¡¯s a ckout, did you forget to pay the electricity bill?¡±

    ¡°I just paid a thousand the day before yesterday, it can¡¯t have run out that quickly.¡± Nan Qing, who had always been afraid of the dark, clung to Fu Han¡¯s wrist like a lifeline, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and check together. Someone moved in next door today, I wonder if it¡¯s because they¡¯re using too many high-powered appliances.¡±

    Fu Han looked back at the piece of photo paper floating on the developer liquid, sighed resignedly, acknowledging she would have to rewash the photos after the power returned.

    The hallway was pitch ck; their 2501 and the opposite 2502 marked the ends of the corridor. On the left, at about one meter high, was a row of windows, and on the right were the elevator and utility rooms such as the electrical room.

    The early autumn night wind was already formidable, howling out of the unshuttered windows as if monstrous creatures were beating the ss, wailing to devour them.

    Nan Qing¡¯s grip was about to crack the bones in Fu Han¡¯s wrist with the strength of her fear. Fu Han sighed, intending to persuade Nan Qing to stand still while she herself would check the electrical cab.

    ¡°Click!¡±

    The sound of 2502¡¯s door opening was not loud, but it tested the nerves of the two girls, who screamed in unison, hugging each other tight, eyes shut.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man¡¯s cold voice cut through, apanied by a fierce light beaming toward them¡ªit was from a shlight.

    The brightness of Fu Han¡¯s phone¡¯s shlight paled inparison to the powerful beam, and instinctively, she recognized the voice as familiar, but her eyes refused to open under the re.

    Footsteps approached, and Nan Qing shrank behind Fu Han, her body trembling.

    The distance between them closed, but the fear in Fu Han¡¯s heart dissipated like smoke, and she stared wide-eyed at the familiar figure before her, ¡°He Xing, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°My fianc¨¦e should naturally be under my watch,¡± He Xing replied with his usual aloof tone, not looking back at Fu Han but deftly opening the electrical box and flicking two switches back on.

    The hallway lights came back on in the next second, and the three faces were clearly revealed to each other¡ªNan Qing was pale and still in shock; Fu Han also looked displeased, her lips pursed tightly; only He Xing appeared as usual, calmly assessing Fu Han with an expressionless face.

    ¡°Xiaohan, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Fu Han clenched her teeth, hearing the grating sound they made: ¡°It¡¯s been less than twelve hours since west met.¡±

    He Xing touched his chin, seemingly enjoying the sight of Fu Han getting irritated.

    It was true; having grown up together, He Xing¡¯s favorite pastime was seeing her get angry, where her liveliness was most viscerally present.

    He walked towards Fu Han with a teasing smile on his lips, ¡°I have an ¡¯82 wine at my ce, Xiaohan, fancy a drink together?¡±

    ¡°No need, I still have work to do.¡± Fu Han pulled Nan Qing¡¯s hand and turned to leave, but before closing the door she turned back mockingly, ¡°You¡¯d best stop ying these childish games.¡±

 Chapter 31 - 31 Inescapable Person 031

    ?Chapter 31: Inescapable Person 031   Chapter 31: Inescapable Person 031                                   He Xing stayed behind alone, touching his chin, which bore a light and fine stubble, somewhat prickly to the touch, ¡°How else would I let you know that I live right next to you?¡±

    The door shut, and Nan Qing paced excitedly around the room, ¡°What on earth does He Xing want to do, haunt me like a persistent ghost?¡±

    ¡°Whatever he wants to do, it¡¯s none of my business.¡± Fu Han said as she walked towards her darkroom without looking back. The preliminary submissions for thepetition were due soon, and she had to finish them tonight.

    Nan Qing squeezed in before she could close the door, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you feel creeped out being watched all the time? How can you still be so calm?¡±

    ¡°What good would panicking do?¡± Fu Han had already started preparing to wash the photos again, her tweezers holding the pristine photo paper as she shook it in the developer, patterns gradually emerging, ¡°In City A, as long as he wishes, I can¡¯t evade him even if I were invisible.¡±

    Nan Qing opened her mouth to say something but ended up sighing deeply instead.

    ¡­

    Early in the morning, Fu Han got up. Today, she was still dressed in her usual attire: a white short-sleeve shirt paired with washed denim jeans, a light coffee-colored ankle-length trench coat, and a pair of Martens on her feet. Her mid-waist curly hair was casually tied into a ponytail.

    Today was the day she was to submit her preliminary work for the ¡°Journey through the World Photography Competition¡± at Jiangshan Gallery, and it was also thest day to register for the contest.

    Journey through the World Photography Competition took ce every three years. Although it was always held in City A, the location varied. This year, the organizers had chosen Jiangshan Gallery as the venue.

    Jiangshan Gallery was well-known; many reputable photographers, painters, and artists chose to hold art exhibitions there. However, one rule stood: those who wished to host exhibitions there had to meet certain standards of style and fame.

    Three years ago, although Fu Han was fond of photography, He Xing was far more important to her than her hobby.

    Back then, she had begged He Xing to apany her to Luo Qinghe¡¯s photography exhibition at Jiangshan Gallery, only to be refused because Xia Ning needed him.

    Through the subway window, Fu Han saw her current expression, unabashedly ironic.

    Indeed, the irony. Three years ago, He Xing put Xia Ning first in everything, treating her with extreme coldness, ignoring the fact that she was bullied by those young masters and mistresses. And now, he had the nerve to say he never had Xia Ning.

    Unless she was a fool, how could she ever believe such nonsense?

    ¡­

    Jiangshan Gallery was located in the suburbs, an extremely remote location, but it was this seclusion that provided such an untainted view.

    Fu Han got off at thest subway stop, intending to bike the rest of the way, but she found no shared bicycles in this deste ce and had no choice but to hail a cab.

    But to her dismay, there were no taxis to be found either. She had been waiting by the roadside for nearly half an hour, with sweat beading on her forehead, yet the endless road remained empty of cars.

    Finally, she heard the sound of tires rubbing against the ground in the distance. She perked up, without a second thought ran to the middle of the road, spread her arms wide with her eyes closed, determined to stop a vehicle at all costs.

    The roar of the car grew louder, climaxing in a sharp screech of brakes.

    An angry voice rang out, ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±

    Fu Han knew she had seeded, and as she opened her eyes and ran towards the passenger side, she said, ¡°I would indeed die if I didn¡¯t stop the car.¡±

    But when she realized what kind of car she had stopped, her hand on the door handle began to tremble.

    A Mercedes-Benz Unimog, a top-of-the-line off-roader, worth not too much less than He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini and, in some ways, even more eye-catching.

    This model was tall and roomy, and rumor had it that some people even modified the back into a bedroom, earning it the nickname ¡®off-road RV.¡¯

    She had already opened the passenger door but hesitated to get in.

    The previously angry voice took on a mocking tone, ¡°Are you risking your life to g down a car? Why are you afraid to get on now?¡±

    Hating to be coerced, Fu Han huffed and took her seat in the passenger side confidently, ¡°Why should I be scared? Take me to Jiangshan Gallery, and I¡¯ll pay you double the taxi fare.¡±

    As she spoke, she sized up the man in the driver¡¯s seat for the first time. Even seated, his tall stature was evident, dressed in ck workwear, with shoulder-length curly hair and exaggerated sunsses that covered much of his face, leaving only his sharp chin and thin lips, which wore a mocking smile, visible.

    Ever since she was old enough to remember, Fu Han had disliked men with long hair, stemming from being harassed multiple times by long-haired men outside her school.

    She turned her head stiffly, pondering what she should do if the man was unwilling to drive her, or whether she should just get out of the car. Getting into a strange man¡¯s car so rashly was too dangerous.

    However, before she could make up her mind, the Mercedes-Benz Unimog was already speeding ahead.

    The vehicle transitioned from gas to go without a gradient, and Fu Han, caught off guard, hit her forehead on the dashboard.

    Rubbing her forehead in embarrassment, she fumed, certain he had done it on purpose.

    Fortunately, ten minutester, the outline of Jiangshan Gallery came into view. Despite the rough ride, she had arrived smoothly.

    The car braked sharply again, but this time Fu Han was prepared, braced herself, and prevented another forehead injury, ¡°I don¡¯t have cash on me. How should I pay you? Is Whatsapp okay?¡±

    The man in the driver¡¯s seat dismissed her coldly, ¡°Trying to add me on Whatsapp? In your dreams! Aren¡¯t you gonna get out now?¡±

    Fu Han had always thought people like He Xing were annoying enough, but the man she encountered today was even worse. He was the epitome of self-righteousness.

    She wanted to argue ording to her usual temper, but thinking about how she had just brazenly gged down his car and demanded a ride, she felt like she might be in the wrong.

    Still feeling indignant, she got out of the car and said emotionlessly while clutching the door, ¡°I think you might be living in the past. Nowadays, you just have to show a payment code to make a payment; there¡¯s no need to add someone on Whatsapp.¡±

    After saying this, she walked away without looking back.

    The man in the driver¡¯s seat paused for a second, chuckled, then drove the car into the parking lot.

    ¡­

    Come evening, as Fu Han cooked, she recounted her grievances about the events of the day. Nan Qing, who had no stake in the tale,ughed so hard she couldn¡¯t straighten up, ¡°The great beauty is mistaken for seeking attention, and to top it off, you got rejected. I¡¯d love to see what this guy who turned you down looks like.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± An angry voice came from the doorway, followed by a tall figure appearing at the kitchen entrance, ¡°Fu Han, who were you trying to pick up?¡±

    Fu Han red at Nan Qing, ¡°Did you forget to close the door again?¡±

    ¡°It was you who came inst. Clearly, you forgot to lock the door,¡± Nan Qing retorted, her face full of triumphant smugness.

 Chapter 32 - 32 032 Freeloading Food and Drinks

    ?Chapter 32: 032 Freeloading Food and Drinks   Chapter 32: 032 Freeloading Food and Drinks                                   The door to apartment 2501 was problematic; it required the key to lock properly, so if you just pulled it shut without locking, a firm twist of the handle would open it again. He Xing seemed to know this somehow.

    Fu Han coughed awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯ll call someone to change the lockter, and I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s anger intensified as he felt ignored, ¡°Fu Han, whom were you flirting with?¡±

    ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± Fu Han retracted all expressions from her face and gave an unyielding retort.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with me?¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes suddenly turned colder, and he approached Fu Han with an overwhelming presence.

    Although it was early autumn and the kitchen was still a bit stuffy, the temperature seemed to plummet as He Xing neared, as if she were in the midst of icy snonds.

    Nan Qing nced at her arms, covered with fine goosebumps.

    She watched He Xing with some surprise, noting that the man, who once had a simr starting point as she did, now possessed such a formidable aura that she couldn¡¯t ignore the fear in her heart.

    After some thought, Nan Qing stepped in front of He Xing, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, Fu Han went to deliver herpetition entry to the Underworld Gallery today, and she didn¡¯t catch a taxi on the way, so she had to g down a car.¡±

    ¡°Is she telling the truth?¡± Even though He Xing could tell that Nan Qing wasn¡¯t lying, his gaze remained fixed on Fu Han.

    Fu Han, who grew up with He Xing, had long since developed the ability to remainposed even if Mount Tai were to copse in front of her, so the natural intimidating aura that He Xing carried affected her at most by half.

    As Nan Qing exined, Fu Han continued to cook, and while serving the cooked hot and sour shredded potatoes, she said irritably, ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, it¡¯s none of your business. Grandpa has already agreed to dissolve our arranged marriage, so we have nothing to do with each other now.¡±

    It might have been her imagination, but for a moment Fu Han thought she saw a fleeting glint in He Xing¡¯s eyes before his expression returned to normal, ¡°A dissolution of our engagement requires the agreement of both parties. Your unteral decision is pointless.¡±

    That same line again, though Fu Han had a hundred resolves to retaliate, she found herself speechless.

    She wasn¡¯t the same person she was three years ago, and she knew all too well that with her current capabilities, confronting He Xing head-on was as futile as a moth to a me.

    Thus, getting Grandpa¡¯s agreement to the dissolution was the sessful first step. All she needed to do next was to get He Xing on board and give his consent.

    Lost in her thoughts, Nan Qing had already started to bring the finished dishes to the dining table outside, while He Xing sat leisurely at the table like the lord of the manor, waiting to be served.

    Fu Han ignored him entirely, busying herself with serving the rice for herself and Nan Qing and urging Nan Qing to eat more.

    ¡°I¡¯m eating here tonight too, why aren¡¯t you serving me?¡± He Xing voiced his discontent, his brows knit as if they could kill a fly.

    Nan Qing coughed awkwardly, clearly not expecting He Xing to have such a thick face.

    However, Fu Han calmly swallowed her mouthful of food and then graciously said, ¡°We didn¡¯t prepare your meal; maybe you¡¯d better go back and have your servants cook for you, Young Master He.¡±

    To her surprise, He Xing didn¡¯t get particrly angry at her response, but instead, there was a slight upward curve to his lips. He casually scoped out the kitchen, eventually dishing himself a bowl of rice.

    He sat back down in his original ce, scarfing down his food with no semnce of being a guest.

    Seeing this, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t stay calm and started eating quickly, fearing that He Xing would devour all the dishes.

    Fu Han regarded He Xing thoughtfully. She always felt that He Xing had changed, different from the person he was three years ago.

    Fu Han had once heard that to capture a man¡¯s heart, one must capture his stomach, and she became somewhat obsessed with cooking for He Xing.

    But He Xing never appreciated it; he either scolded her for doing such things or tantly ignored the meals she prepared, never showing any gratitude.

    Today, watching He Xing eat her cooking with great appetite was something the old Fu Han could only have dreamed of.

    Now that it was happening before her eyes, she felt as though she was in another lifetime.

    Yet, times have changed, and she no longer desires or has the appetite to cook for him.

    The three of them finished a table with five dishes and one soup, leaving not a morsel left.

    After the meal, Nan Qing patted her full stomach contentedly, not keen on moving at all. Her bright eyes darted around until they settled on He Xing, ¡°I mean, Big Young Master He, as a businessman, you should know there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch¡­ or dinner, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± He Xing finished off thest spoon of soup and leisurely put down his utensils.

    Nan Qing chuckled, ¡°I bought the vegetables, and Fu Han and I prepared them together. Since Fu Han did the cooking, it¡¯s only fair that you do the dishes, right?¡±

    Fu Han had guessed what Nan Qing would say from her first word, but she hadn¡¯t expected Nan Qing to actually dare to ask He Xing to wash the dishes.

    That was He Xing, who could cause a stir in the business world of A City with a mere stomp of his foot.

    Her worried eyes flitted between Nan Qing and He Xing, mentally prepared to intervene if He Xing truly got angry and Nan Qing ended up in trouble.

    Despite a few seconds of cold silence from He Xing, he eventually stood up and began cleaning the dishes, his silent and speechless demeanor sending shivers down one¡¯s spine.

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze followed He Xing with a hint of mystery, and finally, sheughed softly, pulling Fu Han away from the dining room, ¡°Do you still have work to do? Better get to it, or are you nning to pull another all-nighter?¡±

    Fu Han powered up herputer, as she had plenty of photos and videos to process and was indeed very busy.

    She had neither the time nor the allowance to think about He Xing in the kitchen, and by the time she finished a portion of her work, several hours had passed.

    Fu Han came out with her water cup to refill it, Nan Qing had turned off the lights in the living room and was watching a horror movie with a projector. A grisly G Face streamed blood from its seven orifices on therge projection screen, apanied by blood-curdling screams.

    Caught off guard, Fu Han was startled, while Nan Qing watched with detachment and disdain, ¡°That¡¯s nothing. Next time I¡¯ll find an even more realistic horror movie for you.¡±

    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m not interested,¡± Fu Han waved her hands hastily. She and Nan Qing were the kind of friends who seemingly had nothing inmon, yet they got along incredibly well, in a sort of spiritual connection.

    As she poured warm water, Fu Han nced at the kitchen, admitting to herself that despite being indifferent to He Xing now, she had to concede he had cleaned the kitchen immactely, befitting someone with OCD.

    Then, Nan Qing¡¯s voice came nonchntly, ¡°Maybe this time He Xing genuinely likes you, why else would hee over uninvited, eat our food and even wash the dishes?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore,¡± Fu Han said expressionlessly before heading straight back to her studio.

    She didn¡¯t want to dwell on the matter any longer. Once she made a decision, she wouldn¡¯t change her mind.

 Chapter 33 - 33 033 Old Friends Reunite

    ?Chapter 33: 033 Old Friends Reunite   Chapter 33: 033 Old Friends Reunite                                   The next morning, Fu Han had someonee to change the locks, and she opted for the best fingerprint locks avable, which greatly improved security.

    However, ever since He Xing had dinner here, the very next day, Liang Tao sent over a high-end dishwasher, which was delivered when only Nan Qing was home.

    Furthermore, Nan Qing had heard some gossip from Liang Tao: after learning that He Xing had moved here, Xia Ning also made a fuss about moving to Huating No.1. However, she was severely reprimanded by Chairman Xia, who insisted that his daughter could only live in a luxurious vi.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know Liang Tao very well; ording to Grandpa, Liang Tao had been working for He Xing for almost three years.

    Yet she was somewhat puzzled; He Xing was known for his mercurial temperament, and those around him were usually tight-lipped. Howe Liang Tao, a chatterbox, wasn¡¯t afraid of being fired?

    As it turned out, the fact that Liang Tao was plump and had a thick skin could be seen when, shortly after discussing Xia Ning¡¯s gossip, he casually delivered two baskets of hairy crabs, each weighing a pound.

    When Fu Han returned, Nan Qing was painting in the living room. Without looking up, she said, ¡°Young Master He said these are hairy crabs sent by a client. He¡¯sing over to eat them tonight.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± Fu Han rolled her eyes and headed toward her bedroom, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t care, let him handle it himself; I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    When He Xing got off work, he brought two middle-aged women with him who steamed the crabs and prepared the sauce. After everything was set, they left.

    In the end, Fu Han was persuaded by the harmonious exchange between He Xing and Nan Qing, and she ended up eating the hairy crabs, albeit with the same cold attitude towards He Xing.

    Fortunately, He Xing had grown ustomed to Fu Han¡¯s lukewarm reception. He finished his meal withposure and left after a casual farewell.

    Nan Qing took the initiative to clean up the utensils and such.

    In fact, Fu Han felt that although Nan Qing and He Xing still found each other¡¯s presence irritating, there was an unspoken agreement between them: if the three of them had a meal together, whoever did less was responsible for washing the dishes.

    Of course, with the dishwasher now, ¡°washing dishes¡± simply meant cing the tableware inside the machine.

    ¡­

    In the blink of an eye, the announcement day for the preliminary results of thepetition had arrived. Fu Han got up early to take the subway to Jiangshan Gallery. But before she could enter the subway station, she received a call from Su Cheng, who offered to drive her there since he was free that day, and also wanted to check out the exhibition.

    Moreover, looking at more exhibitions would indeed benefit Su Cheng, and considering Fu Han¡¯s previous unpleasant experience at Jiangshan Gallery, she agreed without hesitation, never one to pass up a free ride.

    The usually secluded Jiangshan Gallery was exceptionally crowded today, with the parking lot filled with all sorts of luxury vehicles.

    Su Cheng couldn¡¯t find a parking spot for the time being and asked Fu Han to go in ahead.

    The preliminary results were posted on the bulletin board inside the Jiangshan Gallery, and Fu Han¡¯s name was prominently listed. Although not at the top of the list, she was already very happy.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name? Did you pass the preliminaries?¡± A haughty and defiant voice rang above Fu Han¡¯s head, which seemed vaguely familiar.

    Her reflex was to look up, and there she saw a pointed chin fringed with fine stubble and exaggerated sunsses that almost covered half of the man¡¯s face, along with his shoulder-length curly hair.

    Fu Han took two steps back in surprise: ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±

    How could she forget? When she submitted her work, she had caught a ride in his luxurious SUV¡ªthe Mercedes-Benz Unimog.

    The long-haired man¡¯s mouth curved slightly upwards as he said yfully, ¡°You still didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±

    How can someone be so rude, with an arrogance in his voice that was even more obnoxious than He Xing¡¯s?

    It took all of Fu Han¡¯s self-control not to let her fist fly at his face, and she spat out two words through gritted teeth: ¡°Passed.¡±

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re not all show and no substance,¡± the long-haired man lifted his chin and let out another irritating remark.

    Fu Han restrained herself again and again, but finally couldn¡¯t hold back: ¡°How can someone as annoying as you talk like this grow up without being beaten to death?¡±

    ¡°You think you can?¡± The long-haired man looked down at Fu Han, raised his fist to show her, which was twice asrge as hers.

    Fu Han stared at her own reflection on his sunsses and repeated in her mind, ¡°He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.¡±

    Just then, Su Cheng squeezed through the crowd while calling out Fu Han¡¯s name, smiling at Fu Han the moment he saw her: ¡°Fu Han, did you see the results? Did you pass?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± Fu Han could tell Su Cheng genuinely cared, so her expression softened a little.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I knew you would pass.¡± Su Cheng smiled like an infatuated fool, sweeping his gaze around until two exmations arose.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡­

    Inside the cafe at Jiangshan Gallery.

    Fu Han cradled a hot cup of coffee and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside.

    In the distance were verdant mountains, which, perhaps because of autumn, were flecked with gold amidst the greenery, like golden patterns on a green skirt, astonishingly beautiful.

    In the foreground was a continuous corridor with pavilions at intervals. All the pavilions here were octagonal, many of them adorned withrge photos or calligraphy, quite tasteful.

    Behind her sat two people, one of whom was Su Cheng, who hade with her, and the other was the long-haired man who had given her a ride.

    She never dreamed that Su Cheng would know this long-haired man, and by their demeanor, they seemed quite familiar with each other.

    Su Cheng, holding a coffee cup, stared at the man across from him: ¡°Brother Qinghe, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°That question should be mine.¡± The long-haired man addressed as Brother Qinghe also smiled slightly, and nced at Fu Han¡¯s back: ¡°Su Cheng, so she¡¯s the reason you left home.¡±

    ¡°Not entirely, to be precise, I didn¡¯t leave home for her, but now I don¡¯t go back home because of her.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze rested on Fu Han too. The sunlight stretched her shadow long, its head falling just into his embrace. He opened his hands as if to hold her truly in his arms.

    ¡°Your parents won¡¯t like this kind of girl,¡± Luo Qinghe spoke slowly, his eyes intent on Su Cheng, ¡°If you¡¯ve made your choice, then be ready to fight.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t I always been fighting with them?¡± Su Chengughed, his baby-faced features revealing a rare determination.

    ¡°Then I wish you the best in achieving your desires,¡± Luo Qinghe smiled, his voice echoing throughout the cafe, drawing many eyes.

    Fu Han had intended to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard their conversation, but the intense stares from behind felt like maggots on a bone, inescapable.

    She slowly turned around and, clearing her throat, said to Su Cheng, ¡°Since you¡¯re catching up with an old friend, I won¡¯t intrude.¡±

 Chapter 34 - 34 034 Landscape Painting Gallery

    ?Chapter 34: 034 Landscape Painting Gallery   Chapter 34: 034 Landscape Painting Gallery                                   ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Su Cheng quickly stood up, speaking as he walked toward Fu Han.

    ¡°No need,¡± Fu Han moved even faster; she had already drifted out like a breeze, leaving behind only a piece of her light coffee-colored clothing at the door. The wind chimes at the cafe¡¯s entrance made a pleasant sound.

    Su Cheng stared foolishly in the direction Fu Han had left,pletely unaware of Luo Qinghe¡¯s probing gaze behind him.

    ¡°She¡¯s got personality; no wonder you like her,¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s teasing voice rang out, barely concealing hisughter.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face reddened, but he still said earnestly, ¡°I really do like her; I liked her from the first moment I saw her.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve liked someone. I can only wish you luck,¡± Luo Qinghe patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, pressed two hundred-yuan notes under the coffee cup, and then headed toward the doorway.

    Seeing this, Su Cheng quickly followed: ¡°Brother Qinghe, wait for me, I¡­ Could you please help out, please don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t tell my¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell your family you¡¯re here?¡± While speaking, Luo Qinghe had already stepped out of the cafe, slowly turned around with his hand on the ss door: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell them, but I reckon that even if I don¡¯t, your parents probably already know.¡±

    ¡°So be it,¡± Su Cheng ruffled his hair, his cheeks even more flushed as he rubbed his hands: ¡°Actually, what I wanted to ask is something else. You¡­ You¡¯re one of the judges for this photography contest, and it seemed like there has been some misunderstanding between you and Fu Han. Could you please¡­ please¡­¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s rising smile fell, and he let out a cold chuckle, interrupting Su Cheng: ¡°I, Luo Qinghe, do not mix personal grudges with professional duties. The judging of this contest will be fair and impartial.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s very good.¡± Su Cheng visibly sighed with relief, a smile difficult to hide on his chubby face.

    Luo Qinghe looked at Su Cheng intently, said nothing more, and left without a word.

    So it wasn¡¯t just Fu Han; even Su Cheng thought he held a grudge against her.

    Hidden behind sunsses, Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, forming a smile.

    He wouldn¡¯t forget that day not long ago when he was invited by the Row the World Committee to Jiangshan Gallery. On the way, there was a girl standing in the middle of the street with her eyes closed, wearing a white short-sleeved top with a high ponytail, spreading her arms as if challenging death.

    The sun was dazzling that day, and although he wore his usual sunsses, even then he felt Fu Han shone brightly at that moment.

    Today was no different; as a judge, he was to attend the semi-final meeting. The moment he entered Jiangshan Gallery, he saw her. His steps seemed uncontroble as he approached her, asking for her name, inquiring if she had passed the preliminary round.

    Fu Han?

    Luo Qinghe silently repeated the name in his heart. Human emotions are strange; her act of offering money enraged him, yet today, her departure made him think she was rather impressive.

    This was the first time he used the word ¡°impressive¡± topliment a woman.

    ¡­

    Jiangshan Gallery is truly worthy of its name. Fu Han strolled leisurely; all the calligraphy, paintings, and photographs along the way were profoundly memorable¡ªsome delightfully pleasing, some soul-stirring, some purified the heart, while others were so heavy they felt like stones pressing on one¡¯s chest.

    Each piece here had a deep meaning, prompting every viewer not to skim the surface but to seriously consider the depth of the work and the meaning behind it.

    Not far ahead was another pavilion, covered in innumerable ivy vines, transforming it into a natural green glutinous rice dumpling¡ªa room formed by nature.

    Fu Han pulled aside the outermost ivy, intending to step inside for a rest, when suddenly, she realized someone was already there¡ªa stranger, a man she did not recognize.

    It¡¯s always impolite to disturb others unexpectedly, so she cleared her throat, apologized while stepping back, ¡°Excuse me, I didn¡¯t mean to intrude.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no intrusion,¡± the man inside the pavilion removed his sunsses while smiling, ¡°Miss Fu, you are wee toe in and rest for a moment.¡±

    Fu Han was about to leave, but upon hearing this, she frowned, pointing to her nose she asked, ¡°You know me?¡±

    The man stood up, appearing much taller than when he was seated, easily over one meter eighty.

    He approached Fu Han and stood firm, extending his right hand, ¡°Hello, my name is Ji Liangchuan, I¡¯m a friend of He Xing; it was me who used his phone to call you that time.¡±

    Fu Han finally remembered that incident; He Xing had been drunk beyond belief, and she had received a call to pick him up. That night¡¯s ordeal, with He Xing¡¯s drunken pestering, had solidified her resolve to move out of the He Family¡¯s house.

    She now had no good impressions of He Xing, and even less so for his friends.

    Thus, as she looked at Ji Liangchuan¡¯s exaggeratedlyrge, peach blossom-shaped eyes, not only did she find him unattractive, but a term also popped into her mind: ¡°a ma for trouble.¡±

    She did not shake hands with Ji Liangchuan and instead stepped back two more paces, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Ji. Please continue resting; I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡±

    With that, she turned and left directly.

    Ji Liangchuan watched the ivy sway gently and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Taozi, she¡¯s nothing like you. You wouldn¡¯t have such sharp edges, bristling with thorns.¡±

    Even so, he put his sunsses back on and stepped out of the pavilion, following in the direction Fu Han had left.

    After encountering Ji Liangchuan, Fu Han had a bad premonition and no longer wanted to stay in the secluded corridor. She went straight back to the crowded hall where security guards were present, instantly feeling much safer.

    But as soon as she entered, Ji Liangchuan was already on her heels, ¡°Miss Fu, do I really look that frightening? Why do you run every time you see me?¡±

    ¡°Please keep your distance; I¡¯m not familiar with you,¡± Fu Han bristled, her instincts kicking in with hostility towards anyone and anything rted to the He family.

    ¡°Yo, Fu Han, you really surprise me,¡± a mocking female voice sounded. With amotion at the entrance, Xia Ning, surrounded by people, walked toward Fu Han.

    Fu Han looked coldly at Xia Ning. She hadn¡¯t checked the calendar before leaving the house and had unexpectedly met so many¡­ people she disliked.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? This isn¡¯t like you at all,¡± Xia Ning flicked a strand of hair beside her ear with her delicately manicured fingers, ¡°Fu Han, aren¡¯t you usually sharp-tongued?¡±

    Fu Han tilted her head, nced exaggeratedly around, and dered in a loud voice, ¡°This is a gallery, not a market. Howe all sorts of riff-raff cane in?¡±

    Many of the onlookers had started tough, covering their mouths. People tend to sympathize with the underdog, and since Xia Ning was the instigator, they naturally sided with Fu Han.

    Xia Ning, with her immacte makeup, now had a twisted expression; she was ustomed to being the center of attention, a pampered princess. Being called riff-raff to her face? How could she tolerate that?

 Chapter 35 - 35 Threading the Needle

    ?Chapter 35: Threading the Needle   Chapter 35: Threading the Needle                                   ¡°Someone, seize Fu Han for me. I want to personally teach her a lesson,¡± Xia Ning pointed at Fu Han, fuming with rage.

    Bodyguards immediately rolled up their sleeves and moved towards Fu Han, forming a circle around her.

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned pale as she rapidly thought about what to do. She had never been in a fight before, and over the past three years, she had been living off photography, never encountering a situation that required physical confrontation.

    On the other hand, Xia Ning was exceptionally excited. She had found out earlier that He Xing wouldn¡¯t being today, and although she didn¡¯t really intend to do anything substantial to Fu Han, she just wanted to ruin that annoying face of hers.

    Clearly acting on Xia Ning¡¯s orders, the bodyguards aimed their sharp hands towards Fu Han¡¯s face, which, if they made contact, would likely leave her flesh torn and bleeding.

    ¡°Picking on the weak with numbers!¡±

    ¡°Men hitting women!¡±

    At the same time, the voices of two men rang out, and the next second, two tall figures stood in front of her. It was Luo Qinghe and Ji Liangchuan.

    Fu Han looked at them in surprise. These two were not stupid, so why would they step into this mess to help?

    The bodyguards hesitated at the sudden arrival of Cheng Yaojin, unsure whether to continue their assault or not.

    ¡°Xiaoning, what are you doing?¡± A majestic voice boomed, resonating like a bell, and the crowd automatically parted to make way.

    A portly man, surrounded by bodyguards, made his way into the circle. Fu Han had seen him before at the Xia Family¡¯s charity night; he was Xia Cheng and Xia Ning¡¯s father, as well as the Chairman of the Xia Group, Xia Guoxiong.

    After looking around, Xia Guoxiong scoldingly said to Xia Ning, ¡°You, child, stop this nonsense and call off your people immediately.¡±

    Xia Ning showed not a hint of fear as she clung to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s arm coquettishly, ¡°Daddy, it was Fu Han who first called me names, like a cat or a dog. Isn¡¯t she insulting you by insulting me?¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Xia Guoxiong looked toward Fu Han.

    While he looked at her, Fu Han felt as if a venomous snake was watching her. She didn¡¯t have a strong impression of Xia Guoxiong, only knowing that the Xia Group had originally been just a small workshop. After Du Wanting saved He Xing, the Xia Group thrived with the support of the He Group and had now grown into a major enterprise in City A.

    Some even said that the Xia Group could stand equal with the four great families of City A.

    Collecting herself, Fu Han spoke calmly, ¡°Yes, I said that.¡±

    Anxious looks from the onlooking crowd turned towards Fu Han. The disparity in strength between them and Xia Guoxiong was too great, and everyone knew that Fu Han wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against Xia Guoxiong.

    ¡°Do you realize that with just that sentence, I could sue you for defamation?¡± Xia Guoxiong¡¯s eyes narrowed, his sinister aura intensifying.

    Fu Han was about to respond when Ji Liangchuan stepped forward to shield her. ¡°Chairman Xia, today¡¯s incident isn¡¯t entirely Fu Han¡¯s fault. Your daughter was the one who provoked first,¡± he said.

    Before Xia Guoxiong could speak, Luo Qinghe¡¯s icy voice also rang out, ¡°I don¡¯t think Fu Han said anything wrong. This is Jiangshan Gallery, the venue for the uing photography contest. It¡¯s true that not just anyone cane here.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Xia Guoxiong was so enraged that his chubby face turned crimson, resembling a cooked pig¡¯s liver. He pointed at Luo Qinghe, about to say something.

    Suddenly, a shorter man behind him tugged at his clothes and whispered something into his ear.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯splexion went through several changes. After giving Luo Qinghe a deep look, he turned and walked away, flinging his sleeve in the process.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t expect her backing to leave so abruptly. She red fiercely at Fu Han, stomped her feet in vexation, and chased after Xia Guoxiong.

    Ultimately, she caught up with Xia Guoxiong at the Square in front of Jiangshan Gallery and sulked, lips pursed, ¡°Daddy, didn¡¯t you say you were going to seek revenge for me? Why did you still let Fu Han enter the finals and do nothing when I was bullied?¡±

    Xia Guoxiong suddenly stopped in his tracks, ¡°I¡¯ll handle Fu Han¡¯s matter. From now on, stay out of it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, I want to take my own revenge,¡± Xia Ning whined in her usual manner, a tactic which had always worked wonders on Xia Guoxiong.

    But today, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned cold, and he pulled his hand away sharply, ¡°Someone, take Xiaoning back for me.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s cries and shouts were of no use; she was still carted off by two bodyguards.

    In the vast Square, now nearly empty, Xia Guoxiong turned back to peer at the short middle-aged man behind him, ¡°Mr. Ji, did you see it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw it,¡± said the man referred to as Mr. Ji, a sinister smile creeping across his face, ¡°And I guarantee that I¡¯m not mistaken. It¡¯s definitely him.¡±

    ¡°Keep an eye on him, don¡¯t let him ruin our ns.¡±

    ¡­

    The Xia family hade quickly and left just as quickly. Fu Han was prepared to call the police but never expected to be so simply dismissed by Ji Liangchuan and Luo Qinghe.

    Her feelings wereplicated as she looked at the two men. Not long ago, she had had a not-so-minor conflict with them, and yet they were the ones toe to her aid.

    Luo Qinghe turned and pushed his sses up, his words still carrying the chill of a scrape against ice, ¡°Fu Han, I just can¡¯t stand it when some people abuse their power. It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Fu Han said, visibly relieved as she patted her chest, ¡°Then I won¡¯t be presumptuous. After you, please.¡±

    Luo Qinghe tilted his head, but in the end, he just looked at Fu Han deeply and left without a word.

    ¡°Fu Han, don¡¯t be afraid, I am here for you,¡± said Ji Liangchuan.

    Compared to the iceberg-like voice from before, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s voice could indeed be described as a breath of spring.

    However, Fu Han felt goosebumps all over, and exaggeratedly rubbed her arms, ¡°Mr. Ji, right? I hardly know you, so let¡¯s not say such things in the future. It might lead to misunderstandings.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t seem offended at all but smiled even brighter, ¡°Indeed, we are not familiar with each other, but He Xing is a good friend of mine for many years, and as his future wife, it¡¯s only right for me to lend a hand.¡±

    Today had already been chaotic enough, and Fu Han had no temper left upon hearing He Xing¡¯s name. She gave up and said, ¡°If you have to put it that way, there¡¯s nothing I can do. However, He Xing and I are already discussing the dissolution of our engagement.¡±

    As soon as the words fell, Su Cheng came rushing over, calling out Fu Han¡¯s name, ¡°Fu Han, are you alright? Brother Qinghe said you were being bullied, I¡¯ll avenge you.¡±

    ¡°Nobody bullied me,¡± Fu Han backed away several steps to avoid Su Cheng, hastily changing the subject, ¡°The meeting is about to start; let¡¯s hurry to the auditorium.¡±

    The meeting mainly congratted the photographers who had made it through the preliminaries and exined some changes to the rules for the semi-finals and finals. Instead of providing three photos for the semi-finals as previously announced, the photographers now had to submit only one photo and were also required to perform live shooting.

    While listening, Su Cheng was nervously taking notes, as though he were the onepeting.

    Fu Han¡¯s notebook hadn¡¯t evene out of her bag. She was only half-heartedly chatting with Su Cheng, mostly about Luo Qinghe.

 Chapter 36 - 36 036 A Little Trick

    ?Chapter 36: 036 A Little Trick   Chapter 36: 036 A Little Trick                                   She went to the same college as Luo Qinghe, but by the time she enrolled, Luo Qinghe had already graduated and been rmended for overseas studies in photography.

    No one studying photography didn¡¯t know of Luo Qinghe, a genius photographer who won all the renown photography awards in his teens.

    Moreover, he was Fu Han¡¯s idol, an idol that neither He Xing nor Nan Qing knew of, to the extent that she once thought Luo Qinghe was a woman.

    Although he was only 29 years old now, he had already reached the level of a judge in various major photographypetitions, and it was even said that entertainment shows were seeking him out, but he was so casual that there wasn¡¯t even a single photo of him online.

    Fu Han still hadn¡¯t quitee to terms with it, she had simply gged down a car at random and that car turned out to be Luo Qinghe¡¯s.

    However, under normal circumstances, a person¡¯s capabilities and temperament are matched, and the temper of the genius Luo Qinghe was something Fu Han did not dare topliment.

    Even with an idol filter, Fu Han still silently told herself that Luo Qinghe was a lotus that should only be viewed from a distance, and in the future, it would be best to stay as far away as possible.

    She admired Luo Qinghe¡¯s talents but didn¡¯t necessarily have to like his personality.

    Thinking this, Fu Han looked at Su Cheng with curiosity, ¡°How do you know Luo Qinghe? And how are you so familiar with his affairs?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we grew up together,¡± Su Cheng said with obvious pride.

    Fu Han opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn¡¯t utter a word, just silently nodded. She had never liked prying into other people¡¯s privacy, and if it weren¡¯t for her slight curiosity about Luo Qinghe, she wouldn¡¯t have asked at all.

    ¡­

    After leaving the Jiangshan Gallery, Su Cheng asked Fu Han to wait where she was while he went to bring the car around.

    It was dusk already, and the sunset at the Jiangshan Gallery was a sight to behold, the orange sun like a fully-cooked egg yolk slowly descending, painting the undting mountain range the same shade of orange.

    Fu Han stared for a long while before suddenlying to her senses and taking out her SLR camera to focus.

    The scene before her disyed a white wild chrysanthemum stretching out its arms toward the sun with a newly hatched dragonfly resting on it, struggling to spread its wings.

    After she finished shooting, she turned the lens in another direction, at the empty end of the square, a casually dressed man with sunsses approached, thending of his white high-top sneakers creating ripples as if blooming lotuses with each step.

    It was a coincidence caused by the sunlight, the reflection off the marble ground, and the re-reflection off the mirrored sneakers.

    Click, another photo was taken.

    She admired the photo on the SLR, having not seen it clearly before; the man had a light stubble around his chin, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, as if mocking or admiring the scenery, this damned contradictory beauty.

    Fu Han felt a surge of excitement; these two photos were her unexpected gains, and usually, she might not capture such beautiful pictures even if she roamed around all day.

    She turned off her camera to call Su Cheng, but suddenly, a shadow loomed over her head, and a feeling of oppression hit her, instinctively stepping back two steps and looking up, ¡°He Xing? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Just passing by? I¡¯vee to pick you up,¡± He Xing said with a smile, his eyes intensely focused on Fu Han, ¡°Pay up.¡±

    ¡°Pay what?¡± Fu Han felt perplexed, always getting a headache seeing He Xing.

    He Xing put his sunsses back on, his smile widening slightly, ¡°You just took photos of me secretly, shouldn¡¯t you pay up?¡±

    They had been too close before and He Xing had appeared suddenly, so she hadn¡¯t paid attention to He Xing¡¯s attire, but now looking at him, wasn¡¯t he the male protagonist in the photos she had taken?

    She sized him up and had to admit He Xing was naturally photogenic, looking like the male lead in romance dramas when wearing suits and exuding a different kind ofzy charm in casual attire, equally eye-catching.

    Fu Han opened her camera while speaking coldly, ¡°I see, in that case, I¡¯ll delete the photo then.¡±

    He Xing snatched the SLR away and held it high overhead, ¡°Without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed to delete that photo.¡±

    Fu Han jumped but couldn¡¯t reach the camera, knowing she couldn¡¯t retrieve it against his height advantage.

    She immediately dropped all smiles from her face, ¡°Unless you hold my camera forever, I will never let your photos exist in it.¡±

    Her voice was not loud, but uponnding, He Xing¡¯s hands dropped as if they had lost strength.

    He stared at Fu Han without blinking, ¡°You¡­ you hate me that much?¡±

    Fu Han felt as if someone had struck a part of her heart hard with a hammer, and she opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say, ultimately managing only a weak response, ¡°It¡¯s improper to take photos without consent, no matter whoes to me, I would delete the photo.¡±

    ¡°Then pretend I never approached you, keep the photo,¡± He Xing pushed the SLR back into Fu Han¡¯s hands, his eyes burning bright, as countless peach blossoms bloomed.

    The SLR in Fu Han¡¯s arms suddenly felt a thousand pounds heavy, heavy enough that the color drained from her face.

    She kept asking herself, do I really hate him that much?

    No, she shouldn¡¯t hate He Xing; there is no hate without love.

    She should be grateful to He Xing, shouldn¡¯t she? If He Xing had even a hint of interest in her three years ago, she probably would still be cing herself beneath the dust, just to have a legitimate reason to stay by his side.

    A smile spread across Fu Han¡¯s face like grapevines in the spring, ¡°Mr. He must be joking, how could I hate you? When my parents died, it was the He Family that took me in; you are all my benefactors, I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±

    The light in He Xing¡¯s eyes flickered like thest me under the cold wind, sputtering out, leaving not a single spark.

    But after his thick eyshes fluttered a few times, his face returned to its usual indifference, ¡°Since you consider me a lifesaver, and I¡¯ve modeled for you for free, could you make me a sour cabbage fish hotpot tonight as a treat?¡±

    The sudden change was too great, Fu Han didn¡¯t react at all, and she opened her mouth in amusement, only to be interrupted by a call from Su Cheng, ¡°Fu Han, my car¡¯s tank is leaking oil; you might have to wait a bit longer.¡±

    Today was really eventful. Fu Han agreed and was about to hang up when He Xing snatched the phone away, ¡°Stay there, we¡¯lle help you tow your car.¡±

    About half an hourter, the Lamborghini started up, followed by Su Cheng¡¯s white Audi.

    Fu Han was ready to ride in Su Cheng¡¯s Audi, but He Xing suddenly shoved her into the passenger seat of his own car.

    The Jiangshan Gallery receded quickly in the rearview mirror, thendscapes on both sides of the road blurring like a sped-up movie, indistinct to the eye.

    Fu Han asked btedly, ¡°Did you drain the oil from Su Cheng¡¯s car?¡±

    ¡°Not so dumb after all.¡± He Xing didn¡¯t feel any remorse for his ruse being discovered. In fact, he justughed proudly.

 Chapter 37 - 37 037 Complicated Dinner

    ?Chapter 37: 037 Complicated Dinner   Chapter 37: 037 Complicated Dinner                                   ¡°Despicable,¡± Fu Han didn¡¯t hesitate for even half a second as she spoke.

    ¡°Thanks for thepliment,¡± He Xing, who seemed to be going down the thick-skinned road today, floored the elerator. The wind howled as it rushed in, carrying his words into the air, ¡°My fianc¨¦e should naturally be picked up by me.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s hair got caught in a tussle on her face due to the wind. She managed to get it under control but missed the perfect opportunity to rebut He Xing.

    He Xing left Su Cheng at the nearest gas station without a goodbye and walked away with Fu Han directly.

    Su Cheng hurriedly filled his tank and, while calling Fu Han, chased after them like a streak of lightning.

    ¡­

    Nan Qing didn¡¯t return home until after dark, and as soon as she opened the door, she felt an overwhelming undercurrent of low pressure.

    He Xing sat by the dining table with a stone-cold face, his eyes unwaveringly fixed on the kitchen beside him; Fu Han, wearing an apron, was bustling about, and Su Cheng was cutting vegetables with his head down.

    This whole affair gave Fu Han a headache. He Xing had abandoned Su Cheng midway, and during the telephone blitz, He Xing¡¯s face turned ugly, especially when Su Cheng eagerly invited Fu Han to a Japanese meal.

    In the end, worn down by the relentless coaxing, Fu Han simply had Su Cheng join them for dinner at her ce for a pickled cabbage fish hotpot, and of course, she didn¡¯t forget to bombard Nan Qing with calls toe home early.

    Nan Qing carefully listened to the frequency with which the knife met the cutting board and made her judgment, ¡°Su Cheng¡¯s chopping is even better than Fu Han¡¯s; the rate is very high and quite regr.¡±

    Indeed, that was the case. Su Cheng¡¯s cucumber slices were thin as paper, almost translucent; his fish slices were cut evenly, each one with skin and flesh.

    Dinner was served quickly on the table, with the sour cabbage fish hotpot, rolls of beef and mutton, duck blood, vermicelli, mushrooms, and fish balls, not to mention several cold dishes.

    Sitting next to Nan Qing, Fu Han stuck out her tongue in slight embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s my first time making pickled cabbage fish hotpot, and I was afraid it wouldn¡¯t be tasty, so I bought some cold dishes too. Please bear with it.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Nan Qing replied with a smile, while her eyes covertly nced at Su Cheng beside her.

    Su Cheng was in a good mood; it was his first time visiting Fu Han¡¯s home, and he had shown off his chopping skills in front of her. He got up to ce a slice of fish for Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯re so thin, eat more. I¡¯ve tried it, and it¡¯s really good.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fu Han¡¯s first instinct was to evade, as she didn¡¯t like others to pick food for her. However, out of the corner of her eye, seeing He Xing¡¯s displeased expression, she eventually forced herself to eat that piece of fish.

    Without a word, He Xing stood up and walked toward the living room.

    Nan Qing whispered to Fu Han, ¡°He Xing is jealous, what a rare sight.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Fu Han said, suppressing her difort, ¡°I have nothing to do with him, and he has no interest in me.¡±

    Although the two kept their voices low, Su Cheng heard them and got a little excited, thinking of doubling his effort. He got up again to pick food for Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, this fish is very tender, eat more of it.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Fu Han hurriedly moved her bowl away, ¡°You eat, if I want something, I¡¯ll pick it up myself.¡±

    Su Cheng thought she was just shy and insisted on picking food for her.

    ¡°Take your chopsticks away,¡± came He Xing¡¯s voice, cold to the bone, instantly casting the dining room back into a hushed atmosphere.

    The fish fell from Su Cheng¡¯s chopsticks in shock, rolling off the table and onto the floor, also making intimate contact with Nan Qing¡¯s white dress in the process.

    ¡°My dress,¡± Nan Qing shrieked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Su Cheng became flustered trying to wipe the stain off her dress.

    His efforts were met with Nan Qing¡¯s p, ¡°You pervert, get your hands off.¡±

    This chaos came all too suddenly, Fu Han looked here and there, and eventually her gaze settled on the instigator.

    He Xing was utterly unapologetic, as he naturally handed a ss of warm water to Fu Han, ¡°Since you were a child, you couldn¡¯t eat food picked by others; just one bite could easily make you retch. Hurry and take a sip of water to soothe yourself.¡±

    Although Fu Han had been internally grumbling about not wanting them over for dinner, He Xing¡¯s words shook her, once, and then again, as if she were swinging on a swing, suspended and falling.

    So, he had gone to pour water for her just now; so, he still remembered some things; so¡­

    She slowly took the water ss, her actions almost ceremonial. She sipped the water delicately, utterly unaware that He Xing¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t left her for a second.

    Nan Qing returned to her seat in a ck Peter Pan cor dress, her adorable round face still as red as a boiled shrimp, not daring to look at Su Cheng.

    Half of Su Cheng¡¯s face was still swollen from rushing to help Nan Qing wipe her dress without considering gender proprieties, which resulted in her p.

    He Xing sat as solid as Mount Tai in his original ce, leisurely eating his fish, as if he was oblivious to everything around him.

    This was a fresh salmon he had bought from an import supermarket; the texture was delicious, and making it into a sour cabbage fish hotpot had its own unique taste.

    Fu Han ate the hotpot distractedly, her thoughts drifting far away, clueless about what she was pondering.

    A meal shared by four people, each with their own thoughts. You look at me, I look at him, he looks at you; nothing could be moreplicated.

    After the meal, Fu Han issued a guest eviction to He Xing, but he took not listening to an extreme, and when pressed, simply said, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t leave, I won¡¯t either.¡±

    The ¡°he¡± naturally referred to Su Cheng.

    Su Cheng, deeply believing in seizing this rare opportunity, did his utmost to show off, even wishing he could kneel and clean every tile on the floor for Fu Han¡¯s family.

    As the clock struck nine, Su Cheng reluctantly said to Fu Han, ¡°I¡­ Fu Han, I¡¯m leaving, see you tomorrow.¡±

    Fu Han had been eager to deal with today¡¯s photoshoot pictures, but she couldn¡¯t share her true thoughts and merely waved him off with feigned nonchnce, ¡°Goodbye; drive safely.¡±

    Nan Qing hastily put down her teacup, ¡°I¡¯ll see Su Cheng out.¡±

    Left alone in the room with He Xing, Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat unconsciously started to race. She stood up, saying uneasily, ¡°Su Cheng is gone; you should leave too now.¡±

    He Xing slowly got up from his seat and took steps towards Fu Han, ¡°Now that he¡¯s gone, I definitely can¡¯t leave.¡±

    An impending sense of danger surged towards Fu Han from all directions. She put her hands up defensively in front of her, retreating step by step until she hit the wall unexpectedly.

    As she was about to dash back to her room, He Xing¡¯s hand braced against the wall, blocking her path. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Fu Han looked up at him, and even though she tried hard to remainposed, her face was burning and her heart threatened to leap out.

    ¡°It¡¯s not every day we get a moment alone, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste not to share a kiss?¡±

    As soon as He Xing¡¯s wordsnded, he moved swiftly, cradling Fu Han¡¯s face and deeply kissing her.

 Chapter 38 - 38 Thousands of mountains and rivers

    ?Chapter 38: Thousands of mountains and rivers   Chapter 38: Thousands of mountains and rivers                                   Fu Han was utterly bewildered, instinctively wanting to struggle, but He Xing restrained her. She clenched her teeth, resolutely deciding that this time she must not let her defenses fall.

    However, this time He Xing was exceptionally gentle. He simply kissed Fu Han¡¯s cherry lips repeatedly without going deeper, one hand circling her waist to prevent her escape while his other hand tenderly stroked her earlobe.

    The earlobe was the most sensitive spot on Fu Han¡¯s body, something she¡¯d never told He Xing, nor did she know how He Xing hade to find out.

    Fu Han felt weak all over. Without He Xing¡¯s support, she feared she might copse to the ground like a puddle of mud.

    Thest vestige of her reason told her not to sink, not to sink, and to push He Xing away, but how could a person who couldn¡¯t even stand steady have the strength to push someone away?

    Click!

    The front door was flung open. Nan Qing stood dumbfounded at the doorway, and aftering to her senses, she covered her eyes: ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything, carry on, keep going¡­¡±

    Fu Han suddenly regained her strength and pushed He Xing away, desperately exining, ¡°Nan Qing, it¡¯s not what you think.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t hear anything, I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Nan Qing leaned against the wall and scurried to her own room, not forgetting to lock the door behind her.

    ¡°Heh, I didn¡¯t expect her to be quite¡­¡± He Xing touched his chin but didn¡¯t continue, his eyes scanning Fu Han like radar.

    Fu Han crossed her arms protectively in front of her chest, watching him warily: ¡°Quite what?¡±

    ¡°Quite perceptive.¡±

    At that moment, Fu Han truly wished she could bite off her own tongue. She could¡¯ve just dismissed him outright¡ªwhy did she continue to engage with He Xing¡¯s words?

    Without another word, she shooed He Xing out: ¡°Don¡¯te over if it¡¯s not important in the future.¡±

    After a moment of thought, she added, ¡°And don¡¯te looking for me even if there is something.¡±

    He Xing frowned, gazing at the firmly shut door in front of him. He sighed and turned towards apartment 2502.

    ¡­

    The night in A City was beautiful, with the roadside trees adorned in flickeringntern garments, dazzling lights on the facades of skyscrapers, and mesmerizing advertisements on the electronic screens.

    The white Audi zoomed past with its high beams on, sweeping the fallen leaves like dancing butterflies.

    Su Cheng¡¯s grip on the steering wheel ckened then tightened, tightened and then ckened, with the elerator pushed all the way down.

    His lips tightly pressed together, his eyes shed with a profound light, reying the scenes from not long ago in his mind.

    Without a doubt, Su Cheng was happy tonight. The hot pot was a joint effort with Fu Han, and that alone was enough to keep him happy for quite a while.

    Though dinner had its ws, like Fu Han¡¯s dislike of others serving her food, and He Xing¡¯s overt and covert targeting, he was still very happy. Every journey begins with a single step, and he felt there had been a qualitative leap in his rtionship with Fu Han.

    But now, that good mood was gone, all for a simple reason: before he left, Nan Qing had said something to him.

    Initially, Nan Qing tried to persuade Su Cheng to give up on Fu Han, saying they were not suitable; naturally, Su Cheng refused and maintained a gentle tone due to Nan Qing being a close friend.

    As Nan Qing saw she couldn¡¯t stop him, she suddenly rushed up and hugged him: ¡°Su Cheng, I like you. I don¡¯t know when it started, but I just do.¡±

    The scenery on both sides of the road receded rapidly as Su Cheng grew increasingly heavy-hearted, unable to recall exactly what he said to Nan Qing afterward; all he knew was that he had rejected her.

    There had been many women who confessed their feelings to him over the years, and he rejected each one decisively. But Nan Qing was different; she was Fu Han¡¯s friend, which inevitably made him hesitate.

    ¡­

    Early the next morning, after making breakfast, Fu Han went to knock on the door. No one answered despite her continuous knocking, and when she gently pushed, the door opened by itself. Where was any sign of Nan Qing in the room?

    Fu Han called her, and Nan Qing said she was busy at the gallery and had left early. She wouldn¡¯t be home for meals recently and asked Fu Han not to prepare breakfast or dinner for her.

    Nan Qing studied painting and had opened her own gallery, whichbined sales and training. It hadn¡¯t been long since its establishment, and business was neither particrly good nor bad.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t think much of it; she had been busy as well. Thepany hadunched an event rted to wedding photography, and not only did she need to take wedding photos, but also prepare for the ¡®Travel the World¡¯ photographypetition. She wouldn¡¯t have had time to cook anyway.

    She ate hastily and left with herptop and DSLR, ready, as usual, to take the subway to work.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t even walked out of the ss door on the ground floor when she saw the ostentatious Lamborghini outside. She sighed quietly, put on her sunsses, pushed open the door, and nned to look the other way.

    But He Xing had sharp eyes. Upon seeing her, he immediately intercepted her: ¡°Xiaohan, let me give you a ride to work.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Fu Han ducked down and stepped back: ¡°Thepany isn¡¯t far. I can get there quickly by subway, and it won¡¯t get stuck in traffic.¡±

    ¡°How can you take the subway?¡± He Xing had already opened the car door. A smile forced itself upon his face: ¡°I promise to drop you off at thepany and leave right away, no lingering.¡±

    The Lamborghini was already an eye-catcher, and being the rush hour now, it attracted quite a crowd of onlookers, some even taking out their phones to take pictures, while whispers were nonstop.

    m!

    Fu Han simply closed the car door: ¡°Heir He, don¡¯t waste your time on me. I¡¯m not interested in you.¡±

    After speaking, she left as quickly as possible. She had thought it through thoroughly the night before; being indecisive would only make her fall into an irredeemable situation again.

    Rather than that, she decided it was better to extinguish all hope from the start. After all, cutting ties with He Xing was the very reason she hade back.

    He Xing watched Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure, her linen ponytail moving up and down with her steps, like a sprite dancing on the piano.

    Although she was only a few meters away, it felt like there was an insurmountable distance between them.

    He Xing¡¯s heart felt as heavy as if it were weighed down by severalrge stones, suffocating him.

    He had gone to great lengths to bring her back, but even though she was here, her heart seemed locked up, impervious to any efforts to unlock it.

    Where had he gone wrong?

    He agreed to her leaving the He Family and even moved to this rundown neighborhood with her; for her, he had broken his principles countless times¡ªwas it still not enough?

    Just then his phone rang. Taking it out, he saw it was a call from Ji Liangchuan.

    ¡­

    Liangtao Bar.

    The Liangtao Bar in the morning was as deserted as the market at night, not a soul in sight.

    The bar was pitch-ck, except for a dim light shining over a table in the corner. It was daytime, yet it felt like night.

    He Xing tilted his head back and finished the Brandy in front of him: ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡±

    Ji Liangchuan lifted the ss in front of him and took a sip: ¡°Xia Guoxiong is the sponsor of thepetition, so he also managed to secure a spot on the judging panel.¡±

 Chapter 39 - 39 039 Fairness and Justice

    ?Chapter 39: 039 Fairness and Justice   Chapter 39: 039 Fairness and Justice                                   He Xing¡¯s gaze flickered erratically, all the more apparent in the dimly lit bar. His fingers were wrapped tightly around his ss, knuckles protruding with tension.

    Although he knew he wasn¡¯t the target, Ji Liangchuan across from him still felt like he was being stalked by a monster while walking alone at night.

    Feeling ufortable, he coughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xia Guoxiong can¡¯t cover the sky with one hand. I¡¯m one of the judges too, I¡¯ll help¡­ help Fu Han.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s expression softened slightly. Another brandy downed, the scent of alcohol became even thicker in the air. He slightly lifted his head to look at the faint light above.

    Themp was so close, yet its light didn¡¯t dazzle. Instead, it gave off a warm feeling.

    Just like her, shining from an appropriate distance. When she was by your side, you never noticed the light, but once she was gone, you¡¯d realize that everything around you was pitch-ck.

    With the bottle of brandy now empty, He Xing finally set down his ss, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this matter. Just ensure fairness and integrity, that¡¯s all.¡±

    He had faith in Fu Han¡¯s abilities, as long as things were fair and just, she would surely return with des.

    In a blink, Ji Liangchuan was the only person left in the vast bar. He too looked up at the small light and murmured to himself, ¡°Taozi, I couldn¡¯t protect you back then, but now I must protect her at all costs.¡±

    ¡­

    As soon as Zhao Ting entered the office, Fu Han, without lifting her head, said, ¡°Get ready, we¡¯re going out to shoot on location now.¡±

    No sooner had Zhao Ting opened the door to leave than Su Cheng entered. She immediately greeted him with a smile, ¡°Good morning, President Su, you¡¯re here to see Sister Han so early.¡±

    Although Su Cheng was over 1.8 meters tall and already 26, his face still retained some baby fat, making him seem like a fresh college graduate, approachable butcking authority. The staff often joked around with him.

    ¡°Go on with your work,¡± Su Cheng said, not even ncing at Zhao Ting, his tone unusually authoritative.

    Knowing he had serious matters to discuss, Zhao Ting didn¡¯t dare to joke around any longer, scurrying off in just a second.

    ¡°Do you need me for something?¡± Fu Han slightly looked up, confusion in her beautiful eyes.

    An awkward flush crept onto Su Cheng¡¯s face. He cleared his throat and unnaturally said, ¡°I¡­ This¡­ This is a share transfer agreement. As of today, you are the secondrgest shareholder of Cheng Yihan Company.¡±

    Fu Han, puzzled, took the documents and saw that the transferred share amounted to over thirty percent.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Now, Fu Han¡¯s brows were furrowed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought this through carefully. You are exceptionally capable, and I¡¯m afraid someone else might poach you. So, I¡¯m offering you shares. We can work together and grow thepany,¡± Su Cheng said, nervously avoiding eye contact with Fu Han while repeating the answer he had prepared.

    Fu Han started fidgeting with her fingertips on the table, tapping rhythmically.

    She had indeed considered starting her ownpany, integrating photography and media, but shecked the capital and experience, which is why she was temporarily working at Su Cheng¡¯spany.

    It was clear that Su Cheng genuinely wanted to coborate with her. Knowing Fu Han¡¯s temperament, if she refused, she wouldn¡¯t continue working at the Su Cheng Company.

    After a moment, she looked up at Su Cheng, ¡°I can ept shares, but have an audit firm calcte exactly how much I need to contribute.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want your money; it¡¯s a technical investment,¡± Su Cheng insisted, his face flush with urgency.

    ¡°Technical investments generally don¡¯t exceed ten percent. If you won¡¯t take money, then I won¡¯t sign this agreement,¡± Fu Han said sternly, no joke in her demeanor.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Su Cheng conceded.

    ¡­

    The Lanwan vi estate.

    Fu Han received a call from Elder He inviting her to dinner that evening while she was out on a shoot.

    She could effortlessly reject He Xing without a second thought, but she couldn¡¯t do the same to Elder He.

    The current Fu Han, without parents or rtives, had Elder He as her sole emotional support. She truly regarded Elder He like her own grandfather.

    Therefore, after the shoot, she had Zhao Ting return to thepany alone, while she took a taxi to the He Family¡¯s private vi in Lanwan.

    The vis in Lanwan were reputed to be the most expensive in A City, without any contest.

    In the densely valued A City, a mountain was still preserved in the city center. The vis of Lanwan were built on this mountain, with every scenic spot hosting a private estate.

    The higher up the mountain, the steeper the price became.

    Some joked that those living in Lanwan dwelt in houses made of gold. The person living at the very top had a house made of jewels.

    This ¡°jewel¡± house belonged to the He Family and was where Fu Han had grown up.

    Taxis weren¡¯t allowed inside Lanwan, so she gazed at the endless winding mountain road with a deep sigh, begrudgingly starting her ascent.

    Having reached halfway up the mountain, she feltpletely drained and was tempted to slump to the ground.

    A car¡¯s roaring engine came from behind. Fu Han turned her head to see a Lamborghini pull up beside her.

    He Xing wound down the window, ¡°Get in.¡±

    Fu Han internally battled with herself. After 0.01 second, she opened the door and got in. What good was being angry if it couldn¡¯t give her the strength to fly up the mountain? Why refuse a free ride?

    But once inside, she maintained a defiant demeanor, ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Grandfather said you wouldn¡¯t being back, so I came to see him.¡±

    She expected He Xing to say something, but after waiting, his response never came.

    Unable to resist, Fu Han nced at He Xing. Behind his sunsses, his handsome face remained impassive, his lips tightly sealed, his hands on the steering wheel tense, the whole of him emitting a ¡®keep out¡¯ aura.

    She touched her arm, thinking how the day had turned so much colder when it had been warm enough for short sleeves earlier.

    He Xing ran his tongue across his lips. In Fu Han¡¯s mind, the previous day¡¯s memories flooded back¡ªthe gentle kiss like a spring breeze, his lips as soft as petals.

    Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned her head away, no longer looking at He Xing, but inside she cursed him for licking his lips for no reason.

    ¡­

    Elder He was delighted to see both of them return together, constantly urging the chef to add more dishes and serve various imported delicacies and snacks.

    Fu Han sat next to Elder He, chatting intermittently with him, while He Xing was on the sofa opposite them, his fingers flying over the keyboard with rapidity.

    ¡°Xiaohan, you see how pitiful an old man I am at home. It¡¯s so hard for He Xing toe back, and when he does, all he does is look at his phone orputer, just as if he were not here at all,¡± Elder He began his new round ofints.

    Fu Han coughed awkwardly, saying stiffly, ¡°Master He is inundated with important tasks, this¡­ this¡­¡±

    She stuttered without finishing her sentence, which instead garnered He Xing¡¯s powerful gaze upon her.

 Chapter 40 - 40 A Frustrating Dinner at 040

    ?Chapter 40: A Frustrating Dinner at 040   Chapter 40: A Frustrating Dinner at 040                                   Fu Han¡¯s face flushed, and as she stood up, she said, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ll go check the kitchen.¡±

    Who would¡¯ve expected that just then, a servant coincidentally arrived: ¡°Master, the meal is ready. Shall we eat now?¡±

    The He Family¡¯s elder looked at Fu Han meaningfully and instructed He Xing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite Xiaohan to dine?¡±

    He Xing immediately took a step ahead into the dining room, pulling out the chair at Xiaohan¡¯s usual spot, ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±

    Feeling both shy and awkward, Fu Han deliberately circled around to sit opposite: ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll sit here, closer to you so we can chat.¡±

    He Xing looked deeply at Fu Han, his eyes like a turbulent sea beneath the cold stars, yet the corners of his lips were slightly upturned.

    Before they could start eating, a servant came to report: ¡°Master, Young Master, Lady Xia Ning has arrived, saying she came to visit the elder.¡±

    ¡°That was quick,¡± the elder of the He Family said with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile as he watched He Xing and Fu Han: ¡°Without you two, she wouldn¡¯te; no sooner do you arrive than she does, before we¡¯ve even begun to eat.¡±

    Touching his nose, He Xing said nothing, his longshes shadowing his eyes.

    Cheerfully calling out to Grandpa He, Xia Ning entered with both hands full of items, and upon seeing the table full of dishes, her smile deepened: ¡°My timing is unfortunate, it seems you¡¯re just about to eat.¡±

    The He Family¡¯s elder switched to a kind smile, ¡°Xia Ning, have you eaten yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± answered Xia Ning, her eyes wide and innocent.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, join us for the meal,¡± the elder said with a deeper smile, though it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes: ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind our simple fare.¡±

    ¡°How could I mind?¡± Xia Ning said as she quickly pulled the chair next to He Xing and sat down: ¡°The cooks here make the best food, far better than those at my house; I¡¯ve always loved eating at your home since I was a child.¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡± The He Family¡¯s elder added an abalone to Fu Han¡¯s te without looking up, ¡°The current cook has been here less than a month, and the food has a different taste than before.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­ is that so,¡± Xia Ning said, looking helplessly toward He Xing, her expression couldn¡¯t be more innocent.

    Fu Han also watched He Xing with a smile; she knew Xia Ning¡¯s visit was no coincidence and was curious how He Xing would continue to feign unfamiliarity.

    He Xing nced up at Fu Han and said lightly, ¡°You¡¯ve been on location a lottely, eat more abalone to nourish yourself.¡±

    ¡°You should eat more too, Young Master He. You¡¯re always so busy dealing with this and that, it must be tiring,¡± Fu Han chuckled, shing her cute little fangs.

    ¡°Then serve some for me,¡± said He Xing amiably as he pushed his bowl toward Fu Han.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. What was He Xing up to now?

    Xia Ning, acting quickly, reached out to take He Xing¡¯s bowl while offering eagerly, ¡°Brother He Xing, you like abalone, let me help you with that.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± He Xing¡¯s reaction was even faster as he pushed the bowl back toward Fu Han with a ¡®pop¡¯: ¡°You help me with the dishes.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Xia Ning, who was so angry her face was twisted, her silver teeth almost crushed.

    To be honest, seeing Xia Ning¡¯s frustrated look felt really good.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Fu Hanughed, dumping most of the abalone into He Xing¡¯s bowl: ¡°You have to eat it all, okay?¡±

    The He Family¡¯s elder praised with his eyes closed, ¡°Xiaohan is really considerate, Grandpa is very pleased.¡±

    He Xing looked at the bowl full of abalone, his eyelids twitching, ready to face death as he picked up his chopsticks, knowing he probably wouldn¡¯t touch abalone again for the next few years.

    ¡°Let me get you some soup,¡± Xia Ning said as she stood up: ¡°This wild mushroom soup looks very refreshing; it should be good for cutting the grease.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± He Xing rejected tly, without a trace of joking.

    Xia Ning¡¯s hand retracted slightly, showing clear reluctance on her face, but she eventually sat back down obediently.

    Truth be told, Fu Han didn¡¯t actually want to eat abalone, but since the He Family elder had served it to her, she ate it. After finishing, she felt a bit of difort in her throat, so she got up to serve herself some soup¡ªspecifically the delicate wild mushroom soup.

    Just as she haddled some out, the He Family¡¯s elder already began speaking, pointing at He Xing: ¡°Xiaohan, you are so thoughtful, knowing He Xing has overeaten abalone and also serving him soup.¡±

    ¡°No, Grandpa, this is for me,¡± Fu Han hastily exined, bringing the bowl to her lips and taking a sip.

    ¡°If Grandpa says it¡¯s for me, then it¡¯s definitely for me,¡± He Xing interjected, reaching out to firmly ¡°snatch¡± the bowl of soup.

    He turned the bowl, took a sip, and though his face remained expressionless, his eyes were bright, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, showing a hint of smugness.

    Fu Han saw everything clearly; the position where he had drunk the soup was the same spot where she had just sipped from. He definitely did it on purpose.

    Her face felt hot, and she was tempted to counter with a few words of her own.

    Yet when she glimpsed Xia Ning¡¯s re, sharp as a stone in a cesspit, she forcibly suppressed her difort.

    She had returned this time solely to settle things once and for all with He Xing. She could overlook his actions, but she couldn¡¯t forgive what Xia Ning had done to her over the years.

    Thus, although Fu Han hadn¡¯t eaten much during the dinner, she was still quite happy.

    Throughout the dinner, Xia Ning stubbornly clung to He Xing¡¯s side, trying hard to serve him food, but he consistently declined.

    The He Family¡¯s elder found even more amusement, asionally cueing Fu Han to serve He Xing, and while she was displeased, she reluctantly obliged a few times, spurred by the desire to see Xia Ning¡¯splexion worsen.

    After the meal, the elder asked He Xing and Fu Han to stay the night, saying their rooms were cleaned daily and ready for upancy.

    Most of the physical contact between Fu Han and He Xing had urred in this house, and consideringst night she was pinned against the wall by He Xing, she shook her head like a rattle drum, adamantly refusing.

    Seeing her about to leave, He Xing also got up to go, saying he was heading the same way and could take her home.

    On the other side, Xia Ning, who had been upset all evening, protested that the driver had left due to an emergency and asked He Xing to drive her home.

    While He Xing went to get the car, Fu Han aimlessly strolled around the yard, wanting to see how that giant morning glory had fared after all these years.

    The yard of the He Family?s residence was full of precious nts that were priceless on the market, all meticulously maintained by professionals, lush and garden-like.

    A few years prior, Fu Han had been wandering around Lanwan Mountain and stumbled upon a patch of blue morning glories in a secluded spot. Astonished by their beauty, she carefully dug one out and nted it next to the French ne tree.

    It was unbelievable how, within a year or two, that small morning glory thrived and grewrger each year. In the spring, its vines would wrap around the French ne tree, and when the flowers bloomed, countless blue trumpets adorned the tree.

    Guided by the garden lights, Fu Han easily located the morning glory. After three years, its roots were now as thick as a baby¡¯s arm. Though it was autumn and the flowers withered, faint blue blossoms were still discernible.

 Chapter 41 - 41 War of Two Women 041

    ?Chapter 41: War of Two Women 041   Chapter 41: War of Two Women 041                                   Xia Ning had been following her at a distance, not too far nor too near. Seeing Fu Han staring thoughtfully at the morning glories, she said disdainfully, ¡°What¡¯s so great about a flower that can only cling to others? Next time, I¡¯ll ask He Xing to dig this nt up.¡±

    Every time Fu Han heard her speak, she felt annoyed. Slowly rising, she looked at Xia Ning and said word by word, ¡°You are free to try.¡±

    It was a simple sentence, but for some reason, Xia Ning felt a sense of fear looking at Fu Han¡¯s face. When the night breeze blew, she realized her back was soaked with sweat.

    But Xia Ning was unwilling to concede defeat like this; it was too humiliating.

    Xia Ning stomped her foot hard: ¡°Fu Han, do you think you can change everything just bying back? My mother saved He Xing from death, he definitely won¡¯t ignore me.¡±

    Fu Han let out a sigh that was difficult to fathom, and when she looked up again, a cold smile was on her lips: ¡°My parents died trying to save Grandpa He, do you think he will ignore me?¡±

    ¡°Your parents are even worthy of beingpared to my mother?¡± Xia Ning couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°They were just servants, while my mother is the wife of the CEO of Xia Group.¡±

    p!

    The sound of a p was especially jarring in the night.

    Holding her sore cheek, Xia Ning looked at Fu Han in disbelief, ¡°You dare hit me?¡± With that, she charged at Fu Han.

    ¡°If you dare insult my parents one more time, it won¡¯t be as simple as me hitting you.¡± As Fu Han spoke, she didn¡¯t dodge but charged towards Xia Ning,nding another p on the other half of Xia Ning¡¯s face.

    Suddenly, the blinding lights of a car swept over them, and the sound of the car¡¯s horn rang out: ¡°Xia Ning, are you leaving or not?¡±

    The two women wrestling separated immediately, and Xia Ning, crying, ran towards He Xing.

    Fu Han stood there, tidying her messy hair. She looked at Xia Ning¡¯s retreating figure with disdain; only children cry when they are wronged, she had grown up¡ªshe no longer knew what crying was.

    Three years had passed, and Xia Ning was still the same as before. Every time she bumped or stumbled, she would cry and throw herself at He Xing; Fu Han despised this tactic but had to admit it was effective.

    She had already pictured Xia Ning sitting in the co-pilot¡¯s seat, resting her head on He Xing¡¯s shoulder.

    If she had a second way to leave this ce, she would never ride in He Xing¡¯s car, but s, there were no ifs.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t nce into the car; she consciously opened the rear door, only to see Xia Ning looking at her with eyes full of grievance and hatred.

    She was surprised, it didn¡¯t make sense. For countless times three years ago, Xia Ning mocked and jeered at her for the chance to sit in He Xing¡¯s co-pilot¡¯s seat, so why was Xia Ning sitting in the back today?

    He Xing¡¯s voice, devoid of any warmth, sounded: ¡°Fu Han, sit in the front, help me watch the road.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Fu Han gave a brilliant smile to Xia Ning, then with a ¡°snap,¡± she closed the car door and sat down in the co-pilot¡¯s seat in the front.

    Fu Han observed Xia Ning¡¯s face through the rearview mirror; she really was a stone in a ditch.

    The mountain road was not easy to navigate, especially at night. Adhering to safety first, Fu Han did not speak.

    Xia Ning, however, was sniffling in the back seat: ¡°He Xing, you¡¯ve changed. You saw Fu Han provoking me but did nothing, you¡¯ve made me so sad.¡±

    He Xing was taking a sixty-degree turn and without lifting his eyelid, he said, ¡°Men shouldn¡¯t get involved in women fighting, it¡¯s up to you to win or lose.¡±

    Fu Han had already thought about how to retort to He Xing but it turned out she didn¡¯t need to.

    She thought about it and still found it amusing, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh: ¡°He Xing, you¡¯ve finally said something human.¡±

    In the midst of everything, He Xing raised his eyebrows and looked at Fu Han: ¡°Thank you for thepliment, but I¡¯ve always spoken like a human being.¡±

    Fu Han really wanted to retort, but if she bickered with He Xing, the happiest person would be Xia Ning.

    To keep Xia Ning in an unhappy mood, Fu Han decided to hold back, hold back, and keep holding back.

    ¡­

    An ordinary Saturday, Nan Qing as usual woke up early and sent a WhatsApp message to Fu Han, saying she was going out to enjoy the autumn and told Fu Han to take care of herself.

    Autumn had truly set in. Fu Han had taken minimalism to the extreme over the years, and when returning from abroad, she had only brought clothes suitable for autumn. Now that deep autumn was here, she could no longer endure it.

    She had wanted to drag Nan Qing along as her adviser to go shopping for clothes to prepare for winter, but now that Nan Qing was unavable, her n still had to go ahead.

    Fu Han, sticking to her usual style, wore a three-piece outfit: a short-sleeved shirt, jeans, and a baseball jacket. The avocado green short sleeve matched with the ck baseball jacket, along with orange boots, was eye-catching.

    Today, she let down her big wavy hair, and with a saucy charm amidst her heroic spirit, it was hard to look away.

    She looked at herself in the mirror and was very satisfied with her appearance that day¡ªshe was pretty, at least prettier than her past self who only wore princess dresses anddylike attire.

    The nearest mall was Yinshi za, just two subway stops away.

    Fu Han walked around the women¡¯s clothing counter on the first floor and before long, she was holding a dozen bags in both hands, all of which were affordably priced clothes.

    The most expensive item was a ck ankle-length wool coat, discounting to five thousand; the cheapest was a white sweatshirt at just under three hundred.

    It was still early, not time for lunch yet, so she thought about depositing her clothes and going to watch a movie.

    Watching movies was a hobby developed from her interest in photography; many photographers eventually find themselves in TV dramas or movies as cinematographers.

    She liked to ponder the photographer¡¯s techniques, camera movement, and framing while watching movies.

    A good TV show or movie always has beautiful scenes, naturally and appropriately beautiful, not contrived.

    There was half an hour left before the movie started, and she waited listlessly in the waiting area, her bright eyes observing the various people around her.

    Suddenly, she felt two chilling gazes directed at her. Following her intuition, she only saw a flicker of light at the emergency exit in the corner.

    Fu Han suspected the sensation was a false rm induced by watching a trailer for a horror movie earlier. Shaking her head, she realized her palms were sweaty and stood up heading to the restroom.

    How could someone with OCD tolerate sweaty palms?

    Perhaps because it was morning, the cinema was not crowded, and the washroom was even emptier.

    She tidied her hair in front of the mirror and was ready to leave when a woman in ck came in and walked straight towards the sink she was using.

    Staring at strangers is impolite. Fu Han gave herself onest nce in the mirror and was ready to leave.

    Suddenly, a sh of light through the mirror caught her eye. She turned sharply and saw the woman in ck swinging a dagger towards her.

    They were less than fifty centimeters apart, and with Fu Han¡¯s back against the wall, there was hardly any chance to dodge.

    Instinctively, she raised her hand to block and felt a piercing pain. As she ran inside, she shouted, ¡°Help! Somebody help!¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 042 Encounter Danger Unexpectedly

    ?Chapter 42: 042 Encounter Danger Unexpectedly   Chapter 42: 042 Encounter Danger Unexpectedly                                   Inside was the cubicle, and in the chaos, she chose one with an open door, rushing in and frantically locking it.

    The very next second, a pounding on the door rang out, along with a woman¡¯s shrill voice, ¡°Open up, Fu Han, get out here, do you think I can¡¯t do anything if you don¡¯te out?¡±

    She didn¡¯t recognize this person, but the person in ck had called out her name, clearly targeting her.

    Apparently, someone had hired this person, but what was their purpose? Was it to injure her or to kill her?

    Fu Han¡¯s arm hurt so much it had gone numb. With her good hand, she fumbled for her phone in her bag, meanwhile shouting desperately, ¡°Help, there¡¯s a murder, I¡¯ve called the police, you better leave before theye and catch you.¡±

    Whether it was her words that had an effect or not, the pounding and kicking at the door from outside had indeed quieted down.

    Fu Han, with trepidation, dared not open the door. She finally found her phone and, in a flurry, tried to dial a number, but in her nervousness, she didn¡¯t hold on to it firmly, and with a tter, the phone dropped to the floor.

    Fortunately, this was a toilet cubicle, or else she really would have wanted to bang her head against the wall.

    She told herself to stay calm while quickly bending over to pick up her phone, but suddenly she felt a rush of wind from above.

    Fu Han screamed and dodged into a corner, and as she looked up, she saw an image she would never forget in her life.

    The woman in ck was holding on to the top of the cubicle with one hand, knife in the other, leaning down, trying to stab Fu Han with a ferocious look in her eyes.

    It was terrifying to think that if her phone hadn¡¯t dropped at that moment, would she have already seen her parents?

    When the woman in ck saw Fu Han had spotted her, she pushed off the partition with both hands and lunged down toward her.

    In that moment, Fu Han¡¯s mind went nk. She grabbed the phone and swung it at the woman in ck, while the rest of her pressed against the cubicle, standing firm.

    The woman in ck¡¯s forehead was struck by the phone, and blood immediately began to flow. She red at Fu Han viciously as the knife in her hand once again stabbed towards Fu Han¡¯s neck.

    Was this really the end?

    A sense of desperation filled Fu Han¡¯s heart as her entire body fell toward the door.

    It was lucky that her elbow pressed just on thetch, and the cubicle door surprisingly opened; she lost her bnce and fell outward.

    The woman in ck fell out too, but this time the knife missed its mark. Instead of hitting Fu Han¡¯s throat, it pierced her shoulder.

    This time the pain was more intense than before, and Fu Han passed out immediately.

    ¡­

    When Fu Han opened her eyes again, all she could see was white. There was nothing but white in her view.

    In her mind, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder, was she dead? Was this heaven or hell?

    Fu Han felt extremely ufortable, as if forced to remain in the same position for too long. She shifted slightly, and a sharp pain hit her, causing her to gasp in shock.

    ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯re awake?¡± An excited voice called out.

    The next second a somewhat familiar face appeared in front of Fu Han, and after thinking for a bit she said, ¡°You are Ji Liangchuan.¡±

    ¡°Looks like your brain is fine,¡± Ji Liangchuan said with a smile, cing one hand on her forehead and the other on his own, ¡°That¡¯s great, you don¡¯t have a fever anymore.¡±

    Fu Han, with her innocent eyes wide open, looked at Ji Liangchuan, ¡°Did you save me? Where are we?¡±

    ¡°You could say I saved you.¡± Ji Liangchuan continued with a smile, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s also¡­¡±

    ¡°Liangchuan, the nurse is here,¡± a familiar voice interrupted Ji Liangchuan, and even without seeing him, Fu Han knew it was He Xing.

    Sure enough, Ji Liangchuan immediately perked up, ¡°He Xing, Fu Han woke up,e quickly, she¡¯s awake.¡±

    As footsteps approached, Fu Han quickly closed her eyes, ¡°Please leave, I need to rest now.¡±

    The footsteps came straight toward her, but after a few seconds, they picked up again and the door was shut.

    The doctor, summoned by He Xing, carefully checked Fu Han¡¯s condition, ¡°You are one lucky girl, stabbed twice, and yet it missed anything vital. With some rest, you¡¯ll recover.¡±

    Fu Han didn¡¯t want to talk. She noted all of the doctor¡¯s instructions and then indicated that she wanted to rest.

    How could she possibly sleep? This was the closest she had evere to death, and the image of that murderous woman¡¯s gaze was still ying over and over in her mind.

    She needed to seriously contemte this incident, to think about whether such an event could happen again and what she would do if it did.

    There was a knock at the door, Fu Han didn¡¯t respond, but a momentter the door was pushed open from the outside anyway.

    He Xing stood by the bedside, ¡°Xiaohan, how are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°How about you try it?¡± Fu Han retorted, irritably, ¡°It hurts a lot, but I won¡¯t die.¡±

    As she spoke, she involuntarily locked eyes with He Xing and was shocked by his gaze.

    What kinds of eyes were those? All but the eyeballs were filled with bloodshot veins, each one a testament to anguish and regret, and together, they wove a vast that ensnared Fu Hanpletely.

    Fu Han felt as if she were on a fragile boat, with waves beating against it, shaking and threatening to capsizes at any moment.

    He Xing¡¯s mouth moved, and he hoarsely said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xiaohan, I was toote, I failed to protect you.¡±

    Fu Han forced a smile, which turned out to be more self-mocking than cheerful, ¡°It¡¯s fine, aren¡¯t I right here, all in one piece?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll find that person and get revenge for you,¡± He Xing said with a force that made his fingertips crack.

    Fu Han turned to look out the window and spoke in a subdued voice, ¡°Revenge can wait. When I am better, I will take care of it myself.¡±

    ¡°Do you really have to be so distant with me?¡± He Xing¡¯s voice rose, his neck turning red.

    Fu Han needed all her self-control to not look back at him. She said as calmly as possible, ¡°No need, I will handle my own affairs. Please, ask Ji Liangchuan toe in.¡±

    There was a moment when He Xing seemed frozen. A few secondster, he hurried out.

    After a few minutes, Ji Liangchuan asked confusedly, ¡°Fu Han, did you need something from me?¡±

    ¡°I want to know how you saved me.¡± Fu Han¡¯s clear eyes looked at Ji Liangchuan, as innocent and wless as those of a newborn.

    Ji Liangchuan pulled up a chair beside the bed, his gaze flickering a few times before he slowly began to speak, ¡°It was somewhat of a coincidence, He Xing and I had a meeting nearby today, we identally heard a cry for help, and when we got there the woman was about to pull the dagger out of your shoulder.¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Ji Liangchuan added, ¡°Actually, both He Xing and I saved you, and you didn¡¯t see him at the time; he almost went mad when he saw you injured. If that woman hadn¡¯t run away, he probably would have killed her with his bare hands.¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43 Do you have a cigarette

    ?Chapter 43: Do you have a cigarette?   Chapter 43: Do you have a cigarette?                                   He Xing¡¯s bloodshot eyes shed in front of Fu Han, her fingers gripping tightly but then quickly releasing: ¡°Thanks anyway, no matter what.¡±

    ¡­

    Outside the ward, in the corridor.

    He Xing took two quick steps towards Ji Liangchuan, then suddenly stopped and turned his head awkwardly: ¡°How is she doing now?¡±

    Ji Liangchuan smiled: ¡°She¡¯s doing well, it¡¯s just¡­¡± He hesitated briefly before speaking again: ¡°I think she has a big misunderstanding about you. Is there something between you two that hasn¡¯t been cleared up?¡±

    A long silence followed, so prolonged that Ji Liangchuan knew He Xing would not respond.

    He Xing fumbled in his pocket, finding nothing. He turned to Ji Liangchuan: ¡°Do you have a cigarette?¡±

    The two men sat on opposite ends of a bench, each holding a cigarette between their fingers. The subtle scent of tobo wafted through the air, and the white ash flicked between them fell like snowkes from the sky.

    As the cigarette neared its end, He Xing took a deep drag, and through the swirling smoke, his face appeared indistinct, his eyes shining brighter than before.

    He snuffed out his cigarette: ¡°Liangchuan, you go back. I¡¯m fine here.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Liangchuan also extinguished his cigarette. As he passed by He Xing, he raised his hand as if to pat him on the shoulder but ultimately let his hand drop.

    In the empty hallway of the hospital, Ji Liangchuan and He Xing walked away from each other, their distance growing further and further apart, their paths diverging.

    When He Xing was alone in the corridor, his hands buried in his hair, the scene from the movie theater¡¯s bathroom reyed in his mind for the umpteenth time.

    He Xing¡¯s presence at the movie theater was no coincidence. He had gone to look for Fu Han in 2501 early that morning and had been turned away at the door.

    The news of Fu Han at the movie theater was ryed to He Xing by Li Tao after some investigation. To avoid being used of stalking by Fu Han, he unexpectedly invited Ji Liangchuan to the movies.

    But once they reached the theater, they didn¡¯t see Fu Han.

    To this day, He Xing couldn¡¯t exin the intense anxiety he felt at that moment, as if he wouldn¡¯t see Fu Han ever again if he didn¡¯t find her immediately.

    Even after waking up, Fu Han¡¯s attitude towards him hadn¡¯t changed; it was still as cold and distant as before.

    If it were the past, He Xing might have been angry, but now he felt only grateful to have survived a crisis. As long as she was still there, it was enough.

    Only, He Xing and Ji Liangchuan were so worried about Fu Han at the time that they missed the best opportunity to chase the woman in ck, allowing her to escape.

    While lost in thought, his phone rang. It was a call from Li Tao: ¡°Boss He, I asked the mall for the surveince footage, and they said their cameras were broken at the time and couldn¡¯t provide it.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Boss He, should we pressure the mall?¡± Li Tao asked anxiously: ¡°This must be an excuse from the mall; they couldn¡¯t possibly have no surveince.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said He Xing thoughtfully, then added: ¡°Investigate this privately, and report directly to me with any findings. Also, don¡¯t mention this to anyone.¡±

    ¡­

    After the news of Fu Han¡¯s hospitalization spread, Su Cheng and Nan Qing came to visit her at the earliest opportunity.

    Su Cheng was the first to arrive, his demeanor as if the sky had fallen. He had not cried, but his behavior was hardly different from immense distress.

    Nan Qing arrived just under five minutester than Su Cheng, simrly announcing her arrival by calling out before even entering.

    However, on seeing Su Cheng, her expression changed several times, eventually nodding as a way of greeting.

    Fu Han had already found dealing with Su Cheng overwhelming, and seeing Nan Qing was like seeing a savior. Whenever Nan Qing was there, Fu Han would get more peace and quiet.

    But today, she sensed something had changed between Nan Qing and Su Cheng; minutes had passed without a word being exchanged between them.

    Su Cheng¡¯s behavior was even more evident. With Nan Qing¡¯s arrival, he stayed glued by Fu Han¡¯s side, pouring tea, bringing water, cutting fruit, and even attempting to feed her, which Fu Han firmly resisted.

    After rifying the extent of Fu Han¡¯s injuries, Nan Qing suggested leaving first: ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯ll go pack some necessities for your stay and bring them to youter.¡±

    This left only Su Cheng and Fu Han in the ward. Su Cheng, with a troubled face, put down the half-peeled apple: ¡°Fu Han, has Nan Qing¡­ said anything to you?¡±

    Fu Han, with innocent eyes, asked: ¡°Was she supposed to say something to me? We¡¯ve both been busytely and hardly talk.¡±

    ¡°So it is,¡± Su Cheng said, relieved, and with a cough to clear his throat, he quickly glossed over: ¡°I mean, it¡¯s rare to see Nan Qing this busy. She used to quit numerous bosses for the sake of her freedom.¡±

    ¡°Being your own boss is different,¡± Fu Han replied, herself unable to help but smile.

    Nan Qing was indeed interesting. She had been painting since childhood, not only as a hobby but also as a talent, and now she was a somewhat renowned painter.

    But she was a painter with personality ziness), unwilling to suffer for her art or to paint at all hours. She painted solely based on her mood.

    Perhaps it was this carefree rity that led people to describe her work as¡ªpaintings untouched by worldly matters, the purest art in the world.

    Su Cheng watched Fu Han intently, the smiling Fu Han radiating a maic pull that drew everyone¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Hey, mind your gaze,¡± He Xing¡¯s voice came like a bucket of cold water pouring down.

    Su Cheng went beet red, especially when Fu Han turned at the sound, her eyes sweeping across Su Cheng.

    Listening to Fu Han¡¯s calm voice: ¡°Young Master He, think about yourself before criticizing others.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± He Xing asked while pouring hot water into a cup: ¡°It¡¯s totally above board for me to look at my fiancee. Who dares to object?¡±

    Fu Han rolled her eyes in exasperation, having already epted He Xing¡¯s change. Three years ago, he would never have publicly acknowledged her as his fiancee; now, the term had be his mantra.

    ¡°Take your medicine.¡± He Xing handed Fu Han two ck pills, checking the water temperature: ¡°It¡¯s not hot, just right.¡±

    Fu Han had a strong suspicion that He Xing was doing it on purpose, but she didn¡¯t have any proof. As a patient, she shouldn¡¯t be too troublesome, so she turned the cup to avoid the spot He Xing had just drunk from and swallowed the bitter pills with a frown.

    ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Again, He Xing uttered two simple words.

    With a pained expression, Fu Han opened her mouth, and a soft candynded on her tongue, immediately diluting the bitter taste of the medicine.

    She¡¯d disliked taking medicine since childhood; every dose felt like punishment. Every time she needed to take medicine, He Xing prepared soft candy for her in advance. She hadn¡¯t expected he would still remember that habit.

 Chapter 44 - 44 Irregular 044

    ?Chapter 44: Irregr 044   Chapter 44: Irregr 044                                   Nan Qing was indeed very interesting. She had been painting since primary school, and her talent was not just a hobby; she had a natural gift for it. Now she had be quite a well-known painter.

    But she was a painter with a very distinct personality zyness), not willing to traverse mountains and rivers or endure hardships just for the sake of painting, even unwilling to toil from dawn till dusk. She painted solely based on her mood.

    Perhaps it was exactly because of this pure and clearziness, people described her work as¡ªthe least worldly paintings, the cleanest works of art in the world.

    Su Cheng stared nkly at Fu Han, whose smiling presence exuded a kind of magic, drawing all eyes to her like a ma.

    ¡°Hey, watch where you¡¯re looking,¡± He Xing¡¯s voice was like a bucket of cold water poured over him.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turnedpletely red, especially when Fu Han turned her head upon hearing the voice, letting her gaze sweep over Su Cheng.

    Fu Han¡¯s indifferent voice rang out, ¡°Young Master He, it¡¯s best to think about yourself before talking about others.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± He Xing said, while pouring hot water into a cup, ¡°I look at my own fianc¨¦e openly and aboveboard, who dares to say anything.¡±

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and rolled her eyes. Unconsciously, she had epted He Xing¡¯s change; three years ago, he never mentioned publicly that she was his fianc¨¦e, but now, three yearster, these words had be his catchphrase.

    ¡°Take your medicine.¡± He Xing handed Fu Han two ck pills, checking the water temperature, ¡°It¡¯s not hot, just right.¡±

    Fu Han seriously suspected that He Xing was doing this on purpose, but she had no proof. As a patient, she couldn¡¯t be too much of a bother to others, so she turned the cup to avoid the spot where He Xing had drunk from and frowned as she forced down the bitter pills.

    ¡°Open your mouth.¡± He Xing¡¯smand was as simple as it could get.

    With a pained expression, Fu Han opened her mouth, and a piece of soft candy was tossed in, immediately washing away much of the medicinal taste.

    From a young age, she didn¡¯t like taking medicine. Every time it felt like a march to the scaffold. Whenever it was time for her to take medicine, He Xing would always prepare soft candy in advance, and she didn¡¯t expect he would still remember this habit.

    Once the bitterness in her mouth faded, Fu Han paused and then spoke up, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± He Xing said, with a faint smile on his face as he reached out to Fu Han, intending to stroke her forehead.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart leapt suddenly. Just as his hand was about to touch her, she abruptly turned away.

    He Xing¡¯s hand awkwardly hung in the air for a while before he withdrew it.

    If Fu Han turned back at that moment, she would surely see the hurt look on He Xing¡¯s face; regrettably, her reason didn¡¯t allow her to turn back, just as there was no turning back in her rtionship with He Xing.

    Several hours had passed since Fu Han fainted in the bathroom. With autumn days growing darker earlier, the sky outside the window had already turned a dim grey, as if veiled by a translucent ck gauze.

    The blurred scenery made it difficult to discern clearly, with the flying birds appearing as vague ck dots.

    Fu Han¡¯s long eyshes trembled as she looked expressionless at the ceiling, ¡°I¡¯d like to rest for a while, please leave.¡±

    Su Cheng was already upset by Nan Qing¡¯s sudden appearance, and witnessing the tacit understanding between He Xing and Fu Han as he fed her aggravated his unease even more.

    Thinking that out of sight meant out of mind, he said, ¡°I¡¯lle and see you tomorrow,¡± and then left right away.

    Fu Han stared at the ceiling for a full three minutes. When her eyes started to hurt, she turned away, only to catch the unexpected gaze of a pair of dark pupils.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± Fu Han¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, every cell in her body resisting the idea of being alone with He Xing, always feeling that something bad would happen.

    He Xing stood, towering at the bedside, looking down at Fu Han, ¡°You have a rival in love now.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Fu Han rolled her eyes. From her childhood, hadn¡¯t everyone considered Xia Ning her romantic rival? Did He Xing need to tell her this?

    ¡°Good that you know.¡± He Xing said curtly, swiftly leaning down to peck a kiss on Fu Han¡¯s lips then standing up and heading towards the door before she could even react.

    He Xing had one foot out the door when he suddenly looked back, ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside. Just call me if you need anything.¡±

    By the time Fu Han came back to her senses, she was alone in the ward.

    Instinctively, she raised her hand to touch her numbed lips, but this tugged at the wound on her shoulder, causing such sharp pain that she gasped for air, ¡°Damn you, He Xing, I knew nothing good everes from being alone with you.¡±

    ¡­

    After leaving the hospital, Su Cheng drove straight to Huating No.1. He didn¡¯t wait long at the gate of themunity before he saw Nan Qing, heavilyden with bags, and he quickly got out of his car to help.

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Su Cheng. Even after she was seated in the passenger seat and the car had started, her heart was still pounding wildly.

    Actually, Su Cheng¡¯s feelings were also in turmoil. At a red light, he finally gathered enough courage to face Nan Qing¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Nan Qing, I¡­ I appreciate that you like me, but I¡­ I like Fu Han.¡±

    The word ¡®sister¡¯ hit Nan Qing like a hammer, shattering the few fanciful thoughts in her head into oblivion.

    Fortunately, she was good at putting up a front, so her true feelings couldn¡¯t be read from her expression.

    Nan Qing gave Su Cheng¡¯s forehead a flick, ¡°You¡¯re really annoying, you know that? If we go by the due date, I¡¯m actually two months younger than you, so why do you always call me ¡®sister¡¯?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± Su Cheng said earnestly as the light turned green and he started the car again. ¡°Even if by some ident, we were both born on the same day, you¡¯re still one hour older than me, and that makes you my sister.¡±

    He added, ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that.¡±

    ¡°You sure remember clearly the things you shouldn¡¯t,¡± Nan Qing said with a thicker smile as she recalled their childhood days, but there was a faint bitterness lurking in her round, darting eyes.

    Su Cheng¡¯s smile deepened. He leaned backfortably in his seat and said, ¡°How could I forget? When we were kids, you always said that younger brothers should listen to their older sisters, and because I was born an hourter, I¡¯ve been following you around for so many years.¡±

    Nan Qing covered her mouth andughed, ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, both your mom and mine wanted daughters, who told you to be a son?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something I had a choice in,¡± Su Cheng chuckled helplessly, hisughter revealing a youthful, immature face reminiscent of a college student.

    Nan Qing watched him, utterly captivated.

    Su Cheng,ughing, felt something was off. He dared not look at Nan Qing, but he didn¡¯t miss the expression on her face from the corner of his eye.

    He cleared his throat and put away all smiles, ¡°Nan Qing, I have something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Nan Qing¡¯s expression went through several changes before she finally fell in with Su Cheng¡¯s lead.

    ¡°We grew up together, and you know my parents have arranged everything in my life. I don¡¯t want to be a marite my whole life, which is why I left home. I hope to call the shots in my life from now on, including marriage.¡± Su Cheng hurriedly spoke the words he had rehearsed, without a single pause, yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to look into Nan Qing¡¯s eyes.

    A moment of silence filled the car, and the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

    The outline of the hospital was already in sight far away when Nan Qing shifted in her seat and said, ¡°Su Cheng, you want to say that you know your parents and mine wish for us to be together, right? Let me tell you, just a few days ago, I told my parents that I don¡¯t like men who are younger than me, and that they should drop any ns of ying matchmaker with mandarin ducks as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Su Cheng braked hard in excitement, leaning over to hug Nan Qing, ¡°You¡¯re the best, truly a brother worth years of friendship.¡±

    ¡°Alright, aren¡¯t you going to visit the one you love?¡± Nan Qing patted Su Cheng on the head, just as they had done when ying house as children, but her eyes were now brimming with tears.

    ¡°Exactly, exactly,¡± Su Cheng let go of Nan Qing and the car zoomed off again.

    As they were about to enter the ward, Su Cheng tugged at Nan Qing¡¯s clothes and whispered, ¡°I need to ask you another favor, please don¡¯t tell Fu Han about all this.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you need to tell me that?¡± Nan Qing huffed, shaking off Su Cheng¡¯s hand and heading into the ward first.

    ¡­

    In the clear waters of the Vi area, at the Xia Family home.

    Xia Ning was half-reclining on the sofa admiring her freshly done nails. The sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows fell on her, making her fair, translucent face look as beautiful as a wless angel.

    Suddenly, the ringtone of a phone broke the silence, shezily nced at the mobile phone, and as soon as she saw the iing number her excitement surged, ¡°Hello, how did it go?¡±

    ¡°We were so close to sess when someone barged in unexpectedly,¡± a sharp female voice came through, and with careful listening one could also discern the sound of her panting.

 Chapter 45 - 45 045 Indulgent Night

    ?Chapter 45: 045 Indulgent Night   Chapter 45: 045 Indulgent Night                                   ¡°What good are you if you can¡¯t even do this?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s voice rose by eight degrees, and if her adversary were beside her, she likely would have wanted to kill them on the spot.

    There was a moment of silence on the phone, then the shrill voice rose again, ¡°Lady Xia, just give me one more chance, and I promise I will kill her for you.¡±

    ¡°For me?¡± Xia Ning sneered incessantly, ¡°Your face has been exposed. Do you think you still have a chance to get close to her?¡±

    After finishing her words, Xia Ning still felt unsatisfied. She coldly said, ¡°Leave City A as fast as you can, and don¡¯t ever call me again.¡±

    ¡°What about the money¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send it to you,¡± Xia Ning said before hanging up the phone directly.

    Although she had a beautiful face, at that moment, she exuded a chilling aura, malicious like a demon from hell.

    Frustrated, she paced around the room, smashing several expensive vases¡ªone after the other. After spending so much money, all they did was injure someone and send them to the hospital; how could she stand for that?

    The more Xia Ning thought about it, the angrier she got. As she reached for her phone to make a call, Xia Cheng suddenly came in, his delicate face flushed with rage, ¡°Xiaoning, what on earth did you do?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Xia Ning replied stubbornly, but she turned her head away, feeling guilty.

    ¡°I just got a message that you transferred five million. What is this all about?¡± Xia Cheng mmed the table several times, ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me, fine. I¡¯ll just tell dad the truth when he asks.¡±

    Xia Ning wasn¡¯t scared of Xia Cheng, but she was very afraid of Xia Guoxiong.

    No longer daring to conceal the truth, she confessed everything about how she had sought out an assassin from the underworld and arranged for someone to follow Fu Han, leaving nothing out.

    Shaking with anger, Xia Cheng pointed his finger almost against Xia Ning¡¯s forehead, ¡°Why do I even bother with you? You¡¯re tantly hiring an assassin; are you so desperate for people not to realize you¡¯re the mastermind? Even if you really wanted to get rid of Fu Han, you shouldn¡¯t have dealt with it personally. Moreover, you shouldn¡¯t have paid the full amount since the assassin didn¡¯tplete the job. Do you think our family¡¯s money just gets washed up by the tide?¡±

    The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. Xia Ning initially listened obediently, but as he continued, she felt her anger boiling, ¡°You all talk so high and mighty, iming you will seek revenge for me. Yet, all you do is chase girls all day, and dad only cares about his business. Has anyone ever cared about me?¡±

    After speaking her piece, Xia Ning burst into tears and ran out.

    ¡­

    In the swaying nightclub, bodies twirled on the dancefloor like snakes, glistening under the ring lights¡ªred, green, blue, yellow¡ªfaces of every color in a grotesque dance.

    In the center of the dancefloor, a woman in a silver sequined spaghetti strap dress danced beside a pole. Her short skirt barely covered her hips, revealing her smooth straight legs; her waist-length hair swung and hid her cheeks with every move.

    Countless men surrounded her, and even the thunderous music couldn¡¯t drown out their whistles. Undoubtedly, this pole dancer was the center of attention.

    After a high-difficulty move suspended in mid-air, the woman in the silver dress slid down the pole.

    Immediately, a group of men crowded around her, each holding a ss, ¡°Lady, let me buy you a drink.¡±

    The woman flipped her hair, revealing a beautiful face that was none other than Xia Ning who had stormed off from home not long before.

    She looked around tipsily and grabbed a cocktail from someone¡¯s hand, gulping it down in one go.

    The man whose drink she took grinned obscenely and followed Xia Ning as she headed off the dancefloor, his hand mischievously sliding along her waist.

    As Xia Ning was stepping down, the moment she felt the wandering hand, she didn¡¯t say a word and directly smashed the cocktail ss on the man¡¯s head.

    The ss shattered against his forehead, spilling everywhere, and blood started to seep from the man¡¯s wound.

    ¡°Bitch, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you!¡± The man, now provoked, raised his hand to p Xia Ning.

    But Xia Ning wasn¡¯t to be trifled with either, she still had the broken ss in her hand and met his palm with it.

    A palm, no matter how tough, is no match for the sharp edge of broken ss. The man¡¯s screams rivalled those of a pig being ughtered, and in his rage, he caught Xia Ning¡¯s hair and flung her to the ground, prompting a full-on brawl.

    The bar erupted into chaos.

    ¡­

    About half an hourter, bloodied Xia Ning was rushed to the nearest hospital, which just so happened to be where Fu Han was.

    It was Yang Kaitai, the sole heir to an electronics empire, who had brought Xia Ning. He had seen her at a dance a few years back, and after that brief encounter, he furiously pursued her.

    But Xia Ning¡¯s heart belonged solely to He Xing, a fact widely known as an open secret among the upper-ss society of Xia Country. Yang Kaitai¡¯s fervent courtship seemed doomed to waste.

    Yet Yang Kaitai, born with a silver spoon, had always had his way, womanizing since his teenage years, never once faced rejection.

    Facing the indifferent Xia Ning, he seemed to have developed true feelings, persistently losing and yet continuing the pursuit, always finding ways to ask Xia Ning out, appearing at every public event she attended.

    Today, when Xia Ning went to vent at the nightclub, it just so happened that one of Yang Kaitai¡¯s hedonistic friends spotted her. Upon receiving the news, Yang Kaitai hurried over, arriving just in time to see a man assaulting Xia Ning.

    He immediately called over a group and beat the offender until his face was swollen like a pig¡¯s head. Then, he personally drove the beauty to the hospital to treat her wounds.

    It was a stroke of luck, a hero saving thedy; he would have been a fool not to cherish it.

    Xia Ning, drunkenly, let Yang Kaitai help her into the Emergency Room.

    Yang Kaitai wasn¡¯t exactly a gentleman. Taking advantage of Xia Ning¡¯s helpless state in her skimpy attire, he not only held her but also touched where he shouldn¡¯t have. He felt quite smug with himself, thinking today¡¯s events were well worth it.

    Although Xia Ning seemed covered in blood, most of it came from the man she had encountered. She only had minor external injuries on her shoulder and wrist that, once bandaged, would allow her to be discharged.

    But Yang Kaitai wanted to show off in front of the beauty. He pulled some strings to get Xia Ning a deluxe ward, under the pretense of letting her rest properly.

    Apart from being white everywhere, the deluxe ward was not much different from a hotel, with a private restroom, a set of sofas, and a single bed for thepanion.

    Not sure how much she had drunk, Xia Ning, with the help of a nurse, took a bath and then directly climbed into bed, falling into a deep sleep.

    She wore a loose striped hospital gown that revealed arge expanse of her fair neck and the faint outline of Butterfly Valley on her back.

    Yang Kaitai was initially lying on the sofa watching videos of morous women when suddenly, as if struck by an idea, his eyes lit up. He tossed aside his phone and pounced towards Xia Ning.

    In a daze, Xia Ning felt someone caressing her. She rolled over, instinctively wrapping her arms around the person¡¯s neck, and murmured, ¡°Brother He Xing, don¡¯t leave me.¡±

 Chapter 46 - 46 046 Heart Knot

    ?Chapter 46: 046 Heart Knot   Chapter 46: 046 Heart Knot                                   Yang Kaitai was hugging Xia Ning¡¯s neck and nibbling on it, but when he heard this, he stopped. With aplex expression, he looked at Xia Ning.

    In her sleep, Xia Ning felt that He Xing was about to leave her. She gripped Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°He Xing, I like you, I really like you a lot.¡±

    Yang Kaitai looked deeply at Xia Ning, his eyes filled with indescribableplexity. ¡°What¡¯s so great about that pretty boy? It should be me that you like.¡±

    He hesitated no longer and kissed her deeply.

    When Xia Cheng walked in, what he saw was exactly this scene. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he yelled, rushing forward to pull up Yang Kaitai and throw him to the ground.

    As he was already half a head taller than Yang Kaitai and considering that Yang Kaitai was feeling guilty, he did not resist when thrown to the ground. Instead, he apologized pathetically and ended up being directly scolded out of the room by Xia Cheng.

    Although Xia Cheng was agitated, it was only because the person who had acted inappropriately towards Xia Ning was Yang Kaitai. The Yang Group was inferior to the Xia Family, and he really looked down on Yang Kaitai.

    But if it had been He Xing doing such things to Xia Ning today, not only would he not have burst in angrily to interrupt them, but he would¡¯ve also gently stepped out, even carefully closing the door behind them and attentively standing guard outside to prevent interruptions.

    The Xia Group was the enterprise that had risen the fastest in City A in recent years and enjoyed unmatched prominence, but they were well aware of therge gap between them and the four major families of City A, especially the He Family who led them.

    Only if Xia Ning could truly marry into the He Family as the young madam could the Xia Group possibly rece one of those four families.

    ¡­

    Fu Han found herself in another BATTLE that evening over who would stay with her for the night.

    He Xing insisted on staying because, as her fianc¨¦, he was the most suitable.

    But Fu Han really did not want to be alone with He Xing. Ever since she came back, he had seized every possible opportunity to kiss her. Even though she was injured, He Xing had still given her a light, butterfly kiss.

    Now they would have to spend the entire night together; who knew if He Xing would be able to control himself from doing something inappropriate?

    So, not giving him any chance was Fu Han¡¯s greatest self-protection.

    Su Cheng also strongly advocated for himself to stay for the night, promising he would just watch from outside the ward.

    However, before Fu Han could refuse, He Xing became angry and bluntly told Su Cheng to give up his wishful thinking, vowing to prevent Su Cheng from staying.

    Su Cheng, having resolved the concern of Nan Qing and seeing Fu Han¡¯s dislike for He Xing¡¯s advances, became emboldened, and, for a change, argued with He Xing.

    It ended with Nan Qing, hands on her hips, driving both men out of the ward. ¡°If you want to fight, do it outside; don¡¯t disturb Fu Han¡¯s rest. We are going to sleep.¡±

    The two men stood in the empty corridor, staring at each other, suddenly feeling there was nothing worth fighting about. Although the situation wasn¡¯t what they had hoped for, it wasn¡¯t bad either.

    The two men each got a nket from the nurse station and, like door gods, stood guard outside Fu Han¡¯s ward, one on the left and the other on the right.

    As for Fu Han, she had slept in the afternoon and now wasn¡¯t sleepy anymore.

    She stared with open eyes at the night sky outside the window, unsurprisingly void of stars, while the moon hung above like a disk, brilliantly clear.

    ¡°Nan Qing, is it almost Mid-Autumn Festival?¡± Fu Han¡¯s voice was very low and became inaudible toward the end, as she suddenly remembered that Nan Qing might have fallen asleep.

    But Nan Qing quickly responded, ¡°Yeah, in two days.¡±

    Since her parents left, holidays were the times when Fu Han felt the most miserable.

    She had to pretend not to care while watching others celebrate with their families, to act grateful for thepensation from the elder Mr. He, and to strive to fit into a circle that was not hers.

    Three years ago, she did all she could for He Xing, finding everything sweet; but now, looking back, she felt like a clown at those banquets, an amusement for those young lords anddies.

    Back then, she was like a tailless pheasant, seeing red whenever someone hit a sore spot.

    At the time, she didn¡¯t understand, but now it was all too clear to her. Her appearance at those high society parties was a joke in itself.

    Nan Qing didn¡¯t wait for Fu Han¡¯s response and turned towards her. ¡°Fu Han, how do you n to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival? Like before?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Fu Han¡¯s mind filled with the past three years, where all the international students got together overseas during festivals, creating a lively atmosphere.

    The room fell into silence again, but Fu Han knew Nan Qing wasn¡¯t asleep. After some thought, she began slowly, ¡°Nan Qing, has something happened to youtely?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes shimmered in the darkness. ¡°No, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I feel¡­¡± Fu Han paused, considering her words. ¡°I feel like there is something off between you and Su Cheng. You two are alright, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, grateful that this conversation was taking ce under these circumstances. She replied as calmly as possible, ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing wrong at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Fu Han breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, and I don¡¯t want you to be unhappy.¡±

    Beneath the nket, Nan Qing clenched her fists, her nails pressing into her palms, a clear pain piercing through her hand and into her heart.

    Then she heard her own voice rise, ¡°Fu Han, do you really consider me your best friend?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± came Fu Han¡¯s firm response. ¡°Though we¡¯ve only known each other for three years, I like you a lot. I hope that in the long years toe, I can be as decisive, as free, and as daring in love and hate as you are.¡±

    ¡°Daring in love and hate?¡± Nan Qing echoed softly, then asked again, ¡°What about Su Cheng?¡±

    Without batting an eyelid, Fu Han replied, ¡°Su Cheng is also my friend, and right now we arerades-in-arms.¡±

    She went on to tell Nan Qing about her investment in Su Cheng Company and quickly touched on how she used Su Cheng to refuse He Xing.

    Nan Qing listened intently, pondering every word. Finally, looking towards Fu Han, she said earnestly, ¡°Fu Han, Su Cheng is a good person. If you consider me a friend, then make sure you don¡¯t hurt him; if you like him, love him sincerely; if you don¡¯t, don¡¯t give any false hope.¡±

    ¡°I will. I don¡¯t like toying with emotions,¡± Fu Han answered without any hesitation.

    That¡¯s how she thought, and that¡¯s how she acted. She knew very well how Su Cheng felt about her. She could have taken a 30% share of hispany for free, but she chose not to. Instead, she requested an audit from the Audit Agency and made a direct financial investment.

 Chapter 47 - 47 Appreciate 047 very much

    ?Chapter 47: Appreciate 047 very much   Chapter 47: Appreciate 047 very much                                   Fu Han and Nan Qing¡¯s chat that evening totaled up to no more than ten minutes, and they didn¡¯t talk about much.

    But somehow, something had changed. The invisible barrier that had been between Fu Han and Nan Qing seemed to vanish, and they returned to being close friends who could talk about anything, their rtionship even more intimate than before.

    Although Fu Han was not particrly emotionally intelligent and had little skill in reading people, she had sharply sensed that there was something amiss between Su Cheng and Nan Qing the day before.

    In her heart, Nan Qing held a much higher ce than Su Cheng, which is why she chose to have an open and honest talk with Nan Qing. She only did what she thought was right and didn¡¯t want to have any regrets when she looked back in the future.

    Fu Han was picky about where she slept, and she woke up before dawn, worrying that her constant turning might disturb Nan Qing, so she simply put on her clothes and came out.

    The moment she opened the door, she got a shock¡ªHe Xing and Su Chengy like two door gods, one on either side on the lounge chairs by the door.

    Despite the three chairs lined up side by side, both men were over six-foot-tall and looked quite ufortable squeezed onto the small chairs, unable to stretch out their legs.

    She smiled to herself, thinking she couldn¡¯t stay here any longer and decided to go downstairs for a walk and buy breakfast for everyone while she was at it.

    However, as she passed by He Xing, she identally nced at him and her feet rooted to the spot, unable to move any further.

    He Xing curled up on the lounge chair like a cat, with the nket pressed underneath him. His knees were bent, and he hugged them with both hands, his back hunched.

    One half of his face exposed to the air, his long, thick eyshes cast a shadow over his face like a curtain, further highlighting his jade-like face.

    Although Fu Han had seen He Xing¡¯s face for many years and although she now only wanted to get away from him, she still had to admit that He Xing was indeed handsome¡ªin that standout way you¡¯d notice immediately in a crowd.

    The standard sword-like eyebrows, long at the tails, gave his whole face a spirited look; his nose was sharp, with a slight hump on the upper bridge that made the profile of his nose all the more intriguing; his lips were thin, neither too pale nor too dark, just like the most ordinary peach blossom in spring.

    His corbone¡­

    As Fu Han shamelessly scrutinized and judged him, suddenly she felt a gaze moving up from below to look at her.

    Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly diverted her eyes, stuttering, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re awake?¡±

    He Xing responded with a teasing tone, ¡°Why did you stop looking? I don¡¯t mind if you look, and it¡¯s no problem if I take off my clothes for you to have a better view.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face was already burning, and now it turned as red as a cooked crab. She quickly walked out while unnaturally saying, ¡°Who wants to look at you? I just happened to pass by here. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He Xing propped himself up slightly, looking at Fu Han with a nted gaze, ¡°I woke up when you opened the door. Oh¡­ perhaps I should have continued to pretend to be asleep, to let you have a good look?¡±

    This movement disyed his neck, corbone, and a good deal of his chest.

    Fu Han quickly covered her eyes and stepped back, ¡°Put on some clothes quickly, it¡¯s really indecent.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± He Xing didn¡¯t object but instead spoke with a smile, ¡°Indeed, considering I am now a married man, I should uphold some male virtue.¡±

    Fu Han almost spat out blood in shock as she stared at He Xing, stunned. Had this man¡¯s brain been caught in a door? Now he¡¯s talking about male virtue?

    She shook her head, with nothing to say, heading towards the elevator. She desperately needed to find a ce with fresh air to cleanse her eyes.

    Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a slender hand reached in, and as the doors opened again, He Xing slipped inside, ¡°Xiaohan, what are you up to? I¡¯lle with you.¡±

    ¡°Buying breakfast,¡± Fu Han replied without even lifting her eyes, her gaze fixed on the small plot in front of her, determined not to give He Xing a nce.

    The elevator is always the busiest in the morning, stopping almost on every floor. The crowd inside grew bigger, and Fu Han was pushed into a corner, feeling incredibly ufortable.

    Suddenly, He Xing moved to stand opposite her, his hands braced on the elevator walls, creating a small, undisturbed space just for her.

    She wanted to retort, but looking up, she saw people behind He Xing frantically pushing forward, and his clothes were getting pulled out of shape.

    The heir of the He Group, who always had dozens of bodyguards with him, when had he ever been in such an awkward situation?

    Yet, this heir under immense pressure still lowered his head with concern for her, ¡°Xiaohan, how¡¯s your hand, does it hurt?¡±

    Fu Han suddenly felt a sourness in her nose and awkwardly turned her head away, saying in a mosquito-like voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    He Xing smiled, and that smile was like the first lotus blooming in a pond, pure and otherworldly, unsullied as if not meant for this world.

    At this moment, Fu Han could not have known that in the long future ahead, she would never forget He Xing¡¯s smile at this moment.

    Just now, she was dazzled by He Xing¡¯s smile, yet instinctively she avoided it.

    It was like a traveler dying of thirst in the desert spotting an oasis but too afraid to check, for fear it was just a dream.

    He Xing had wanted to go out to buy breakfast, but Fu Han didn¡¯t want to be alone with He Xing for too long, so she insisted on buying food in the hospital cafeteria and also insisted on packing it to take back to eat.

    When they returned, Su Cheng and Nan Qing were already up, and the four had breakfast together in a fairly harmonious atmosphere.

    Breakfast wasn¡¯t over when He Xing received a series of urgent calls.

    Although Fu Han didn¡¯t know what had happened, she understood He Xing. Seeing the depth in his eyes, she knew something might have happened, something that could be troubling him.

    Therefore, she sent both He Xing and Su Cheng away impartially; she knew Su Cheng wouldn¡¯t leave without He Xing going first.

    After Nan Qing stayed with Fu Han for her injection, she too left, saying she had a painting to finish and hand in, that she had to leave.

    Fu Han felt her arm was not as painful as before, and it wasn¡¯t long before she too came out, wanting to ask the doctor when she could be discharged.

    Talk about an ill-fated encounter; the moment she came out, she ran into someone head-on, wearing the same hospital gown as her, who turned out to be Xia Ning.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Fu Han and Xia Ning said in unison. After speaking, Xia Ning looked away guiltily, while Fu Han tantly scanned Xia Ning from head to toe.

    Without makeup, Xia Ning was not as exquisite as usual but still pretty; only that her normally precious hair now looked like a bird¡¯s nest sitting on top of her head.

    Paired with the hospital gown, at a nce, she looked like a patient from a mental hospital.

    Feeling Fu Han¡¯s brazen gaze, Xia Ning was as uneasy as if she were under the spotlight, she puffed up her chest and tried to adopt a haughty posture, ¡°Fu Han, what are you looking at, didn¡¯t you get beat up pitifully enough?¡±

 Chapter 48 - 48 048 Shut up

    ?Chapter 48: 048 Shut up   Chapter 48: 048 Shut up                                   Fu Han¡¯s delicate brows slightly furrowed as a cunning smile crossed her face amidst the turmoil, ¡°Lady Xia, how do you know that I came to the hospital because I was beaten up?¡±

    Xia Ning realized she had misspoken and, though she wanted to bite off her own tongue in frustration, her demeanor remained unflinching, ¡°For a woman like you, who only knows how to seduce men, it¡¯s normal for you to get beaten. If I were you, I¡¯d hide at home every day and wouldn¡¯t even dare to step outside.¡±

    ¡°I think the one who shouldn¡¯t dare to go out should be you,¡± Fu Han said meaningfully as she looked at Xia Ning, ¡°It seems Lady Xia had quite the unrestrained night yesterday. Going out with the strawberry marks still visible, you clearly don¡¯t care about losing face.¡±

    At this, Fu Han smiled brilliantly, ¡°After all, Lady Xia, you¡¯ve never understood the concept of face, so of course, you wouldn¡¯t feel embarrassed.¡±

    Xia Ning was deeply shocked at the mention of ¡°strawberry.¡± She wanted to refute Fu Han¡¯s words but had an intuition that Fu Han was not speaking recklessly.

    After tossing out a ¡°Fu Han, you just wait,¡± Xia Ning fled in panic to check herself in the mirror.

    How much Xia Ning drankst night, she herself had no idea, with her memory stopping at the moment she smashed a lecherous man with a wine ss, then everything went nk.

    This morning she woke up to find only a janitor in the ward, who ryed Xia Cheng¡¯s message that he had to return to thepany for a regr meeting first, and thene to the hospital to handle her discharge procedures.

    Xia Ning rushed to the mirror and indeed saw strawberry marks on her neck. Although she had only had feelings for He Xing and had never been intimate with a man, she was not an ignorant girl.

    She lowered her head to look at her hospital gown, her mind bing more and more panicked. Without further thought, she incessantly called Xia Cheng.

    ¡­

    A City is known for its nightlife, and at night it is colorful and even more beautiful than during the day.

    Where there is light, shadows follow.

    The night had deepened, the sound of insects in the bushes had vanished, and on the empty streets, a stray cat was hunting for food, with its green eyes glittering like gems¡ªa sight that in the darkness induced fear rather than beauty.

    A cat¡¯s meow scared the birds perching on trees to fly away, their wings fluttering like leaves rustling in the chilly autumn wind.

    At a street corner, an inconspicuous door opened, and out came a group of people, their slurred speech audible even from a distance.

    After bidding each other farewell, the group dispersed, each going their own way.

    Thest man, staggering with unsteady steps, was clearly drunk.

    He stumbled along until he leaned against a tree at the roadside and vomited until he was in a fog.

    When he raised his head, he discovered a group of people in ck standing about five meters away.

    Backlit, he couldn¡¯t see their faces clearly, but a sense of unease took hold of him, and he immediately turned and ran.

    But how could a drunk man outrun those tall and leggy? In just a few breaths, he was caught up, a sack pulled over his head, and before he could utter a sound, he was taken away.

    ¡­

    In an abandoned warehouse, Xia Ning looked at Yang Kaitai bound tightly to a chair, her anger unable to find an outlet.

    Xia Cheng kicked a bucket of water nearby, ¡°Xiaoning, there¡¯s salt mixed in this water; you can ssh it on him.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not a scratch on him,¡± Xia Ning coldly stared at the unconscious Yang Kaitai, ¡°If you¡¯d let me ssh boiling water on him, that might interest me.¡±

    ¡°Behave, I¡¯m here to avenge you,¡± Xia Cheng rubbed her hair affectionately, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can deal with him any way you wantter.¡±

    A bucket of cold water drenched Yang Kaitai, and with a jerk, he woke up and immediately became agitated when he saw Xia Ning, ¡°Xiaoning, what are you doing here? I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±

    After finishing his words, he realized he was bound and couldn¡¯t move. His eyes bulged in panic, ¡°Xiaoning, why can¡¯t I move? Hurry and save me!¡±

    p, p, p!

    Xia Ning pped Yang Kaitai three times, causing blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth, still unsatisfied with her venting, ¡°Speak up, what did you do to mest night?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Yang Kaitai stuttered, scrambling to exin, ¡°That man wanted to hurt you, and I saved you.¡±

    ¡°Still not admitting it?¡± Xia Ning pushed her long hair over her shoulder, revealing the dark red strawberry marks on her neck, ¡°You dare say these were also left by that man?¡±

    Yang Kaitai swallowed nervously, looking pleadingly at Xia Cheng, who responded with a ¡°fend for yourself¡± look.

    While struggling, he exined, ¡°Xiaoning, you know I like you¡­ Every time I see you, I just want to kiss you¡­¡±

    Xia Ning seemed to produce a knife from nowhere and pointed it suggestively at a particr part of Yang Kaitai, ¡°You even dared to treat me like some bar girl. I ought to confiscate your ¡®tools of the crime¡¯.¡±

    ¡°No crime, there was no crime,¡± sweat beads the size of beans rolled down Yang Kaitai¡¯s forehead as he called out in desperation, ignoring everything else, ¡°Xia Cheng, help! You know I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    The knife was swinging in Xia Ning¡¯s hand when Xia Cheng grabbed it hastily, ¡°Enough, Xiaoning. It¡¯s time to stop joking around.¡±

    Hearing the word ¡°joke,¡± Yang Kaitai immediately rxed, but Xia Ning was still enraged, ¡°I¡¯m not finished. Even if he didn¡¯t really do anything to me, the repulsive marks on my neck were his doing. If Brother He Xing finds out, how could I ever face him?¡±

    ¡°He Xing won¡¯t know,¡± Xia Cheng said meaningfully, looking at Yang Kaitai, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare to spread the word, would you?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare! I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Yang Kaitai¡¯s affection for Xia Ning was genuine, but he valued his life even more. He promptly swore, ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t tell He Xing. If I do, let lightning strike me down.¡±

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell, someone else might,¡± Xia Ning¡¯s expression did not soften as she retorted coldly, ¡°Fu Han already knows, and with her big mouth, she¡¯s sure to spill it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll shut her mouth for you,¡± Yang Kaitai grasped at the lifeline, terrified that Xia Ning would not believe his promises, his voice rising, ¡°I assure you, I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t talk about this.¡±

    Their eyes met knowingly as Xia Ning and Xia Cheng exchanged nces, both understanding the unspoken agreement, though Yang Kaitai, fully preupied with saving his own life, noticed nothing.

    ¡°Kaitai, I¡¯m not refusing to help you, but you need to be more honorable in your actions,¡± Xia Cheng released him from his bindings personally, subtly threatening him, ¡°My sister has never endured such an insult. If you can¡¯t handle this matter and she does something drastic, I won¡¯t intervene.¡±

    ¡°I understand, I understand,¡± Yang Kaitai¡¯s eyes darted slyly towards Xia Ning, but his voice was firm, ¡°This matter is on me. I would rather kill Fu Han than let her speak.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that lightly,¡± Xia Cheng immediately became solemn, deflecting responsibility, ¡°We never asked you to kill anyone.¡±

 Chapter 49 - 49 049 Confidential

    ?Chapter 49: 049 Confidential   Chapter 49: 049 Confidential                                   Yang Kaitai stared intently at Xia Ning withplete disregard, saying, ¡°She¡¯s just a servant¡¯s child. If she¡¯s dead, she¡¯s dead. What does it matter?¡±

    If Yang Kaitai could have been just slightly calm at that moment, he might have noticed Xia Cheng recording everything he said right next to him, capturing every word perfectly.

    Xia Cheng personally arranged for someone to escort Yang Kaitai away, then he drove off with Xia Ning himself.

    ¡°Xiaoning, do you see? Not everything has to be handled by yourself.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re still the most capable. You¡¯re truly amazing.¡±

    ¡­

    He Group headquarters, CEO¡¯s office.

    In the spacious office, He Xing looked at the document in front of him expressionlessly, his ck eyes as deep as the ocean, bottomless at a nce.

    Liang Tao stood in front of him like a student who had done something wrong, a tall figure trying to shrink into itself, his forehead and the tip of his nose covered in beads of sweat.

    The silence in the office was like an invisible hand gripping Liang Tao, the overwhelming pressureing from all directions, so heavy he could hardly breathe.

    After what seemed a long time, He Xing tossed the document on the desk. The movement wasn¡¯t big, but Liang Tao flinched and stepped back, his back soaked with sweat.

    ¡°Our tender documents have been leaked?¡± He Xing slowly lifted his head, his face still expressionless as he looked at Liang Tao.

    Liang Tao¡¯s eyes were blurred with sweat. He didn¡¯t dare to wipe it away, nor did he dare to meet He Xing¡¯s gaze. ¡°CEO He, I¡­ I can¡¯t confirm it, but the opponent¡¯s tender is very simr to ours, and their price is morepetitive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Xia Group again.¡± He Xing tapped the desk with his pen. His gaze lingered out the window.

    The blue sky and white clouds seemed close enough to touch if he just reached out.

    Images of the car ident shed in He Xing¡¯s mind. Hey powerless inside the car, one leg trapped, unable to crawl out.

    Behind him was the ticking sound, along with the pungent odor of gasoline. He knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the gas would explode, and not even gods could save him then.

    He Xing sighed and slowly raised his head. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for this matter.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Liang Tao, incredulous, looked up, his face turning red as he frantically said, ¡°But CEO He, this isn¡¯t the first time. Simr incidents have been happening nearly every year.¡±

    ¡°You even dare to question my decision?¡± He Xing scoffed coldly, his eyes narrowing dangerously, ¡°Is a mere hundred million yuan tender worth all this fuss?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± Liang Tao did not dare to say more, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Seeing that He Xing did not respond, he left the room.

    Once outside, Liang Tao was still unsettled. He mopped up his sweat with his sleeve as he made his way to the tea room.

    The He Group headquarters tea room was luxurious, designed to the standard of a high-ss cafe. Staff could enter any time to drink coffee, juice, and enjoy snacks like freshly made pastries, provided for free.

    Liang Tao ordered an iced Americano and a brown sugar cake, finding a corner seat to settle down.

    He stared nkly at the bustling traffic below, mulling over the words He Xing had just said. He had been following He Xing for almost three years yet still could not fathom what was going on in his boss¡¯s mind.

    In the past three years, He Xing was a certified workaholic, never missing a day of overtime. But recently, He Xing had been leaving work on time; sometimes he even left early.

    He Xing valued every single deal, having said many times that no business is too small. Winning a small deal this time might lead tonding a bigger one next time.

    But whenever it came to matters involving the Xia Group, he always conceded, time and time again.

    ¡°Brother, what are you thinking about?¡± Suddenly, someone patted Liang Tao¡¯s shoulder. The warm, spring-like voice was very soothing to the ear.

    ¡°Hello, CEO Yi.¡± Liang Tao immediately smiled. The only person in the entirepany who called him ¡°brother¡± every day was Yi Lixing, the director of the Public Rtions Department, a man well-versed in dealing with people, calling everyone ¡°brother.¡±

    Yi Lixing, with a hottte in hand, sat opposite Liang Tao, ¡°Why the long face this early in the morning? Girlfriend giving you the cold shoulder?¡±

    ¡°CEO Yi, you really know how to joke. Where would I get a girlfriend from?¡± Liang Taoughed bitterly, took a big gulp of the icedtte, icy to the point of making his teeth sh, but at least he was no longer sweating profusely.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Yi Lixing took a light sip of his hottte, teasing, ¡°With CEO He pulling you into overtime every day, when would you have time for a rtionship?¡±

    Liang Tao sighed, was about to say he hadn¡¯t worked overtime recently, but the words stopped on his lips.

    Yi Lixing didn¡¯t get an answer but wasn¡¯t annoyed and instead, his smile grew even brighter. ¡°I heard we werepeting with the Xia Group for the same project, and we missed out?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Liang Tao looked at Yi Lixing warily, unconsciously leaning back.

    ¡°Good deeds don¡¯t go beyond the door, bad news spread a thousand miles,¡± Yi Lixingughed carelessly, ¡°This issue is buzzing everywhere, saying that the Xia Group will soon rece the He Group¡¯s position.¡±

    Liang Tao didn¡¯t speak, but the corners of his mouth curled in a mocking smile, clearly showing his disdain.

    Yi Lixing nced around and leaned closer to Liang Tao, lowering his voice, ¡°What does CEO He think about this? Is he very angry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a small project, CEO He doesn¡¯t care,¡± Liang Tao still held grudges against Yi Lixing¡¯s previous remarks, he said with dissatisfaction, ¡°Without the He Group, where would the Xia Groupe from? Their wish to take our ce is simplyughable.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so too,¡± Yi Lixing agreed, but if one looked closely, a hint of peculiarity could be seen fleeting across his eyes.

    ¡°Liang Tao, CEO He is looking for you,¡± a staff member called from the doorway.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Liang Tao quickly finished the brown sugar cake, greeted Yi Lixing, and jogged away.

    ¡­

    Fu Han was discharged from the hospital after two days. Her injuries seemed severe, but in reality, they were only skin deep with no damage to the bones; she needed time to recover slowly.

    Moreover, staying in the hospital was torment for her. Although Nan Qing had been with her every night, He Xing and Su Cheng were unyielding. Like they were at each other¡¯s throats, they insisted on standing guard outside her ward every night.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t sleep at all, just thinking about them being outside.

    Eventually, she arranged her own discharge during a time when only the nursing staff was present, insisting to the doctor that she wanted to leave the hospital.

    The doctor had no choice but to prescribe her medication and agree to her discharge.

    Fu Han returned to the apartment she and Nan Qing rented, and although she had been away for less than three days, it felt like an eternity. The sense of belonging and unfamiliarity both hit her strongly, but her mood was good.

    The autumn afternoon was cool, and with the breeze, she opened the windows, holding herptop as she sat in the hanging basket on the balcony. On the small table beside her was a fruit te, and the takeout He Xing had ordered for her.

 Chapter 50 - 50 050 Unexpected

    ?Chapter 50: 050 Unexpected   Chapter 50: 050 Unexpected                                   Speaking of which, it was also a helpless situation. Fu Han had been avoiding He Xing as usual these past few days, but she had to admit that He Xing had be much more attentive. Often, with just a nce from her, He Xing would know what she wanted to do.

    As a result, during her two-day hospital stay, Nan Qing made several jokes about her and He Xing, although Su Cheng always had a grim face.

    But Su Cheng was helpless about it; after all, such tacit understanding couldn¡¯t be cultivated in just a day or two¡ªit was the result of years of umtion.

    As these thoughts crossed her mind, Fu Han popped a slice of mango into her mouth and checked the time before turning on herputer.

    Today was the day the results for the ¡°Travel the World¡± Photography Competition knockout round were released. The results were avable online, which saved Fu Han a lot of time.

    She entered her information ording to the text message prompts and clicked to query. Then, a line of text appeared on theputer screen: ¡°Fu Han, thank you for participating. Unfortunately, you did not pass the knockout round!¡±

    For a moment, Fu Han felt a chill in her hands and feet. She looked outside at the sky¡ªa grey-blue shade that seemed to forebode rain.

    The wind grew stronger, billowing the white gauze curtains with a rustling sound that diluted the beauty and struck Fu Han¡¯s heart with a heavy blow.

    A mocking smile formed on her lips. They always said that participation was what mattered, but why was it so hard for her to ept now?

    It seemed her cultivation was stillcking; she couldn¡¯t face her failure with equanimity or ept the fact that others were better.

    ¡°Travel the World¡± was the biggest photographypetition in Country Z, and all its participants were outstanding. Although she loved photography, she had really only been professionally involved in this field for three years.

    With that thought, the heavy stone in her heart fell away for the most part, and she felt much better. She closed theputer and started eating from the fruit te.

    Yet her expression remained deeply unsettled.

    Suddenly, her phone rang. It was He Xing. She hung up directly.

    Secondster, the phone rang again. It was still He Xing. She sighed and finally answered, ¡°Do you need me for something?¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡± He Xing¡¯s signature deep voice came through the phone.

    Even through the phone, Fu Han could almost see He Xing¡¯s expressionless, sculpted face. Irked, she said, ¡°Where else could I be? Of course, I¡¯m at home.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t wander off at home, just wait for me.¡± He Xing¡¯s tone was the same as before, except his voice was a bit elevated.

    Fu Han, recalling how He Xing had taken the opportunity to hug her while delivering ate-night snack the night before, refused without second thoughts, ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me. I¡¯m about to leave.¡±

    After saying that, she immediately hung up the phone. It was a joke. She¡¯d have to be out of her mind to keep on letting the wolf into her house over and over.

    Before she could set her phone down, it rang yet again. Without looking, she answered angrily, ¡°He Xing, when will you ever stop?¡±

    ¡°He Xing?¡± The voice on the other end was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s Su Cheng here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± A flush spread across Fu Han¡¯s face, and she coughed awkwardly, speaking indifferently, ¡°Do you need me for something?¡±

    ¡°I saw the ¡°Travel the World¡± Photography Competition results. I¡¯ll pick you up now, and we¡¯ll ask about the situation at Jiangshan Gallery together,¡± Su Cheng said, fearful of angering Fu Han. His tone was both urgent and quick. ¡°Luo Qinghe will also join us.¡±

    Fu Han had intended to refuse, but at thest sentence, she held back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

    If Luo Qinghe also thought she should have passed the knockout round, then she should not just give up; instead, she should seek justice for herself.

    ¡­

    Jiangshan Gallery.

    Su Cheng made a sudden stop, parking the white Audi urately in the parking space.

    Fu Han got out of the car, hurriedly leaving the house with a bare face, wearing a white high-necked, off-shoulder, fitted sweater, ck straight-leg red trousers, paired with a pair of white sneakers. Her hair was casually tied up, her arm draped with a ck wool coat.

    Her entire being radiated a natural, unadorned sexiness, an innocence, and purity mingled together.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go directly to the organizers,¡± Luo Qinghe, trailing two steps behind Fu Han and Su Cheng, said as he inadvertently nced at Fu Han, his face revealing unmistakable astonishment.

    Fu Han¡¯s steps momentarily faltered before she nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t surprised that Su Cheng was running around for her; but she hadn¡¯t expected Luo Qinghe to take the initiative to help.

    ¡°No need for thanks,¡± Luo Qinghe said with an open smile. ¡°I would offer the same help to anyone else in this situation.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes swept over his face, silentlymenting the injustices of fate. He Xing had that intensely attractive face, the kind that stood out in a crowd.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face was equally a masterpiece of the heavens, with schrly and elegant features, especially when wearing sses, which added a bookish charm. His natural temperament often made one overlook his face, yet in reality, his face was the focal point of his overall aura.

    When he wasn¡¯t smiling, his presence seemed cool and mysterious, deterring people froming close. Yet, when he did smile, he gave off a sunny disposition with a hint of roguish charm, quite stunning.

    By now Su Cheng had caught up with them, grinning so wide that his teeth were on full disy to Fu Han. ¡°Fu Han, Brother Qinghe has always been like this since we were young, always most eager to stand up for justice.¡±

    After checking thepetition results and being unable to ept them, Su Cheng thought of Luo Qinghe, the president of the Photographers Association and a judge for thepetition, and he was the first to call Luo Qinghe.

    Luo Qinghe was surprised by the news of Fu Han not making it to the finals. He requested to see herpetition photos, and upon seeing them, he was immediately excited.

    He remembered this set of photos, which had received very high evaluations during thepetition, achieving unanimous approval among the judges. There was no reason for her not to even have the qualification to enter the finals.

    The staff who attended to them, upon understanding their purpose, left briefly. When they returned, the response was, ¡°The knockout round results were jointly assessed by over a dozen judges, absolutely fair and just.¡±

    ¡°I request to see the evaluation results from all judges,¡± Luo Qinghe pulled out a badge. ¡°I am the chairman of the Photographers Association, and I must ensure thepetition¡¯s fairness and justice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Luo, but I can¡¯t help you,¡± said the staff member before turning to leave.

    Luo Qinghe stood up abruptly, grabbing the staff member¡¯s cor, the cultivated elegance on his face reced by barely masked fury, ¡°Lead me to your supervisor. Don¡¯t try to fool me with these titudes.¡±

    Immediately, security guards rushed over, shouting loudly, ¡°Someone¡¯s being violent, there¡¯s trouble here!¡±

    As a brawl seemed imminent, Su Cheng ran to Luo Qinghe¡¯s side, making it clear he was prepared to join in the fray, ¡°Brother Qinghe, I¡¯m with you.¡±

 Chapter 51 - 51 No need for you to worry about 051

    ?Chapter 51: No need for you to worry about 051   Chapter 51: No need for you to worry about 051                                   ¡°Let go.¡± Fu Han didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, but she pulled the staff member from under Luo Qinghe¡¯s iron grip, her face cold as she looked at him, ¡°If this is how you seek justice for me, then let¡¯s go back.¡±

    For a moment, Luo Qinghe¡¯s face changed, bing very ugly, but he quickly controlled his emotions, no longer making any excessive moves.

    However, themotion they caused was too great; many people came to see what was happening. Leading them was a square-faced man wearing sses. He furrowed his brows at the trio, ¡°You dare make trouble in Jiangshan Gallery, get them, catch them all.¡±

    ¡°I have words for you, alone.¡± Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t retreat but advanced instead, moving swiftly to the side of the man with sses.

    The two whispered something indiscernible to onlookers, and theplexion of the man with sses changed dramatically. He sized up Luo Qinghe with his eyes, eventually leading him respectfully inside, leaving Su Cheng and Fu Han waiting there.

    ¡­

    He Xing drove his Maserati hastily back to Huating No.1, only to find, not unexpectedly, that Fu Han was not there. Initially, he thought she was deliberately not opening the door, until he ended up pounding on it until his hand swelled.

    He made three phone calls to Fu Han and sent two text messages before finally finding out she had gone to Jiangshan Gallery.

    He Xing then traveled to Jiangshan Gallery, his anxiety on full disy.

    When he saw Fu Han in the hall of Jiangshan Gallery, she was sitting on a sofa with Su Cheng, surrounded by a circle of bodyguards, as if they were guarding prisoners.

    He Xing adjusted his tie and stood emotionlessly outside the circle: ¡°Fu Han,e out.¡±

    ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Fu Han was so surprised that by the time she realized it, she was already obediently standing behind He Xing, just like three years ago.

    Indeed, sometimes the body doesn¡¯t follow the mind¡¯smands; habits are a powerful thing.

    Su Cheng immediately followed suit, but was tragically stopped by the bodyguards: ¡°Sorry, sir, Mr. He didn¡¯t call you over.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Su Cheng, then at the dozen or so bodyguards, and finally, her gaze settled on He Xing: ¡°Did you send everyone your picture, or how else would they all recognize you?¡±

    A crack appeared on He Xing¡¯s icy facade as he nced at Fu Han: ¡°I don¡¯t have time for such trivial matters. Come with me, I¡¯ll handle your issues.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming too.¡± Su Cheng struggled to reach their side, but was ruthlessly blocked by the bodyguards.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing; she pondered whether to ask for his help or not, but considering the principle of standing up for herself, she turned and said to Su Cheng: ¡°Just wait here, we¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    A person dressed in a suit appeared as if from nowhere, ready to lead the way, hunching his back in front: ¡°Mr. He, please follow me, our boss is already waiting inside.¡±

    He Xing gave a nearly imperceptible nod, and told Fu Han: ¡°Follow closely, don¡¯t get lost. If you do, I will note looking for you.¡±

    After three years, hearing He Xing¡¯s domineering tone again, Fu Han couldn¡¯t quite name her feelings: a mix of nostalgia, sadness, and inexplicable anger.

    She sidestepped, widening the distance between them: ¡°Since you deem me a bother, you can neglect my affairs.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s stride halted abruptly as he turned to look at Fu Han, a powerful oppressive air enveloping her: ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Fu Han swallowed hard, but still insisted bravely: ¡°I said I don¡¯t need your help; you don¡¯t need to meddle in my affairs.¡±

    As she spoke, the air around them dropped to a freezing point. The person ahead, leading the way, was so frightened that he didn¡¯t dare to breathe, his eyes spinning as he watched the two of them.

    He Xing extended a long arm towards Fu Han who, much as she might have wished otherwise, couldn¡¯t escape being wrapped in his embrace.

    The distance between them narrowed, and He Xing¡¯s unique scent swirled around Fu Han¡¯s nostrils. However, she found it somewhat foreign due to the subtle addition of a tobo scent that hadn¡¯t been there three years before.

    She pressed her hands against He Xing¡¯s chest, striving to remain calm: ¡°Keep your distance from me, we¡ª¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, He Xing kissed Fu Han¡¯s lips deeply.

    It was an aggressive kiss, a siege, but fortunately, it was just that¡ªa kiss. He Xing did not make any further advances like he did in the past.

    When Fu Han finally emerged from that disorienting kiss, He Xing let her go.

    She pushed He Xing away at once, frantically wiping her lips with her sleeve, her eyes misting with unshed tears as she looked at him, her heart full of grievance.

    After a fleeting eye contact, He Xing looked away and said in a deep voice: ¡°You are my fianc¨¦e; your issues are my issues.¡±

    Without another nce at Fu Han, he took the lead and walked on ahead.

    Fu Han stared at the empty corridor, the art pieces on the walls, the harsh overhead lighting, the dark gray tiles on the floor¡ªher heart was in turmoil.

    They were received by Zhao Qiansun, the principal organizer of the Rowing the Heavens photography exhibition. Upon seeing He Xing, Zhao showered him with ttery, bowing so low he nearly touched his chest.

    He Xing, nonchnt, took his ce on the sofa, crossing his legs as he said: ¡°I¡¯m sure you know why I¡¯m here. Your selfish actions havepromised the fairness of the contest. Do you need me to tarnish thepetition so you¡¯ll learn to repent?¡±

    Zhao Qiansun wiped the sweat from his forehead, nodding and bowing: ¡°Mr. He, this is a great misunderstanding. Our contest has been held for many editions, always fairly and justly.¡±

    Fu Han, observing Zhao from the side, saw a typical middle-aged man who was prematurely balding. To cover up the bald spot, he left his hair very long, which nowy in disarray because he had just wiped sweat from his brow.

    Hanging belly barely contained by his suit, Zhao personified all of Fu Han¡¯s pet peeves. She loathed middle-aged sleaze, and he was the epitome of it.

    Though she didn¡¯t know as much as He Xing did, even she, at this point, was no fool¡ªshe understood there was something fishy about her not getting into the finals. But who exactly had a score to settle with her?

    He Xing pulled a document from his briefcase and tossed it onto the table, looking down at Zhao with arrogance: ¡°Take a look at this first.¡±

    Zhao respectfully picked up the document, scanning it quickly. After reading, his lips began to quiver: ¡°He¡­ Mr. He, is¡­ is this an investment agreement? Are¡­ are you suggesting that He Group¡¯s invested film project should be carried out by us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He Xing pointed casually towards Fu Han: ¡°I¡¯ve already decided on her as the Chief Photographer for my film. If she loses the Rowing the Heavenspetition, tell me, how will that reflect on my movie?¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52 Look at me like this 052

    ?Chapter 52: Look at me like this, 052   Chapter 52: Look at me like this, 052                                   ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Zhao Qiansun¡¯s attitude took a 180-degree turn. He carefully put away the documents while eyeing Fu Han up and down: ¡°Miss Fu, so young and yet so extraordinarily talented. Our original intention was merely to dampen your edge a bit, but it seems the flood has washed over the Dragon King Temple.¡±

    MORE: As Fu Han listened, something felt increasingly amiss. This was clearly a case of fighting fire with fire. Someone had used some method to prevent her from entering the finals, and now, He Xing had used the same method to help her advance. And from the way He Xing was acting, it was clear he was pressuring Zhao Qiansun to ensure she would hold the champion title.

    She couldn¡¯t just stand by and let this happen. She stood in front of He Xing, looking down at him from her higher position: ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, my affairs are none of your business. I¡¯m here solely to ensure my work was fairly and justly considered for the finals.¡±

    Zhao Qiansun looked from He Xing to Fu Han, his chubby face breaking into an ambiguous smile: ¡°President He, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be taking my leave. You can stay here as long as you like. I assure you that no one will disturb you.¡±

    He Xing nodded. His face was still expressionless, but his gaze had softened considerablypared to before.

    Zhao Qiansun scurried off as if his feet were greased, moving faster than a rabbit.

    In the vast Reception Room, only Fu Han and He Xing remained. She felt like a little white rabbit that had fallen into a wolf¡¯s den. She hurried toward the door, not looking back as she said: ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ve got other things to handle, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± She was fast, but He Xing was faster. With long arms and legs, he blocked her way before she could reach the door: ¡°I helped you out with such a big favor today. Don¡¯t you think you should thank me?¡±

    ¡°Thank you?¡± The memory of He Xing¡¯s conversation with Zhao Qiansun prompted an irrepressible disdain in Fu Han¡¯s heart: ¡°I thought only light could defeat the darkness, but it seems even deeper darkness can prevail.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He Xing¡¯s smile vanished like a receding tide, leaving his face expressionless once again, an all-too-familiar mask that seemed perennially affixed to his visage.

    Fu Han took two steps back to widen the distance between them: ¡°I¡¯ve said it already. I just wanted to know if my exclusion from the race was fair and just. I don¡¯t want you to use your resources to exchange for my entry pass.¡±

    ¡°Is there still a need to question? How could you possibly not make it to the finals?¡± He Xing sighed, attempting to speak in a calm tone: ¡°All I wanted was to prevent any undue difficulties for you in the uingpetition, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°But can you honestly say that after what you¡¯ve done, that fat man wouldn¡¯t hand me the championship?¡± Fu Han could barely hold back augh: ¡°People like you with money, you always think of solving problems with money. How could you understand the feelings of us ordinary folks?¡±

    ¡°Is that how you see me?¡± He Xing stared at Fu Han, his face betraying a clearly wounded expression.

    Bang!

    Fu Han thought she heard the sound of something shattering. Her heart skipped a beat.

    For a moment, she really wanted to apologize to He Xing.

    Just like three years ago, whenever He Xing frowned, she felt as if she hadmitted a grave error, almost as if she should kneel down and beg for his forgiveness.

    But she ultimately wasn¡¯t the same person she had been three years ago. She bit her lip, with a bittersweet taste filling her mouth, steadied her mind, and walked past He Xing to leave on her own.

    He Xing didn¡¯t look back at Fu Han. He gazed at the empty Office, letting out a deep sigh.

    At that moment, his spine, which never bent, suddenly curved, and he felt a sudden pang of destion.

    The jarring ring of the phone broke the silence in the Office. He Xing pulled out his phone to see it was a call from Liang Tao: ¡°President He, the production studio issue has been settled. They¡¯ve epted ourpensation proposal and are willing to let Fu Han take charge of the photography.¡±

    He Xing straightened his back instantly, his voice returning to its usual calm: ¡°Mhm, make sure all the required procedures are properly followed. There should be no mistakes.¡±

    When He Xing left the Office, he was once again the sculpture-like and stunningly handsome He Xing, with a wlessly expressionless face as if nothing had ever happened.

    Yet when he left, he chose the VIP passage, avoiding the area where Fu Han and her group were.

    ¡­

    Standing in front of Su Cheng, Fu Han¡¯s heart was still racing uncontrobly, indescribably unsettled.

    Seeing Fu Han approach, Su Cheng had been anxiously waiting and became excitedly restless, his eyes scanning her up and down: ¡°How did it go? Are you all right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Fu Han looked around and didn¡¯t see Luo Qinghe, assuming he hadn¡¯te back yet. She cleared her throat and said: ¡°Shall we wait in the car for Luo Qinghe?¡±

    She really didn¡¯t want to stay in the Hall any longer. He Xing mighte by at any moment, and she truly didn¡¯t want to see him now, more than ever before.

    Su Cheng was always eager toply with Fu Han¡¯s requests, and immediately agreed without hesitation: ¡°Good, I don¡¯t want to stay here any longer either. I¡¯ll send a message to Brother Qinghe.¡±

    Inside the white Audi, Su Cheng sat in the driver¡¯s seat, while Fu Han stayed in the back seat.

    Her gaze drifted involuntarily around the environment outside as it was dusk again, but today the sky looked like rain, with gray clouds gathering above.

    It felt like a storm was brewing, and because the Jiangshan Gallery was on top of the mountain, the sense of oppression seemed even more intense.

    Annoyance began to rise within Fu Han, a feeling that had been persistent since she learned she didn¡¯t pass the preliminaries, only now it was growing stronger.

    Trying to distract herself, she spoke casually: ¡°Su Cheng, is Luo Qinghe really just the president of the photography association? Why are people¡¯s attitudes toward him changing so much?¡±

    Su Cheng, who had been watching Fu Han through the rear-view mirror, was startled by her sudden question. His face blushed as he replied softly: ¡°Brother Qinghe is amazing. He is actually¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, a knock on the window sounded; lowering the ss revealed Luo Qinghe.

    He courteously took the passenger seat, buckling his seat belt while asking, ¡°What were you two talking about?¡±

    Without hesitation, Su Cheng said, ¡°We were discussing you¡­¡±

    Inwardly, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Su Cheng¡¯s enduring innocence, despite his age. She quickly interrupted him: ¡°We were discussing when you wereing back and if they would give you any trouble.¡±

    ¡°Trouble me? They don¡¯t have the guts.¡± Luo Qinghe turned to give Fu Han a radiant smile: ¡°I just checked thepetition entries; there was a statistical error. You did pass the preliminary round, and they have already sent you an email. The final round is the strictest one yet, so you have to put your best effort in.¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 053 unfamiliar

    ?Chapter 53: 053 unfamiliar   Chapter 53: 053 unfamiliar                                   Fu Han had known that she had passed the preliminary round, but she didn¡¯t want to exin what had happened after she left with He Xing, so she feigned surprise and said, ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, thank you for your help.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Luo Qinghe said indifferently, ¡°This world is too dirty, someone has to uphold justice.¡±

    Su Cheng wanted to speak but caught Fu Han gesturing to him out of the corner of his eye, and ultimately, he bit back his words and said nothing.

    ¡­

    Qinghe Bar

    Even at night, this bar was not crowded, with only a handful of customers inside either drinking or chatting.

    The music was soothing,cking the agitationmon in other bars. This ce was better described as a cafe, a cafe nestled inside a bomb shelter.

    Su Cheng stared at the drink before him and gave it a swirl. The pale blue liquid gleamed like a gemstone under the dim light, so beautiful it seemed a shame to drink it.

    Next to him, Luo Qinghe had already downed two small sses of vodka. He put down his ss and looked at Su Cheng, ¡°You¡¯ve always been the good boy, hardly ever drinking, never frequenting entertainment venues. What brings you here today?¡±

    Su Cheng sighed imperceptibly, tilted his head, and gulped down his cocktail in one swift motion, coughing violently from the speed, his eyes reddening.

    Luo Qinghe snapped his fingers, and immediately a waiter brought over a ss of fresh orange juice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Su Cheng pushed away the ss, his baby face puffed up with anger, ¡°I am twenty-six years old, stop treating me like a child.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re not a child,¡± Luo Qinghe said with a hint of humor on his face, pretending to be serious, ¡°Then let me ask you an adult question, what¡¯s going on between you and Nan Qing? When are you getting engaged?¡±

    ¡°If you bring this up again, I¡¯m done with you,¡± Su Cheng shot up, speaking with conviction, ¡°The person I like is Fu Han. I¡¯ve said it many times, I only like Fu Han.¡±

    ¡°For your own good, I advise you to stop liking her,¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s face took on a rare serious expression, ¡°I see He Xing is set on getting her, and you¡¯re no match for him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed with a mix of anger and confidence, ¡°He Xing hurt her deeply before, all she wants is to annul their engagement. As long as I¡¯m good to her, she will definitely see it.¡±

    ¡°Annul the engagement?¡± Luo Qinghe muttered to himself, noticing Su Cheng¡¯s probing gaze, he patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then keep up the effort, but just don¡¯t have too high hopes, do what you can and leave the rest to fate.¡±

    Su Cheng selectively ignored the part he didn¡¯t want to hear and joyfully interpreted Luo Qinghe¡¯s words as full encouragement.

    He looked around and asked with a smile, ¡°Brother Qinghe, how many things have you done to satisfy your parents? I never knew you had this bar.¡±

    ¡°If you saw through me at a nce, all these years would have been for nothing,¡± Luo Qinghe joked half-heartedly, clearly somewhat distracted.

    But Su Cheng¡¯s curiosity was piqued, and he asked with keen interest, ¡°Brother Qinghe, what exactly did you say to the people from Jiangshan Gallery this afternoon that they took you to the back?¡±

    ¡°Simple, I just revealed my identity,¡± Luo Qinghe smiled nonchntly, his expression unconcerned.

    Su Cheng felt a familiar pang in his chest and fell silent.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s identity was something very few people knew, and anyone who did would not simply see him as a famous Photographer.

    But from a young age, Luo Qinghe disliked being reminded of his background, always feeling out of ce with that family, just like his name.

    Luo Qinghe patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder again, ¡°Even without me, Fu Han won¡¯t be wronged, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, she¡¯ll be the champion of thispetition.¡±

    This was the oue Su Cheng had hoped for, but his heart sank upon hearing it. He didn¡¯t want to hear what Luo Qinghe would say next, yet he craved the knowledge like an addict, unable to control his desire to know.

    All he heard was Luo Qinghe¡¯s signature clear voice beginning to speak, ¡°He Xing used a blockbuster movie with an investment of over a hundred million as a door-knocker and got the organizers to bend.¡±

    Su Cheng already heavy heart grew even heavier, as though a mountain weighed upon him, suffocating him.

    ¡­

    When night hadpletely fallen, Nan Qing called to say her parents hade to see her and that she wouldn¡¯t return home tonight.

    Fu Han, still unable to cook due to her injured hand, simply ordered takeout, nning to eat dinner before starting preparations for the final round.

    As she went out to pick up her food, she saw Liang Tao standing at the door of apartment 2502.

    After some thought, she spoke up, ¡°Liang Tao, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t reach Mr. He, and this is a document he urgently needs to handle.¡± Liang Tao, upon seeing Fu Han, acted as if he had seen a savior, ¡°Lady Fu, could you help me get in touch with Mr. He?¡±

    Fu Han dodged Liang Tao¡¯s gaze, ¡°Me? I think you¡¯re mistaken, I¡¯m not familiar with your Mr. He.¡±

    ¡°How can you not be familiar?¡± Liang Tao¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°His personal phone only has your number; he moved here to be closer to you; and today, Mr. He suddenly voided an already signed movie shooting contract, all because of¡­¡±

    ¡°Liang Tao!¡±

    A sharp admonition rang out, startling Liang Tao enough to swallow the rest of his words and causing Fu Han¡¯s heart to pound.

    Both of them instinctively looked back and saw He Xing standing at the elevator entrance, his face pale under the light cascading down the hallway.

    Fu Han patted her chest, her heart still racing, ¡°He Xing, are you a ghost or something? When did you show up? Couldn¡¯t you have said something?¡±

    ¡°Why, can¡¯t Ie here?¡± He Xing walked towards them step by step, extending his hand to Liang Tao and saying, ¡°Leave the document, you can go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. He.¡± Liang Tao¡¯s legs seemed to be failing him as he handed the file to He Xing and cast a pleading nce at Fu Han before leaving.

    Fu Han really wanted to ignore Liang Tao¡¯s plea for help¡ªafter all, it wasn¡¯t she who asked him to gossip about the boss behind his back, so why should she cover for him?

    But Liang Tao didn¡¯t give her the chance to ignore him, and she really couldn¡¯tprehend how Liang Tao, with his size, could escape with the speed of a well-oiled bolt.

    In the corridor, only He Xing and Fu Han were left standing opposite each other, you looking at me, me looking at you, both seemingly determined not to speak.

    Suddenly, the sound-activated light went out, plunging the corridor into darkness, and at that very moment, a tempest rose, the rain furiouslyshing against the window panes.

    Fu Han let out a shriek, and the next second she was enveloped in a warm embrace, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡±

    The lights came back on, and Fu Han pushed He Xing away, picking up the takeout from the ground, intending to return home, but He Xing followed her in before the door closed.

 Chapter 54 - 54 Explosive News 054

    ?Chapter 54: Explosive News 054   Chapter 54: Explosive News 054                                   Fu Han put down her takeout and when she turned around, she saw He Xing had followed her in. She stepped back warily, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± He Xing¡¯s gaze drifted across the takeout boxes as if trying to decipher what was inside, ¡°I¡¯ve run around for you all day, so it¡¯s not too much to ask for a meal, right?¡±

    Reason told Fu Han that she should refuse He Xing¡¯s request, but when she opened her mouth, what came out was the exact opposite, ¡°Not too much at all, I ordered plenty.¡±

    A small smile yed on He Xing¡¯s lips as he actively opened each takeout box.

    The storm was bing more intense, and even inside the house, the sounds of lightning and thunder were staggering. Because of the high floor, the lightning and thunder seemed to bombard right next to them.

    Fu Han hunched her shoulders. Her parents had passed away early, and since their departure, she had slept alone. Naturally, she feared the nights, especially during thunderstorms, as any child of about ten years old would.

    The old master He really cared for her, but as the head of He Group, busy with a myriad of affairs, even with the best intentions, he wouldn¡¯t consider whether a child was afraid to sleep at night.

    From then on, she developed a fear of thunder.

    But this was a secret to everyone. In her youth, she had a strong sense of pride, and having been mocked by people like Xia Ning, she kept it to herself for many years, to the extent that even He Xing was unaware of her fear of thunder.

    Lost in a daze, suddenly a warm hand took hers. The dry palm seemed to possess some magical power that dispersed the fear in her heart like smoke blown away by the wind.

    By the time she realized it was He Xing holding her hand, she shook his off as if electrocuted, ¡°Why do you always take advantage when people aren¡¯t paying attention?¡±

    This was the first time since her return that she spoke such words so unconvincingly, and she was even ready for He Xing to retort.

    But she waited and did not hear He Xing speak. He picked up his chopsticks again and, while eating, said without looking up, ¡°Then I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Fu Han felt disheartened; she would rather have He Xing say something terrible, or even wish he continued his advances, than to have him apologize to her.

    That was He Xing!

    This was the most awkward meal Fu Han and He Xing had ever had together, both burying their heads in their food, neither speaking a word, not evenmenting on the takeout being unptable.

    Fu Han wanted to ask about the movie investment, but recalling their unpleasant argument that afternoon, she feared it might lead to another fight.

    Her return was meant to set clear boundaries with He Xing, but unknowingly, their ties had be more entangled; so many things, impossible to cut through and sort out.

    In the silent depth of night, Fu Hany in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The sound of rain outside grew louder, as if intending to unleash a year¡¯s worth of precipitation at once.

    Fortunately, there was less thunder now, and the asional mild rumbles no longer carried the destructive power of earlier.

    Even so, Fu Han not only drew her curtains tightly but also buried her head under the nkets. Scenes from the afternoon ran through her mind, her emotions so heavy she struggled to breathe.

    After much deliberation, she still sent He Xing a message: ¡°I hope you can talk to the organizers of ¡®Follow the World¡¯ and let them know I want topete fairly with all the contestants. I¡¯ll have noints even if I lose.¡±

    From a young age, she detested people like Xia Ning who abused their wealth and power to bully her; she believed all humans were born equal and abhorred all actions driven by self-interest and abuse of power. If thepetition couldn¡¯t be fair and just, what else in the world could be considered dark?

    And she would not be He Xing¡¯s Photographer for the movie. After the contest, she would hold a press conference to announce the dissolution of her engagement to He Xing and then leave A City, never to see him again.

    Just as Fu Han put down her phone, ready to sleep, a message from He Xing arrived.

    For some reason, as she opened the message, she felt a sudden surge of nervousness, anticipation, and fear.

    He Xing¡¯s message was brief: ¡°There won¡¯t be any backdoor dealings, you¡¯ll make it on your own!¡±

    Fu Han sighed with relief, but her heart couldn¡¯t settle into peace.

    ¡­

    The sky was exceptionally blue after the torrential rain, as if washed by water, and the house became extraordinarily bright.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know when she had fallen asleep the night before. When she woke up, it was already midday. Even with curtains drawn, she found the sunlight too harsh.

    Dragging her slippers, she decided to cook herself a bowl of noodles. The spicy hot pot she had ordered yesterday had been too spicy; even now her stomach was still a bit sore.

    Bubbles were already forming in the pot. Fu Han prepared to scoop out the noodles with a strainer, but just then her phone rang urgently.

    Fu Han nced at the noodles, which could still simmer for a bit longer, then turned and went to the living room to get her phone. It was a call from Su Cheng, ¡°Fu Han, are you at home right now? Whatever you do, don¡¯t go online.¡±

    Confused, she hung up and stared at her phone. Compelled by some force, she opened Weibo, and it was as if she were plunged into icy snond.

    The top trending topic on Weibo was: ¡°Fu Han, the ultimate green tea bitch, stringing along two sons of wealth.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s hands and feet turned ice-cold as she clicked to read more. Inside were photos of her and He Xing, along with pictures of her and Luo Qinghe.

    When she saw the title, she thought it involved He Xing and Su Cheng, but to her surprise, it was Luo Qinghe¡ªand he happened to be the younger son of the Li Family, which was second among the four major families, though he bore his mother¡¯s surname.

    As for Fu Han, her parents¡¯ past and her entire life history had been exposed.

    What followed was an array of insults.

    The daughter of a servant and a chauffeur, going to great lengths to marry into a wealthy family, leveraging her act of saving someone¡¯s life to threaten old master He.

    Some said she was abandoned by the He Family three years ago, only to return with calcted schemes for revenge, and by chance encountered the Li scion, leading to her ying both sides.

    Of course, the ¡°Follow the World¡±petition was also dug up, using her of being a photographer who only filled numbers, someone who didn¡¯t actually make it through the rematch, but was pushed through by the influence of He Xing and Luo Qinghe. Many predicted she was bound to be the ultimate winner.

    Others said Fu Han was so desperate for fame that she used He Xing and Luo Qinghe as stepping stones to raise her profile, iming she was deeply scheming.

    The more Fu Han read, the angrier and more shocked she became.

    The abruptness of these events left her utterly unprepared and stunned. She didn¡¯t even know what to do yet.

    What would He Xing and Luo Qinghe think?

    Would they suspect this was her doing the maniption in the background?

    As she was at a loss, He Xing¡¯s call came in. Fu Han immediately answered, ¡°He Xing, have you seen the news online? It wasn¡¯t me who released it.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± came He Xing¡¯s ever-calm voice, ¡°Stay at home, don¡¯t go out, and don¡¯t open the door to anyone.¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55 055 Proposal

    ?Chapter 55: 055 Proposal   Chapter 55: 055 Proposal                                   After finishing that sentence, He Xing hung up the phone directly.

    Strangely enough, if Fu Han had heard He Xing¡¯s tone, as if someone owed him money, she would have been infuriated; but now, she found his voice carried an inexplicable soothing power that settled her heart instantly.

    Suddenly, the smell of burning food wafted over.

    ¡°Ah, my noodles,¡± screeched Fu Han, no longer caring about the things on the, as she rushed to the kitchen in a panic.

    The kitchen was already a total mess. The noodle soup had boiled over; the stove was covered with it, and the noodles in the pot were burnt to a crisp. The situation in the kitchen was beyond disheveled, it was nauseating.

    Fu Han let out a deep sigh; indeed, multitasking was a bad idea. Now, not only were the noodles inedible, but she also had to clean up the kitchen.

    She rummaged through the cabs looking for gloves, and though she didn¡¯t find them, she heard someone knocking at the door.

    Remembering He Xing¡¯s warning, Fu Han didn¡¯t speak but instead peered through the peephole. To her surprise, she saw Su Cheng standing outside, a look of urgency on his face.

    She opened the door and let Su Cheng in, only then noticing that Su Cheng wasden with bags big and small.

    ¡°Why did you bring so much stuff over?¡± Fu Han cocked her head, her face filled with confusion.

    ¡°Brother Qinghe told me to,¡± Su Cheng said as he started to unload the bags, ¡°Brother Qinghe said this might be a prolonged battle. To prevent you from running out of supplies, he asked me to buy you some extra food.¡±

    Although Fu Han was reluctant to admit it, she couldn¡¯t help but appreciate Luo Qinghe¡¯s thoughtfulness. It was likely that she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the house for days.

    Su Cheng wrinkled his nose: ¡°Fu Han, what¡¯s that smell in your house?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Fu Han stuck out her tongue and said sheepishly, ¡°I burnt the noodles I was cooking and was just about to clean up.¡±

    At that thought, she quickly added, ¡°Thank you for bringing me these things, but you should leave now before you get caught up in this if they block the doorter.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s head drooped. Just when Fu Han thought he wouldn¡¯t say anything, he suddenly spoke, ¡°Fu Han, I wish it was me appearing with you on Weibo. I¡¯m not afraid of anything. If you¡¯re willing, I can call a press conference right now and announce you as my fianc¨¦e.¡±

    Is this¡­ a proposal?

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed red. She took two steps back, widening the distance between them, and said seriously, ¡°Su Cheng, I know how you feel about me, but my answer is the same as it was a few months ago. I only see you as a friend.¡±

    There was a moment of silence in the room. Su Cheng¡¯s head sank lower and lower, then suddenly, he looked up, his chubby face beaming with a bright smile, ¡°Fu Han, you didn¡¯t really think I was serious, did you? Do I look like the kind of person who takes advantage of a crisis? If I were to propose, I wouldn¡¯t choose a time like this.¡±

    ¡°You scared me to death.¡± Fu Han patted her chest in relief, making an exaggerated face, ¡°You better leave now; if you don¡¯t go now, the situation will just get messier.¡±

    No sooner had the words left her mouth than another knock sounded at the door. Fu Han made a ¡°shush¡± gesture and quietly walked to the door. Through the peephole, a dense crowd was visible, each person holding a huge camera.

    Paparazzi!

    Fu Han was so anxious she could hardly stand it. How could Su Cheng leave now?

    Su Cheng, apologetically scratching his head, whispered an apology, ¡°Fu Han, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it, I really didn¡¯t know they woulde so soon. Maybe I¡¯ll just leave from the balcony.¡±

    ¡°This is the 25th floor. Are you nning tomit suicide if you climb the balcony?¡± Fu Han was quite agitated. Yet, she managed to keep her calm, ¡°Never mind. Just stay here for now. We¡¯ll see how things y out.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Su Cheng suddenly smiled, then btedly realized that now was really not the time for smiling. He scratched his head as he whispered softly, ¡°I¡¯ll help you clean up the kitchen.¡±

    ¡­

    Nan Qing silently looked at the four people sitting in front of her; two men and two women, whose attire betrayed their high status. Any single piece of their jewelry might be worth more than an ordinary person¡¯s life savings.

    Inparison, Nan Qing¡¯s attire could only be described as in. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt sttered with various paint colors¡ªwhether it was part of the shirt¡¯s design or from when she was painting, it wasn¡¯t clear.

    Her lower half was d in ripped jeans with knee holes as big as washbasins, exposing sections of her fair thighs. On her feet were dirty sneakers.

    The middle-aged woman sitting to her left held her hand with a pained expression, ¡°Xiaoqing, look at yourself, your hands are all rough now. Come back home with us. Your father and I miss you every day.¡±

    Nan Qing wanted to pull her hand away but seeing the tears welling up in the other¡¯s eyes, she refrained and instead sighed, ¡°Mom, if I go back, wouldn¡¯t you and Dad just try to make me join thepany again?¡±

    ¡°We are doing this for your own good.¡± The middle-aged man opposite Nan Qing looked at her with the same concern, ¡°This will all be yours someday. We thought it better you get involved earlier. In case anything unexpected happens to your mother and me¡­¡±

    Nan Qing interrupted him, clearly impatient, ¡°Enough, Dad. Every time we meet, it¡¯s always the same speech. Don¡¯t you get tired because my ears are practically calloused from hearing it. Can you just stop?¡±

    Mr. Nan coughed awkwardly and shifted his gaze to Mrs. Nan, deciding to remain quiet.

    The middle-aged woman sitting to Nan Qing¡¯s right, Mrs. Huangpu, affectionately tucked a stray hair behind Nan Qing¡¯s ear and said with a smile, ¡°Xiaoqing has finally agreed to meet us. Let¡¯s not bring up things that might upset her.¡±

    The quiet middle-aged man, Mr. Huangpu, immediately agreed, his expression the calmest among the four.

    Nan Qing mused over her thoughts while sipping orange juice. As her ss neared empty, she cleared her throat, ¡°Mom, Dad, godparents, I have to go now. I¡¯ve got something to take care of.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Mrs. Nan caught hold of her wrist, ¡°You wanted to be independent, so we let you go abroad for a few years. Now that you¡¯re finally back, you won¡¯t stay at home. But your roommate is now the town¡¯s viin; how can you go back there?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t go back.¡± Mrs. Huangpu also held onto Nan Qing, ¡°You always say how wonderful your roommate is, but look at what she¡¯s done. Engaged to the He Family¡¯s heir and still entangled with Qinghe. You shouldn¡¯t be around such a person.¡±

    ¡°Did you hear?¡± Mrs. Nan leaned toward Mrs. Huangpu, ¡°The Li Family was supposed to host a banquet tomorrow, but it¡¯s now been canceledst minute, probably because of this mess.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I heard. The servant answered the phone,¡± Mrs. Huangpu responded with a smile, then nced at Mr. Huangpu across from her. She straightened up, adopting a serious tone, ¡°The Li Family deserves sympathy. The older son is mediocre, and the younger one might be smart but sadly doesn¡¯t carry the Li surname.¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 056 Makes People Envious

    ?Chapter 56: 056 Makes People Envious   Chapter 56: 056 Makes People Envious                                   ¡°Even if hisst name isn¡¯t Li, he¡¯s still a descendant of the Li Family,¡± said Mr. Huangpu, his face showing a touch of displeasure as he nced resentfully at his wife. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about such matters anymore. It¡¯s someone else¡¯s family affair. If you have spare time, better think about how to get our son to return.¡±

    With a sigh, Mrs. Huangpu grasped at Nan Qing like a drowning person grabbing for a straw. ¡°Our silly son is living close to Xiaoqing now. Who knows, they might end up together at any moment, and then all four of our wishes woulde true.¡±

    Nan Qing felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. Standing up abruptly upon hearing those words, she eximed, ¡°Ah, godmother, you¡¯ve reminded me, I indeed need to keep an eye on my brother. You all talk; I¡¯m going to head off.¡±

    After saying that, she strode over the back of the sofa with her long legs and trotted out of the room.

    The four remaining adults sat looking at each other, ncing from one to the other in confusion.

    Aftering out, Nan Qing directly hailed a cab and headed for Huating No.1.

    ¡­

    The current situation at He Group had utterly boiled over, or rather, it had been boiling since the trending search had exploded onlinest midnight.

    Strangely though, facing such an absolute ¡°scandal,¡± Chairman He, the old master, appeared veryposed, and CEO He Xing was also very calm.

    As a consequence, while the affected subordinates were busy to the point of chaos, they couldn¡¯t help but feel inwardly that indeed the emperor is not in a hurry while the eunuchs are.

    The busiest of them all was the Public Rtions Department. As director of the PR department, Yi Lixing hade directly to thepany at two in the morning. The PR team held an emergency meeting and formted a response n.

    As a big tree attracts the wind, He Group had faced negative crises in the past, and the PR department had always handled them with rtive ease; by that logic, they should have been able to quickly regain control of the situation this time as well, but oddly, the more they tried to control public opinion, the more it fermented.

    Yi Lixing ran his hand through his hair forcefully. His tie had been pulled off earlier, now lost who knows where. Clutching hisputer, he went straight to He Xing¡¯s office.

    ¡°CEO He, the four major families really attract envy. The target isn¡¯t just you this time, but also Li Family¡¯s young master Luo Qinghe. Should we get in touch with Li Group to discuss a joint response?¡±

    He Xing lifted his head and looked at Yi Lixing expressionlessly. ¡°Public rtions is your responsibility. I only require that Fu Han not be hurt.¡±

    ¡°Yes, CEO He. You¡¯re busy; I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± Yi Lixing said and fled from He Xing¡¯s office like a man escaping danger.

    He Xing bowed his head again. On hisputer was an email, halfposed. He rested his chin on his hand for a moment in thought, then swiftly typed on the keyboard. After several revisions, he pressed the send button.

    Once everything was set, he called for Liang Tao over the internal phone system and instructed him thoroughly. Then he picked up his car keys and left.

    This matter could be described as a bolt from the blue. Because of this lightning bolt, both He Group¡¯s and Li Group¡¯s stock fell by about two percentage points, evaporating several billion in market value overnight.

    The loss was undeniably substantial.

    But whether it was He Group or Li Group, with their centuries of history, bringing them down was not an easy feat.

    Many firms inpetitive rtionships would try every means imaginable to dig up and leak information about their rivals in order to crush them.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time He Xing had encountered such matters.

    But this time, they targeted Fu Han, and he couldn¡¯t treat the matter lightly.

    Now, he had deployed all his resources and was ready to the results; it was time to go and see her. Her hand still hadn¡¯t fully recovered, and alone at home, she was probably already frightened out of her wits all morning.

    ¡­

    In the urban vige located in A City, this was the least expensive ce to rent a house in the heart of the city. Many people chose to rent here for the convenience of getting to work.

    The area was filled with illegal constructions, with the fourne vige roads so crowded only onene was usable, and both sides lined with various street stalls.

    Though it was alreadyte autumn, flies and mosquitoes were still everywhere.

    Xia Ning¡¯s frown hadn¡¯t rxed since she entered the urban vige. When she realized she had gotten off next to a trash can, herposure finally broke.

    ¡°I want to go back. Why do we need toe to a ce like this? Isn¡¯t whatever needs to be said possible to discuss elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°Xiaoning, don¡¯t make a scene,¡± Xia Cheng said, pulling her off the luxury car with force, causing a few drops of mud to mar her white high heels.

    Looking at that mud, Xia Ning felt as disgusted as if she were seeing the recently faded hickey around her own neck.

    Letting Xia Cheng pull her, she tiptoed behind him, covering her mouth as if breathing more of the air here would cause her to copse.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Xia Cheng finally stopped walking.

    They stood before a six-story building crammed with electric bikes, discarded cardboard boxes, and empty drink bottles in the stairwell, leaving just enough space for one person to pass.

    The air was filled with a bizarre mix of odors: sweat, food, and spoiled groceries.

    Xia Ning almost threw up covering her mouth. Hurriedly following Xia Cheng, she didn¡¯t care if her high heels got dirty or if it was hard to climb the stairs.

    To her, every extra second spent here was akin to being tortured.

    They stopped in front of a door on the fifth floor. After a few minutes, someone finally opened it.

    As soon as the door opened, Xia Ning instantly felt the stairwell¡¯s smell was more tolerable¡ªanything was betterpared to the odor inside the apartment.

    The room was lined withputers, each with a person seated before it. The heater was on full st, and the air was stuffy.

    A man¡¯s mix of sweat, tobo, and betel nut, along with the scent of food,bined in the air. Within a second, Xia Ning felt like the intolerable smell had clung to her as well.

    Reluctant to step inside, she pushed Xia Cheng ahead: ¡°You go tell Yang Kaitai I¡¯m here, and ask him to talk about matters outside.¡±

    Xia Cheng nodded and soon returned with Yang Kaitai.

    Yang Kaitai could barely contain his excitement upon seeing Xia Ning: ¡°Xiaoning, you finally came to see me. Did you see the news online? Fu Han is done for now.¡±

    ¡°I saw it.¡± Her hand never left her mouth, but Xia Ning managed a constraining smile. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, thanks for your help.¡±

    His face flushed with exhration, Yang Kaitai grabbed Xia Ning¡¯s hand and pulled her inside: ¡°Xiaoning,e and see, these are the best hackers I could find. They definitely won¡¯t disappoint you.¡±

    Xia Ning instinctively wanted to shake off Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand. Catching Xia Cheng shaking his head from the corner of her eye, she suppressed her disgust and let Yang Kaitai pull her along.

    Encouraged, Yang Kaitai called out loudly, ¡°Brothers, pause your work. I have something to tell you. Your¡­ my friend Lady Xia Ning hase to visit.¡±

 Chapter 57 - 57 057 Reverse

    ?Chapter 57: 057 Reverse   Chapter 57: 057 Reverse                                   All the hackers turned their heads to look at Xia Ning, their gazes as unabashed as if they were sizing up watermelons on a roadside truck, making Xia Ning extremely ufortable.

    Someone, not sure who, shouted with a raspy voice, ¡°Boss Yang, what do you mean ¡®friend¡¯? Isn¡¯t this your sister-inw?¡±

    Immediately, a bunch of people started to jeer.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned bright red with anger, as she shook off Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand and pointed at the man who led the jeering, ¡°Who are you calling your sister-inw? Do I have anything to do with you? If you keep talking nonsense, believe it or not, I will find someone to take care of you.¡±

    The man lost face on the spot, with a look of embarrassment on his face, and his narrow eyes stared at Xia Ning like a beast eyeing its prey.

    The most embarrassed person was Yang Kaitai. He turned back, dissatisfied, and said to Xia Ning, ¡°They¡¯re all here to help you, just talking for a bit of fun. Can¡¯t you just put up with it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t put up with it,¡± Xia Ning raised her voice, using her usual arrogant tone, ¡°Yang Kaitai, who do you think you are, trying to get above yourself just because you did something? Let me tell you, if it wasn¡¯t for my brother¡­¡±

    ¡°Xiaoning¡­¡± Xia Cheng saw that she was speaking out of line and quickly pulled her back. He first gave Xia Ning a threatening look, then turned to the group of hackers with a smile on his face, ¡°Brothers, my sister has a bad temper, please bear with her. You¡¯ve all been working hard recently. Just hang in there a bit longer. Once this is done, I will personally reward you with one million.¡±

    ¡°Awesome, Boss Xia!¡± Yang Kaitai was the first to voice his approval, immediately setting off a wave of excited cheers among the hackers.

    On the way back, Xia Ning¡¯s face was as ugly as it could get, ¡°Brother, you can call a few girls to apany Yang Kaitai for dinner tonight. I¡¯m not going.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯vee this far, do you want to fail at thest hurdle?¡± Xia Cheng said with a cold face, ¡°No matter how much you dislike Yang Kaitai, make yourself look nice tonight. This matter isn¡¯t just between you and Fu Han anymore; Dad is also very concerned.¡±

    ¡­

    Fu Han and Su Cheng were both in the house, neither daring to go out. In the end, it was Su Cheng, worried that Fu Han might be hungry, who cooked noodles again¡ªthe only thing he knew how to make.

    The fridge was, in fact, crammed full of all sorts of food by Su Cheng, but Fu Han was in no mood to cook. That she was willing to eat noodles was already quite something.

    Every few minutes, the two would run to the peephole to check if the journalists outside had left, but those people seemed to be in it for the long haul, each finding a spot to settle in without any intention of leaving.

    This was the first time Fu Han encountered such a situation, utterly bewildered about what to do,pletely at a loss.

    Suddenly, amotion rose from outside, and Fu Han¡¯s heart stirred. Forgetting to put on her shoes, she rushed to the peephole, only to see that all the journalists outside had run away.

    Carrying their heavy cameras, they moved swiftly and with trained precision.

    ¡°They left?¡± Fu Han and Su Cheng looked at each other, disbelieving the scene before them.

    Swallowing nervously, Su Cheng tentatively suggested, ¡°Should I leave first? Just in case theye back and I can¡¯t get out.¡±

    ¡°What if they¡¯re just hiding somewhere close by?¡± Fu Han asked anxiously, her beautiful face, wracked with worry, brighter and more lively.

    The light in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes brightened, a rush of gantry flooding his heart, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll run as soon as I get out. There are no photos of me online, even if they see me, they won¡¯t recognize me.¡±

    Fu Han pondered the idea. She had been under the same roof with Su Cheng all morning and really didn¡¯t want to continue staying.

    All morning, Su Cheng tried hard to find topics of conversation, but they were all extremely awkward, leaving Fu Han with no mood to engage, resulting in nothing but forced chatter.

    Suddenly, the sound of knocking rang out, startling both Fu Han and Su Cheng. They looked at each other, and in each other¡¯s eyes, they saw concern: ¡°Could it be that the paparazzi really have returned?¡±

    As they hesitated, He Xing¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Xiaohan, it¡¯s me, open the door quickly.¡±

    Fu Han got excited instantly, forgetting to verify through the peephole whether it really was He Xing outside. She fumbled with the lock, and with a yank, she flung the door open.

    After He Xing entered, he didn¡¯t even have time to check out the state of the room. He instantly enveloped Fu Han in his embrace, resting his chin on her forehead, ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡±

    Those simple eight words almost brought Fu Han to tears, a feeling she never had even when she saw a barrage of insults online.

    She leaned on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, unable to utter a single word.

    He Xing gently patted her head, his nce finally falling on Su Cheng who stood a meter away. His body tensed instantly, and he asked expressionlessly, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s face also looked uneasy, but out of consideration for Fu Han, he kept up appearances, ¡°I heard about the situation online, so I came to bring Fu Han something to eat.¡±

    ¡°Right. Su Cheng helped me clean the kitchen, and he cooked noodles for me.¡± Fu Han, fearing He Xing and Su Cheng might start a fight, exined as she extricated herself from He Xing¡¯s embrace.

    When He Xing suddenly appeared here, she briefly forgot that she had made painstaking efforts to leave him, also forgetting that she had once used Su Cheng to upset He Xing, hoping to break off their marriage engagement.

    At that moment, Su Cheng felt a sense of righteousness. He stepped beside Fu Han and silently stared at He Xing, his intention clear without words.

    The atmosphere in the living room became exceedingly tense, and Fu Han felt overwhelmingly troubled. The situation was already chaotic enough, and now these two were adding to themotion.

    ¡°You better go,¡± He Xing suddenly said to Su Cheng. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to cause trouble for Fu Han, leave immediately. Those journalists wille back soon.¡±

    Su Cheng hesitated, looking at Fu Han without speaking, clearly not believing He Xing¡¯s words.

    ¡°You can go back, we¡¯ll contact each other by phone if there¡¯s anything.¡± Fu Han nodded, knowing that He Xing never lied, even though she wanted to flee from his side.

    Before Su Cheng left, he gave He Xing a long look, only to be met with He Xing mming the door shut with a ¡°snap¡±.

    Indeed, as soon as Su Cheng left, the elevator door opened again, and the gossip-hungry journalists made a grand return, cursing and swearing, obviously not in a good mood.

    Fu Han¡¯s elegant eyebrows furrowed in confusion, looking at He Xing, ¡°Did you do something I don¡¯t know about?¡±

    He Xing, already making himself at home by pouring a ss of warm water, put the ss down on the coffee table and crossed his legs proudly before responding, ¡°I merely had someone spread a false lead to the paparazzi, iming you were spotted at the entrance of theplex. They¡¯d naturally rush over to get first-hand materials. Then I took the opportunity toe back, isn¡¯t that perfect?¡±

 Chapter 58 - 58 Each relies on their own abilities

    ?Chapter 58: Each relies on their own abilities   Chapter 58: Each relies on their own abilities                                   ¡°Come back?¡± Fu Han raised an eyebrow, ncing in the direction of Room 2502, ¡°Boss He, it seems like you¡¯ve returned to the wrong ce, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    He Xing smiled nonchntly, ¡°I can go back now, but are you sure you want me to leave right this moment?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Fu Han was at a loss for words, genuinely speechless.

    She knew if He Xing left now, the paparazzi waiting outside her door would immediately upload their pictures online, which would be tantamount to indirectly admitting the rumors on the inte.

    Watching Fu Han¡¯s cute frustration, He Xing felt his mood lighten. He braced his hand on the coffee table, leaned in, and pinched Fu Han¡¯s cheek, ¡°So, were you scared today?¡±

    ¡°Stop pinching my face, it¡¯s already big,¡± Fu Han muttered as she dodged him and rubbed her cheeks which were not painful but burning, pretending to be calm.

    The corners of He Xing¡¯s mouth curved up slightly, his dark eyes shining like the brightest stars in the night sky. He looked at Fu Han deeply, as if he wanted to etch her into his bones.

    ¡°Is your final work ready?¡±

    A wave of color drained from Fu Han¡¯s face, but fortunately, she was already looking down. Her hair fell on either side of her cheeks, hiding her face, ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He Xing looked at Fu Han deeply, ¡°You just need to focus on thepetition, I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Fu Han whispered so softly it was almost inaudible, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Is that all¡ªthank you?¡± He Xing suddenly leaned down, trying to get a clear view of Fu Han¡¯s face.

    Caught off guard, the two looked at each other in a strange posture. Both their hearts skipped a beat, and the temperature in the room suddenly surged, turning deep autumn into summer.

    An uncontroble heat red within He Xing. He hurriedly stood up and headed towards the balcony, ¡°It¡¯s so hot. Why are the windows closed and the curtains drawn?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the curtains, be careful of people taking photos.¡± Fu Han rushed toward He Xing as she spoke, attempting to stop him.

    He Xing paused, quickly turning around with a full smile and opening his arms. Fu Han could only watch as she dashed right into He Xing¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°This time, it wasn¡¯t me who initiated the hug,¡± He Xing¡¯s striking face bore a teasing smile, ¡°It¡¯s you who threw herself into my arms. I would be disrespectful to refuse.¡±

    Fu Han broke free from He Xing¡¯s embrace like she¡¯d been shocked by electricity, retreating about three steps away before standing firm and stating impassively, ¡°Boss He, indeed you haven¡¯t changed, always passive, never rejecting.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s smile vanished instantly, and he silently watched Fu Han. His mouth opened and closed, yet in the end, he said nothing.

    When someone doesn¡¯t believe you, no matter how much you say, it only seems like making excuses in their eyes. It¡¯s better to stay silent than to speak.

    But could he really remain silent, be content with that?

    Fu Han had already turned to go back to her room. He Xing suddenly stood up, striding towards her and forcefully kissed her. He poured all his strength into the kiss, leaving Fu Han almost breathless.

    He finally released her, ¡°I¡¯ve said before, if there¡¯s no Xia Ning, I¡¯ll only take the initiative with you, never rejecting you.¡±

    Fu Han sighed, pulling out a piece of paper to wipe her mouth. She looked seriously at He Xing, ¡°He Xing, since I came back, I¡¯ve had only one request: dissolve our marriage contract. Leave me be, and I¡¯ll leave you be.¡±

    ¡°What if¡­ I don¡¯t agree?¡± He Xing¡¯s gaze was deep as the ocean as he looked at her.

    The two stared at each other in silence, their gazes¡ªone as dark as the night sea, the other as piercing as the winter¡¯s cold wind.

    After what felt like an eternity, Fu Han slowly turned to walk to her studio. Just as she was about to enter, she looked back, ¡°Well then¡­ we¡¯ll each rely on our own abilities.¡±

    He Xingughed¡ªaugh like the first gentle breeze of spring, dispersing the ice that had sealed the winter and painting the first heavy strokes of vibrant color in the world.

    He didn¡¯t reply to Fu Han¡¯s statement but instead said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯ll borrow your room to rest.¡±

    Fu Han watched He Xing¡¯s gant figure, longing to refuse. Yet, she knew all too well that if she did, He Xing would pretend to leave and she would end up seeming at fault as usual.

    ¡­

    In the deep autumn of City A, there wasn¡¯t an evening without wind, especially in the alleys where the breeze was even more intense, as if it could lift the crown of one¡¯s head.

    A few men walked through the narrow alley, carrying food in their hands, huddling their necks against the cold.

    One of the skinnier men spat a thick glob on the ground with force, ¡°Yang Kaitai is out enjoying good food and drink, and beautiful women attend to him, while we¡¯re here eating boxed meals?¡±

    Another taller man took a deep drag of his cigarette, ¡°You should be content. We may not work for three years, but once we do, it¡¯s good for another three. Once this job is done, there won¡¯t be ack of good times ahead.¡±

    ¡°Pah, who cares about that.¡± The short man spat out his betel nut forcefully, which rolled quite a distance on the ground.

    Another chubby manughed lewdly, ¡°Let me tell you, quit pining over the boss¡¯s wife. She doesn¡¯t even spare the Boss a nce, what chance do you think you have?¡±

    This remark triggered a roar ofughter from the group. The short man, unabashed, not only did not deny it but also joined in theughter along with everyone else.

    The back gate of thepound was just ahead, its dim light flickering with the wind, as if it could go out at any moment.

    ¡°M/D, is it winter already? Why is it so cold?¡±

    Somebodyined, prompting agreement from many. Everyone wrapped their clothes tighter around themselves and quickened their pace.

    The fastest walker was about to step through the back gate when a shrill scream sounded.

    Laughter followed as someone behind joked, ¡°You must be tired from the flight. So weak even when walking.¡±

    They filed through the gate, one by one, as if pigs lining up to jump into a river in summer.

    Momentster, a group of people wearing jackets came out through the same gate, each with a sack slung over their shoulder.

    ¡­

    Ling Tianxia¡¯s luxury clubhouse.

    Avish private room that could amodate a dozen people was upied by just three: Xia Cheng, Xia Ning, and Yang Kaitai.

    The huge round table was filled with various foods, including lobsters flown in from Australia, red wine airlifted from France, and oysters sent over from Australia.

    Yang Kaitai was full and flushed, breathced with alcohol.

    His eyes, unwavering, fixed on Xia Ning across the table, he gripped Xia Cheng¡¯s wrist tightly, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m speaking to you from my heart¡ªI truly like Xia Ning. You¡­ you should consider it for me. The Yang Family¡¯s business is quiterge, and there¡¯s only me, the only son. All the old man¡¯s money will be mine.¡±

    ¡°Who is your brother?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s face showed impatience as she fanned in front of her nose, ¡°Xia Cheng only has one sister, me. Don¡¯t call him brother carelessly.¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 059 together

    ?Chapter 59: 059 together   Chapter 59: 059 together                                   Yang Kaitai chuckled, not arguing with Xia Ning further, but the indifferent expression on his face made it clear he wasn¡¯t taking her words to heart.

    Xia Cheng was halfway through a drink when his phone rang. He nced at the caller ID and immediately dropped the yful look on his face, ¡°Hello, Dad, what do you want?¡±

    A minuteter, Xia Cheng hung up, his gaze fiercely fixed on Yang Kaitai, ¡°What on earth are your people doing? What have they done?¡±

    Yang Kaitai, who had been teasing Xia Ning, muttered ¡°Impossible¡± as he pulled out his phone to make a call.

    No one picked up his first call, and hisplexion changed. He sat up straight and dialed a second, then a third call¡­ Invariably, no one answered any of them.

    Already furious, Xia Ning¡¯s beautiful face was full of scorn, ¡°Yang Kaitai, did you say you would ruin Fu Han¡¯s reputation? What¡¯s the matter, not capable enough? If you can¡¯t even handle a servant¡¯s daughter, and you still delude yourself into thinking you can be with me, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Xiaoning, spare a few words,¡± Xia Cheng glowered at Xia Ning and then said gently to Yang Kaitai, ¡°Kaitai, you better hurry back and check on the situation there. If there¡¯s anything, we¡¯ll be in touch.¡±

    After a couple of polite words, Yang Kaitai hurriedly got up and left. He had wanted to take his rtionship with Xia Ning a step further tonight, but at the critical moment, he suffered a Waterloo, feeling more humiliated than if Xia Ning had pped him in the face.

    ¡­

    Fu Han said she was working in her studio, but she was actually in no mood to work at all. She kept wondering what He Xing was doing in her room, worried he might be rummaging around and seeing things he shouldn¡¯t.

    So much so that an hour passed and she hadn¡¯t even touched the photo on herputer desktop.

    Finally, she didn¡¯t force herself to work anymore and curled up on the sofa, resigned to re-opening Weibo¡ªneither Su Cheng nor He Xing wanted her to look at Weibo anymore.

    Surprisingly, a look at the trending searches on Weibo revealed nothing about her. She sat up, excited.

    But she celebrated too soon. A quick search of her name still brought up many posts¡ªsome criticizing her, others defending her, and someparing her with Xia Ning.

    The inte was like a battlefield without smoke of gunpowder, where countless faceless people sat in front of theirputers, speaking their minds freely.

    And the war of words centered around Fu Han had evolved into a debate on who was better suited for He Xing: Fu Han or Xia Ning, with many supporters on both sides.

    Fu Han¡¯s supporters felt that she grew up with He Xing and was recognized as a granddaughter-inw by the He family patriarch, which showed she had the approval of the He family and had feelings for He Xing.

    On the other hand, Xia Ning¡¯s supporters thought that her family background matched He Xing¡¯s, with simr upbringings. Their union would be a strong partnership, rather than charity like Fu Han.

    The more Fu Han read on, the angrier she got, but there were also things that made her happy¡ªthe fewer and fewer mentions of Luo Qinghe. There was never a Luo Qinghe between her and He Xing, and she was already sorry for dragging him into this without reason.

    While browsing, her phone suddenly froze. Sighing resignedly, Fu Han decided it was time to get a new phone, having used this one for several years.

    Looking outside, the sky had darkenedpletely, and her stomach began to rumble. She hadn¡¯t eaten much all day, only a few bites of noodles at noon, and she was truly hungry now.

    When Fu Han left the studio, she found her bedroom door open, with the room pitch-ck and no lights on.

    She hesitated but eventually went in. With the light from outside, she could see He Xing lying on the bed, sleeping.

    Unlike the previous time he slept on the hospital bench, this time, his sleeping position was quite exaggerated. He stretched out in a ¡°big¡± shape, using the entire 1.8-meter-long bed to the fullest.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see He Xing¡¯s face, Fu Han¡¯s heart softened for some reason, and the irritation from browsing Weibo subsided significantly. She tiptoed out and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    The moment she left the room, He Xing moved slightly. His eyes, in the darkness, gleamed like reflective lights, captivating.

    He Xing wasn¡¯t asleep; he merely used an excuse to stay in Fu Han¡¯s room for a few hours, working on his phone the entire time.

    Just a few minutes ago, he received a call from Liang Tao,pleting the task he had arranged to perfection.

    At this point, He Xing¡¯s mind finally settled, and, in good spirits, he began to roll around on Fu Han¡¯s bed.

    Of course, he wanted to look around Fu Han¡¯s room, this entirely strange room he entered for the first time, but his upbringing prevented him from rummaging through her belongings without permission.

    Just before Fu Han came in, he heard her footsteps and, on impulse, pretended to sleep.

    He secretly hoped she woulde in, like the day he guarded her outside the ward, and then he would suddenly embrace her in his arms¡­

    His little scheme failed, and He Xing sighed with disappointment. He took a deep breath of her scent left on the pillow before getting out of bed.

    The aroma of cooked rice wafted out, and the sound of chopping vegetables emanated from the kitchen.

    He Xing watched Fu Han bustling about in an apron, his heart inexplicably softened. Apparently, the hustle for daily meals could also be this blissful, a simple happiness unique to ordinary people.

    ¡°Do you need help?¡± He Xing asked with a smile, standing behind her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t make a sound when you walk? You scared me to death.¡± Fu Han patted her chest with a jolt, pointing to the garlic on the cutting board, ¡°Peel the garlic, please.¡±

    Freebor, why not make good use of it, especially since He Xing would also have a share of the dinner.

    The simple four-dish-one-soup meal sat on the pure white dining table, quietly elegant, with even the scent of the food being subtly pleasant.

    These dishes obviously couldn¡¯tpare with those made by the He family¡¯s chef, in both presentation and vor, but He Xing felt that Fu Han¡¯s culinary skills had indeed improved a lot over the past three years. At least, he didn¡¯t have to brace himself to eat the dark culinary experiments like before.

    ¡°Food wasn¡¯t something Fu Han was particrly keen on.¡± Before her parents died, she was a chunky food lover pampered by her parents. After their death, her eyes and heart only had He Xing, fearing she would be unattractive if she gained weight. For her, not dieting was already good; she wasn¡¯t going to search for delicacies.

    Remembering the scene of her cooking with Fu Han earlier, she felt a flutter in the depths of her heart. She had such fond memories of her parents cooking together, so beautiful.

    ¡°Just eat whatever you can, and if you can¡¯t, instant noodles will do,¡± Fu Han said offhandedly without looking at He Xing.

 Chapter 60 - 60 Destroy the bridge after crossing the river

    ?Chapter 60: Destroy the bridge after crossing the river   Chapter 60: Destroy the bridge after crossing the river                                   ¡°As long as you made it, I¡¯ll like anything you cook.¡± He Xing took a big bite of rice, proving his point with action.

    Fu Han swept a nce at him nonchntly, remaining silent. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but think that in the past, she had to act coy and sweet to get He Xing to eat the food she cooked. Who was this performance for now?

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± He Xing picked up arge piece of egg for Fu Han. ¡°This tomato fried egg is really tasty, have more.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Fu Han pushed the egg to the side, paused, yet couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did your people find out who was behind this incident?¡±

    ¡°Finish your bowl of rice, and then I¡¯ll tell you,¡± He Xing supplemented with a teasing smile, ¡°Also, you need to eat more vegetables, you can¡¯t just have rice.¡±

    Fu Han looked at He Xing puffily, frustrated yet powerless against him. She was well aware that he was a man of his word.

    She ate as if she had a vendetta against the bowl of rice in her hand, shoveling food fiercely into her mouth.

    He Xing got the chills, feeling as if Fu Han was devouring his own flesh.

    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Fu Han mmed her bowl and chopsticks down on the table, loud and clear, her face etched with deep grievance.

    ¡°You still need to drink a bowl of soup.¡± He Xing served her a bowl of shredded pork soup, his face expressionless, but his eyes brimming with mirth.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not satisfied with the answer you giveter, don¡¯t me me for turning on you,¡± Fu Han warned before taking the bowl of soup.

    Compared to Fu Han, who needed threats to eat, He Xing¡¯s appetite soared. He not only finished two bowls of rice but also drank two bowls of soup. By the time he put his bowl and chopsticks down, the dishes on the table were almost gone.

    After He Xing had put the dishes in the dishwasher, Fu Han could hardly wait any longer. She frowned at him, ¡°Can you finally tell me now?¡±

    He Xing pulled Fu Han to sit down on the sofa with him. He spoke leisurely, ¡°The incident started brewing online around three in the morning, when most people were asleep. It was like a sudden drop from the sky.¡±

    After hearing what He Xing said, Fu Han finally realized howplicated the situation was and could confirm that someone was indeed manipting things behind the scenes.

    The entire Public Rtions Department of He Group worked overtimete into the night, but even so, the online public opinion continued to escte; the other party was well-prepared.

    By ten o¡¯clock in the morning, He Group and Li Group had reached a cooperation to jointly address the online discourse.

    At noon, they managed a draw with the opposition ¨C the inte was no longer overflowing with abuse towards Fu Han alone. It was also the moment when He Xing had Liang Tao pull a decoy move, sessfully misdirecting the journalists for a while. With Su Cheng sent away, He Xing arrived at Fu Han¡¯s home himself.

    At this point, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but interject with a snide remark. He Xing had to be doing this on purpose. But if she had to choose between him and Su Cheng, she truly preferred He Xing¡¯spany.

    Not because she still loved He Xing, but being with Su Cheng was simply too awkward. She couldn¡¯t even allow herself to show too much distress.

    Of course, ideally, she wouldn¡¯t have to spend time alone with either of the two men.

    Meanwhile, He Xing, oblivious to her thoughts, continued, ¡°My people have traced the location of the hackers who spread the rumors online. By now, that group of hackers should be in the police station.¡±

    Fu Han, who had been listening distractedly, got excited after hearing this. She grabbed He Xing¡¯s wrist tightly, ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. Do you know who¡­¡±

    She wanted to ask He Xing if he knew who was behind the scenes, but suddenly, the sound of a door opening interrupted her.

    Fu Han thought the journalists couldn¡¯t wait any longer and had broken in. She panicked like an ant on a hot pan, instinctively looking for a ce to hide.

    ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯m back.¡± Nan Qing¡¯s voice rose, as sunny and vibrant as ever.

    ¡°It¡¯s Nan Qing.¡± Filled with a surge of energy, Fu Han rushed over and hugged Nan Qing tightly.

    Nan Qing stood at the entrance of the living room, giving He Xing a meaningful look, ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡±

    The two hadn¡¯t been on good terms, not just for a day or two. He Xing reverted to his icy demeanor, ¡°What, I can¡¯t be here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Nan Qing casually took a seat on an armchair, ¡°This is also Fu Han¡¯s ce. As long as she permits, you can stay as long as you like.¡±

    Fu Han had wanted to end the ¡®world of two¡¯ with He Xing for a while now. She immediately chimed in, ¡°He Xing, you should leave. It¡¯s inconvenient with you here, we¡¯re two girls after all.¡±

    ¡°A woman who crosses the bridge and then destroys it behind her.¡± He Xing clenched his fists, making a creeking noise that made others shudder.

    Fu Han felt a tinge of guilt for her tant ingratitude. She coughed, ¡°Be careful on your way back.¡±

    Nan Qing, loving the drama, added fuel to the fire, ¡°Young Master He, there are paparazzi lurking outside. If you really care about our Fu Han, you should climb back from the balcony.¡±

    The structure of the building was rather peculiar; the balconies of the living rooms in apartments 2501 and 2502 were connected. If there were no safetys, a bold person could easily move between the two homes through the balconies. This particr floor happened tock safetys.

    He Xing, towering at nearly six-foot-three, easily hoisted himself up onto the balcony. With a boost, he was firmly standing on the windowsill.

    While Fu Han imed she didn¡¯t care about He Xing, her eyes stayed fixed on him, and her heart rose to her throat ¨C after all, it was the 25th floor.

    Out of the blue, Nan Qing whispered in Fu Han¡¯s ear, ¡°If something happens to He Xing¡­ what would you do?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Fu Han opened her mouth to speak, but then saw He Xing leap effortlessly,nding safely on the balcony of apartment 2502.

    Instantly, she burst intoughter, yfully telling Nan Qing, ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? He¡¯s him, I¡¯m me, I came back to get away from him.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope your thoughts don¡¯t change,¡± Nan Qing said, mirroring theughter, though she made no effort to hide the worry in her eyes.

    Having finally sent He Xing away, Fu Han didn¡¯t want to dwell on the topic any longer. She quickly changed the subject, ¡°Nan Qing, you met your parents, didn¡¯t they urge you to go back home?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s smile vanished in an instant, her youthful energy slipping away, as if she was shackled by an invisible weight.

    Fu Han internally chided herself for her blunder, thinking, what a dumb move to stir up that topic. She awkwardly changed the subject again, ¡°Why did youe back sote? Have you eaten? Want me to cook you some noodles?¡±

    ¡°You really should cook me some noodles,¡± Nan Qing chuckled, ¡°We¡¯ve been running around all day because of you. Eating your noodles is letting you off easy.¡±

 Chapter 61 - 61 No distinction between occasions

    ?Chapter 61: No distinction between asions   Chapter 61: No distinction between asions                                   Fu Han asked her what she had done today.

    It turned out that Luo Qinghe and Nan Qing knew each other too, and Luo Qinghe had also been busy looking for someone to deal with the online situation. After Su Cheng left Fu Han¡¯s house, he had gone to seek their help as well.

    Luo Qinghe told Nan Qing that since he was a man, being ndered was just that, but Fu Han was a girl and shouldn¡¯t be subjected to being magnified and ndered on the inte.

    Nan Qing and Luo Qinghe contacted many media outlets, asking them not to spread negative news anymore, and because of this, when Nan Qing returned, there were so few gossip journalists outside.

    Actually, Nan Qing said a lot, but what made the deepest impression on Fu Han was Luo Qinghe¡¯s remark.

    Her acquaintance with Luo Qinghe was even more dramatic than a TV drama, and the impression Luo Qinghe left on her was not good: arrogant, rude, and overbearing.

    However, because Luo Qinghe was somewhat of an idol to her, when he stood up for her and expressed indignation on her behalf, she had already forgotten the bad impression he left.

    Nan Qing talked incessantly for a long time, but Fu Han didn¡¯t utter a word. She nudged Fu Han with her elbow, ¡°When will you stop getting lost in thought regardless of the time and ce?¡±

    ¡°Heh, I¡­ I wasn¡¯t daydreaming,¡± Fu Han said, her voice revealing her guilt.

    Nan Qing¡¯s round eyes never left Fu Han, and she suddenly leaned in close to Fu Han, lowering her voice with intrigue, ¡°Fu Han, can you tell me the truth, between He Xing, Luo Qinghe, and Su Cheng, who do you actually like?¡±

    ¡°The truth is I don¡¯t like any of them.¡± Fu Han suddenly stood up and began to tactically flee while guiltily exining, ¡°I¡¯m so tired, I¡¯m going to wash up and sleep.¡±

    ¡°Hey, what about my noodles?¡± Nan Qing stuck her head out, watching Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure.

    ¡°Make them yourself.¡± Fu Han¡¯s footsteps not only didn¡¯t stop but sped up.

    ¡­

    This was a night when nobody seemed able to sleep. Fu Hany in bed, her window open to let the autumn breeze in, checking Weibo every few minutes.

    He Xing returned to his own room, where hisputer screen had been lit up all night, as he sent out email after email.

    Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe sat in the bar drinking low-alcohol cocktails, chatting sporadically. The bar¡¯s door was closed as it was not open for business today; not far from them sat a group of suited men, each in front of aputer, keeping an eye on the online situation.

    It was only Nan Qing who slept soundly, perhaps because she hadughed too much during the day, as she frowned deeply in her sleep.

    Among them, those who were undoubtedly the most unhappy that night were Yang Kaitai, Xia Cheng, and Xia Ning.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s expensive hackers had disappeared; all he did was go out for dinner with the Xia siblings, and those people vanished into thin air.

    As public opinion online shifted from neutral to favoring Fu Han, these three were beside themselves with anxiety, yet could do nothing, and didn¡¯t even dare to call the police.

    Lately, under the pressure from Xia Cheng, Xia Ning¡¯s attitude towards Yang Kaitai had been somewhat milder, but now that Yang Kaitai was no longer of any use, she wished she could unleash every unpleasant word on him.

    Yang Kaitai, caught between a rock and a hard ce, huffily dered that he would take full responsibility if anything happened and would never implicate Xia Ning and Xia Cheng. That was the toughest he¡¯d ever acted, but it was to be thest time.

    ¡­

    Yang Electrical Group Headquarters.

    Early this morning, the ce became bustling, or rather, terrifying.

    The police came to make an arrest, specifically naming Yang Kaitai.

    The CEO of Yang Group, with graying hair, turned pale instantly. He argued strenuously with the police, attempting to vouch for his son¡¯sw-abiding nature, but the police still took Yang Kaitai away.

    ording to eyewitnesses at the scene, Yang Kaitai was dragged away by the police, terrified to the point of nearly wetting himself, his face pale and colorless.

    A few photos from the scene leaked online, spreading like wildfire, and public opinion began to ferment once again.

    The old Mr. Yang had no idea what his son had done; he only knew his child liked to enjoy life but wouldn¡¯t do anything illegal.

    He dered on the spot that even if he had to lose all his wealth, he would hire the bestwyers and ensure Yang Kaitai returned to his side.

    But as firm as his deration was, the authorities were unyielding, strictly following procedure.

    ¡­

    Xia Family Residence, Vi Area.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t sleep well the previous night; upon waking up, she found two pimples on her face and noticeable dark circles under her eyes.

    She had been roused by a phone call from Xia Cheng, dragging herself downstairs in slippers, waiting for Xia Cheng to announce the so-called important news.

    Xia Cheng, wrapped in a bathrobe, paced back and forth in the living room, speaking on the phone with a very troubled expression.

    Finally, he hung up and, with a grave demeanor, said to Xia Ning, ¡°Trouble. Yang Kaitai has been arrested. We have no idea if they will turn us in, too.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s mind was still foggy, utterly confused.

    Xia Cheng, frustrated with her sluggishness, knocked on Xia Ning¡¯s head, ¡°Didn¡¯t Yang Kaitai lose contact with the hackers he hiredst night? It turns out someone sent them to the police station, and they turned in Yang Kaitai.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Finallying to her senses, Xia Ning¡¯s nose was beaded with perspiration, and only when the wind blew did she realize the back of her clothes was drenched with sweat.

    ¡°What to do?¡± Xia Cheng red at her impatiently, ¡°We need to keep Yang Kaitai steady and have him take all the me himself, without implicating us.¡±

    ¡°Will he agree?¡± Xia Ning was already considering what to do but continued to y tough.

    Xia Cheng rubbed Xia Ning¡¯s head, coaxing her with patience, ¡°Yang Kaitai is head over heels for you; with a few kind words from you, how could he refuse?¡±

    ¡°Brother, are you pimping me out?¡± Xia Ning mumbled, yet was inwardly pleased by her brother¡¯s cajoling.

    ¡°Do as your brother says,¡± boomed the resounding voice of Xia Guoxiong, unnoticed until then from his standing ce on the second-floor corridor.

    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Xia Ning pouted, ¡°Why are you eavesdropping on my talk with brother?¡±

    Xia Guoxiong held a soft spot for his daughter; he came downstairsughing heartily, beckoning Xia Ning to sit by him, and tenderly rubbed her head, ¡°Your mother left us early, and I was always too busy with business to look after you. Thankfully, your brother has been good to you, sparing me a lot of worrying.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Daddy,¡± Xia Ning¡¯s eyes began to water, feeling a pinch of sorrow.

    Xia Guoxiongughed heartily again and handed her a ck card, ¡°Take this and spend as you wish, buy whatever you want. As for Yang Kaitai¡¯s matter¡­ you listen to your brother. It¡¯s not for anything else; I just don¡¯t want you and your brother to be affected. If your reputation gets ruined, would He Xing still want you?¡±

 Chapter 62 - 62 062 Courage

    ?Chapter 62: 062 Courage   Chapter 62: 062 Courage                                   Xia Ning¡¯s hand clutching the ck gold card was very forceful, as though she wished she could crush it to bits. Her pearly teeth left a neat imprint on her lips, and eventually, she slowly nodded.

    At the same time, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng exchanged a stealthy look without making a sound.

    ¡­

    He Group, CEO¡¯s Office.

    The vast office was eerily silent, with several people standing in front of the desk. Without exception, they were dressed in ck suits, their hair meticulously groomed, and the majority of them wearing sses.

    He Xing was flipping through the documents in his hands page by page. When he closed the file, he looked up at the people standing before him, his attractive eyes flickering with a calm light.

    ¡°I want Yang Kaitai to pay the price, to know who he can provoke and who he can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yes, CEO He,¡± the group of legal departmentwyers replied energetically, their responses loud and clear, yet not one dared to meet He Xing¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°You may leave,¡± He Xing gestured with his hand, and thewyers left one after another, fearful thatgging even half a step behind would result in He Xing keeping them back.

    It was strange to say, but despite He Xing not having been in thepany for long, and many of the veterans being older than him, everyone felt an inexplicable fear of this future helmsman.

    He always had an expressionless face, as calm as if the sky falling down didn¡¯t matter to him; many people even bet privately that he was one who never smiled.

    Yet, such a man, after taking over the He Group for a few years, elevated thepany¡¯s businessndscape to a new level, making it an enterprise of great significance in Country Z.

    Liang Tao pushed open the door with a coffee in hand: ¡°CEO He, this is the material for the ten o¡¯clock video conference.¡±

    He Xing, looking out of the floor-to-ceiling window at the blue sky and white clouds, his face as finely chiseled as a sculpture, remained unresponsive, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Liang Tao¡¯s words.

    Liang Tao, following his gaze, muttered under his breath, ¡°The weather is perfect today, ideal for an autumn outing.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± He Xing turned to look at Liang Tao, and the temperature in the room dropped suddenly. Despite the bright sunshine outside, the office felt like a frozen snond.

    Liang Tao swallowed hard and, steeling himself, said, ¡°I¡¯ve just received news that Miss Fu and Mr. Su have gone out for an outing.¡±

    ¡°Where did they go for the outing?¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. He had listened for any movement outside Fu Han¡¯s house when he left that morning and had guessed that Fu Han had not gotten up yet.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t found out where yet,¡± Liang Tao sneaked a nce at He Xing and feigned courage as he said, ¡°CEO He, I think you quite fancy Miss Fu. If you like her, you should tell her, you should take the initiative, you should confess.¡±

    He Xing frowned, his attractive eyes twinkling, ¡°Who said I haven¡¯t confessed?¡±

    Since her return, he had said numerous times that he had only Fu Han, not Xia Ning, but instead of any reaction, Fu Han¡¯s attitude towards him grew even colder.

    Liang Tao¡¯s legs were already trembling, and he swallowed his saliva, speaking softly, ¡°CEO He, when chasing a girl, you need thick skin, to put pride aside, to be persistent and shameless. You¡¯re too¡­¡±

    Intimidated by He Xing¡¯s presence, he dared not continue, but his eyes kept staring at He Xing, disying a sense of braveness he had never had before.

    He Xing swiftly skimmed through the meeting materials and casually asked, ¡°Is it just the two of them?¡±

    Liang Tao took a full two minutes to realize who He Xing was referring to, internally sighing at his boss¡¯s stubbornness. With an especially eager tone, he said, ¡°No, apart from them, Nan Qing and Luo Qinghe are also going, so you don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡±

    ¡°How open of them,¡± He Xing snorted coldly and lowered his head back to the documents, remaining silent on the matter.

    Feeling a chill down his neck, Liang Tao knew from past experience that the wisest thing to do was to leave quickly ¨C to hang up the problem where it didn¡¯t concern him.

    Yet recalling how He Xing had be increasingly unpredictable and temperamentaltely, Liang Tao gathered his courage to continue, ¡°CEO He, I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Miss Fu in the past, but I feel that there should still be a ce for you in her heart.¡±

    ¡°Where did you see that?¡± There was a sparkle in He Xing¡¯s eyes, and his handsome face showed a look of anticipation.

    ¡°That day when I told Miss Fu that you had canceled an already signed contract for her sake, I saw her emotions were veryplex,¡± remembered Liang Tao, recalling Fu Han¡¯s expression from a few days ago.

    Such aplex and indescribable expression was a first in his life.

    ¡°Enough, stop talking about these things; get back to work,¡± He Xing instantly reverted to his expressionless demeanor.

    But once the office was left to himself, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

    ¡­

    The autumn sky was clear, the air crisp, with not a cloud in sight, the sky as bright as if a storm had just passed.

    Blue skies and white clouds created a scene that made one feel the urge to capture in a photograph for a screensaver.

    The paparazzi in the corridor had disappeared.

    The security guards at Huating No.1 had turned a blind eye for a day before finally chasing away the journalists outside their hallway in the middle of the night, and also offered Fu Han a perfunctory apology, saying those security guards had climbed over the wall to get in.

    After the stormes a rainbow.

    Fu Han was in an excellent mood today. She wore a fruit-green sweater with ck casual pants and graffiti-covered sneakers, believable as a university student on campus.

    She had arranged with Nan Qing to go on an autumn outing today, Fu Han to take pictures and Nan Qing to paint.

    Nan Qing mentioned she had arranged a car, but when Fu Han came downstairs, she realized that Nan Qing had actually booked Luo Qinghe¡¯s car, with Su Cheng sitting in the passenger seat.

    Fu Han felt somewhat awkward about this and thought it was inappropriate, but she didn¡¯t know how to refuse. After all, it wasn¡¯t the time to back out, was it?

    She got into the car with a stiff upper lip. During the journey, the other three chatted happily, with Fu Han hardly joining in.

    Su Cheng asionally tried to cue her in with a flushed face, Fu Han was not very enthusiastic, and Nan Qing would kindly intercede on her behalf.

    Besides greeting her at their first meeting, Luo Qinghe hardly spoke to Fu Han. Only asionally would their eyes meet in the rearview mirror, and then quickly move away, as if nothing had happened.

    About an hour¡¯s driveter, they reached their destination, a small unnamed mountain in the A city suburbs with a gentle elevation.

    At the foot of the mountain was a spacious grasnd suitable for camping; higher up were lush pine trees, still radiantly green in the autumn; and further away were the houses of a rural vige, scattered and full of life.

    Surrounding the houses were vast farnds where one could asionally see golden rice stalks yet to be harvested, and cattle grazing with their heads bowed.

    Fu Han instantly fell in love with the ce, feeling as if she could quietly live here, detached from the world.

 Chapter 63 - 63 063 Special Magic Power

    ?Chapter 63: 063 Special Magic Power   Chapter 63: 063 Special Magic Power                                   As she was adjusting the angle of her camera, she curiously asked, ¡°Nan Qing, how did you find this ce? It¡¯s absolutely perfect for an autumn outing.¡±

    Nan Qing, who was setting up a painting easel, answered without looking up, ¡°I didn¡¯t find it. It was Brother Qinghe who brought us here. He said it was a great ce, and that you¡­ we would definitely like it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Fu Han nced toward the foot of the nearby mountain, where Su Cheng was helping Luo Qinghe. In the blink of an eye, the tent frames were already set up. Their efficiency was truly impressive.

    Just as she was about to turn away, she caught sight of Luo Qinghe wiping sweat with his sleeve. A thought crossed her mind, and she quickly pressed the shutter release. Upon yback, she was very satisfied with the candid shot.

    Fu Han had said she was out for an autumn trip, but in fact, she hadn¡¯t prepared anything at all, not even a bottle of mineral water.

    So when she saw that Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe had not only set up two tents but also a barbecue grill, she was surprised, and also very curious as to whether the two of them had brought a lot of stuff?

    On second thought, Luo Qinghe¡¯s Mercedes-Benz Unimog had arge capacity and could hold a lot of things. She chided herself for her ¡°narrow experience and ignorance.¡±

    Nan Qing hadn¡¯t even started painting, and she immediately threw aside her brush to join in the barbecuing, bringing a lively atmosphere to the area around the grill.

    Fu Han was chasing after a dead leaf butterfly, still unable to capture the photo she desired. Hearing the others calling her to eat, she responded with ¡°Go ahead without me, don¡¯t wait.¡±

    The dead leaf butterfly finally settled on a yellow wild chrysanthemum. The dark brown butterfly on the yellow flower,plemented by the light yellow dead grass, made for aposition that was unforced, and because it was unforced, it caught the eye.

    Just as she was about to press the shutter, the camera was snatched out of her hands.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fu Han asked indignantly, looking up to see Luo Qinghe in an awkward position on the ground, holding her camera in one hand.

    Then there was the sound of a click.

    Luo Qinghe nced at the photo and stood up, returning the camera to Fu Han: ¡°Sometimes there¡¯s too much in the frame, it can distract people and make it unclear what you¡¯re trying to express.¡±

    Her photography teacher had mentioned this point when Fu Han was learning photography, and she believed she had a good grasp of it, so she was not very receptive to Luo Qinghe¡¯s lesson.

    Luo Qinghe pointed to the dead leaf butterfly that remained on the chrysanthemum: ¡°The dead leaf butterfly is dark brown, the chrysanthemum is yellow, and the dead grass is light yellow. Do you really think these three colors together look good?¡±

    Following his gaze, Fu Han wanted to argue that thebination he pointed out was indeed what she had intended, but after hearing Luo Qinghe¡¯s words, she also started to feel that putting the three colors together seemed superfluous.

    Even though she was a bit stubborn, she wasn¡¯t overly proud, so she humbly nodded, epting the camera back: ¡°Thank you for the advice, senior.¡±

    Luo Qinghe stroked the stubble around his chin: ¡°Am I that old? I should only be a few years older than you, right?¡±

    ¡°Do men also mind when others say they¡¯re getting old?¡± Fu Han asked with widened eyes, curious as if she had discovered a new world. It was the first time she¡¯d seen Luo Qinghe looking so helpless.

    Luo Qinghe suddenlyughed and without any politeness, flicked Fu Han¡¯s forehead: ¡°What, do you think men don¡¯t care about being told they¡¯re old?¡±

    ¡°That really hurts,¡± Fu Han cried out, touching her forehead. What she really wanted to say was, given the nature of her rtionship with Luo Qinghe, they shouldn¡¯t have been close enough for such intimate gestures.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for talking nonsense,¡± Luo Qinghe said with a fierce expression: ¡°Now hurry up and eat, or it¡¯ll all get cold.¡±

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t sure how to feel, looking at the photos on her camera again. Much as she didn¡¯t want to admit it, she had to acknowledge that the picture of the dead leaf butterfly taken by Luo Qinghe was indeed more appealing than the ones she had taken earlier.

    ¡­

    Nan Qing and Su Cheng were enthusiastically barbecuing, and she inadvertently noticed Su Cheng¡¯s gaze fixed on Fu Han and Luo Qinghe not far away.

    She smiled and nudged Su Cheng with her elbow: ¡°If you want to know what they are saying, just go over and listen.¡±

    ¡°Who¡­ who wants to know,¡± Su Cheng denied with a blush, turning the meat on the grill as he said, ¡°I¡­ I just didn¡¯t expect Brother Qinghe and Fu Han to be so close.¡±

    Nan Qing nodded in agreement: ¡°Fu Han has a kind of maism that makes everyone who sees her want to get closer.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s blush deepened, avoiding Nan Qing¡¯s bright eyes while admitting, ¡°Yeah, she possesses something we don¡¯t, a sort of resilience as if nothing that happens could ever knock her down.¡±

    Nan Qing had only meant to tease Su Cheng, but she found herself agreeing: ¡°Right, Fu Han is like the grass by the wall you think will die in the storm, but after the storm, she grows even stronger.¡±

    Just then, Fu Han came over, grabbing a skewer of beef: ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±

    Embarrassed, Su Cheng didn¡¯t know what to say, as it¡¯s never good to speak about someone behind their back.

    Nan Qing boldly took over the conversation: ¡°We were discussing how you and Qinghe know each other, and how you got so close.¡±

    As she spoke, she leaned in close to Fu Han¡¯s ear with an insinuating smile, ¡°By the way, Su Cheng is jealous, maybe you shouldfort him.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned beet red, and she helplessly pped Nan Qing¡¯s hand away: ¡°You should have been awyer with that mouth of yours. You could argue ck into white.¡±

    She was so embarrassed she could crawl into a hole, but Su Cheng was still dwelling on the earlier peaceful scene between Luo Qinghe and Fu Han. He muttered, ¡°I really am jealous.¡±

    Luo Qinghe, who was decanting wine, burst outughing upon hearing this: ¡°Su Cheng, you¡¯re really too cute, just like when you were little, you still have to say everything that¡¯s on your mind.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned even redder, too mortified to utter a single word.

    Which, in turn, also made Fu Han blush, forcing her to hide behind the action of eating barbecue.

    Luo Qinghe and Nan Qing, on the other hand, took great pleasure in the situation, basking in the joyous atmosphere andughing unrestrainedly.

    Four young people, a barbecue grill, two tents, smoke rising in the distance, the scent of red wine close by.

    After the meal, Fu Han had intended to explore more, but having not slept well the previous night and feeling a bit tipsy from the meal, she didn¡¯t want to move and simply slept in the tent instead.

    In a daze, she felt her phone vibrating. Thinking it was one of the other three calling, she answered the phone groggily.

    ¡°Send me your location, I¡¯ming to find you.¡± He Xing¡¯s cold voice came through, dispelling Fu Han¡¯s drowsinesspletely.

 Chapter 64 - 64 064 ignores you

    ?Chapter 64: 064 ignores you   Chapter 64: 064 ignores you                                   Fu Han¡¯s doze finally faded away as she opened her eyes. Above her, the tent¡¯s canopy was a transparent white stic skylight that made the blue sky and white clouds outside utterly refreshing.

    Her anger from being woken from her nap had reduced significantly, and her tone was t as she spoke, ¡°Mr. He, I think you¡¯re mistaken. Why should I tell you where I am?¡±

    ¡°I am¡­¡±

    ¡°Your fianc¨¦e, right?¡± Fu Han rolled over, interrupting He Xing: ¡°He Xing, can¡¯t youe up with something new to say? We both know very well that our engagement is bound to end sooner orter.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she didn¡¯t give He Xing the chance to respond and promptly hung up the call.

    Her nap was disrupted, so she simply got up to gather some inspiration for her work.

    Nan Qing and the other two had sent her their location and told her to find them after she woke up, but she chose a different path. Her heart was already in turmoil; being with them would only make things more chaotic.

    ¡­

    The day after the autumn outing, the organizers of the Photography Competition contacted Fu Han, suggesting in a roundabout way that she should withdraw from thepetition voluntarily.

    At that moment, Fu Han was in a studio with just one red light developing photos. The photographic paper held a blurred outline, the very image she had captured on an obscure hill the day before.

    The paper slipped from the tweezers, but she was too preupied to care.

    Returning to herputer, she identally struck the keyboard, waking the screen. Its blue glow illuminated her face, casting an eerie blue shadow on it.

    ¡°Miss Fu, are you listening?¡± The person on the phone grew impatient, prompting her, ¡°If you agree, we will certainly invite you to participate in ourpetition again in three years, and furthermore¡­¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that fame should be seized early?¡± A cold smile yed at the corner of Fu Han¡¯s lips: ¡°I obtained my registration through proper channels. If you dare to rig the finals, I will expose the filthy tricks you pulled during the semifinals.¡±

    The person on the other end of the phone was silent for a while before they spoke again, their voice now steadier: ¡°Miss Fu, we respect every contestant. The finals are about to start. We wish you the best of luck.¡±

    After hanging up, Fu Han¡¯s strength ebbed away like the tide. She had merely been holding on to herst breath of defiance.

    She had been worried that the news about her, He Xing, and Luo Qinghe blowing up on the inte would affect the Photography Competition. Now it seemed her fears were well-founded.

    Reality was always crueler than she imagined, but she was never a greenhouse flower.

    ¡­

    Liangtao Bar.

    Ji Liangchuan was wearing an exaggerated ck short-sleeve shirt, a pair of whitewashed jeans with rips, dock martins on his feet, and his medium-length hair sticking up with a ck headband.

    Different from his usual casual attire, the Ji Liangchuan of today was like a polished diamond, radiating a dazzling light that was blinding to behold.

    He mixed drinks at the bar, surrounded byyers of girls. Even his slightest move drew screams from countless girls.

    He Xing sat in a booth next to the bar. In front of him was a newly opened bottle of vodka, its pungent aroma painting his cheeks with unhealthy flushes of red.

    Before long, Ji Liangchuan left the bar and approached He Xing, draping his arm around He Xing¡¯s neck with augh: ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Fu Han ignoring you again?¡±

    He Xing shrugged him off: ¡°What do you mean, ¡®again¡¯? She¡¯s been back for a while and has hardly paid me any mind.¡±

    Ji Liangchuanughed heartily. After taking a swig of his drink, he looked at He Xing meaningfully, ¡°I¡¯m surprised to hear you say something like that.¡±

    Turning his head away from Ji Liangchuan, He Xing spoke irritably, ¡°Just go away, with you here those girls swarm around, it¡¯s annoying to watch.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure all these beauties are here for me? It seems to me they¡¯d eat you alive given half the chance.¡± Ji Liangchuan nced around; indeed, there were many scantily d beauties surrounding them.

    Seeing that He Xing didn¡¯t respond, Ji Liangchuan smirked: ¡°He Xing, what sort of spell has Fu Han cast on you? You¡¯re this smitten with her? Why don¡¯t you try some other women, maybe then you wouldn¡¯t be so tormented.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not like you, I can¡¯t just switch women every day.¡± He Xing downed another ss of vodka, ncing sideways at Ji Liangchuan, ¡°Have you picked your target for tonight yet?¡±

    Twirling a wine ss nonchntly in his hands, Ji Liangchuan said indifferently, ¡°Does it matter who it is? After I close the bar, whoever¡¯s still waiting for me, that¡¯s who I¡¯ll choose. After all, with the lights off everyone¡¯s the same.¡±

    In the noisy bar, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s voice was low, like a drop in the ocean, causing no ripples. No one but He Xing heard.

    He Xing sighed deeply, ¡°Liangchuan, you weren¡¯t like this before. What on earth happened two years ago that changed you so much after you came back?¡±

    Ji Liangchuan and He Xing had been friends since nursery and primary school, respectively, with Ji Liangchuan going abroad for secondary school. He only returned to the country two years ago, and they had had limited contact during his absence.

    But the friendship between men could be like this: even if their interactions had been limited for years, upon reuniting they were still good friends who respected each other without prying into the past.

    Out of the corner of his eye, He Xing saw Ji Liangchuan¡¯s expression change. He patted his arm, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then don¡¯t. I just think you should find someone to fall in love with, rather than living like this.¡±

    Under the flickering lights, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes turned the color of amber. He gazed absent-mindedly at a corner of the bar, ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to love. The woman I loved most is already dead.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s pupils dted in shock. These were words he was hearing for the first time. He had no idea how tofort Ji Liangchuan and felt that whatever he said would be futile. He patted Ji Liangchuan¡¯s shoulder again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan hadn¡¯t replied when suddenly the bar was filled with a rowdymotion.

    ¡°Move aside, everyone move aside.¡± A haughty voice rang out. Bodyguards cleared a path in front, and under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Xia Ning approached.

    Her face beaming with a smile, she sat down beside He Xing, ¡°He Xing brother, Xiaoning has missed you so much. I heard you were here and came especially to see you.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan resumed his usually cheerful demeanor, nudging He Xing with his shoulder and whispering, ¡°Your lucky day, make the most of it.¡±

    With that, he stood up and addressed Xia Ning with a smile: ¡°The stunning Xia Ning graces us with her presence, brightening up the ce. Today, you eat and drink as you please, it¡¯s on me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Liangchuan brother.¡± Xia Ning smiled ever so sweetly, and as she tilted her head, she leaned against He Xing¡¯s shoulder, the picture of demure affection.

    He Xing shrugged his shoulders, pulling away from Xia Ning, ¡°Your family is strict. You shouldn¡¯t be in a bar. Better hurry back before your dad gets angry.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Xia Ning pouted coquettishly, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you, and besides, dad wouldn¡¯t be mad if he knows I¡¯m with you.¡±

 Chapter 65 - 65 Dont think too much about 065

    ?Chapter 65: Don¡¯t think too much about 065   Chapter 65: Don¡¯t think too much about 065                                   He Xing silently looked at Xia Ning, and in the end, he said nothing because he knew that even if he did, Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t listen. He poured himself a ss of alcohol and drank in silence.

    Xia Ning had been watching He Xing¡¯s expression and was somewhat worried that her dramatic visit might anger him, but it seemed He Xing was not upset at all.

    She took a sip of the cocktail Ji Liangchuan had brought over, which was very mild, more like a beverage than a cocktail.

    Again, she was being treated like a child.

    Xia Ning mmed down the cocktail ss with a snap and picked up He Xing¡¯s ss to pour herself a shot of Vodka. She drank it in one gulp.

    She drank so quickly that she almost burst into tears from the burn.

    A flicker of impatience passed through He Xing¡¯s eyes. He threw a paper towel to Xia Ning and said coldly, ¡°You can¡¯t drink, don¡¯t drink something so strong, be careful not to get drunk.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, you always treat me like a child.¡± Xia Ning said stubbornly as she took another drink. ¡°He Xing brother, with you here, I¡¯m not afraid even if I get drunk.¡±

    He Xing looked to Ji Liangchuan for help, who responded with a look that said he was on his own, then embodied the saying ¡°the more, the merrier¡± to a disgusting extent.

    It had been a while since Xia Ning had spent time alone with He Xing. Today, being this close to him, she could only feel even if he was expressionless, he still made her heart race, and her heart beat so fiercely it felt as though it would jump out of her throat.

    Seeing that He Xing was ignoring her, she felt a surge of rebellion and kept drinking ss after ss. Before long, she was so drunk that even standing became difficult.

    ¡°He Xing brother, my head is spinning,¡± Xia Ning said as she fell towards He Xing, her pretty face flushed red.

    Instinctively, He Xing moved aside, and Xia Ning¡¯s head made intimate contact with the couch. Fortunately, it was a soft leather couch; otherwise, the blow might have caused a concussion.

    ¡°It hurts.¡± Xia Ning reached out and grabbed onto He Xing¡¯s thigh. Her action was so sudden that He Xing couldn¡¯t avoid it in time.

    He tried to pry Xia Ning¡¯s hand away, but she was holding on too tightly. He couldn¡¯t possibly break her grip forcibly.

    Ji Liangchuan came over holding a ss of Brandy, leaning against the pir on the outside of the booth. ¡°He Xing, your dear sister is drunk. What do you n to do?¡±

    ¡°How do you usually deal with people who get drunk at your bar?¡± He Xing raised an eyebrow and leaned back as far as he could to distance himself from Xia Ning.

    ¡°Deal with them? If no one picks them up by closing time, we throw them out on the street,¡± Ji Liangchuan said with a sly grin. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to deal with her, just go. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    He Xing looked at Xia Ning, whose eyes had already closed, and he sighed deeply, asking Ji Liangchuan to find Xia Ning¡¯s bodyguards while calling her family.

    Xia Cheng didn¡¯t answer the phone, but Xia Guoxiong did. He apologized, saying he was out of town on a business trip and asked He Xing to help take care of the situation.

    On the other hand, Ji Liangchuan reported that his people had searched for a long time but couldn¡¯t find Xia Ning¡¯s bodyguards or even her car.

    Unable to contain his sarcasm, Ji Liangchuan said, ¡°It seems like Miss Xia had calcted her moves before she came. If you can¡¯t bear the thought of me throwing her out in the street, then you should take her away yourself. Maybe turn the tables on her?¡±

    Looking at Xia Ning, who was unconscious from the alcohol, a volcanic fury surged in He Xing¡¯s heart.

    But Ji Liangchuan was clearly enjoying the spectacle, and He Xing did not want to reveal his true thoughts in front of him.

    Without a word, he stood up, picked up Xia Ning horizontally, and headed straight for the door.

    ¡­

    Huating No.1, 25th floor.

    Nan Qing got up in the middle of the night to drink water and saw that the TV in the living room was on. With sleep-filled eyes, she nced around and saw Fu Han curled up on the couch.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to sleep?¡± Nan Qing poured two cups of hot water, handed one to Fu Han, and sat down beside her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± said Fu Han, taking a sip of the water. Thin bloodshot lines were visible in her eyes, like spiderwebs encircling her ink-ck pupils.

    Nan Qing patted her shoulder. ¡°If you want to chat, I can keep youpany.¡±

    They had both considered each other friends for a long time, yet they rarely shared their deepest thoughts; instead, they always talked about things that made them feel rxed.

    Fu Han leaned her head on the couch and flexed her numb limbs. With the light from the TV drama, she looked at Nan Qing: ¡°I got a call from the ¡®Stride Across Heaven¡¯mittee today. They asked me to withdraw from thepetition.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Nan Qing was so agitated that she trembled. ¡°Why should you? Don¡¯t you dare withdraw. Tomorrow I¡¯ll go with you to Jiangshan Gallery to give those stubborn old men a piece of my mind,¡± she said, mming her water cup down on the coffee table and standing up with her hands on her hips.

    ¡°No need.¡± Fu Han shook her head, and strands of hair fell around her face, making it appear even more pallid. ¡°I¡¯ve already refused them. I just didn¡¯t expect that a singlepetition could be so exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Nan Qing said, patting Fu Han¡¯s shoulder firmly. ¡°I have faith in you; you can definitely win the championship. And once you do, you can be a Photographer for movies, isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    Fu Han let out an indecipherable sigh. ¡°But it was a condition He Xing set for me to get into the finals. Even if I win the championship, I¡¯m afraid people will say it¡¯s undeserved.¡±

    Nan Qing shifted into azy posture on the couch, holding the cup of water that had now cooled down in her hands. ¡°You can¡¯t be liked by everyone, and nothing is perfect in this world. You have to choose the rtively better option from among the many choices you have.¡±

    It seemed as though she had answered Fu Han¡¯s dilemma, yet at the same time, said nothing at all.

    After a long while, Fu Han looked deeply at Nan Qing. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Alright, go to sleep now,¡± Nan Qing said, slowly standing up. After taking a few steps, she turned back, ncing significantly towards the door. ¡°The person from 2502 probably won¡¯t be back tonight; waiting until dawn is useless.¡±

    ¡°How do you know¡­¡±

    Fu Han didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but her face had already turned beet red. At that moment, she truly wished she could bite off her tongue.

    ¡°How do I know you¡¯re waiting for him?¡± Nan Qing covered her mouth andughed. ¡°He Xing reports here every evening. He didn¡¯te today, and you just happen to be awake. It¡¯s hard for me not to suspect.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed more intensely, thankfully the lights were off so it wasn¡¯t too visible, otherwise, she would really want to hide away.

    Still, she tried hard to exin: ¡°There¡¯s really nothing like what you think between He Xing and me. I came back to break off our engagement.¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66 066 Terror

    ?Chapter 66: 066 Terror   Chapter 66: 066 Terror                                   ¡°Mm-hmm, I believe you,¡± Nan Qing nodded in agreement, but before Fu Han could heave a sigh of relief, Nan Qing was already smiling and speaking again, ¡°Just during the time we¡¯ve been staying here, I¡¯ve seen you two embrace countless times, no, and kiss several times too.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes reddened in distress, ¡°It was all him forcing me, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Once might be force, but several times can¡¯t be, right? Many times you clearly could have dodged.¡± Nan Qing leaned against the door from afar, looking at Fu Han as if she was watching someone from another world, ¡°To reject someone, you must do so with both actions and words. If it¡¯s just actions, it¡¯s easy for people to misunderstand as ying hard to get.¡±

    Fu Han spent the whole night pondering over Nan Qing¡¯s words. Her heart had never changed, yearning for freedom; yet, as Nan Qing said, her behavior with He Xing was still too ambiguous.

    Although not once did she willingly partake, the reurring incidents inevitably gave others the impression that she was calcting and crafty, stringing He Xing along.

    Indeed, the reason she couldn¡¯t sleep tonight had something to do with He Xing, but it wasn¡¯t what Nan Qing thought.

    She unceremoniously refused the organizers of Walk the World, but considering the previous inte controversy, she felt it necessary tomunicate with He Xing about it in advance, so both were prepared.

    ¡­

    Life returned to tranquility, and the next evening, He Xing found anotherme excuse to visit apartment 2501. This time, however, Fu Han had wised up. As soon as he arrived, she dove into her studio and, for good measure, locked the door from the inside.

    Later on, ording to Nan Qing, He Xing wandered around the apartment by himself for a while, then left before long.

    During this period, Fu Han was busy preparing for the Walk the World Photography Competition. Although the final round required only one photo, based on Luo Qinghe¡¯s advice, it was best to have several valuable photos prepared before the finals.

    She hade to a decision ¨C since she wouldn¡¯t withdraw from thepetition, she had to give her best performance and ideally win the championship. It was another way for her to prove herself.

    Thus, Fu Han took a leave from herpany and spent each day leaving early and returning home after dark. In a rather short period, she had scoured almost every corner of City A.

    Sometimes, Luo Qinghe would call her, and they would both grab their backpacks, carrying DSLRs, and traverse hills and rivers.

    Their mode of interaction was veryfortable for Fu Han. Luo Qinghe often stayed quiet for half a day, and the few times he spoke, his words were impactful. With him, there was no need to struggle for conversation topics, and silence never felt awkward.

    With Luo Qinghe¡¯s guidance, Fu Han felt her photography skills markedly improved right before her eyes.

    She had expressed her gratitude to Luo Qinghe, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart, merely saying he was helping her because of her rtions with Su Cheng.

    Fu Han rarely argued with Luo Qinghe, but she resolved that if she really won a prize, she would make sure to properly thank him.

    During this time, there were still people insulting her online, but she no longer bothered with negativements.

    She always kept in mind what Nan Qing had said, ¡°Since you didn¡¯t use He Xing and Luo Qinghe for backdoor deals, you have nothing to fear if you are true to yourself. Just work hard, don¡¯t mind the rest.¡±

    ¡­

    The day of the Walk the World Photography Competition finals approached quickly, and Fu Han had almost fully recovered her hand. Although she couldn¡¯t carry a DSLR for hours on end like before, she was much better than when she was first injured and couldn¡¯t leave the hospital.

    A few days earlier, Jiangshan Gallery had already be quite lively. Paparazzi gathered searching for the best shooting spots as the venue was being set up.

    Early in the morning, Su Cheng was waiting downstairs for Fu Han to pick her and Nan Qing up.

    He Xing had told Fu Han a few days earlier that he would be busy and advised her to head to thepetition venue by herself. He would arrive before it started.

    When Fu Han and her group got there, the vast Square in front of the Jiangshan Gallery was already filled with many people, mainly paparazzi with cameras raised.

    As soon as she appeared, many started yelling, ¡°Quick, take pictures, that¡¯s Fu Han!¡±

    Click, click.

    After a cascade of shes, Fu Han finally entered Jiangshan Ruhua with the help of Su Cheng and Nan Qing.

    They found a quiet corner to settle in, and Fu Han looked at them apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems I¡¯ve caused trouble for you both.¡±

    ¡°Why say that?¡± Nan Qing pped her shoulder dismissively, ¡°If you really feel sorry for us, then just do your bestter, and don¡¯t disappoint us.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Su Cheng protested in concurrence, ¡°Fu Han is already amazing just by participating in thepetition. It doesn¡¯t matter if she ces or not.¡±

    As time ticked by, thepetition was about to start when a group of people dressed in ck suits appeared. Among them was Luo Qinghe.

    Fu Han immediately realized that they were today¡¯s judges.

    The final began quickly. The works of the fifteen contestants were erged and disyed on the pre-built stage for the judges to score one by one.

    Out of a perfect ten, Fu Han¡¯s work scored nine. Only two contestants scored higher than her, a result that was quite decent, at least to a level she could ept.

    The next part was the live photographypetition where each participant received identical props. They were to take photos without any edits, and the best work, as judged by the same scoring system, would emerge.

    Themittee allotted half an hour for the photography session. Fu Han eyed the bright red apple, lemon, and kiwi before her, wondering how to arrange these vibrant colors to create apelling photograph.

    He Xing, seated in the VIP section, had never taken his eyes off Fu Han. With such proximity, he saw every expression on her face clearly.

    He left the VIP area and walked toward Fu Han. The audience seating erupted with calls of astonishment; it seemed people recognized them from the online incident.

    Fu Han turned at the sound, and instinctively stepped back to create distance between them, guarded as she inquired, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    He Xing was about to whisper in Fu Han¡¯s ear when her stepping back surprised him. He also took a step back and in a voice that only they could hear said, ¡°The organizers gave you these three items not to use them all in one shot, but to choose. It¡¯s up to you which one you decide to use.¡±

    A spark of insight shed through Fu Han¡¯s mind; she remembered Luo Qinghe saying something simr. She nced toward the judges¡¯ section, her gaze locking with Luo Qinghe¡¯s in mid-air.

    Luo Qinghe sat squarely amidst the panel of judges, donning a sharp suit. It was the first time she saw him so formally dressed, as if he had shed his youthful naivety and suddenly matured into a formidable man.

    To be fair, he did look striking.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you, did you hear me?¡± He Xing tapped Fu Han¡¯s arm, his handsome face clouded with an ominous storm.

 Chapter 67 - 67 067 give an explanation

    ?Chapter 67: 067 give an exnation   Chapter 67: 067 give an exnation                                   ¡°I heard you.¡± Fu Han retracted her gaze and sincerely looked at He Xing, ¡°Thank you for helping me as a friend.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, it¡¯s fianc¨¦.¡± He Xing finished speaking and, without giving Fu Han a chance to exin, stepped down from the stage.

    From his entrance to his exit, the whole episodested no more than a minute, but during that minute, the photographers¡¯ cameras never stopped clicking.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t have time to care what those gossiping journalists thought. She took the kiwi and lemon off the podium and bit into an apple with a big bite.

    Then she took a photo with one hand holding the apple against the backdrop of the blue sky.

    The background of blue sky and white clouds was illusory, the red apple with its off-white flesh, and faintly visible apple seed added interest, but what was most striking was the bite mark on the edge of the apple, stained with red lipstick, creating an unforgettable impression, leading to endless conjecture.

    The results of thepetition were out quickly. This time Fu Han ranked first with a score of 9.5, and together with her second-ce performance before, her overall score put her in first ce.

    The top three winners stood on the podium, and the award presenters were He Xing, Xia Guoxiong, and Luo Qinghe.

    Luo Qinghe took the chance when no one was paying attention to give Fu Han a ¡°ye¡± gesture with his hand. His yful expression didn¡¯t quite match his formal suit.

    No one knew if it was intentional or not, but the person presenting the award to Fu Han turned out to be He Xing.

    When He Xing hung the medal around Fu Han¡¯s neck, the whole venue erupted. Some people were so excited they even ran up front to take photos, as if afraid to miss anything.

    The host passed the microphone, inviting people to speak.

    When it was Xia Guoxiong¡¯s turn, he held the microphone, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at Fu Han, as if deciding what to say.

    For some reason, Fu Han suddenly felt an odd sensation in her heart, as if she was being watched by a venomous snake.

    Xia Guoxiong finally spoke, ¡°He Xing, I have watched you grow up since you were a child, and in my heart, you¡¯re just like Xiaoning and Xiaocheng. Today, I want to ask you a question, will you answer me truthfully?¡±

    In such apetition, typically people would express their congrattions to the winners, so no one expected Xia Guoxiong to directly address He Xing in front of everyone.

    In the midst of themotion, the host finally reacted and handed the microphone to He Xing.

    He Xing stepped forward, subtly positioning himself between Fu Han and Xia Guoxiong: ¡°Uncle Xia, with the deep connection between the Xia and He Families, you can ask me anything, and I will answer honestly.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Xia Guoxiong nodded in satisfaction, took two steps toward He Xing, and asked, ¡°Uncle Xia wants to know, you and Xiaoning stayed out one night some time ago, when do you n on exining this to her?¡±

    The whole crowd was in uproar; no one expected Xia Guoxiong to say such a thing in front of everyone.

    What was more dramatic was that behind them on therge screen, there were photos being disyed of He Xing and Xia Ning. In the glittering lights of the bar, they were sitting together drinking; Xia Ning drunk, clinging to He Xing¡¯s leg; He Xing carrying her away in a princess hold; and photos of them going into a hotel together as well as leaving separately the following morning.

    Fu Han looked very carefully; the clothes they wore entering the hotel that evening and when they left the next morning were the same.

    She turned to look at He Xing, who still wore an expressionless face, but his dark eyes were roiling like stormy seas, carrying the potential for devastation.

    Without needing to ask, she knew it was true¡ªat least, at this moment, the photos disyed on therge screen were real.

    The journalists below were excited beyond measure: ¡°President He, are you and Lady Xia Ning in a rtionship?¡±

    ¡°President He, it is said that you have an engagement with Miss Fu Han; is this true?¡±

    ¡°President He, regarding the previous online affairs between you, Miss Fu Han, and Lady Xia Ning, what is your perspective?¡±

    ¡°Miss Fu Han, did you use some means to make the He Family agree to your engagement with President He?¡±

    ¡°Miss Fu Han, do you fancy President He or do you like Young Master Luo Qinghe?¡±

    ¡°Young Master Luo Qinghe, are you secretly in love with Miss Fu Han?¡±

    ¡°President He, it is rumored that in order to secure Miss Fu Han¡¯s victory in thispetition, you offered the filming rights of a movie with a two-hundred-million investment as a trade. Is this true?¡±

    ¡°Young Master Luo Qinghe, it is rumored that to help Miss Fu Han win the championship, you used the influence of the Li Family to pressure the organizers. Is there any truth to this?¡±

    Questions like these kepting, each more pointed than thest, each a hammer pounding heavily on Fu Han, draining the color from her face.

    He Xing reached out, pulling Fu Han behind him to protect her: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, these matters have nothing to do with Fu Han. Please don¡¯t make it difficult for her¡­¡±

    ¡°Big brother He Xing!¡± A soft and coquettish female voice rang out, interrupting He Xing, and the crowd parted to reveal a path. Xia Ning appeared at the end of the path, walking step by step towards He Xing.

    Today, Xia Ning was dressed in a beige knitted dress that hugged her figure, with delicatece at the cor, cuffs, and hem. The front of the dress had a row of pearl buttons, and a matching pearl butterfly brooch was pinned to her chest.

    Her long hair was half tied up, secured with a rhinestone hair clip, while the rest draped over her shoulders, mixing sophistication with a touch ofziness.

    With her delicate makeup, Xia Ning really did look gorgeous today, like a delicate doll from a disy window, captivating everyone¡¯s gaze.

    Fu Han heard many people expressing how beautiful Xia Ning looked, noting that she and He Xing were a match made in heaven.

    Xia Ning had a sweet smile on her face: ¡°Big brother He Xing, you¡¯re not upset that I came here suddenly, are you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± He Xing maintained a faint smile and said, ¡°Since you¡¯vee, you might as well clear things up with everyone. Nothing happened between us that night¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Xia Ning looked at He Xing with innocent eyes: ¡°Big brother He Xing, that night at the bar I confessed to you, and you epted. I was so happy that I drank too much, and then you took me to the hotel.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s pupils dted sharply. She took a step back, then another, identally bumping into someone. Turning around, she saw Luo Qinghe, who gave her aforting smile.

    In that moment, Fu Han suddenly felt that it was a kind of happiness to still be remembered.

    Meanwhile, He Xing¡¯s stoic face finally showed a change. He looked intently at Xia Ning as if trying to see through her: ¡°Xia Ning, I¡¯ve always considered you my little sister in my heart, and I thought you would never lie. Think again about what really happened that night.¡±

    Xia Ning instinctively dodged his gaze, looking down and refusing to meet He Xing¡¯s eyes, but she murmured, ¡°Big brother He Xing, I¡¯m not lying. How could I lie with these photos right here? I¡­¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68 068 has nothing to do with me

    ?Chapter 68: 068 has nothing to do with me   Chapter 68: 068 has nothing to do with me                                   He Xing clenched his fist but turned to look at Fu Han and insisted, ¡°Xiaohan, there is nothing between her and me.¡±

    ¡°Your rtionship with her is none of my concern,¡± Fu Han said, then turned and walked away, paying no attention to the shing lights below or the loud mor of the journalists.

    ¡°Xiaohan, wait a minute,¡± He Xing reached out in an attempt to grab Fu Han¡¯s wrist, but Xia Ning¡¯s move was quicker. She hugged He Xing¡¯s arm tightly and pleaded, ¡°Brother He Xing, don¡¯t leave. I¡­ I¡¯m scared alone.¡±

    Xia Guoxiong also rushed forward, blocking He Xing¡¯s path, and intensified his tone, ¡°He Xing, what exactly is going on between you and Xiaoning? You have to make it clear to me, otherwise how can I exin it to Xiaoning¡¯s deceased mother?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s hand had already been raised, and with just a bit more force he could have shaken Xia Ning off, but upon hearing these words, he lowered his hand and allowed Xia Ning to cling to him.

    Seizing the opportunity, Xia Ning nestled against He Xing¡¯s shoulder and cooed with a pout, ¡°Brother He Xing, I really like you, can¡¯t you give me a chance?¡±

    Her words, transmitted through the microphone hidden on her body, reached Fu Han just as she turned to look back at He Xing. From the distance, she couldn¡¯t make out what He Xing had said, only seeing the two of them standing very close together.

    Paparazzi blocked Fu Han¡¯s path, relentlessly questioning her about her rtionship with He Xing and Luo Qinghe.

    Luo Qinghe, furious, shielded Fu Han behind him and ordered the paparazzi to clear the way, barely restraining the impulse to curse out loud.

    Nan Qing and Su Cheng, from a distance, struggled to make their way through the crowd towards them, both wearing grim expressions.

    Fu Han knew that if she said nothing, the paparazzi would never let her leave, so she stepped out from behind Luo Qinghe and stated word by word, ¡°My current focus is on my career. I¡¯m not sure about the future, but right now I am just friends with them.¡±

    ¡°But Miss Fu, the old Chairman once said that you are in his heart¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve answered your questions, the rest is noment,¡± Fu Han said coldly, no longer speaking and headed straight for their parking spot.

    Luo Qinghe,gging behind, pointed at the paparazzi, which were like a persistent rash, ¡°If you dare follow us, we¡¯ll see you in court. I mean what I say.¡±

    His words actually managed to stop the paparazzi, and nobody continued to follow them.

    The young master of the Li family was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, receiving all the affection one could imagine, and he had always lived carelessly, never tolerating sacrifice.

    Always doing whatever he wanted, throughout the years he had destroyed countless paparazzi¡¯s SLR cameras.

    Of course, the Li family was wealthy, and paparazzi that sought them out were sure to bepensated with an even better camera, but that couldn¡¯t make up for the irritations caused by the young master¡¯s shenanigans.

    Although Luo Qinghe had be moreposed as he grew older, and had the gentle appearance of a refined gentleman, if anyone truly crossed him, he would turn his back on them without a second thought.

    The return trip was still driven by Luo Qinghe, who initially had daring paparazzi tailing his car, but he soon left them far behind.

    Nan Qing looked at Fu Han by her side, opening and closing her mouth several times, but eventually couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Fu Han, that night you couldn¡¯t sleep, was it because He Xing and Xia Ning spent the night out together?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯splexion visibly turned pale, but she neither confirmed nor denied it.

    Su Cheng, sitting in the passenger seat, felt distressed and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Nan Qing, spare her the details, will you? She¡¯s upset right now.¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m upset?¡± Fu Han snapped, as if her tail had been stepped on, ring at Su Cheng, ¡°As I said before, I came back to break off the engagement with He Xing. I would be d if he had someone else.¡±

    However harsh her words, the knife in her heart was even heavier, her heart already pierced through and through.

    Su Chengughed instinctively, but then suddenly realized it wasn¡¯t the time tough and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Nan Qing, always attentive to Su Cheng¡¯s reactions, spoke up withplicated emotions, unable to hold back, ¡°Fu Han, I think you don¡¯t understand what¡¯s really in your heart. I feel like you haven¡¯tpletely let go of He Xing.¡±

    Her words silenced everyone in the car; no one spoke.

    Su Cheng was silently scolding Nan Qing with his eyes, Nan Qing looked stubbornly at Fu Han, and Fu Han, leaning back in her seat, gazed out the window, her eyes dim and lifeless as if lost in thought.

    The Mercedes-Benz Unimog roared past, and the scenery on both sides of the road swiftly receded, much like a rewinding scene in a movie.

    Luo Qinghe caught glimpses of Fu Han several times through the rearview mirror, then cleared his throat to draw everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Nan Qing, Fu Han is in a state of confusion and can¡¯t answer your question calmly; besides, I think it only makes sense that Fu Han hasn¡¯tpletely forgotten about He Xing. They grew up together, each witnessing the other¡¯s life. It would be preposterous if she truly forgot him.¡±

    Fu Han didn¡¯t remember what she said in response, but she knew that for a long time toe, she wouldn¡¯t forget Luo Qinghe¡¯s words.

    Even if she couldn¡¯t recall the expression or tone Luo Qinghe had when he said those words, she remembered every word he¡¯d spoken.

    And it was these words from Luo Qinghe that convinced her he was a friend worth making.

    ¡­

    Huating No.1.

    He Xing had already been standing outside of suite 2501 for an hour. His hand was growing numb from knocking for so long. Fu Han had blocked him on all contact methods, leaving him with no choice but to wait.

    There was still no word about Fu Han from Liang Tao, and although He Xing suspected that Fu Han was likely not home, he didn¡¯t know where else to look for her.

    As he was hesitating about what to do next, his phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing it was a call from Liang Tao, He Xing answered immediately, ¡°How is it, have you found where Fu Han is?¡±

    ¡°Mr. He, pleasee to the office immediately,¡± Liang Tao spoke anxiously, ¡°All shareholders are here, they¡¯re demanding that you call a Shareholders Meeting at once.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    The Lamborghini screeched as its tires rubbed against the ground, and the car roared out of Huating No.1, heading towards the He Group building.

    The many floors of the tall building were all part of He Group, where one¡¯s office floor directly determined their rank within thepany¡ªthe higher the rank, the higher the office floor.

    The top floor housed the Chairman¡¯s office, a super luxurious Meeting Room which is only used for board meetings, and a Gym that could rival the top fitness facilities in the country.

    As the elevator doors opened, Liang Tao¡¯s face appeared before He Xing. While moving forward, He Xing asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation now?¡±

    ¡°Mr. He, our stock has fallen by two percentage points, and the shareholders are restless. They demand an exnation from you,¡± Liang Tao followed hastily behind He Xing, his breath growing louder, ¡°The Chairman isn¡¯t here, he said you¡¯re in charge of handling everything.¡±

 Chapter 69 - 69 Order No. 069

    ?Chapter 69: Order No. 069   Chapter 69: Order No. 069                                   ¡°I know, I¡¯ll go change my clothes first, have them wait a moment.¡±

    He Xing said this expressionlessly, then headed to his own waiting room.

    This was a resting roomparable to a presidential suite in a five-star hotel, with a dressing room asrge as an ordinary person¡¯s bedroom, filled with various bespoke suits, shirts, ties, plenty of casual wear, and even several sets of pajamas.

    He Xing tugged at the tie around his neck, took off his suit, and casually grabbed a bathrobe before entering the bathroom.

    Soon the sound of rushing water could be heard, and through the frosted bathroom door, one could make out a blurred figure; a tall, robust physique and even through the blur, the distinct, sharp facial features were unmistakable.

    Before long, the bathroom door opened, and billowing steam burst forth, resembling the dry ice effects in TV dramas, quite dreamy.

    He Xing emerged in a bathrobe, his clear vicle faintly visible, and his long legs covered with distinct coarse leg hair emitted a strong scent of pheromones.

    His semi-long hair was dripping wet, falling from his neck into his vicle, and finally disappearing into the bathrobe.

    He Xing grabbed a dry towel and vigorously rubbed his hair, his dark eyes intermittently gleaming through the veil of hair, flickering like candle mes.

    His eyshes were like two brushes, long and curved, fluttering like fans as he blinked.

    And the gems hidden beneath those fans, like mas, held one¡¯s gaze spellbound.

    In the midst of the hairdryer¡¯s humming, He Xing once again dialed Fu Han¡¯s number, and unsurprisingly, it was still busy.

    He sighed; it seemed she was truly angry this time. He could exin, he could coax her, but first, he had to find her.

    He Xing chose a ck suit, paired with a sapphire blue tie, adorned at the chest with a brooch designed like a pin.

    The sapphire blue tie is difficult for most people to pull off; it can easily look greasy.

    But the visual impact of He Xing¡¯s face was so striking that even the most vivid clothes looked better on him¡ªthe regal, bright colors suited him best.

    Before leaving, He Xing checked himself in the mirror onest time; his semi-long hair was slicked back with a seven-to-three part, fixed with hair gel, looking very sharp.

    He took a big sip of honey water and then opened the door, heading toward the boardroom.

    No one followed behind He Xing, but his confident stride gave the impression of an army marching behind him.

    The He Group had been established for over a hundred years, and most of the board members were about the same age as the elderly He patriarch; calling them ¡®grandfather¡¯ would not be out of ce, and supposedly, the youngest among them was five or six years older than his father.

    Therefore, everyone there was his senior.

    He could hear raucous voices at the door, but as he pushed it open, those sounds vanished instantly, leaving the vast meeting room in pin-drop silence.

    After entering, He Xing greeted them, ¡°Good day, grandfathers, uncles, and gentlemen. I will be presiding over today¡¯s board meeting; please feel free to direct any questions to me.¡±

    His direct approach left the directors seated at the round table looking at each other, all silent, none wanting to be the first to speak; they all felt like they were ganging up on the fewer and the younger.

    As no one spoke, He Xing didn¡¯t rush them. He settled in the Chairman¡¯s seat, rested his head on his hand, and half-closed his eyes, deep in thought.

    Time ticked away silently, as the directors exchanged wordless nces.

    Finally, Director Wu, a short and plump man with droopy eyes, broke the silence, ¡°Chairman He, how do you n to address today¡¯s issue?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just two percentage points; the He Group canpletely absorb that,¡± responded He Xing nonchntly, the pen in his hand twirling endlessly.

    Many shareholders around the round table were murmuring among themselves, and He Xing, expressionless, watched them before icily countering, ¡°Or do you all believe that the He Group can be defeated by a mere two percentage points?¡±

    ¡°Chairman He, you can¡¯t say that,¡± Director Wu, whose hair had already turned white, was the first to respond. His round face looked affable, but the somewhat gloomy droopy eyes diluted that affability, ¡°The He Group¡¯s stock hasn¡¯t fallen by two points in over a decade. The media outside is even suggesting this is the first step in the decline of the He Group.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows raised, his face impassive as he looked at Director Wu, ¡°Uncle Wu, you believe such rumors? Or do you no longer have faith in this enterprise that your ancestors struggled for?¡±

    Most of those present had dedicated their lives to the He Group, and for many, their whole families had worked hard for the Group. A lot of them held shares gifted directly by the He Family.

    These sharp words silenced the grand meeting room, causing the numerous directors to be quiet.

    Today¡¯s incident, from another perspective, was tantamount to elders bullying a junior; not only would it sound bad if word got out, but it also brought them no honor.

    Director Wu¡¯s beady eyes darted around, sweat beading on his nose as he realized he couldn¡¯t wait any longer and abruptly stood up, ¡°Chairman He, stop beating around the bush. All of us here have staked our livelihoods and lives on the He Group. Are you nning to dismiss us just like that?¡±

    This remark immediately found support among many directors; indeed, there was truth in it.

    ¡°Alright, He Xing is still a kid. Let¡¯s not pressure him,¡± interjected Director Zheng, who sat to the right of He Xing. His square face was wrinkled, making him seem kind.

    Director Wu, as if his tail had been stepped on, immediately started arguing with Director Zheng, both men in their fifties or sixties turning red in the face.

    ¡°Quiet.¡±

    He Xing mmed his hand on the table and slowly stood, his over six-foot stature exerting an oppressive presence, ¡°Within a month, our stock will return to yesterday¡¯s percentage point.¡±

    Many began to gasp; raising argepany¡¯s stock by two percentage points in a month wasn¡¯t particrly difficult, but the He Group was currently in the midst of a crisis.

    ¡°He Xing, don¡¯t say things you can¡¯t deliver,¡± Director Zheng hastily stood up, his face turning the color of a liver.

    ¡°Well done, Chairman He,¡± Director Wu seized the opportunity to speak, his tone aggressive, ¡°Anyone can talk a good game, but what if you don¡¯t achieve it?¡±

    It was clear as day that Director Wu hade to make trouble,

    He Xing looked at him expressionlessly and enunciated each word, ¡°If I don¡¯t achieve it, I will resign to take responsibility.¡±

    The meeting room erupted inmotion, most were only there to hear how He Xing nned to handle the crisis. No one expected it to conclude with such a decisive ultimatum.

    Only Director Wu, whose smile deepened, his lips almost splitting behind his ears.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept over everyone, as if memorizing their expressions at that moment, then without another word, he simply walked out.

 Chapter 70 - 70 Visiting Graves on the 07th

    ?Chapter 70: Visiting Graves on the 07th   Chapter 70: Visiting Graves on the 07th                                   Qiping Mountain Cemetery.

    This is the best cemetery in City A, bar none.

    It boasts excellent Feng Shui. Many have even called in favors to secure a plot here.

    In front of Qiping Mountain Cemetery flows a river, meandering through City A, an important source of drinking water, once the city¡¯s protective moat in ancient times.

    Though expansive, the cemetery is not overdeveloped due to its poprity. Instead, it features exceptionally well-maintained greenery.

    On the river-facing side are neatly arranged terraced tombstones, while evergreens encircle the remaining four sides, each as thick as a man¡¯s waist and as tall as a three-story building.

    Some have even imed it could have be one of City A¡¯s tourist attractions had it not been a cemetery.

    But there¡¯s one drawback: it¡¯s too far from the city center. A taxi ride takes half an hour, and a bus at least an hour¡ªonly with good luck does one catch it.

    Buses from the city center run every two minutes, while here they run hourly. Only during the Tomb Sweeping Festival do theye every twenty minutes.

    Though the cemetery is a Feng Shui treasure, ordinary people dare not live nearby. The ce feels eerily sinister.

    A bus approaches in the distance, with only a young girl aboard besides the driver.

    The driver looks at her in the rearview mirror several times. She¡¯s dressed in a simple white sweater, a ck woolen coat, her fair face untouched by makeup, the bloodless lips making her look less like a real person and more like a porcin doll.

    In the deep autumn of Qiping Mountain, even during the day, an oppressive aura looms, perhaps from the clouds hanging ever lower, as a forlorn ambiance bursts forth.

    The bus stops precisely next to the Qiping Mountain bus sign. Seeing the girl still staring out the window, lost in thought, the driver can¡¯t help but remind her, ¡°Lady, we¡¯re here. You can get off now.¡±

    Fu Han snaps back to reality, and with surprise, her cheeks flush with a hint of color, adding a bit more life to her pallid face, invoking a sense ofpassion.

    The driver watches her disembark and speaks up, ¡°Thest bus is at four in the afternoon. Keep an eye on the time and don¡¯t stay too long.¡±

    After saying this, he steps on the elerator and the bus departs.

    Through his rearview mirror, he can see the girl still standing in the same spot, seemingly lost in thought.

    The driver shakes his head, ¡°Looks like another poor soul. Who knows who lies buried here for her.¡±

    Fu Han looks across the street at the gate, three wooden beams forming its frame, with a sign hanging in the center: ¡°Qiping Mountain Cemetery.¡±

    The characters, as if written by a student new to writing, are skewed and uneven but earnest in every stroke.

    Every time Fu Han sees this sign, she feels an inexplicable calm.

    These five slightly ugly characters seem to possess a magical power, peeling awayyers to unearth the most significant things hidden deep within when you look up to them.

    Fu Han crosses beneath the sign, ascending the gentle steps. On both sides lie orderly graves¡ªsome adorned with fresh flowers, others withered; some with burnt-out candles; others with unmarked tombstones.

    Her parents¡¯ graves are here, plots purchased by Elder He, who also secured his own beside them, reasoning that they could be neighbors in the afterlife.

    The higher she climbs, the stronger the wind bes, animating the hem of Fu Han¡¯s woolen coat like fluttering butterflies, her hair growing increasingly disheveled.

    The tombstones lining the path stare silently at the unexpected visitor.

    Feeling a chill, Fu Han draws her coat tighter and quickens her pace.

    The graves at the top are the most expensive, and her parents¡¯ plotsmand a peerless view from the summit of Qiping Mountain.

    Fu Han stands before her parents¡¯ graves, which are surrounded by well-keptwns and clean tombstones, clearly tended to regrly, probably arranged by Elder He.

    She gazes at the photos on the tombstones: ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m sorry for not visiting you for so long.¡±

    During the Tomb Sweeping Festival each of thest three years, she¡¯s been consumed with guilt, regretting that she, their daughter, couldn¡¯t perform the ritual sweeping of their graves¡ªa grave sin indeed.

    Resting against her mother¡¯s tombstone, Fu Han sits on the ground, murmuring softly, ¡°Dad, Mom, I know you¡¯re most worried about me. But you don¡¯t have to worry anymore. Even if I leave the He Family, I can take care of myself.¡±

    Her eyes are obstructed by her wind-tossed hair. Maybe it¡¯s just the hair, but her eyes feel irritated. She forces herself not to blink too hard, unwilling to let tears well up.

    The wind grows fiercer, howling strangely amid the rows of tombstones like the dying roar of a trapped beast, as if something is yearning to break free from its cage.

    The words leave Fu Han¡¯s mouth but are quickly lost in the wind.

    Leaning against the tombstone feels like being cradled in her mother¡¯s arms, except this grave marker is too cold, almost numbing half her body.

    But Fu Han seems not to feel it, continuing to whisper to her parents about the past three years.

    She lightly touches the tombstone with her forehead, whispering, ¡°Mom, do you remember the time I fought with He Xing when I was little? You said we should be grateful to the He Family for giving us a ce to live, that I should be kind and yield to him because he was the young master.¡±

    Only the chilling wind answers her.

    Fu Han smiles and says, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve always done as you said, gave him the best I could. But I realized it¡¯s no use. Someone else¡¯s mother is his lifesaver. He Xing and someone else are the ones everyone considers childhood sweethearts.¡±

    Raindrops begin to fall, touching Fu Han¡¯s face with coolness that is not painful yet distinctly cold.

    With a smile, she wipes her face, ¡°Dad, Mom, if you were still here, would you think my wish to marry He Xing is pure fantasy?¡±

    ¡°You surely would¡¯ve thought so. When I was little, you scolded me just for eating one of He Xing¡¯s imported choctes, let alone now.¡±

    Fu Han shifts, her body stiffening on one side. She supports herself with her hands, struggling to rise.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, I no longer harbor any foolish dreams. Even if I was deluded three years ago, today I see clearly with no lingering attachment.¡±

 Chapter 71 - 71 071 Fainted

    ?Chapter 71: 071 Fainted   Chapter 71: 071 Fainted                                   The storm grew fiercer and fiercer as Fu Han staggered to her feet. Before she left, she turned to take a deep look at her parents, ¡°Mom and Dad, if there¡¯s a chance in the future, I¡¯lle to visit you again. If¡­if there¡¯s no chance, then when you have the time,e see me in my dreams.¡±

    Rain mixed with tears blurred Fu Han¡¯s vision.

    She wobbled down the path, her face as pale as paper, her hair and clothes drenched and ufortably clinging to her skin.

    A tomb guardian came out for inspection and, seeing Fu Han, approached to ask if she needed help.

    Fu Han shook her head and staggered down the hill, her steps unsteady, nearly slipping into the void several times.

    In the torrential downpour, visibility was reduced to mere meters, and the water on Ond Road had turned into a stream.

    Large raindrops pelted Fu Han¡¯s head. She had forgotten where the bus station was and chose a direction at random, not realizing she was moving further away from the bus stop.

    She vaguely sensed a caring up behind her and turned around slowly, waving her hand, hoping to make it stop.

    But this was Qiping Mountain Cemetery, a ce seldom visited by anyone, and who woulde to sweep tombs in such heavy rain? Considering her disheveled state, the driver must have thought he¡¯d seen a ghost in broad daylight, and would probably have wished his car could fly away.

    Fu Han felt her head getting heavier; she couldn¡¯t walk anymore. She slowly turned her head back and through the rain curtain, Qiping Mountain had be a blurry silhouette.

    She didn¡¯t want to walk anymore and simply leaned against a tree by the roadside.

    There was the sound of a car again from behind; she knew it would not stop, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to wave her hand, just leaned against the trunk and slowly closed her eyes.

    Unexpectedly, the vehicle stopped beside her. She opened her eyes and through the lowered window, she saw the person¡¯s ck medium-length hair, ck suit, and although his face was not clear through the rain, she instinctively felt it should be He Xing.

    She reached out towards the car and smiled foolishly, ¡°He Xing, you¡¯ve finallye.¡±

    ¡°Open your eyes and see who you think is He Xing,¡± a voice tinged with slight anger said. The car door opened, and a slender figure holding an umbre came out; it was Luo Qinghe.

    He crouched in front of Fu Han, shaking her shoulder, ¡°Wake up, hey, wake up.¡±

    But Fu Han¡¯s eyes remained tightly shut as if she hadn¡¯t heard, and her head tilted, she started to fall toward the ground.

    Luo Qinghe threw the umbre aside in one swift move and caught her securely, caring nothing for the severe storm, and gently ced her in the back seat.

    The Mercedes-Benz Unimog made a U-turn on the spot, speeding almost like it was racing, with the rain flying off it in a manner reminiscent of movie special effects.

    On the way back, Luo Qinghe received a call from Su Cheng. ncing at the sleeping Fu Han in the back seat, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve found her. She¡¯s in bad shape; I¡¯m taking her to the hospital.¡±

    Today, when they had taken Fu Han from the Mountain and Water Gallery, she seemed to be in shock but was otherwise okay.

    She said she needed some time alone and so had them leave her¡ªLuo Qinghe and Su Cheng. She hadn¡¯t told anyone that she was going to Qiping Mountain.

    Later, Nan Qing went to look for Fu Han in her room and discovered that sometime, she had disappeared. Panicked, she called Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe.

    The three split up to search: one went to the He Family vi, one to the high school that Fu Han had once mentioned, and the rest, Luo Qinghe, on a hunch, inquired about the whereabouts of Fu Han¡¯s parents¡¯ gravesite and headed towards Qiping Mountain.

    Luo Qinghe used to race cars, and he had modified this Mercedes-Benz Unimog like a race car, though it was the first time he was driving like this in the rain.

    But he couldn¡¯t make himself slow down. His mind was filled with the image of Fu Han copsing. He had the illusion that if he didn¡¯t hurry, she would leave this world.

    It felt like an eternity before the hospital finally came into view. There was no time to park the car properly. He carried Fu Han out at top speed and rushed into the hospital, calling out for a ¡°Doctor.¡±

    Su Cheng and Nan Qing arrived a few stepster at the hospital, finding Luo Qinghe waiting outside the Emergency Room. After he briefly exined the situation to Su Cheng, he left them with a quick ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡± and departed the hospital.

    His clothes werepletely soaked, as were Fu Han¡¯s. He needed to go out to change and buy a clean set of clothes for Fu Han.

    The red light of the Emergency Room kept shing, leaving onlookers anxious and unsettled.

    Nan Qing, who was agitated by the pacing Su Cheng, couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Stop pacing around, you¡¯re making me dizzy.¡±

    Red-faced with worry, Su Cheng eximed, ¡°But¡­ but I¡¯m concerned. If something happens to Fu Han, I don¡¯t want to live anymore either.¡±

    Upon hearing this, thoughts of her own parents and godparents shed through Nan Qing¡¯s mind, and she irritably ruffled her hair, ¡°Would you just stop talking about dying all the time? Do you think that makes you sound devoted? Let me tell you, all that talk is just nonsense.¡±

    Su Cheng stood there gaping, ¡°But¡­ but my life would be meaningless without Fu Han.¡±

    ¡°Is Fu Han the only meaning in your life?¡± Nan Qing grew increasingly furious, shaking as she pointed at Su Cheng, ¡°You¡¯ve only known Fu Han for three years. Your parents have raised you for so many years. Have you ever considered what they would do if you died?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Su Cheng found himself at a loss for words, unable to reply.

    Just then, the doors of the Emergency Room opened, and a doctor in a white coat came out, ¡°Are Fu Han¡¯s family here? Come, help move the bed.¡±

    Su Cheng and Nan Qing rushed over to help, Su Cheng frantic, ¡°Doctor¡­ Doctor, how is she?¡±

    The doctor nced at Su Cheng, ¡°What is your rtionship to the patient?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m her friend,¡± Su Cheng stammered with a flushed face. He had almost said ¡®boyfriend,¡¯ but didn¡¯t have the nerve to say it outright.

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not in any serious condition, just caught a cold from the rain and has a fever. And her previous wound hasn¡¯t fully healed, now it¡¯s showing some signs of infection.¡±

    When Luo Qinghe returned, he was dressed in fresh, dry clothes, his usual casual, cool attire.

    By then, Fu Han had already been moved to the ward. Su Cheng mentioned that the ward was in shortage, and the hospital had assigned her a regr three-person room, crowded with the remaining beds already upied and scarcely any space to walk.

    Without a word, Luo Qinghe left and returned half an hourter, followed by two nurses. They were there to change Fu Han¡¯s room to a high-level VIP ward.

    Nan Qing curled up on the sofa of the upscale ward, holding a hot milk tea brought by Luo Qinghe, and gave him a thumbs-up, ¡°Brother Qinghe, you¡¯re amazing. We had just failed to persuade them even for a double room, saying it was just a minor cold and she would be discharged in a couple of days, no need for a fuss. But you¡­ you managed to get such a luxurious room with a snap of your fingers, impressive!¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72 072 Self-reliance

    ?Chapter 72: 072 Self-reliance   Chapter 72: 072 Self-reliance                                   ¡°You, youngdy, are getting more and more cheeky,¡± Luo Qinghe chuckled after a sip of his hottte, ¡°I¡¯ve just revealed my identity. If you and Su Cheng were willing to reveal your real names, they¡¯d simrly arrange a deluxe ward for you.¡±

    Nan Qing stuck out her tongue, ¡°No way, I think it¡¯s great to be self-reliant like now. If I always relied on my family¡¯s protection, how boring would that be?¡±

    ¡°But howe I heard that the money to start your art studio was given to you by your parents?¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s smile carried a hint of mischief, his handsome face gaining a bit of roguishness.

    Nan Qing¡¯s face turned red and she puffed up her cheeks in a weak argument, ¡°That¡¯s really not my fault. I said I¡¯d go paint in the streets and do street art. My parents nearly had a fit, saying that if city managementes along, you won¡¯t even have a ce to hide. They insisted on giving me an art studio. What was I supposed to do?¡±

    ¡°Right, right,¡± Luo Qinghe spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, ¡°Everyone knows that the Nangong family lineage has been single heir for several generations. When ites to you, their precious daughter, they¡¯d fear even to let you melt in their mouths.¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s face burned. She always knew Luo Qinghe had a sharp tongue, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to be this harsh, shaking with anger.

    Seeking help, she looked towards Su Cheng, only to find him utterly oblivious to their conversation, his eyes fixated solely on Fu Han.

    Nan Qing¡¯s heart felt like it had been doused with cold water, painful. She slowly turned away, pretending everything was normal as she sipped her milk tea, but the sweet beverage tasted bitterly harsh.

    You gaze at the scenery, doomed never to be someone else¡¯s scenery.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze shifted among the three of them, his brown eyes gleaming with a murky light.

    ¡­

    When He Xing received the message and rushed to the hospital, Fu Han had already been unconscious in the deluxe ward for two hours.

    She had been running a high fever for nearly three hours, remained unconscious, and the doctor said that aggressive treatment might leave sequ, so they opted for conservative treatment for the time being.

    He Xing requested to speak alone with Fu Han for a while. Su Cheng vehemently opposed, with Nan Qing chiming in agreement. Eventually, Luo Qinghe intervened, and they agreed to leave He Xing alone with her.

    Originally, Luo Qinghe suggested that the three of them take this opportunity to go out for dinner, but Su Cheng now looked upon He Xing as if he were an enemy hellbent on vendetta. Su Cheng insisted on staying outside the ward and refused to leave, so, in the end, only Luo Qinghe and Nan Qing went out to eat.

    In the all-white room, He Xing held Fu Han¡¯s hand and gazed at her intently. Her palms were ice cold, yet her forehead burned. Her cheeks were flushed red as if papered, her lips cracked without a trace of color.

    He sighed and shook Fu Han¡¯s hand, ¡°Xiaohan, wake up soon. Only if you wake up can I dash forward without worries.¡±

    But these words seemed to disappear into the void, without any response.

    The light in He Xing¡¯s eyes dimmed as he dipped a cotton swab in water and dabbed it gently on Fu Han¡¯s lips. As they moistened, her lips appeared more plump, as if covered in gloss.

    Gazing at her, his Adam¡¯s apple moved involuntarily. Suddenly, he leaned in and kissed those soft lips; her moist lips were sweet, just like candy.

    The intensity of He Xing¡¯s movements grew uncontroble.

    Suddenly, a soft moan sounded. It wasn¡¯t loud, but it instantly extinguished the boiling blood in He Xing¡¯s veins. His eyes sprung open excitedly, and indeed, he saw Fu Han¡¯s eyes open, ¡°Xiaohan, you¡¯re finally awake.¡±

    In his heart, he thought, if he had known a kiss would awaken her, he would have done it long ago.

    Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat elerated at the sight of He Xing¡¯s face looming over hers, but her mind was flooded with images from earlier that day.

    She turned her head away from He Xing, ¡°Mr. He, is this your style, taking advantage of people when they¡¯re weak?¡±

    The joy on He Xing¡¯s face evaporated. He slowly stood up, striving to keep his tone steady, ¡°Xiaohan, give me a few minutes, and I¡¯ll exin everything to you.¡±

    ¡°Mr. He must be joking. We have nothing to do with each other. There¡¯s absolutely no need for you to exin anything to me.¡± The unspoken hurt in Fu Han¡¯s heart churned. He was cozy with Xia Ning on stage, wasn¡¯t he? Why put on this regretful act now¡ªwho are you trying to impress?

    He Xing panicked, grasping Fu Han¡¯s hand, ¡°Xiaohan, how can we not have anything to do with each other? You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, the person meant to be by my side for life. I must exin to you, there¡¯s truly nothing between Xia Ning and me.¡±

    Fu Han tried harder, but she couldn¡¯t pull her hand free. Already feeling weak, she knew all too well she was no match for He Xing.

    She stopped trying to pull her hand back and let He Xing hold it, her expression nk as she faced him, ¡°Are you trying to say that having drinks with Xia Ning at the bar was an ident? You didn¡¯t expect her to get drunk. You didn¡¯t want to care for her, but her mother exchanged her life for yours, so you couldn¡¯t ignore her?¡±

    He Xing looked at Fu Han sorrowfully, ¡°Xiaohan, do you have to speak so harshly?¡±

    ¡°Does it sound harsh to you?¡± Fu Han scoffed, ¡°It must hit home, doesn¡¯t it? Xia Ning¡¯s mother saved you, and you need to repay the favor, so you can¡¯t refuse any of her excessive demands. If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you just marry her?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t marry her,¡± He Xing¡¯s face turned pale, his eyes revealing unspeakable pain.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart was tormented as if searing over a fire. She turned her head away, not wanting to see He Xing any longer. Using thest of her strength, she said, ¡°I¡¯m tired and don¡¯t want to keep unraveling whether you like her or me. Let me go, and you let go too.¡±

    The ward suddenly quieted down. Outside, the storm grew fiercer; thunder boomed and rainshed against the windows, as if attempting to break the ss.

    He Xing¡¯s hands grabbed Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, forcing her to look at him, ¡°Fu Han, trust me again, please. Just give me a little more time, and I can give you a satisfactory oue.¡±

    Honestly, when Fu Han heard the first half of He Xing¡¯s words, her heart softened. But the next second, thetter part shattered it.

    She burst intoughter, ¡°He Xing, are you joking with me? Since our engagement when I was eighteen, and now I¡¯m almost twenty-five. Seven years haven¡¯t been enough, and you¡¯re still asking me to wait? Should I wait for you my whole life? Who do you think you are? Why should I wait just because you tell me to?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    He Xing opened his mouth but found he had nothing to say.

    He slowly released his hands and stepped back, as if he was seeing Fu Han for the first time again.

 Chapter 73 - 73 Dissolution of Engagement 073

    ?Chapter 73: Dissolution of Engagement 073   Chapter 73: Dissolution of Engagement 073                                   As he retreated to the doorway, he smiled, a smile that resembled thest beautiful bloom of a flower before being struck by hail: ¡°You¡¯re right, I shouldn¡¯t be so selfish, you¡­ you are free, I won¡¯t force you anymore.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s anger was suddenly ignited in an instant, she propped herself up and looked at He Xing: ¡°He Xing, you speak so righteously now, do you dare to say you don¡¯t know why Yang Kaitai is attacking me online?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s already pale face turned even paler: ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°Do I need someone to tell me?¡± Fu Han sneered nonstop: ¡°The charm of Miss Xia is irresistible; the sole heir of the electronics tycoon ispletely smitten with her. I have no quarrel with Yang Kaitai in thousands of miles, nor recent grievances, so why would he go to such lengths to target me? Businessmen don¡¯t rise early for nothing.¡±

    After learning that the online public opinion incident was orchestrated by Yang Kaitai behind the scenes, Fu Han knew that it couldn¡¯t be detached from Xia Ning.

    She believed that He Xing definitely knew this too, she didn¡¯t say anything and was just waiting to see how He Xing would handle it, whether he would deal with it fairly and justly, or once again turn a blind eye to the misdeeds of the daughter of his life-saving benefactor.

    After a long silence, He Xing said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve said that I will handle that matter for you. I won¡¯t let off anyone who has hurt you.¡±

    Fu Han turned her head away: ¡°There¡¯s no need, I have no rtionship with Young Master He anymore, and I don¡¯t need Young Master He to trouble himself over my affairs, I can handle it myself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, we¡­¡±

    However, the words that He Xing blurted out in a rush were interrupted by Fu Han: ¡°Young Master He, please don¡¯t say such things. Xia Ning is the daughter of your life-saving benefactor, would you trulyy a hand on her? I bet you wouldn¡¯t even let her say she¡¯s sorry.¡±

    ¡°Who says I won¡¯t¡­¡±

    He Xing eagerly started to speak again, but once more his words were cut off before he could finish.

    This time, however, it wasn¡¯t Fu Han who interrupted him, but the noise from outside the door, sounding like Su Cheng was trying to stop someone, and another group of people trying to enter, among which one voice was especially overbearing.

    Fu Han¡¯s pale face revealed a brilliant smile: ¡°Young Master He, your childhood sweetheart is here, aren¡¯t you going to hurry out to greet her?¡±

    Even if she turned to ashes, she would never forget the voice of Xia Ning, let alone now when Xia Ning seemed to be using a megaphone, making it difficult not to hear her.

    He Xing didn¡¯t answer Fu Han¡¯s words, he pulled the door open with a swish.

    Su Cheng stood with his back to the ward, alone facing Xia Ning and her entourage of about a dozen bodyguards.

    As soon as Xia Ning saw He Xing, she began to put the me on others first: ¡°Brother He Xing, look at this person stopping me. I specifically wanted toe here to see Sister Fu Han, look, I even brought her flowers.¡±

    ¡°Lady Xia¡¯s flowers and kind intentions, I dare not ept. If you really wish me well, you better leave quickly, lest seeing you makes me even more annoyed.¡± Fu Han felt ufortable all over just looking at Xia Ning, especially with her pretentious expression, the kind that makes one want to get a sty in their eye at a single nce.

    The smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face stiffened, a vicious light shed in her eyes, but the next second she was rubbing her eyes and sniffling, tears flowing down like they were free of charge: ¡°Sister Fu Han, you¡­ I know you also like Brother He Xing, but He Xing and I have mutual affection for each other, please give us your blessing.¡±

    He Xing red at Xia Ning: ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve told you I only regard you as¡­¡±

    ¡°As a sister, right.¡± Xia Ning¡¯s tears did not stop as she looked at He Xing with innocent eyes: ¡°Brother He Xing, you told me as long as Fu Han doesn¡¯t call off the engagement, you and I can only be like siblings, I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±

    Whether by misfortune or a blessing, stimted by Xia Ning¡¯s provocation, Fu Han¡¯s headache lessened a lot. She propped herself up to sit and looked at Xia Ning with a smile; she was curious to see what tricks Xia Ning was ying now.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t expect to not anger Fu Han, she felt somewhat surprised. If it were three years ago, Fu Han would have already been furious to the point of climbing the walls.

    One ploy failing, Xia Ning came up with another idea. She walked to He Xing¡¯s side with a pitiful expression: ¡°Brother He Xing, don¡¯t be mad at me. I know I shouldn¡¯t have spoken out about what you told me, but I got jealous. I don¡¯t want you to have any rtions with other women.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s handsome face remained expressionless, he looked at Xia Ning coldly: ¡°When have I ever said those words to you? Let me repeat, my fianc¨¦e is Fu Han and will only be Fu Han. If you still want to be a normal friend, you should leave now, or don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡±

    ¡°Over here! Everyone,e quick!¡±

    Noisy voices arose, countless footsteps began, drawing nearer from afar.

    Su Cheng originally stood by the window; hearing this, he dashed in front of Fu Han while saying, ¡°The paparazzi are here, close the door quickly.¡±

    However, He Xing¡¯s actions were a few steps slower than the paparazzi, and in the blink of an eye, the room was packed with a throng of paparazzi, shbulbs directed at Fu Han, He Xing, and Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning looked at Fu Han with teary red eyes full of grievance: ¡°Sister Fu Han, I know you hate me, as long as you agree to bless me and Brother He Xing, I will never bother you again.¡±

    Fu Han looked up at He Xing; his face looked terrible, pale without a trace of color, his dark eyes staring at Fu Han with aplexity that was hard to articte.

    The two locked eyes for nearly a minute, but in the end, it was Fu Han who turned away her gaze. She looked at the room full of paparazzi: ¡°The matters between me, He Xing, and Xia Ning, I¡¯ve already made very clear at noon. I came back to the country to cancel my engagement with He Xing, whether he likes Xia Ning or Dong Ning, I don¡¯t want to know and I¡¯m not interested. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call the police.¡±

    When her words fell, she could even feel a wave of despair spreading from He Xing, for a moment her heart softened, there was an impulse to take back the words she had just spoken.

    He Xing stepped forward, wanting to speak, but Xia Ning, fierce and bold, grabbed He Xing¡¯s arm, leaned into his ear, and whispered softly: ¡°Brother He Xing, don¡¯t forget what you said at the board meeting today; Fu Han is helping you, don¡¯t let her goodwill be in vain.¡±

    ¡­

    Inside the Lamborghini.

    Xia Ning sat in the passenger seat with a sweet smile on her face, her favorite spot, countless times she dreamed of iming it as hers alone.

    He Xing¡¯s hands with distinct knuckles were gripping the steering wheel so hard that veins bulged. He looked straight ahead, and suddenly asked: ¡°Xia Ning, how did you know the content of He Group¡¯s board meeting today?¡±

    Corporate meetings are confidential, especially the top-level board meetings like this.

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile stiffened for a moment, but the next second she smiled even more brilliantly: ¡°Brother He Xing, I guessed it, you see, He Group¡¯s stock took a harsh fall today, and the directorsing to you is definitely not for anything good.¡±

 Chapter 74 - 74 074 Misfortune and Fortune Depend on Each Other

    ?Chapter 74: 074 Misfortune and Fortune Depend on Each Other   Chapter 74: 074 Misfortune and Fortune Depend on Each Other                                   ¡°Really?¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, and his body radiated a chilling coldness.

    An immense pressure filled the small space, crashing over Xia Ning like andslide, turning her face from red to pale: ¡°Brother He Xing, are you angry with me?¡±

    At a red light, the Lamborghini came to an abrupt stop, and Xia Ning cried out in pain, clutching her head.

    He Xing sat motionless as steady as Mount Tai; his gaze fixed ahead, his thoughts inscrutable. As the red light began to sh, he nced at Xia Ning: ¡°Why did you go to the hospital? And why did the paparazzi show up as well?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying I followed you?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s eyes widened innocently as she looked at He Xing: ¡°Brother He Xing, I really didn¡¯t follow you. A friend of mine happened to see you at the hospital, and I was also concerned about Sister Fu Han, so I came. As for the paparazzi¡­ they really weren¡¯t called by me.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that within less than ten minutes of my arriving at the hospital, you managed to get there? Do you have some kind of special ability or what?¡± He Xing¡¯s mouth curled up in a mocking smile, clearly implying that he thought she was treating him like a fool.

    The car that had just started stopped again. He Xing turned to look at Xia Ning, who wore a guilty expression: ¡°I have to go back to thepany for some business, you make your own way home.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face instantly turned ashen: ¡°But Brother He Xing, didn¡¯t you say¡­¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡±

    These two cold words came from He Xing¡¯s mouth, carrying an undeniable force.

    Xia Ning dared not say another word and dejectedly got out of the car.

    No sooner had she stepped out than with the next second, He Xing floored the elerator, and the car zipped away with a screech, only the faint smell of gasoline left in the air to prove that the car had been there.

    ¡­

    The Qingshui Vi area, the Xia Family¡¯s residence.

    Strings of lights lined the walls of the yard, illuminating it as bright as day.

    The yard, half the size of a football field, was filled with a variety of flowers, nts, and trees, each one either a rare variety or a treasured specimen.

    A dual-colored begonia, an orchid with five-petal leaves, ck tulips, blue violets¡ªeach ntpeted for attention.

    But whether it was due to theyout or something else, therge garden somehow gave off a sense of congestion, or rather, a mismatched feeling.

    This had nothing to do with the two-person-wide cobblestone path in the middle of the garden, nor with the peculiar color scheme of the flowers and nts.

    Adjacent to the garden, a massive floor-to-ceiling window revealed the living room, where a crystal chandelier cast a soft glow. Sitting in the luxurious living room were three people.

    The ss coffee table was piled high with tissues, the box now empty, but Xia Ning¡¯s tears had not yet stopped.

    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng sat on sofas at opposite sides, their faces grim.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Xia Cheng finally reached his breaking point. He went over and sat down next to Xia Ning: ¡°Xiaoning, why are you crying? We have set such a big game in motion, and it¡¯s almost time to close the. What¡¯s there to cry about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not you who got kicked out of the car halfway through the journey, of course you¡¯re not upset.¡± Xia Ning, looking aggrieved, stared at Xia Cheng like a child seekingfort after a fall.

    How could she not be upset? She had gone to great lengths to have the paparazzi take photos in order to solidify her rtionship with He Xing. In the end, it turned out that the pictures taken by the paparazzi were of her being thrown out of He Xing¡¯s car.

    The most tragic part was that it had been live-streamed, and tens of thousands of online viewers had witnessed the most embarrassing moment of her life, a scandal she couldn¡¯t have suppressed with all the money in the world.

    Many people online mocked her, saying she knew about He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s engagement, yet still got too close to He Xing,beling her a homewrecker.

    Xia Guoxiong patted Xia Ning¡¯s head, earnestly advising: ¡°Xiaoning, remember what you said before, that as long as you could have He Xing, you wouldn¡¯t regret any sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Xia Ning responded, eyes wide as she looked at Xia Guoxiong: ¡°But, Dad, I don¡¯t like being insulted either. If this goes on, I¡¯ll be everyone¡¯s target. You need to figure something out fast.¡±

    Xia Guoxiong stroked his chin in thought, his narrow eyes glittering with intelligence. However, due to his heavy single eyelids, his face seemed misleadingly benign.

    After a long pause, he spoke in a deep voice: ¡°Xiaoning, He Xing is currently facing enemies on all fronts. That¡¯s why he agreed not to tarnish your reputation openly. As long as you bring up your mother at critical moments, he will definitely not take things too far.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t mention my mother all the time. You said it yourself, if I do it too much, it¡¯ll stop working,¡± Xia Ning mumbled. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t Mom have instructed He Xing to take care of me before she died, or even to marry me or something?¡±

    At that, Xia Guoxiong burst into heartyughter: ¡°Your mom¡¯s death was an ident, and you were so young at the time, marriage was still far off.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed red; she yfully shook Xia Guoxiong¡¯s arm while looking up at him with innocent eyes: ¡°Dad, please tell me, what exactly did you and He Xing talk about?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for us adults to worry about, and it¡¯s none of your concern,¡± Xia Guoxiong said, while giving Xia Cheng a knowing look.

    Xia Cheng immediately understood, and he jerked Xia Ning to her feet, pushing her upstairs: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that going to bed early will make your skin look better? Go to sleep now. Just make sure you look pretty every day, and leave everything else to Dad and me.¡±

    When he finally managed to coax Xia Ning and returned downstairs, there was a bottle of brandy and an empty ss on the coffee table.

    Xia Guoxiong swirled the brandy in his ss: ¡°Come, let¡¯s have a good drink, just the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Sure, Dad.¡± Xia Cheng immediately poured himself a brandy, gulping it down like a man with a craving, smacking his lips in satisfaction afterward.

    Xia Guoxiong peered out the floor-to-ceiling window at a crow perched on the ancient parasol tree in the middle of the yard, its neck stretched as it cawed. Although no sound was heard, its hoarse cry seemed to echo in their ears.

    ¡°I¡¯ll chase it away,¡± Xia Cheng said, his face seething with hostility as he made to get up.

    ¡°Leave it,¡± Xia Guoxiong said impassively. ¡°They say a crow¡¯s caw is an omen of bad luck, but I don¡¯t believe it. Blessing or disaster may depend on each other, and misfortune may be a blessing in disguise.¡±

    Xia Cheng looked perplexed at Xia Guoxiong, unable to understand why his father, who consulted feng shui experts about every object¡¯s cement in their home, showed such fondness for the crow¡¯s call.

    After another gulp of the brandy, Xia Guoxiong looked meaningfully at Xia Cheng: ¡°The day before your mother¡¯s car ident, there was a crow cawing outside our house, too.¡±

    ¡°That means the crow¡¯s call really is bad luck. Why not chase it away?¡± Xia Cheng¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, nearly spitting out his words in excitement.

    ¡°Foolish child, think about it. If your mother hadn¡¯t passed away, would you be leading such a good life now?¡± Xia Guoxiong nced at Xia Cheng with a smirk.

 Chapter 75 - 75 078 cannot proceed

    ?Chapter 75: 078 cannot proceed   Chapter 75: 078 cannot proceed                                   He Group, CEO¡¯s office.

    There was a knock on the door, and He Xing slowly lifted his head, ¡°Pleasee in.¡±

    Yi Lixing pushed the door open, ¡°CEO He, you wanted to see me about something?¡±

    Liang Tao, carrying a cup of coffee, entered and immediately asked on seeing Yi Lixing, ¡°Manager Yi, would you like something to drink, coffee or tea?¡±

    ¡°Tea¡­ Thank you, but no need,¡± Yi Lixing was obviously distracted as he watched He Xing, his gaze constantly shifting onto Liang Tao, hesitating to speak.

    He Xing stirred his coffee, ¡°Liang Tao, step out for a moment, and without my orders, nobody is toe in.¡±

    Only He Xing and Yi Lixing remained in the vast office, silently looking at each other as the air pressure in the office seemed to drop, as if two currents were shing and confronting each other, each trying to oust the other.

    It was no surprise that He Xing had the upper hand. He smiled faintly, ¡°Manager Yi, please take a seat.¡±

    Yi Lixing looked deeply at He Xing before sitting down opposite him, ¡°CEO He, why did you want to see me?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know why I summoned you?¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, ¡°After graduation, when I joined the Group, you were the first high executive I hired. You¡¯re smart enough to guess what I¡¯m about to say, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The color on Yi Lixing¡¯s already pale face subtly shifted, but he quickly concealed it, managing a smile, ¡°You mean to say, as someone who has worked in public rtions for so many years, I still made such a mistake today, which is unforgivable, and I need to be dealt with ording topany policy, right?¡±

    He Xing leisurely sipped his coffee, neither confirming nor denying.

    ¡°But, CEO He, the tender document you brought out is different from the one you initially approved for me to bid with, how do you exin that?¡± Yi Lixing leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice, ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t trust me, or is there something fishy about this whole thing?¡±

    He Xing startedughing, augh like a snow lotus growing on a cliffside ¡ª beautiful, yet devoid of warmth, ¡°The He Group¡¯s tender documents have been leaked before. I don¡¯t do business solely through virtue. I understand the principle of always having a backup n; if n A gets leaked, I switch to n B.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been deceived? The tender document you gave me this morning was a fake?¡± A cold light shot from Yi Lixing¡¯s eyes as he stared at He Xing almost viciously, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d capsize in your gutter, but I can¡¯t say it¡¯s unjustified.¡±

    ¡°Fake is not exactly the word I¡¯d use.¡± He Xing looked calmly at Yi Lixing, as if not seeing a betrayer but a friend, ¡°If the tender document I gave you hadn¡¯t been lost, it would be the one to win the bid. Unfortunately, you failed to seize yourst chance.¡±

    After graduating, He Xing was directly thrown into the headquarters of He Group by Old Master He, and what¡¯s more, he was given the position of general manager. At the time, he was young and an outside appointee, often bullied by those who thought themselves high and mighty, both openly and behind his back.

    One could say that Yi Lixing was his first confidant in thepany. They supported each other, with one bing the PR Department Director with yearly bonuses, and the other, the Executive Chairman, recognized as the heir to the entire Group.

    The betrayal by someone he had fought alongside was not something even the strong-willed He Xing could endure without internal turmoil, especially as thest time He Group¡¯s tender documents were leaked, leading to a lost bid, ultimately won by the Xia Group.

    Though He Xing outwardly imed it was no big deal, he had been secretly investigating ever since.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s already pale face turned even whiter. After a long silence, he lowered his head and said, ¡°CEO He, I¡¯ve let you down this time, but could you give me another chance? I swear there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±

    The disappointment on He Xing¡¯s face was clear as he shook his head, ¡°Once unfaithful, forever useless. You have overdrafted your trust with me. The most I can do for you now is to not publicize your professional misconduct. As for the job you find after leaving He Group, it is of no concern to me.¡±

    Having worked together for years, Yi Lixing knew full well that He Xing always meant what he said. He slowly stood up and almost reached the door when he turned back, ¡°CEO He, I hope we¡¯ll have the chance to meet again in another world.¡±

    A few minutester, when Liang Tao came in with documents, he assessed He Xing¡¯s mood ¨C not too bad ¨C and mustered the courage to ask, ¡°CEO He, did you fire Manager Yi because he lost the tender document?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± He Xing raised his head and looked coldly at Liang Tao, ¡°Everyone must be held ountable for their actions. From now on, Yi Lixing is no longer a part of He Group. If you disclose any information rted to He Group to him, you can expect to share his fate.¡±

    Liang Tao swallowed hard, hastily assuring that he would never do such a thing.

    He Xing lifted his head from behind theputer, ¡°Is there any news on Fu Han?¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± Liang Tao perked up immediately, ¡°I found out that Miss Fu left City A by nest night, headed for Wu City.¡±

    ¡°Keep a close watch,¡± He Xing mused, thenmanded, ¡°Report any news about Fu Han to me immediately, and also buy me the next avable ticket to Wu City.¡±

    Liang Tao¡¯s expression changed immediately, and he reminded in a low voice, ¡°CEO He, with the tender signing the day after tomorrow, many details of the film shoot needing your direct oversight, and your one-month agreement with the board of directors, it¡¯s not quite convenient for you to leave City A now.¡±

    The light in He Xing¡¯s eyes dimmed momentarily as he nced at the thick stack of documents waiting to be signed on his desk, ultimately letting out a deep sigh before dismissing Liang Tao with a wave of his hand.

    The headquarters of He Group was abuzz today, with the PR Department Director¡¯s dismissal stirring much debate, eventually dividing opinions into two factions. Some said Yi Lixing had already secured a fallback n before resigning, others argued that he had done something unforgivable to He Xing.

    Since everyone dared not ask He Xing directly, and Yi Lixing had hurriedly packed up and left, the matter became an enigma, with no one knowing the truth.

    Liang Tao, being half in the know, and out of respect for the power of He Xing, didn¡¯t dare to utter a word about it.

    ¡­

    When Fu Han woke up from her sleep, the journey was far from over. Her ticket was boughtst-minute, and she was upgraded to first ss after boarding the ne, hence she and Luo Qinghe were not seated together; their seats were neither too close nor too far apart.

    She sat by the window, looking through the ss to see the white clouds below her feet, with the sky a blindingly blue, the kind that is crystal clear.

    Even before reaching Antarctica, the sky here already gave her a sense of liberation and anticipation for what she might encounter there.

    She looked toward Luo Qinghe¡¯s seat, only able to see the top half of his head as he slept soundly with his head covered.

    Fu Han habitually took out her phone to check the news online, wanting to see if He Xing and Xia Ning were still in the limelight.

    But upon opening her phone, she remembered there was nowork on the ne; she couldn¡¯t ess those updates.

 Chapter 76 - 76 075 Coincidence

    ?Chapter 76: 075 Coincidence   Chapter 76: 075 Coincidence                                   ¡°But Dad¡­¡± Xia Cheng still felt uneasy in his heart. The thought that his wealth and splendor came at the expense of his mother¡¯s life made him somewhat queasy.

    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± Xia Guoxiong poured another ss of brandy for both himself and Xia Cheng, then leaned back on the sofa and slowly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t your sister say she wants to be a star? Isn¡¯t He Xing about to invest in a movie? Don¡¯t waste such a great opportunity.¡±

    As long as Xia Ning was the leadingdy in a movie invested by He Group, the gossip between her and He Xing would seem even more real. By then, even if He Xing wanted to deny it, he would probably find it indefensible.

    The prospect brightened Xia Cheng¡¯s eyes, but then they dimmed again: ¡°But Dad, you gave He Xing face at today¡¯s photography contest. Will he still let my sister be the movie¡¯s leading actress?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always a way.¡± Xia Guoxiong smirked meaningfully: ¡°You just have to make He Xing believe that Xia Ning bing a star was your mother¡¯s dream, and then you¡¯re halfway there.¡±

    Xia Cheng nodded thoughtfully. Even though his face was rtively refined, his smile made him look somewhat sleazy.

    ¡­

    The hospital was very quiet at night. Fu Han¡¯s fever had subsided, and the doctor had said that if she didn¡¯t run a fever tomorrow and the wound on her arm didn¡¯t worsen, she could be discharged the day after tomorrow.

    Being discharged or not didn¡¯t mean much to Fu Han. Her mood wasplicated, she wanted to speak but didn¡¯t know where to start. Her heart felt like a tangled ball of yarn, unable to find the end and thus unable to unravel it.

    It was precisely because of herplicated feelings that she insisted on sending Nan Qing, Su Cheng, and Luo Qinghe away. She just had a cold and really didn¡¯t need someone to stay with her at night. What she needed now was to adjust her emotions properly.

    Today, under the countless shes, she finally cut off all ties with He Xing.

    But even when she said those words, she didn¡¯t feel any joy. What about now?

    Fu Han turned over in bed, trying to force herself to sleep, but her eyes had a mind of their own. They closed for just a second before opening again, and she became increasingly alert.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Fu Han quickly turned her head towards the door. If it were the doctor making rounds, they would never knock; they always just came in.

    She asked with a hint of caution, ¡°Who is it?¡±

    With a creak, the door was pushed open. Illuminated by the dim light in the corridor, she saw a tall, thin figure enter, unable to see the face against the light.

    She swallowed nervously, reaching for the cell phone under her pillow as she asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am the one sent to take you to see the King of Hell,¡± a cold female voice replied.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She recognized the voice. It was the same as the woman who had attacked her in the cinema bathroom. She never imagined that this person was so determined to kill her that they would follow her to the hospital.

    As the figure approached step by step, there was no response from the medical staff. She threw the pillow at the intruder while fumbling for her phone to call for help.

    The woman in ck dodged the pillow, her dagger swinging towards Fu Han¡¯s heart with ruthless intent.

    Fu Han rolled with the motion,nding on the other side of the bed. Although she avoided the attack, she had cornered herself in the small space between the bed and the window, with nowhere to hide.

    Missing her strike, the cold re in the woman¡¯s eyes intensified. With a light leap, she was on the bed, towering over Fu Han.

    Fu Han had been utterly overpowered by the woman in ckst time. Afterward, she had reassessed the situation. The woman¡¯s tactic was nothing but ferocity. As long as Fu Han didn¡¯t just try to dodge, there might be a chance for survival.

    Seeing the daggering straight for her neck, Fu Han kicked hard against the wall, unbelievably managing to topple the hospital bed.

    The woman in ck lost her bnce, falling backwards, her leg pinned by the bed.

    Having gained the upper hand, Fu Han¡¯s heart surged with excitement. She took a running start, aiming tond on the overturned bed and deliver a fatal blow to the woman in ck.

    But the woman in ck, sensing her intention, fiercely pulled her leg free while swinging the dagger at Fu Han again.

    Fu Han was already lunging forward; if nothing unexpected happened, she would impale herself on the dagger. She closed her eyes in agony, thinking, ¡°Is this where I meet my end?¡±

    Suddenly, an object flew at them, hitting Fu Han squarely on the shoulder. She lost her bnce and plopped down on the floor.

    Her bottom felt like it was split into four, but that was surely better than having her throat slit.

    While clumsily getting to her feet, Fu Han looked towards the door.

    Luo Qinghe hit the light switch by the door, and the ward¡¯s lights came on. He, unarmed, charged at the woman in ck: ¡°Dare to sneak attack? I¡¯ll show you what¡¯sing.¡±

    The woman in ck brandished her dagger, aiming for Luo Qinghe¡¯s vital spots with tough angles. They fought from the middle of the room to the door.

    ¡°Watch your back!¡± the woman in ck shouted urgently.

    Luo Qinghe instinctively turned, only to be kicked hard in the back the next moment. He stumbled out of the ward and against the wall.

    The woman in ck took the opportunity to flee, and with a loud bang, the fire exit closed behind her.

    Luo Qinghe cursed out loud and ran toward the fire exit, but Fu Han, rushing out, stopped him: ¡°Don¡¯t chase a desperate enemy, she has a knife. We have no advantage over her.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Luo Qinghe scrutinized Fu Han with genuine concern on his face.

    Warmth flickered in Fu Han¡¯s heart as she sincerely said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you. You¡¯ve saved me once again.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± Luo Qinghe chuckled, that rogueish vibe returning. He looked at Fu Han nonchntly: ¡°Are you referring to you making it to the next round, or about me taking you away from Jiangshan Gallery today?¡±

    ¡°Both.¡± Fu Han, sitting on the couch, poured a ss of water for herself and Luo Qinghe: ¡°I feel like we have quite the fate, every time I¡¯m in trouble, you just happen to be right there.¡±

    ¡°It really is a coincidence.¡± Luo Qinghe gulped down a ss of warm water, raised his right hand, and swore: ¡°I swear, I haven¡¯t deliberately approached Fu Han, nor have I had any improper intentions. Everything really is just coincidence!¡±

    This was the first time Fu Han saw Luo Qinghe so serious; he usually seemed to care about nothing.

    Suddenly, Fu Han felt like teasing Luo Qinghe. She tilted her head, feigning confusion: ¡°A coincidence? But it¡¯ste at night, and I¡¯m not out on the streets, so how could you just happen toe to my ward?¡±

 Chapter 77 - 77 076 likes him

    ?Chapter 77: 076 likes him   Chapter 77: 076 likes him                                   ¡°This¡­¡± Luo Qinghe coughed awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m about to board a ne and leave, so I came to say goodbye to you.¡±

    ¡°Leave? Where to?¡± Fu Han knew very little about Luo Qinghe, and what little she did know came from Su Cheng¡¯s brief mentions. Therefore, she truly felt Luo Qinghe¡¯s departure was very abrupt.

    Luo Qinghe smiled, the bright lights above his head unable to outshine the intensity of his smile.

    ¡°I am a wanderer by nature. I had nned to leave after the photography contest. I¡¯m preparing to visit Antarctica to see how the penguins live there.¡±

    Fu Han considered herself to be quite spontaneous over the past three years, but at this moment, she felt that her version of spontaneity was insignificantpared to Luo Qinghe¡¯s.

    She had always fantasized about going on a trip on a whim. Aside from her unannounced departure from the hospital three years ago, every single one of her trips had been nned in advance, including where she would stay at night and what she would eat during the day.

    Thinking of this, she raised her head and looked seriously at Luo Qinghe, ¡°In your heart, what¡¯s the difference between me and Nan Qing?¡±

    Since she had known Luo Qinghe, there had been too many coincidences between them. If she didn¡¯t get things clear, she really worried that there would be another unclear and unresolved entanglement between them.

    As for why she used Nan Qing forparison, that could only be chalked up to a woman¡¯s intuition and the fact that she had once unintentionally seen Luo Qinghe staring absent-mindedly at Nan Qing¡¯s figure.

    Perhaps not expecting Fu Han to ask such a question, Luo Qinghe was momentarily stunned. After thinking for a bit, he put all the smiles away and said seriously, ¡°You are different. You are someone who might stand as my equal opponent in the future, a photographer I admire; Xiaoqing¡­ she¡¯s a sister I know well and am willing to take care of.¡±

    A bolt of lightning struck through Fu Han¡¯s heart, and she looked deeply at Luo Qinghe, as if to discern whether what he was saying was true: ¡°Do you like Nan Qing?¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly for a moment, then everything returned to normal. He admitted with a roguishugh, ¡°Yes, I do like Nan Qing.¡±

    ¡°Does she know?¡± Fu Han hadn¡¯t expected her guess to be confirmed. She asked eagerly, as this was the first time she showed so much interest in someone else¡¯s romantic affairs.

    ¡°I like her, what¡¯s that got to do with her.¡± Luo Qinghe scoffed unapologetically, ¡°Just like you and He Xing, you verbally cut ties, but can you really let go in your heart?¡±

    The medical staff finally arrived, apologizing while collecting their things. It turned out there had been an emergency patient earlier, and the duty doctors and nurses had all gone to help.

    Fu Han and Luo Qinghe, as if by some understanding, only mentioned that someone had caused trouble in the ward, without revealing that the person had been armed with a dagger and intent on violence.

    Once the medical staff had left, Fu Han pondered for a moment, then asked in a low voice, ¡°Can I go for a walk with you?¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t harbor any improper thoughts about me, I¡¯d be more than happy,¡± Luo Qinghe smiled again, returning to his rogueishly charming demeanor.

    Fu Han also smiled, began gathering her things, and sneaked out when the doctors and nurses weren¡¯t paying attention. After all, Luo Qinghe said he could handle the aftermath and wouldn¡¯t cause trouble for the hospital.

    ¡­

    He Xing looked at the empty ward, feeling an emptiness in his heart.

    In his mind, there was only one thought ¡ª she left again, just likest time, without a word.

    The sound of hurried footsteps approached as Liang Tao came running in, ¡°Mr. He, I¡¯ve asked around at the hospital. Miss Fu left in the middle ofst night.¡±

    ¡°Who picked her up?¡± He Xing¡¯s grip tightened until it creaked with the strain.

    The immense pressure bore down on Liang Tao like a torrent; despite the onset of winter¡¯s chill, his forehead was already slick with sweat, ¡°It was Luo Qinghe who picked her up. The doctor said Luo Qinghe asked them to prescribe many medications for Miss Fu before he left.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face grew uglier than the gloomy weather outside the window. He violently kicked the chair beside him, breaking what seemed like a sturdy chair into pieces with a single blow.

    The return drive was managed by Liang Tao, who felt as though countless needles were pricking him in difort.

    In the near three years since he became He Xing¡¯s assistant, there had been only a handful of times when He Xing lost control of his emotions, but none were as explosive as just now.

    Thinking of the shattered chair, Liang Tao felt overwhelmed and even had the delusion that he himself would soon fall to pieces.

    Suddenly, the phone rang, startling Liang Tao. He trembled and picked up, ¡°Hello¡­ yes, this is Liang Tao¡­ Yes, Mr. He is with me¡­ Alright, we will be there shortly.¡±

    After hanging up, he sneaked a nce at He Xing in the rearview mirror, finding him back to his expressionless self. Liang Tao hesitantly spoke, ¡°Mr. He, regarding the tender for the government¡¯s Lot No. 3 development, there¡¯s been a problem ¡ª our tender document is missing.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s gaze shot up, his cold look bearing down on Liang Tao, ¡°How do they operate? Am I paying them to do nothing?¡±

    Even if Liang Tao had multiple doses of courage, he wouldn¡¯t dare speak now, and could only brace himself to endure the wrath of the man behind him, silently mourning for his seriously negligent colleagues.

    ¡°Find the nearest Printing Shop.¡± He Xing ordered with a cold face, opening hisptop as he spoke.

    It was his longtime habit to carry his ownputer with all the files saved within and also backed up to cloud storage, just in case.

    Whether the missing tender document was a major or minor issue depended on the timing of its loss; the closer to the tender date, the more serious itsck would be.

    Inside a cramped Printing Shop, the air conditioner was set on high, and due to poor air cirction, the shop had an unpleasant odor. Liang Tao hesitated at the doorway, reluctant to step inside.

    He Xing seemed to notice nothing out of the ordinary and carefully connected his ownptop to the printer, proceeding to print out the tender document.

    The Lamborghini was back on the road, now only minutes away from the tender site.

    Upon their arrival at the tender venue, Yi Lixing came rushing over, drenched in sweat. He said guiltily, ¡°Mr. He, I¡¯m so sorry. I arrived two hours early, but I might have eaten something bad in the morning. I went to the restroom a few times and identally left the tender document there. I¡¯ve searched every restroom and can¡¯t find it.¡±

    He Xing listened silently, not speaking.

    Liang Tao, seeing Yi Lixing sweating profusely, couldn¡¯t help feeling pity. He nced cautiously at He Xing, trying to console Yi Lixing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Yi. Mr. He has already¡­¡±

    He was interrupted by a stern look from He Xing, and Liang Tao, unsure what he had done wrong, didn¡¯t dare continue.

 Chapter 78 - 78 077b Plan

    ?Chapter 78: 077b n   Chapter 78: 077b n                                   Thepanies bidding had already begun arriving one after another, with Yi Lixing looking worried as he followed He Xing, saying while walking, ¡°Mr. He, have you reprinted the tender document? Should I ask if we can go ahead with the bidding and then submit the tender document afterwards?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face was expressionless, acting as though he hadn¡¯t heard Yi Lixing¡¯s words at all.

    He personally handed in the tender document, and then the three of them handed over their phones at the entrance and entered the bidding site.

    Xia Guoxiong was seated in the center of the front row, with Xia Cheng by his side; upon seeing He Xinge in, he immediately got up with a smile stered on his face: ¡°Xiao Xing, we meet again. This tender should belong to He Group without a doubt, I¡¯m just here to show Xiaocheng the ropes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to broaden one¡¯s horizons,¡± He Xing replied coolly, ignoring the unpleasant looks on the faces of Xia Guoxiong and his son, and chose a seat by the window for himself.

    With less than five minutes to go before the start of the bidding, He Xing stared at a nondescript morning glory outside the window, his thoughts drifting far away, naturally not noticing the exchange of nces between Yi Lixing and Xia Guoxiong.

    When Mrs. Xia Du Wanting died, Xia Group was still a small workshoppany.

    Thepany had grown bigger and bigger with the support of He Xing, and themercialpetition between Xia Group and He Group had also increased.

    Actually, when He Xing supported Xia Group, he had deliberately avoided themercial territories of He Group, but over the past two years, Xia Group¡¯s business scope had increasingly encroached upon that of He Group.

    Encounters like today¡¯s, with He Group and Xia Group at the same bidding meeting, had bemon ¨C although most of the time, it was He Group that emerged victorious.

    The bidding soon started, announcing the content and requirements of the tender ¨C the process was no different than usual.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze calmly settled on the projector, as though he were looking at something, although his eyescked focus.

    The most tense moment arrived, the announcement of the sessful tender enterprise.

    Finally, He Xing¡¯s eyes settled on the host, but in truth, he had not taken his peripheral vision off Yi Lixing for a moment; Yi Lixing sat up straight, obviously nervous.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the document in my hands is the sessful tender for this bidding. I now solemnly announce that today¡¯s winning enterprise is He Group. Let¡¯s congratte He Group on their sessful bid with a warm round of apuse and wee them as our new partner.¡±

    He Xing slowly stood up, his calm eyes sweeping over the audience as he confidently said, ¡°Thank you for your trust. He Group will certainly live up to the expectations.¡±

    His peripheral vision calmly swept over Xia Guoxiong, over Yi Lixing, as if blind to the shocked expressions on their faces.

    It was Liang Tao who was truly ecstatic. He was still excited even after leaving the meeting room: ¡°Mr. He, you¡¯re incredible. Without you, our bidding wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance.¡±

    As He Xing was turning on his phone, he replied without even looking up, ¡°Avoiding unexpected situations is simple ¨C always have a PLAN B.¡±

    ¡°PLAN B?¡± Liang Tao¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at He Xing. ¡°Mr. He, did you know our tender document would go missing? But that¡¯s not right. If you knew in advance, you should have printed it ahead of time so we wouldn¡¯t have had to look everywhere for a printing shop.¡±

    ying the lute to a cow,¡± He Xing quipped with a smile, no longer continuing the topic.

    Liang Tao was leftpletely confused. As he was leaving, he saw Yi Lixing and immediately greeted him enthusiastically: ¡°Mr. Yi, Mr. He and I are heading back to the office, do you want to join us?¡±

    Yi Lixing managed a strained smile: ¡°You guys go ahead, I have to visit a client.¡±

    He Xing, who had been walking ahead, stopped suddenly. He turned back and said indifferently to Yi Lixing, ¡°You could have finished your business by noon, right?¡±

    After receiving an affirmative reply, He Xing continued, ¡°Come to my office at two-thirty in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡­

    The cafe was very quiet in the morning, with only two staff members, one cleaning and the other making coffee while doubling as the cashier.

    Few peoplee to cafes in the morning. The spacious cafe had only three customers, and they were all men: Xia Guoxiong with his son Xia Cheng, and the PR Director of He Group, Yi Lixing.

    The three cups of coffee on the table had cooled down from steaming hot without anyone taking a sip.

    Xia Guoxiong had an ugly look on his face as he red at Yi Lixing: ¡°Dare you to y me?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Xia, I didn¡¯t,¡± Yi Lixing¡¯s face was flushed with anxiety as he blurted out incoherently, ¡°The tender document I got was the one I gave to you. I don¡¯t know how He Xing suddenly came up with a new one, I¡¯ve never seen this tender document before.¡±

    Xia Guoxiong snorted coldly without responding.

    Xia Cheng startedughing and said, ¡°Mr. Yi, are you expecting us to believe that, as the person in charge of He Group¡¯s tender, there was a tender document you¡¯d never seen before? You might as well just say you¡¯re a double agent, taking our money to show loyalty to He Xing.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do something thatcks professional ethics,¡± Yi Lixing said, his eyes red with desperation, and his body began to tremble uncontrobly.

    ¡°Professional ethics?¡± Xia Guoxiong mmed his hand on the table and stood up: ¡°Did you ever have such a thing as professional ethics since you first cooperated with us?¡±

    Yi Lixing¡¯s face alternated between pale and flush, like a Sichuan Opera Face Changing act, under the mocking stares of Xia father and son, he retorted sarcastically: ¡°I thought I was a grasshopper on the same boat with Xia Group, but it turns out I¡¯m just a piece you can throw away at any time?¡±

    Xia Cheng spat viciously: ¡°Advance and retreat with Xia Group? Who do you think you are? You are nothing but a dog we bought with money. You had better scram, or I¡¯ll beat you up every time I see you.¡±

    Yi Lixing looked awful, his mouth opened to say something, but in the end, he said nothing at all.

    After he¡¯d gone, Xia Cheng moved closer to Xia Guoxiong and whispered, ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you say this bid was almost a sure win? How did we capsize in a gutter?¡±

    ¡°Seems we underestimated He Xing after all.¡± Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face was darker than the bottom of a pot: ¡°We¡¯ve let Yi Lixing take tender documents before, and He Xing has never really cared. It seems he doesn¡¯t value those crumbs, treating us like beggars. He surely wouldn¡¯t give us such a big project this time.¡±

    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Xia Cheng asked, clearly worried: ¡°We were going to push He Xing into a corner so he had to turn to us for help, then we could make him engage to Xiaoning by taking advantage. Now, won¡¯t it be difficult to have an engagement?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more difficult, but not entirely impossible,¡± Xia Guoxiong said with a sinister smile: ¡°He Group is divided at the moment. While causing it to fall apart might be hard, we can still put pressure on He Xing.¡±

 Chapter 79 - 79 Familiar with 079

    ?Chapter 79: Familiar with 079   Chapter 79: Familiar with 079                                   However, while waiting for the flight, Luo Qinghe had once analyzed with Fu Han that He Group was currently at a rather sensitive time.

    The enterprise had already reached the pinnacle in its field of expertise, so although the status of He Group remained superior in recent years, its development pace had been extremely slow.

    Because of this, many conspiracy theories fell upon He Group, iming that since their progress had been minimal in recent years, He Group was likely on the brink of copse.

    Usually, such remarks had no impact, but now with Xia Group getting involved and countless unseen forces behind them, He Group was facing an unprecedented crisis.

    And of these crises, only three people stood out in the open, He Xing, Xia Ning, and Fu Han.

    Once Fu Han left, the situation became simpler. As long as He Xing handled the public opinion with Xia Ning well, many negative impacts would unravel on their own.

    In the end, Luo Qinghe even said teasingly, ¡°Fu Han, to say you don¡¯t like He Xing, I really don¡¯t believe it. You distanced yourself from He Xing at the first fermentation of public opinion. If it were any other woman, He Xing would have had to pay arge sum for someone to make this kind of statement.¡±

    When Fu Han heard Luo Qinghe¡¯s analysis, she felt very irritated. She had clearly broken up with He Xing for the sake of her own freedom, so how did it end up looking like in other people¡¯s eyes that she was selflessly helping He Xing through a crisis?

    The flight from City A to Wu City took more than twenty hours.

    When she got off the ne, Fu Han felt as if her bones were falling apart, and, worst of all, Wu City was especially, exceptionally cold¡ªthe kind that chilled to the bone.

    Even with her down jacket on, she still felt cold all over, her hands and feet stiff as if she were an icicle.

    Luo Qinghe was wrapped in a thick windbreaker. Thanks to his height, he didn¡¯t look bulky at all. Instead, he appeared a lot more robust.

    Fu Han¡¯s principle since childhood was that she¡¯d rather freeze to death than look ugly. Herst stand in winter was wearing tweed with a sweater, and moreover, the tweed would never be buttoned up, with the belt tied into a pretty bow at the back.

    Once they arrived at the hotel, with the help of the air conditioning, Fu Han finally felt like she could feel her body again. She held onto a cup of hot water without letting go, ¡°When do we leave for Antarctica?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll rest here tonight, buy equipment and supplies tomorrow, and set off early the day after tomorrow,¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s face was veiled in the mist of his coffee, an unreal kind of handsomeness. His peach blossom eyes narrowed, ¡°See, I told you it¡¯s very cold here. Are you nning to continue with tweed and sweaters after the day after tomorrow, or what?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed with an unhealthy red, ¡°Tomorrow I definitely need to buy a windbreaker, and I can¡¯t do without wool sweaters and thermals.¡±

    Luo Qingheughed heartily and dropped a ¡°I¡¯lle to find you tomorrow morning,¡± before heading out the door.

    ¡­

    Huating No.1.

    In the living room, there was an easel set up. Nan Qing, wearing a white sweater with an apron over it, held a palette in her hand and was busy painting.

    Su Cheng sat on the sofa with an unsightly expression, ¡°What on earth is going with Brother Qinghe, why did he silently take Fu Han away?¡±

    Nan Qing dabbed her paintbrush on the palette, intermittently applying paint on the canvas while without lifting her head, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve known Brother Qinghe for a day now, he¡¯s always been like this, acting on impulse, doing whateveres to mind.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Su Cheng got up and paced restlessly around the room, ¡°But he can¡¯t just do that. If he wants to go, just go, why did he have to take Fu Han with him?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t he take Fu Han with him?¡± Nan Qing finally put down her paintbrush, looking earnestly at Su Cheng, trying once more to reason with him, ¡°Su Cheng, I know you really like Fu Han, but Fu Han only sees you as a friend. She¡¯s an adult and has the right to choose whom to travel with.¡±

    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±

    ¡°There are no buts.¡± Nan Qing¡¯s attractive eyebrows furrowed. She looked at Su Cheng in confusion. ¡°You like Fu Han, but does that mean Brother Qinghe can¡¯t like Fu Han? Besides, Fu Han will be with whoever she wants to be with.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned beet red with anger. He knew Nan Qing was right, but her words,ing out of her mouth, took on a different vor, no matter how he listened, they felt ufortable.

    His anger surged, ¡°Nan Qing, do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking? With Fu Han gone, it¡¯s just the two of us left, perfect for developing our rtionship. And maybe¡­ maybe you¡¯re the one who asked Brother Qinghe to take Fu Han away. He idolizes Fu Han, it would be a piece of cake for him to take her along.¡±

    Bang!

    The palette in Nan Qing¡¯s hand fell to the floor, the paint scattered, dirtying the floor and staining her white sneakers all sorts of colors.

    Her wide eyes welled up withrge tears as she looked at Su Cheng in disbelief, ¡°Is that what you really think of me, taking advantage of someone¡¯s vulnerability? But on what grounds do you think Brother Qinghe would listen to me?¡±

    Su Cheng felt somewhat in the wrong, but every time he thought of Fu Han¡¯s unknown whereabouts, his anger overwhelmed everything else, ¡°Of course Brother Qinghe would listen to you; he¡¯s always liked you. Ever since we were kids, he never contradicted anything you said.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ What did you say?¡± Nan Qing stared at Su Cheng, her eyes wide. She understood every word he said, but pieced together, they seemed bewildering to her.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned bright red, realizing he had spoken out of turn, but he refused to acknowledge it and imed weakly, ¡°Brother Qinghe likes you, even your parents know it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask them.¡±

    After saying this, he turned and walked away, leaving Nan Qing alone in the spacious house.

    She stared at where Su Cheng had been standing, her mind reying his words over and over.

    Brother Qinghe liking her? That seemed like an imusible tale.

    Their families had known each other for a long time, and she had known Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe since they were children. Because her mother and Su Cheng¡¯s mother were close friends, she spent more time with Su Cheng, and their rtionship was better.

    Over time, her affections for Su Cheng grew deeper than those for Luo Qinghe, and as she grew up, these feelings gradually turned to love.

    Memories came flooding back of times when they were still children; Nan Qing, Su Cheng, and Luo Qinghe, each with a cotton candy in hand. When Nan Qing finished hers and wanted Su Cheng¡¯s, he refused to share, but Luo Qinghe,ughing, said he didn¡¯t like cotton candy and gave his to Nan Qing.

    Her mother had always hoped Nan Qing would excel in a wide range of pursuits, but since her childhood, Nan Qing had been rebellious, with no interest in anything but painting.

    One day, Luo Qinghe said that since Nan Qing liked painting, he would learn photography, so that in the future, they would have lots to talk about.

    Years passed, and Nan Qing forgot many things, only remembering clearly the moments associated with Su Cheng. In her heart, Luo Qinghe had gradually be someone she was just somewhat familiar with, nothing more.

 Chapter 80 - 80 080 Red Dress Woman

    ?Chapter 80: 080 Red Dress Woman   Chapter 80: 080 Red Dress Woman                                   Arge ship, decked in blue and white and three stories high, was moored in the bay.

    Fu Han, d in a rose-red down jacket, stood at the harbor, waiting for the ship to dock. Today, she was bundled up tight, resembling a glutinous rice dumpling.

    She held out her hand to Luo Qinghe, ¡°Let me carry my own backpack, you¡¯re already carrying too much.¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s shoulders were burdened with two huge, bulging backpacks and his hands gripped a massive suitcase.

    Their luggage included their SLR cameras, change of clothes, items for potential rescue situations, food, and the like.

    ¡°Here,¡± Luo Qinghe, not one to stand on ceremony, handed her a rose-red backpack, ¡°You¡¯ll have to carry it yourself in Antarctica anyway, might as well get used to it now.¡±

    Fu Han smiled. Framed by her rose-colored hat, her grin was as vibrant as a rose, catching the eye with its radiance.

    As Luo Qinghe walked toward the harbor, he teased, ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯ve realized you¡¯re quite good-looking, no wonder Su Cheng can¡¯t forget about you.¡±

    For two people not well acquainted, traveling together, the topics of conversation can be quite limited.

    Luo Qinghe often teased Fu Han using He Xing and Su Cheng, which she¡¯d grown ustomed to.

    But being ustomed to it was one thing, and being taken advantage of was another. Without so much as blinking, Fu Han retorted, ¡°You¡¯re not bad-looking yourself. Why don¡¯t you confess your feelings to Nan Qing? She might just say yes after seeing your face.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting sharper and more biting with your words, little girl,¡± Luo Qinghe smacked Fu Han¡¯s forehead, ¡°When we get back, I¡¯ll have He Xing set you straight.¡±

    Fu Han truly didn¡¯t understand Luo Qinghe¡¯s thought process. When she was engaged to He Xing, Luo Qinghe would never joke about them, but now that she had nothing to do with He Xing, Luo Qinghe kept bringing him up.

    At first, whenever Luo Qinghe mentioned He Xing, it grated on her ears, and she had seriously asked him several times to stop mentioning He Xing, but to no avail.

    Gradually, when Luo Qinghe mentioned He Xing again, Fu Han no longer felt anything, as if those two words had lost all meaning and be utterly nd.

    What she thought about more now was how to gain the upper hand in their verbal sparring.

    The ship¡¯s horn sounded; finally, it had docked, and they could board.

    The first floor housed the cockpit and crew living quarters, the second floor contained the passengers¡¯ rooms, and the third floor had the dining area with a massive tform from which you could see far into the distance.

    The rooms for Fu Han and Luo Qinghe were adjacent to each other, resembling istion units, with very small spaces that, aside from a bed and a small desk, featured only a tiny cupboard that could barely amodate a suitcase.

    Yet the room had arge window offering a view of the sea and allowed one to admire the deep blue sky even while lying down.

    After setting her things down, she immediately went up to the deck where the sea breeze blew fiercely; despite wearing a hat, scarf, and gloves, she still felt very cold.

    It was already tens of degrees below zero here, but strangely, the seawater wasn¡¯t frozen solid. The ice fragments were all small and broken, crashing against the ship¡¯s hull along with the waves, producing a very loud noise.

    Rubbing her palms together, she switched on her SLR camera hanging around her neck and snapped away at the azure sea and sky.

    ¡°The scenery here isn¡¯t all that special.¡±

    Suddenly, a clear female voice emerged behind her. Fu Han hurriedly turned around and saw a person dressed in a bright red jacket, also bundled up tightly, but her vague silhouette indicated she was a woman.

    Fu Han was always distant with strangers. Instinctively, she stepped back, asking warily, ¡°Do I know you?¡±

    The woman in red smiled, herughter pleasant against the backdrop of the waves, resembling the call of morning birds, ¡°We didn¡¯t know each other before, but don¡¯t we now?¡±

    Fu Han disliked this overly familiar approach and, pocketing her SLR camera, looked out into the distance again, showing no intent to engage with the woman.

    Yet, undeterred, the woman in red took a couple of steps closer, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you. Why are you ignoring me?¡±

    Fu Han tilted her head and examined the woman in red, deciding not to mince words, ¡°Do we know each other? Why should I talk to you?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± The smile on the woman in red deepened, revealing a set of white teeth, ¡°My name is Bai Wei. Just tell me yours and then we¡¯ll know each other.¡±

    She hade across men who were persistent in their advances, but it was unexpected to see a woman act the same.

    Fu Han¡¯s distaste intensified, and with furrowed brows, she replied bluntly, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re called Bai Wei or Hei Wei, I¡¯m not familiar with you, so please keep your distance.¡±

    ¡°I like your spirit,¡± Bai Wei burst intoughter, and after having her fill, she looked at Fu Han meaningfully, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you, I was just curious about the man with you. What¡¯s your rtionship with him?¡±

    So she was after Luo Qinghe. Fu Han¡¯s annoyance faded somewhat, and she brightened up at the thought of using this woman to annoy Luo Qinghe.

    She smiled, replying candidly, ¡°We are just ordinary friends with amon goal. If you¡¯re interested in him, you can go after him with confidence.¡±

    ¡°A clear-headed person,¡± Bai Wei pointed at Fu Han approvingly, her smile broadening, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go for it. Don¡¯t me me if the prey escapes your grasp.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in room 205, good luck,¡± Fu Han chuckled and resumed her search for a beautiful scene through her SLR camera.

    Upon recalling something, she suddenly turned around and caught sight of the woman in red heading towards the corridor. With a click, she captured this moment forever.

    Everyone in this world has their own way of pursuing love. Some are demure and gentle, others cold andmanding, and some are warm and exuberant.

    Fu Han figured that perhaps Bai Wei¡¯s interest in Luo Qinghe wasn¡¯t love, just lust, and perhaps after tonight, they would never meet again.

    But what of it? Some people chase ¡°desire,¡± and as long as it doesn¡¯t vite morals andws, willing acts between parties aren¡¯t necessarily bad.

    The dining area was at the far end of the third floor. She had woken upte that morning and missed breakfast, so now her stomach was rumbling with hunger, prompting thoughts of finding some food in the dining area.

    Walking from the front deck to the back dining area inevitably required passing through the passengers¡¯ quarters. As she traversed the otherwise empty corridor, she felt a pang of guilt.

    She considered how she knew that Luo Qinghe liked Nan Qing, yet pushed a woman¡ªwhose face she didn¡¯t even know¡ªinto Luo Qinghe¡¯s presence, an act that was somewhat unscrupulous. She wondered if Luo Qinghe would be mad.

    With these thoughts, she quickened her pace as she passed outside Luo Qinghe¡¯s room, fearing she might inadvertently hear something not meant for her ears.

 Chapter 81 - 81 081 Short-sighted

    ?Chapter 81: 081 Short-sighted   Chapter 81: 081 Short-sighted                                   She was holding a sandwich and a cup of hot milk, looking for a ce to sit in the dining hall when, just two steps forward, her cor was suddenly grabbed at the corner.

    The nightmare-like image of that woman in ck shed through her mind, her body instinctively recoiling as she looked up to face her assant, only to find Luo Qinghe hiding around the corner, grinning brightly at her.

    She couldn¡¯t hold in her frustration and stomped on Luo Qinghe¡¯s foot: ¡°You scared me half to death!¡±

    Luo Qinghe retaliated without politeness by thumping her on the head, ¡°Fu Han, on this trip you¡¯ve attracted more admirers than I have. If you dare to do today¡¯s stunt again, I¡¯ll print your phone number on postcards and distribute them.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned white instantly, as she shook her head vehemently, ¡°Alright, alright, nothing like today¡¯s incident will happen again. Let¡¯s just get along peacefully.¡±

    ¡°If I catch you meddling with matchmaking again, you¡¯ll have me to deal with.¡±

    Waving his fist, Luo Qinghe made Fu Han close her eyes in fright. When she opened them again, he was already walking away with her hot milk in hand.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s mine. If you wanted some, could you not have bought it yourself?¡± Fu Han immediately called out, chasing after him in distress.

    The two of them romped andughed, their voices carrying through the once-quiet dining hall, adding a lively atmosphere to the ce.

    However, they didn¡¯t notice a surveince camera in an inconspicuous corner, pointed right at them.

    ¡­

    In the Lanwan detached vi, the He Family home.

    During dinner time, the table was filled with a variety of exquisite dishes, the rich aroma wafting through the air.

    Old Master He was having his soup, and after a couple of sips, he sighed and set his bowl and chopsticks down.

    He Xing frowned, ¡°Grandfather, doesn¡¯t the soup taste good? I can have them make a new batch.¡±

    ¡°It makes no difference how many batches they make,¡± Old Master He said with a furrowed brow. ¡°Without Xiaohan, nothing tastes good to me.¡±

    Here we go again, He Xing sighed inwardly and with a hint of desperation, said, ¡°I really can¡¯t help with this. It¡¯s not that Fu Han doesn¡¯t want toe and eat with you¡ªwhy don¡¯t you call her yourself toe back?¡±

    ¡°If I could have here back, would I be asking you?¡± Old Master He red at He Xing. ¡°Just what did you do to Fu Han? Why won¡¯t she even take my calls now?¡±

    He Xing, thinking about how his ¡°intimate photo¡± with Xia Ning was still dominating the entertainment headlines, coughed awkwardly, ¡°I had someone look into it. Fu Han has gone to Antarctica.¡±

    ¡°Who did she go with?¡± Old Master He, growing agitated, his face turning beet red.

    A fleeting look of embarrassment crossed He Xing¡¯s face as he coughed again and said, ¡°With Luo Qinghe¡­ Brother Qinghe.¡±

    ¡°The youngest son of the Li Family?¡± Old Master He mmed the table, dissatisfied as he looked at He Xing, ¡°Look at you. I found you a wife you don¡¯t appreciate, and now the young Li scion has beaten you to the punch, hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    As Old Master He grew increasingly angry, he gave He Xing a rap on the forehead, ¡°You shortsighted fool, you¡¯d choose Xia Ning over Fu Han? I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking¡ªabsolutely no vision at all.¡±

    ¡°Who says I don¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t.¡± He Xing was very vexed. The only person in this world who dared to knock him on the forehead stood right before him, and unfortunately, he was utterly powerless against this person.

    Old Master He was not in the mood to listen. He spoke furiously, ¡°He Xing, it¡¯s okay to repay a favor, but you don¡¯t need to waste your whole life for it.¡±

    Already agitated for not having any news of Fu Han, and his grandfather not listening to his exnation, insisting that he liked Xia Ning, He Xing¡¯s temper also red up.

    With a snap, He Xing put down his bowl and chopsticks.

    ¡°Grandfather, you say it so lightly, but when you arranged my marriage with Fu Han, weren¡¯t you also thinking of repaying a favor?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Old Master He, puffing with anger, eximed, ¡°I arranged your marriage because you two were in love. Do you dare say you didn¡¯t like Fu Han?¡±

    ¡°Yes, now I like Fu Han, but when she was eighteen, I¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    The more He Xing tried to counter Old Master He¡¯s words, the more he felt like he was digging his own grave. Ultimately, he closed his mouth tightly and said nothing more.

    Old Master He pointed to the doorway and ordered, ¡°What are you still doing here? Go back to your Huating No.1 house and wait. What if Fu Hanes back?¡±

    He Xing had only nned toe back for a quick dinner with his grandfather before returning. Hearing his grandfather¡¯s words, he left without a second word.

    Old Master He nced at the nearly untouched food and instructed, ¡°Serve me another bowl of rice and reheat the soup.¡±

    Old Zhou, who was bending over to attend to him, remarked, ¡°Old Master, your appetite was really good today. I haven¡¯t seen you eat this much in years.¡±

    ¡°And why not,¡± Old Master He scraped thest bit of rice from his bowl, ¡°I finally got He Xing to admit he likes Fu Han. I¡¯m in a good mood, how could I not eat well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s all thanks to Old Master¡¯s wise methods.¡± Old Zhouughed along, seizing the opportunity to serve Old Master He another bowl of soup, ¡°Old Master, have some more.¡±

    ¡­

    In the CEO¡¯s office of He Group.

    Early in the morning, Liang Tao was reporting the day¡¯s schedule to He Xing when He Xing¡¯sputer dinged¡ªa new email had arrived.

    He Xing received hundreds, if not thousands, of emails a day. Liang Tao didn¡¯t think much of it and prepared to continue their previous conversation.

    Unexpectedly, He Xing raised his hand and instructed, ¡°Go out and bring me a cup of coffee.¡±

    Liang Tao immediately set down the documents in his hand and hurried out, unaware that He Xing¡¯s stoic expression had already crumbled.

    Seeing who the email was from had excited He Xing. He quickly opened the email, finding none of the usual pleasantries, just a statement simple to the point of crudeness.

    ¡°I¡¯ve verified it. They are just ordinary friends, at least for now.¡±

    Then there was a video clip followed by two audio recordings.

    He Xing didn¡¯t bother looking for headphones and just clicked to y the video.

    Though the video quality was poor and the people were bundled up tightly, he immediately recognized the woman in the pink down jacket as Fu Han, and thus, the man in the blue down jacket had to be Luo Qinghe.

    Perhaps due to the distance of the shot, He Xing couldn¡¯t make out a single word, only seeing the two people in the video tussling.

    His expression growing ever darker, he opened the first audio file with annoyance. It was a recording of an enthusiastic woman chatting with a man, unintelligible to him.

    Growing increasingly restless, He Xing opened thest audio file. Immediately, it was Fu Han¡¯s voice. A woman was hitting on her, but Fu Han came across as very aloof.

    By the end, when He Xing heard Fu Han give out Luo Qinghe¡¯s room number, his mood finally lifted a little. He leaned back in his chair, preparing to rx and listen one more time.

 Chapter 82 - 82 082 Desire

    ?Chapter 82: 082 Desire   Chapter 82: 082 Desire                                   He looked up and realized that Liang Tao had entered his office at some point and was now standing in front of his desk, a cup of coffee in hand.

    As their gazes met at close range, Liang Tao was so startled it was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. He hurriedly exined, ¡°Mr. He, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop. I knocked but you didn¡¯t answer, so I thought you didn¡¯t hear and just came in.¡±

    ¡°Let it go for today, but don¡¯t juste in uninvited in the future,¡± He Xing was in a good mood at the moment and didn¡¯t care to fuss about it.

    Liang Tao immediately broke into a pleased smile and excitedly asked, ¡°Mr. He, that voice sounds like Lady Bai Wei, is she with Miss Fu now?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± He Xing leaned back in his chair and smiled, ¡°That girl just happens to be filming a snow-themed blockbuster nearby, so I had her drop by Antarctica on the way.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s brilliant,¡± Liang Tao expressed his admiration by raising his thumb and ttering with eyes closed, ¡°You¡¯re always so capable, Mr. He. When I tried to contact Lady Bai, following your instructions, she wouldn¡¯t even pay attention to me.¡±

    ¡°Stop your nonsense,¡± He Xing¡¯s expression cooled, speaking mercilessly, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t pestered her for autographs every time you saw her, would she have ignored you?¡±

    Bai Wei was a curious existence. Despite being a well-known actress for many years and a daughter of immense wealth, shecked an arrogant demeanor and would even joke around with assistants like Liang Tao.

    With an embarrassed smile, Liang Tao dared not say any more and left dejectedly after reporting on his work.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes returned to the email, pondering for a moment before replying, ¡°You must journey with them and reply to my emails at least once a day; try to make the photographs clearer next time.¡±

    A few minutester he received a reply, ¡°I can meet your demands, but what¡¯s in it for me?¡± Apanying the email was a clear photo of Fu Han¡¯s back.

    He Xing saved the photo first, then replied to the email, ¡°The request is up to you, as long as I can fulfill it.¡±

    Not long after, another email arrived, this time with a front-facing picture of Fu Han. Although the distance was a bit far and the resolution somewhat poor, He Xing still felt satisfied.

    He picked up today¡¯s schedule and looked at it, the A4 paper crowded with dense text¡ªa busy day ahead.

    In the morning, he had to discuss a movie production with investors; it was one of He Group¡¯s major recent projects and the only one he was personally handling.

    By nearly ten o¡¯clock, Liang Tao came in to say that the representative of the investors had arrived and was waiting in the Meeting Room.

    Before leaving, He Xing sized himself up in the Dressing Room mirror, ensuring everything was in order before marching out first, Liang Tao hurrying after him.

    In the spacious, well-lit Meeting Room, the door was ajar. He Xing nced at the doorway and snapped, ¡°Ridiculous!¡±

    Liang Tao, helpless, exined, ¡°Mr. He, Miss Xia insisted that I not tell you; she said she wanted to surprise you.¡±

    ¡°Such childish antics must not happen again, or you can pack up and leave,¡± He Xing said sternly, radiating anger, leaving Liang Tao too scared to even breathe; inwardly, heined, ¡°Miss Xia, this time you¡¯ve really done me in.¡±

    Xia Ning, hearing themotion from inside the Meeting Room, turned her head and, seeing He Xing, came over with a beaming smile, ¡°Big Brother He Xing, you¡¯re finally here. How about it? Are you surprised to see me?¡±

    He Xing stepped back, causing Xia Ning to miss her presumed embrace, and he looked at Xia Ning expressionlessly, ¡°I have important things to do today. Go amuse yourself and don¡¯t treat work as a game.¡±

    ¡°Who says I¡¯m treating work like a game?¡± Xia Ning pouted, pushing a document into He Xing¡¯s hands, ¡°Take a look at this first.¡±

    He Xing skimmed the document. His already pallid face turned even more unsightly. ¡°Take this back,¡± he said as he threw the document back at her.

    ¡°Why?¡± Xia Ning clutched at He Xing¡¯s clothes, agitated, ¡°Big Brother He Xing, I heard that He Group is currently low on liquid assets; that¡¯s why you¡¯re fundraising for the movie. This is my investment, sign the contract and I¡¯ll wire the money straight away.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m a beggar to be fobbed off?¡± He Xing frowned and spoke coldly, ¡°He Group doesn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s pity. Just because I¡¯m raising funds doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m short on cash; it¡¯s a business strategy, understand?¡±

    How could Xia Ning understand? All she thought about every day was He Xing: what excuse to use to see him, what clothes to wear that would be more attractive, what she could do to make He Xing like her.

    Though she didn¡¯t understand, she persisted, ¡°I know, I know, He Group is thergest enterprise in City A and has plenty of money. But since you¡¯re looking for investors, why isn¡¯t my money eptable?¡±

    ¡°This is your money?¡± He Xing¡¯s face shed with fleeting anger, as he kept his fury in check, ¡°This is money raised by the Du Wanting Motherly Love Foundation for charity, not for you to misappropriate public funds for personal use.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all the same,¡± Xia Ning argued in a low mutter, ¡°That money was donated to my mother; I¡¯m just borrowing it temporarily. Once the investment pays off, I¡¯ll put it back.¡±

    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± He Xing paid her no more attention and instructed Liang Tao coldly, ¡°See Miss Xia out; I have to leave for something important.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Xia Ning spread her arms to block He Xing¡¯s path, ¡°Big Brother He Xing, I¡­ my mother¡¯s dream was to be a superstar. She couldn¡¯t fulfill that dream, and I¡­ I want to do it for her.¡±

    ¡°You?¡± He Xing scrutinized Xia Ning.

    ¡°I think I can do it,¡± Xia Ning blushed demurely, ¡°Everyone has always said I¡¯m beautiful, and to be a superstar, being pretty is enough, right?¡±

    ¡°Is that really your mother¡¯s wish?¡± He Xing was still focused on her previous statement, his expression growing serious.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, look.¡± Xia Ning fished out an aged piece of paper from her bag and handed it to He Xing.

    He Xing unfolded the paper to see what looked like a page torn from a notebook with neat handwriting, apparently from a diary. It indeed mentioned a dream to one day be a superstar.

    ¡°See? I didn¡¯t lie to you, did I?¡± Xia Ning looked up at He Xing with a small face beaming, ¡°I¡¯ll fulfill my mother¡¯s unachieved dream.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s gaze lingered on the paper in his hands for a long time until he finally said softly, ¡°Let me think about this. You should go back for now.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes lit up, excitedly looking at He Xing, ¡°What about my investment¡­¡±

    ¡°Take it back. I don¡¯t need it,¡± He Xing did not look at Xia Ning again, but instructed Liang Tao to hurry and send her away.

    Xia Ning bounced back home, already picturing herself as a superstar, surrounded by a sea of people captivated by her presence, causing a stir wherever she went.

    As for He Xing, Xia Ning was confident that once she became a superstar and garnered the public¡¯s attention, He Xing would surely notice her. Then he would realize how wonderful and likable she was.

 Chapter 83 - 83 083 Adventure Log

    ?Chapter 83: 083 Adventure Log   Chapter 83: 083 Adventure Log                                   An endless expanse of white filled her vision; nothing but snowkes were to be seen in this world of ice and snow.

    For Fu Han, who grew up in the south, the Antarctic winter was so cold that she wished she could leave the next second and never return.

    Although the winters in City A were also cold, it never snowed, and even on the rare asion that it did, the snow would melt before it hit the ground.

    Despite feeling cold every second and wanting to retreat, Fu Han persevered.

    There were many people when they first disembarked from the ship, but the further forward they went, the fewer people they encountered. It was their second day entering Antarctica, and they hadn¡¯t met a single person all the way.

    The blizzard today was even more intense than yesterday¡¯s. It was still Luo Qinghe leading the way, and after an indeterminate amount of time, he finally stopped, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; we should camp here for the night.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Fu Han agreed without reservation. This was her first time in Antarctica, and she had no experience, nor had she made any preparations before her journey. Shepletely depended on Luo Qinghe.

    ¡°I can finally rest,¡± Bai Wei eximed as she sat down on the snow, her face red with cold. ¡°I was already exhausted and could not walk any further, but I was afraid you would leave me behind, so I kept quiet.¡±

    Ever since boarding the ship, Bai Wei, who appeared out of nowhere, had been sticking to Luo Qinghe and Fu Han like glue.

    Most outrageously, Bai Wei was shameless enough to pester Fu Han to share a room with her.

    Fu Han was adamantly against it, but in the end, Bai Wei opened a super-luxurious suite with three individual rooms, and that¡¯s how the three of them ended up living together on the ship.

    When Bai Wei learned that they were going to see penguins, she excitedly raised her hand and said she wanted to see them too; thus, their trio was formed.

    Despite having been together for two days, Fu Han still felt an inexplicable ¡°hostility¡± towards this woman in front of her.

    She couldn¡¯t quite exin it. Bai Wei would often make flirtatious remarks to Luo Qinghe, but she would also deliberately involve Fu Han in photos. She even secretly took photos of Fu Han and would shamelessly deny it when caught.

    Despite appearing carefree and straightforward, Bai Wei was in fact like a sealed gourd, never revealing anything useful. Although they seemed familiar with each other, apart from her name, Bai Wei, they knew nothing about her.

    Thoughts of this made Fu Han sigh internally as she opened her backpack to set up the tent.

    Luo Qinghe had patiently taught Fu Han to pitch a tent the day before, a vital survival skill, and she had decided that she would set up her tent independently today.

    First, she found a spot sheltered from the wind, then she ttened the ground as much as possible, and after securing the four corners of the tent, she constructed the frame piece by piece until it was done.

    Fu Han looked at the tent before her with a sense of aplishment.

    By then, Luo Qinghe had already set up the tent he shared with Bai Wei, and it was time to prepare dinner.

    Fu Han went to wash the pot and prepare water while Luo Qinghe looked for materials to build a stove; Bai Wei stayed put and yed with her phone.

    Once the fire was started, Fu Han began to cook noodles. They had prepared thoroughly for the trip, and though they didn¡¯t bring eggs, they did have plenty of luncheon meat and sausages, enough tost them a while.

    Cooking was where Fu Han felt the most aplished during this trip; Luo Qinghe¡¯s cooking philosophy was that as long as the food was cooked, it was fine, and the taste was, to put it kindly, notmendable.

    Fu Han¡¯s cooking skills were not great, but at least the noodles she boiled were neither too salty nor too nd, and the soup could pass as a regr broth, especially fragrant when smelled in the frozen wilderness.

    She divided the noodles into three portions, with Luo Qinghe¡¯s serving having the most ingredients, while hers and Bai Wei¡¯s had slightly less, as women generally have smaller appetites.

    The makeshift stove still had a faint fire under it, which Fu Han had intentionally left; they could drink soupter.

    Night fell in Antarctica in an instant; they started their meal while it was still light, but now they had to turn on their shlights.

    Bai Wei chatted with Luo Qinghe while nibbling on her noodles. This impromptu traveler had shown an immense interest in Luo Qinghe, always finding ways to chat with him along the journey.

    But based on Fu Han¡¯s understanding of Luo Qinghe, he was the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t make decisions lightly, but once he did, he wouldn¡¯t change them and would stick to his path to the end.

    If he admitted his liking for Nan Qing that openly, he certainly wouldn¡¯t change his mind over a woman who had just appeared a few days ago.

    Fu Han drank thest of the soup from her bowl and prepared to get some natural snow to wash the dishes before crawling into the tent to sleep; the wind here was too strong for her to withstand.

    Suddenly, she felt two deep gazes staring in their direction from the darkness.

    When Fu Han turned her head, she indeed saw two eyes, less than a meter away from where Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei sat.

    Her scream startled Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, causing them to leap up. Bai Wei, in an exaggerated move, jumped onto Luo Qinghe¡¯s back, clinging to his neck and refusing toe down.

    The luminous eyes slowly approached them, and only when they got closer did Fu Han see that it wasn¡¯t a monster, but a seal, about half a meter long¡ªprobably a juvenile.

    The clumsy little guy crawled forward and, upon reaching Bai Wei¡¯s fallen bowl, stopped to sniff and then began devouring the contents eagerly.

    All six of their eyes watched in astonishment as the little guy feasted, their hearts filled with shock.

    Luo Qinghe was the first to react, his expressionless face turned to Bai Wei, who was still clinging to him, ¡°Say, when do you n to get down? I¡¯m a man, I can¡¯t let you take advantage of me for nothing.¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned red, but thankfully it was dark and no one could see. She hopped down and spat, ¡°Pah, just look at you. As shabby as you appear, I wouldn¡¯t take you even if you were free.¡±

    ¡°Even if you offered to pay me, I still wouldn¡¯t want you,¡± Luo Qinghe retorted without giving in.

    He usually appeared careless and unconcerned with trivialities, but somehow, whenever he encountered Bai Wei, it was like matching a needle against wheat; neither was willing to take the slightest loss in their quarrel.

    Based on the experiences of the past two days, Fu Han knew this argument wouldn¡¯t stop anytime soon, so she chose to ignore them and turned her attention back to the seal pup licking the dropped noodles on the ground.

    After some consideration, she took out two cans of luncheon meat and set them on the ground, which the seal pup promptly finished with relish.

    Fu Han then poured the still-warm soup into the empty luncheon meat cans, and the intuitive little creature licked it clean.

    This was her first close encounter with a seal; she had always assumed that all creatures were aggressive, but now she was sure that this little guy posed no threat.

    She tentatively reached out to touch the pup¡¯s head, and to her surprise, the little creature even nuzzled her palm with its head affectionately.

 Chapter 84 - 84 084 Night Sky

    ?Chapter 84: 084 Night Sky   Chapter 84: 084 Night Sky                                   Fu Han had never expected to feel the unfermented love of a mother on a little seal pup.

    This tiny seal pup must have been born not long ago and lost its mother by ident. In the middle of the night, there was no way to find floating ice, and it was impossible to send the little guy away.

    She nced at Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei who were still quarreling and led the seal pup back to her own tent.

    Perhaps because Fu Han had fed it, the little one was very docile, tucking itself quietly at her feet, and soon fell asleep.

    But Fu Han tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Days had passed, and she forced herself not to look at anything rted to He Xing online, but the more she refrained, the more she felt a tangled indecision in her heart that she couldn¡¯t lift up nor put down.

    There was a piece of transparent stic on top of the tent, which could be used as a skylight, perfect for viewing the night scenery.

    She looked out through the skylight and the Antarctic night sky was breathtakingly beautiful.

    Tonight¡¯s moon was a perfect crescent, hanging in the sky like a hook, with myriad stars twinkling, like diamonds on ck velvet in a jewelry store, gold grains reflecting light under the sun, and even more like the sun shining on a rippling sponge.

    As she was looking, she suddenly saw a swarm of fireflies dancing like little sparks of light.

    Summer nights were very hot. Usually, after dinner, she¡¯d either chat with He Xing or return to her room to chase after idol dramas with the air conditioner on.

    But today, on a whim, she went to the garden after dinner to see if the morning glory she had transnted truly bloomed at dawn and wilted at dusk¡ª today was the day the morning glory bloomed for the first time.

    The deep blue morning glory flowers, dotting among the green leaves, had closed their trumpet-shaped blooms, and the petals were wilting. It was indeed a flower with only a one-day lifespan.

    Young girls sometimes have moments of sorrowful reflection at the passing of seasons, and Fu Han was no exception. She felt a little sad, having hoped her careful cultivation would create a miracle, but it was all in vain.

    Suddenly bereft, she turned, feeling as though the morning glory was a symbol of her love with He Xing ¡ª it turned out their love was equally short-lived.

    As she turned, she bumped into a warm embrace. The slender youth¡¯s chest bones thudded against her forehead, causing a bit of pain.

    She felt wronged in an instant, ¡°He Xing, why do you always stand behind me so silently? It¡¯s really scary, you know?¡±

    He Xing watched Fu Han with an expression as cold as an iceberg, ¡°What are you doing crouching here sote at night instead of reading in your room? Feeding mosquitoes?¡±

    They had known each other for many years with He Xing maintaining that iceberg-like demeanor.

    Every time Fu Han saw him like this, her heart ached without understanding why; she just felt that if He Xing wasn¡¯t happy, her world would crumble.

    She pounced like a yful rabbit, pushing up the corners of his mouth with her thumbs, ¡°Smile, will you? Stop acting like the sky is falling.¡±

    He Xing, while carefully supporting Fu Han to prevent her from falling, reluctantly made a smile, ¡°Okay, I smiled. Now can you go back?¡±

    Fu Han, with her objective achieved, smiled sweetly and contentedly let go of He Xing, bouncing happily behind him.

    Suddenly, He Xing stopped in his tracks, and Fu Han, not paying attention, bumped into his back, his prominent shoulder des making painful contact with her nose, almost bringing her to tears.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He Xing looked down slightly, his icy facade cracking with a tinge of concern that added a softer feel to his otherwise baby-faced appearance.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart thumped wildly, like drums and gongs. At that moment, she forgot everything else, just staring up at He Xing with wide eyes.

    ¡°Did you hurt your brain?¡± He Xing tapped her forehead, his smile deepening with a hint of confusion, his face diffusing like an ink wash in a watercolor painting.

    Fu Hanughed, ¡°He Xing, you are really handsome.¡±

    ¡°Call me brother,¡± He Xing¡¯s gaze flickered as he tried to look serious.

    ¡°No way,¡± Fu Han pouted, ¡°Grandpa already announced today that you are my fianc¨¦. It is not right to call my fianc¨¦ ¡®brother¡¯.¡±

    In the night, He Xing looked down at Fu Han, his expression indiscernible against the light, as if he sighed, ¡°Whatever you say.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s floating heart thudded to the ground; she stubbornly looked at He Xing, ¡°Grandpa announced our engagement without your consent. Are you angry?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be angry about,¡± He Xing turned his head away from Fu Han¡¯s gaze, his tone indifferent, ¡°Grandpa has always been like this, taking no objections. Would my anger matter?¡±

    ¡°So you really are unwilling.¡± Fu Han murmured under her breath, feeling a pang of hurt; he really didn¡¯t like her.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± He Xing¡¯s face suddenly loomed closer, ¡°When did you ever mumble? This is nothing like you.¡±

    Fu Han cast a resentful nce at He Xing, only to receive a smile so faint it could hardly be lighter.

    ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go home.¡± She brushed past He Xing and headed straight for the vi.

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll take you somewhere,¡± He Xing, taller and with longer arms, grabbed the back of Fu Han¡¯s cor.

    He Xingpletely dominated every word and action of Fu Han¡¯s. She immediately forgot her momentary unhappiness and cheered, tailing He Xing closely with a joyful bounce in her step.

    The night sky over Lanwan Mountain was beautiful, a rare ce in City A where one could see the stars from the city. She loved it there and often begged He Xing to apany her to view the night scene.

    But He Xing always had an air of keeping people at a distance, and it was good enough for Fu Han if she could coax him toe out once in five tries.

    She had to be extra good and act especially sweet every time she wanted to enjoy the night sky with He Xing.

    Like today, it was the first time He Xing had suggested to take a walk out.

    The He Family¡¯s vi was at the summit, and not far away was an observatory with two telescopes inside.

    Top-level vise with top-level services, and anyone living here coulde up to the mountain top to gaze at the stars.

    But today, Fu Han wasn¡¯t in the mood for telescopes; her eyes were filled with fireflies, the tiny insects casting a faint glow that illuminated her face.

    As she greedily took in the view, her curiosity got the better of her, ¡°He Xing, how did you know there were so many fireflies here?¡±

    ¡°I saw several fireflies flying in this direction, so I brought you here to check it out, and turns out, they are indeed congregating here,¡± He Xing said indifferently, his gaze fixed on the glowing night, his eyes reflecting the starlight.

    ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± Fu Han gazed admiringly at He Xing, ¡°I also saw a firefly fly out from our house just now, howe I didn¡¯t think that they wereing here to have a meeting?¡±

 Chapter 85 - 85 085 is a dream

    ?Chapter 85: 085 is a dream   Chapter 85: 085 is a dream                                   ¡°Your mind is so simple, how could you think of so many things?¡± He Xing chuckled and gently knocked on Fu Han¡¯s head.

    Under the starry sky, his smile shone as if it would light up, ringly bright to the point of being unbearable to look at directly; yet it was like a ma, irresistibly drawing one closer.

    Fu Han stood in front of him, looking up at him, she tiptoed slightly and gently kissed his chin.

    This was the first time she kissed He Xing, but all her courage put together only dared her to kiss his chin, not daring to touch his lips.

    He slightly looked down at Fu Han, resembling a deity residing in Sky City looking down on the mortal world, indifferent, cold, with a hint of pity.

    Fu Han, with her face flushed, avoided his gaze and said in a voice as low as a mosquito¡¯s, ¡°Today¡­ today is my birthday, and it¡¯s also¡­ it¡¯s also the day Grandpa announces our wedding news, this¡­ consider this your birthday gift to me.¡±

    She waited for a while but did not receive a response from He Xing, worried he might be angry, she hurriedly looked up.

    Suddenly, He Xing cupped her cheeks and kissed her deeply.

    So it turned out that a kiss really was sweet.

    Fu Han liked sweet things, but she felt that no candy or cake in the world couldpare to the sweetness of He Xing¡¯s lips, a sweetness that reached deep into her heart.

    He Xing¡¯s breathing suddenly grew heavy, his hand slid down, onending on her waist, holding her tighter. Fu Han was like under a spell,pletely paralyzed, but even if she had the strength now, she would never push He Xing away.

    The vast starry sky was not as bright as He Xing¡¯s eyes, the sea of fireflies was not as attractive as He Xing¡¯s face, and the thousands of mountains and rivers in her eyes were not as lovely as He Xing¡¯s smile.

    She did not answer He Xing, only wrapping her arms around his waist,

    Suddenly, something nudged Fu Han¡¯s feet, slippery and smooth; she thought it was a snake and jumped in fright, her eyes wide open.

    The starry sky was still too beautiful to look away from, but where was the shadow of fireflies?

    She was covered in a nket, still dressed in a jersey, sweater, and warm clothes, not even a shadow of He Xing to be seen?

    As for what was at her feet, it was not the supposed snake but a sleeping little seal.

    ¡°It was just a spring dream.¡± Fu Han murmured with a faint smile, feeling somewhat shy and nostalgic, but with more embarrassment andplicated emotions that were hard to express.

    On her eighteenth birthday Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Grandfather He hosted a grand birthday PARTY for her. She wore a princess dress with a crown and all the guests sang her praises, making her truly believe she was a princess.

    When Grandfather He asked her what gift she wanted, she said she wanted to marry He Xing and spend her life with him.

    Grandfather He immediately announced that they would prepare a grand wedding for them once He Xing and Fu Han reached the legal age for marriage.

    Now, recalling it, she still feels it was an unreal and too wonderful day.

    Was it even real to begin with?

    The engagement between her and He Xing was just a beautiful bubble, one that only existed because Grandfather He wanted to repay her parents for saving his life.

    Now that the dream has ended, she and He Xing should return to their respective paths, those being two lines that will never intersect.

    Actually, on her eighteenth birthday night, they did go to see the fireflies, and she did kiss He Xing, only it was she who initiated it and He Xing who passivelyplied.

    Even when she wanted to take it a step further, He Xing pushed her away, saying it wasn¡¯t the right time.

    She never expected to dream about that tonight, the dream in which He Xing took the initiative,

    Fu Han touched her own cheeks, now outside in Snond and freezing, yet her face was red-hot. She wasn¡¯t feverish, just her mind reying the events from the dream.

    She thought, if on that night of her eighteenth year, she had given everything to He Xing, would she have had the courage to leave He Xing three years ago?

    The answer is no; even now, looking back, she does not regret leaving three years ago; it is precisely because of the courage she had three years ago that she now has the strength to annul the engagement with He Xing.

    Only, if she had known that one day she would be strangers with He Xing, perhaps she would have been braver three years ago.

    ¡­

    Early the next morning, Fu Han appeared with two prominent panda eyes, both Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei showed a great deal of concern.

    Luo Qinghe was particrly curious about how Fu Han felt sleeping with the little seal; Bai Wei, on the other hand, kept pressing Fu Han for the reason for her insomnia, determined to get to the bottom of it.

    Fu Han casually brushed them off with a few words, and the three, along with the little seal, hurriedly ate breakfast, then discussed helping the little guy find his mother.

    In the boundless expanse of Antarctica, where everything was snow and ice, even ck soil was rarely seen, and the vapor they breathed out was almost solid enough to hang frozen on the ground.

    The little seal trotted after Fu Han, its eyes filled with love as it regarded her. ording to Luo Qinghe, it seemed as though the seal believed Fu Han to be its mother.

    After nearly two hours of walking, Luo Qinghe, leading the way, finally stopped: ¡°ording to the map, this is the area where seals roam. We should be able to leave it here and it should be fine.¡±

    Fu Han looked around, seeing no difference between this ce and where they had camped the night before. She felt a little sad for the not-yet-weaned little one. What if they had got the location wrong and the little guy couldn¡¯t find food tonight?

    She bent down and stroked the little seal¡¯s head: ¡°Take a look and see if you recognize this ce. If you do, give two barks to call for your parents toe pick you up.¡±

    ¡°How did I not know you had the skill tomunicate with animals?¡± Luo Qinghe chuckled mischievously, teasing without reservation.

    Naturally, this earned him a roll of the eyes from Fu Han.

    He was not upset, instead, he rummaged through his backpack and blew a whistle he had prepared. Fu Han had one too; It was meant for them to find each other in case they got separated.

    The whistle sounded sharp and urgent, practically noise pollution to Fu Han, who wished she could stuff her ears with cotton.

    But unexpectedly, this tactic proved effective. Something in the distance on the ice began moving, heading in their direction. The sound of the water pping was loud and clear.

 Chapter 86 - 86 086 Womans War

    ?Chapter 86: 086 Woman¡¯s War   Chapter 86: 086 Woman¡¯s War                                   The little seal cheered and darted out from around Fu Han¡¯s feet, swimming towards a group of distant ck dots.

    Watching the little guy slip into the water, Fu Han nodded with a mischievous smile, ¡°The little seal¡¯s vagrant tale ends here. Emperor penguins, here wee. Let¡¯s set off.¡±

    Luo Qinghe put his whistle around his neck and naturally continued to lead the way.

    Lady Bai Wei kept pace with Fu Han and couldn¡¯t stop sizing her up. ¡°I thought you had grown attached to that little seal, but you don¡¯t seem upset at all that it¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Fu Han tilted her head, countering the question instead of answering it.

    ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Bai Wei¡¯s face reddened slightly, and she coughed awkwardly, ¡°I don¡¯t like small animals, so of course, I¡¯m not upset.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, why would youe to Antarctica?¡± Fu Han immediately threw a second question while her peripheral vision locked onto Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei instinctively avoided Fu Han¡¯s gaze, stammering a bit as she spoke, ¡°Well¡­ didn¡¯t I say I like doing challenging things? I¡¯ve never been to Antarctica, so naturally, I wanted toe.¡±

    ¡°Did youe to Antarctica to see snow or just to freeze?¡± Fu Han joked lightly. ¡°Just to see snow and freeze in Antarctica, if you say that out loud, you might make the front page of the entertainment headlines again tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°What did you say? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks, now devoid of blush, her eyes darting around as her mind raced for a response.

    Fu Han burst intoughter; her radiant smile subdued the tackiness of her pink jacket, and under the sunlight, it was particrly dazzling.

    ¡°Lady Bai Wei, a well-known female superstar back home with many outstanding works, you are one of the hottest superstars, am I right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Bai Wei smiled as well, a smile that didn¡¯t match her noisy style ¡ª it was tranquil, like an elegant orchid in a deep valley, untouched by dust: ¡°I¡¯m the hottest superstar in the country, without any ¡®one of the¡¯.¡±

    Fu Han had to work hard to keep from rolling her eyes, but her mouth shot back unabashedly, ¡°Would you dare say that in front of the media and journalists?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Bai Wei said this with such conviction, one might momentarily think she was defending her earlier statement. She giggled and stuck out her tongue, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? To say such things carelessly? Don¡¯t I know that troublees from the mouth?¡±

    Fu Han snorted, ¡°Then I really want to ask you, as a big superstar, why don¡¯t you focus on making movies? Whye to Antarctica?¡±

    ¡°I came to see the snow, is that so wrong?¡± Bai Wei seemed to possess a magic that made even the guiltiest statement sound bold and justified when it came from her.

    Fu Han got irritated once more andughed in anger, ¡°Fine, you better have been telling the truth.¡±

    The smile vanished from Bai Wei¡¯s face, anger shing in her eyes as she stared into Fu Han¡¯s, ¡°Then what do you think brought me here?¡±

    ¡°If I knew, would I be asking you?¡± Fu Han tried to suppress the anger in her heart, asking in as calm a tone as possible, ¡°Do you know He Xing?¡±

    ¡°I know him,¡± Bai Wei answered briskly, her smile reappearing as she gazed at Fu Han, ¡°I don¡¯t just know He Xing, but also you. The two of you aren¡¯t from the entertainment circle, yet your affairs have created quite the stir. It would be hard not to know, right?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face grew hot; she hadn¡¯t expected Bai Wei, who seemed so carefree and answered so randomly, to have subtly maneuvered her into a corner.

    Luo Qinghe, who was leading the way, had stopped and turned to look at the two girls without saying a word.

    Bai Wei smirked triumphantly and stepped towards Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, honestly, I think you and He Xing make quite a good match. Are you really just going to hand him over to Xia Ning like that?¡±

    ¡°Has there ever been a handsome guy and a beautiful girl who didn¡¯t match?¡± Fu Han felt her face burning and started walking faster to cover up her now beet-red cheeks, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see that many people online also say Xia Ning and He Xing match each other perfectly?¡±

    ¡°So, can I take it that you broke up with He Xing because you were jealous?¡± Bai Wei quickened her pace to catch up to Fu Han, even trying to reach out and grab her.

    Feeling the tug, Fu Han shook off her hand forcefully.

    Bai Wei stomped her foot in frustration behind her, ¡°Fu Han, wait a second, if you have something to say, why can¡¯t you just say it directly? Why think about giving up at the slightest setback?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face had gone from red to white, and she very much wanted to just walk away, but felt there was nowhere to release the anger boiling inside her.

    She stamped her foot hard on the ground and spun around to face Bai Wei, ¡°Who are you anyway? Do you really understand what¡¯s going on between us?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Bai Wei opened her mouth but only managed to say one word. After pausing for a few seconds, she persistently added, ¡°I don¡¯t understand you guys, but I¡¯ve seen a lot about you on the inte. You and He Xing grew up together, inseparable for so many years. That¡¯s a rare bond.¡±

    Sharp needles seemed to pierce Fu Han¡¯s heart, herplexion turning pallid, and her lips were bitten bloody, leaving a crimson trace.

    Luo Qinghe stepped forward to shield Fu Han, and with an unusual hint of anger, he said, ¡°Bai Wei, I suggest you don¡¯t advise her to get back with He Xing unless you¡¯ve endured the pain she has.¡±

    ¡°I truly think their rtionship is valuable, it¡¯s a shame to give it up,¡± Bai Wei still clung to her viewpoint, but her tone was less assertive in front of Luo Qinghe.

    Luo Qinghe couldn¡¯t help but snort mockingly, ¡°That¡¯s so funny. There are many kinds of love. A childhood friendship and puppy love may be nice, but so is love at first sight, unforgettable at first meeting. Isn¡¯t it just as good to search tirelessly and finally win over your beloved? There¡¯s more than just He Xing who fancies Fu Han, but as long as Fu Han likes him back, theirs is mutual affection.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Luo Qinghe¡¯s bear-like figure in front of her; she no longer found himical. Instead, he seemed immense and imposing.

    She had forgotten all about their recent squabbles, touched by his stand in front of her when she was feeling cornered and defenseless, protecting her from the storm.

    Bai Wei stared at Luo Qinghe in shock, as if she had heard something unbelievable.

    The wind howled, but she felt nothing, just looking at Luo Qinghe, ¡°You¡­ you like Fu Han too?¡±

    ¡°Like her? Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Luo Qinghe slung his arm over Fu Han¡¯s shoulder as if he was picking up a puppy, ¡°Not only is Fu Han beautiful, but she is also strong and independent. Which man wouldn¡¯t like her? If you were a man, you¡¯d probably like her too.¡±

 Chapter 87 - 87 087 Burn the bridge after crossing it

    ?Chapter 87: 087 Burn the bridge after crossing it   Chapter 87: 087 Burn the bridge after crossing it                                   ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re liars,¡± Bai Wei¡¯s eyes reddened with distress as she pointed at the two people in front of her, ¡°You said you were just friends, but it turns out you are a couple here on vacation.¡±

    Fu Han looked bewilderedly at Bai Wei, this girl who had been haughty just minutes before now seemed as if she had suffered a huge blow.

    She suddenly felt some sympathy for Bai Wei, and even the inexplicable hostility she had towards her lessened.

    Fu Han¡¯s shoulders moved as she wriggled out of Luo Qinghe¡¯s embrace and said irritably to him, ¡°Stop it, we¡¯re just like brothers, and my life is already messy enough without you adding to the chaos here.¡±

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re really good at burning bridges,¡± Luo Qinghe politely took two steps back, creating distance between him and Fu Han, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see I was trying to help you out? Do you really want me to bring up Su Cheng¡¯s name?¡±

    Although Fu Han was verbally sparring with Luo Qinghe, she noticed from the corner of her eye that Bai Wei¡¯splexion had improved considerably.

    She silently chuckled to herself, considering it a good deed done, yet in her heart, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªif Bai Wei stayed as brave as she was just now, who would Luo Qinghe ultimately choose?

    The trio set off again, and no one brought up the quarrel between Fu Han and Bai Wei as they truly headed towards the emperor penguins¡¯ territory.

    ¡­

    At Cheng Yihan¡¯spany.

    Su Cheng paced restlessly in the office when suddenly the phone rang. He checked the caller ID, saw it was a spam call, and hung up directly.

    Ever since Fu Han left that day, and after the argument with Nan Qing, several days had passed. Nan Qing had disappeared as if she had evaporated from the world, without any contact with him.

    In the past, Su Cheng didn¡¯t notice, but now he always felt as if there was something missing in his heart, leaving an empty void.

    Su Cheng was an only child who grew up with Nan Qing. They left their homes one after the other to study abroad, where they met Fu Han.

    He had never been out of contact with Nan Qing for such a long time and felt ufortable¡ªnot because he missed her but because after rethinking the day¡¯s events, he felt his words hadcked masculinity and grace, and he felt somewhat guilty.

    Su Cheng walked back and forth in the office, struggling with himself, before finally making a call, ¡°Hello, Mom, I¡¯lle home for dinner tonight. Could you invite godmother and godfather over to our ce as well? It¡¯s been a while, and I miss them.¡±

    His godparents were Nan Qing¡¯s parents, and since both families were close, they bought houses in the same vi area, just a hundred meters apart. The two families often dined together.

    When Su Cheng returned, the servants were preparing dinner, and Lady Su was in her room trying on clothes, asking Su Cheng for his opinion.

    He was irritable and answered perfunctorily, ¡°Mom, every piece of your clothing looks lovely. You can wear anything; it¡¯s not like we¡¯re having an official gathering. Besides, didn¡¯t you go shopping with godmother today?¡±

    Lady Su gave Su Cheng a meaningful look and said, ¡°How can that be the same? Today is so special. After all these years, this is the first time you¡¯ve invited Nan Qing over for a meal.¡±

    Su Cheng blushed through and through, not knowing what to say, staying quiet.

    Lady Su went on non-stop, ¡°Xiaocheng, do you know how long I¡¯ve waited for this day? I¡¯ve dreamed of Nan Qing bing our daughter-inw.¡±

    ¡°Not this again,¡± said Su Cheng impatiently, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that Nan Qing and I cannot be together. You¡¯d better give up that idea.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Nan Qing?¡± Lady Su tapped Su Cheng¡¯s forehead and asked, ¡°Do you think she¡¯s not good enough for you?¡±

    ¡°No, I just¡­,¡± Su Cheng stammered.

    But before he could finish, a servant interrupted, ¡°Lady, Miss Nan Qing and her family have arrived.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be right down,¡± said Lady Su, who, before heading downstairs, didn¡¯t forget to pull Su Cheng¡¯s ear and admonish, ¡°Listen here, if you dare to make a face in front of Nan Qingter, watch out, I¡¯ll thrash you.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Su Cheng replied pretentiously, but inwardly he thought: I was nning to apologize to Nan Qing today anyway; how could I afford to show a bad face?

    Since the day of the argument with Su Cheng, Nan Qing had temporarily moved back home at her mother¡¯s persuasion, their parents unbeknownst to their quarreling.

    When they came downstairs, Mr. Su had already returned and was chatting with Nan Qing and her parents on the couch with Nan Qing sitting between them.

    As Su Cheng and Nan Qing exchanged a nce, Nan Qing red at him, seemingly snorting, then looked away.

    Her indifferent attitude persisted until the end of dinner, during which, under the persuasion of the four elders, they were seated next to one another.

    For the first time without any cue from his parents, Su Cheng offered Nan Qing some food, only to receive a cold ¡°Thank you, I don¡¯t like that.¡±

    After that, Su Cheng went silent, eating without saying a word except when asionally responding to the elders.

    During dessert, while Su Cheng was enjoying a dragon fruit, he noticed that at some point the elders had slipped away¡ªleaving their whereabouts a mystery.

    The spacious living room was left with just him and Nan Qing, who was curled up on the couch with her phone, apparently unaware that her parents had left.

    Su Cheng cleared his throat, unsure whether he should sit next to Nan Qing.

    Finally noticing the awkward setup, Nan Qing sat upright and asked in confusion, ¡°Where are my parents? And where are yours? They left? Well, then I should go too.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Su Cheng gathered his courage, ¡°Sis, there¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about between us,¡± Nan Qing said, already standing up, not looking back, ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll just be ordinary friends. Nothing more.¡±

    Desperate, Su Cheng blocked her way, ¡°Sis, I¡­ I really know I was wrong. Please forgive me for the sake of our years of friendship. Just pretend what I saidst time was nothing, and let it go.¡±

    Nan Qing crossed her arms and looked at him coldly, ¡°You seemed quite pleased when you said those words, didn¡¯t you? If you dare to say them, don¡¯t apologize to me. I don¡¯t want to lose respect for you.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t respect me the first time,¡± Su Cheng chuckled, tugging at Nan Qing¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Sis, I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Nan Qing smiled but then asked seriously, ¡°Regarding Qinghe, have you mentioned it to anyone else besides me?¡±

 Chapter 88 - 88 Engagement 088

    ?Chapter 88: Engagement 088   Chapter 88: Engagement 088                                   ¡°No,¡± Su Cheng¡¯s head shook like a rattle-drum.

    ¡°Brother Qinghe didn¡¯t mention it either?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, I n to apologize when he returns¡­¡±

    ¡°Say no more,¡± Nan Qing interrupted Su Cheng anxiously, ¡°Pretend I know nothing about this. If you dare let Brother Qinghe find out you told me this, I¡¯ll make your life a living hell.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say anything, absolutely nothing,¡± Su Cheng waved his hands frantically, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t tell anyone, including Fu Han.¡±

    Nan Qing then smiled with satisfaction, ¡°Good brother. From now on, we are just like siblings, closer than blood. Let¡¯s not harbor any inappropriate thoughts about each other.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Su Cheng looked at Nan Qing, thrilled, his starry eyes almost bing moon-like.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true,¡± Nan Qing smiled, toying with the hair on either side of her face, and patted Su Cheng on the shoulder, ¡°Young man, if you like Fu Han, go chase her yourself. I won¡¯t help you, nor will I make things worse for you.¡±

    After saying this, Nan Qing walked away, leaving Su Cheng standing there alone.

    He stared at the door, stunned for nearly two minutes. His joy had now faded considerably, and that empty feeling began to erode his heart once again.

    ¡­

    The He Group Meeting Room.

    It was a round-table meeting, discussing matters rted to the film ¡®Homesick¡¯, which was primarily financed and produced by the He Group.

    Now that all financing agreements had been settled, the next steps were script polishing and shooting.

    The He Group had reached its peak in its original domain. To take it a step further, it would need to venture into new fields.

    And the film industry, never before entered by the He Group but a future focus, made this initial foray particrly important.

    Today¡¯s round-table wasn¡¯t just attended by the entire board of directors, but also heads of various rted departments.

    After the staff had finished their reports, Director Wu stood up, ¡°Chairman He, has the cast been decided?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still under discussion,¡± He Xing replied indifferently, lifting his head.

    ¡°Have we decided on the lead actors?¡± Director Wu looked around the Meeting Room with a provocative gaze and said, ¡°Everyone, this movie is our maiden venture. Many are waiting to see us fail, especially since we¡¯re currently in the spotlight. This film must seed without fail, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Immediately, many agreed, their voices swelling in unison.

    But He Xing just swept his gaze across the room, and suddenly all the voices stopped, as if his look held the power of a pause button.

    He Xing¡¯s gazended on Liang Tao, ¡°Announce thetest cast list.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chairman He,¡± Liang Tao deftly operated the keyboard, and arge screen disyed a cast list with the words ¡°To Be Determined¡± at the top.

    Pointing at the lead actress entry, Director Wu asked, ¡°Bai Wei as the lead actress? Xia Ning as the second lead? Isn¡¯t there a problem with that?¡±

    ¡°What problem?¡± He Xing¡¯s eyebrows lifted, ¡°Whether in terms of star power or acting skill, Bai Wei is more than capable of being the lead actress in this movie.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Director Wu scratched his head, chuckling with a sleazyugh, ¡°But Xia Ning as the second lead doesn¡¯t seem right. This is her debut film, and you¡¯re letting her y a viin? Won¡¯t it affect her future stardom?¡±

    ¡°Since when did Director Wu care so much about Xia Ning?¡± He Xing¡¯sment was steady, echoing his ck eyes that subtly concealed any probing intent.

    Director Wu¡¯s face flushed red, and he fidgeted nervously, ¡°Chairman He, it¡¯s not that I care about Xia Ning. I¡¯m concerned about you. After all, during the Skywalk Photography Competition, you personally said in front of thousands of cameras that although your rtionship with Xia Ning is currently just friendship, it might change in the future.¡±

    That remark pulled He Xing back to an event half a month prior. Even with his strongposure, the memory filled him with guilt.

    That day, Fu Han finally got the award she had longed for from the Skywalk Photography Competition, but before the medal could hang from her neck, the photos of He Xing and Xia Ning were leaked.

    If the woman in those photos had been anyone else, He Xing would have ruthlessly revealed the truth about what had happened at the bar that day.

    But the woman in the photo was Xia Ning, the daughter of his life-saving benefactor. He owed a life debt to the Xia Family. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t ruin Xia Ning¡¯s reputation, especially since Xia Guoxiong had ¡°pleaded¡± on stage with He Xing to give Xia Ning a hand.

    In the end, He Xing stood on the stage in front of countless shes and said, ¡°Everyone, Xia Ning and I grew up together. Our rtionship isn¡¯t just friendship, but kin. On my honor, I swear nothing happened between us that day. Xia Ning is a good girl in my heart, and our future holds countless possibilities.¡±

    While saying these words, He Xing didn¡¯t even dare to look at Fu Han¡¯s face, who by then had been taken away by Luo Qinghe. In the sea of people, she turned back and looked at him.

    It was like a movie suddenly paused halfway through. Fu Han¡¯s beautiful face turned pale, her eyes growing brighter as she looked at him from across what seemed like a great distance.

    He Xing had always thought that he must repay the life-saving grace, and no matter what, he would always yield to the Xia Family. Fu Han was his final barrier, he believed that no matter what happened, she would never leave him.

    But on that day, when Fu Han turned back to look at He Xing amongst the crowd, he felt an icy chill. He harbored the feeling that he was about to lose her.

    True enough, not two minutester, Fu Han announced to the journalists that they were canceling their engagement.

    ¡°Chairman He? Chairman He?¡±

    Liang Tao¡¯s voice rang out, interrupting He Xing¡¯s thoughts.

    Looking at Director Wu¡¯s usatory eyes, He Xing showed no guilt about being distracted during the meeting. He looked at Director Wu coldly, ¡°Are you implying that our He Group¡¯s first film should bepletely devoted to promoting Xia Ning?¡±

    Diretor Wu¡¯s bronze face turned even more embarrassing. He coughed twice before bumbling an exnation, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly like that¡­ But if Xia Ning is to be our future chairman¡¯s wife, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to support her.¡±

    ¡°What a thought, Director Wu,¡± He Xing rose slowly, watching Director Wu with a sneer, ¡°It was you who insisted I make a military order due to personal affairs affecting thepany¡¯s stock price, calling for discipline; and now you¡¯re the one asking me to disregard the bigger picture to please someone else. Director Wu, what exactly is your agenda? You might as welly it all out at once.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ What agenda could I have?¡± Director Wu turned pale with fright, stammering in exnation, ¡°I was just thinking of two birds with one stone, given that you and Xia Ning are about to get engaged.¡±

    ¡°Chairman He is getting engaged?¡±

    ¡°When was that?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about this, have you?¡±

    ¡°Congrattions, Chairman He.¡±

    Director Wu¡¯sment ignited the Meeting Room like a lit firecracker, and excitement buzzed through the air. Everyone forgot the focus of the meeting and started discussing amongst themselves in groups.

 Chapter 89 - 89 Do not tolerate 089

    ?Chapter 89: Do not tolerate 089   Chapter 89: Do not tolerate 089                                   He Xing¡¯s expression turned very ugly as he turned to Liang Tao and said, ¡°Prepare the attorney¡¯s letter and sue Director Wu for spreading rumors.¡±

    A single sentence silenced the spacious meeting room. You could hear a pin drop, and the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces became quiteplex.

    ¡°President He¡­¡± Director Wu¡¯s face turned from schadenfreude to frantic anxiety as he exined with a flushed face, ¡°President He, don¡¯t be like this, I¡­ I was just joking.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a limit to joking, Director Wu. You joke inappropriately without considering the asion, especially at such a critical moment for He Group. Aren¡¯t you worried that your rumors could cause fluctuations in He Group¡¯s stock price? Or is it that you don¡¯t care about the survival of He Group as much as you say you do?¡± He Xing sneered, exuding a bone-chilling coldness.

    It wasn¡¯t the first or second time Director Wu had contradicted He Xing at major events by exploiting his seniority, and within the board, there was no shortage of those envious of the He Family, stirring up trouble along with him.

    At this moment, those who had colluded with Director Wu also turned pale en masse. It¡¯s one thing to cause a stir, but it¡¯s another entirely if thepany were actually to copse.

    Large beads of sweat trickled down Director Wu¡¯s forehead as if it cost nothing, and he exined incoherently, ¡°President He, not¡­ I didn¡¯t mean that, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just a joke, an exnation will do, no need to blow this up, right?¡±

    He Xing slowly stood up, his height advantage adding anotheryer of powerful presence. He swept his gaze across the crowd: ¡°Wishing for Homing is our first prepared film, and we only allow sess, not failure. Bai Wei is the most suitable candidate for the lead actress. If anyone else wants Xia Ning as the lead, then you¡¯re free to crowd-fund a film for her¡ªI won¡¯t stop you.¡±

    Everyone whose gaze met his quickly looked away, some even started shivering uncontrobly.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes darkened further: ¡°Furthermore, what¡¯s between Xia Ning and me is my private matter. If anyone from He Group is caught spreading rumors outside again, Director Wu¡¯s fate today will be theirs tomorrow.¡±

    After finishing, He Xing closed hisptop expressionlessly: ¡°I have other matters to attend to, today¡¯s meeting is hereby adjourned.¡±

    ¡­

    The nanny car sped along the elevated highway, the sound of the wind mming against the ss was deafening.

    Looking through the rearview mirror, Liang Tao saw the small desk in the back seat where aptopy, where He Xing was typing rapidly, resembling a symphony.

    Remembering the meeting just now, Liang Tao felt a faint sweat on his back and reminded softly, ¡°President He, the weather is bad today, and the flight might be dyed. Maybe you should eat something first.¡±

    Lunchtime had long passed, and He Xing hadn¡¯t eaten a grain of rice all day.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see when we get to the airport.¡± He Xing finally looked away from hisputer. He looked out the window at the foggy sky, as if it was going to rain. No, it should snow in winter.

    He remembered that Fu Han loved snow a lot, but snow was rare in City A, and snow rarely umted on the ground.

    One year, when it fortunately snowed, Fu Han had wandered around Lanwan Mountain and used all the snow she could find to make a pair of snowmen, just slightly bigger than an adult¡¯s palm.

    To prevent them from melting, she ced them in the freezer. However, one day, the servant, thinking they were just lumps of ice formed in the freezer, threw them out while cleaning.

    Fu Han was so upset when she heard about it that she cried bitterly, and it took He Xing a great effort to console her.

    He Xing smiled at the memory, thinking how wonderful it would be if it snowed in City A today. He would definitely build a snowman for her, to make up for that past regret.

    Snow began to fall before they reached the airport, tiny flurries no bigger than grains of rice, which melted into water before reaching the ground.

    He Xing quickly put on an overcoat over his suit and rushed into the airport.

    The severe weather caused flight dys.

    In a widespread snowstorm across the nation, most flights were dyed. The flight from Wu City was alreadyte by several hours, andter it simply stated ¡°dyed¡±, with no information on how long it would be.

    Liang Tao pulled some strings to secure a VIP lounge at the airport, allowing He Xing to escape the throbbing crowds and finally sit down for a cup of coffee.

    But there was no rxation in his demeanor. Instead, as time went by, he became increasingly anxious, for flights are most prone to idents in windy and snowy weather.

    ¡­

    Twenty-five thousand feet in the sky, Fu Han looked out at the foggy expanse that resembled ayer of frosted wallpaper stuck to the outside of the window, blurring the line between rity and obscurity.

    Suddenly, the ne jolted, causing many onboard to scream.

    The inte had announced several times that the flight had changed its course multiple times due to poor weather, but it now seemed that this had not averted disaster.

    A p of thunder sounded, in that instant the ne went pitch ck, magnifying the already intense thunder as if to tear the sky apart.

    The lightning subsided, the airport was dark, the ne rocked, and many passengers had started crying.

    Yet Fu Han felt a calmness in her heart as she pondered whether she would have any regrets if she couldn¡¯tnd safely today?

    Her parents were no longer alive, and there was no one in this world rted to her by blood. In that case, there shouldn¡¯t be any regrets, as nobody would grieve a close rtive¡¯s loss.

    But Grandfather He would be sad, wouldn¡¯t he? He¡¯d spent his life in the business world, enduring the pain of his son and daughter-inw¡¯s sudden deaths. He treated Fu Han like his own granddaughter; he would be hurt.

    Fu Han closed her eyes and silently said in her heart, ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯m sorry that I have to make you experience the pain of burying your loved one once again.¡±

    When she opened her eyes, she saw He Xing¡¯s face in the darkness. He didn¡¯t speak but looked at her with teary eyes.

    He Xing could cry?

    Yes, he could. That year when she had her first period, not understanding what it was, she thought she was dying and seriously spoke herst words to He Xing.

    Thinking she was truly dying, He Xing¡¯s eyes reddened, he said a lot to her, but time had faded the memory, and she couldn¡¯t recall what he had exactly said, just that his words had suddenly made her unafraid of death.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were sitting behind Fu Han, having swapped ces with her to sit together.

    Their nearly ten-day trip to Antarctica had blessed them with sights of emperor penguins, seals, a snow-coveredndscape, and even the aurora borealis.

    The journey could havested longer. Luo Qinghe had suggested they spend a few more days near Wu City, but it was Fu Han who requested to return early, forcing him to give up the idea.

    It wasn¡¯t really Fu Han¡¯s fault¡ªthe main reason was that Bai Wei suddenly dered, with great determination, that she intended to pursue Luo Qinghe, and she indeed embarked on a relentless chase.

    Knowing that Luo Qinghe liked Nan Qing, Fu Han felt ufortable seeing him asionally joke with Bai Wei despite having refused her, much like watching the ambiguous interactions between He Xing and Xia Ning.

 Chapter 90 - 90 090 Journey

    ?Chapter 90: 090 Journey   Chapter 90: 090 Journey                                   She originally said she would return alone and let Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei do whatever they pleased, but unfortunately, they disagreed and followed her back.

    When the power went out, Bai Wei clutched onto Luo Qinghe¡¯s arm: ¡°Why has the power gone out? Are we going to die?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Luo Qinghe said without any warmth in his voice. However, he did not pull his hand back; instead, he patted Bai Wei¡¯s arm in aforting manner.

    Once Bai Wei saw her chance, she immediately leaned her head on Luo Qinghe¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Then, could you kiss me before I die?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Luo Qinghe refused bluntly. He moved his shoulder as he spoke, but Bai Wei stayed firmly leaned against him as if she hadn¡¯t felt it at all.

    ¡°You think just because you said ¡®no,¡¯ it means no?¡± Bai Wei acted swiftly, hugging Luo Qinghe¡¯s neck and nting a loud kiss on his cheek.

    Luo Qinghe pushed Bai Wei away as if he had been electrocuted; his breathing in the darkness became obviously rougher: ¡°Bai Wei, you¡¯re really crazy.¡±

    Suddenly, the lights came back on. Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe instinctively looked up and met Fu Han¡¯s gaze. She knelt on the seat in front, leaning on the backrest with a smile in her eyes as she watched them.

    ¡°When did you start enjoying peeping?¡± Bai Wei¡¯s face turned red, a rare show of shyness from her.

    Luo Qinghe coughed awkwardly, and stiffly changed the subject: ¡°When do you think we will be able tond safely?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fu Han said with a smile, her tone meaningful: ¡°If something happens to us, do you have any regrets?¡±

    Bai Wei immediately turned her head to look at Luo Qinghe, her beautiful face showing a rare nervousness; clearly, she was also focused on what Luo Qinghe was saying.

    Luo Qinghe looked out the window, and coincidentally, another bout of thunder rolled. His usually yful peach-blossom eyes took on a rare seriousness: ¡°Of course there are regrets, but isn¡¯t this also a kind ofpletion?¡±

    Someone eximed, ¡°Let¡¯s write our wills now while we still have power.¡±

    At these words, there was a collective response.

    Fu Han took out a notebook and three pens from the small backpack she carried and handed one each to Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei: ¡°Better safe than sorry, regardless of whether we have regrets, we should at least exin things to some people.¡±

    Bai Wei had wanted to dig deeper into the meaning of Luo Qinghe¡¯s words, but thinking that life was nearly at its end, she felt that fretting over such things was pointless.

    Those with paper and pens began writing their wills. For a moment, therge cabin was silent, amplifying the terror of the storm outside.

    Fu Han stared at the nk paper on the small table, struggling internally. Eventually, she carefully wrote down two words: ¡°He Xing¡­¡±

    After finishing, she ced the will inside her wallet¡¯s inner pocket and cautiously stored the wallet in the deepest part of her bag, for fear of losing it.

    The ne flew erratically forward, and everyone in the cabin was terrified. The flight attendants¡¯ attempts to soothe the passengers were futile; many had already started crying.

    No one knew how much time had passed when the thunder outside suddenly ceased, and the sky began to brighten.

    The captain¡¯s voice announced: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m honored to tell you that we have sessfully passed through the dangerous area, and the ne willnd at A City Airport in two hours.¡±

    Fu Han let out a sigh of relief. She tightened her grip on the bag she was holding, her mind filled with countless Thoughts.

    The rest of the journey went smoothly, the fog lifted, and the sky outside the window became clear. She could see the heavy snow falling, like a grand wee feast.

    Two hourster, Fu Han, Luo Qinghe, and Bai Wei emerged side by side with their luggage. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Wei¡¯s numerous belongings taking so long to collect, they probably would have left the airport by now.

    At the gate, Fu Han waved to the other two: ¡°The Antarctica trip is over, everyone to their own homes. Until we meet again someday.¡±

    Their homes were all in different directions; sharing a cab would have been out of the way, and Fu Han wasn¡¯t nning on taking a cab anyway, as she intended to take the subway.

    Bai Wei seemed determined to stick with Luo Qinghe. After waving goodbye to Fu Han, she followed Luo Qinghe out.

    Within the bustling crowd, Fu Han was as inconspicuous as a drop of water entering the sea, no longer visible.

    She never liked crowded ces and even had a bit of ustrophobia. But today, when the ne was in trouble, she almost thought she was surely going to die. Now, in the midst of the crowd, she unexpectedly felt a rare sense of security.

    Suddenly, she heard someone calling, ¡°Xiaohan!¡±

    Fu Han looked around but didn¡¯t see any familiar faces. Sheughed at herself, thinking, who knew she wasing back, how could anyone be here to pick her up?

    She had only taken a couple of steps when the call for ¡°Xiaohan¡± came again. This time it was clearer than before, and she stopped to look around once more.

    Suddenly her pupils dted. Who could it be five meters away from her if not He Xing?

    It wasn¡¯t her hallucination; she hadn¡¯t been imagining things.

    Tears suddenly filled Fu Han¡¯s eyes, and from across a few people, she gave He Xing a smile. But in that moment, her smile seemed weak, like a morning glory wilting under a setting sun.

    He Xing pushed through the crowd and walked towards Fu Han, opening his arms to engulf her in an embrace: ¡°Xiaohan, you¡¯re finally back.¡±

    His voice was slightly choked, as if something was stuck in his throat; he held her with so much force, as if he wanted to crush her.

    Fu Han¡¯s hand, raised to push He Xing away, hung in midair, ultimately nevering down.

    She sighed silently to herself: ¡°It¡¯s just a hug, nothing more. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±

    The crowd surged around them, indifferent passersby ncing over at the embracing pair; every person in this world has their stories, and no one pauses even briefly for someone else¡¯s narrative.

    Outside the airport, a barren ground was covered with a thinyer of snow, asionally revealing dark and yellow earth beneath. The wind howled, as if trying to lift the crown of the sky.

    He Xing draped his wool coat over Fu Han¡¯s shoulders: ¡°Why are you wearing so little? Be careful not to catch a cold. I¡¯ll go buy you a few down jackets in a while.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Fu Han¡¯s mood had stabilized, and she calmly looked at He Xing as though he was just another ordinary friend: ¡°I don¡¯t like to wear too much in winter, and besides, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s cold here.¡±

    Indeed, how could it be coldpared to Antarctica, where water throws turned to ice? It was clearly very warm here.

    Thinking thus, she involuntarily sneezed, eliciting from He Xing a quick gesture to take her to the nanny car.

    The car¡¯s heater was turned up high, and Fu Han took off the wool coat, revealing just a short light-green fleece sweater. During her movements, a small section of her waist was exposed, white and tender, like a peeled egg.

 Chapter 91 - 91 091 Bathing

    ?Chapter 91: 091 Bathing   Chapter 91: 091 Bathing                                   He Xing¡¯s gaze lingered on her waist before his eyes deepened, but he said nothing and merely walked to the back of the RV.

    Soon, he returned with an autumn jacket and tied it around Fu Han¡¯s waist without exnation, ¡°It¡¯s too cold today. If you¡¯re not careful, you might have back pain when you¡¯re older.¡±

    In the past, He Xing had always disapproved of Fu Han wearing provocative clothing. He could barely tolerate off-shoulder garments but drew the line at low-cut and midriff-baring outfits.

    Back then, He Xing had been the only one in Fu Han¡¯s heart, and whenever He Xing dered what she could and couldn¡¯t wear, her heart would swell with sweetness,forting herself that this was a sign of He Xing¡¯s concern for her.

    Even when Fu Han learned that He Xing never interfered with Xia Ning¡¯s clothing choices, she felt smug, thinking that he didn¡¯t genuinely like Xia Ning.

    But over the past three years, having seen much of the world and learned many truths, she understood that to truly love someone, you ept all of them, instead of imposing your own life views and values upon them.

    At this moment, Fu Han found He Xing¡¯s gesture of covering her waist quite irritating, and her anger sessfully diluted the joy she had felt about their reunion.

    She threw the jacket on the sofa, ¡°If you¡¯re cold, you wear it. I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    A sh of surprise passed through He Xing¡¯s eyes, but he quickly masked it with a smile and did not insist, ¡°Liang Tao went to buy some food. He¡¯ll be back soon. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡±

    The mention of food made Fu Han realize she was hungry, but she had a habit since childhood of needing to bathe before eating, especially now that she hadn¡¯t showered for nearly 48 hours. Although she hadn¡¯t sweated, she felt ufortable all over.

    Right now, bathing was more important to her than eating, even though she was starving.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze had never left Fu Han, and seeing her state, he immediately said, ¡°There¡¯s a restroom here. Do you want to take a shower? Liang Tao won¡¯t be back so soon.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes lit up, but she still hesitated, ¡°Is that okay? It seems inconvenient.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine. Hurry up,¡± He Xing said decisively as he pushed Fu Han into the bathroom.

    Soon, the sound of running water filled the air. As He Xing listened, an inexplicable heat surged from his belly, his breathing became erratic, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed unconsciously.

    Time passed, and the sound of water finally stopped. Fu Han¡¯s voice then called out, ¡°He Xing, can youe here for a moment?¡±

    Through the steaming vapour, her voice was so ethereal it was barely discernible.

    But to He Xing, that voice was like a kiss left on his lips during a midnight reverie, indistinguishable between dream and reality.

    His face flushed, he stood at the bathroom door, ¡°Xiaohan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I forgot to take my clothes.¡± Fu Han coughed dryly, clearly very embarrassed. ¡°Could you help me get them?¡±

    ¡°Sure, right away,¡± He Xing responded as he went to Fu Han¡¯s suitcase but found himself at a loss. The suitcase had abination lock, and he couldn¡¯t open it.

    A smile touched the corners of his lips as he handed her his bathrobe instead, ¡°Wear this toe out and look for it yourself. I can¡¯t open your suitcase.¡±

    Two minutester, the bathroom door opened, and Fu Han emerged in He Xing¡¯s bathrobe. The loose-fitting robe hung off her body, not only revealing her corbones but also hinting at a generous glimpse of her chest.

    A storm was brewing in He Xing¡¯s dark eyes as he gazed intently at Fu Han, his affectionate eyes revealing the thoughts in his heart without reservation.

    Fu Han¡¯s face, already flushed from the steam, turned even more shy under his gaze.

    She avoided He Xing¡¯s eyes, attempting to walk past him, ¡°Excuse me, let me through. I¡¯ll return the bathrobe as soon as I find my clothes.¡±

    Fu Han remained still, which was just as well, but the moment she moved, the scent of the body wash and shampoo wafted around, causing He Xing¡¯s blood to rush to the top of his head.

    He did not step aside but pushed her against the wall, carefully protecting her head with one hand while wrapping his other arm around her waist, and kissed her deeply.

    The night sky of Antarctica appeared before Fu Han¡¯s eyes¡ªno, that was the night sky on the rooftop of Lanwan Mountain, with countless fireflies witnessing their moment.

    Scene after scene from her past with He Xing shed through Fu Han¡¯s mind¡ªher entire youth, the most brilliant days of her past 25 years.

    He Xing¡¯s kiss deepened, bing a siege.

    Fu Han neither pushed him away nor responded, not having the heart to push him away, nor able to respond, so she just stood there, numb.

    ¡°President He, the food I bought is here,¡± a loud voice announced.

    Liang Tao¡¯s booming voice rang out, and the next second the door swung open, letting in a gust of cold air.

    The blood that had rushed to He Xing¡¯s head instantly cooled down, and he pushed Fu Han into the room before turning to walk to the door, ¡°Liang Tao, just put the things here and go drive the car upfront.¡±

    As Liang Tao entered, he keenly sensed the amorous atmosphere in the room, daring not to say another word. He set down the groceries and made a swift exit without lingering.

    In truth, Fu Han was the most embarrassed one; her suitcase had not been brought into the room, and the wardrobe here hung only a few clothes¡ªall belonging to He Xing, with none she could wear.

    As she was wondering what to do, there was a knock at the door, ¡°Open up, I¡¯ll bring your suitcase in.¡±

    A few minutester, Fu Han emerged properly dressed. This time she wore a brick-red sweater and wide-leg pants,pletely covered up.

    The timeless pairing of ck and red not only was fashionable but also showcased her perfect figure.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept over Fu Han like radar, ¡°That outfit looks much better. Are you hungry now? Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    ¡­

    Su Cheng and Nan Qing only discovered Luo Qinghe had returned when they checked their social feeds. They seemed to have conspired to phone Luo Qinghe one after the other, both overtly and covertly inquiring about Fu Han¡¯s circumstances.

    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to call Fu Han; her phone had been constantly indicating that it couldn¡¯t connect, suggesting it was probably still switched off.

    Luo Qinghe could only say Fu Han had gone back on her own, iming ignorance about anything else.

    Anxious, Su Cheng drove to Huating No.1. He waited outside apartment 2501 for half an hour, but instead of Fu Han, it was Nan Qing who showed up.

    Nan Qing¡¯splexion turned slightly unnatural at the sight of him, but she quickly returned to normal, ¡°Since you¡¯re here to wait for Fu Han, why don¡¯t youe inside and wait? Don¡¯t catch a cold outside.¡±

    Since the dinner where both families got together, Su Cheng and Nan Qing had not seen each other again, let alone exchanged phone calls or Whatsapp messages.

    Today was their first encounter since, and Su Cheng felt awkward, hesitating about whether he shoulde in.

    Already making her way inside, Nan Qing didn¡¯t bother to close the door, ¡°I¡¯m leaving the door open;e in or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    After nearly half an hour of indecision, Su Cheng was finally vanquished by the coldest snowstorm of the city and entered quietly.

    The heating inside the house was turned up high. Nan Qing was dressed in a id shirt on her upper body and waterwashed jeans below, bending over her artwork.

 Chapter 92 - 92 Shield 092

    ?Chapter 92: Shield 092   Chapter 92: Shield 092                                   Su Cheng initially wanted to pour himself a cup of hot water to drink, but after some thought, he poured one for Nan Qing instead. ¡°Have some water, you¡¯ve juste in from outside; the chill is harsh.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, just put it there,¡± Nan Qing said without lifting her head, continuing to focus on her painting.

    Her hair had grown to shoulder length, and when she bowed her head, strands fell to both sides, covering half her face and revealing a stretch of her fair neck.

    After taking a couple of nces, Su Cheng found his mouth growing dry and quickly shifted his gaze to the canvas. ¡°Is this something you just painted? You work so fast; is it almost finished?¡±

    ¡°This is the painting I left halfway done the day we argued,¡± Nan Qing looked up at Su Cheng and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m just finishing it now.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned a bit red; he coughed awkwardly and didn¡¯t know how to respond. His most vivid memory of that day was the palette falling from Nan Qing¡¯s hand, shattering on the floor, scattering colors everywhere.

    He sat on the sofa, his eyes wandering around. This was where Fu Han lived. Normally, every time he came here, he would be overwhelmed with happiness. Today, however, he felt his presence was redundant.

    Indeed it was, with the girl in the balcony gridlewearing clothes painting, bathed in the warm light, it looked like a fairytale world enclosed in a snow globe.

    He could see it, but he couldn¡¯t touch it.

    Thus, the two of them stayed like that, one painting, the other daydreaming.

    About two hourster, it was gettingte, and Su Cheng couldn¡¯t stay any longer. He stood up to take his leave, ¡°Nan Qing, I¡­ I should get going. Are you staying here tonight, or are you going back to your ce?¡±

    After thinking, he added, ¡°If you want to go home, I can take you.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Nan Qing declined immediately, ¡°It took a lot of effort to get my parents to agree to let me move out. I¡¯m not going back. They¡¯d just keep setting me up with boyfriends.¡±

    ¡°Setting you up¡­ with boyfriends?¡± Su Cheng was stunned, his mood growing heavy, unsure how to describe what he was feeling at the moment. It was as if he had lost something important.

    Nan Qing, however, smiled brilliantly, ¡°Come on, I¡¯m already 26 years old, okay? Any normal person would be in a rush. There used to be you to fend them off for me, but now they all know we¡¯re not a possibility. They can¡¯t possibly stick me with someone, right?¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s emotions surged, and he blurted out, ¡°Nan Qing, don¡¯t just marry someone carelessly. If you don¡¯t like someone, don¡¯t go on blind dates. You¡­ you can still use me as your shield.¡±

    ¡°I know you pity me,¡± Nan Qing put down her palette, pulling out a tissue to wipe the paint from her palms, and looked at Su Cheng meaningfully, ¡°You can fend them off temporarily, but can you do it for a lifetime? If I end up alone, are you responsible?¡±

    For a moment, Su Cheng truly wanted to say, ¡°I¡¯m responsible,¡± but in the end, he held back. Dropping the phrase ¡°I¡¯ve got something to attend to,¡± he then fled in haste.

    ¡­

    When the motorhome came to a stop, Fu Han finally realized something was amiss. She opened her confused eyes and looked at He Xing, ¡°I thought you knew you should take me back to Huating No.1.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± He Xing raised his head from behind theputer, iming righteously, ¡°Lanwan is your home. You shoulde back here.¡±

    Fu Han opened the car door; she was already inside the He Family¡¯s yard.

    The mountaintop was colder than the city center, and there was already a substantialyer of snow on the ground. Under the moonlight, it was as if a white nket had been draped over the earth.

    But was she really going to live here?

    Fu Han felt ufortable, ¡°He Xing, I wasn¡¯t joking when I said I wanted to break off our engagement. Please find a car to take me back, just to the foot of the mountain will do. If the paparazzi find out I¡¯m staying here tonight, the He Group¡¯s stock might fall again.¡±

    ¡°You know about that?¡± Under the street lights, He Xing¡¯s eyes shone.

    Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat skipped a beat as she avoided He Xing¡¯s gaze, ¡°I¡¯m no longer the little girl from three years ago who knew nothing.¡±

    After waiting for a while without hearing He Xing¡¯s reply, she couldn¡¯t help but turn her head toward him, ¡°How is the He Group doing now? Has the negative impact I brought been cleared?¡±

    When it came to thepany, He Xing¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°We¡¯ve returned to normal during peaks, but not yet during lows.¡±

    Fu Han tilted her head and thought, meaning that the He Group¡¯s situation was a bit better than when she left, but it hadn¡¯t returned to its heyday.

    This wasn¡¯t the best oue she had hoped for in her heart, but thankfully, it wasn¡¯t the worst either.

    With her worry alleviated, she brought up the matter of He Xing taking her down the mountain again.

    He Xing said that Liang Tao had already left, leaving no driver.

    Fu Han said she could drive herself down the mountain.

    He Xing then said that Lanwan was a winding mountain road, difficult to navigate at night, and with the added snow, descending rashly could be dangerous.

    Under normal circumstances, Fu Han would insist on going down the mountain, but today, the ne she was on had nearly crashed. Surviving a close call makes one cherish life all the more.

    Finally, she said very seriously, ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay here for the night, just for one night. You should take me down the mountain early tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± He Xing agreed readily, with a smile he couldn¡¯t hide ying at the corners of his eyes and brows.

    Fu Han¡¯s room was very tidy, just as it had been when she moved out, clearly cleaned daily; after all, she had lived in this room for over a decade and still felt an attachment to it.

    Her room was just like a suite in a five-star hotel,plete with all amenities. She even found a half bottle of wine in the liquor cab, which she had opened while living there.

    The burgundy liquid swirled in the tall ss, glimmering like amber. She took a light sip, her thoughts turning to where she should start her new journey.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Without asking, she knew it must be He Xing.

    He Xing called her out to enjoy the snow scenery; she declined. He Xing¡¯s knocking persisted, iming that if she didn¡¯t agree, grandfather would be woken up by the noise.

    Fu Han cursed He Xing in her mind for being despicable and pulled the door open angrily, following him outside.

    The snow scenery in the garden of the He Family home was beautiful; all the nts wereyered with snow, and the pine branches were bowed under the weight, looking like a dreamy Christmas tree.

    Fu Han actually wanted to build a snowman, but she couldn¡¯t bear to disturb the yard¡¯s snow; it was a snowscape that hadn¡¯t been seen for years, and she hoped it could be preserved a little longer.

    Fortunately, He Xing didn¡¯t n to do anything in the yard. He walked step by step forward, only asionally reminding Fu Han to watch out for slippery ground to avoid falling.

    Fu Han trailed He Xing by three steps. She observed the footprints left in the snow, feeling they marred the beauty of the yard. She chose instead to step into He Xing¡¯s footprints, moving forward slowly, so there would only be two sets of footprints in the garden.

 Chapter 93 - 93 093 Building a Snowman

    ?Chapter 93: 093 Building a Snowman   Chapter 93: 093 Building a Snowman                                   He Xing¡¯s feet wererge, and so were his footprints, perfectly encasing Fu Han¡¯s smaller ones.

    As they walked, Fu Han felt a sudden urge and couldn¡¯t help but look up at He Xing, who just happened to turn around, and their gazes met in the air.

    It seemed as if something had changed, and yet it seemed as if nothing had at all.

    A few secondster, He Xing started walking forward again, but this time his steps were much smaller, no longer the long strides he had previously taken.

    A warmth filled Fu Han¡¯s heart; so He Xing could also be so thoughtful at times.

    In the past, she would oftenin that He Xing didn¡¯t act at all like a fianc¨¦. He never catered to her whimsical wishes, wouldn¡¯t drive her around when they went out, would never carry her shopping bags, and when walking together, he never took the initiative to hold hands. Sometimes when Fu Han took his hand, he would even shake it off.

    Walking up from the He Family vi and a few minutes farther would bring them to the observatory of Lanwan, one of the best ces for stargazing in City A.

    The vast observatory was covered in pure white snow, much thicker than the snow below.

    The wind wasn¡¯t too strong, and it even felt not as cold as before. Standing on the observatory and looking down, with the help of the hazy lunar glow, the whole Lanwan Mountain looked like a world of ice and snow.

    White snow, green trees, orange-yellow lights, and red-brick vis interspersed among themposed a beautiful winterndscape of Lanwan Mountain.

    Even though Fu Han had just returned from Antarctica, where she had seen countless snowscapes, she was still stunned by the scene before her. Without her SLR camera, she resorted to using her phone as a camera.

    After she finally looked back, satisfied, He Xing had already rolled a round snowball.

    The huge snowball was twice as wide as He Xing, and standing in front of it, He Xing in his ck down jacket somehow seemed a bit smaller.

    She never expected that one day she would use the word ¡°petite¡± to describe He Xing. Fu Han¡¯s lips curved slightly upward, ¡°Are you nning on making a giant?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± He Xing responded, with his bright smile shining through the falling snowkes: ¡°You have more experience building snowmen;e help.¡±

    How should she describe He Xing¡¯s smile just now?

    Fu Han stared nkly at He Xing, searching her mind, yet feeling that all the praises in the world paled inparison to that smile.

    If she really had to describe it, it was like the wind in spring, the rain in summer, the falling leaves in autumn, and the snow in winter.

    ¡°Mesmerized?¡± He Xing had approached Fu Han without her noticing and, bending down, he tapped her forehead: ¡°Since you like looking at me so much, why don¡¯t we get back together? That way you can look to your heart¡¯s content.¡±

    Fu Han snapped out of her inappropriate daydreaming and rolled her eyes dismissively: ¡°Maybe you are good-looking, but after all these years, I¡¯ve had my fill. I¡¯m not¡­ interested in you.¡±

    ¡°Haha, Fu Han, I bet one day you¡¯ll take back those words,¡± He Xingughed, hisughter carrying far and wide, echoing around the mountaintop as if it never stopped, even though he onlyughed twice.

    Fu Han distinctly felt her heart skip several beats at the sound of hisughter, and she was acutely aware of the heat flushing her cheeks.

    But what she disliked the most was He Xing¡¯s self-assurance, always so sure that Fu Han wouldn¡¯t leave. It was where she felt most defeated and what she couldn¡¯t ept the most.

    She ignored He Xing and moved away to build her own snowman: ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this with you. You make yours, and I¡¯ll make mine.¡±

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s make it apetition and see whose snowman turns out better,¡± He Xing chuckled again, sounding unusually cheerful and sunny, like a spring breeze.

    Fu Han vehemently resisted thinking about He Xing and simply wanted to quietly build a snowman that would remain on the peak of Lanwan Mountain until the sun came out to slowly melt it into a puddle.

    The year her parents died was tough for her, and it was He Xing¡¯spany at that time that made her harbor feelings for him for so many years.

    She remembered that year was also very cold, with the wind blowing day and night, often making the windowpanes rattle loudly as she slept.

    When it snowed near the New Year, Fu Han walked alone all over Lanwan Mountain and made a pair of small snowmen. In her heart, those snowmen represented her parents.

    To prevent the snowmen from melting, she put them in the freezer, but one day, they disappeared all of a sudden.

    That was the first time she cried so hard after her parents¡¯ death. In the end, it was He Xing who hastily went down the mountain, visited many jewelry stores, and bought her two small plush snowmen to stop her tears.

    Even now, she clearly remembered how He Xing, still a boy then, seriously told her: ¡°Your parents haven¡¯t left; they¡¯re always by your side, protecting you. So you have to be good to yourself; they would be happy seeing you like that.¡±

    If the snowmen were where the dream began, then let it end with the snowmen, too, as another kind of fulfillment.

    Fu Han breathed on her hands, which were red from the cold, and saw He Xing bending over to roll his snowball, his dark blue scarf trailing on the ground, picking up some snow at the end.

    Before long, two snowmen were built, their eyes from four pine cones He Xing had picked up, their noses from a few pine needles packed together, and their lips from a stick.

    Fu Han¡¯s snowman only reached up to her shoulders, while He Xing¡¯s snowman was much taller than him.

    He Xing insisted on cing the two snowmen together. Fortunately, the snowman he built was very sturdy and did not fall apart when moved.

    Fu Han jokingly looked at the two snowmen of different sizes: ¡°Father and daughter.¡±

    ¡°Then you give me a daughter in the future. This will be me and my daughter,¡± He Xing stood beside Fu Han, his eyes shining, breathing out a plume of vapor.

    ¡°Dream on,¡± Fu Han blushed with annoyance and pushed He Xing away: ¡°I¡¯ve divorced you, and you still think about me having your child? In your dreams¡­¡±

    She pushed with a bit too much force, and He Xing, caught unawares, lost his bnce and started falling backward.

    Fu Han¡¯s body reacted before her mind could, and she reached out to grab He Xing. But unexpectedly, she found herself toppling over as well.

    The marble floor was slippery already, and with the extreme cold and ice, her feet slipped, and she fell forward along with He Xing.

    He Xingy sprawled on the ground, coughing fiercely.

    Fu Han tried to get up but was also worried about He Xing¡¯s condition. She leaned over him, anxiously asking: ¡°Are you alright? Where does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re standing on my hand,¡± He Xing groaned, the pain drawing a grimace on his face.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Fu Han frantically moved her foot away, but tragically did the splits and ended up sitting on He Xing.

    Another grunt from He Xing, who looked defeated, his arms naturally wrapping around Fu Han¡¯s waist: ¡°You¡¯re still as clumsy as ever.¡±

 Chapter 94 - 94 094 Whatsapp Profile Picture

    ?Chapter 94: 094 Whatsapp Profile Picture   Chapter 94: 094 Whatsapp Profile Picture                                   Although separated by a thick down jacket, the warmth of He Xing¡¯s palm still prated through the clothing, branding her skin like a hot iron.

    ¡°Let go of me,¡± Fu Han said with a blushed face, whispering as she pushed against the ground with both hands, trying to widen the distance between herself and He Xing as much as possible.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± He Xing smiled, increasing the pressure of his grip, causing Fu Han¡¯s resistance to crumble. Forced to lie on top of him, her forehead came into intimate contact with He Xing¡¯s lips.

    He Xing¡¯s lips were even hotter than his palms. Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat pounded like drums, relentless and unending, as her hands frantically scrambled, eager to get up.

    Fu Han panicked. She didn¡¯t know where the strength came from, but she pushed He Xing away and stood up: ¡°If you want to enjoy the snow, do it by yourself. I¡¯m tired and going to sleep.¡±

    After that, she didn¡¯t linger and scurried away.

    Watching her retreating figure growing distant, He Xing touched his lips, still feeling her warmth and smelling the fragrance from her hair.

    ¡°Even if you try to break free from my side a hundred times, I will pull you back a hundred and one times.¡±

    His words were so light and faint, soon disappearing into the wind and snow, leaving no trace, but the vast world served as his witness.

    He Xing took out his phone and snapped a photo of two snowmen standing side by side, then set the picture as his Whatsapp profile.

    ¡­

    True to his word, the next morning when Fu Han brought up leaving, He Xing volunteered to take her down the mountain and ended up taking her directly to herpany.

    In Su Cheng, who had been waiting at thepany¡¯s entrance for a long time, looked forward to her arrival with eagerness.

    Upon seeing Fu Han, he approached her like a peacock spreading its feathers: ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯ve finally arrived. Did you skip breakfast? I bought your favorite¡­¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± He Xing interrupted coldly, ¡°Xiaohan already had breakfast at our home, prepared specially for her by the chef who has served her for over a decade, her favorite breakfast.¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s face visibly darkened, hanging his head in silence like a child who had been slighted.

    Having not seen him for a while, Su Cheng had changed quite a bit. The baby fat on his face had gone, his jawline was now well-defined, and he had acquired the demeanor of a mature man, overall looking much more handsome than before.

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t particr about food and didn¡¯t care whether she had breakfast at the He Family or Su Cheng had bought it, but from the corner of her eye, she caught He Xing¡¯s poorly concealed smugness and suddenly felt angry.

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m full?¡± Fu Han¡¯s almond eyes curved into crescents, ¡°Su Cheng, thank you for bringing me breakfast, I¡¯m delighted. I¡¯ll go eat it now.¡±

    He Xing suddenly recalled Fu Han¡¯s earlier admission of liking Su Cheng, and his smile faded like a seal being broken, reced by an expression as if he wanted to kill someone.

    One second it was all warmth; the next turned into a frigid Snond.

    Su Cheng shivered, but he stifled it, desperately resisting on equal terms with He Xing.

    However, his presence paled inparison to He Xing¡¯s, the atmosphere almost entirely overshadowed by He Xing, as Su Cheng maintained his pale facade.

    Fu Han felt guilty. If it weren¡¯t for her, He Xing wouldn¡¯t harbor such hostility towards Su Cheng. She wondered if He Xing would use the power of He Group to oppress Cheng Yihan¡¯spany, thepany Su Cheng called his life¡¯s work.

    After thinking it over, she dragged (pulled) He Xing outside without exnation.

    It was the peak of the workdaymotion, and people were pouring out of the elevators in waves, almost everyone¡¯s attention captured by the striking couple at the end of the corridor.

    He Xing looked at Fu Han with a cold expression: ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s face flushed slightly, and with a sinking heart, she took the plunge: ¡°Are you nning on targeting Su Cheng?¡±

    He Xing arched an eyebrow, giving her a meaningful look: ¡°What if I am? What if I¡¯m not?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s heart sank. Anger zed in her eyes as she stared at He Xing: ¡°What wrong did Su Cheng do? Why are you targeting him? Even if he was truly with me, the person you should be targeting is me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re with him?¡± He Xing¡¯s dark eyes roiled like a storm, and, looking down at Fu Han, he said, ¡°Su Cheng did indeed confess to you, but didn¡¯t you reject him?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat skipped several beats. She hadn¡¯t expected He Xing to know about these things, but upon reflection, it seemed normal, given the power of He Group. No one could keep secrets from him if he wanted to know.

    ¡°Are you investigating me?¡± The fury in Fu Han¡¯s heart erupted as she loathed the feeling of her privacy being aired out for all to see.

    ¡°You said you liked Su Cheng; of course, I had to investigate thoroughly,¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed, not showing any guilt but instead appearing entirely justifiable.

    ¡°You¡¯re always like this,¡± Fu Han waspletely infuriated, her voice contained as she struggled not to raise it, but her face was visibly upset: ¡°You only consider your own feelings, never thinking about the harm your actions could cause others.¡±

    A change finally came over He Xing¡¯s frosty expression. He was stunned for a while before saying, ¡°So, this is how you see me.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s breathing hitched. Her heart ached at that moment, but she still sneered: ¡°Regardless of how I see you, you investigating me is a fact. You know I dislike others looking into my affairs.¡±

    A suffocating silence began to spread around them, the atmosphere so heavy one could hardly breathe.

    After what seemed like an eternity, He Xing said with difficulty: ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ¡°cracked¡± as if it had fallen from a 25,000-mile drop, shattering beyond recognition. She didn¡¯t understand why those three words hurt so much to hear.

    With thest shred of rationality, she forced herself to be calm: ¡°If you truly feel sorry, then please don¡¯t target Su Cheng.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± He Xing agreed readily, but the simple word seemed to stick in his throat.

    After a long sigh, He Xing grabbed Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, forcing her to look at him: ¡°Xiaohan, do you¡­ do you really like Su Cheng now?¡±

    For the first time, Fu Han saw this kind of desperation in He Xing¡¯s eyes, like that of a person on the verge of death clinging to theirst lifeline.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached unbearably. She knew her face must look terrible. For a moment, she wanted to tell He Xing she didn¡¯t like Su Cheng at all, that Su Cheng was merely her way of rejecting He Xing.

    But, the freedom she had struggled so hard to attain was too hard-won to give up lightly.

 Chapter 95 - 95 095 Does Not Interfere

    ?Chapter 95: 095 Does Not Interfere   Chapter 95: 095 Does Not Interfere                                   ¡°I appreciate Su Cheng¡¯s frankness, and his sincerity towards friends. He has the courage to show off the person he likes in the sunlight, and the person he likes will never be wronged. You¡¯re right, I did reject him before, but that doesn¡¯t stop me from possibly liking him in the future.¡±

    ¡°Fine, very fine.¡± With these words, He Xing turned and walked away.

    His back was always straight, but this time, as he left, it was bent, as if weighed down by a heavy burden.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes were already stinging, but it was not until He Xing had left that her tears finally slid down uncontrobly.

    Afterposing herself, she turned around and saw Su Cheng watching her from not too far away, his expressionplex.

    Fu Han acted as if she hadn¡¯t seen him and prepared to go straight into thepany.

    But as she passed by Su Cheng, he stopped her: ¡°Fu Han, the person you really like is He Xing, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I certainly don¡¯t like him, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Fu Han was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her beautiful face full of anger.

    However, this expression didn¡¯t look ferocious on her face; rather, it seemed somewhat adorable.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned from red to white, his hands trembling at his sides, but still he said confidently, ¡°You must like him, otherwise why were you crying just now?¡±

    A piercing pain shot through Fu Han¡¯s heart again. What she wanted most now was to find a quiet ce to hide away and cry freely, but she couldn¡¯t even realize this small wish.

    Her emotions finally copsed, and with tears streaming down her face, she said, ¡°So what if I still like He Xing? Who says that if I like him, I must be with him?¡±

    After shouting this, she ran away, not waiting for the elevator and instead rushing for the stairs.

    Su Cheng stood in the same ce for ten seconds before chasing after Fu Han.

    He was wearing leather shoes, and Fu Han was in high heels. It didn¡¯t take long for him to catch up with her: ¡°Wait a minute, I have something to say to you.¡±

    ¡°What else is there to say? If you really like me, just leave me alone. I don¡¯t want others to see me like this.¡± Fu Han¡¯s face was streaked with tears, the pearls of moisture dripping down her delicate chin.

    Su Cheng felt a special kind of difort in his heart, as if a gigantic hand was clutching at it, the heaviness making it hard to breathe.

    Yet even so, he stepped forward and looked earnestly at Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, I was wrong just now, and I won¡¯t force you to do anything ever again. You like He Xing, and I have no right to interfere.¡±

    ¡°Since you know that, then stay away from me in the future.¡± Fu Han said bravely, though her heart was also in pain.

    True to his word, Su Cheng took two steps back. The pain on his face was gone, and he said sincerely, ¡°You don¡¯t like to hear me say that I like you, so I won¡¯t say it again. If you want to avoid He Xing, I can help you.¡±

    ¡°How can you help?¡± Fu Han looked at Su Cheng, bewildered, not understanding what he meant.

    Su Cheng smiled, and his smile brought back some of his sunny demeanor: ¡°Tell He Xing that we are in a rtionship, and he naturally won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡±

    Fu Han hesitated. Although she had said out of anger that she liked Su Cheng, the idea of having Su Cheng pretend to be her boyfriend was something she found difficult to do.

    ¡°If you¡¯re worried this will trouble me, you needn¡¯t be.¡± Su Cheng smiled again, ¡°After all, my parents are pushing me hard, and you could just help me fend them off.¡±

    ¡­

    Xia Ning looked at the contract in her hands, her expression very displeased: ¡°What? Me, ying a supporting role to Bai Wei? And that too, a wicked female supporting character?¡±

    ¡°This is already the best oue.¡± Xia Cheng sighed with a sense of helplessness, ¡°I¡¯ve approached He Xing several times, and he¡¯s very firm. This movie is the first film invested in by He Group, and they would never risk using a neer. The risk assessment team initially suggested you for the third female lead. It was He Xing who moved you up to the second lead.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Xia Ning clung to Xia Cheng¡¯s shoulders, coquettishly pleading, ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t we invest as well? If we invest, He Xing definitely won¡¯t have the heart to let me y the second female lead.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Xia Cheng shook off Xia Ning¡¯s hands, ¡°Not to mention that our current liquid assets at Xia Group don¡¯t allow us to invest blindly, do you think dad will agree to spend so much money to benefit someone else?¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t dad agree to use the money from Du Wanting¡¯s Mother¡¯s Love Foundation to invest with He Xing?¡±

    Xia Ning wasn¡¯t giving up. Just thinking about ying a viin that everyone resents made her feel wronged. After all, she was a princess by birth, destined to be loved and cherished by all.

    Xia Cheng sighed imperceptibly. He and their father had spoiled this sister far too much, to the point that after so many years, she still knew nothing about business.

    Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯t considered investing in He Xing¡¯s venture from the beginning. If He Xing really took the money from Du Wanting¡¯s Mother¡¯s Love Foundation, the charge of misusing public funds would be inescapable, and Xia Guoxiong woulde down on him like a ton of bricks.

    With smooth talking and a promise to discuss the script with He Xing again, Xia Ning finally left with swollen eyes.

    After hearing about today¡¯s events, Xia Guoxiong said, ¡°Set up a studio for Xiaoning as soon as possible and hire a professional management team. As for the script, I¡¯ll deliberate with He Xing again.¡±

    ¡°Dad, but you said¡­¡± Xia Cheng stopped mid-sentence, aware that walls have ears, and some things are better left unsaid.

    Xia Guoxiong, however, smiled without concern: ¡°I truly want Xiaoning to rise to fame with this film, so that in the future, Xia Group can invest in movies too, elerating our cash flow.¡±

    ¡°Dad, you are really amazing.¡± Xia Cheng showed genuine admiration, and theughter of father and son echoed far away. Despite the bright sun outside, theirughter felt chillingly cold.

    ¡­

    He Group.

    Bai Wei strode forward, with Liang Tao following closely: ¡°Lady Bai, President He is in a video conference. Would you prefer to wait a bit before you see him?¡±

    ¡°You want me to wait?¡± Bai Wei stopped abruptly, tapping Liang Tao¡¯s forehead without courtesy: ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Liang Tao, and you¡¯ve gotten bolder.¡±

    With a pained expression, Liang Tao winced: ¡°Lady Bai, you¡­ It¡¯s been so long, and your temper hasn¡¯t changed one bit.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you guys, learning Sichuan Opera Face Changing?¡± Bai Wei red at Liang Tao fiercely.

    Today, Bai Wei was dressed in all ck: a ck short down jacket, ck pencil pants, and ck dervish shoes on her feet. The outfit¡¯s highlights were an orange belt and orange shoces.

 Chapter 96 - 96 Hate 096

    ?Chapter 96: Hate 096   Chapter 96: Hate 096                                   Liang Tao waspletely overwhelmed by Bai Wei¡¯s domineering aura and couldn¡¯t utter a word of rebuttal, but he still clearly remembered He Xing¡¯s instructions not to let irrelevant people enter the office.

    Unfortunately, Bai Wei couldn¡¯t care less. With a feint to the left, Liang Tao moved to block her only to realize he¡¯d been tricked when Bai Wei already slipped by his right side, and broke into a run to push open the door to He Xing¡¯s office.

    Sweating, Liang Tao followed in and tried to exin, ¡°President He, I really couldn¡¯t stop Miss Bai.¡±

    ¡°Get out and close the door,¡± He Xing said indifferently, closing hisptop.

    Liang Tao left as if he¡¯d been pardoned. Before he left, he gave Bai Wei a ¡®wish you luck¡¯ expression, earning a roll of her eyes in return.

    ¡°So, what brings you here this time?¡± He Xing leaned on the desk with his elbows, his hands sped together, scrutinizing Bai Wei.

    If it were anyone else, they would probably be frightened by that look, but Bai Wei didn¡¯t care at all. She pulled out the chair opposite He Xing¡¯s desk and sat down nonchntly, ¡°That¡¯s quite the cold reception. Can¡¯t Ie see you if there¡¯s nothing wrong?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression saying, ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can keep this up,¡± but he didn¡¯t speak.

    A blush crept up on Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks, and she coughed awkwardly, forcing out, ¡°I came here to tell you that I don¡¯t want to make a movie with Xia Ning.¡±

    ¡°Reason?¡± He Xing raised an eyebrow, questioning but nomittal.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Bai Wei said, asserting herself confidently.

    ¡°You¡¯ve made so many movies. Do you like every co-star you work with?¡± He Xing paused, then added with a bite, ¡°If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t you be swamped with scandals?¡±

    ¡°How can that be the same,¡± Bai Wei retorted, her face turning red with urgency, ¡°Someone like Xia Ning is just too pretentious. It irks me to see her act all delicate. I really don¡¯t want to work with her.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± He Xing¡¯s face turned stern, ¡°I have my reasons for choosing her. You don¡¯t need to worry about it; just do your job well.¡±

    ¡°Then I quit,¡± Bai Wei huffed, turning her head away with haughty defiance.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He Xing¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, as elusive as a rainbow peeking through the clouds.

    Unfortunately, witnessing this rainbow was Bai Wei, who was entirely uninterested in He Xing. She pouted and spread her hands, the gesture speaking for itself.

    The smile deepened on He Xing¡¯s face, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll contact your aunt right away to send you back to M Country on today¡¯s flight.¡±

    ¡°No, I was wrong,¡± Bai Wei suddenly lunged forward, snatching He Xing¡¯s phone, her face pleading, ¡°Cousin, I beg you, do something nice for once, don¡¯t threaten me with my mom every time.¡±

    ¡°Who else besides her would you be afraid of?¡± He Xing leaned back in his chair and drawled, ¡°So, now you agree to let Xia Ning star in the film, right?¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Bai Wei said through gritted teeth. ¡°How can I not, with you protecting her like that. She¡¯s the one with real backing; I¡¯m just here to lift the pnquin.¡±

    He Xing knew she was just venting her frustration and did not argue.

    Bai Wei tossed He Xing¡¯s phone back, ¡°If you won¡¯t change the female lead, then rece the male lead. Your taste is terrible. The actor you chose for the lead looks like a woman, and there¡¯s no CP feeling with me whatsoever.¡±

    Seeing He Xing remain silent, Bai Wei stood up excitedly, ¡°He Xing, listen, if you don¡¯t change the male lead to someone I like, I won¡¯t act. Even if you send me back, I still won¡¯t act.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that Luo Qinghe can act,¡± He Xing said with a smile, his teasing apparent.

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushedpletely red, but having grown up in M Country, admitting a crush was as normal as saying you¡¯re hungry¡ªnevertheless, being a girl at heart, she still felt embarrassed.

    ¡°As long as you secure Luo Qinghe for the part, I¡¯ll act in this film for free and fully cooperate with the production team¡¯s all requests during the filming,¡± Bai Wei offered her most generous olive branch.

    ¡°Deal,¡± He Xing agreed crisply, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to meet your demands, but I can¡¯t guarantee the oue.¡±

    ¡­

    Ever since He Xing had taken Fu Han to thepany, they hadn¡¯t seen each other again, and Su Cheng had be Fu Han¡¯s official boyfriend.

    Fu Han¡¯s life went back to how it was before she went to Antarctica. She and Nan Qing were busy with their work during the day and only had dinner together, their friendship unchanged.

    Today, after work, Fu Han went to buy groceries as usual. The winter was cold, and she decided to make hot pot.

    But Nan Qing still hadn¡¯t returned when the hot pot was ready, an unprecedented urrence that worried Fu Han. Unable to help herself, she called Nan Qing.

    The phone rang for a long time before someone answered, ¡°Your friend is drunk at Liangtao Bar; you cane and pick her up.¡±

    Fu Han found the name familiar and realized it was Ji Liangchuan¡¯s bar once she got there.

    She truly seemed fated to this bar, having picked up a drunk He Xing here before, and now she was back to collect Nan Qing.

    With Christmas around the corner, the bar was packed to the rafters with men and women everywhere, music ring so loud you couldn¡¯t understand someone speaking in front of you without shouting in their ear.

    Fu Han found this environment extremely ufortable¡ªthe noise, the gyrating couples on the dance floor, and the pungent odor of alcohol and smoke made it difficult even to breathe.

    She couldn¡¯t find Nan Qing after searching the ce and began to imagine the worst¡ªthe scene of a drunk girl being molested in a bar. Remembering this wasn¡¯t right, she made her way to the bar.

    Ji Liangchuan was mixing drinks, his medium-length hair spiked with the help of gel, and despite the winter, he wore a white graffiti tee with loose linen hip-hop pants.

    A crowd of girls surrounded him, their cheers so loud that Fu Han wondered whether her ears would go deaf from the prolonged noise.

    She struggled to get to the front of the bar, waving frantically at Ji Liangchuan.

    After tracing a beautiful arc in the air with his mixing bottle, Ji Liangchuan caught it smoothly, filled the sses with the red liquid, and came around the bar, grabbing Fu Han¡¯s wrist and pulling her inside.

    Fu Han detested such forward physical contact and tried to shake off Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hand, but his grip was like a vice, holding her wrist tightly.

    After threading through most of the bar, Ji Liangchuan opened a room at the back and pulled Fu Han inside.

    Once the door closed, the outer chaos was cut off, and the abrupt switch in the environment left her momentarily disoriented. After a few seconds, she noticed Nan Qing lying on a sofa, face flushed but looking peaceful and not distressed.

    After a closer look, she saw Nan Qing was fully clothed and sleeping soundly, seemingly having encountered no mishap.

 Chapter 97 - 97 Almost 97 sets

    ?Chapter 97: Almost 97 sets   Chapter 97: Almost 97 sets                                   Fu Han¡¯s heart rxed, and she turned to Ji Liangchuan, ¡°Mr. Ji, thank you for taking care of her; I will take her back now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, just a helping hand,¡± Ji Liangchuan passed a cup of warm water to Fu Han, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, rest here for a bit before going out. I¡¯ll bring the car around soon to drive you back.¡±

    Fu Han guessed that Ji Liangchuan was so kind to her solely because of He Xing, and she somewhat ¡°resisted¡± the persistent association with He Xing in her heart.

    After thinking it over, she still refused, ¡°Mr. Ji, there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself, I can call for a car online. You have so many things to do; we won¡¯t disturb you further.¡±

    As she spoke, she bent down, trying to pull Nan Qing to her feet.

    But a person who is drunk is incredibly heavy, especially someone like Nan Qing who was unconscious; even with all her might, Fu Han couldn¡¯t get Nan Qing up.

    Ji Liangchuan let out a low chuckle, but immediately dropped the smile when Fu Han nced at him, ¡°Miss Fu, your friend drank a lot. If no one helps, you probably won¡¯t be able to lift her.¡±

    Without him saying, Fu Han already knew; but no matter how she looked at it, it seemed to her that the smile Ji Liangchuan had just now was schadenfreude, so there was absolutely no way she would ask Ji Liangchuan for help. She reached for her phone intending to call Su Cheng.

    Ji Liangchuan coughed and quickly said, ¡°Miss Fu, it¡¯s so troublesome for you to call someone. We¡¯re not strangers; we can be considered acquaintances who have known each other for some time. It¡¯s not even closing time for me yet, so it¡¯s no trouble to give you a ride.¡±

    Seeing that Fu Han did not respond, he hastily continued, ¡°Miss Fu, please don¡¯t feel embarrassed. Actually¡­ actually, I have something I want to ask you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Fu Han¡¯s delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she became somewhat worried that Ji Liangchuan was going to ask about He Xing.

    ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Ji Liangchuan handed the warm water to Fu Han and looked at her with hisrge, exaggerated peach blossom eyes, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think I¡¯m impolite, but Miss Fu, how many children are there in your family? Do you have any sisters or other siblings?¡±

    ¡°One,¡± the breath caught in Fu Han¡¯s throat dropped, and she asked puzzled, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    The light in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes flickered on and off, finally dimming to only those very bright ck pupils, ¡°No¡­ No problem, it¡¯s just that I once saw someone who looks exactly¡­ very simr to you; I thought she might be your sister or something.¡±

    For some reason, Fu Han felt that at this moment Ji Liangchuan was no longer the jovial bar Boss of everyday, but like a wanderer filled with stories.

    She smiled apologetically at Ji Liangchuan, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my parents passed away very suddenly. I was young at the time, and I don¡¯t really know about their past. I don¡¯t even know if I have any rtives in this world.¡±

    There was an obvious look of pain in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes, and he looked deeply at Fu Han, ¡°Miss Fu, could I take a picture with you?¡±

    Could she refuse? Even if she could, Fu Han did not have the heart to refuse at this moment; she could clearly feel the profound sadness in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes.

    Fu Han nodded, and Ji Liangchuan immediately smiled.

    When he normally smiled, there was always a hint of a yboy¡¯s insincerity, but now his smile was different, extremely bright, like the sky that has been cleansed after a storm, devoid of any impurities.

    Ji Liangchuan looked at the photo album with his and Fu Han¡¯s picture together, sighed inaudibly, then casually flipped on a down jacket before bending down to pick up Nan Qing.

    Fu Han quickly followed.

    On the way back Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t speak, neither did Fu Han¡ªonly the sound of Nan Qing¡¯s breathing resonated in the car.

    To say it wasn¡¯t awkward would be a lie; fortunately, the bar wasn¡¯t far from Huating No.1. Before long, they could already see the high-rise building of Huating No.1 in the distance.

    While waiting for the final traffic light, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s fingers unconsciously tapped on the steering wheel, and the dim street light seeped through the window ss, casting a faint yellow halo on his face.

    As the car started, Ji Liangchuan spoke softly, ¡°Miss Fu Han, your friend seems troubled. While drunk, she mentioned a name several times. Do you know someone named Su Cheng?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s heart skipped a beat; she looked down at the still sleeping Nan Qing, and her heart grew heavy.

    What person, even when drunk, cannot stop mentioning? That must be someone who haunts your dreams.

    Distant memories surfaced in Fu Han¡¯s mind; three years ago, when she went abroad alone, the first person she met was Nan Qing, andter through Nan Qing, she met Su Cheng and some other international students.

    When she merely considered Su Cheng as an ordinary ssmate, he confessed his feelings.

    She remembered Nan Qing was also present at the confession, and at that time, Nan Qing seemed neither upset nor out of sorts¡ªin fact, she was excited and happy.

    Thinking back, it seems Nan Qing just hid her sadness, her excitement on the day might have been feigned, but her happiness was genuine, at least Fu Han rejected Su Cheng.

    After returning to the country, it was also Nan Qing who introduced her to Su Cheng Company, and Nan Qing who helped her movete at night to get away from He Xing.

    Fu Han was overwhelmed with guilt, wondering what kind of torment Nan Qing must have been enduring, to help her, her ¡°rival in love¡±, over and over again.

    Finally, they arrived downstairs. Ji Liangchuan suggested that he would carry Nan Qing up; Fu Han didn¡¯t refuse, as she felt rather powerless on her own.

    In the elevator, there were only the three of them, and Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze kept unintentionally falling on Fu Han¡¯s face, his expression serious, as though he was looking at a famous painting.

    This elevator ride was truly agonizing for Fu Han, and they finally reached the 25th floor. She ran to open the door, incessantly expressing her gratitude, ¡°Mr. Ji, thank you for your help. It¡¯s gettingte, so I won¡¯t keep you, until we meet again.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan smiled and turned to leave, but upon turning, he saw someone leaning against the doorframe. Recognizing the person, he exaggeratedly patted his chest, ¡°He Xing, are you trying to scare me to death?¡±

    Hearing this, Fu Han also hurriedly turned around and saw He Xing leaning against the doorframe in a nnel robe, his refined face sporting an icy expression.

    Somehow, she suddenly felt a bit guilty and instinctively exined, ¡°Nan Qing got drunk at Mr. Ji¡¯s bar, and he helped bring her back.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face inexplicably burned, and he quickly rified, ¡°Miss Fu called this girl; it was me who picked up. She was drunk, and Miss Fu couldn¡¯t get her back, so I helped.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see,¡± He Xing responded nomittally, dropped a ¡°do as you please¡± and then walked away, leaving Ji Liangchuan and Fu Han to face each other.

    Ji Liangchuan was the first to react. He looked deeply at Fu Han¡¯s pale face and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go take a look at him. There won¡¯t be any issues.¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98 098 Heartbroken

    ?Chapter 98: 098 Heartbroken   Chapter 98: 098 Heartbroken                                   Fu Han hid behind the door, listening as Ji Liangchuan knocked on it for a long time. As soon as He Xing indifferently said e in¡±, followed by the sound of the door closing.

    Only then did she poke her head out, the door of 2502 was tightly shut.

    She hadn¡¯t run into He Xing these past few days, and thought he had moved out from 2502; to be honest, deep inside, she felt quite happy when she realized He Xing hadn¡¯t moved out.

    However, this happiness was her own secret, one she wouldn¡¯t share with anyone, nor dared to.

    Turning around, she also closed the door of 2501.

    Fu Han struggled to move Nan Qing to her own bed, then brought water to clean Nan Qing¡¯s face and tidy up a bit.

    While she was covering Nan Qing with the nket, Nan Qing suddenly moved, grabbing her wrist: ¡°Su Cheng, don¡¯t go.¡±

    Fu Han felt so heartbroken and full of guilt, gently patting Nan Qing¡¯s arm and tenderly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely bring Su Cheng back to you.¡±

    How could she not feel guilty? Nan Qing should hate her, yet she had always been so good to her. Today¡¯s drunkenness must be due to the overwhelming sorrow in her heart.

    ¡­

    Ji Liangchuan walked in and immediately smelled alcohol. He frowned, ¡°How much did you drink?¡±

    ¡°Not much, there¡¯s still some left in the liquor cab,¡± He Xing replied indifferently, shaking the bottle in his hand, ¡°Brandy, want some?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ji Liangchuan answered readily. He casually opened the balcony window, letting in the cold wind which considerably diluted the smell of alcohol in the room.

    He Xing stood by the window with a ss of alcohol in hand, the cold wind blowing fiercely, yet his cheeks remained flushed.

    Ji Liangchuan looked at He Xing deeply, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, there¡¯s really nothing between Fu Han and me.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± He Xing said, downing the drink in his ss. The icy and choking liquid slid down his throat, a fiery sensation racing inside it.

    Because of this, he didn¡¯t look at Ji Liangchuan¡¯s expression.

    There was not a hint of relief on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face from clearing the misunderstanding with his friend; instead, there was undeniable pain and sorrow in his eyes.

    After a while, he sipped his drink again, then slowly got up, ¡°I¡¯m going back to the bar. Can¡¯t drink when I¡¯m driving. Come to the bar for drinks another day, and I¡¯ll keep youpany till the end.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± He Xing responded indifferently, standing on the balcony and looking into the distance without turning back.

    Before leaving, Ji Liangchuan took a long, hard look at He Xing¡¯s back. His eyes clearly showed conflict, but eventually, his gaze turned determined, and he closed the door and left.

    ¡­

    Early the next morning, Fu Han was cooking in the kitchen, beef noodles.

    Nan Qing slipped in unnoticed. Fu Han, seeing her, smiled, ¡°You go take a shower first, breakfast will be ready soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Nan Qing agreed, and quietly went out, unusually obedient.

    At breakfast, Nan Qing listlessly picked at the noodles in her bowl, not eating a bite for a long time. She didn¡¯t dare to look directly at Fu Han, only using the corner of her eye to sneak peeks.

    As Fu Han was almost finished with her noodles, Nan Qing finally mustered up the courage to speak, ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I caused youst night after getting drunk.¡±

    ¡°Why so formal?¡± Fu Han chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re friends, we should help each other. Or are you saying you no longer consider me a friend?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I¡­ of course, I consider you a friend,¡± Nan Qing¡¯s face turned red with urgency, and after leaving a row of teeth marks on her lips, she asked softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t talk nonsensest night while drunk, did I?¡±

    Fu Han paused momentarily while eating her noodles, then looked up at Nan Qing with a beaming smile, ¡°You really have a good tolerance for alcohol. When you were drunk, you just slept and didn¡¯t say a word.¡±

    Relieved, Nan Qing started gobbling up her noodles with delight, praising Fu Han for how delicious they were.

    Nan Qing¡¯s studio had been busy recently. After eating, she left in a hurry.

    After packing her SLR camera, Fu Han also prepared to go to work. Just then, her phone rang, and she hesitated before deciding not to answer Liang Tao¡¯s call.

    As she was changing shoes at the entrance, Liang Tao called again. She sighed and picked up, ¡°Hello, Liang Tao, is there something you need?¡±

    ¡°Miss Fu, I can¡¯t reach He Xing, can you check his ce for me?¡± Liang Tao sounded very anxious and sincere.

    Fu Han knocked on the door of 2502, but when no one answered, she grew uneasy, ¡°I knocked but there¡¯s no response. Has He Xing already gone to work?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Liang Tao was frantic, ¡°Miss Fu, I¡¯ve been trying to reach He Xing all morning without sess. The spare key to 2502 is under the doormat outside your door. Could you please use it to see if He Xing is home?¡±

    Indeed, Fu Han found a key under the mat. She unlocked the door to 2502, where a gust of cold air blew against her, prompting her sigh, ¡°The balcony window is wide open, lucky it didn¡¯t rain yesterday.¡±

    As this was her first time in 2502, with an identicalyout to 2501, she was about to head in that direction when she inadvertently saw a person lying on the sofa.

    Fu Han hurried over. Who else could be sleeping there but He Xing?

    He was still wearing the same nnel robe from yesterday, with the cor wide open, revealing arge expanse of chest. His cheeks were bright red, his body reeked of alcohol, and scattered across the coffee table were several empty bottles.

    ¡°How much have you drunk?¡± Fu Han said, pressing the back of her hand to He Xing¡¯s forehead. It was so hot it hurt her hand.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt as if it had been plunged in icy water, utterly cold.

    Her voice trembled as she called for an ambnce. While waiting, she tried desperately to shake He Xing¡¯s shoulders, but he showed no sign of consciousness, justy there motionless.

    Fu Han measured He Xing¡¯s temperature: 42 degrees Celsius, a dangerously high fever that could easily damage the brain or cause deafness in some cases.

    Most importantly, no one knew when He Xing started having the fever; judging by the state of 2502, he probablyy in the cold draft all night.

    She knew He Xing¡¯s drinking might be rted to her. In the short half-hour, Fu Han considered many possibilities. If He Xing suffered any seque, she wouldn¡¯t ignore him.

    In the ambnce, she clung to He Xing¡¯s hand and would not let go. Tears flowed from her eyes like pearls off a string, and inside, she prayed countless times that He Xing would be as before, willing to pay any price.

    The lights in the Emergency Room lit up. Fu Han, anxious and restless, waited outside, her heart unable to find peace.

    Liang Tao was the first to arrive, followed by Xia Ning, who reportedly went looking for He Xing and happened to overhear Fu Han¡¯s conversation with Liang Tao.

 Chapter 99 - 99 Lesson 099 teaches you

    ?Chapter 99: Lesson 099 teaches you   Chapter 99: Lesson 099 teaches you                                   Xia Ning rushed over to Fu Han as soon as she arrived, her palm raised high and swung directly at Fu Han, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, this jinx, Brother He Xing never has any good luck whenever he encounters you.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned cold, and she lifted her arm to block Xia Ning¡¯s p while her other hand struck at Xia Ning¡¯s waist.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Xia Ning screamed as she fell to the ground, caught off guard.

    She scrambled up, shouting ¡°You dare to hit me¡± while iling her fists, once again swinging them towards Fu Han.

    Fu Han was extremely worried about He Xing and had run out of patience. She sneered, ready to take action. In the past, she had tolerated this spoiled youngdy for the sake of He Xing, but now she would not let herself be bullied.

    Her foot was already raised, ready to give Xia Ning a kick.

    But before Xia Ning could rush up, she was grabbed by Liang Tao, ¡°Miss Xia, please calm down. Don¡¯t cause a scene in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Let go of me,¡± Xia Ning demanded, backhanding Liang Tao across the face, ¡°You don¡¯t even consider your status, daring toy hands on me. Let go, I have to properly teach that slut Fu Han a lesson.¡±

    After a few exchanges, Liang Tao¡¯s face was swollen and bruised from Xia Ning¡¯s hits.

    Fu Han clenched her fists tight, restraining herself but couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. In two or three steps, she went forward and grabbed Xia Ning to beat her, ¡°Xia Ning, how can you criticize others without looking at what you are yourself? No one is nobler than anyone else; what gives you the right to hit him?¡±

    Xia Ning, unable to fight back, had her face turned into a pig¡¯s head, more exaggerated than Liang Tao¡¯s, as if she had been to a dye shop.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fight you with all I¡¯ve got!¡± Xia Ning screamed heartbreakingly, but before she could reach Fu Han, she was pulled away by the medical staff who hade upon hearing the news.

    Liang Tao, rubbing his swollen face, said to Fu Han, ¡°Miss Fu, I¡¯m really sorry. I¡­ It wasn¡¯t me who brought Miss Xia here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better go take care of your wounds,¡± Fu Han replied indifferently, her expression calm and no longer fierce as when she had beaten Xia Ning.

    She knew it was not Liang Tao¡¯s fault. With a young miss like Xia Ning, who could stop her from doing what she wanted with just an assistant?

    And even if Fu Han had been beaten by Xia Ning and gotten hurt, she would only be angry then. Now, it was Xia Ning who had thrown herself in her way to be beaten like a punching bag, allowing her to vent a great deal of frustration, so of course, she was not upset.

    Right after Liang Tao and Xia Ning left, the door to the Emergency Room opened, and several medical staff pushed out He Xing¡¯s bed.

    Fu Han immediately rushed over and asked, ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡±

    ¡°His fever has subsided, but the exact condition can only be determined after he wakes up,¡± the doctor said with the professional detachment andpassion characteristic of their trade.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached deeply, her eyes reddened as she thanked the doctor and followed them back to He Xing¡¯s ward.

    Fu Han seldom visited hospitals, hardly even getting a cold throughout the year, but she had visited the hospital several times in just a few short months since her return, and this time for He Xing¡¯s sake.

    The term ¡°jinx¡± Xia Ning had used echoed in Fu Han¡¯s head, and she sadly thought that perhaps Xia Ning was right, she might indeed be He Xing¡¯s jinx.

    Her hands held He Xing¡¯s, which were very cold, like blocks of ice, chilling Fu Han¡¯s heart through his hands.

    Fu Han pressed the back of his hand to her cheek, trying to warm his hand with her face.

    Finally, after quite a while, his hands warmed slightly, her heart felt a little better, and she could finally take a good look at He Xing.

    In just a few days, He Xing seemed to have lost some weight, his height was well over one meter eighty, but lying on the bed, he gave the impression of being swallowed up by the nkets.

    The sockets of his eyes seemed deeper than before, the line of his jaw as sharp as if chiseled, his cheeks devoid of flesh, making his brow bones protrude somewhat.

    But he was still handsome, his good looks inherent and impossible to ignore, an unchangeable fact, no matter what.

    Yet Fu Han still felt terribly sad, thinking only of leaving him but not considering the hurt her departure caused him; if she could do it over, what would she do?

    Tears slid from Fu Han¡¯s eyes, dripping onto the back of He Xing¡¯s hand, hot and scalding.

    He Xing¡¯s hand stirred slightly, although it was just a very slight movement, Fu Han felt it, and she excitedly stood up, her hands bracing on the bed as she looked down at He Xing.

    After a few seconds, or perhaps a few minutes, He Xing¡¯s eyshes fluttered, then fluttered again, his nose creased slightly as if in pain.

    Finally, those cold, star-like ck eyes opened atst. He stared woodenly at Fu Han for two seconds, his thin lips moved slightly, ¡°Fu Han?¡±

    ¡°You recognize me? You still recognize me, that¡¯s so great!¡± Fu Han bent over excitedly and hugged He Xing¡¯s shoulders, tears streaming down like they cost nothing.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes moistened too, feeling his shoulder¡¯s clothes soaked by tears, he lifted his hand with difficulty to pat Fu Han¡¯s back with a soothing tone like one used on a child, ¡°Xiaohan, be good, don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m alright.¡±

    Fu Han stood up, sniffing, and as she saw the smile on He Xing¡¯s face, she felt a bit embarrassed and quickly turned her head away to wipe her tears, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m just too happy.¡±

    ¡°Xiaohan, I¡¯m happy too, it turns out you still care about me,¡± He Xing grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand, his smile like a rainbow after the rain.

    Fu Han instinctively wanted to pull her hand away, but He Xing began coughing violently, ¡°Xiaohan, you¡­ I have no strength at all now; if you really hate me that much, I can¡¯t do anything but let you leave.¡±

    Her heart softened, the hand he held lost all strength, and she let He Xing hold onto it.

    The winter sun shone through the window, wrapping both of them up as if under a translucent ss dome, away from everyone else.

    ¡°Brother He Xing, are you awake?¡± Before she was seen, her voice was heard. Xia Ning ran towards the ward, calling out.

    All the beautiful thoughts in Fu Han¡¯s mind dissipated; her face turned as she tried to free her hand, but He Xing¡¯s movements were faster, seizing it tightly, with none of the previous weakness, like shackles.

    ¡°You¡­ what are you¡­¡± Xia Ning stood at the door, her face so dreadfully dyed it looked horrifying.

    A blush crept over Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, and she murmured faintly, ¡°Let go of me.¡±

    He Xing, as if blind to everything else, calmly looked at Xia Ning, ¡°Do you need something?¡±

 Chapter 100 - 100 Who exactly does 100 protect

    ?Chapter 100: Who exactly does 100 protect?   Chapter 100: Who exactly does 100 protect?                                   Xia Ning stood before He Xing with an aggrieved expression, looking as if she were the one who had suffered tremendous injustice, instead of He Xing being the one who had a high fever and was hospitalized.

    ¡°He Xing brother, I heard you were in the hospital, and I came to see you right away, but¡­¡± Xia Ning said, pointing at Fu Han with a pitiful look, ¡°but Fu Han hit me without saying a word. Look, what has she done to my face? How can I go out to meet people in the future?¡±

    ¡°Did you hit her?¡± He Xing turned towards Fu Han, his face reverting to its usual forbidding expression.

    ¡°Yes, it was me who hit her,¡± Fu Han¡¯splexion also cooled down.

    She knew that He Xing would definitely protect Xia Ning; otherwise, he would not have asked her this way. But she was still furious and took the chance to withdraw her hand when He Xing was not paying attention.

    A storm seemed to brew in He Xing¡¯s dark eyes as his gaze shifted back and forth between Fu Han and Xia Ning, finally settling on Xia Ning, ¡°Your injury, with proper care, will not leave scars. When I get out of the hospital, I will take you shopping. You can buy whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Can we watch a movie again?¡± Xia Ning asked He Xing tentatively.

    He Xing nced at Fu Han whose beautiful face was expressionless, then slowly nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Great, I can watch a movie with He Xing brother again.¡± Xia Ning cheered, jumping three feet high, feeling that today¡¯s beating was well worth it, an unexpected windfall.

    Fu Han felt that staying by He Xing¡¯s side was bing too humiliating, so she braced herself to stand and make room for some people she disdained when suddenly someone pulled her back down to sit.

    At the same time, He Xing spoke again, ¡°Xia Ning, let¡¯s leave today¡¯s incident at that. I don¡¯t want to hear any talk rted to this matter outside this ward. Can you do that?¡±

    Xia Ning looked at He Xing in a daze, his face calm without any ripple; then she turned her head to look at Fu Han. Xia Ning had already taken evidence when dealing with her injury, intending to settle the score with Fu Han afterward; she was definitely not willing to let Fu Han off the hook just like that.

    Silence began to spread in the ward, the sun impartially hanging in the sky, still only casting its light on He Xing and Fu Han, while Xia Ning was like an outsider who wanted to blend in but couldn¡¯t.

    All three harbored their own thoughts.

    The silence was broken by Assistant Liang Tao¡¯s knock on the door; he entered with a bruised face, ¡°President He, you¡¯ve finally woken up.¡±

    ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Sharp rays shot from He Xing¡¯s handsome eyes, his gaze inadvertentlynding on Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning coughed awkwardly and yed the victim again, ¡°He Xing brother, it really wasn¡¯t my fault. Liang Tao was helping Fu Han beat me; I had to defend myself.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s indifferent gaze fell on Assistant Liang Tao, ¡°Is what Miss Xia said true?¡±

    In the three years since Assistant Liang Tao joined thepany, this was the first time he felt He Xing¡¯s gaze to be soforting. He immediately understood that even if he had indeed teamed up with Fu Han to beat Xia Ning, He Xing did not intend to me him.

    He stood up straight with a clear voice, ¡°President He, it was like this. When I received Miss Fu¡¯s call and learned that you were in the hospital, I prepared to rush over. Miss Xia insisted oning with us. As soon as she arrived, she started insulting Miss Fu and even attacked her. Miss Fu was simply defending herself.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Assistant Liang Tao with some surprise; she had not expected this assistant to speak so righteously and dare to speak ill of Xia Ning in front of He Xing. She worried whether He Xing would make things difficult for Liang Tao in the future.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face was very pale, adorned with bruises of green, purple, and red, making her look like a paper doll, rather ghastly.

    With trembling lips, she said, ¡°He Xing brother, it was¡­it wasn¡¯t on purpose. I was too worried about you. If it weren¡¯t for that bitch Fu Han, how would you have gotten a fever and fallen unconscious? I¡­I was just trying to vent for you.¡±

    He Xing slowly sat up straight, looking coldly at Xia Ning, ¡°I hope such things never happen again.¡±

    ¡°I promise, it will never happen again,¡± Xia Ning hurried to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as soon as we leave this ward, no one will gossip about this matter.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± He Xing responded indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back before the paparazzi catch you looking like this, and you can¡¯t exin it away.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Xia Ning, feeling guilty, was almost desperate toply with He Xing¡¯s wishes. When she reached the door, she suddenly turned back and cautiously asked, ¡°He Xing brother, you promised to apany me shopping for clothes and to watch a movie. Do those still count?¡±

    He Xing didn¡¯t directly answer Xia Ning¡¯s question; instead, he first nced over at Fu Han¡¯s reaction.

    Fu Han was already feeling upset inside; when she caught He Xing turning around out of the corner of her eye, she immediately put on a ¡°totally don¡¯t CARE¡± expression.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze turned cold, his voice devoid of warmth, ¡°They count.¡±

    Xia Ning got the answer she had hoped for in her heart and left satisfied.

    Fu Han felt like she had hit rock bottom, so she too stood up, ¡°President He, now that your assistant is here, I will not disturb you further since I have other matters¡­¡±

    She was about to say ¡°goodbye¡± but felt that such a word, given her current rtionship with He Xing, would be quite meaningless. What¡¯s the point of such lingering attachments?

    It was better left unsaid.

    He Xing reached out to grab someone but caught only air, forced to watch Fu Han walk away.

    Unexpectedly, Assistant Liang Tao abruptly stepped in front of Fu Han with bold initiative, ¡°Miss Fu, the opening ceremony for the script is in two days; please don¡¯t miss it.¡±

    Fu Han was briefly confused, havingpletely forgotten what this was about.

    Assistant Liang Tao immediately exined kindly, ¡°Miss Fu, you signed a contract during the Walk the Sky photographypetition. The winner was to participate in a movie financed by He Group, and that movie is starting production in a few days.¡±

    Fu Han vaguely remembered something like that. Su Cheng had mentioned that if they could shoot a movie, their mediapany¡¯s profile would also improve.

    She nodded, ¡°I know. For anything else, pleasemunicate via email. Goodbye.¡±

    Having said that, she didn¡¯t linger and didn¡¯t even nce back at He Xing. She headed straight for the exit, almost colliding with someone standing at the door.

    Looking up, it was actually Ji Liangchuan. Her face turned red, ¡°Eavesdropping is not ethical.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan, touching his chin, smiled meaningfully, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it eavesdropping, since I didn¡¯t actually hear anything useful.¡±

    Fu Han felt she couldn¡¯t stay another second, stomped her foot, and ran off in a puff of smoke.

    Ji Liangchuan stepped out, still smiling as he walked in, ¡°He Xing, impressive. You¡¯ve started to learn to y the victim, what¡¯s this call? A decoy tactic?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about,¡± He Xing said calmly, without any expression, although the storm in his eyes intensified a bit.

 Chapter 101 - 101 101 Complex

    ?Chapter 101: 101 Complex   Chapter 101: 101 Complex                                   ¡°Fine fine fine, let¡¯s just say you really don¡¯t know anything,¡± He Xing raised his hands in surrender. ¡°But your timing to get a fever was too coincidental, right when it was Fu Han who discovered it; it¡¯s only normal for me to overthink a little.¡±

    He Xing awkwardly turned his head away, saying no more, but his earlobes quietly reddened.

    ¡­

    Michelin Restaurant.

    Today Luo Qinghe was treating everyone to dinner, iming he had a prosperous trip to Antarctica.

    Fu Han rushed over with Su Cheng after work, Nan Qing and Luo Qinghe were already seated when they arrived.

    These two were quite amusing, though. They neither sat side by side nor opposite each other, but instead chose the diagonal seats at a table for four.

    Su Cheng grumbled discontentedly, urging them to switch seats, but neither Nan Qing nor Luo Qinghe paid any heed, utterly ignoring his request.

    Fu Han, on the other hand, thought this seating arrangement was perfect; she didn¡¯t have to sit shoulder to shoulder with Su Cheng, nor face to face with him. It was simply the ideal seating chart in her mind.

    Actually, if you think about it from another perspective, Fu Han found today¡¯s dinner with these four people hrious. Luo Qinghe liked Nan Qing, Nan Qing liked Su Cheng, Su Cheng liked her; it was lucky she didn¡¯t like Luo Qinghe, otherwise it would¡¯ve been a perfect closed loop.

    The dishes were served quickly, at the Michelin three-star restaurant. The food here could only be described as works of art, each dish so exquisite that it was hard to look away.

    Having been busy all afternoon, Fu Han was already hungry. While the other three awkwardly made small talk, she ate with indifference. Since she was here, it would¡¯ve been a waste not to eat.

    As for the others¡¯ awkwardness, she considered it none of her business, at least not currently, nor did she have the means to resolve it.

    Suddenly, amotion arose at the restaurant entrance. Quite a few people rushed towards the door, an unusual urrence in such a high-end Michelin establishment.

    Fu Han nced up amidst the hustle and smiled, ¡°Looks like someone important has arrived.¡±

    A crowd headed into the restaurant, and Fu Han turned to look, only to see Bai Wei.

    Instinctively looking at Luo Qinghe, she indeed saw aplicated look in his eyes and silently thought to herself, ¡°There¡¯s no messiest, only messier.¡±

    True to prediction, Bai Wei stopped right in front of them. Her gaze swept over everyone before she addressed Luo Qinghe, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me to sit down?¡±

    Luo Qinghe cleared his throat awkwardly. Casting an apologetic nce at Nan Qing, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we only have four seats here.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s all move to a Private Room, my treat,¡± Bai Wei turned to the Lobby Manager trailing behind her, ¡°I wonder if you still have any rooms avable now? You can¡¯t possibly expect me to dine in the Hall, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, of course, right this way,¡± the Lobby Manager immediately gestured them to follow.

    Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t get up, visibly irritated; Su Cheng and Nan Qing, on the other hand, were utterly confused, clueless about what was happening.

    Fu Han remained calmly seated, continuing to eat as if she hadn¡¯t heard their conversation.

    The ordeal of Nan Qing and Su Cheng was already a headache; Fu Han didn¡¯t want to get involved with Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s situation¡ªthat would be asking for trouble.

    Bai Wei kicked at Fu Han¡¯s chair, her tone far from pleasant, ¡°Hey, Fu Han, we¡¯ve been through life and death together, are you really going to just watch as Luo Qinghe bullies me?¡±

    Fu Han really wanted to say ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me,¡± but in the end, all she could do was tell Luo Qinghe, ¡°You know her as well as I do. If we don¡¯t move to the Private Room, we might all end up on the front page headlines tomorrow.¡±

    On the way to the Private Room, Nan Qing whispered to Fu Han, ¡°See, that¡¯s star power for you. Brother Qinghe couldn¡¯t reserve a Private Room before, but as soon as Bai Wei shows up, one bes avable.¡±

    Fu Han leaned close to her ear and whispered back with a smile, ¡°Jealous? If you¡¯re envious, you could consider bing a celebrity too. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re any less qualified than Bai Wei.¡±

    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯d rather not,¡± Nan Qing retorted, clearly annoyed, ¡°What¡¯s so great about being a celebrity? Living every day under the camera, not a shred of privacy, having to be all posh in everything you say and do.¡±

    In the Private Room, Bai Wei sat next to Luo Qinghe with all the entitlement in the world, her intentions couldn¡¯t have been clearer.

    On Luo Qinghe¡¯s other side was Su Cheng. Nan Qing was dead set against sitting next to Bai Wei, so she ended up sitting between Su Cheng and Fu Han.

    This was yet another perplexing seating chart. It was clear that both Su Cheng and Nan Qing were ufortable, but Fu Han was quite pleased, frequently cueing Su Cheng to serve food to Nan Qing.

    After dinner, Bai Wei suggested going to karaoke, but this time, all four unanimously declined. Bai Wei had no choice but to let it go and asked the waiter to bring dessert.

    Fu Han got up to go to the restroom. Exiting the cubicle, she saw Bai Wei touching up her makeup in front of the mirror and nodded as a greeting.

    Bai Wei sidestepped to block Fu Han¡¯s path. ¡°Does Luo Qinghe like that girl sitting next to you?¡± she asked.

    Fu Han¡¯s pupils dted; she was surprised by Bai Wei¡¯s perceptiveness. If she remembered correctly, she and Luo Qinghe had never mentioned Nan Qing in front of Bai Wei.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to tell,¡± Bai Wei rolled her eyes dismissively: ¡°Luo Qinghe keeps ncing at her when he eats, and even when he¡¯s talking to me, he checks for her reaction. I¡¯d have to be blind not to notice.¡±

    Fu Han nodded in agreement, ¡°True to the actor¡¯s skill. But just so you know, she has no clue Luo Qinghe likes her, so don¡¯t take it out on her.¡±

    ¡°Take it out?¡± Bai Wei repeated the phrase and began tough, covering her mouth with her hand, ¡°That¡¯s hrious. Do you really think I, Bai Wei, need to stoop so low to chase a man?¡±

    Fu Han took a moment to recall her time with Bai Wei in Antarctica. Bai Wei¡¯s mouth indeed could be annoying, but she was frank and straightforward in her dealings, always speaking her mind, which made her more forting than many others.

    ¡°Since you like Luo Qinghe so much, I wish you sess.¡±

    ¡°Wish me sess?¡± Bai Wei¡¯s smile deepened with meaning, ¡°So, this means the pretty girl named Nan Qing doesn¡¯t like Luo Qinghe, right?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Fu Han shifted her gaze, feeling somewhat sheepish. She hadn¡¯t initially thought it through, but Bai Wei managed to grasp the essence in an instant.

    Bai Weiughed unabashedly, her deep ck pupils fixated on Fu Han: ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t say that because that pretty girl likes your boyfriend, Su Cheng, right?¡±

    A chill settled in Fu Han¡¯s heart as she looked at Bai Wei in astonishment. Was this the same carefree, one-track-minded Bai Wei she remembered?

    It was as if Bai Wei could read Fu Han¡¯s mind. She chuckled, as clean and clear as ever, ¡°Do you think I got all those awards just with my looks? My acting is really very good, you know? You people can¡¯t disguise your gazes when you look at someone; you have no restraint. Unless I were blind, I wouldn¡¯t fail to see who likes whom.¡±

 Chapter 102 - 102 Forced

    ?Chapter 102: Forced   Chapter 102: Forced                                   Fu Han held back for a long time, but ultimately could only seethe a sentence, ¡°You¡¯re incredible, I have nothing to say.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The words humility didn¡¯t exist in Bai Wei¡¯s dictionary, she said proudly with her face lifted, ¡°Did you always think I was brainless before? Now, you¡¯ve been proven wrong.¡±

    Fu Han could no longer bear it and inevitably rolled her eyes.

    Bai Wei leaned into Fu Han¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°But there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m really curious about. Su Cheng is your boyfriend, Nan Qing likes him, howe you¡¯re not angry at all? And I see Nan Qing doesn¡¯t look jealous of you either, your rivalry seems too harmonious, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s our business and not for you to worry about.¡± Fu Han¡¯s expression cooled down as she spelled out slowly to Bai Wei, ¡°Nan Qing is not you, she doesn¡¯t have your strong mentality, so if you¡¯re going to go crazy, don¡¯t take it out on her.¡±

    ¡°Why would I go after her, it¡¯s not her I¡¯m chasing.¡± Bai Wei fiddled with the broken hairs by her ear, carrying an air of boldness mixed with seductive charm.

    Fu Hanposed herself, thought for a moment, and added, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t tell anyone a word about what you heard from me today, this¡­ consider it my request.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± Bai Wei answered easily, her lips curling up to reveal neat teeth, ¡°For He Xing¡¯s sake, I can fulfill your request.¡±

    ¡°Bai Wei, if one day you get beaten up when you step outside, it¡¯s nothing else, it¡¯s because you mouth is just too provocative,¡± said Fu Han angrily, trembling all over, she flung her sleeves and walked away directly.

    On the other side of the door, Nan Qing heard the footsteps and quickly ran towards the private room. After a short distance, she stopped, and leisurely made her way to the restroom.

    On the way, she encountered Fu Han. They greeted each other and went their separate ways, while Bai Wei ran into Nan Qing whening out of the restroom. They nodded at each other without speaking, which counted as a greeting.

    In front of the huge restroom mirror, only Nan Qing was reflected. She saw that the fake smile on her face had disappeared, reced by heaviness.

    Bai Wei¡¯s words were hard to hear, but undeniable truths. Nan Qing was of course jealous of Fu Han, but after setting her jealousy aside, she valued her friendship with Fu Han more.

    Moreover, among the three of them, Fu Han had not done anything, it was Su Cheng who only had eyes for Fu Han in both his eyes and heart.

    Nan Qing patted her cheeks, practicing her smile in the mirror. When she finally managed not to look bitter, she stepped out of the restroom.

    Meanwhile, in the Michelin-starred private room, a ¡°dispute¡± was taking ce. Nan Qing returned just in time to see Luo Qinghe with an unpleasant expression, saying, ¡°No need to say more, I¡¯ve already given my response upon receiving the He Group¡¯s email, and I will not change my decision.¡±

    Fu Han looked meaningfully at Bai Wei, genuinely thinking Bai Wei had gone mad. She was actually suggesting that Luo Qinghe act in a movie, knowing full well that he had no acting experience whatsoever.

    Bai Wei was neither upset nor annoyed, stirring her coffee with a delicate flower petal spoon. She turned her head to look at Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, do you see any downside to being a celebrity?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem so.¡± Fu Han was utterly confused, wondering why Bai Wei was cueing her at this time, when all she really wanted was to be an emotionless spectator.

    ¡°Then what are the benefits?¡± Bai Wei pressed on, locking her sparkling eyes onto Fu Han, leaving her no escape.

    All eyes in the room were on Fu Han,pelling her to seriously consider the question, ¡°The benefits are having lots of fans and making a lot of money.¡±

    Luo Qinghe leaned back in his chair and said leisurely, ¡°Those perks are of no use to me; I don¡¯t need that many people to like me, plus I¡¯m not short of money.¡±

    A fleeting look of defeat crossed Bai Wei¡¯s face. She knew Luo Qinghe wasn¡¯t short of money and that he had rejected the He Group¡¯s email, but she just didn¡¯t want to give up.

    She turned her head to Fu Han, her eyes pleading for help.

    Unfortunately for Bai Wei, Fu Han no longer wanted to be the tool person, she took out her phone and feigned ignorance.

    Bai Wei stamped her foot in irritation and also took out her phone, but she was sending a WhatsApp message to Fu Han: ¡°Fu Han, we¡¯ve been through life and death together, are you really just going to stand by and watch?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to be forced, nor do I like to force others,¡± said Fu Han earnestly, not that she couldn¡¯t force Luo Qinghe, even if she could, she absolutely wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°This movie is very important to the He Family Group. Luo Qinghe mayck experience but is the most suitable candidate. If this movie flops, He Group is bound to go downhill,¡± Bai Wei typed rapidly, sending the message in mere seconds.

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± In fact, as she said this, Fu Han¡¯s heart was already pounding.

    ¡°Help me one more time and I¡¯ll repay you with deep gratitude in the future,¡± Bai Wei tantly pleaded with Fu Han.

    Fu Han sighed and sent out a few lines of text.

    After reading the message from Fu Han, Bai Wei fell into deep thought. Finally, gritting her teeth, she said to Luo Qinghe, ¡°Step out for a moment, I have something to discuss with you alone.¡±

    Luo Qinghe nced at Nan Qing, but Nan Qing wasn¡¯t looking at him, also bowing her head ying with her phone. He sighed inaudibly, got up, and left first, with Bai Wei immediately following.

    With just three people left in the private room, Su Cheng hadn¡¯t spoken much to Fu Han throughout the evening. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly spoke up, ¡°Fu Han, what did you say to Bai Wei?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s peripheral vision was fixed on Nan Qing, and she clearly saw Nan Qing¡¯s back stiffen momentarily.

    She smiled and said, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to hide this matter. You guys should have realized that Bai Wei likes Luo Qinghe, right?¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s back stiffened as well, he dared not even nce at Nan Qing.

    Fu Han took a leisurely sip of her coffee, ¡°Luo Qinghe turned her down, but Bai Wei didn¡¯t n on giving up. You all must have witnessed Bai Wei¡¯s persistence today. I told Bai Wei that if she promises never to bother Luo Qinghe again, to request that he takes on this movie role, as a keepsake of her feelings.¡±

    ¡°Fu Han, you¡¯re so smart, why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Su Cheng praised without reservation, his expression exaggerated.

    Nan Qing, pondering, said, ¡°Actually¡­ I think Lady Bai Wei and Brother Qinghe are quite a good match. They are truly simr individuals. If they were together, they probably wouldn¡¯t quarrel over differing life philosophies.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Nan Qing deeply, and after confirming Nan Qing was sincere, she agreed, ¡°That¡¯s true. Luo Qinghe always acts so aloof, but I think he¡¯s quite lively when he argues with Nan Qing.¡±

    A few minutester, Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei returned to the room, the former with an air of heroic testimony and thetter with a smile that nearly reached her ears.

    There was no need to ask. Bai Wei had gotten her wish.

 Chapter 103 - 103 103 Holidays

    ?Chapter 103: 103 Holidays   Chapter 103: 103 Holidays                                   Christmas, also Nan Qing¡¯s birthday.

    A week before, Fu Han had already started the preparations, and she had specifically told Nan Qing in advance not to go back to her parents¡¯ house for her birthday this year, but to bring her parents over so everyone could celebrate together.

    The day finally arrived, and Fu Han went early to the venue where the birthday dinner was to be held to make thest preparations. She had expressly warned Nan Qing not toe early, or she would be upset.

    It gets dark early in winter, and after Fu Han went through all the procedures onest time, she went to change her clothes.

    For the dinner banquet, one must wear an evening dress. She didn¡¯t care much herself, but she couldn¡¯t shame Nan Qing.

    At the agreed time, Nan Qing arrived punctually. She looked around the banquet hall inside and out, feeling very touched, even close to tears.

    This was a banquet hall inside a high-ss club, adorned with light purple, powder pink, and white balloons, infusing the whole venue with a dreamlike illusion.

    Purple was Nan Qing¡¯s favorite color, also the color she had the most of in her wardrobe.

    Purple hyacinths hung on the walls, swaying as if brushed by a gentle breeze, and even though they were artificial, a subtle scent of hyacinths filled the air.

    The entire club was themed in purple, interspersed with pink symbolizing young girls, the rest being pure white.

    What moved Nan Qing most was that all the paintings hanging on the walls of the banquet hall were her own works, and she even spotted her very naive paintings from elementary school days.

    To the uninitiated, it might seem less like a birthday banquet and more like an art exhibition for Nan Qing.

    As she admired each painting, Fu Han came over in her newly changed clothes, ¡°Nan Qing, happy birthday!¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Nan Qing hugged Fu Han tightly, ¡°In the past, my parents always prepared my birthday parties. It¡¯s the first time a friend has gone to such lengths to n a birthday party for me, and I¡¯m truly moved.¡±

    Fu Hanfortedly patted the back of Nan Qing¡¯s hand, ¡°Because I consider you my lifelong friend, I¡¯m willing to put in the effort, and also¡­¡±

    Stopping there, Fu Han smiled mysteriously, ¡°And this birthday party wasn¡¯t just prepared by me, Su Cheng also helped a lot.¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, and as the warm air wafted the scent of hyacinths once again, herplexion returned to normal, albeit tinged with several unhealthy flushes.

    She nced around, making sure Su Cheng was not nearby, and grabbed Fu Han, ¡°Come here, I have something I want to say to you.¡±

    In the backyard of the club where the banquet hall was located, numerousnterns hung from the differently shaped trees, white, blue, and purple, casting the nighttime courtyard in a twilight glow.

    Water tinkled in the fountain at the center, and the small fountain changed through several shapes, revealing it was a musical fountain.

    The two sat in a little pavilion next to the fountain. The octagonal gazebo had a clear ss top so one could gaze up at the stars. Yet, in A City, no stars could be seen, only the vague outline of the moon.

    Fu Han thought to herself that the weather might not be good tomorrow.

    Yesterday was Christmas Eve; typically it would snow on Christmas Eve, yet yesterday was a sunny day.

    Fu Han felt slightly regretful that it hadn¡¯t snowed on Christmas Eve.

    Nan Qing sat on a bench at the edge of the Pavilion, her eyes on Fu Han, but it seemed as if she was looking through Fu Han toward something behind her.

    Behind her stood a grapevine tree with many convoluted roots, each as thick as an adult¡¯s arm, indicating the tree¡¯s considerable age.

    When Fu Han chose this ce for Nan Qing¡¯s birthday banquet, the staff had mentioned that the most beautiful seasons for the club were spring and summer.

    Every spring, as the grapevines budded, one could literally see them grow rapidly, covering the courtyard with countless vines, making it a mysterious forest.

    Regrettably, it was winter, and all the grape leaves had fallen, leaving behind dry veins clinging to the trellises, and it looked somewhat frightening to look up.

    Fu Han was the first to break the silence with a radiant smile and a light tone, ¡°Nan Qing, you said you had something to tell me, what is it?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze focused, ¡°Fu Han, did you know I used to like Su Cheng?¡±

    Fu Han never dreamed Nan Qing would say this, she coughed awkwardly, ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s very normal to like someone, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°But I mind.¡± Nan Qing¡¯s eyes were intent in the darkness, as if capturing all the light in the yard, ¡°Fu Han, I know you let Su Cheng help with the venue to make me happy. Indeed, I used to like Su Cheng, but now¡­ now I just see him as your boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Do you still like Su Cheng now?¡± Although Fu Han had a rough idea of the answer, it was the question that concerned her most, and it would determine how she acted next.

    The light in Nan Qing¡¯s eyes vanished, and she hung her head low, ¡°Fu Han, I don¡¯t want to lie to you, I don¡¯t know if I still like Su Cheng, but rest assured, I will never do anything to hurt you, and I sincerely wish you and Su Cheng well.¡±

    Fu Han was shocked, she genuinely hadn¡¯t expected Nan Qing to say this. She panicked thinking of her ns for today.

    She sped Nan Qing¡¯s hand anxiously, ¡°Nan Qing, I have to tell you, my rtionship with Su Cheng isn¡¯t what you think, we¡­¡±

    ¡°Fu Han!¡±

    An urgent voice rang out, Su Cheng ran over, his nose lightly sweating, ¡°Fu Han, He Xing and Xia Ning are here.¡±

    ¡°What are they doing here? They don¡¯t have invitations, don¡¯t let them in,¡± Fu Han tensed up immediately, forgetting what she was about to say to Nan Qing.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Su Cheng swallowed nervously, ¡°But this club is a property of the He Group, we have no right to stop them froming in.¡±

    ¡°You take care of Nan Qing, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Fu Han darted off.

    Left alone in the Pavilion, Su Cheng and Nan Qing faced an awkward atmosphere, hit by the chill of the winter air, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t help but sneeze.

    Immediately, Su Cheng draped his woolen coat over Nan Qing, ¡°How can you wear so little in such cold weather? What if you catch a cold?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that delicate,¡± Nan Qing smiled bitterly under the streetlights, ¡°You should go over too, I¡¯m worried Fu Han might get bullied by herself.¡±

    Su Cheng felt slightly embarrassed, having his concern pinpointed. He scratched his head, muttered an apology, and then hurried off. After a couple of steps, he turned back to Nan Qing, ¡°Your birthday present is in the pocket of my clothes, take it yourself, don¡¯t forget.¡±

 Chapter 104 - 104 104 Birthday Gift

    ?Chapter 104: 104 Birthday Gift   Chapter 104: 104 Birthday Gift                                   Nan Qing¡¯s expression became veryplex, her coat carrying the distinctive scent of Su Cheng, lingering at her nose¡ªit was the familiar aroma she had smelled for many years.

    Su Cheng never liked to use perfume, his natural scent was that of bedding sun-dried under the sunshine, which invariably evoked thoughts of sunny beaches and all things beautiful.

    Thinking of this brought a smile to her lips, and as she fumbled in Su Cheng¡¯s coat pocket, she indeed found a small box, a jewelry box.

    Nan Qing was both expectant and fearful; upon opening the small box, she discovered a ne inside, its pendant a little girl¡¯s figure. On closer inspection, wasn¡¯t it a chibi version of Nan Qing?

    She held it in her hands and looked and looked¡ªas if seeing herself in that endearing figure that seemed so alive, the more she looked, the fonder she grew.

    Speaking of which, every year Su Cheng¡¯s birthday gifts for Nan Qing were carefully thought out, including the figurines she loved but was reluctant to buy, and the paintings she wanted¡­

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes grew moist. She didn¡¯t know whether to feel happy or sad about the gift before her. Su Cheng was always like this¡ªevery time she decided to give up on him, he would do something touching, making her resolve waver wildly.

    Of course, Nan Qing knew that Su Cheng didn¡¯t do it on purpose, and that his heart belonged only to Fu Han, but his kindness towards her was also undeniable.

    ¡­

    Fu Han entered the hall and immediately saw He Xing and Xia Ning. The pair stood side by side in the hall, both wearing ck long wool coats, looking like a couple in matching outfits, strikingly pleasant to the eye as a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

    She found it somewhat irritating; every time she saw these two together, unpleasant memories sprang to mind.

    Upon seeing Fu Han, Xia Ning yfully tugged on He Xing¡¯s sleeve, whispering something in the direction of Fu Han.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze then fell upon Fu Han, his look as cold as the weather outside, frosty and freezing like the depths of winter.

    The two took leisurely steps towards Fu Han, stopping about a meter away from her.

    Xia Ning, with a slight tilt of her head towards He Xing, created the optical illusion that she was leaning on his shoulder. In a coquettish manner, she said to Fu Han, ¡°We two didn¡¯t receive an invitation and came uninvited. Would you not wee us?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Fu Han retorted with a cold face, ¡°Today is Nan Qing¡¯s birthday, and I don¡¯t want anyone causing a scene, so please leave by yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Brother He Xing, see?¡± Xia Ning looked up at He Xing with pouting lips, ¡°I said Sister Fu Han would think we¡¯re here to make trouble, and you said she wasn¡¯t like that.¡±

    The term ¡°Sister Fu Han¡± nearly made Fu Han vomit out herst meal, so repulsed that she almost forgot the sarcasm in Xia Ning¡¯s words.

    Fu Han snorted, ¡°Xia Ning, since you know I¡¯m that kind of person, why don¡¯t you leave? Are you waiting for me to shoo you away with a broom?¡±

    Xia Ning looked at Fu Han with a surprise. In the past, she often provoked Fu Han with this tactic, and Fu Han would usually jump with anger, embarrassing herself and bing theughingstock of everyone.

    However, today, Fu Han admitted it so readily that it left Xia Ning feeling like she had punched a bundle of cotton, unable to find leverage.

    Looking helplessly at He Xing, Xia Ning said, ¡°Brother He Xing, since they don¡¯t wee us, shall we leave? I know a new BBQ shop that¡¯s really good. My treat.¡±

    Fu Han pondered over Xia Ning¡¯s words, sensing something amiss. Could it be that Xia Ning¡¯s implication was that it wasn¡¯t her who dragged He Xing along today?

    He Xing stepped aside, his expression unreadable as he looked at Xia Ning, ¡°You go have BBQ on your own. I¡¯m Nan Qing¡¯s neighbor and it¡¯s only right for me toe and wish her a happy birthday. She surely won¡¯t kick me out.¡±

    ¡°You go, I go too.¡± Xia Ning pouted again, attempting to close in on He Xing.

    But He Xing had already turned and walked away, ¡°Whether you leave or stay is up to you. I¡¯m going to look around; don¡¯t follow me.¡±

    Xia Ning stomped her feet in frustration, and when she caught Fu Han¡¯s eyes gleaming with Schadenfreude, she red fiercely at her, ¡°Don¡¯t get too smug. Brother He Xing stopped liking you long ago; otherwise, why hasn¡¯t he contacted you for three years?¡±

    ¡°I never said he liked me,¡± Fu Han retorted with arms crossed, tactically belittling Xia Ning, ¡°Yet you go around iming Brother He Xing likes you, but I¡¯ve never heard him say that himself.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Xia Ning¡¯s face turned white with anger, her teeth grating.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Fu Han interrupted, her face full of mock gratitude, ¡°If you truly want to climb the ranks sessfully, have He Xing announce your rtionship, or you could just get engaged or married.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for that day,¡± Xia Ning spat through clenched teeth, yet her words still came out sounding less than confident.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be watching with interest,¡± Fu Han answered,ughing, swaying her hips as she walked away.

    By now many guests had arrived, with some deliberately clustering around the trio; some were already chuckling at the spectacle.

    Xia Ning trembled with rage, ring at those who came to gawk, her hatred towards Fu Han climbing to a new level.

    ¡­

    Afterposing herself, Nan Qing also entered the lobby and instantly spotted He Xing not far off, standing in front of a painting, absorbed in thought.

    She nced at the painting and felt a bit surprised; it was her favorite among all her works, depicting two children holding hands in silhouette against the setting sun. Their joined shadows stretched long, intertwined just like the embrace of grownups.

    Truth be told, her technical skills were not yet perfected when she painted it, but the intention was profound, as the painting captured the essence of the same person during both his youth and adulthood.

    Nan Qing approached He Xing, ¡°Do you like this painting?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± came He Xing¡¯s reply, a trace of emotion crossing his gaze, ¡°This painting makes me think of some things from the past.¡± After a brief pause, he asked, ¡°Is this painting for sale? I¡¯ll pay any price.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m short on cash?¡± Nan Qing smiled, her eyes curving beautifully, looking quite charming.

    ¡°Indeed, the youngdy of the Nangong Family, with endless wealth, how could you be short on cash?¡± He Xing¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°I asked too much of you.¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s expression shifted, past jests put aside as she seriously exined, ¡°If it were any other painting, I could part with it, but not this one. It represents the most beautiful memory¡­ of him and me.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyes swept across Su Cheng in the distance before unobtrusively returning to the painting, ¡°I see, then you should cherish it.¡±

    After saying this, he turned to leave, but Nan Qing stopped him in a soft voice, ¡°Wait, you haven¡¯t told Fu Han about the incident, right?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like a gossipy middle-aged woman who spreads rumors?¡± He Xing smiled, but the smile held no warmth, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stoop to backbiting.¡±

    Nan Qing coughed awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just don¡¯t want my family issues to affect my rtionship with my friends.¡±

 Chapter 105 - 105 105 Understanding People

    ?Chapter 105: 105 Understanding People   Chapter 105: 105 Understanding People                                   ¡°I won¡¯t say it, and I¡¯m not interested in saying it,¡± He Xing¡¯s gaze flickered as he sighed inaudibly, ¡°This is between you two, it has nothing to do with me.¡±

    Nan Qing watched He Xing walk away, lost in thought. Although He Xing¡¯s demeanor was distant, he spoke with measure and never made others ufortable.

    Moreover, she had seen He Xing kiss Fu Han several times, and even though Fu Han pushed him away each time, Nan Qing felt that Fu Han wasn¡¯t truly angry with him.

    Putting aside her own feelings for Su Cheng, she genuinely thought that Fu Han and He Xing were a better match. Their interactions were like evenly matchedbatants in a verbal sparring, no onepletely overwhelmed the other¡ªit was more interesting that way.

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze swept across the hall andnded on Xia Ning approaching He Xing again. For some reason, she felt annoyed, finding Xia Ning extremely irritating as if she wished she could drive Xia Ning away.

    The banquet soon began, and Fu Han took the stage first to give a speech, thanking the guests and expressing her particr appreciation for her friend, Nan Qing. Finally, she said emotionally, ¡°Nan Qing, I hope that in the future, you get everything you wish for and fulfill all your desires.¡±

    Su Cheng also stood by Fu Han to say a few words, basically that Nan Qing was a very important person in his life¡ªmore than a sister in every word that spoke of familial love.

    Standing under the stage, Nan Qing listened intently, her eyes already brimming slightly with tears.

    When it was her turn to take the stage, her voice was choked up and her speech not as fluent, but she tried hard to control herself and not let her tears fall.

    The dinner officially started in a buffet style.

    The chef for tonight¡¯s dinner was specially invited by Su Cheng, from a restaurant Nan Qing often visited.

    Dinner and the dance took ce simultaneously. If one didn¡¯t want to eat, they could dance instead; if not interested in dancing, they could ask the skilled bartender to mix a special drink at the bar.

    Wearing a tailor-made ck tailcoat, Su Cheng stood in front of Nan Qing, ¡°Sister, may I have the honor of inviting you to dance the first dance?¡±

    Nan Qing hesitated as she looked at his outstretched hand, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be dancing the first dance with Fu Han, why with me?¡±

    ¡°Today, you¡¯re the protagonist, of course we should cater to you,¡± Su Cheng said with a brilliant smile reminiscent of the warmest afternoon sun, ¡°besides, Fu Han explicitly told me, she won¡¯t get jealous.¡±

    Looking around, Nan Qing made eye contact with Fu Han, then turned back to Su Cheng with a smile, ¡°I can ept your invitation, but you¡¯ll have to dance the next one with Fu Han, or she will lose face today.¡±

    ¡°Do I need you to tell me that?¡± Su Chengughed heartily, showing off his adorable canine teeth, ¡°I am her boyfriend, how could I let her lose face?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s hand rested on Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, and his hand on her waist. With a gentle lead, he had already taken Nan Qing into the center of the dance floor.

    Seeing this, Fu Han immediately told the sound technician, ¡°Put on some blues.¡±

    As the smooth music began, Nan Qing¡¯s eyes lit up. She looked up at Su Cheng, ¡°Did you arrange this?¡±

    ¡°It was Fu Han,¡± said Su Cheng, his eyes bing especially gentle as he mentioned her name, looking towards Fu Han he whispered, ¡°She knew you¡¯ve yed this music several times, asked me, and knowing you could dance to it, she arranged it.¡±

    ¡°But I remember you didn¡¯t know how to dance before,¡± Nan Qing stared at Su Cheng with wide eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you specifically learned to dance to apany me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Su Cheng deftly led Nan Qing through a turn, slightly lifting his head towards the direction behind her, ¡°I indeed learned this dance recently, but it was for Xiaohan.¡±

    Bang!

    Nan Qing felt her heart shatter into pieces but she immediately concealed it, cheekily replying, ¡°Then I don¡¯t need to thank you. I should thank Fu Han directly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smart,¡± Su Chengughed loudly, revealing his cute little fangs.

    Nan Qingughed along, but her heart grew heavy. She could feel that Fu Han had been intentionally creating opportunities for her to meet and spend time with Su Cheng.

    To say she wasn¡¯t unhappy would be false, but at that moment, Nan Qing genuinely despised that part of herself that knew everything yet pretended to be ignorant. She gritted her teeth and made a silent decision in her heart.

    With her camera in hand, Fu Han took several shots of Nan Qing and Su Cheng in the center of the dance floor. She couldn¡¯t force Su Cheng to fall in love with Nan Qing, but she could use the same tactics on Su Cheng that she had used on Luo Qinghe.

    She had asked Su Cheng to apany Nan Qing on her birthday as a tonic male friend, and she had agreed in advance to take some photos for them.

    Now, she was reviewing the photos in her camera to see how they turned out when someone tapped her shoulder, ¡°Fu Han, you are the most magnanimous person I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    As she turned around, she saw Luo Qinghe, impably dressed in a suit that made him look tall and striking. This was the second time Fu Han had seen him in a suit, and she had to admit he looked good.

    But¡­

    Fu Han frowned, ¡°Luo Qinghe, if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you were here to cause trouble. Can¡¯t you put a smile on your face?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Luo Qinghe said with a wry smile, ¡°unless you let me dance with Nan Qing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Fu Han said, still smiling in Nan Qing¡¯s direction, ¡°She¡¯s not the type to be petty. As long as you ask her gracefully, she won¡¯t refuse.¡±

    ¡°I really can¡¯t understand how He Xing and Su Cheng put up with your dullness; can¡¯t you take a joke?¡± Luo Qinghe lifted his hand and lightly knocked on Fu Han¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°That hurts, you know,¡± Fu Han tried to suppress the thoughts about Luo Qinghe¡¯s previousment, retorting without backing down, ¡°Yes, yes, I know I¡¯m not as interesting as Bai Wei, okay?¡±

    She was about to turn away when she unexpectedly fell into a warm embrace.

    That familiar scent¡­

    Fu Han pushed the person away and stepped back two paces, then, standing firm, she looked up calmly at He Xing, ¡°President He, I¡¯m sorry, I bumped into you.¡±

    He Xing rubbed his chest, his brows furrowed, ¡°Tell me, how do you n topensate?¡±

    Luo Qinghe covered his mouth dramatically. That remark seemed to have hit him hard, no, it was more of an inspiration.

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed slightly as she looked down, eager to leave the predicament, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, and I¡¯ve never heard of anyone needingpensation for a little bump.¡±

    ¡°Dance with me, and I¡¯ll let it slide,¡± He Xing stretched out his arm and pulled Fu Han back, his grip on her waist firm as iron.

    Fu Han¡¯s face felt aze as she nced at Luo Qinghe, trying to struggle again, ¡°Let go of me, I have something important to handle, no time to dance.¡±

 Chapter 106 - 106 106 Unexpected Guests

    ?Chapter 106: 106 Unexpected Guests   Chapter 106: 106 Unexpected Guests                                   Luo Qinghe egged on from the side, ¡°It¡¯s just one dance, just go for it. No matter how busy you are, you can always spare the time for a dance, right?¡±

    He Xing looked up at Luo Qinghe with a smile as clear as a refreshing breeze after rain, ¡°Next time that girl Bai Wei pesters you again, just tell me. I¡¯ll take care of her for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Luo Qinghe burst into heartyughter.

    Before Fu Han could figure out when He Xing and Luo Qinghe had be so familiar, she was already being led by He Xing to the middle of the dance floor.

    In the past, she had studied various dances of the upper-ss society very seriously, just to get as close to He Xing as possible. She was very good at dancing, and blues wasn¡¯t difficult for her.

    He Xing was very determined to lead Fu Han towards Su Cheng and their group¡¯s area, but Fu Han kept skirting around him, always avoiding letting Su Cheng and Nan Qing see the two of them together.

    As the song ended, Fu Han¡¯s hand slipped away from He Xing¡¯s like a loach, ¡°Mr. He, you should go find your deardy friend. I¡¯m quite busy.¡±

    Xia Ning had been waiting for her chance and took it as soon as He Xing was distracted. She clung tightly to He Xing¡¯s arm, ¡°Brother Hexing, dance one with me too. Didn¡¯t you promise when you arrived?¡±

    As the music started up again, He Xing looked at Fu Han, who was standing at the edge of the dance floor, with a sly smile. Not a trace of anger could ignite in his heart¡ª he felt utterly weak.

    The second dance was jazz. Luo Qinghe asked Nan Qing to dance, and although she felt a bit ufortable, she agreed.

    Su Cheng, on the other hand, stood in front of Fu Han with an extended hand, his face flushed with excitement and nervousness, so much so that tiny beads of sweat appeared on the tip of his nose.

    Fu Han responded with a charming smile, readily agreeing, ¡°Now we¡¯re considered boyfriend and girlfriend in everyone¡¯s eyes, how can we not dance together?¡±

    She said this deliberately, always reminding Su Cheng that they were just pretending to be a couple. She didn¡¯t want things that were pretend to inadvertently turn real.

    The light in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes dimmed, but he quickly recovered his smile, ¡°Right, that¡¯s what I was thinking too.¡±

    What he really wanted to say was, since you want to remind me, then I¡¯ll just y along with your wish.

    In the center of the dance floor were three couples: Fu Han and Su Cheng, He Xing and Xia Ning, Luo Qinghe, and Nan Qing; the other four were chatting while dancing, but only He Xing and Xia Ning¡¯s area was as quiet as a separate world.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes, deliberately or not, fell on Fu Han¡¯s waist, where Su Cheng¡¯s hand rested at that moment.

    He was jealous to the point of madness; he was madly jealous of any man who approached Fu Han. If it had been before, he would have driven Su Cheng away already, but now he could not.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t dare; it was because he knew Fu Han didn¡¯t like it when he did that, so he couldn¡¯t.

    In Xia Ning¡¯s eyes and heart, there was only He Xing. She watched him without blinking, her mood was very good; she had even begun to envision the scene of their engagement party dance in her mind.

    Good thing she was lost in her thoughts, because if she had tried to talk to He Xing with the same desperation as usual, she might have been devastated by his cold demeanor.

    When the jazz song ended, some were silently relieved, while others were reluctant to let it go.

    Luo Qinghe wrapped his arm around Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, saying they were going to have some drinks.

    Xia Ning, like a sticky burr, still followed closely behind He Xing.

    Fu Han walked side by side with Nan Qing out of the dance floor; they were both hungry and decided to go have something to eat.

    They had just grabbed their desired food and found a quiet corner to enjoy it, but after only a single bite of their steaks, amotion arose from the entrance of the banquet hall.

    ¡°Who¡¯s arrived?¡± Nan Qing muffledly asked with a mouthful of beef.

    Fu Han pressed on her shoulder and stood up herself, ¡°You keep eating. I¡¯ll go take a look. Maybe the cake has arrived.¡±

    The grand entrance doors of the banquet hall were more than two meters tall, a presence that could make anyone seem small.

    However, at the moment, the entrance of the banquet hall was bustling with quite a few people, making the detached grandeur of the door seem touched by the warmth of human life.

    Fu Han made her way through the crowd at the perimeter and saw two men and two women standing at the door. Although there weren¡¯t many pieces of jewelry on them, their inherent nobility was something no one could ignore.

    She stepped forward politely and asked, ¡°Hello, whom may I ask are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°Nangong Qing.¡± The round-faced woman with big eyes stepped forward and looked at Fu Han, ¡°You must be Fu Han, who called me a few days ago, right? Hello, I¡¯m Nangong Qing¡¯s mother.¡±

    Fu Han extended her hand in a daze and shook hands with the other party passively.

    Having grown up in the He Family, how could she not know the Nangong Family?

    There were four big families in City A: the He Family, the Li Family, the Nangong Family, and the Huangpu Family.

    Among them, the He Family¡¯s rtionship with the other three was not good, perhaps even hostile, because they grew too fast and their business territory crossed with those of the others.

    Over the years, Fu Han had attended many parties, but as if the hosts had agreed in advance, if the He Family was attending, the other three families would not be invited.

    And it was for this reason that, while Fu Han lived with the He Family, she knew very little about the other three families.

    Lady Nangong politely shook Fu Han¡¯s hand and then let go. She nced around, ¡°Where is my dear Xiaoqing? I don¡¯t see her.¡±

    Fu Han was about to say that Nan Qing was eating when Nan Qing herself pushed through the crowd and entered, ¡°Mom, Dad, howe you¡¯re here? Even my godparents havee.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our little princess¡¯s birthday; how could we note?¡± Lady Nangong scolded yfully at Nan Qing, ¡°You girl, have you forgotten who you are? Celebrating your birthday in such a shabby ce as this? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass your father and me?¡±

    As soon as these four people appeared, Fu Han had already felt that something was off, and now after hearing this, she was almost certain that they had indeede to cause trouble.

    Her fists clenched tightly, and she reminded herself to stay calm and not let a little grievance ruin Nan Qing¡¯s birthday.

    Because she and Su Cheng had agreed to a fake rtionship, she always felt that she was failing Nan Qing.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± Nan Qing nced worriedly at Fu Han and then hugged her parents from both sides, ¡°Mom, Dad,e see. This ce is very big, and Fu Han has decorated it very thoughtfully. All my artwork is here.¡±

    Mr. Nangong exchanged a subtle nce with Lady Nangong and then yed along ¡°That¡¯s indeed very thoughtful. It¡¯s good for Xiaoqing to have such a friend.¡±

    ¡°Friend?¡± Lady Nangong, holding onto Lady Huangpu¡¯s hand, said lukewarmly, ¡°Friendship is based on equal social standing and congruent views on wealth. How can these two evenpare? Maybe she wants to use your daughter as a stepping stone.¡±

    Nangong Qing¡¯splexion changed; she let go of her parents¡¯ hands, and said with anger, ¡°Mom and Dad, if you came here to celebrate my birthday, I wee you; but if you¡¯re here to bully my friend, then please leave.¡±

 Chapter 107 - 107 My 107 friends

    ?Chapter 107: My 107 friends   Chapter 107: My 107 friends                                   Madam Huangpu gently shook Madam Nangong¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be so hot-tempered, you know what Xiaoqing is like, right? The more you push her, the less likely she is topromise.¡±

    Madam Nangong¡¯s expression changed, and her round face soon showed a pleasant and affable smile that looked very approachable, ¡°Alright, Xiaoqing, I was wrong just now. Can¡¯t you stop being mad at mom for dad and moming all the way here for your birthday?¡±

    Nan Qing didn¡¯t directly answer her question but instead nced at Fu Han. Once Fu Han revealed a sweet smile, Nan Qing reluctantly agreed.

    The appearance of these four people disrupted Fu Han¡¯s ns, and she knew that no matter what she arranged, these elders would never agree, so she simply returned to her original spot to sit and eat.

    ¡°You¡¯re still in the mood to eat at a time like this?¡± A cool voice chimed in as a ck figure sat opposite her¡ªit was He Xing.

    Fu Han took her time chewing and swallowing her food before answering with a serene smile, ¡°Then what do you think I should do?¡±

    He Xing rubbed his forehead and thought for a moment before saying with a contemtive smile, ¡°You would get angry, throw a tantrum, find a way to send them away; if you couldn¡¯t do anything, you would cry.¡±

    ¡°Were my tears so worthless before?¡± Fu Han tilted her head and smiled.

    In the dim light of the corner, Fu Han¡¯s face shone as if it were glowing, matched with her smile she looked particrly mischievous and cute¡ªlike the first wintersweet blooming in spring.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, his gaze deep as the ocean, charged with a powerful assertiveness, ¡°You should not smile so readily at others in the future.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed with heat, but she still bravely retorted, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    She expected He Xing to be annoyed, but instead he started tough, ¡°It¡¯s not my business now, but it will be sooner orter.¡±

    Fu Han had felt since she was little that He Xing¡¯s smile was magical; no matter how upset you were at him, just one smile from him and you¡¯d forget why you were angry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to listen to you spouting nonsense.¡± Fu Han¡¯s heart raced, as noisy as the banging of gongs and the beating of drums, and she hurriedly got up; the only thing she could think to do was to keep her distance from He Xing.

    After she had taken a few steps, she heard He Xing say leisurely, ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t be afraid of anything you encounterter, I¡¯ll always be here.¡±

    Before Fu Han had even walked two steps, Su Cheng came rushing over, pulling Fu Han towards the backyard, saying there was something very important he needed to tell her.

    It was the same transparent Octagonal Gazebo, where Fu Han sat on a bench clutching her chest feeling almost out of breath, ¡°You¡­ what is it that you have to tell me?¡±

    Su Cheng wasn¡¯t much better off; his forehead was damp with sweat, and steam seemed to rise from his head, ¡°Fu Han, my parents want to meet you¡­ is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s okay.¡± Fu Han agreed without hesitation, as Su Cheng had told her from the beginning of their dating agreement that he didn¡¯t want his parents always introducing him to girlfriends, and Fu Han was mentally prepared for this.

    But seeing Su Cheng¡¯s face grow even more agitated after her response, he paced back and forth in the pavilion, babbling, ¡°Fu Han, my parents are different from others¡­ they¡¯ll definitely make it tough for you¡­ ah, perhaps we shouldn¡¯t go after all.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say is fine by me.¡± Fu Han replied indifferently. In contrast to Su Cheng¡¯s agitation, her calmness somehow made it even more unsettling.

    Su Cheng rushed up to Fu Han and yanked her to her feet, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. Forget about them.¡±

    ¡°But what about Nan Qing¡¯s birthday?¡± Fu Han shook off Su Cheng¡¯s hand, ¡°Even if your parents are in a hurry, they won¡¯t need to see me in the middle of the night. We agreed to make today a happy birthday for Nan Qing, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Fu Han, you don¡¯t understand. My parents just¡­¡±

    However, before Su Cheng could finish, a somewhat familiar female voice interrupted, ¡°Xiaocheng, so this is where you¡¯ve been?¡±

    Fu Han looked in the direction the voice came from and saw two people approaching them. Against the light, she couldn¡¯t see their faces clearly, but she recognized the voice as belonging to the couple that had apanied Nan Qing¡¯s parents.

    Indeed, within a few breaths, the couple stood before them. The middle-aged woman wore a smile all over her face, ¡°Xiaocheng, aren¡¯t you going to introduce us to your girlfriend?¡±

    Su Cheng stepped forward, somewhat stuttering as he partly shielded Fu Han, ¡°Yes, this is my girlfriend, Fu Han¡­ Mom, Dad, I really like her.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Su Cheng¡¯s back and could clearly see him shaking, and she felt that thest part of his sentence sounded almost like a plea.

    She didn¡¯t quite understand what was going on. Su Cheng had said his parents were eager for him to date. Shouldn¡¯t they be happy to see his ¡°girlfriend¡±, especially since they didn¡¯t know she was a fake?

    And Su Cheng had imed his parents were just ordinary people, so why would they be with the chairman and his wife of Nangong Group, and why did they seem to know each other so well?

    Su Cheng¡¯s mother stepped forward, scrutinizing Fu Han from head to toe with an icy and critical gaze, almost ready to show her dissatisfaction inly on her face.

    After what felt like an eternity, she finally raised her chin and said, ¡°Fu Han, although our Huangpu Family may notpare to the He Family, we still have our standards. Since you¡¯re dating my son, your every word and deed will reflect upon the Huangpu Family, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Huangpu?¡± Fu Han turned to look at Su Cheng, ¡°Aren¡¯t you surnamed Su? Howe you¡¯re a Huangpu?¡±

    ¡°My son wanted to be self-sufficient, and hiding hisst name was just a necessary disguise,¡± stated Madam Huangpu haughtily, ¡°You¡¯re dating my son and you don¡¯t even know his real identity? It seems my son doesn¡¯t like you that much after all.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face darkened with anger churning within her.

    But before Fu Han could speak, Su Cheng already blurted out first, ¡°Mom, must you talk like that? Just because my girlfriend isn¡¯t Nan Qing, you have to make things difficult for her?¡±

    After saying that, he quickly turned to Fu Han and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fu Han, I didn¡¯t tell you beforehand; I¡¯ll exin everything to youter.¡±

    In fact, they both misunderstood Fu Han¡¯s mood. She remained somewhat calm, but she didn¡¯t expect Su Cheng to say what he did in such a situation.

    On the other side, Su Cheng began to address Madam Huangpu again, ¡°Mom, you like Nan Qing, that¡¯s true, and she is indeed a good girl. She¡¯s already your goddaughter, do you still need to have her be your daughter-inw?¡±

    Madam Huangpu¡¯s expression changed as she stared at Su Cheng in surprise, speechless for a while, apparently shocked by what he had said.

 Chapter 108 - 108 Speed up the 108 movements

    ?Chapter 108: Speed up the 108 movements   Chapter 108: Speed up the 108 movements                                   ¡°Xiaocheng, how can you speak to your mother like that?¡± Mr. Huangpu, as stiff as a wooden stake, finally spoke, his face clearly aze with anger.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze fell on Mr. Huangpu. He was tall and sturdy, having gained weight with middle age; his belly protruded as if he were a woman five months pregnant.

    But even so, one could still discern from his current facial features just how handsome he had been in his youth, much like Su Cheng at this moment.

    Fu Han drifted off at a time when she really shouldn¡¯t have, so much so that she didn¡¯t catch a single word of the heated argument between the family of three from Su Cheng; she only vaguely sensed that their quarrel was escting.

    Suddenly, a hand reached out on a nt and pulled Fu Han back three steps.

    As Fu Han turned her head, she saw He Xing¡¯s face and immediately stopped her inopportune daydreaming.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she tried to wriggle out of He Xing¡¯s embrace, thinking to herself, There¡¯s no such thing as maximum chaos, only more chaos.

    ¡°Fu Han, are you an idiot? Just watching as someone tramples you under their feet?¡± Rage churned in He Xing¡¯s dark eyes, a power within them that could swallow everything in this world.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Fu Han was a bit confused. She felt slightly guilty towards Su Cheng¡ªafter all, this romance was fake. In her mind, being bad-mouthed by Su Cheng¡¯s parents was no big deal; she might as well consider it repaying a favor to Su Cheng.

    He Xing snorted coldly and stopped paying attention to Fu Han, turning to Su Cheng: ¡°You can¡¯t even protect the woman you like; what kind of man are you?¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned pale, but he said nothing.

    He Xing then turned to Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu: ¡°You two have a reputation in A City, yet here you are ganging up on a young girl; aren¡¯t you afraid of losing face if word gets out?¡±

    ¡°He Xing, this is our family business, what does it have to do with you?¡± Mrs. Huangpu retorted, not giving an inch.

    ¡°Family business?¡± He Xing sneered: ¡°Fu Han was raised by our He Family; that¡¯s her natal home, and I am in charge of her affairs, and I will be for life.¡±

    The faces of Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu changed color. Despite their reluctance, they ended up saying nothing.

    With another cold snort from He Xing, he pulled Fu Han away without another word.

    It wasn¡¯t until He Xing and Fu Han were far away that Mrs. Huangpu bit her lip and spoke through clenched teeth: ¡°Xiaocheng, what do we even say about you? Fu Han was discarded by the He Family, and you eagerly picked her up; if others knew about this, who knows how they¡¯dugh at us.¡±

    Mr. Huangpu didn¡¯t speak, but his face clearly expressed agreement.

    If Mr. Huangpu hadn¡¯t stopped him, Su Cheng would have chased after Fu Han just now. At this moment, he was simply seething: ¡°Mom and Dad, all you have in your hearts are thepany and your own prestige; you only think about yourselves, never considering what I want.¡±

    ¡°Xiaocheng, how can you say that? We work so hard all for your sake,¡± Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s eyes reddened, tears already brimming, making it seem as if Su Cheng had done something unforgivable.

    Su Cheng, feeling rebellious, burst out: ¡°I beg you, stop saying such things. The affairs of the Huangpu Family have nothing to do with me; I just want to do what I love.¡±

    Having said that, he ran off.

    Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu looked at each other, both taken aback by Su Cheng¡¯s outburst that day.

    ¡°Husband, just what kind of witchcraft has that fox spirit Fu Han used on Su Cheng, turning him like this?¡± Mrs. Huangpu wept bitterly as she threw herself into Mr. Huangpu¡¯s arms.

    Mr. Huangpu patted Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s back gently, whispering softly: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    ¡­

    He Xing practically dragged Fu Han out of the clubhouse, tossing her directly into his Lamborghini.

    Throughout, Fu Han struggled desperately, but the discrepancy in strength between them rendered her efforts futile.

    The streetlight shone on He Xing¡¯s face, showcasing a wless profile without a single bad angle, and from Fu Han¡¯s perspective, it was akin to seeing the profile of The Thinker.

    He Xing, with an unknown fury, started the car and immediately mmed the pedal to the metal; the screeching friction of the tires on the ground was jarring.

    Securing the seatbelt was useless for Fu Han; she clutched the car¡¯s handgrip overhead tightly, herst lifeline, convinced that without it she¡¯d surely be thrown out.

    Only when she finally limatized to the extreme speed could she speak: ¡°He Xing, what in the world are you doing? Put me down this instant.¡±

    ¡°Going crazy?¡± He Xing nced at her once, then hit the brakes hard.

    The tires screeched against the pavement, and the car came to a halt.

    Caught unawares, Fu Han¡¯s forehead had an intimate encounter with the dashboard. She red at He Xing, holding her forehead: ¡°You did that on purpose, right?¡±

    ¡°Right, I did it on purpose; I¡¯m out of my mind,¡± He Xing¡¯s face was etched with endless coldness. After turning off the car, he lunged toward Fu Han.

    Kisses rained down upon Fu Han¡ªon her face, lips, neck¡ªviolent and consuming, filled with a destructive rage.

    Fu Han resisted with all her might. She couldn¡¯t count how many times she kicked He Xing¡¯s legs, nor how many times she hit his back, but it was useless.

    Hiss!

    The sound of fabric tearing.

    It was her evening gown that He Xing had just ripped apart.

    Fu Han¡¯s exposed shoulders met the air, causing her to shiver with cold.

    He Xing¡¯s kisses followed like a shadow, branding her goosebumps-covered shoulders like a hot iron, his hands roving all over her body with unmistakable intent.

    Fu Han tilted her head back towards the sky just as a flurry of snowkes began to fall, marking the second snowfall of the winter.

    This year was different; the winter stretched long as if the cold would never end. The snowkes were beautiful, yet the bone-chilling cold was not for everyone to endure.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart sank little by little. She and He Xing had been intimate in the past, but he had always been restrained, never tearing through thatstyer of resistance.

    But today, for some unknown reason, He Xing would not listen to anything Fu Han said.

    She despaired, thinking was she really going to surrender her precious first time under such circumstances? And involuntarily, at that?

    Fu Han¡¯s hands, which she had struggled to keep in front of He Xing¡¯s chest, dropped. Her legs no longer kicked at He Xing; she justy there on the seat, still, resigned to her fate.

    Unexpectedly, He Xing¡¯s movements also stopped. Towering over her, his voice hoarse, he asked, ¡°What is this supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Since I can¡¯t fight you off, just do as you will; make it quick, so I don¡¯t suffer too much,¡± Fu Han said, turning her gaze away from He Xing, back to the snowkes falling outside the window.

    He Xing¡¯s deep-seated pain was like an endless sea. Slowly propping himself up, he sat back in the driver¡¯s seat.

 Chapter 109 - 109 Deduct 109

    ?Chapter 109: Deduct 109   Chapter 109: Deduct 109                                   Themplight shone on He Xing, but he hung his head low, his face veiled in shadow as if he had fallen into hell itself.

    Fu Han felt as if her whole body had fallen apart as she struggled to sit up and tried to put her clothes back on, but her clothes had been torn to shreds by He Xing. She could only manage to cover the essential parts.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept over Fu Han, he said nothing and restarted the car.

    After an indeterminate time, the car stopped again. He Xing opened the door and stepped out directly, ignoring Fu Han.

    She looked around; they were beside the mall. She tried to seize the opportunity to get out of the car, but to her surprise, He Xing had locked the doors.

    Fu Han, enraged, punched the car door hard twice: ¡°Damn He Xing, you¡¯re so annoying.¡±

    A dozen minutester, He Xing pulled the car door open again. He tossed arge bag to Fu Han, then closed the door. He didn¡¯t get back into the car himself.

    Fu Han opened the bag and saw that it contained clothes ¨C underwear, sweaters, jeans, even a down jacket.

    She looked out of the car window. He Xing was standing by the roadside with his back to her. Themplight shone on him, stretching his shadow long. It reached her, as if she rested in He Xing¡¯s arms.

    The heavy snow settled on He Xing¡¯s shoulders and on his hair, as though he felt nothing, motionless.

    How to put it? Even though Fu Han was seething with rage at He Xing in that moment, the scene before her still deeply etched itself into her mind ¨C a nce for a thousand years is indeed so.

    Having changed into clothes, Fu Han felt much morefortable. Not as cold, no longer so embarrassed.

    She opened the car door and stepped out, addressing He Xing¡¯s back, ¡°Let¡¯s call today¡¯s incident mutual retribution. I¡¯m leaving. You¡­ do as you wish.¡±

    He Xing suddenly turned to look at her, his voice icy cold, ¡°If you don¡¯t want what just happened to recur, then obediently get back in the car.¡±

    Years of being together told Fu Han that He Xing meant every word. Clenching her teeth, she silently got back into the car.

    The Lamborghini reignited, moving through the heavy snow, crushing down the snowkes on the ground into dirty slush.

    The entire way, not a word passed between them. Fu Han remained silent because there was nothing to say. Her forgiveness was not won by a set of clothes, particrly when her original outfit had been torn by He Xing.

    Yet, could she be sitting in the same car with anyone else after such a thing? The answer was no.

    That was the source of Fu Han¡¯s greatest anger. She was furious with herself. How could she not hate He Xing, even now?

    Fu Han worried He Xing might take her back to Lanwan, but as Huating No.1 came into view, a strange feeling began to rise within her.

    After parking the car downstairs, they both disembarked and Fu Han walked towards the entrance without looking back. He Xing hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, ¡°Fu Han, do you really detest being with me that much?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Fu Han didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, but she shook off He Xing¡¯s hand and red back at him: ¡°How many times must I tell you? Keep away from me. You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡±

    Thest hint of light vanished from He Xing¡¯s eyes, and he stood at the base of the steps, looking up at Fu Han with a mix of despair and hope, like a man in hell longing for heaven.

    If Fu Han¡¯s anger was a balloon, then He Xing¡¯s look was a knife, slicing it open and letting her fury spill out uncontrobly, instead of gathering.

    Irritated, she stamped her foot, impatiently saying, ¡°If¡­ if you promise not to disrespect me again, we can be friends, just ordinary friends.¡±

    He Xing smiled, a deste expression amidst the snow, tinged with sadness, ¡°Ordinary friends? When did wee to this? Bing like strangers to each other?¡±

    Having said that, he slowly turned and walked towards the car, driving away without looking back at Fu Han again.

    Two sets of footprints remained in the snond, left by He Xing as he departed.

    But as the snow fell harder, his footprints were gradually filled in.

    Fu Han stood there watching, her limbs growing stiff but she didn¡¯t move.

    In her mind, she kept reying the words He Xing had said before leaving. Indeed, what had happened between them? How had two people so close ended up so silent with each other?

    Tears slipped from her eyes, dropping like pearls onto the snond and finally vanishing.

    This time she hade back to draw a clear line with He Xing once and for all. She understood all the logic, had thought through everything, but why did her heart still flutter whenever she saw He Xing?

    Every time she thought about a future without He Xing, it pained her until she could hardly breathe.

    Yet, to return to the life she had three years ago was unthinkable; it would be a living death to her.

    The incessant snow continued to fall, dressing the world in the purest white.

    Only when He Xing¡¯s footprints were no longer visible in the snow did Fu Han finally turn and walk towards the elevator room.

    The elevator doors opened, and there stood Su Cheng, his red-rimmed eyes fixed on Fu Han, a ring of stubble dark around his lips.

    He opened his mouth but said nothing.

    Fu Han pulled out her keys and unlocked the door, eyeing him calmly, ¡°Care toe in and sit?¡±

    Su Cheng hurried in after her.

    In a room so dark you could not see your hand in front of you, even when the distance between two people was less than a meter, you wouldn¡¯t know where the other was.

    As the electric light came on, the engulfing darkness disappeared. Fu Han took off her down jacket, revealing a white turtleneck sweater and denim jeans that entuated her figure unmistakably.

    While walking toward the water dispenser with a cup in hand, she proposed, ¡°Would you like water, or coffee? I have tea as well.¡±

    ¡°Coffee would be nice, thanks.¡± Su Cheng said, but he went over to the coffee maker himself and started brewing coffee.

    Fu Han sat on the sofa, the curtains to the balcony not drawn. If one peered carefully, the drifting snowkes could be seen.

    Sipping her warm water, the frosty sensation gradually receded, and her thoughts began to churn as she reyed the events of the day.

    It wasn¡¯t clear how much time had passed when the aroma of coffee began to spread through the room.

    In the snowy winter, no pleasure surpassed sipping a steaming cup of coffee.

    Su Cheng ced a cup of coffee in front of Fu Han, ¡°Freshly brewed, have some.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fu Han smiled, the chandelier light hanging overhead. Even with such lighting, her face remained wlessly beautiful, glowing as if illuminated from within.

 Chapter 110 - 110 Drinking alone

    ?Chapter 110: Drinking alone   Chapter 110: Drinking alone                                    Su Cheng was stunned, a mysterious liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth. Realizing he had drooled, he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into from embarrassment.

    Fu Han, on the other hand, was very calm, as if she hadn¡¯t seen anything, and asked serenely, ¡°Did youe to see me because there¡¯s something you need?¡±

    After a fierce argument with his parents at the club, Su Cheng rushed out to find Fu Han. However, he was always one step behind; by the time he got out, He Xing had already taken Fu Han away without a trace.

    Unable to get in touch with Fu Han, and after much thought, he decided to wait for her at Huating No.1; he did not expect that he would wait for a full two hours before she finally appeared from the elevator.

    Su Cheng was not a particrly meticulous person, but he had used all his attention to detail on Fu Han. He noticed right away that her clothes had changed when she returned, and though he wanted to ask, he didn¡¯t know how to start.

    Hearing Fu Han initiate the conversation, he licked his lips and mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Fu Han, where did you and He Xing go? I couldn¡¯t find you.¡±

    ¡°Nowhere.¡± Fu Han felt her cheeks burn and, after thinking a bit, added, ¡°He took me to the riverside, we walked around for a bit and then came back.¡±

    Embarrassed to probe any further, Su Cheng scratched his head, ¡°Yeah, I¡­ Fu Han, I came to tell you that I didn¡¯t mean to hide my identity from you on purpose. It¡¯s just that¡­ I don¡¯t like that identity myself, so I was reluctant to tell you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Fu Han nodded and said with understanding, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, and I wouldn¡¯t mind it.¡±

    She thought she had responded quite well, but Su Cheng¡¯splexion turned pale.

    Not knowing where she went wrong, Fu Han hurriedly added, ¡°Su Cheng, don¡¯t get me wrong, what I mean is I can understand why you did it, and besides, we¡¯re just friends. You really don¡¯t have to tell me everything about yourself.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Su Cheng¡¯s face went from red back to white, drinking his coffee in one gulp like one would down a shot, ¡°But Fu Han, you might just consider me a friend, but in my heart, you¡¯re the most important person.¡±

    Fu Han looked at Su Cheng with some surprise. She truly hadn¡¯t expected Su Cheng to say such things. Perhaps his unrequited feelings were heavier than she had imagined.

    Her hand tapping steadily on the armrest of the sofa, her beautiful eyes filled with pity and guilt, ¡°Su Cheng, thank you for liking me, but I can only say I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Contrary to her expectations, hearing this made Su Chengugh, augh filled with resignation and destion, ¡°Fu Han, you don¡¯t think I¡¯m confessing again, do you? I¡¯m merely sharing my feelings with you, never expecting an answer from you. Now that I¡¯ve said everything I needed to, my heart feels much lighter. I¡¯m going to go back and sleep.¡±

    After saying this, Su Cheng indeed walked away without looking back, and in the blink of an eye, Fu Han was left alone in therge room, where both the warm water and coffee had gone cold.

    She stood hugging herself in front of the enormous patio ss door, her slender silhouette looking especially delicate.

    Outside, snowkes continued to fall, turning the world into a vast expanse of white.

    This was the mostplex and indescribable Christmas she had ever experienced.

    In her ns, this was supposed to be a wonderful night, but it turned out like this; everyone became unhappy, and it seemed to be all rted to her, even though she had done nothing.

    ¡­

    Liangtao Bar.

    The bar was bustling on Christmas Eve, and if not for the capacity limit, there might not even be a spot to stand.

    In the booth, He Xing drank one ss after another as if it wasn¡¯t 95-degree vodka but in water.

    In the blink of an eye, the bottle was empty. He shook it and shouted, ¡°Bring me another bottle.¡±

    ¡°Get him a beer,¡± Ji Liangchuan hurriedly stopped the waiter.

    ¡°Who wants beer? I want to drink something with high alcohol content; don¡¯t interfere,¡± He Xing snapped, smashing the bottle on the ground where it shattered.

    Many people gathered around, eager to witness the freemotion.

    However, Ji Liangchuan showed no signs of anger; instead, he looked at He Xing with an amused smile, ¡°With your alcohol tolerance, if I get you another bottle of vodka, you¡¯d get so drunk you won¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. Since it¡¯s all about drinking, what¡¯s the difference between spirits and beer?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face turned as cold as an Antarctic iceberg, but under Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze, he just snorted and did not say much.

    The beer arrived quickly, and Ji Liangchuan took the initiative to pour He Xing a ss. However, bizarrely, He Xing didn¡¯t hurry to drink but stared nkly at the bottle instead.

    Meanwhile, Ji Liangchuan downed arge ss of ice-cold beer and smacked his lips with satisfaction, ¡°Alright, He Xing, can you, a grown man, not be so melodramatic? Just tell me what happened, and I¡¯ll help you out.¡±

    He Xing let out an imperceptible sigh, tilted his head back, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing rapidly as he gulped down the ice-cold beer.

    He briefly ryed to Ji Liangchuan the day¡¯s events at the banquet, including how he had angrily taken Fu Han away. As for his ¡°outrage¡± towards Fu Han in the car, he glossed over it.

    After listening, Ji Liangchuan gave He Xing a thumbs-up, ¡°He Xing, you really are something. If you didn¡¯t belong to the He Family, with the things you¡¯ve done, you¡¯d probably have been beaten up countless times.¡±

    He Xing had by now calmed down, and he somewhat regretted how he treated Fu Han.

    Hearing Ji Liangchuan¡¯s words, he coughed and remained silent, feeling somewhat discontent with being lectured.

    Ji Liangchuan leaned closer to He Xing with a grin, ¡°If you ask me, since Fu Han has already broken off the engagement with you, why keep hounding her? Xia Ning isn¡¯t bad either, right? What does the media say? ¡®Childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven.''¡±

    ¡°If you keep talking like that, I¡¯ll leave,¡± He Xing¡¯s expression darkened, his whole being radiating an unweing chill.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t talk about Xia Ning,¡± Ji Liangchuan backed off quickly, but then he startedughing heartily, ¡°He Xing, aren¡¯t you a bit masochistic? Fu Han loved you desperately back then and you didn¡¯t care. Now that she doesn¡¯t love you, the one who is desperate is you.¡±

    ¡°Who said she doesn¡¯t love me?¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes glinted coldly, ¡°Fu Han¡¯s life belongs only to me and can only belong to me. Even if she doesn¡¯t love me as much right now, there wille a day when she¡¯ll return to my side.¡±

    Under such a gaze, Ji Liangchuan felt like prey under the watchful eyes of a beast, shivering involuntarily, ¡°If you¡¯re so confident, then why are you here drinking sullenly thiste at night? Aren¡¯t you afraid that if Fu Han finds out, she will be even angrier with you?¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m drinking sullenly?¡± He Xing retorted weakly, ¡°I just thought it was boring and wanted to check up on you out of kindness.¡±

 Chapter 111 - 111 111 friends let bygones be bygones

    ?Chapter 111: 111 friends let bygones be bygones   Chapter 111: 111 friends let bygones be bygones                                   When he had drunk more than half of his mug of beer, Ji Liangchuan put down his cup, looked around, and leaned in close to He Xing, asking in a low voice, ¡°How is the investigation on those mattersing along?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed: ¡°It indeed cannot be separated from the Xia Family.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that both of Fu Han¡¯s injuries and the photo incident during the ¡®Traverse the World¡¯ photographypetition were orchestrated by the Xia Family?¡± Even someone as mentally strong as Ji Liangchuan couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    He Xing¡¯s longshes fluttered, hiding the shine in his eyes: ¡°The photos of me and Xia Ning have been confirmed to have been taken by someone hired by Xia Cheng. Regarding Fu Han being ambushed twice, I¡¯ve only found that the Xia Group had a problematic expenditure of five million around that time, but there isn¡¯t anything more.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk.¡± Ji Liangchuan smacked his lips, looking eager for a good show, and asked, ¡°If it is ultimately proven that the Xia Group took action against Fu Han, what will you do?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s back straightened suddenly, but as if there was an invisible mountain pressing down on it, he slowly lowered his head: ¡°I never answer hypothetical questions.¡±

    ¡­

    The next morning, the doorbell rang.

    Fu Han, wearing slippers and groggy with sleep, went to open the door, dark circles under her eyes, clearly having slept poorly the night before.

    It was Nan Qing standing outside; she had left her keys at the studio.

    It was too coldst night, and Fu Han¡¯s phone had shut off. Only after she had finished washing up andy in bed did she turn on the phone, to find many missed calls and unread messages on Whatsapp.

    Nan Qing had sent a message to Fu Han, saying she had been taken back home by her parents and that she would bring breakfast over for Fu Han in the morning.

    Fu Han felt like she had just fallen asleep when Nan Qing woke her up. Too sleepy to function, she said nothing and turned around, intending to go back to sleep.

    ¡°Hold on, I bought your favorite soup dumplings. Eat before you sleep,¡± Nan Qing caught Fu Han¡¯s sleeve, looking at her with a careful and beseeching gaze.

    Fu Han¡¯s sleepiness faded by half, and she looked at Nan Qing in surprise. In just one night, Nan Qing seemed to have be a different person, cautious in every word and action.

    At breakfast, Nan Qing was even more attentive, taking the initiative to fetch bowls and chopsticks for Fu Han, and even preparing the dipping sauce for her.

    Having shared so many meals together, this was the first time Fu Han felt so ufortable.

    After she ate three soup dumplings, she put down her chopsticks, and Nan Qing immediately asked with concern, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating anymore? Doesn¡¯t it suit your taste? There are also steamed dumplings. Would you like to try them?¡±

    As she spoke, Nan Qing pushed a te of steamed dumplings toward Fu Han with a beaming smile.

    Fu Han sighed helplessly, looking at Nan Qing: ¡°Since when do you tread on eggshells when talking to me? It¡¯s just that you didn¡¯t tell me about your Lady status in advance, is it really necessary to act like this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Fu Han, surprised as if she had discovered a new continent.

    Fu Han smiled: ¡°You did conceal your identity, but I¡¯m no fool, I can feel that our friendship is genuine, that¡¯s enough for me.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, you are my best friend, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Nan Qing said, smiling while haphazardly wiping tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve: ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for getting sentimental before I even spoke, making me cry.¡±

    Fu Han spread her hands in a helpless gesture: ¡°Oh? Then say what you want to say. I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say it now,¡± Nan Qing said helplessly, her face flushed with an unhealthy shade of red as she suddenly became bashful: ¡°Um, Fu Han, there¡¯s something else I want to tell you. Actually, I¡¯ve liked Su Cheng for many years, and we¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, Nan Qing, you don¡¯t have to tell me that,¡± Fu Han interrupted Nan Qing quickly, not wanting her friend to reopen her wounds just to seek forgiveness.

    ¡°No, let me finish.¡± Nan Qing insisted on speaking, determined to tell the whole story about her and Su Cheng to Fu Han, including her confession and rejection, as well as the rtionship between their parents.

    After listening, Fu Han finally understood why both Su Cheng¡¯s and Nan Qing¡¯s parents didn¡¯t like her¡ªit was likely that in the eyes of these elders, she was a despicable third party, disrupting what was supposed to be a perfect match between Su Cheng and Nan Qing.

    After Nan Qing finished telling everything, she said earnestly to Fu Han: ¡°I¡¯m not telling you all this to make you feel guilty. Love cannot be forced; even if you hadn¡¯t appeared, Su Cheng wouldn¡¯t have liked me. So you should be with him without any guilt.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes also moistened, especially afterparing Nan Qing and Xia Ning, she felt even more the preciousness of Nan Qing as a friend.

    Xia Ning could repeatedly harm Fu Han because of He Xing, while Nan Qing would never trip her up behind her back because of Su Cheng.

    Even, Fu Han once felt that she and Nan Qing relied on each other for survival in A city; but now, recalling it, she felt Nan Qing had a home but wouldn¡¯t return, whereas she had no home to go back to.

    The two friends thawed their previous misunderstandings, but breakfast had already turned cold.

    Nan Qing told Fu Han to go get cleaned up while she clumsily reheated the food.

    Fu Han had nned to sleep until the world turned dark, but all thoughts of sleep were gone after Nan Qing¡¯s disruption, so she simply got out of bed.

    Today was themencement ceremony for the movie ¡°Yearn for Return,¡± the timing of which had been carefully calcted for two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    After breakfast, Nan Qing asked Fu Han what she wanted to do. Given that it was still early, Fu Han thought they could go shopping for some daily necessities. She had heard that once involved with the movie, it would be hard to get time off, and she didn¡¯t like asking for leave.

    Upon hearing about shopping, Nan Qing¡¯s interest was instantly piqued. She excitedly changed into a new outfit and pulled Fu Han out with her.

    Last night had brought heavy snow, but such was the weather in A City that most of the snow had melted by the morning. Only the asional remnants could be seen clinging to the leaves.

    ¡°It¡¯s so rare that we get a big snowfall, and I hadn¡¯t even gotten to enjoy it before it disappeared,¡± Nan Qingmented.

    Fu Han chuckled at her theatrics: ¡°Come off it. If you really want to see snow, just take a two-hour train ride to H City.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no fun going alone. But once you guys get settled over there, I coulde and visit the set,¡± Nan Qing giggled, hailing a taxi and getting in.

    Two women shopping together can be a frightening thing¡ªthey might find a store that matches their tastes and leave nothing behind.

    Fu Han and Nan Qing were just like that. The store they were browsing now specialized in creative brands with a focus on sister outfits, and the distinct style suited Fu Han and Nan Qing perfectly.

    They bought three sets of sister outfits in one go. Had Fu Han not maintained a shred of sanity, Nan Qing would likely have continued her shopping spree.

 Chapter 112 - 112 112 disappeared

    ?Chapter 112: 112 disappeared   Chapter 112: 112 disappeared                                   An hourter, each of them was carrying about a dozen bags, and Fu Han, exhausted, said, ¡°I can¡¯t go on. Let¡¯s find a cafe to rest for a while.¡±

    ¡°I know a cafe that serves the most authentic Blue Mountain Coffee I¡¯ve ever tasted,¡± said Nan Qing, a seasoned coffee enthusiast, her eyes lighting up at the mention.

    So the two of them,den with bags big and small, set off in search of a cafe and finally arrived, panting with fatigue.

    The cafe was on the top floor of the Mall and divided into indoor and outdoor areas. The so-called outdoor area was simply a space on the mall¡¯s rooftop that had been cleared and enclosed, furnished with tables and chairs to create an atmosphere.

    Fu Han and Nan Qing unanimously chose the outdoor area, picked a spot near the edge of the rooftop, and settled down. Each ordered a Blue Mountain Coffee and some pastries to fill their stomachs.

    Nan Qing doubled the sugar in both her and Fu Han¡¯s cups. ¡°How are you getting to H City? Driving yourself or what?¡±

    ¡°The crew has chartered a bus, but it¡¯s just a coach. Su Cheng is driving over, and I¡¯ll hitch a ride with him.¡± Although Fu Han tried to speak in a calm tone, she couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly embarrassed when mentioning Su Cheng¡¯s name.

    In fact, she was mainly feeling guilty towards Nan Qing. That morning, when Nan Qing had confided in her, she had advised Nan Qing not to give up and had made it clear that she still didn¡¯t like Su Cheng to this date.

    But Nan Qing had refused outright, saying that Su Cheng was an adult, and since he was insistent on being with Fu Han even though he knew how she felt, it meant that Nan Qing¡¯s efforts would be to no avail no matter what.

    ¡°You should have Su Cheng drive a RV there instead,¡± Nan Qing said casually, her expression much more rxed. ¡°I¡¯ve been to Film and Television Drama sets invested by the Nangong Family before. Many ces have harsh environments; it¡¯s virtually impossible to get around without an RV.¡±

    Fu Han smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t mind these things; I¡¯m not ady of leisure and have had my share of hard times. I don¡¯t need to be so delicate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Nan Qing burst into heartyughter. ¡°Remember when you first went abroad with no money? Too proud to borrow from us, what kind of odd jobs haven¡¯t you done?¡±

    Recalling the hardships of the past three years, Fu Han alsoughed. Back then, she was fueled by anger and was fearless, shrugging off frostbite during the coldest months.

    Nan Qing was feeling particrly sentimental that day and looked at Fu Han with her chin in her hand. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I met you that I realized girls could fight so hard for life. Honestly, the strength you¡¯ve given me is immense. Maybe that¡¯s what Su Cheng thinks too.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, is this seat taken?¡± Suddenly, a stranger¡¯s voice interrupted their conversation.

    Looking up, Fu Han saw a stranger holding a cup of coffee standing before them. Dressed in a business suit, he seemed like a business professional, but his eyes were ufortable to look at, much like those of a venomous snake.

    Fu Han instinctively didn¡¯t want to share a table with this man. She looked around and saw there were other free spaces, and she politely declined, ¡°Sorry, we prefer not to share tables.¡±

    ¡°But I really like this spot. I always sit here when Ie to this cafe,¡± the man insisted, already seating himself without waiting for an answer.

    Both Fu Han and Nan Qing saw their mutual distaste reflected in each other¡¯s faces. Nan Qing, her face red with anger, was about to stand up and argue.

    ¡°Let it go.¡± Fu Han quickly grabbed her hand. ¡°We¡¯re about to leave anyway. It¡¯s not worth the fuss.¡±

    Nan Qing snorted coldly, turned her head away, and chose to ignore the situation, staring at the traffic below.

    Su Cheng called and asked where Fu Han was, saying he wasing to pick them up. They would soon have to depart for H City.

    After hanging up the phone, Fu Han went to the restroom. She certainly didn¡¯t want to be worrying about bathroom breaks during the trip.

    In less than ten minutes, she returned to her seat, but Nan Qing was nowhere to be seen, along with all of Nan Qing¡¯s belongings. Fu Han¡¯s own things were still on the chair.

    Underneath the coffee cup, there was a note with scrawled handwriting: ¡°Fu Han, something came up suddenly. I had to go. Goodbye.¡±

    Holding the thin piece of paper, Fu Han tried to recall Nan Qing¡¯s handwriting. She had seen countless paintings by Nan Qing but rarely her writing, and she wasn¡¯t sure if the writing on the note was indeed Nan Qing¡¯s.

    But it didn¡¯t make sense. Nan Qing¡¯s coffee was still unfinished when Fu Han went to the restroom; how could she leave suddenly in such a short time? Was it possible Nan Qing didn¡¯t want to see Su Cheng?

    The more Fu Han thought about it, the more she believed it could be possible. But just to be safe, she dialed Nan Qing¡¯s number.

    The call rang once and then disconnected. A vague uneasiness settled in her heart, and she hurriedly called again, only to find Nan Qing¡¯s phone was now switched off.

    Fu Han panicked and immediately called Su Cheng, blurting out as soon as the call connected, ¡°Nan Qing is missing.¡±

    She contacted the Cafe, which said all the surveince footage needed to be provided by Mall customer service.

    Fu Han then rushed to the Mall¡¯s customer service desk, where the staff were initially reluctant to assist her. It wasn¡¯t until Su Cheng revealed his identity that they slowly started to look into the surveince footage.

    The video revealed that after Fu Han left, Nan Qing kept staring out at the traffic, while the man who shared their table spiked Nan Qing¡¯s coffee with something.

    After drinking the coffee, Nan Qing passed out. The man looked around, then took out a piece of paper from his pocket, ced it under the coffee cup, and walked out, supporting Nan Qing on one side and carrying her belongings with the other hand.

    This was not a case of Nan Qing leaving unannounced; it was clear someone had kidnapped her.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes reddened, her mind was a nk, and she looked to Su Cheng helplessly. ¡°What do we do now? Is Nan Qing in danger?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Su Cheng, his face equally grave. Yet, he tried to console her, patting her on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Whoever took Nan Qing away might not really want to harm her; they could have some other purpose.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Fu Han felt a measure of relief. She remembered how He Xing always had a group of bodyguards with him when he was younger, precisely because of the risk of being kidnapped.

    By then, the Mall¡¯s staff had located the surveince video of Nan Qing leaving the Mall, but the license tes of the nearby cars were all obscured, clearly pre-arranged.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart sank again. With so many vehicles on the streets, how could they possibly find the one without a clear photo?

    Su Cheng was already on his phone informing Nan Qing¡¯s parents, telling them everything that had happened.

    If Nan Qing had been kidnapped, the most likely culprits were the enemies of the Nangong family. Rather than waste time clueless here, it would be more efficient to let Nangong Qing and her husband use their influence to search.

 Chapter 113 - 113 Great favor 113

    ?Chapter 113: Great favor 113   Chapter 113: Great favor 113                                   Meanwhile, Su Cheng and Fu Han returned to Su Cheng¡¯s car at the fastest speed possible, preparing to look for Nan Qing themselves, starting from thest ce the vehicle was seen.

    In reality, this method was like looking for a needle in a haystack, entirely reliant on luck, because there were countless intersections along the way and you could never know at which one you might lose them.

    Today was Saturday, and they encountered a traffic jam at every intersection, with cars inching forward.

    The navigation indicated that there had been an ident up ahead with three cars rear-ending each other, turning fournes into a singlene, causing a massive traffic jam.

    Su Cheng anxiously drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his handsome face showing anger, sadness, and desperation.

    A sh of inspiration struck Fu Han. She opened the car¡¯s sunroof and stood on the seat, looking around. Her idea was simple: if there had been an ident, then everyone would be stuck in traffic, including the kidnapper of Nan Qing.

    This method, truly thest resort in a desperate situation, was the dumbest idea, but this time it seemed like the heavens were on their side. While scanning the area, she actually spotted a car at an intersection to their left, and the man in the passenger seat bore a resemnce to the one she had seen in the cafe.

    Fu Han and the others hadn¡¯t seen the license te number in the video, but they had captured the necessary footage. She hurriedly checked the video and confirmed both cars had scratches on the right side of their doors.

    She was shocked by her discovery, almost doubting her own luck, which was so incredible it was hard to believe.

    Trying to control her racing heart, Fu Han managed to say in as calm a voice as possible, ¡°Su Cheng, I think I may have found the kidnapper.¡±

    Hearing her words, Su Cheng got excited too. He said, ¡°At this point, better to wrongfully use than to let them go. You call the police, I¡¯ll go check, like using a dead horse as a living horse doctor.¡±

    After saying this, Su Cheng turned off the engine and got out of the car, crouching as he ran towards the vehicle in question.

    Fu Han nervously watched them while dialing the emergency number.

    Perhaps Fu Han¡¯s gaze was too eager, because the man sitting in the driver¡¯s seat of the car they were watching suddenly looked up in Fu Han¡¯s direction.

    Everything happened so suddenly that, even though Fu Han wanted to dodge, it was toote; she could only pretend to be calm and look away, while still keeping an eye on them from the corner of her vision.

    The man in the driver¡¯s seat turned and said something to the man in the passenger seat, who then stuck his head out of the window.

    Caught off guard, Fu Han and the man made eye contact, both were greatly shocked. This was indeed the man from the cafe.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart raced as she desperately tried to stay calm, telling herself to keep cool. After a few seconds¡ªor maybe even less¡ªshe managed a smile and politely nodded at the man.

    In her panic, this was the only action she could think of that wouldn¡¯t arouse his suspicion, and she hoped her performance would fool him.

    Surprise registered on the man¡¯s face, but he quickly nodded back at Fu Han and then ducked back into the car.

    By this time, Su Cheng was less than five meters from their car. Fu Han could no longer stand on top of the car and had to sit back down in the passenger seat.

    Fu Han stealthily opened the car door and also crouched down, running towards the man¡¯s car. Su Cheng alone would have a hard time taking on two men, and she could help, at least a little.

    When Su Cheng reached the side of the car, he yanked the door with all his might. To his surprise, he managed to open it.

    He was overjoyed, realizing that it was because the car was so dpidated that it must have been acquired from a scrapyard by the kidnappers.

    Nan Qing was lying quietly in the back seat, her long eyshes castingrge shadows on her wless white cheek, looking as pure as a fallen angel.

    Knowing he was no match for the two kidnappers, Su Cheng used all his strength to pull at Nan Qing¡¯s legs and miraculously dragged her out.

    By then, the kidnappers were alerted and got out of the car, approaching Su Cheng from both sides, the sun revealing something reflective in their palms.

    Su Cheng protected Nan Qing with his body while warily watching the two men, determined that even if he was to fall here today, he would not let any harme to Nan Qing.

    ¡°Help! Kidnappers!¡±

    Fu Han rushed forward, pointing at the two men and shouting loudly.

    The area was already congested with traffic, and upon hearing her, everyone started peering out, with some preparing to get out of their cars.

    ¡°You win this time, but you¡¯ll see,¡± the man from the cafe snapped at Fu Han, then walked away with his aplice, abandoning their car.

    ¡°You protect Nan Qing, I¡¯ll chase them,¡± said Su Cheng as he was about to hand Nan Qing over to Fu Han.

    ¡°Don¡¯t chase them, they have knives,¡± Fu Han stopped him quickly. Su Cheng might not have seen, but she had seen very clearly just a moment before: both men had des wrapped in their sleeves. If she had been even a minuteter, Su Cheng would likely be lying in a pool of blood now.

    The sound of police sirens rang out. After a brief exnation of the situation, they escorted Nan Qing to the hospital under police protection.

    The doctor pumped Nan Qing¡¯s stomach, then took her straight to the ward.

    Fu Han stayed with her in the ward while Su Cheng went downstairs to handle the fees.

    Suddenly, Fu Han¡¯s phone rang; it was Liang Tao calling to ask if they had set off and when they would arrive at the crew.

    It was then that Fu Han suddenly remembered that today was the opening day for ¡°Yearn for Return,¡± and as photographers, they should be present. She was about to set off when Nan Qing went missing.

    Feeling somewhat uneasy at the thought that He Xing might be listening on the other end, Fu Han was reluctant to share her day¡¯s ordeal with Liang Tao.

    She had a strange feeling that even if she told the truth, someone would surely say she was making excuses.

    Eventually, she only mentioned that there had been a little incident, that they were now on their way, and did not utter another word; Liang Tao didn¡¯t say much after hearing that, just told them to be mindful of the time and not to bete.

    After hanging up, Fu Han let out a sigh. It was already one o¡¯clock, and the opening ceremony was at two. The trip from A City to H City took two hours without traffic, and even if she had wings, she wouldn¡¯t be able to fly there in time.

    ¡°How is Nan Qing doing?¡± The voice of a middle-aged woman came from the doorway of the ward.

    Turning her head, Fu Han saw that not only Nan Qing¡¯s parents hade, but so had Su Cheng¡¯s parents.

    All four people had made life difficult for her yesterday, and although she didn¡¯t bear a grudge, she also wouldn¡¯t be overly enthusiastic. She proceeded to exin Nan Qing¡¯s condition in detail.

    Lady Nangong held Nan Qing¡¯s hand and began to weep, but Mr. Nangong was very grateful to Fu Han: ¡°Miss Fu, we cannot thank you enough for your great kindness; I will surely repay your favor in days toe.¡±

 Chapter 114 - 114 Difference 114

    ?Chapter 114: Difference 114   Chapter 114: Difference 114                                   Fu Han smiled. ¡°I just did what I should have done. I don¡¯t need any repayment. I have to leave since you are here, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    After speaking, she didn¡¯t wait for Nan Qing¡¯s parents to say anything and left the ward directly.

    identally, she ran into Su Cheng who had just returned from paying the fees. Fu Han briefly exined the situation in the ward before heading downstairs to wait for Su Cheng.

    As soon as Su Cheng appeared at the entrance of the ward, Lady Huangpu immediately praised him. ¡°Xiaocheng, you saved Xiaoqing today. Her affection for you hasn¡¯t been in vain.¡±

    ¡°Mom, do you think I saved her because she likes me?¡± Su Cheng¡¯s face turned cold. He ced all the payment receipts on the table. ¡°You take care of my sister. I have something else to attend to and must leave.¡±

    Su Cheng never humiliated Lady Huangpu in front of others. However, he had already confronted her directly twice, both yesterday and today, and left without saying goodbye.

    Lady Huangpu¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Xiaocheng has never been like this before. What kind of vixen is this Fu Han, turning my son against me?¡±

    Lady Nangong appeared thoughtful. ¡°But I don¡¯t find that Fu Han so dislikeable.¡±

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t find her dislikeable, she saved your daughter,¡± Lady Huangpu said irritably, her dignified face still angry.

    Lady Nangong wanted to say more, but Mr. Nangong discreetly touched her arm and shook his head almost imperceptibly.

    ¡­

    In H City, the ¡°Yearn for Return¡± crew, 1:50 PM.

    The opening ceremony was ready and was very grand.

    Everyone from the crew, both in front and behind the scenes, was there, waiting to participate in the opening ceremony.

    Xia Ning bustled through the crowd, lifting her skirt, and asking anyone she caught if they had seen He Xing.

    Eventually, she found He Xing talking with the director. She smiled at the director, who immediately took the hint and walked away.

    Xia Ning ran up to He Xing and stood before him, looking up with a sweet smile. ¡°Big Brother He Xing, Fu Han has not arrived yet. She is going to bete for the opening ceremony. Isn¡¯t that disrespect?¡±

    He Xing nced over Xia Ning with a t gaze. ¡°Liang Tao called. She¡¯s got some issues.¡±

    ¡°Issues?¡± Xia Ning pouted coquettishly. ¡°But today is the opening ceremony. No matter how big her issues, shouldn¡¯t she, as the chief photographer, attend the ceremony?¡±

    He Xing raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it.¡±

    Under his gaze, Xia Ning felt a little embarrassed and coughed, but remembering the opportunity she couldn¡¯t miss, she pretended to be indifferent. ¡°I mean no offense. I just think that this movie is very important to you, but if our photographer behaves like this, wouldn¡¯t it hold us back? So¡­ maybe we should find another photographer. I know many famous ones I can introduce to you.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyes turned colder. ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a problem with my choice?¡±

    At that moment, the air around them went quiet.

    In the dead of winter,rge sweat beads slid down Xia Ning¡¯s forehead. She frantically waved her hands, ¡°Of course not. In my heart, you are amazing. You restored He Group¡¯s stock prices to their previous levels in less than a month. I was just¡­ I just¡­¡±

    She couldn¡¯te up with an exnation and, due to her anxiety, her makeup had smeared, making her look particrly ridiculous.

    ¡°Heh!¡± He Xing scoffed coldly. ¡°You simply find Fu Han unpleasant. There¡¯s nothing wrong with saying that. Hasn¡¯t it always been that way for years?¡±

    Although He Xing was speaking the truth, Xia Ning was shocked. Knowing something in your heart was one thing, but having it stated outright was quite different.

    Xia Ning¡¯s lips trembled, and for a moment, she didn¡¯t even know where to put her hands. She merely mumbled her exnation, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I just don¡¯t quite like the way she handles things.¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡± He Xing didn¡¯t listen to Xia Ning¡¯s words and continued coldly, ¡°Pass a message to your father for me. If he continues to focus so intently on He Group, then I will have no choice but to reciprocate in kind.¡±

    At that moment, Xia Ning¡¯s face could only be described as deathly pale, and it was only then that she finally realized what she had actually said.

    During the Global Photography Competition, Xia Guoxiong managed to get a photo of a drunken Xia Ning being cared for by He Xing projected onto the big screen, resulting in He Xing being criticized for two-timing, which directly caused a serious drop in He Group¡¯s stock prices.

    The board members panicked and spontaneously went to He Group¡¯s headquarters demanding a board meeting, where He Xing promised to restore the stock prices to a normal level within a month.

    In just twenty days, He Xing secured investments for ¡°Yearn for Return,¡± and sessfully brought thepany¡¯s stock prices back to a normal level, but this was internalpany business. He Group had not yet announced this to the public, and normally, Xia Ning would not know.

    When Xia Ning finally snapped back to reality, the opening ceremony had already officially begun. Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, ying the lead roles, stood in the center, with no one caring about her, the second female lead.

    She watched Bai Wei surrounded by the crowd with resentment. That was her spot, yet it was taken by this woman who came out of nowhere, and worst of all, the woman did not know any better.

    Xia Ning had previously lowered herself to approach Bai Wei, hoping she would request a change of photographer as the lead actress, only to be harshly rebuffed by Bai Wei.

    Angrily, Xia Ning stood still on the spot.

    The crowd buzzed around her, yet no one stopped. Everyone treated her as if she were invisible, except for her assistant Qin Xiaonian, who stood behind her holding her water cup and sun umbre.

    The director announced the start of shooting, and Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were promptly taken away by makeup artists.

    Qin Xiaonian withdrew her gaze and said softly, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t have scenes scheduled today. Would you like to go back and rest first?¡±

    ¡°Where is He Xing?¡± Xia Ning searched the crowd, regretting that she had fixated on Bai Wei and now had no idea where He Xing had gone.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Qin Xiaonian responded, head bowed to avoid Xia Ning¡¯s gaze. Her time as Xia Ning¡¯s assistant had been brief, but she was already well acquainted with Xia Ning¡¯s temperament.

    Sure enough, Xia Ning¡¯s hand swung toward Qin Xiaonian¡¯s forehead. ¡°What good are your eyes if you know nothing?¡±

    Qin Xiaonian dared not speak more, only lowering her head to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. I will pay more attention next time.¡±

    ¡°Pay attention? To what?¡± Xia Ning snapped. ¡°Do you actually want to keep an eye on He Xing every day? Do you believe I would gouge out your eyes?¡±

    Qin Xiaonian said nothing more, but her face showed clear reluctance, something Xia Ning failed to see with the assistant¡¯s head bowed.

 Chapter 115 - 115 Separate 115 men and women

    ?Chapter 115: Separate 115 men and women   Chapter 115: Separate 115 men and women                                   Fu Han arrived at the crew site almost at four o¡¯clock. She and Su Cheng bothcked experience in this area, and she didn¡¯t want to seek out He Xing, so she had no choice but to call Liang Tao.

    After rifying her location, the other party immediately said they woulde to find her soon and asked her to wait.

    About ten minutester, Liang Tao¡¯s figure appeared in the distance. Fu Han was about to wave and greet him when, to her surprise, she spotted He Xing not far behind him.

    This was their first encounter since their unpleasant departure on Christmas Eve, and for some reason, the anger in her heart disappeared, reced by unease.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze was too intense; she felt as if she were standing naked before him, which was not much different from the embarrassment she experienced that day.

    Liang Tao, as enthusiastic as ever: ¡°Lady Fu, Mr. Su, hello, you two have finally arrived.¡±

    Fu Han responded, suddenly forgetting what she wanted to say.

    Since He Xing appeared, Su Cheng¡¯s mood seemed to have soured. He cleared his throat and began, ¡°Liang Tao, where are Fu Han and I staying? Could you arrange for someone to take us there?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± replied Liang Tao, clearing his throat as he attempted to maintain a serious tone, ¡°Mr. Su, although you and Lady Fu are¡­ well, a couple, you¡¯re not married after all, and it wouldn¡¯t look good for you to stay together. We¡¯ve arranged separate amodations for you, is that alright?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. She really hadn¡¯t nned on staying with Su Cheng, and now Liang Tao¡¯sment made her feel like she couldn¡¯t clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned a deeper shade of red as he waved his hands vigorously: ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡ªwe intended to stay separately. Thank you for your trouble.¡±

    Fu Han followed behind the two of them, and after a few steps, Liang Tao looked back at her with confusion: ¡°Lady Fu, you¡¯re not staying on this side. You¡¯re staying over there with President He guiding you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re staying that far apart?¡± Su Cheng frowned as though he were trying to crush a mosquito with his brows.

    Liang Tao cleared his throat, earnestly saying, ¡°Mr. Su, our policy is to separate men and women as much as possible to avoid unnecessary trouble. Please try to understand.¡±

    Su Cheng still seemed unsettled. Fu Han knew this arrangement was likely He Xing¡¯s doing, but she couldn¡¯t very well say that in front of Su Cheng, so she sought to reassure him: ¡°It¡¯s fine, we work together every day anyway.¡±

    Herst sentence was deliberately aimed at annoying He Xing; sure enough, his expression changed instantly.

    Meanwhile, Su Cheng chuckled and cheerily followed Liang Tao.

    ¡°This way,¡± He Xing said curtly, his tone almost imperceptibly hostile; after speaking, he turned and walked away without giving Fu Han another nce.

    The cement path on the set was rough, full of potholes. Fu Han, dragging two suitcases, found her progress increasingly difficult.

    But asking He Xing for help was out of the question. Gritting her teeth, she carried a suitcase in one hand, wobbling behind He Xing.

    ¡°Let me take it.¡± A clear voice came from behind her. Turning around, she saw Luo Qinghe wearing a suit under a thick down jacket, which seemed somewhatical.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fu Han smiled, not hesitating a second to ce both suitcases on the ground.

    There was no point in pretending to be strong when it was unnecessary. On this aspect, Fu Han was profoundly adept.

    Just as Luo Qinghe¡¯s hands reached the suitcases, He Xing appeared suddenly before them and pped Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand away: ¡°Who asked you to meddle?¡±

    ¡°I call this cherishing the fragrance and cherishing the jade,¡± retorted Luo Qinghe while dramatically rubbing his hand: ¡°You can have your lovers¡¯ quarrel, but you can¡¯t expect Fu Han to carry such heavy things, can you?¡±

    ¡°This is our business; it has nothing to do with you,¡± He Xing¡¯s expression turned cial as he effortlessly picked up both of Fu Han¡¯s suitcases and strode ahead; he didn¡¯t forget to nce back at her disdainfully: ¡°Hurry up, I won¡¯t wait for you.¡±

    Fu Han could only shrug helplessly, wondering when He Xing had be so childish.

    Luo Qinghe leaned in close to Fu Han with a radiant smile and teased: ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry, I suspect this young master He would drive to City A to drag you here.¡±

    Fu Han sighed in resignation: ¡°You really have quite the imagination. Do you even know why we arrived sote today?¡±

    ¡°What else could it be for?¡± Luo Qinghe smirked suggestively: ¡°Yesterday was Christmas. Su Cheng disappeared all night, his parents said he went to find you. It¡¯s normal for you to indulge in a short spring night and sleep in till broad daylight.¡±

    Fu Han initially did not n to truly discuss Nan Qing¡¯s situation, intending only to tease him. However, the smile on Luo Qinghe¡¯s face was too irritating¡ªespecially the sort that made her desperately want tond a punch.

    She put on an exasperated expression and said, ¡°I thought you were really fond of Nan Qing. She got kidnapped today, yet here you are, still in the mood for filming.¡±

    ¡°Kidnapped?¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s volume rocketed up several notches, his smile vanishing as if stricken: ¡°How is she now, is she alright? I can¡¯t stay here, I have to go check on her.¡±

    Luo Qinghe turned to head for the parking lot, but Fu Han, realizing the joke had gone too far, hurried to stop him: ¡°Calm down, we¡¯ve already rescued Nan Qing. She¡¯s in the hospital now, her parents are with her.¡±

    ¡°You rescued her?¡± He Xing appeared behind Fu Han out of nowhere, scrutinizing her: ¡°How could you get involved in something so dangerous? Are you hurt?¡±

    Fu Han stared at He Xing, baffled; his mind seemed to work differently from others. Wouldn¡¯t a normal person be concerned for Nan Qing, the one who was kidnapped?

    Helplessly, she shrugged: ¡°Could I be standing in front of you if I were in trouble?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s expression stiffened, and for a moment he was at a loss for words.

    By that time, Luo Qinghe had recovered hisposure and couldn¡¯t resist mocking He Xing: ¡°He Xing, oh He Xing, I never thought I¡¯d see you in such a state. This is too funny.¡±

    A cold hum was He Xing¡¯s only response as he took the suitcases and walked ahead, not sparing another nce for Fu Han.

    He moved away quickly; his retreating figure clearly disyed three words: ¡°Angry indeed!¡±

    Luo Qinghe nudged Fu Han with his elbow: ¡°He¡¯s upset now, and you don¡¯t even know how to coax him? You reallyck tact, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why does it matter to me if he¡¯s angry¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s face began to heat up again, her eyes flickering away, refusing to meet Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze.

    As Luo Qinghe began to walk forward, he mused aloud, ¡°I¡¯ve truly witnessed what it means to be a stubborn duck today.¡±

    Stamping her foot in frustration, Fu Han had no recourse against Luo Qinghe¡¯s sharp tongue.

 Chapter 116 - 116 116 Capital

    ?Chapter 116: 116 Capital   Chapter 116: 116 Capital                                   It was indeed strange; she had pretended to be in a rtionship with Su Cheng to stop people from associating her with He Xing, yet it seemed those around her still constantly brought up He Xing.

    The most exaggerated was Luo Qinghe, who previously would never discuss He Xing in front of Fu Han, but now it seemed he couldn¡¯t speak three sentences without mentioning He Xing.

    Even though Fu Han knew this was Luo Qinghe¡¯s way of getting back at her for advising Bai Wei and forcing him into acting in the film, it just showed how petty and narrow-minded he was.

    She clenched her teeth in frustration at Luo Qinghe¡¯s retreating back, but eventually she strode after him, ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t Liang Tao say that the cast members are split by gender for the amodations, so why are you heading this way?¡±

    ¡°This is all thanks to your beloved He Xing. After he listened to Bai Wei, he arranged for me to stay in the room next to hers,¡± Luo Qinghe said, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture.

    It seemed he had already made a fuss about the housing issue, but to no avail, which was why he was now reluctantly heading towards the area where the women were staying.

    Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t wait for Fu Han¡¯s response but instead saw the poorly concealed schadenfreude on her face.

    Angry, he spoke again, ¡°Fu Han, don¡¯t be so self-righteous, He Xing is staying next door to you. You better be careful. Watch out in case he knocks on your door in the middle of the night.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s pupils constricted, and she gritted her teeth, ¡°The sheer audacity of capitalism, unting privilege so shamelessly.¡±

    Luo Qinghe couldn¡¯t stop snickering. He was the kind who loved to watch the world burn and started giving Fu Han advice, ¡°If you want Su Cheng to stay with you, you could throw a tantrum, cry, make a fuss, or threaten to hang yourself in front of He Xing. It might work.¡±

    ¡°Only you would use such outdated tricks.¡± Fu Han spat dismissively and, paying no more attention to Luo Qinghe, left with long, confident strides.

    Unless she was an idiot, Fu Han would never create a scene to stay with Su Cheng. Dealing with He Xing was difficult enough, adding Su Cheng to the mix meant she would not have to work, as handling them both would be a full-time job.

    The ¡°Yearn for Return¡± crew booked two hotels, and Luo Qinghe indeed hadn¡¯t lied to Fu Han; the hotel where they were staying was indeed filled with girls, as far as Fu Han could tell since entering the building until she reached the top floor, she only saw two men, He Xing and Luo Qinghe.

    It was said that Liang Tao also lived in this hotel, but he stayed in a regr room, not the presidential suite on the top floor.

    The top floor had five rooms that housed He Xing, Fu Han, Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe, and Xia Ning. Each room was spacious and bright, with ayout simr to Fu Han¡¯s room at the He Family¡¯s ce, which was to her taste.

    By the time Fu Han finished unpacking, it was already dark, and Su Cheng called to invite her to dinner.

    The one thing the crew had in abundance was paparazzi. Although Fu Han was not a star, the earlier events had left a shadow in her heart, and she was worried about being photographed eating alone with Su Cheng. She decided to step out and look for Luo Qinghe.

    As soon as she opened her door, she saw He Xing, who hadn¡¯t said a word to her since he ced her belongings in her room before leaving, which surprised her due to the negative emotions she held against him.

    She instinctively stepped back, ¡°What¡­ what are you here for?¡±

    The corridor¡¯s lights flickered on, casting a halo behind He Xing, and highlighting his expressionless face that looked cold and somewhat terrifying.

    Her instinctual dodging seemed to have hurt He Xing, who looked at the ground with a cold tone, ¡°I came to call you for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Dinner¡­ dinner?¡± Fu Han stammered, her brain whirling on how to tell He Xing she already had ns. What would his reaction be if she told him?

    He Xing frowned, ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding. The hotel includes three meals a day. I¡¯m just showing you the way, not asking you out for dinner.¡±

    It was all a misunderstanding. Fu Han felt a bit embarrassed for overthinking the situation. She cleared her throat and said apologetically, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not eating at the hotel today. You go ahead. Next time when I go to eat, I¡¯ll find you if I can¡¯t find my way.¡±

    As she spoke thest part, her conscience was tormented: Fu Han, you will never ask He Xing to take you for a meal, and yet you lie so confidently.

    At her words, He Xing¡¯s expression changed, and he looked at Fu Han with an interrogative tone, ¡°With whom are you eating? Where?¡±

    The words ¡°with Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng¡± were on the tip of Fu Han¡¯s tongue, but for some reason, the moment she saw He Xing¡¯s inquiring manner, she got irritated. She looked up and said coldly, ¡°Do I need to report to you whom I dine with? You¡¯re not my ¡®whoever¡¯!¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine then!¡± He Xing also became angry and turned to walk back to his own room.

    Watching his resolute departure, Fu Han felt a sense of heaviness. For a moment, she wanted to reach out to He Xing and tell him she was only going to dinner with Su Cheng because Luo Qinghe wasing along, but her rationality ultimately held her back.

    Luo Qinghe quickly agreed to her request and told Fu Han to wait outside for a moment while he changed his clothes.

    Toozy to return to her room, Fu Han stood in the corridor ying with her phone while waiting. A click sounded as a door opened. She reflexively looked over, and it was Bai Wei next door stepping out.

    Bai Wei confirmed who was in her room before turning to Fu Han with a puzzled face and said, ¡°Fu Han, did you go to the wrong ce? He Xing¡¯s room is over there.¡±

    As she said this, she kindly pointed towards He Xing¡¯s room.

    Another person who automatically linked Fu Han with He Xing without knowing any better, Fu Han¡¯s irritation simmered like a volcanic eruption.

    Her face darkened, ¡°Bai Wei, you are mistaken. I have nothing to do with He Xing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing to do?¡± Bai Wei¡¯s pretty eyebrows lifted, and her short, tidy haircut adding a dashing air to her puzzled expression. ¡°But everyone knows He Xing likes you.¡±

    Fu Han had to admit, even though she still wanted to permanently escape from He Xing¡¯s side, her mood was somewhat stirred upon hearing that remark.

    However, this fleeting excitement waspletely washed away by the rage inside her. She held back her impatience and said, ¡°Spreading rumors is easy, but let me ask you, did He Xing personally tell you he likes me? If he did, please show me the evidence. If not, please stop linking me with He Xing altogether.¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s face could no longer maintainposure. She had already shed with Fu Han in Antarctica and now, her face inevitably fell, ¡°Fine, don¡¯t say it. To tell you the truth, I think He Xing is more than good enough for you. It¡¯s you who might not be worthy of him. And yet, you act all day as if he¡¯s not good enough for you. I think he must be out of his mind to treat you so well.¡±

 Chapter 117 - 117 117 Melee

    ?Chapter 117: 117 Melee   Chapter 117: 117 Melee                                   Dragons have their reverse scales, touch them and you die!

    When Xia Ning used to bully Fu Han, she often said this, which was Fu Han¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel, unsolvable!

    Fu Han suddenly looked up at Bai Wei. She hadn¡¯t noticed before, but she was actually half a head taller than Bai Wei, and her momentum had overwhelmed Bai Wei¡¯s in an instant.

    She sneered non-stop, ¡°Since you think I¡¯m not worthy of He Xing, then please go persuade him to stop pestering me. That would save me a lot of trouble.¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s face went from white to red, feeling guilty about what she had just said and angry at beingpletely suppressed by Fu Han¡¯s presence.

    She wanted to refute Fu Han¡¯s words. In fact, she was trying to think of aeback, but Luo Qinghe¡¯s door opened at that moment.

    Luo Qinghe looked at Bai Wei emotionlessly, ¡°Lady Bai thinks Fu Han is not worthy of He Xing, then you must think in your heart that I¡¯m not worthy of you as well. Please, take your cousin who keeps pestering you and leave Fu Han and my world.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Bai Wei¡¯s face turned red in panic, and she said incoherently, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I¡¯m not worthy of you, I¡­ I wanted to tell Fu Han not to be ungrateful.¡±

    ¡°Ungrateful?¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s half-smile was cold and non-stop, ¡°I think what you want to say is that I¡¯m the ungrateful one. Please direct your anger at me in the future, and don¡¯t take it out on my friend outside my room.¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes reddened with urgency, and she tried to grab Luo Qinghe¡¯s sleeve but was harshly shaken off.

    Large tears slid from the corners of Bai Wei¡¯s eyes, and she looked at Luo Qinghe with a pair of innocent eyes, devastated, ¡°Is this really how you see me?¡±

    Luo Qinghe turned his head away ufortably, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say a word.

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine.¡± Bai Wei said the word ¡°fine¡± three times, her gaze sweeping from Luo Qinghe to Fu Han, pointing at them with tears streaming down her face, ¡°One of you tramples on my sincerity underfoot, the other takes my kindness as malice, you¡¯ve joined hands against me!¡±

    Fu Han had felt slightly guilty seeing Luo Qinghe ruthlessly berating Bai Wei, but now, hearing Bai Wei say she took ¡°kindness as malice¡±¡­

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly, as she leaned leisurely against the wall, ¡°Does Lady Bai think I, Fu Han, am a fool? If what you just said is kindness, then what¡¯s the difference between me and a blind deaf man?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Bai Wei pointed at Fu Han, stomping her foot, her eyes and nose both red, face streaming with snot and tears, ¡°You¡¯re bullying me with Luo Qinghe, you¡¯re no good person either.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she ran back to her own room, crying.

    Even if an ordinary person cried so miserably, Fu Han would have felt some pity; let alone Bai Wei, who valued beauty more than life itself.

    Even in the works that won Bai Wei awards, she never cried as miserably as she did now.

    Fu Han looked at Bai Wei¡¯s tightly closed door with some guilt, feeling that even if she really had grievances against Bai Wei, she shouldn¡¯t have retorted while Bai Wei was being rebuked by Luo Qinghe.

    It felt¡­ it felt like bullying the few with the many.

    Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t look too pleased either, but he still dragged Fu Han by her knitted hat and led her away, ¡°Weren¡¯t we going to eat? What¡¯s with all the dawdling?¡±

    Fu Han hesitated, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go andfort Bai Wei? She won¡¯t do anything by herself, will she?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if the whole world was in trouble, she wouldn¡¯t be.¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s face regained some color as he spitefully said, ¡°Bai Wei has the style of a top star, with agents, assistants, makeup artists, and PR, all watching her. With so many people looking out for her, you still worry she¡¯ll get into trouble?¡±

    Fu Han thought it made sense, but deep down, she still secretly hoped that something would happen between Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, especially since Nan Qing really didn¡¯t care for Luo Qinghe.

    Meanwhile, Luo Qinghe saw right through her thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but speak again, ¡°Fu Han, you often upset He Xing too. Tell me, why haven¡¯t I seen you go and soothe him afterwards?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s breath caught, and she self-imposed silence.

    She didn¡¯t actually think she often angered He Xing, but He Xing did seem to get angry a lot; as for the matter of soothing someone, unless she was crazy, why would she do that? If she soothed him, wouldn¡¯t that just make her and He Xing even more entangled?

    ¡­

    After an ¡°argument¡± with Fu Han, He Xing was in a very bad mood. He had no appetite for food and shut himself in his room, numbing himself with work.

    When Liang Tao came to deliver some documents, he casually asked, ¡°President He, did you have dinner with Miss Fu? How do you find the food at this restaurant? If there¡¯s any need for improvement, I canpile a report and email it to the person in charge.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go for dinner.¡± He Xing¡¯s already grim face darkened upon hearing the words ¡°Fu Han¡±: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, get out. Don¡¯t stand there getting in my way.¡±

    Liang Tao felt aggrieved. He truly wasn¡¯t trying to poke at He Xing¡¯s sore spot; he was just doing his job. But now, even if he grew mouths all over his body, he couldn¡¯t exin it clearly.

    About half an hourter, Liang Tao returned with two bags full of food¡ªstir-fried dishes, bone broth, barbecue, rice, porridge, noodles, beer, everything one could ask for.

    ¡°President He, you hardly ate anything at noon, and if you don¡¯t eat again tonight, your stomach won¡¯t hold up. Please eat something,¡± Liang Tao said, knowing his presence was annoying and that he might be scolded, but what could he do? As an assistant, it was his duty.

    Maybe the aroma of the food stimted He Xing¡¯s empty stomach, and finally, he looked up, but asked apletely unrted question, ¡°Where is Fu Han having dinner now?¡±

    Liang Tao hurriedly replied, ¡°President He, do you want to go over? Then I¡¯ll call Miss Fu.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± He Xing stopped him unnaturally, clearing his throat, ¡°I¡­ I was just asking casually, thought you might know.¡±

    Liang Tao barely held back hisughter, and to avoid embarrassment, he covered his mouth and coughed twice, ¡°President He, I just saw Mr. Luo post on social media. They¡¯re having dinner together, three of them, and Mr. Su Cheng is also there.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Huangpu Su Cheng; if you¡¯re going to address him, you should call him Mr. Huangpu.¡± He Xing¡¯s entire aura dropped to a freezing point. The room that was heated suddenly felt colder than the biting cold wind outside the hotel.

    Liang Tao shrank his neck and drooped his shoulders, wishing his tall stature could shrink a bit.

    The anger in He Xing¡¯s heart surged like a fountain, almost turning into real swords, ¡°What are you still standing here for? Get out!¡±

    Liang Tao, feeling like he had received a pardon, escaped from He Xing¡¯s room.

    He was moving so fast he almost bumped into Bai Wei. Quickly apologizing, he said, ¡°Lady Bai, sorry, are you alright?¡±

 Chapter 118 - 118 118 Bracelet

    ?Chapter 118: 118 Bracelet   Chapter 118: 118 Bracelet                                   Bai Wei shook her head, pale-faced, and briskly walked past Liang Tao towards He Xing¡¯s room, frightening Liang Tao into hastily following behind to stop her, ¡°Lady Bai, President He is in a terrible mood right now. For your own good, whatever you need, it¡¯s best to see him another day.¡±

    Liang Tao was offering a friendly reminder based on their decent rtionship; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered with anyone else.

    But to his surprise, Bai Wei acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything, staggering straight into He Xing¡¯s room.

    At the doorway, Liang Tao engaged in a bout of stomping and chest-beating but ultimatelycked the courage to reenter He Xing¡¯s room. He could only silently mourn for Bai Wei for a mere five seconds, then he turned and left without looking back.

    As soon as Bai Wei entered, she pouted andined, ¡°He Xing, you have to teach Luo Qinghe a lesson for me. He¡¯s really gone too far, always just bullying me.¡±

    He Xing slowly lifted his head, looking at Bai Wei with a detached expression, ¡°It¡¯s you who insisted on bothering him relentlessly. You¡¯re still upset that he¡¯s not epting you? Then you might as well stop chasing after him, and it¡¯d be better to give up sooner rather thanter.¡±

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to?¡± Bai Wei frowned, sitting on the sofa and opening a bottle of beer, guzzling down two mouthfuls, ¡°Everyone¡¯s a strategist after the fact. If I could turn back time, I wouldn¡¯t have followed him to Antarctica.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows twitched, a flicker of pity in his eyes as he said in a low voice, ¡°Cold beer hurts the stomach, you should drink less.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Bai Wei, acting out of spite, took another two gulps. She puffed out her cheeks and scolded He Xing, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault I¡¯m suffering like this with Luo Qinghe. Why didn¡¯t you just go to Antarctica with Fu Han yourself? Why did you make me follow them so eagerly and cause trouble? Besides¡­ besides, she and Luo Qinghe are at most justpatible friends. You¡¯re the one overthinking it.¡±

    He Xing coughed awkwardly and stubbornly said, ¡°Who knows what their rtionship would be by now if you hadn¡¯t followed them all the way?¡±

    The beer bottle was now empty. Bai Wei tossed it perfectly, the ttering can of beer dodging the trash bin, after rolling on the ground, it slid behind the curtain.

    Cracking open another bottle, she didn¡¯t even nce at He Xing, clearly determined to drink until drunk.

    He Xing sighed, rose to his feet, and took the beer from Bai Wei, ¡°You¡¯ve had enough¡­ If you want to drink, do it somewhere else. Don¡¯t throw a fit here.¡±

    ¡°I want to go crazy right here,¡± Bai Wei said, iling her manicured nails at He Xing, eventually wresting the beer back, ¡°You don¡¯t look after your own Fu Han and always pick on me. Who else should I trouble if not you?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s original impatience vanished when he heard the words ¡°your own Fu Han,¡± and his expression softened. He smiled and didn¡¯t argue further with Bai Wei.

    Unfortunately, Bai Wei was the type who didn¡¯t know when to stop, especially when given an advantage. Seeing He Xing wasn¡¯t angry, she intensified her behavior, ¡°He Xing, you tell me, how do you n to deal with this?¡±

    He Xing narrowed his eyes as if he saw through everything, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Bai Wei giggled, taking another two gulps of beer, ¡°I want to change the script, to have kissing and bed scenes, and plenty of them.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you want bed scenes?¡± He Xing asked, looking exasperatedly at Bai Wei, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that your aunt will find out,e storming over and drag you back home?¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed, clearly waging an internal battle as she bit a clear mark into her lip.

    In the end, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that. I need to take care of the here and now.¡±

    ¡­

    Su Cheng had reserved a private booth in advance. When he arrived, he had two ce settingsid out, and had the table adorned with scented candles and a bunch of roses¡ªny-nine luscious red roses.

    He took out a jewelry box from his pocket, opened it to take a look: this was a bracelet he selected after scouring through all the jewelry stores in City A.

    The design was simple yet notmonce: a gold bracelet with subtle lotus patterns. Although the lotuses were unopened, each flower was unique and each was carved to lifelike perfection.

    Su Cheng felt that the ¡°Han¡± in Fu Han¡¯s name referred to an unopened lotus, one of the most beautiful moments in the life of a flower, symbolizing bright hope and the persistent force of life.

    And indeed, this was exactly what Su Cheng felt in Fu Han: relentless vitality and a purity that was untouched by the mud around her. He also felt that Fu Han would be deeply rooted in his heart forever.

    Footsteps were heard outside the box. Su Cheng, on hearing Fu Han¡¯s conversation with the waiter, excitedly stood up, not forgetting to hold the roses in his hands.

    When the door opened, Su Cheng and Fu Han looked at each other, both feeling a bit awkward,rgely because of Luo Qinghe.

    Upon seeing the roses, Luo Qinghe blurted out loudly as though fearing the world wouldn¡¯t know, ¡°Su Cheng, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to propose today? If so, I can take photos for you for free.¡±

    Fu Han really wanted to sew Luo Qinghe¡¯s mouth shut. Despite wearing boots, she kicked him in the shin, ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, no one considers you mute.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t understand how Luo Qinghe, who initially seemed like a chic, rebellious cool guy, had be more and more noisy the longer she got to know him.

    Luo Qinghe grimaced in pain, ¡°Fu Han, what do you mean? You pull me here to be a third wheel, and now you want to use me as a punching bag? I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m not in a good mood today either¡­¡±

    Su Cheng hadn¡¯t expected that without even speaking, the two of them would start arguing. Though filled with embarrassment, he still mustered the nerves to mediate, ¡°Stop fighting, both of you. It¡¯s not a proposal¡ªI just wanted to give Fu Han the Christmas present I didn¡¯t get to give her before.¡±

    He promptly handed the jewelry box over to her, anticipation clear in his voice, ¡°Open it, see if you like it.¡±

    Fu Han took the box and sat across from Su Cheng. Slowly, she opened it, revealing a glittering gold bracelet.

    Her eyes brightened as she picked up the bracelet for a closer look, happily saying, ¡°Is this a lotus seed pod? Where did you find this?¡±

    In that moment, Fu Han¡¯s smile convinced Su Cheng that running through every jewelry store in City A once more would still be worth it.

    His heart burst with joy, but he maintained aposed facade, ¡°I just happened to pass by, saw this bracelet by chance, and thought you would like it, so I bought it for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I really do like it. The ¡®Han¡¯ in my namees from the lotus seed pod,¡± She said, herplexion changing slightly, ¡°This bracelet looks expensive. How much was it? I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡±

 Chapter 119 - 119 119 Common Gifts

    ?Chapter 119: 119 Common Gifts   Chapter 119: 119 Common Gifts                                   Su Cheng¡¯s ruddyplexion turned to a pale one as he anxiously said, ¡°This is a gift I¡¯m giving you, how could I ask you to pay for it?¡±

    ¡°You helped me choose this gift, and I¡¯m already very grateful,¡± Fu Han smiled, ¡°But it¡¯s a principle of mine, please understand, I don¡¯t like to owe people favors.¡±

    ¡°Owe favors?¡± Luo Qinghe eximed dramatically, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys a couple? Why would you still feel like you owe each other favors?¡±

    Fu Han was stunned, so was Su Cheng, as in that instant, they had both forgotten about their rtionship as a couple.

    Su Cheng was the first to recover, grabbing Fu Han¡¯s wrist and slipping the bracelet on, ¡°Brother Qinghe is right, we don¡¯t need to be so clear-cut with each other, right?¡±

    Luo Qinghe leaned backzily in his chair, his hands cushioning his head, ¡°Fu Han, with the Huangpu Family¡¯s background, Su Cheng¡¯s gift is just an ordinary one to you, so don¡¯t take it too much to heart.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, just an ordinary gift,¡± Su Cheng hastily agreed, his eyes pleading as he looked at Fu Han.

    Fu Han, with her head lowered, twirled the bracelet on her wrist, which under the bright lights of the private room, shimmered with all the vibrant, changing colors of the lotus, as if it hade alive.

    Her longshes fluttered, casting arge shadow across her face, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.

    After some time, Fu Han suddenly raised her head, revealing a radiant smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, I, an ordinary citizen, was overthinking it. What I consider an expensive gift might not even be enough to cover one month of your living expenses.¡±

    Although her smile was as beautiful as the lotus flowers quietly blooming in a pond, Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng¡¯s expressions changed, as she was clearly seizing the opportunity to hint at their concealment of identities.

    Su Cheng¡¯splexion was particrly pale, the light casting a ghastly shade on his face. He opened his mouth, but seemed at a loss for words.

    Luo Qinghe sat up straight, looking at Su Cheng with some sympathy, ¡°Su Cheng and I, Nan Qing, we¡¯re different. His parents have put a lot of pressure on him ever since he was born, raising him as the heir to both the Huangpu and Nangong groups. He left them because he couldn¡¯t stand their control.¡±

    Then, Luo Qinghe pped Su Cheng on the shoulder and turned to Fu Han with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t have as much ambition as Su Cheng. Even though I rarely go home, most of my expenses are still covered by my family. Su Cheng has been trying much harder than I have.¡±

    ¡°Did you buy this bracelet with your own money?¡± Fu Han asked, surprised.

    The truth was that Fu Han didn¡¯t know much about Su Cheng; before Su Cheng confessed his feelings, all she knew was that he came from the same city as her, and after he confessed, Fu Han went abroad. Up until now, she had never thought to learn more about him.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed, and without daring to look at Fu Han, he murmured almost inaudibly, ¡°Fu Han, I really like you, and I did buy this bracelet with the money I earned. Please ept it, no matter what.¡±

    To say she wasn¡¯t moved would be a lie; any man, especially an outstanding one, willing to work hard and put in a lot of thought to give you a gift, makes it hard not to be touched.

    Unless you really dislike the person, it¡¯s difficult to simply trample on that kind of sincerity.

    Fu Han smiled, a smile much fainter than the previous ones, but this smile held understanding, as if to say ¡®I know you and understand you.¡¯

    She toyed with the bracelet in her hand, ¡°I really like this Christmas gift, thank you.¡±

    Perhaps because they were all hungry, they enjoyed their meal, only because they had to get up early the next day for filming, they drank just a couple of sips of alcohol.

    As they were staying in different hotels, Luo Qinghe and Fu Han went back together, while Su Cheng returned to his own hotel alone.

    At the top floor, Fu Han and Luo Qinghe said good night to each other, preparing to go back to their rooms, when He Xing¡¯s room suddenly opened.

    Peeking out from within his room, he called out to Fu Han in amanding tone, ¡°Come in for a minute.¡±

    Fu Han instinctively took a couple of steps back, ¡°What do you want? Is there something wrong? It¡¯ste, and time for bed.¡±

    Her reaction only agitated He Xing further. His facepletely darkened as he said irritably, ¡°Bai Wei is drunk. Come and help out.¡±

    ¡°Bai Wei is drunk?¡± Luo Qinghe, who was leaning against the door frame and enjoying the drama a second ago, immediately came over, ¡°What happened? Why did you let her drink so much?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s gaze was icy as he looked at Luo Qinghe, ¡°You probably know the reason why she¡¯s drinking better than I do.¡±

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s suave face turned beet red as he pretended to walk inside, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Bai Wei.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± He Xing blocked Luo Qinghe¡¯s path, speaking coldly, ¡°Bai Wei doesn¡¯t need your pity. Just do your job well, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    Fu Han watched Luo Qinghe with schadenfreude, feeling that karma was indeed a cycle. Luo Qinghe had just been mocking her and Su Cheng, and now it was his turn.

    Luo Qinghe couldn¡¯t quite save face, coughing awkwardly before heading back to his room.

    Fu Han helped He Xing get Bai Wei back to her room. Honestly, Fu Han thought He Xing could have managed on his own since he had carried Bai Wei back himself. Fu Han was just there to help take off her makeup and wash her face.

    After leaving Bai Wei¡¯s room, Fu Han headed straight towards her own next door, when He Xing suddenly called out, ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡±

    Fu Han slowed and turned to look at him, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°Who did you have dinner with tonight?¡± He Xing¡¯s ck pupils gleamed like obsidian under the orange corridor lights, fixed unblinkingly on Fu Han.

    Fu Han inconspicuously moved her hands behind her back, speaking as naturally as possible, ¡°With Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Speaking of which, Fu Han was genuinely frustrated. The rtionship between her and He Xing was exceedingly strange. They had parted on bad termsst time they met, and yet the next time they could converse as though nothing happened.

    As Luo Qinghe put it, Fu Han often angered He Xing but neverforted him, whereas He Xing could recover on his own, without needing anyone else¡¯s constion.

    Just like today, He Xing¡¯s dinner invitation had been rejected tly, and now they were capable of talking as if nothing had urred.

    He Xing felt the response was honest enough and nodded, continuing to inquire, ¡°What¡¯s that on your hand? Show me.¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Fu Han¡¯s heart leapt as she kept her hand firmly behind her back while fleeing toward her room, ¡°There¡¯s nothing on my hand.¡±

    She had opened her door, but before she could enter, He Xing had caught up, trapping Fu Han between himself and the wall.

    Looking down at Fu Han from above, He Xing said, ¡°You know the consequences if you don¡¯t speak up!¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s heart pounded; instinctively, she turned her head to dodge He Xing, and the kiss that was meant for her lipsnded on her earlobe instead.

 Chapter 120 - 120 120 kisses

    ?Chapter 120: 120 kisses   Chapter 120: 120 kisses                                   She was shocked to her core and crouched, trying to dodge, but He Xing¡¯s hand had already grasped her waist, controlling her, leaving her with no escape.

    The next second, He Xing¡¯s kiss wasing toward her lips again. Fu Han panicked and raised her voice, ¡°Don¡¯t do this, we¡¯re in the hallway, someone could take a picture.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Then shall we go inside?¡± He Xing¡¯s deep voice sounded. With a gentle tug of his hand, Fu Han felt as if her feet had left the ground, and her back had already hit the door.

    She truly wished she could bite off her tongue. Why couldn¡¯t she stay calm around He Xing and always uttered such ambiguous words?

    Without thinking, Fu Han lifted her foot, resolute not to let He Xing enter her room.

    But her unlike-to-fail kick was blocked by He Xing, who stopped moving, and looked at Fu Han with a profound gaze: ¡°If you cripple me, what will you do after that? Remain a widow?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s going to remain a widow with you!¡± Fu Han, irate, pressed her elbow against He Xing¡¯s chest, desperately blocking his advance.

    Suddenly, a surprised voice sounded not far from them: ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Fu Han took advantage of He Xing¡¯s distraction to break free from his embrace. It was then that she noticed the door to Xia Ning¡¯s room had somehow opened, and Xia Ning herself, d in a fuzzy, rabbit-eared pajama, stood in the doorway.

    The exaggerated hood of the pajama top shielded most of her face, making it difficult to discern her expression.

    He Xing wiped his lips with his thumb, quickly stepped in front of Fu Han, shielding her: ¡°Since you¡¯ve already seen, why ask?¡±

    ¡°But you two have already called off the engagement, haven¡¯t you?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s voice was coquettish with a mix of shock, as if she had encountered something terribly frightening.

    But in reality, Xia Ning was well aware that in He Xing¡¯s heart, calling off their engagement was never a serious matter; moreover, during the photography contest, He Xing had said in front of Xia Ning for her face that anything was possible between them.

    However, in actuality, since then He Xing had never appeared in public with Xia Ning alone, and whenever they did appear together, he always deliberately distanced himself from Xia Ning.

    Thus, people were increasingly less likely to discuss the rtionship between her and He Xing, and many even outright said online that Xia Ning and He Xing were definitely not going to end up together.

    Sure enough, He Xing heard this and said without changing his expression: ¡°That was just Fu Han¡¯s words in a fit of pique, they don¡¯t count for real.¡±

    The retort was already on the tip of Fu Han¡¯s tongue, but seeing Xia Ning¡¯s face turn extremely unsightly, she suddenly smiled at Xia Ning and didn¡¯t exin. She justnguidly said, ¡°Do as you please, I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±

    Pissing Xia Ning off for a bit and letting He Xing take advantage temporarily didn¡¯t seem like a big deal, since everyone on the inte already knew about the called-off engagement.

    He Xing watched Fu Han leave, then turned and walked toward his room, not sparing Xia Ning a nce.

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t bear such disregard; she shuffled her slippers and scurried ahead to block He Xing: ¡°Brother He Xing, what¡¯s so good about that vixen Fu Han, why are you always with her?¡±

    Gazing at Fu Han¡¯s firmly shut door, He Xing¡¯s eyes softened involuntarily: ¡°Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and just so happens, Fu Han is the flower I like the most.¡±

    ¡­

    The night deepened, and Xia Ningy in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The events that had unfolded in the hallway after Fu Han¡¯s departure tormented her mind; she wrapped her arms around He Xing¡¯s neck, pressing her lips towards his, but he dodged away.

    Knock, knock, knock!

    The sound of knocking came, eerie in the quiet of the night.

    Xia Ning rose and asked softly behind the door, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    ¡°Xiaoning, it¡¯s me, open the door.¡± A man¡¯s voice came from outside, familiar to Xia Ning, yet she could not immediately recall where she had heard it.

    After a moment of thought, reassured by being in a hotel with He Xing just in the next room ready for an emergency shout, she opened the door, thinking the setup would end perfectly with a hero¡¯s rescue.

    At the sight of the man outside, she was surprised: ¡°Yang Kaitai, you¡­ how did you get out?¡±

    Yang Kaitai had once tried to take advantage of a drunken Xia Ning until being caught red-handed by Xia Cheng. The siblings kidnapped Yang Kaitai, and after a mix of threats and bribes, he promised to deal with Fu Han for Xia Ning.

    This led to an online smear campaign against Fu Han, which concluded with He Xing swiftly capturing the hacker Yang Kaitai had hired, and Yang Kaitai himself was imprisoned as a result.

    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng, fearing being implicated by Yang Kaitai, used their connections to arrange a meeting between Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai. What was discussed remains unknown, but Yang Kaitai never mentioned a word about the Xia Family on the stand.

    Yang Kaitai, the crown prince of Yang Group, saw his Chairman father make countless efforts to get him out, including substantial charity donations exhausting nearly half their fortune, not to mention establishing connections.

    But Xia Ning was unaware of these efforts, thinking Yang Kaitai wouldn¡¯t be free for years by which time she could be Mrs. He and wouldn¡¯t have to fear him.

    ¡°Xiaoning, I missed you, so I behaved well in prison to get out early,¡± Yang Kaitai said while attempting to push the door open, but Xia Ning had secured the safety chain, blocking his entrance.

    Xia Ning¡¯s heart pounded, her face pasted with a false smile of enthusiasm: ¡°Kaitai, it¡¯s not convenient to catch up thiste. Why don¡¯t you find a hotel to stay tonight, and I¡¯ll treat you to lunch tomorrow? Then, we can talk all you want, okay?¡±

    But Yang Kaitai¡¯s face flushed with anger as he red at Xia Ning, ¡°Xia Ning, have you forgotten what you said? If you don¡¯t let me in, I¡¯ll start screaming here and let He Xing see what kind of person you really are.¡±

    Under the dim orange light of the hall, Yang Kaitai¡¯s visage looked as frightful as a demonic envoy from hell, his short-cropped hair almost bald and gleaming, and his already ordinary face flushed with rage.

    Xia Ning knew Yang Kaitai was in an extremely unstable state of mind and capable of anything.

    She did not dare argue, hastily letting him in while trying to silence him.

    Since they were staying for a few months, Xia Ning had specially redecorated her room: pink wallpaper, light pink curtains, and countless pinknterns on the living room ceiling; a soft pink round bed lurked in the suggestive magenta mosquito, imbuing the chamber with an alluring, hazy beauty.

    Taking in the room, Yang Kaitai was handed a ss of red wine by Xia Ning, ¡°Kaitai, have a drink and rest for a bit. Let¡¯s chat for a while.¡±

 Chapter 121 - 121 Midnight Guest 121

    ?Chapter 121: Midnight Guest 121   Chapter 121: Midnight Guest 121                                   ¡°Okay,¡± Yang Kaitai took the wine ss and downed the entire ss of red wine in one go. He smacked his lips, looking like he hadn¡¯t had enough, ¡°Is there more? I want to drink more; it¡¯s been several months since Ist had red wine.¡±

    ¡°There is, there is,¡± Xia Ning didn¡¯t dare to provoke Yang Kaitai and hurriedly handed him the newly opened bottle of red wine.

    Yang Kaitai drank ss after ss, like an addict.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t stop him; in fact, she hoped Yang Kaitai would drink more, preferably get drunk; then she would be safe.

    As the bottle of red wine neared its end, Yang Kaitai¡¯s eyes turned red. His gaze wandered unabashedly over Xia Ning¡¯s body, her pink bunny pajamas were cute, but the neckline was low, offering a glimpse of ample cleavage.

    Yang Kaitai rubbed his hands on hisp and asked with a flushed face, ¡°Xia Ning, do you remember what you promised me when you were in the detention house?¡±

    A shock went through Xia Ning¡¯s heart; of course, she wouldn¡¯t forget, but now was certainly not the time to talk about it.

    She forced augh and changed the subject, ¡°Kaitai, you haven¡¯t told me how you got here. Were you released, or did you escape?¡±

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s eyes zed with fire as he suddenly lunged at Xia Ning, fast as lightning.

    Xia Ning screamed in fright with an ¡°Ahh,¡± but after only a short cry, Yang Kaitai covered her mouth, ¡°If you dare to scream, I¡¯ll go find He Xing.¡±

    She was so frightened that she immediately closed her mouth, but the terror in her eyes couldn¡¯t be concealed.

    The old Yang Kaitai was always submissive to her. He would be happy for days if she just smiled at him. But now, Yang Kaitai had clearly changed, be unrecognizable to her.

    Yang Kaitai was pleased with Xia Ning¡¯s reaction. He leaned down and kissed her brightly red lips deeply, with rough, eager movements devoid of tenderness.

    Xia Ning was so frightened that her body stiffened. She didn¡¯t dare shout anymore, she couldn¡¯t even muster all her strength to resist; she could only plead softly for Yang Kaitai to let her go.

    But how could a man fresh out of prison heed her words?

    Moreover, Xia Ning had once promised Yang Kaitai not to expose the Xia Family in return for his silence. She had personally promised that she would stay with him for one night upon his release.

    Ambiguous noises began to fill the room, and the clothes on Xia Ning¡¯s body dropped one by one to the floor until she waspletely naked.

    When the noise in the room finally subsided, shey in bed, turned away from Yang Kaitai, crying ceaselessly, yet ultimately not daring to make a sound.

    ¡­

    The next morning.

    Fu Han was woken up by He Xing¡¯s knocking. She got up briskly.

    It was strange, considering she was picky with beds. Last night was her first time sleeping in this room, and she had braced herself for insomnia, but she fell asleep quickly upon lying down and slept very well all through the night without interruption.

    Fu Han thought about how she was starting the official shoot today. Wearing a long woolen coat was inconvenient, so she had put on a hoodie underneath with a short down jacket on top, fleece-lined pencil pants, and Martin boots for the lower half.

    The fruit green hoodie was vibrant, and itsbination with the Martin boots was eye-catching; it was a look with both style andfort.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes brightened when he saw her, ¡°Xiaohan, you look really pretty today.¡±

    Fu Han blushed, unsure of what to say. She used to dress up in different styles every day, just to get apliment from He Xing.

    Now, her dream hade true, yet she was no longer the little girl who needed others¡¯pliments to feel pretty.

    He Xing led Fu Han to breakfast; the vast dining room was almost empty, as if they had booked the entire ce for themselves.

    ¡°Most people have already had their breakfast,¡± He Xing exined while helping Fu Han mix her noodles, ¡°Actors have to get up early for makeup, along with the makeup artists, costume designers, assistants, and so on.¡±

    Fu Han, with a mouthful of steamed dumplings, spoke unclearly, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we behind-the-scenes people have it much easier and can sleep in?¡±

    ¡°You want to sleep in every day?¡± He Xing raised an eyebrow, his smile meaningful.

    In the past, Fu Han always woke up early, waiting outside He Xing¡¯s room all dressed up. When the time came, she would knock on the door; with her around, He Xing never needed an rm clock and was always punctual.

    Her gaze made Fu Han ufortable, she turned her head to look at the dried flowers in the distance and said unnaturally, ¡°Who would want to get up if they could sleep in? Back then, I just wanted to be the first person you saw every morning when you woke up.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s expression softened with a tinge of mncholy, ¡°I often miss those times too, when I would drop you off at school before going to work.¡±

    It must have been the sight of that dried bouquet of gypsoph that made her eyes sting with difort. She blinked furiously to keep her tears from falling.

    He Xing pushed the mixed noodles toward Fu Han, ¡°It¡¯s your favorite. I added pickled long beans and diced radish for you, try it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t eat this anymore,¡± said Fu Han, about to push the noodles back, but she identally caught sight of He Xing¡¯s eyes.

    His eyes, like obsidian,bined with the pristine whiteness of the surrounding sclera, were as cool as dew rolling on lotus leaves, drawing one¡¯s gaze deeply in.

    A surge ofpassion swept over her like a tide, and she heard her heart sigh softly as she silently took the bowl back, eating the noodles in small bites.

    This was the first time she was so preupied that she couldn¡¯t taste the noodles she was eating.

    He Xing was also eating the mixed noodles, but he had never liked sour vors since childhood. He preferred spicy foods, so his bowl was added with plenty of chili oil, appearing very spicy and red.

    Unexpectedly, the chili in H City was more potent than that in A City. He Xing had only eaten half a bowl before he couldn¡¯t handle the spiciness, his breathing bing louder.

    Seeing He Xing in such a plight was a rare sight for Fu Han, and her mood instantly lifted. She couldn¡¯t help butugh, covering her mouth with her hand.

    He Xing wiped the tears from his cheeks and naturally took Fu Han¡¯s unfinished soy milk, finishing it in just a few gulps. He shook the empty ss, ¡°Who asked you tough at me?¡±

    The scene before her was so reminiscent of their childhood. She always tried various ways to attract He Xing¡¯s attention, and he always seemed so indifferent. Yet when they were alone, he was¡­ very intimate with her, and there had been several close calls.

    Looking back, Fu Han could only mock her own foolishness¡ªif she truly loved someone, how could she never defend herself in front of others?

    Fu Han kept her head down and ignored He Xing, regaining her calm demeanor and finishing the noodles in front of her.

    He Xing, however, stopped eating. His gaze rested openly on Fu Han. Although his face showed no expression, his heart was turbulent as an ocean storm, realizing she still harbored feelings about the past.

    But what did that matter? As long as she hadn¡¯t forgotten the past, there was still hope, wasn¡¯t there?

 Chapter 122 - 122 No Love at 122

    ?Chapter 122: No Love at 122   Chapter 122: No Love at 122                                   Even if it¡¯s hatred, so what? Where does hatrede from if not from love?

    What she fears most is, not even having any hatred left.

    Moreover, he knows her hatred for him is not deep-seated, but rather resentment that he didn¡¯t treat her well enough in the past, allowing her to endure so much unfairness.

    This is the truth, and He Xing won¡¯t deny it. Now, he is using this as a lesson to redouble his efforts to treat her well.

    ¡­

    This is Fu Han¡¯s first time shooting a film. She had learned a bit back in school, but that was just ying around with ssmates, and the equipment was not so advanced.

    Luckily, she came an hour early to get familiar with the environment.

    She had memorized the content to be shot today by heart the day before, and now she was just waiting for the director to arrive.

    Sure enough, the director arrived soon, and he came with He Xing.

    This was another eyebrow-raising piece of news for Fu Han: He Xing was actually the Chief Producer of ¡°Yearn for Return.¡± Learning this had distressed Fu Han for quite a while.

    She couldn¡¯t recall He Xing ever studying anything rted to film. From childhood, he was groomed as an heir to the He Family, and under his strict grandfather, all his spare time was spent learning how to manage apany.

    Fu Han found it difficult to ept He Xing as a producer, but she also forced herself not to focus on this.

    Perhaps He Xing harbored a dream about film. After all, the He Group with its vast wealth could certainly support his dream, being the biggest investor in the movie.

    The scene to be shot in the morning was when the lead male and female characters meet, starting as foes andter falling in love.

    Bai Wei was in good form, perfectly portraying her character¡¯s disdain for the male lead; on the other hand, Luo Qinghe was continuously out of sorts,pletely dominated by Bai Wei¡¯s presence, failing to exhibit the necessary anger and instead exuding a sense of guilt.

    After several cuts, the director¡¯s temper red, makingments like, ¡°People with no acting experience are so hard to work with.¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯splexion worsened, and after another cut, he couldn¡¯t stand the director¡¯s remarks any longer. ¡°I¡¯m not acting anymore,¡± he said and then left.

    Fu Han remained calm behind the camera, understanding perfectly why Luo Qinghe was feeling guilty. Who asked Luo Qinghe to not hold back his tongue yesterday and say a bunch of unpleasant words?

    Now regretting? Feeling guilty? It was toote.

    But Bai Wei was anxious, rushing over to Fu Han and urging, ¡°Fu Han, hurry and go persuade Luo Qinghe, ask him not to lose his temper.¡±

    Fu Han nced sideward at He Xing and said nothing.

    He Xing scoffed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you take in what I saidst night? If you keep pushing this, he¡¯ll bully you even more.¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Fu Han, are you still my friend or not, will you help or not?¡±

    Fu Han crossed her arms, her tone exasperated but deadly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you speaking with great energy yesterday? Back then, I didn¡¯t feel like you were treating me as a friend. Howe I¡¯m your friend now?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I wrong yesterday?¡± Bai Wei red fiercely at He Xing, ¡°What I meant was He Xing isn¡¯t worthy of you. You¡¯re so outstanding and independent, right?¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s a pleasant thing to hear.¡± Fu Hanughed, turned around, and went out.

    She faintly heard He Xing¡¯s voice filled with scarcely contained fury, ¡°Bai Wei, are you courting death? Not worthy of whom?¡±

    Then came Bai Wei¡¯s shameless voice, ¡°Worthy, worthy, you and Fu Han are a perfect match¡ªtalented gentleman and beautifuldy¡ªhappy now?¡±

    Fu Han internally remarked on her good fortune¡ªthankfully Su Cheng had gone to film another set of scenes. Otherwise, without the worst there could only be worse, and fights might even break out.

    Luo Qinghe was standing under a tree that had lost all its leaves, smoking a cigarette. The smoke drifted towards Fu Han with the wind, making her cough violently.

    She quickly covered her nose and moved upwind, ¡°Luo Qinghe, can you stop smoking?¡±

    ¡°He Xing smokes too, why don¡¯t you tell him that?¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s words were not polite, yet he still threw the cigarette on the ground and stamped it out.

    Used to his fixation with He Xing, Fu Han responded indifferently, ¡°If I could control He Xing, do you think I would have called off the engagement?¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡± Luo Qinghe thought for a while, his expression conflicted, ¡°Sometimes, I think you are very naive, but other times, you¡¯re iprehensible. I think He Xing really likes you, why are you so determined to call off the engagement?¡±

    The topic touched on Fu Han¡¯s perpetual pain. Under normal circumstances, she would not have answered, yet today she decided to speak the truth, ¡°The social status gap between He Xing and me is too big. There are many things he does that I can¡¯t understand or ept, and vice versa. Maybe we could be together, but as time goes by, our disagreements will be increasingly evident, and in the end, we would still part ways.¡±

    Luo Qinghe sighed, the smell of cigarette growing stronger as he looked at the destend in the distance, ¡°You¡¯re too pessimistic. I believe love is enough.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you give Bai Wei a chance?¡± Fu Han didn¡¯t want to talk about her own matters anymore, so she quickly changed the subject.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s faint smile disappeared, his stern face expressionless, ¡°I still prefer the person I like.¡±

    Those words felt like a heavy stoneying on Fu Han, the cold wind blowing her face slightly painful, her eyes somewhat sore.

    Everyone favors the one they like, and isn¡¯t the liked one alwayscent?

    God knows how much time passed, Fu Han asked quietly, ¡°What about Bai Wei? Are you really not going to give her a chance?¡±

    A crack appeared on Luo Qinghe¡¯s face, as if the frozen river beneath was spreading countless fissures, and it seemed like the deep ice could melt at any moment, though when it would fracture was unknowable.

    Just like Luo Qinghe¡¯s words lost in the wind, ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± aimless and indeterminate¡ªif you didn¡¯t listen carefully, you might not even have heard them.

    Luo Qinghe reached into his pocket for another cigarette, but eventually put it back.

    Fu Han took out a piece of gum from her pocket and handed it to him, ¡°Here, eat this. Since you promised to act in this movie, then work hard to do it well.¡±

    The subsequent shooting went smoothly, no matter how harshly the director spoke, Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t walk off the set again.

    Fu Han asionally exchanged nces with Bai Wei, who sent looks of gratitude her way.

    As for He Xing, he kept eyeing Fu Han, his gaze so intense that she nearly made mistakes several times. She was irritated to the point of itching teeth but couldn¡¯t say anything about it.

    ¡­

    Finally, the day¡¯s shooting ended, and Xia Ning atst had a moment to breathe. Filming was much more tiring than she had imagined. She had only seen the morous side of stars before, yet now she finally understood the phrase: only through enduring the hardest hardships can one be an extraordinary person.

    The Assistant, Qin Xiaonian, followed with her makeup bag, ¡°Miss Xia, are you heading back to the hotel or somewhere else?¡±

 Chapter 123 - 123 123 Initiative

    ?Chapter 123: 123 Initiative   Chapter 123: 123 Initiative                                   The moment Xia Ning heard ¡°hotel,¡± her whole body tensed unconsciously. She touched her neck, where traces of Yang Kaitai¡¯s mark fromst night still lingered. It had taken nearly half a bottle of concealer this morning to cover them up just barely.

    ¡°Lady, what¡¯s wrong, you look so pale?¡± Qin Xiaonian said while pretending to help Xia Ning to the caravan, ¡°Wait in the car for a bit, I¡¯ll go find a doctor toe and check on you.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Xia Ning quickly stopped her. She knew all too well that there was nothing wrong with her; she just didn¡¯t want to go back to that room where Yang Kaitai was.

    Xia Ning had the driver head to the city center instead, iming she wanted to go shopping.

    The entire crew knew that Xia Ning was an actress who had parachuted into the role of the second female lead. Even though she had been cking off for a day and a half, no one dared to say a word.

    Now, naturally, Xia Ning could go to the distant city center if she wanted to. As for whether she could return early the next day to start work, that was a separate matter.

    The ultra-luxurious caravan made its way towards the city center, drawing attention all along its route.

    H City, though a newly established city, was developing very quickly. The city center was filled with hotels, bars, various snacks, and all kinds of branded clothing and jewelry.

    Once Xia Ning arrived at such a ce, all her cells came to life. She forgot all her unhappy thoughts and went from one shop to another until she was satisfied and then headed straight into a bar.

    ¡­

    This was Fu Han¡¯s first real day as a film photographer, and she had pushed herself to the limit, feeling as if her bones were about to fall apart.

    At this moment, she finally understood why her teacher had once said that very few girls could work as photographers in a crew. It wasn¡¯t anything else but the fact that being a photographer was physically demanding to a certain extent.

    Su Cheng finished work earlier than her, and as he waited by her side, once the director announced ¡°That¡¯s a wrap,¡± he approached with a smile, ¡°Fu Han, I heard there¡¯s a great Lamb Steak ce around here, how about we go there for dinner tonight?¡±

    ¡°You go by yourself, I want to rest early today.¡± Fu Han shook her head like a rattle-drum. She wasn¡¯t a foodie. Seeking out gourmet food was only for when she was in a good mood and had time. On a busy day like today, all she wanted was to fill her stomach and get some sleep to recharge.

    The glow on Su Cheng¡¯s face visibly dimmed, but he didn¡¯t give up, ¡°Then I¡¯ll buy some and bring it to you, the Lamb Steak is really delicious there.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Fu Han felt a slight aversion in her heart. She didn¡¯t like others pestering her incessantly, and Su Cheng¡¯s behavior seemed like pestering to her.

    Su Cheng picked up on the change in Fu Han¡¯s tone as well. His face turned a few shades paler as he hurriedly said, ¡°Then¡­ we¡¯ll go another time. You¡­ get some rest early.¡±

    Nobody noticed He Xing¡¯s lips curling into a faint smile as he discussed the plot with the director, that smile was like a spring breeze sweeping across thend.

    He was handsome even when he wasn¡¯t smiling, but his unsmiling demeanor carried a coldness that made him seem unapproachable.

    He Xing used the excuse of taking a phone call to pull aside Liang Tao, ¡°Call the chef and have him prepare the meals for me and Fu Han, and have them sent directly to Fu Han¡¯s room.¡±

    Liang Tao¡¯s mind raced, immediately offering a suggestion, ¡°Mr. He, should we also prepare things like red wine and candlelight?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s earlobes turned red. He coughed twice, his fist covering his mouth, ¡°Prepare them in advance, just in case.¡±

    ¡­

    After wrapping up for the day, Luo Qinghe took the initiative to find Bai Wei. His handsome face clearly spelled ¡°awkward,¡± ¡°Um¡­ do you have ns tonight, if not, I¡­ I¡¯d like to take you out to dinner.¡±

    He thought he was a sure bet, but Bai Wei flipped her hair, ¡°Sorry, I have ns.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Luo Qinghe was stunned. He opened his mouth in surprise, ¡°I asked your assistant, and she said you didn¡¯t have any ns for tonight.¡±

    Bai Wei was inwardly gleeful at seeing Luo Qinghe¡¯s deted look, but her face remained calm, ¡°I have no work arrangements, but do I have to go to dinner with you? We¡¯re making a movie now. If people saw us going out to dinner together tonight, wouldn¡¯t rumors about the two of us start flying everywhere?¡±

    As Luo Qinghe stared in disbelief, Bai Wei leisurely added, ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you new actors are thinking? You want to use the opportunity of a scandal with me to raise your own profile.¡±

    Luo Qinghe couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, ¡°Bai Wei, aren¡¯t you a bit too full of yourself? I suggest you go to the hospital to get checked. Don¡¯t you have delusions of persecution?¡±

    Bai Wei ignored him and turned away gracefully.

    Luo Qinghe turned back dejectedly, only to catch Su Cheng¡¯s meaningful nce. His face flushed red.

    ¡­

    Not far from the crew was a bustling food stall.

    Su Cheng poured Luo Qinghe a ss of beer, ¡°Brother Qinghe, since you have scenes to shoot tomorrow, let¡¯s not drink liquor. We¡¯ll just have a bit of beer for the sake of it.¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face hadn¡¯tpletely returned to normal as he used the beer ss to hide his embarrassment, ¡°About that, don¡¯t tell Fu Han about today¡¯s incident, okay?¡±

    ¡°What incident are you talking about?¡± Su Cheng was always a very transparent person, and at this moment, he was full of honesty, ¡°You mean the part where you asked Bai Wei out for dinner, and she not only refused but also put you down?¡±

    ¡°You little brat, don¡¯t rub salt in the wound.¡± Annoyed, Luo Qinghe pped Su Cheng¡¯s forehead.

    Su Cheng didn¡¯t dodge and continued with a grin, ¡°Brother Qinghe, even if I don¡¯t say anything, so many people in the crew heard it. Can you make everyone keep quiet?¡±

    That left Luo Qinghe speechless. He felt a surge of regret. Now, truly embarrassed, how was he, the leading man, supposed to face the crew now? Was his face saved or lost?

    Checking his phone, Su Cheng leaned in closer to Luo Qinghe, ¡°Brother Qinghe, I know what you¡¯re worried about. Now that things havee to this, the only way to save face is to make an effort to get Bai Wei to go out for a meal with you. That way, people won¡¯t say you¡¯re a toad lusting after swan meat.¡±

    ¡°Toad?¡± Luo Qinghe felt nauseated just repeating the word, ¡°I, the second young master of the Li Family, can have any woman I want. Who dares call me a toad?¡±

    Su Cheng nodded emphatically, ¡°That¡¯s exactly how everyone sees it now, you can check the group chat.¡±

    Luo Qinghe immediately opened up Whatsapp, and hundreds of chat messages popped up, many of which detailed his failed proposal.

    Some even analyzed his thought process, saying he gave up being a young master to act in a film solely because he was smitten with Bai Wei and wanted to pursue her.

 Chapter 124 - 124 124 Women Chasing Men

    ?Chapter 124: 124 Women Chasing Men   Chapter 124: 124 Women Chasing Men                                   Wealthy heirs will go to any extremes to pursue a beauty¡ªthis melodramatic trope never goes out of style, year after year.

    Luo Qinghe was so angry he wanted to curse, but luckily Su Cheng forcefully grabbed his phone away, ¡°Brother Qinghe, if you really reveal your rtionship with Bai Wei, have you thought about the situation it would put her in?¡±

    That one sentence extinguished much of the fury in Luo Qinghe¡¯s heart, but the feelings of dejection within him were like an endless river. He even began to seriously consider Su Cheng¡¯s suggestion.

    If you fall down, you have to get back up right there and then, as long as he could win Bai Wei over, would anyone stillugh at him behind his back?

    Luo Qinghe drank one ss after another,pletely oblivious to Su Cheng¡¯s fingers flying over the keyboard, already having sent out the content of their recent conversation.

    Neither of them noticed someone not far away was taking photos with a hidden camera, especially capturing Luo Qinghe drinking.

    ¡­

    Five-star hotel.

    Fu Han sat in the swing chair on the balcony of her room, dressed in a form-fitting ck knit dress that contoured her perfect figure, entuating her soft and slim waist without an ounce of excess flesh.

    Her waist-length curly hair cascaded down, and the light upon her gave off anguid sexiness.

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes roamed up and down Fu Han¡¯s body, sincerely admiring, ¡°Fu Han, with your face and figure, not entering the entertainment circle is truly a waste.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze lifted from the book in her hands, sweeping indifferently over Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei was dressed in a white casual outfit today, the loose design concealing her hot figure, but the ultra-short top revealed a segment of her waist, paired with her slender neck and delicate ankles, there was an ultimate beauty that blended androgyny on Bai Wei.

    Fu Han raised an eyebrow, ¡°Bai Wei, stop being modest in front of me, you¡¯re not bad at all. Otherwise, how would you have so many people adoring you?¡±

    Though she had heard such words before, they now sounded ufortableing from Fu Han¡¯s mouth, and Bai Wei coughed awkwardly, ¡°Why does it feel so odd hearing that from you? Besides, not everyone likes me.¡±

    Thetter half of her words carried a clear sense of loss, saddening to those who heard it.

    Just at that moment, Fu Han¡¯s phone rang. She looked at it and a smile slowly crept across her lips. She tossed the phone to Bai Wei, ¡°Take a look at this before you speak.¡±

    Bai Wei took the phone with confusion and after ncing at it for a moment, her face brightened withughter, but as sheughed, doubt snuck in, ¡°Is this real? Aren¡¯t you tricking me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that nonsense,¡± Fu Han said irritably, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, just forget it and give me back my phone.¡±

    ¡°Let me look again, I want to take note of it,¡± Bai Wei said with a fawning smile, her underlying intentions clear.

    She read and reread the messages sent by Su Cheng, memorizing every word before handing the phone back to Fu Han, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No need for thanks,¡± Fu Han said, her smile as calm as a cloudless sky, ¡°Su Cheng and I will help you, but you have to put in the effort yourself as well.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll work hard,¡± Bai Wei giggled, boasting pridefully, ¡°He Xing has already agreed to add more bed scenes and kissing scenes. When the timees, I¡¯ll make it real¡ªif he can resist that, I¡¯ll take the loss.¡±

    Fu Han was bending down to grab her phone when she heard this. She remained in that bent position for a full ten seconds before finally giving a thumbs-up, ¡°You¡¯re truly amazing. I admire you.¡±

    ¡°Heh heh,¡± Bai Wei stuck out her tongue yfully, ¡°I have no choice in the matter, I just hope this move works.¡±

    ¡°It definitely will.¡± Inside, Fu Han found Bai Wei¡¯s actions absurd yet almost felt likeughing, as she nodded vehemently, ¡°It¡¯s said that a woman pursuing a man is separated only by ayer of gauze, and with your efforts, even if it¡¯s made of iron, you¡¯ll surely seed.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve received the news I wanted, and now it¡¯s time for me to head back for my beauty routine,¡± Bai Wei said gracefully, her mood clearly improved from when she arrived.

    As she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and said seriously to Fu Han, ¡°I had a lot of misunderstandings about you in the past and said hurtful things. Yet you still helped me pursue Luo Qinghe without holding a grudge¡­ I¡­ thank you.¡±

    ¡°No need for thanks,¡± Fu Han waved casually, ¡°I¡¯m not only helping you. I just think that you and Luo Qinghe might actually make a good match.¡±

    Bai Wei nodded and didn¡¯t say more. She opened the door to leave but nearly collided with Liang Tao. Caught off guard, her irritation red, ¡°Liang Tao, you did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you? Always standing silently at the door¡ªtell me, did you overhear anything?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything,¡± Liang Tao¡¯s face crumpled with displeasure, ¡°It¡¯s He Xing who sent me to deliver Miss Fu¡¯s dinner. I was just about to knock when you opened the door.¡±

    It was then that Bai Wei noticed the line of waitstaff behind Liang Tao, each one holding a tray covered with cloches, obscuring the contents underneath.

    She turned with a suggestive smile towards Fu Han, ¡°Looks like my brother is determined to make you my sister-inw. Maybe you should reconsider him? I promise not to be a difficult sister-inw.¡±

    Fu Han had been revisiting the WeChat messages from Su Cheng and felt like a melon had suddenly been crushed on her head. Her cheeks red red, and she quickly shooed them away, ¡°Liang Tao, quickly take the food away, I won¡¯t eat it.¡±

    ¡°Miss Fu, you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, please eat a little,¡± Liang Tao insisted, putting on a brazen smile, ¡°Please do me a favor, otherwise I can¡¯t exin it to He Xing.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t dare take the food away even if he had ten guts; He Xing was far more terrifying than Fu Han. Even with his toes, he knew that if he really took the food away, He Xing would likely y him.

    ¡°No way, take it away now, or I¡¯ll call hotel services,¡± Fu Han might have relented under normal circumstances, but Bai Wei was currently standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the door frame, entertained. The feeling was very ufortable, so she was much firmer than usual.

    ¡°Call hotel services?¡± An icy voice spoke up, and the next second, He Xing¡¯s figure appeared at the door. He looked at Fu Han from afar, ¡°Do you need help?¡±

    Fu Han red fiercely at He Xing, her teeth leaving a clear mark on her lips. She snorted coldly, turning her head away without speaking.

    Bai Wei burst intoughter, patting Fei Xin¡¯s shoulder and saying, ¡°It takes a bad guy to grind down another bad guy. He Xing, only you can handle Fu Han.¡±

    He Xing nced at his shoulder, ¡°If you don¡¯t take your paws off soon, I guarantee you¡¯ll be tortured miserably.¡±

 Chapter 125 - 125 125 Candlelight Dinners

    ?Chapter 125: 125 Candlelight Dinners   Chapter 125: 125 Candlelight Dinners                                   ¡°You only know how to bully me, I¡¯m going to tell my mom,¡± Bai Wei stamped her foot angrily, reluctantly walking away.

    He Xing turned back to look at the dumbstruck Liang Tao, ¡°What, do you still need me to help you guys carry things?¡±

    Liang Tao, frightened, quickly told everyone to hurry and bring the things to Fu Han¡¯s room.

    Fu Han still sat in the hanging basket, her beautiful face full of anger. Although she didn¡¯t speak out, her heart was strongly condemning He Xing.

    But unfortunately, her condemnation was futile, as He Xing showed no reaction. He walked into Fu Han¡¯s room with his hands behind his back, just as he would enter his own room. Settling on her single sofa, he stared at Fu Han without blinking, as if he were undressing her with his gaze.

    A sensation of pins and needles on her back.

    Fu Han felt itchily infuriated in her heart, but she could do nothing about it on the surface. She could only put on headphones and randomly pick a movie to kill time, constantly reminding herself that there was no one else in the room.

    Liang Tao brought many people in, first draping Fu Han¡¯s living room walls with fairy lights, then covering the chandelier with a sun and moon-shapedmpshade.

    On the dining table, the coffee table, and even on the floor, scented candles were neatly arranged, making the already warm room burst with fragrance.

    Ny-nine roses were ced on the coffee table, ringly red.

    After everything was busy and done, Liang Tao took everyone and left, ¡°Mr. He, Lady Fu, the candlelight dinner is ready for you. Please enjoy.¡±

    Before he left, he didn¡¯t only turn off the incandescentmp for Fu Han but also thoughtfully closed her room door.

    The sound of the door closing struck Fu Han¡¯s heart like a hammer, causing her heartbeat to uncontrobly rise further, pounding rapidly like a startled deer.

    He Xing slowly stood up, walking step by step towards Fu Han.

    The sound of slippers on the floor was not loud, yet to Fu Han¡¯s ears, it made her so nervous that her entire body stiffened.

    In the room full of fragrant incense, Fu Han smelled a hint of the wintery scent of wintersweet, faint, with a touch of chilliness. Amidst the strong incense, it was like a refreshing stream that brought moments of rity to her muddled mind.

    Fu Han¡¯s spirit rallied, and she turned to have a serious talk with He Xing, about things such as how she now cared only about her work and was not interested in other matters; such as how she had a boyfriend now and wished He Xing to keep his distance from her.

    But before she could utter a word, she was startled by He Xing¡¯s face, so close at hand. She abruptly retreated, seeking to widen the distance between them.

    However, Fu Han forgot that she was sitting in a hanging basket at that moment. Her movement was so drastic that the basket rocked wildly, throwing off her bnce. She was so scared that her face turned pale, already imagining herself falling to the floor in a humiliating fashion.

    He Xing stepped forward and, with his broad hands, firmly gripped each side of the hanging basket, forcibly stopping its motion.

    But due to inertia, Fu Han¡¯s body still surged forward. With nothing to grasp, she could only watch as she flung herself onto He Xing.

    He Xing, who had just firmly gripped the hanging basket the second before, now seemed to be drained of all strength, as he was pushed to the ground by Fu Han.

    Fu Han, lying atop He Xing, first noticed how thin he felt. Her ribs collided with his, an ufortably bony encounter.

    She looked down at He Xing, his corbones faintly visible under his white shirt, his chin sharp without an ounce of flesh, his entire figure much more slender than three years ago.

    A pang of heartache emerged in Fu Han¡¯s heart, for she had never thought the word ¡°slender¡± could describe He Xing.

    Three years ago, He Xing had the ideal physique that seemed slimmer clothed but revealed muscle definition when undressed. Despite his busy schedule, he exercised every day.

    Now, three years had passed. Where had all that muscle gone?

    Fu Han pinched He Xing¡¯s arm, still finding firm muscles, just less prominent than before. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to heaven that he hadn¡¯t be skin and bones.

    He Xing, lying on the ground looking up at Fu Han, watched as she examined and pinched his arm. Confused, he asked, ¡°Xiaohan, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ nothing,¡± Fu Han finally snapped back to reality. She realized the ambiguousness of their current position, her face flushing bright red as she struggled to get up, hands and feet scrambling.

    But He Xing held her waist tightly, ¡°Unless you exin, don¡¯t even think about getting up.¡±

    His breath was warm on her neck as he spoke, almost melting her with its heat.

    After years of knowing him, Fu Han was all too aware of He Xing¡¯s upromising nature. With no choice left, she reluctantly began, ¡°I just wanted to see if you¡¯ve gotten skinny.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡± He Xing was surprised, his dark eyes fixated on Fu Han, as if he didn¡¯t recognize her or as though he had finally found back something precious.

    Fu Han¡¯s blush deepened; she could no longer care about anything else, her hands pressing against the ground as she struggled to her feet, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who said we should eat? Hurry up and eat, then leave.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat,¡± He Xing¡¯s mood lightened considerably, he strode forward to pour Fu Han some red wine, ¡°This bottle is from Grandpa¡¯s wine cer, I had it aerated in advance, try it.¡±

    Fu Han swirled the wine ss, the liquid¡¯s color a shade deeper than that of red wine, its aroma rich.

    She took a light sip; it was sweet with a hint of dryness and a spicy kick, leaving a lingering vor on her lips and teeth, ¡°Such fine wine, you must¡¯ve stolen it while Grandpa wasn¡¯t home.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± He Xing, in high spirits, downed a ss of the wine, ¡°Grandpa originally didn¡¯t want me to be a film producer, but when I said you were here as well, he immediately agreed and even handed me this bottle, telling me to make sure you got a taste.¡±

    These days, Grandpa He was all that represented family to Fu Han. Thinking of the kindly old man softened her expression, ¡°After shooting ends, I will go see Grandpa.¡±

    ¡°Why wait until shooting¡¯s over?¡± As He Xing served a piece ofmb steak to Fu Han, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll give the whole crew three days off for the New Year, and then I can take you to see Grandpa.¡±

    She was on the verge of saying ¡°okay,¡± but Fu Han held back, maintaining a serious tone, ¡°It¡¯s too far off, let¡¯s talk about New Year when ites.¡±

    He Xing smiled with a profound meaning but didn¡¯t press the issue further and began gnawing on a piece ofmb steak himself, his eyes, however, kept wandering towards Fu Han.

    His direct gaze was too powerful, almost as if he wore his heart on his face.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t fend it off, keeping her head down and focusing on her food; she didn¡¯t dare look at He Xing again.

    The meal was torture for Fu Han, thankfully the dinner was truly delicious, and the expensive bottle of wine made it even more unforgettable.

 Chapter 126 - 126 Busy Night of 126

    ?Chapter 126: Busy Night of 126   Chapter 126: Busy Night of 126                                   Luo Qinghe had had just enough to drink to straddle the line between sober and tipsy, moring to go to a bar. No matter how Su Cheng tried to dissuade him, it was no use. Worried that Luo Qinghe might get into trouble going to a bar alone, Su Cheng had no choice but to follow.

    The streets were in the midst of the bitter cold ofte winter, but within the bar, it was as if summer had arrived. The stage was graced with a dancer in a steel pipe dance, d in a short skirt; men and women in the dance floor were dressed for warmer weather, in short sleeves, spaghetti straps, and shorts, their pale arms and legs particrly striking under the lights.

    Su Cheng helped Luo Qinghe get settled at a spot next to the bar. Before they even ordered drinks, the bartender brought each of them a cocktail, nodding toward a nearby table, ¡°Thosedies invited you to drink.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Luo Qinghe shed a brilliant smile in that direction, then downed his cocktail in one go, ¡°Good stuff, another round.¡±

    Su Cheng felt a headacheing on. He pushed his own cocktail towards Luo Qinghe, ¡°Brother Qinghe, after you finish this one, let¡¯s head back, you have an early shoot tomorrow.¡±

    Actually, Luo Qinghe wasn¡¯t that drunk, at least he felt he wasn¡¯t, his mind was quite clear. He really just came to the bar to have some fun.

    He didn¡¯t drink the second cocktail immediately but held it while leaning against the bar and surveyed the scene.

    Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and he pointed towards the center of the dance floor, ¡°Is that Xia Ning over there?¡±

    Su Cheng quickly looked in the direction Luo Qinghe was pointing. Though he was not at all familiar with Xia Ning, having spent the day photographing her, he had her face indelibly imprinted in his memory.

    Xia Ning was in ck skinny jeans and sneakers, topped with a in white tee. The tee was knotted on the side, revealing a slice of her midriff, her long hair cascading to her waist.

    At the moment, Xia Ning was tilting her head back, dancing with her eyes closed, surrounded by at least three men who took turns brushing against her with wandering hands.

    Strangely, Xia Ning seemedpletely unfazed by them, not showing the slightest signs of disgust.

    Knowing about Xia Ning¡¯s longstanding issues with Fu Han, Su Cheng felt some aversion; his first instinct was to take Luo Qinghe and leave, out of sight, out of mind.

    However, Luo Qinghe showed great interest, not only refusing to leave but also taking out his phone to record the scene.

    Su Cheng had always found Luo Qinghe¡¯s unorthodox behavior baffling and now had to sit by idly as Luo Qinghe filmed; moreover, due to Fu Han, he privately thought that it wouldn¡¯t be bad if Luo Qinghe caught some unttering footage of Xia Ning. That way, if Xia Ning bullied Fu Han again, he¡¯d have a means to deal with her.

    Suddenly, a tall man entered, dressed in a long ck down jacket. His bald head reflected the light, and despite his nondescript face, he exuded a menacing aura.

    He shoved past everyone blocking his path, making a beeline for Xia Ning and pulling her down from the stage, ¡°Xiaoning,e back with me.¡±

    Xia Ning, startled to see Yang Kaitai, instinctively tried to dodge.

    This reaction infuriated Yang Kaitai; he was on fire, grabbing and pulling Xia Ning into his arms, and with a hoarse voice told her, ¡°You¡¯d better drink your fill or you¡¯ll suffer the consequences!¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face was pale, trembling like a leaf, but she didn¡¯t dare to speak out, resigning herself to follow Yang Kaitai.

    ¡°Let go of thedy!¡± A roar came from who knows where, and two men emerged from the dance floor heading straight for Yang Kaitai, fists flying.

    Su Cheng could see clearly that these were the same men who had been taking advantage of Xia Ning just moments before. He spat in disgust inwardly, these men were no better than Yang Kaitai, just a case of the pot calling the kettle ck.

    Luo Qinghe was still recording, leisurely elbowing Su Cheng, ¡°When did Yang Kaitai get out of prison? Do you know?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Cheng finally remembered who that bald man was. Yang Kaitai¡¯s sudden appearance and significant change in appearance had made it hard for him to recognize.

    The Upper-ss Society of City A is a small circle; the four major families are permanent members there, while the Xia Family and Yang Family were recent riches and had slowly infiltrated the circle.

    Su Cheng thought for a moment and shook his head, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about Yang Kaitai getting out. He shouldn¡¯t have been released so soon; it seems the Yang Family must have paid a hefty price this time.¡±

    Luo Qinghe swayed the camera in his hand,ughing happily, ¡°Believe it or not, if someone calls the police right now, he¡¯ll be going straight back in.¡±

    Su Cheng realized the situation had descended into chaos; Yang Kaitai already had a short temper, and it had worsened since his release from prison. Within a few words, he had already started throwing punches, and several security guards rushing forward couldn¡¯t restrain him.

    ¡°Where did Xia Ning go?¡± Su Cheng asked, confused, searching through the crowd and hesitating whether he should intervene.

    Though he disliked Xia Ning, turning a blind eye was another matter altogether.

    ¡°She slipped away early, she¡¯s at the door now,¡± Luo Qinghe said disdainfully, gesturing toward the entrance, ¡°Thedy of the Xia Family is no simple character, a fine egoist, indeed. Although those men are nothing good, they were fighting for her, and yet she left without a word.¡±

    Su Cheng nodded in agreement. With the situation under control and the bar¡¯s patrons scattering, there was no point in staying any longer, so he pulled Luo Qinghe out without another word.

    They had walked from a busy food stall to the bar for dinner, and now they had to walk back to pick up their car and return to the hotel.

    On the way back, Luo Qinghe checked the video,menting earnestly, ¡°You¡¯d think Xia Ning grew up sheltered like a princess in a honey jar, but she has quite a wild side. Imagine if others saw this, would she still want to be a star?¡±

    Su Cheng didn¡¯t reply, but he deeply agreed with this sentiment and thought to himself, ¡°Xia Ning dares to rival Fu Han for He Xing? Aside from her face looking alright, she has no merits at all, and even just in terms of appearance, Fu Han wins.¡±

    Realizing what he was pondering, a strong sense of irritation surged within Su Cheng, since when did he even think He Xing and Fu Han made a good match?

    Back at the hotel, Su Cheng offered to escort Luo Qinghe upstairs, but Luo Qinghe declined. Though his walk was a bit unsteady, it was still in a straight line, so he wasn¡¯tpletely drunk.

    Su Cheng sat in the car without leaving, checking the time and estimating that Luo Qinghe should have made it back to the room by now. He got out of the car and went into the hotel.

    He wanted to see Fu Han, desperately so, but he didn¡¯t want to show Luo Qinghe his eagerness or even let Luo Qinghe know he was going to see Fu Han, so he let Luo Qinghe go up first.

 Chapter 127 - 127 127 dramas

    ?Chapter 127: 127 dramas   Chapter 127: 127 dramas                                   Su Cheng had just stepped into the elevator when suddenly two bloodstained hands stretched out and forced the elevator doors open; the person who entered was Yang Kaitai.

    He felt a sense of surprise in his heart and couldn¡¯t help but size up Yang Kaitai. Not only did he have a swollen nose and bruised face, but there was also a gash on his forehead, and his down jacket was torn with the filling spilling out, making him look utterly wretched.

    Feeling his gaze, Yang Kaitai red at him viciously, ¡°What are you looking at? Want to get hit?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t recognize me?¡± Su Cheng thought to himself and without saying another word, he turned away.

    Once the elevator reached the top floor, Yang Kaitai swiftly walked out, stopping in front of a certain room¡¯s door. The knocking was thunderously loud.

    Shortly after, a crack opened in the door and Xia Ning¡¯s face peeked out from the gap.

    And coincidentally, as Su Cheng passed by outside the room, he unexpectedly locked eyes with Xia Ning, both somewhat surprised.

    If Su Cheng wasn¡¯t there, Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t have let Yang Kaitai in so easily; but with Su Cheng there, she feared Yang Kaitai might stir up trouble, so she quickly opened the door and pulled Yang Kaitai inside.

    Yang Kaitai was also somewhat surprised. He had been ready to threaten Xia Ning, but to his surprise, he had managed to enter the room without uttering a single word, casting a suspicious nce at Su Cheng before he went in.

    Su Cheng felt this night was far too restless. Heposed himself in front of Fu Han¡¯s door before raising his hand to knock.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Fu Han¡¯s gentle voice immediately responded.

    Her voice, like magic, made the weight on Su Cheng¡¯s heart suddenly take wing and soar skyward. Heposed himself and said as calmly as possible, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    Secondster, the door opened and Fu Han, wearing a ck knitted dress, stood in the doorway looking at Su Cheng. For some reason, her face was slightly flushed as she hesitantly asked, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ sote, why¡­ why have youe?¡±

    A bad premonition arose in Su Cheng¡¯s heart, and he forced a strained smile, ¡°I came to see you. Is it okay if Ie in?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Clearly panicked, Fu Han¡¯s mouth hung open, not knowing what to say.

    Suddenly, footsteps came from inside the room, and a rush of anger rose within Su Cheng as he suddenly pushed the door open, ¡°Who¡¯s inside your room?¡±

    There was no need for Fu Han to answer. As soon as the door was pushed open, He Xing was standing less than fifty centimeters away from Fu Han. His white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a chest and abdomen that, while not overly muscr, had clear and appealing lines.

    But now was not the time to think about that. With eyes to see, Su Cheng could tell what had just happened inside the room.

    Even though he knew deep down that he wasn¡¯t Fu Han¡¯s real boyfriend, his heart belonged only to Fu Han. When he saw her being intimate with someone else, he realized he was going crazy.

    But what good was going crazy? Could he really get angry at Fu Han?

    Su Cheng wore a deste smile and slowly turned around, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you.¡±

    Fu Han was bewildered; she clearly sensed something was wrong with Su Cheng. Not having time to look back at He Xing, she hurried after Su Cheng, and finally caught up with him at the elevator, ¡°Su Cheng, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Su Cheng pulled a smile that looked more pained than crying, looking at Fu Han with a bowed head, noticing she was barefoot without shoes, wearing only a form-fitting knitted shirt. He felt a pang of distress, ¡°Why did youe out like this? What if you catch a cold? Hurry back inside.¡±

    As he spoke, he started to take off his own coat to put it on Fu Han.

    Fu Han hurriedly stopped him, ¡°I¡¯m not cold. Are you really okay? He Xing just came for a meal, and we¡­¡±

    The image of He Xing¡¯s bare chest shed through Su Cheng¡¯s mind. His heart ached as he forcefully stopped himself from thinking any further and nodded persistently, cutting off Fu Han, ¡°I understand, you don¡¯t need to exin. We¡¯re not like a normal couple anyway.¡±

    After speaking, he put on the brightest smile he could muster at that moment and, without giving Fu Han another chance to speak, stepped into the elevator.

    The moment the elevator doors closed, he heard He Xing¡¯s scolding, ¡°Xiaohan, why did youe out without your clothes and shoes? Come on, put your shoes on.¡±

    In the elevator¡¯s mirror, Su Cheng saw his own reflection, looking absolutely deste, as if the sky was about to copse.

    He stayed in his car for nearly two hours, leaving only after the lights in Fu Han¡¯s room went out.

    During those two hours, he thought a lot. From the moment he knew of He Xing¡¯s existence, he knew He Xing was different for Fu Han, yet he still stepped into the fray.

    Regret it?

    After all, she was the first person he liked, and he would regret not trying. Having tried, even if it ended in tragedy, at least he had no regrets.

    Having realized this, he suddenly felt much better. Even if He Xing and Fu Han had indeed be intimate, as long as he was still Fu Han¡¯s boyfriend in name, there was still a chance.

    ¡­

    Fu Han watched as He Xing bent down to put shoes on for her, feeling incredibly conflicted. In the past, when she walked barefoot in winter, He Xing would have only scolded her, forcing her to put on shoes, never like now.

    The light shone on He Xing¡¯s head, causing his well-groomed hair to reflect the light and form a halo that captured her gaze.

    She silently sighed in her heart. Why was she still moved by the small things He Xing did for her even now, after having resolved to leave him forever, yet seemingly getting closer to him against all odds?

    After He Xing put her shoes on, he patted the back of the shoes and stood up with a smiling face, ¡°There you go, no more cold feet.¡±

    Fu Han, looking at He Xing¡¯s exposed chest, covered her eyes and eximed, ¡°He Xing, put on your clothes right now, what are you doing, exposing yourself like this?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s exposing themselves?¡± He Xing¡¯s tone was unusually cheerful, and he leisurely fastened his buttons as he walked toward Fu Han¡¯s room, ¡°The heating in your room is too strong, it¡¯s making me hot, okay?¡±

    Fu Han, left speechless by his retort, huffily followed behind He Xing, ¡°I say, can you now return to your own room? I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Going, going, I¡¯ll go right now.¡± He Xing didn¡¯t cling on as he used to; instead, he grabbed his coat and promptly made his way out with an irrepressible smile on his handsome face.

    This left Fu Han utterly confused. She couldn¡¯t understand how in just a few minutes, He Xing¡¯s mood could change so drastically as if he had found a pie falling from the sky.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t know that before He Xing put on her shoes, she had no idea his shirt was unbuttoned.

    He Xing returned to his room and burst intoughter, feeling incredibly clever for havinge up with the idea of using disheveled clothing to deal with Su Cheng.

 Chapter 128 - 128 128 important

    ?Chapter 128: 128 important   Chapter 128: 128 important                                   Of course, luck yed a part. After having dinner, He Xing ¡°lingered without leaving¡± because he wanted to wear down Fu Han, hoping she would agree to see a movie with him tomorrow. Unexpectedly, Su Cheng arrived.

    Now, even if they didn¡¯t go to the movies, it didn¡¯t matter; at least he had sessfully nted a seed of doubt in Su Cheng¡¯s heart. Every time Su Cheng saw him from now on, he would definitely recall tonight, likely assuming that before Su Cheng knocked on the door, He Xing and Fu Han had been passionately entangled.

    He Xing¡¯s mood grew more and more cheerful as he thought about it. He picked up his phone and dialed Liang Tao¡¯s number, ¡°Starting tomorrow, arrange for someone to send Fu Han a bouquet of baby¡¯s breath every day.¡±

    Liang Tao hesitated for a moment but still mustered the courage to remind him, ¡°Boss He, I think it would be better to send Miss Fu roses.¡±

    ¡°When did you start giving me advice?¡± He Xing¡¯s tone changed, sending a chill through the air.

    Liang Tao wished he could bite off his own tongue. Of all things, he had to remind his boss how to do things. Even with the best intentions, this was He Xing, who was always decisive and never second-guessed himself.

    He was quite frightened, nodding and bowing in haste, ¡°Boss He, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll arrange it as you instructed immediately.¡±

    He only realized after he had finished speaking that He Xing was not in front of him. His nodding and bowing had gone unnoticed.

    But He Xing was in too good a mood to care today. He gave a nomittal acknowledgement and then added after some thought, ¡°Contact the world¡¯s best jewelry designer. I want tomission a unique diamond ne for Fu Han. The price is negotiable, but it must be one of a kind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Boss He.¡± This time, Liang Tao was wiser, keeping his questions to himself despite his curiosities.

    A few secondster, He Xing spoke again, ¡°I will send you the details for the ne by email. This matter is very important; it must bepleted within two months.¡±

    ¡­

    Seizing the opportunity to roll over, she ¡°shooed away¡± Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand and whispered softly, ¡°Kaitai, you haven¡¯t been home since you came out. Don¡¯t you want to go home and see Uncle Yang and the others?¡±

    ¡°When your show wraps up, I¡¯ll take you with me to visit them,¡± Yang Kaitai said as he turned over and once again held Xia Ning close.

    Xia Ning squeezed out a half-hearted smile and said in her usual coquettish voice, ¡°But it¡¯s so inconvenient for you here. It¡¯s so remote, there¡¯s nothing to do. You¡¯re stuck in the hotel all day without being able to go anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be your assistant. Wherever you go, I¡¯ll follow,¡± Yang Kaitai said with a smile. ¡°That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about someone taking advantage of you the next time you go to a bar.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question!¡± Xia Ning raised her voice, but upon seeing Yang Kaitai¡¯s displeasure, she leaned in and kissed his cheek, ¡°You are the future heir of Yang Group. You can¡¯t be doing things like that¡ªI will never agree to it.¡±

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s expression softened a bit, but he still stood by his opinion, ¡°I¡¯ve already been to prison for you, what do these things matter?¡±

    ¡°But I do care,¡± Xia Ning keenly found Yang Kaitai¡¯s weak spot and said with a smile brimming her face, ¡°Haven¡¯t I kept all your promises in my heart? Didn¡¯tst night and today prove my resolve? Or do you not trust me?¡±

    Yang Kaitai immediately surrendered, lost in Xia Ning¡¯s sweet smile, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Then you go back to A City, work hard at Yang Group and strive to take over thepany sooner. That¡¯s the only way my father will truly agree to let me be with you.¡± Xia Ning¡¯s delicate fingers pressed against Yang Kaitai¡¯s lips as she spoke with pleading sincerity.

    Yang Kaitai had no choice but to nod,pletely forgetting how Xia Ning had been posturing flirtatiously in the bar just the day before.

    When he agreed to leave H City first thing the next morning, Xia Ning showed him a genuinely sincere smile for the first time and also took the initiative for the first time.

    The ambiguous sounds began to fill the room again.

    ¡­

    The next period was just regr filming for the crew, which was always divided into Group A and Group B. Fu Han was the Chief Photographer for Group A, while Su Cheng was the Chief Photographer for Group B.

    Xia Ning, ying the second female lead in the drama, made Fu Han quite unhappy when she heard the news. To her, she and Xia Ning were ck and white, absolutely unable to coexist, to the extent that she once considered quitting her job as Photographer.

    However, the crew assured her they wouldn¡¯t let Xia Ning trouble her, and with Fu Han hoping for Cheng Yihan Company to advance further, she eventually agreed.

    A month had passed since the filming started, and Fu Han rarely had to shoot Xia Ning, so even though they lived on the same floor, they seldom met, which naturally meant no conflict.

    Today, they were supposed to shoot a big scene involving the male lead, the female lead, and the second female lead, scheduled for Group A. As usual, He Xing stood behind the monitors, with Su Cheng also arriving at Group A.

    Over time, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s rapport improved significantly, but there was an underlying sense of animosity between both of them and Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning was dissatisfied not only with Bai Wei, the female lead, but also with Luo Qinghe, the male lead. In her heart, she always felt she should be the female lead, and with He Xing as the male lead, that would be perfect.

    So today, she arrived on set with an air of arrogance. As the director was exining the scene, she had the attitude of someone looking down her nose at others.

    Watching from the side, Fu Han felt a surge of anger. Gritting her teeth, she thought to herself, Xia Ning better not cause any trouble in front of her, or she wouldn¡¯t indulge Xia Ning¡¯s princess temper.

    As if on cue, Xia Ning¡¯s expressions weren¡¯t right during the first take, stiff as if she had gotten fillers.

    The director rolled up the script and banged it on the table, ¡°Xia Ning, were you even listening when I exined the scene? This is where your character meets the leads. At that point, you¡¯re still a na?ve and cheerful young girl, not yet corrupted. What¡¯s with that look in your eyes? Are you trying to kill the female lead with your stare?¡±

 Chapter 129 - 129 129 apologizes

    ?Chapter 129: 129 apologizes   Chapter 129: 129 apologizes                                   Xia Ning had never been scolded like this before; she could not hide the embarrassment on her face, but because He Xing was present, she didn¡¯t dare to lose her temper. Instead, she turned her head away without a word, using this to express her dissatisfaction.

    If the director from Group B had been here, the situation probably would not have continued; after all, in the past period of time, Xia Ning had been throwing temper tantrums almost daily, much to the detriment of the entire Group B, where everyone had been practicing forbearance.

    But Group A was different; the director had a lot of authority, and both the actors, photographers, and everyone in front and behind the scenes were very cooperative. The shooting schedule was strictly ording to n, and there was rarely any overtime.

    Seeing that Xia Ning¡¯s acting and attitude were poor, the director couldn¡¯t help but get angry, ¡°Xia Ning, if this is your attitude, then this scene can¡¯t be filmed, and we can only rece you.¡±

    Xia Ning had thought that the director of Group A would coax her like the director of Group B did when she got angry. She didn¡¯t expect him to stand his ground.

    She got angry too, no longer caring about appearing weak in front of He Xing. She threw the script forcefully onto the ground and said coldly, ¡°Who do you think you are to talk to me about recing someone?¡±

    The director was infuriated and no longer acknowledged Xia Ning, speaking directly to He Xing instead, ¡°President He, I came to direct this movie for your sake. I can¡¯t go on now; you should find someone more capable.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s icy gaze slid over Xia Ning like a tangible entity. He didn¡¯t say a word, but Xia Ning felt like she had fallen into an ice cave,pletely paralyzed, and she didn¡¯t dare to say another word.

    He Xing merely snorted coldly, ¡°Xia Ning, go wait in your trailer, I¡¯lle to you in a bit.¡±

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t dare to breathe too loudly and obediently went out, but not before shooting the director a re.

    He Xing pulled the director aside, took out a cigarette and offered one to the director. He also lit one for himself, ¡°Director, I know Xia Ning can be a bit spoiled, but you really can¡¯t rece her.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± asked the director, his face turning the color of a pig liver, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the stuff Xia Ning filmed; what level is that? It¡¯s worse than a primary school student. I won¡¯t evenpare her to Bai Wei. Luo Qinghe is also shooting a movie for the first time and is much better than her.¡±

    He Xing took a deep breath, his eyes bearing a frosty glint as he gazed into the distance where a range of barren mountains with sheer faces stood, with just a few trees scattered like a bald man¡¯sst few strands of hair, looking bothical and pathetic.

    In his mind surfaced an aged yellow paper, and he let out an almost imperceptible sigh, patting the director on the shoulder, ¡°I have my difficulties with this matter; consider this a personal favor I¡¯m asking for. I willpensate you handsomely in the future.¡±

    The director took a fierce drag of his cigarette and exhaled arge cloud of smoke, ¡°If you really want to thank me, invest in my next movie.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± He Xing answered readily, his face obscured by the swirling smoke. He only said faintly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, today¡¯s incident won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡­

    Inside the trailer.

    Xia Ning changed out of her costume as soon as she got in and put on her own clothes

    Her assistant, Qin Xiaonian, had alreadyid out her makeup bag and started to apply Xia Ning¡¯s makeup.

    Although she was quick, Xia Ning still urged her impatiently, ¡°Hurry up, Brother He Xing will be here soon, and if you haven¡¯t finished my makeup by the time he arrives, you¡¯ll see what I do to you.¡±

    Qin Xiaonian was just tying thest braid in Xia Ning¡¯s hair when He Xing walked in.

    At that moment, Xia Ning was wearing a Peter Pan cor sweater with a poofy skirt underneath, white knee-high stockings, tform shoes, and her hair was full of braids, making her look especially lively and cute.

    As soon as she saw He Xing, she pouted cutely, ¡°Brother He Xing, you have to stand up for me, that director was way out of line, picking on me like that.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows lifted as he spoke to Qin Xiaonian, who stood there like a wooden stake, ¡°Get out.¡±

    Xia Ning was secretly delighted and immediately gave Qin Xiaonian a meaningful look. Understanding, Qin Xiaonian closed the door of the trailer behind her before leaving.

    ¡°Let me pour you a ss of red wine, Brother He Xing,¡± Xia Ning said as she stood up and ran towards the wine cab. As she moved, the braids on her head swung up and down, full of youthful vigor.

    He Xing ignored her offer and instead furrowed his brow, scrutinizing Xia Ning, ¡°You changed out of your costume? Don¡¯t intend to shoot anymore?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Xia Ning came back with a bottle of red wine and two sses, beaming, ¡°You said you wereing to see me. How could I wear that dirty costume to see you? Of course, I had to change.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s gaze became darker, it had an ebb and flow of light within, akin to the sky before a storm, with clouds churning ominously.

    Xia Ning, however, seemed unaware of the brewing tension, joyfully pouring wine and looking forward to sharing a drink with He Xing.

    Suddenly, He Xing pped the table hard, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to shoot, then you can leave now.¡±

    Xia Ning was about to hand the ss to He Xing when his words startled her; the ss fell from her hand with a crash, shattering into pieces on the floor, with the red wine spreading like fresh blood.

    The expensive wine immediately turned into a color of disgust.

    ¡°No, Brother He Xing, it¡¯s my mother¡¯s dying wish. I have to honor it, please don¡¯t send me away, okay?¡± Xia Ning pleaded with a crying tone, yet her eyes held no tears and instead darted shiftily. She might have been beautiful, but her expression bore a conniving look.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to leave?¡± He Xing snorted coldly, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any sign that you want to fulfill your mother¡¯s dying wish. Do you think I don¡¯t know about your daily tantrums? Go ahead and leave; my crew doesn¡¯t wee divas like you.¡±

    Xia Ning immediately realized that He Xing wasn¡¯t just saying empty words; she panicked, her eyes genuinely reddening, ¡°Brother He Xing, please give me another chance. I promise I won¡¯t be like this again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken; it¡¯s not up to me to give you a chance, it¡¯s up to the director,¡± He Xing said impassively, word by word, ¡°I had already promised the directorplete authority. Now the director doesn¡¯t want you; if you want to stay, you¡¯ll have to go to him yourself.¡±

    Thinking about the director¡¯s previous murderous expression infuriated Xia Ning. Although she pled earnestly to He Xing, he was indifferent, leaving her no choice but to begrudgingly seek the director¡¯s forgiveness.

    In fact, this was a requirement by the director. He stated that if an actor didn¡¯t follow the director¡¯s instructions, it would undermine the director¡¯s authority. Unless Xia Ning apologized publicly, the director wouldn¡¯t continue to use her.

    Publicly apologizing made Xia Ning feel humiliated, but to continue to stay by He Xing¡¯s side, she gritted her teeth and endured it. However, when she saw Fu Hanughing at the side, she made a mental note to settle scorester.

 Chapter 130 - 130 Looking for excuses

    ?Chapter 130: Looking for excuses   Chapter 130: Looking for excuses                                   In the afternoon, He Xing had an important meeting and had to return to City A for a while.

    Once he left, Xia Ning¡¯s attitude clearly worsened, her defiance showing once more, and she started speaking to the director in a sarcastic tone again.

    Fu Han, annoyed by what he was seeing, really didn¡¯t want to continue filming Xia Ning; Su Cheng considerately suggested switching equipment to let Xia Ning film Bai Wei.

    They had discussed this privately and hadn¡¯t informed the director beforehand, but typically, as long as the filming waspleted well, the director wouldn¡¯t say much, turning a blind eye.

    However, the problem arose when Xia Ning inadvertently saw that the person behind the camera had changed to Su Cheng before filming started, and a sly smirk crept on her face as an idea took hold.

    Not long after the director called ¡°Action,¡± Xia Ning started to act up in front of the camera, reciting her lines indistinctly with inappropriate expressions, and as it was approaching the end of the workday, there was still no end in sight for Xia Ning¡¯s shots, causing the director to lose his temper, ¡°Xia Ning, do you actually want to act properly? If you do, then cooperate properly.¡±

    Xia Ning, pointing at Su Cheng, said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I refuse to act properly, but the photographer has been changed, and his shooting angle is problematic.¡±

    This was one of the most frequent excuses Xia Ning used when her acting was off. Su Cheng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he calmly stated, ¡°Lady Xia, you misspoke three out of five lines. That has nothing to do with the photography, right?¡±

    ¡°How does it not?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s imperious temper was undeniable as she puffed up her cheeks and retorted, ¡°Clearly, you were the ones that first disregarded the crew¡¯s arrangements. How has it be my fault now?¡±

    As she spoke, she deliberately raised her voice, attracting a crowd of gawking onlookers who were unaware of the truth. Stirred by Xia Ning, many began casting strange nces at Su Cheng.

    Men rarely win in arguments against women, especially someone like Su Cheng, who had always been inept at quarreling. Facing an unreasonable woman like Xia Ning, he felt utterly powerless.

    Fu Han heard themotion and came over. Understanding the situation, she stood by Su Cheng¡¯s side and stared at Xia Ning expressionlessly, ¡°Xia Ning, are you intentionally bullying people now that He Xing is not here?¡±

    ¡°Bully you?¡± Xia Ning sneered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. You¡¯re like a thousand-year-old fox turned into a spirit. How great your skills must be, eh? You dumped He Xing and immediately hooked up with Su Cheng. If you ask me, you probably had Su Cheng lined up as a recement before you ditched He Xing.¡±

    The rtionship between Fu Han, He Xing, and Su Cheng was a taboo within the crew, although everyone was very much interested, no one dared to speak of it openly.

    Who isn¡¯t interested in gossip? At Xia Ning¡¯s words, everyone grew excited, and though most didn¡¯t like Xia Ning, they wished she would spill more beans.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Keep talking nonsense and don¡¯t me me for hitting a woman,¡± Su Cheng said, trembling with rage, wishing he could actually p her. He could tolerate Xia Ning speaking to him harshly, but he couldn¡¯t bear anyone saying half a word against Fu Han.

    Su Cheng was the kind of man who had chivalry etched into his bones, and these words made Fu Han somewhat moved.

    Actually, since the night Su Cheng hade to her hotel room and encountered He Xing, their interactions hadn¡¯t been plentiful, and even when they dined together, it was because others had organized it. One could perceive a slight change between them, but Su Cheng still treated her well.

    ¡°I want to see who hits whom,¡± Xia Ning¡¯s emotions werepletely opposite, shaking with anger, and suddenly, without thinking, raising her hand to p Su Cheng¡¯s face.

    Xia Ning had moved close to Su Cheng when she started shifting me, and they were only an arm¡¯s length apart. With no preparation for such an action, Su Cheng had no chance to avoid it.

    With a ¡°smack,¡± the sound of the p echoed, and the next second, a bright red handprint appeared on Su Cheng¡¯s face.

    Fu Han¡¯s fury became uncontroble, and approached Xia Ning with a calm face, exuding a powerful aura.

    Xia Ning held her aching hand behind her back, instinctively stepping backward, and after realizing this action, she felt somewhat embarrassed. Gritting her teeth, she took two steps forward again.

    By that time, Fu Han had already rushed over, standing hands on hips, her presence formidable as she looked at Xia Ning, ¡°Apologize!¡±

    ¡°Why should I apologize?¡± Xia Ning was still obstinate, and since He Xing wasn¡¯t here, she felt no need to feign being a fragile woman in need of protection.

    Fu Han¡¯s mouth curved slightly in a smile, and with the stage lights illuminating her, she seemed like a deity possessing absolute killing power, slowly raising her hand towards Xia Ning.

    Truthfully, her movements were not fast, almost as if in slow motion, which Xia Ning saw very clearly. But Xia Ning was as if frozen under a spell, standing motionless as she watched Fu Han¡¯s handing towards her.

    A burning sensation appeared on her cheek; barely touching it, she winced in pain, let alone the coppery taste in her throat.

    Blood dribbled down from the corner of her mouth, and when she spat out, she actually spat out a bloodstained tooth.

    Xia Ning looked up at Fu Han, willing to fight, but when she saw the cold eyes of Fu Han, she involuntarily shrank back.

    The feeling of being isted and without support appeared for the first time in Xia Ning¡¯s heart. She looked around; all either avoided her gaze or watched the drama unfold with schadenfreude. Even her assistant, Qin Xiaonian, kept her head down, pretending to have seen nothing.

    In desperation, Xia Ning actually turned to the director for help, ¡°Director, look at my face. It¡¯s been beaten like this by Fu Han. How am I supposed to continue filming?¡±

    The director flipped through the script briskly, eventually pointing at a scene and dering, ¡°The scenes scheduled for you today will have to be reshot another day. But now that you are injured, it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to film the scene where the female lead teaches you a lesson. This scene will be absolutely authentic.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Xia Ning stared at the director in disbelief, ¡°I¡¯m injured like this, and you still want me to act?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to act or not?¡± Fu Han¡¯s hand rose once again, her gaze fierce as she addressed Xia Ning, ¡°If you don¡¯t act, I¡¯ll hit you again, and I haven¡¯t even started collecting interest.¡±

    For the first time in her life, Xia Ning hated Fu Han to the core but was also terrified out of her wits. Ultimately, she caved in to Fu Han¡¯s ¡°tyranny¡± and agreed to the director¡¯s demands for filming.

    As Xia Ning went to change costumes, the director, while instructing the set crew, nodded toward Fu Han, ¡°Miss Fu, you have truly opened my eyes. I¡¯ll need your help during the filming shortly.¡±

    Caught a bit off guard by thepliment, Fu Han coughed awkwardly, ¡°You tter me, just doing what¡¯s expected.¡±

    After changing into her costume, Bai Wei sidled up next to Fu Han at the camera, her lovely peach blossom eyes sweeping over Fu Han, ¡°I always felt you were unkind to me. Now, it appears I was mistaken, you¡¯ve been quite nice to me.¡±

 Chapter 131 - 131 131 is not bad

    ?Chapter 131: 131 is not bad   Chapter 131: 131 is not bad                                   Fu Han feigned a gnashing of teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s not toote for you to know now. Just be more cooperative during the shootingter, or else I¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence and instead waved her fist at Bai Wei.

    However, at this moment, Fu Han reverted to her cute and soft demeanor; her fist-waving gesture was more adorable than threatening.

    Luo Qinghe helped Su Cheng deal with the wound on his cheek. Before leaving, Su Cheng cast aplex look at Fu Han without saying a word; in contrast, Fu Han acted naturally, reminding him to take care of his wound and the like.

    The subsequent shooting went very smoothly, not because Xia Ning¡¯s acting had suddenly improved, but because her current mood fit the script perfectly. She didn¡¯t need to do anything deliberate, but just follow the director¡¯s instructions.

    Even with the overtime caused by ast-minute change of scene, no oneined. This was because Lady Xia Ning had offended too many people in the crew, so everyone felt a great sense of relief when they saw Fu Han take action to teach her a lesson.

    Everyone was overjoyed to see Xia Ning with a face swollen like a pig¡¯s head, so much so that working overtime became a pleasurable activity.

    ¡­

    In a well-known hotel in H City.

    In the luxurious private room, arge round table was filled with dishes, all signature meals from the hotel, and the spacious room was filled with the aroma of the food.

    Su Cheng was using the ck screen of his phone as a mirror, examining his face. Although the swelling had subsided considerably, his facial asymmetry was still evident.

    Luo Qinghe was ying a mobile game, nced over with the corner of his eye and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°You¡¯re a man, why are you so concerned about your face? It¡¯s not like you rely on your looks to make a living.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s still quite embarrassing,¡± Su Cheng sighed helplessly: ¡°I got hit by a woman, then another woman avenged me, and the one who avenged me is the woman I like. I¡­ sigh¡­¡±

    ¡°I actually think it¡¯s quite satisfying that Fu Han avenged you,¡± Luo Qinghe continued to furiously tap on his screen, not pausing his speech: ¡°What¡¯s that behavior of Fu Han called again? Maternal instinct, right? You sessfully triggered her protective instinct. From now on, you can just be the man behind her.¡±

    ¡°What are you even talking about,¡± Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed red as he spoke helplessly: ¡°Men are born to protect women, how can I possibly let Fu Han protect me.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you hit Xia Ning back just now?¡± Luo Qinghe finally looked up from his phone screen, curiously questioning Su Cheng: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you couldn¡¯t bear to hit Xia Ning?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Su Cheng¡¯s eyes turned red with urgency, but even so, he seriously continued: ¡°My dad told me, a man who hits a woman will never aplish anything in life.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just tell Fu Hanter¡­¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s mischievous smile emerged: ¡°Su Cheng said it¡¯s not embarrassing to be hit by a woman, so you don¡¯t need to seek revenge for him, lest your hand hurts.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Su Cheng wished he could sew Luo Qinghe¡¯s mouth shut. Facing Luo Qinghe¡¯s meaningful gaze, he exined with a flushed face: ¡°You¡­ you said Fu Han¡¯s maternal instincts have been triggered, and she has a protective desire towards me, right? I¡­ I think that¡¯s not too bad.¡±

    Luo Qinghe spread his hands andughed helplessly: ¡°You¡¯re too indecisive. It¡¯s either this or that with you. If I were Fu Han, I¡¯d be exhausted being with someone like you.¡±

    One sentence made Su Cheng¡¯s smile copse, and he looked at Luo Qinghe in shock, a bolt of lightning shing through his mind as if he had finally understood something.

    The door to the private room opened, and Bai Wei and Fu Han came in,ughing and talking. The two men¡¯s gaze immediately shifted to them, and Luo Qinghe stopped his ongoing mobile game as well.

    Su Cheng quickly stood up to pull the chair out for Fu Han and then helped her hang up her coat and bag.

    Bai Wei watched them enviously andined to Luo Qinghe: ¡°Why don¡¯t you learn from Su Cheng? Look how good he is to his girlfriend. Everyone in the crew is envious of Fu Han.¡±

    Fu Han, who was drinking warm water, choked violently with a bout of coughs. Although her contract rtionship with Su Cheng had been going on for a while, she wasn¡¯t used to being called ¡°Su Cheng¡¯s girlfriend,¡± not at all.

    Su Cheng wanted to pat Fu Han¡¯s back to help her catch her breath, but his hand stopped less than a centimeter from her back. In the end, he simply asked with concern if she was okay.

    Luo Qinghe picked up his phone to resume gaming: ¡°Su Cheng and Fu Han are in a rtionship, and you and I are just ordinary friends. If I¡¯m too enthusiastic with you, wouldn¡¯t your male fans drown me in their saliva?¡±

    His head was bowed so low that no one saw his face turn red as he spoke these words.

    Bai Wei¡¯s gaze dimmed for a moment, but she quickly regained herposure. She cracked a couple of jokes and then sat down next to Luo Qinghe, leaning in to watch him y his game.

    Fu Han, who was already hungry, began eating while observing the two of them. Although their daily interaction consisted of endless bickering, Fu Han felt more and more that they were like a couple in aedy of errors.

    However, there seemed to be an insurmountable chasm in Luo Qinghe¡¯s heart. He could y and joke with Bai Wei, but he always insisted to others that they were just ordinary friends, firmly denying any ambiguous rtionship between them.

    Although Bai Wei felt indignant about this, she knew that haste would not bring sess, so she followed Fu Han¡¯s advice to the letter, alternating between warmth and coldness towards Luo Qinghe.

    In short, she would be distant when Luo Qinghe was affectionate, and affectionate when he was distant, ying hard to get to perfection.

    While the four were eating, Su Cheng¡¯s phone rang. After looking at the phone screen, his expression turned strange. He nced at Fu Han, hesitating whether to answer.

    Luo Qinghe, sitting next to him, caught a glimpse of the iing call number on the screen and immediately used Su Cheng in an exaggerated tone: ¡°Su Cheng, your mother is calling you and you¡¯re not answering. What was the point of her raising you?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and answer, it¡¯s okay.¡± Fu Han quickly spoke up, knowing why Su Cheng hesitated. She had only met Su Cheng¡¯s mother twice altogether, and both times ended on a sour note.

    Su Cheng stepped out of the private room with his phone, then came back two minutester looking somber: ¡°Nan Qing ising to visit the set, and my parents areing with her and Nan Qing¡¯s parents. They¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Fu Han nodded, herposure as even as if she had just heard Su Cheng say ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±

    Actually, she had known for a while that Nan Qing woulde in the next few days. After being discharged from the hospital, Nan Qing had been busy. She had mentioned wanting to visit H City a number of times but never found the time. Now with the New Year approaching and the gallery finally quieting down, she had the time atst.

 Chapter 132 - 132 132 families

    ?Chapter 132: 132 families   Chapter 132: 132 families                                   As for Nan Qing and Su Cheng¡¯s parents, let alone the fact that they are strangers with no connection to Fu Han, even if there had been any conflicts, Fu Han had already forgotten about them over the past month, so meeting them or not made no difference to her.

    Aside from Su Cheng, the person who changed the most in the private room was Luo Qinghe. He had been slumping in his chair ying with his phone, but when he heard the news, he quickly sat up straight, as nervous as a student unexpectedly called upon by the teacher.

    Bai Wei keenly sensed the change in Luo Qinghe, which also began to sour her mood.

    After a few minutes of internal struggle, Luo Qinghe suggested that since everyone had almost finished eating, they might as well go their separate ways, ¡°to each his own mother,¡± and as for Nan Qing and the elders, they could meet another time when convenient.

    Su Cheng was all for this suggestion, holding up both hands in agreement. He didn¡¯t want Fu Han to meet his parents unprepared. He felt it was best to have a good talk with them tonight and then take Fu He to meet them.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t find anything objectionable about the suggestion. She didn¡¯t seem particrly in favor or against it, just indifferent.

    But Bai Wei reacted as if she¡¯d been stepped on, jumping three feet high in protest, insisting on meeting Su Cheng¡¯s parents.

    The three people present all knew that Bai Wei was simply looking for an incredibly flimsy excuse. If it wasn¡¯t for work, she hardly exchanged five words with Su Cheng in a day, so why would she insist on meeting Bai Wei¡¯s parents?

    It was clear she was intent on seeing Nan Qing.

    The most shameful part was that, in her eagerness to see Nan Qing, Bai Wei dragged Fu Han into it, tantly making faces at her, short of directly saying, ¡°Do me a favor and let me have another face-off with my rival.¡±

    Fu Han was actually somewhat eager to see what it would be like when Luo Qinghe, Bai Wei, and Nan Qing met. She knew that their meeting this time would be nothing like thest time they met at the Michelin restaurant.

    At the Michelin restaurant, Luo Qinghe had avoided Bai Wei as much as he possibly could, terrified that Nan Qing would misunderstand something; now, however, she felt Luo Qinghe¡¯s attitude had definitely changed a hundred percent.

    In the end, while Bai Wei shamelessly refused to leave, Nan Qing and the others had arrived at the hotel ording to the location shared by Fu Han, and they went straight into the private room.

    Upon seeing Fu Han, Nan Qing was so excited that she rushed over and hugged her tightly: ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±

    ¡°I missed you too,¡± Fu Han could tell that Nan Qing was being sincere. In a world where genuine feelings toward her were so rare, she cherished each and every sincere sentiment.

    As she hugged Nan Qing, Fu Han unintentionally noticed Luo Qinghe watching Nan Qing with aplex expression. She quickly nced at Bai Wei and, sure enough, saw that her usually radiant face had dimmed.

    With the addition of five more people, the spacious private room became somewhat crowded, but there were norger rooms avable, and Su Cheng had no choice but to ask for the dishes to be reheated.

    Nan Qing and Fu Han sat side by side, heads together, chatting away as if they had endless things to talk about.

    Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng were entertaining the four elders, leaving Bai Wei all by herself, sitting next to Luo Qinghe and eating gloomily, as though she had a grudge against the food.

    Suddenly, the Lady of Huangpu¡¯s gaze fell on Bai Wei. Curiously, she inquired, ¡°This must be Lady Bai Wei, right?¡±

    Putting down her chopsticks, Bai Wei nodded politely: ¡°Yes, Auntie, I am Bai Wei.¡±

    ¡°I really enjoy the dramas you¡¯re in, I¡¯ve watched every single one of your films,¡± said the Lady of Huangpu, a bit excited.

    Mr. Huangpu looked at his wife with indulgent affection: ¡°I can vouch for that, and I¡¯ve always been there with her to watch.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Bai Wei smiled modestly, the standard smile of an idol meeting a fan: ¡°Thank you for liking my work, and please continue to support me in the future.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, without a doubt,¡± responded the Lady of Huangpu, her lips curling up in delight.

    Lady Nangong handed a paper bag to Fu Han: ¡°Fu Han, this caterpir fungus is specially for you, it¡¯s very nourishing during winter.¡±

    The paper bag wasrge, big enough to fit a long down coat, and it was packed full. Given that caterpir fungus was already expensive, the value of such an amount was self-evident.

    Fu Han tried to refuse politely: ¡°Auntie, I appreciate the sentiment, but I really don¡¯t need these things. You should keep them for yourself.¡±

    However, Nan Qing simply stuffed the paper bag into Fu Han¡¯s arms: ¡°Just ept it; you saved me, my parents could even give you a share of the Nangong Group¡¯s stocks, and it would be well deserved.¡±

    Fu Han let out a helpless sigh: ¡°But when I saved you, I wasn¡¯t looking for gratitude.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± said Nan Qing, affectionately holding Fu Han¡¯s hand, her voice filled with sincere emotion, ¡°But that¡¯s precisely why we should be grateful to you. My parents came specifically to see you this time because they have something important to discuss with you¡ªthey hope to adopt you as their goddaughter.¡±

    ¡°Goddaughter?¡± Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Nan Qing, seriously doubting if she had heard correctly.

    Lady Nangong stood up and walked behind Fu Han, tenderly ying with her hair: ¡°Child, I¡¯ve heard about your family background from Nan Qing. It must have been so hard for you, staying at the He Family all these years. If you¡¯re willing, from now on, I will be your mother, and the Nangong Family will be your home.¡±

    Fu Han did not feel familiar enough with Lady Nangong to wee such affectionate gestures, and the phrase ¡°staying at the He Family¡± particrly irked her.

    She pushed away Lady Nangong¡¯s hand, her face cold as she said word by word: ¡°Auntie, I respect you as Nan Qing¡¯s mother, but the He Family has treated me well, and I¡¯ve always considered Grandfather He as my own grandfather. The He Family is my home.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you break off your engagement with He Xing?¡± Lady Nangong asked inplete surprise: ¡°If he really treated you well, why would you break off the engagement?¡±

    This question felt like a needle piercing straight into Fu Han¡¯s heart, rifying the most genuine feelings deep within her; she could say that He Xing didn¡¯t treat her well but couldn¡¯t ept others saying He Xing hadn¡¯t treated her well.

    She immediately countered: ¡°Auntie, I think you¡¯re mistaken. The breakup with He Xing has nothing to do with how well he treated me. On the contrary, He Xing has always been very good to me, treating me like a sister, and he is a family member to me.¡±

    At her words, the faces of everyone in the private room changed, and all eyes fell upon Fu Han.

    When Fu Han said earlier that Grandfather He was good to her and that she viewed him as her own grandfather, it seemed normal, nothing to scrutinize.

    However, the moment Fu Han said she considered He Xing as a family member, that he was like a brother to her, it raised a question¡ªunder normal circumstances, who would say their ex-fianc¨¦ was a family member, a sibling?

 Chapter 133 - 133 133 has no right to interfere

    ?Chapter 133: 133 has no right to interfere   Chapter 133: 133 has no right to interfere                                   The Huangpu couple¡¯s faces grew increasingly unable to hide their difort. Fu Han was Su Cheng¡¯s girlfriend, and seeing how infatuated Su Cheng was, it seemed likely that she would be the daughter-inw of the Huangpu Family in the future.

    Just imagine, if the Huangpu Family¡¯s daughter-inw were to be called siblings with her ex-fianc¨¦ and frequented visits, how could the Huangpu Family maintain their dignity in the business world?

    Mrs. Huangpu snorted coldly and spoke up first, ¡°Fu Han, aren¡¯t your ties with He Xing a little too close? In my opinion, you should avoid giving off the wrong impression. Otherwise, where does that leave my son¡¯s face?¡±

    Her tone was entirely devoid of the gentle demeanor of Mrs. Nangong, instead filled with a cutting arrogance, like that of a superior looking down on an inferior.

    Fu Han felt a strong aversion in her heart. She thought to herself, Su Cheng, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to give you face, only to hear her reply indifferently, ¡°Auntie, I believe I have my own right to choose, and others have no right to interfere.¡±

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s expression grew frosty, just as she was about to retort.

    Mrs. Nangong hurriedly interjected with augh, ¡°That¡¯s right, they are all adults and have their own rights. As long as they aren¡¯t doing anything illegal or disorderly, we seniors shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±

    With these words, she skillfully deflected the issue at hand.

    Su Cheng now regretted everything deeply, feeling that he shouldn¡¯t have let his parents meet Fu Han without any prior exnation, which turned out to be extremely awkward.

    He didn¡¯t care whether everyone had finished eating, with a loud hurrying, he quickly ushered everyone to leave, using the excuse that they had to get up early for work the next day to take the four elders away, iming to find them a hotel.

    As for Nan Qing, she had agreed to share a room with Fu Han, so she returned with Fu Han. Apanying them were Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei.

    Luo Qinghe was driving, Bai Wei sat in the passenger seat, while Fu Han and Nan Qing upied the backseat.

    The journey from the restaurant to the hotel took about twenty minutes. Everyone was preupied with their thoughts and remained silent.

    Upon arriving at the top floor of the hotel, they wished each other good night and went to their separate rooms.

    After Fu Han and Nan Qing finished showering, theyy on the couch with their face masks on, chatting intermittently.

    Suddenly, Nan Qing turned slightly to look at Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, what¡¯s the rtionship between Bai Wei and Brother Qinghe now?¡±

    Fu Han felt a stir in her heart as she propped herself up on the sofa to face Nan Qing, ¡°You know that Bai Wei likes Brother Qinghe, right?¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Nan Qing nodded, her expression unchanging.

    Fu Han nervously inquired, ¡°Then, do you think they are suitable for each other?¡±

    Nan Qing¡¯s expression became somewhatplicated, and after a while, she smiled, ¡°I think they are quite a good match. Bai Wei seems like she knows how to have fun, and they share simr interests. In the future, they¡¯ll both be stars, so they¡¯ll have more inmon. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    The room fell silent after her words, only the soothing music from the record yer slowly wafted through the air.

    In that moment, Fu Han¡¯s emotions became veryplex. She had something to say but was uncertain if she should. Finally, she spoke up, ¡°Nan Qing, do you know that the person Luo Qinghe has always liked is you? He¡¯s a great guy¡­ Are you sure you don¡¯t want to consider him?¡±

    Her words seemed to sink into the abyss, as she waited quite a while without a response from Nan Qing.

    Just as she thought Nan Qing wouldn¡¯t reply, Nan Qing suddenly spoke up, ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯m different from you. Love shouldn¡¯t bepromised. If I cannot be with the person I like, I¡¯ll never be happy in this life.¡±

    Nan Qing fell asleep next to Fu Han, but Fu Han kept pondering her words, ¡°Better to be a broken piece of jade than an unblemished piece of pottery.¡± There is only love and no love in romance, without a third option. It¡¯s either ck or white; there are no shades of grey.

    As for herself, she knew she didn¡¯t like Su Cheng, yet she chose to be in a contract rtionship with him to avoid He Xing, using the term ¡°contract¡± to lessen her sense of guilt, never daring to face the harm she had caused Su Cheng.

    In reality, her entanglement with He Xing had never ceased since returning to City A, even after she had called off the engagement.

    And then there was Nan Qing¡¯s phrase that echoed like a thunderbolt in her mind, ¡°the person I like.¡±

    She wondered whom she truly liked. It was certain she simply saw Su Cheng as a friend; as for He Xing, he was her youthful joy, the person who had influenced her emotions for so many years, yet he was also the source of her pain, and she couldn¡¯t easily summarize her feelings with a simple like or dislike.

    In any case, the most prominent stroke in the story of her life was definitely drawn by He Xing.

    ¡­

    In City A, He Group.

    Night had fallen, and the winter night sky was filled with stars. The night was like a piece of ck velvet, against which the stars shone like diamonds.

    He Xing stood before a floor-to-ceiling window gazing at the night sky, his ck pupils darker than the night itself, akin to ck vortexes capable of absorbing everything in the world.

    He had left H City after lunch today. Before leaving, he promised Fu Han that he would return after the meeting.

    Although Fu Han¡¯s demeanor was as lukewarm as ever, he didn¡¯t mind, knowing she was still mad at him. Once her anger subsided, they could go back to how things were before.

    In the past, he took Fu Han for granted and didn¡¯t cherish her, which led to her leaving in sadness; now it was different. She had returned, and he was determined to restore everything to the way it was.

    A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Liang Tao entered, his expression grave.

    With an impassive face, He Xing asked, ¡°How is the situation being handled?¡±

    ¡°Mr. He, the PR department is still in contact with the client. We are currently trying to fix the bug, but this might take a couple of days. Are you returning to H City or staying here?¡± Liang Tao¡¯s voice was as respectful as ever, tinged with a hint of fear.

    He Xing nced at the starry sky outside where clouds had gathered, hiding the stars from view and leaving behind an inky ck night.

    A hurt look shed across his eyes, yet his voice became even more resolute, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to H City after we settle this matter.¡±

    The He Group had encountered aint regarding a major project they had started. It was reported that their operations were wed, involving regtory breaches and false pricing.

    This issue was neitherrge nor small; in any standard project, if a single personmits a breach, the entire operation can be deemed nonpliant. But this doesn¡¯t mean the project itself is wed.

    The serious issue was the false pricing, which not only involved integrity but could also affect future cooperation between the parties.

    Mainly because it was a significant project and it had always been under He Xing¡¯s supervision, he had to rush back from H City to handle it. After an afternoon of meetings, they were left with equivocal results. The situation seemed likely to be sabotage against the He Group. Not only did they have to resolve the integrity issue, but they also had to find out who was trying to trip them up behind the scenes.

 Chapter 134 - 134 Discuss 134

    ?Chapter 134: Discuss 134   Chapter 134: Discuss 134                                   He Xing sighed, not because of the difficulty of the problem, but because solving it required painstaking effort and time, which was really what troubled him the most.

    The cold night wind blew over, and He Xing tightened his sleeves before taking out his phone to send a message to Fu Han, ¡°Xiaohan, there are still some issues at thepany that haven¡¯t been settled. I might need to stay here a few more days. Take care of yourself in H City.¡±

    After sending the message, he didn¡¯t expect a reply from Fu Han. She had never replied before.

    To his surprise, just as he was about to put his phone back into his pocket, it buzzed with a message. He looked down and saw it was actually from Fu Han.

    Immense joy flooded He Xing¡¯s heart. His hands were trembling as he opened the message.

    Fu Han¡¯s message was brief, ¡°Got it, same to you.¡±

    This message, even with punctuation, didn¡¯t even reach ten words, but He Xing read it over and over, his smile growing wider and wider until heughed out loud. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had felt so happy.

    Although Fu Han¡¯s words were cold, it was clear she was showing concern for him. It was a milestone step.

    In order to finish his work and return to H City as soon as possible, He Xing started living at thepany, taking care of all his daily needs within its premises.

    It took an entire two days before He Xing walked out of He Group¡¯s main entrance for the first time.

    The Lamborghini weaved through the spacious roads of A City. Trees on both sides were adorned withrge rednterns, many shops decorated in celebration with Chinese knots, character ¡°Fu¡± stickers, and a palpable atmosphere of the uing New Year.

    He Xing thought for a moment and then dialed a number; it was to the He Family¡¯s butler, Old Zhou, who also served as the personal servant to the elder Mr. He.

    The call connected quickly, and Old Zhou¡¯s excited voice rang out with vigor, ¡°Young Master, what can I do for you? The old master is in good health; rest assured. He just misses you and Miss Fu very much. He wonders when you could bring Miss Fu back home for a visit.¡±

    He Xing had always called Old Zhou to inquire about the elder Mr. He¡¯s condition, which is why Old Zhou began reporting proactively whenever he answered the phone.

    He Xing, already with a gentle expression, softened even more, ¡°I¡¯ll bring Fu Han home for the New Year. Uncle Zhou, please have someone clean up the house, buy more Chinese knots, rednterns, and character ¡°Fu¡± stickers. Make the home look more festive.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± Old Zhou¡¯s voice noticeably excited, ¡°This will be Miss Fu¡¯s first New Year at home. I will make sure the house is tidy and proper.¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± He Xing¡¯s eyes shone even brighter, rivaling the sun hanging overhead.

    Liang Tao, sitting in the passenger seat, noticed He Xing¡¯s good mood and took the opportunity to say, ¡°President He, the designer for Miss Fu¡¯s ne sent the initial draft to your email. Please have a look when you get the chance.¡±

    ¡°When was this?¡± He Xing frowned, puzzled as he looked at Liang Tao.

    ¡°Two days ago,¡± Liang Tao guiltily lowered his head, thoughtfully crafting a perfect excuse for He Xing, ¡°President He, you¡¯ve been so busy these past few days. It¡¯s normal not to have seen the email. The designer just politely reminded me once, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you remind me immediately?¡± each of He Xing¡¯s words came down like a hammer, pounding on Liang Tao, more exaggerated than a bolt from the blue.

    The temperature inside the car plummeted, overwhelming pressure surging from all directions like a tide, causing beads of sweat to stream down Liang Tao¡¯s cheeks.

    He swallowed hard, lowering his voice, ¡°President He, I apologize. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°If there is a next time, you will resign on your own initiative,¡± He Xing coldly huffed and said, ¡°Everything rted to Fu Han is of the utmost importance. You must tell me immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, President He,¡± Liang Tao responded loud and clear, his back soaked with sweat in the cold wind.

    The car stopped near a luxurious mall not far from He Group. He Xing tossed the keys to Liang Tao and stepped out first with his briefcase in hand.

    The quaint cafe had a few customers scattered around; some were working, some reading, others watching series on theirptops.

    The gramophone was turning, pouring out nameless music slowly, tangling with the brilliant afternoon light,zy andfortable, tempting one to slow down involuntarily.

    He Xing stared at the gramophone for a moment, lost in thought. There was also a smaller gramophone in Fu Han¡¯s hotel room.

    Fu Han¡¯s room was his choice, and He Xing had liked that gramophone at first sight, but he had not expected that Fu Han would bring records with her,pletely unaware, a unique sort of tacit understanding.

    That night, their candlelit dinner was apanied by the music from the gramophone. Fu Han¡¯s attitude was lukewarm, and He Xing didn¡¯t enjoy it very much. But looking back now, he found an angry Fu Han to be so dynamic and vibrant, not cold and aloof.

    ¡°President He, over here!¡±

    A clear male voice called out, interrupting He Xing¡¯s thoughts.

    He looked in the direction of the voice; in less than a second, his smile vanished, reced by an icy coldness.

    He Xing approached leisurely and extended his hand toward the seated man, ¡°Director Yi, long time no see.¡±

    Yi Lixing, beaming with smiles, stood up to shake hands with He Xing, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other, President He. You seem a bit haggard. Is something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± He Xing sat down, gesturing for the waiter to bring him a cup of Blue Mountain Coffee. He leaned back in his chair and looked at Yi Lixing, ¡°Director Yi, do you have something in mind by asking me out?¡±

    ¡°Nothing of much importance,¡± Yi Lixing stirred his coffee, having opted for an iced coffee despite the winter chill. As he stirred, the ice cubes clinked against the ss, a crisp sound that, for some reason, felt unnerving.

    His eyes, snake-like, fixed on He Xing as he drawled, ¡°I heard that He Group has run into some trouble, so I sought you out to see if there¡¯s anything I could help with.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s long eyshes fluttered slightly, sunlight turning them golden. He looked at Yi Lixing impassively, his thin lips barely moving, ¡°And how does Director Yi n on helping me?¡±

    A gleam of joy shed through Yi Lixing¡¯s eyes, his left hand on the table stirring slightly, as he tried to maintainposure, ¡°The current issue with He Group could be a major or minor one, but for the person handling it, it¡¯s hardly an issue at all. Resolving it would just take a matter of minutes.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting I engage in bribery?¡± He Xing¡¯s smile curved, halfway between there and not, a look on his face which was more terrifying than an outright frown.

 Chapter 135 - 135 135 Fatal Blow

    ?Chapter 135: 135 Fatal Blow   Chapter 135: 135 Fatal Blow                                   Although they had worked together for several years, Yi Lixing still felt a chill down his spine when he thought about how He Xing was five or six years his junior.

    Yi Lixing unconsciously straightened his back, unable to maintain the previously feigned rxed demeanor.

    He folded his arms across his chest and mustered the courage to look at He Xing, ¡°Manager He, the He Group allocates several million in public rtions fees every year. You¡¯re not going to tell me you¡¯re unaware of this, are you?¡±

    A chill swept across He Xing¡¯s face, but his tone became very gentle, ¡°The He Group has never relied on such despicable methods as bribery and corruption. Our public rtions budget is high, yes, but it¡¯s all used for normal businessmunications. In the whole industry, we are thergest, but our public rtions budget is the smallest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been the Public Rtions Director at the He Group for several years, Manager He. You can¡¯t fool me with that,¡± Yi Lixing felt a surge of panic, but his expression remained calm, even showing deliberate disdain as he spoke.

    He Xing suddenly stood up, his hand moving like lightning. Before Yi Lixing realized what was happening, He Xing¡¯s hand was already in the outside pocket of Yi Lixing¡¯s suit, and when it came back, it was clutching something resembling a pen between his index and middle fingers.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s face turned ashen, ¡°Give me back the pen.¡± He reached out to snatch the pen back but He Xing easily dodged his attempt.

    As He Xing leisurely disassembled the pen, he said with a smile, ¡°Director Yi, I haven¡¯t been unfair to you, have I? Your academic qualifications are not outstanding, and your skills aren¡¯t top-notch. Yet, I let you sit in the director¡¯s position in the Public Rtions Department for so many years. And you? You¡¯ve sold the He Group¡¯s tender documents several times. All I did was dismiss you, but here you are with a recording pen trying to entrap me. You really are a good dog I¡¯ve raised.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Yi Lixing was furious, standing up abruptly with his chest heaving dramatically. It was clear he was in a bad mood, even on the verge ofshing out.

    Suddenly, the voice from the pen emerged, precisely recapping the conversation between He Xing and Yi Lixing they just had.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s face turned from pale to red, and his imposing presence sharply declined. ring at He Xing, it looked as if mes might burst from his eyes.

    He Xing hit the pause button, capped the pen, and, in a conciliatory manner, slid the recording pen into his own pocket, ¡°Director Yi, I find this recorder quite ingenious. Why don¡¯t you give it to me as a gift?¡±

    ¡°If Manager He fancies it, of course, I have no reason to refuse.¡± Yi Lixing said through clenched teeth, as if he wanted to shatter them.

    The smile on He Xing¡¯s face grew stronger as he elegantly took a sip of his coffee, ¡°Director Yi, I have two things I¡¯d like you to pass on to Young Master Yang. Would that be convenient for you?¡±

    At these words, Yi Lixing was stunned into a ridiculous,ical open-mouthed expression. It took him a good while to speak again, but when he did, he asked in a silly tone, ¡°How¡­ how did you find out?¡±

    ¡°Is it that difficult?¡± He Xing spread his hands in resignation. ¡°I just had someone follow you for two days, and everything came to light.¡±

    As soon as there was a problem with the He Group¡¯s project, He Xing immediately suspected sabotage and discreetly arranged for an investigation. Eventually, the target focused on Yi Lixing, who had left thepany a few months earlier.

    The subsequent investigation was straightforward, just a matter of following the trail.

    Yi Lixing¡¯splexion was beyond pale, utterly bloodless. For a moment, his eyes flickered with hesitation, conflict, fierceness, desperation, and then all transformed into pleading, ¡°Manager He, it was a moment of foolishness. Please, a great man doesn¡¯t dwell on the past. Forgive me this once.¡±

    At this point, Yi Lixing bore no resemnce to the arrogant man who had arrived earlier. From the look of him now, he would agree to kneel on the ground if only He Xing would let him off the hook.

    Disappointment was unmistakable on He Xing¡¯s face. He slowly shook his head, ¡°Even if I, as your master, am benevolent, I wouldn¡¯t like a dog that bites me time and again. Letting you resign was thest chance I gave you. From this moment on, our colleague rtionship is over. Take care of yourself.¡±

    Having said this, he didn¡¯t linger and left straightaway with his briefcase.

    Liang Tao had been standing at the entrance of the Cafe the entire time. Seeing He Xinge out, he hurriedly took the briefcase with both hands. Both men were around 1.8 meters tall, yet Liang Tao seemed dwarfed in front of He Xing.

    On the way back, Liang Tao drove while He Xing sat in the back seat,posing an email.

    When the car arrived at the He Group, He Xing had just finished drafting the email. He pressed the send button, ¡°Have legal prioritize checking the email I sent for any legal loopholes. If there aren¡¯t any, instruct the Public Rtions Department to send out the email.¡±

    Liang Tao affirmed with a nod, not daring to say another word.

    He certainly knew the content of the email He Xing mentioned, and he was also well aware that He Xing¡¯s meeting with Yi Lixing that day was a stratagem. That was precisely why he felt more terrified¡ªhis back was soaked in cold sweat, and had he not retained a sliver of rationality, he likely wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep the car steady.

    Yi Lixing used to be the Public Rtions Manager, the best at wheeling and dealing within the He Group. He had been very kind to Liang Tao, even more so than to the average manager or director. Because of his kindness, Liang Tao would asionally chat with Yi Lixing.

    Of course, it was always Yi Lixing who initiated the conversations with Liang Tao, who was too shy to refuse.

    Previously, Liang Tao didn¡¯t think much of it. But that day, as he stood outside the Cafe waiting for He Xing, he finally understood some questions he¡¯d never considered before¡ªwhy Yi Lixing was so kind to him, specifically because he was He Xing¡¯s Assistant, the only assistant.

    Moreover, ever since Yi Lixing left thepany, he always managed to casually bring up questions rted to He Xing in their conversations. Fortunately, Liang Tao genuinely had no sure insight into his unpredictable leader, so each time they touched upon the topic of He Xing, their conversation ended.

    With this realization, Liang Tao didn¡¯t dare dy further. He blocked all of Yi Lixing¡¯s contact information. Not only that, but he also deleted the contact information of all the people who hadpleted their departure procedures from his phone.

    After doing this, he felt much relieved and was finally able to arrange the tasks He Xing had assigned without any mental burden.

    Nobody in the entire group dared to take He Xing¡¯s assignments lightly. Within less than half an hour, the legal department revised the draft, the Public Rtions Department polished it, and finally, the email that caused a small stir in A City¡¯s business circles was sent out.

    This was Yi Lixing¡¯s judgment, and his sentence. It would follow him for the rest of his life.

 Chapter 136 - 136 136 only solution

    ?Chapter 136: 136 only solution   Chapter 136: 136 only solution                                   The recipients of the email were all the well-knownpanies in A City, hunters, etc.

    As for the content of the email, it described all of Yi Lixing¡¯s deeds, including selling He Group¡¯smercial secrets at a high price during his tenure; smearing the He Group after leaving thepany; using underhanded methods against the He Group with others after leaving; and intentionally recording He Xing today after inviting him out.

    In the business world, ability is one aspect, but reputation is even more important.

    If a person¡¯s reputation is ruined, even if they are very capable, nopany would hire them, especially not those prestigious ones that He Xing would nce at.

    He Xing used to think that if a deal can¡¯t be made, integrity still matters, but now he feels that letting someone off will only make them think you are easy to bully and they will be more aggressive.

    The significant upheaval at He Group eventually ended with He Xing exposing Yi Lixing¡¯s misconduct; the investigation results of the project came out the same day, confirming that He Group had no regtory vitions, and the construction continued.

    Everything settled down by dusk, and He Xing instructed Liang Tao to stay behind to deal with the aftermath, while he himself immediately drove to H City.

    It¡¯s strange to say, this was He Xing¡¯s second visit to H City, and he wouldn¡¯t even know how to get there without navigation, but because the person he constantly thought of was ahead, he felt an inexplicable familiarity with the road.

    ¡­

    H City is a renowned Film and Television Base with beautiful scenery, attracting many tourists every year.

    Nan Qing and her parents came mainly to visit Su Cheng and Fu Han, and secondly, to tour around.

    Therefore, except for the night they arrived, Fu Han had not seen Su Cheng¡¯s parents or Nan Qing¡¯s parents again; only Nan Qing would return to Fu Han¡¯s room to sleep every night, no matter howte.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t say much, but she felt this arrangement was good; she truly had no desire to deal with the elders who she deemed unimportant, and she only cared about her two friends, Nan Qing and Su Cheng.

    Therefore, when Nan Qing saidst night that her parents invited Fu Han to dinner tonight, her initial reaction was to refuse from the bottom of her heart. However, after learning that Nan Qing and her family were leaving early the day after tomorrow, she finally couldn¡¯t bear not to give them face.

    Ever since Fu Han knocked out one of Xia Ning¡¯s teeth, the director had made scheduling changes, assigning all the scenes that included Xia Ning to Fu Han to shoot, even the director felt that Fu Han was the only one besides He Xing who could handle Xia Ning.

    And indeed, the deterrence of that p was genuinely effective; although Xia Ning looked miserable these past few days, she cooperated with the filming and was able toplete the tasks by working a little overtime each day.

    Today was only thest scene left. After this scene was filmed, Fu Han would go back to her room to change clothes, and then join Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe to meet Nan Qing for dinner.

    During the intermission, Qin Xiaonian whispered in Xia Ning¡¯s ear, ¡°Lady Xia, Young Master Xia asked you to call him back when you have time.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes brightened as she grabbed her phone and left the Photography Studio. A few minutester, she returned, her face made up with injury makeup yet bearing an uncontroble smile tinged with a hint of eerie triumph.

    Her gaze swept over Fu Han a few times deliberately, filled with immense pride. She thought, let¡¯s see how you handle thister.

    Xia Cheng had just given her thrilling news over the phone; He Xing had already left A City and would soon arrive in H City.

    Xia Ning went over to Qin Xiaonian and gave her a series of instructions, then returned to her spot, ready for her part to begin filming.

    Thisst scene was actually quite simple: the second female lead yed by Xia Ning was scolded by the first female lead, then she, ying the innocent, sought sympathy from the male lead. Even Xia Ning herself felt that she could just be herself for the role.

    However, Xia Ning kept making mistakes, performing even worse than before.

    Watching as the day hadpletely turned dark and their dinner appointment neared, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. As the director scolded Xia Ning, she finally couldn¡¯t hold back and blurted out, ¡°Xia Ning, just y it true to yourself, just treat Luo Qinghe as He Xing.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s just ying themselves here?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s temper red up immediately, and she retorted defiantly, ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯m warning you not to go too far. It¡¯s true the character I¡¯m ying is a green tea b****, but I have nothing to do with that in real life. If you keep ndering me, believe it or not, I¡¯ll have mywyer sue you?¡±

    Fu Han stepped forward, ready to speak, but the director stopped her with a gesture, silencing Fu Han with a look. At the same time, he said to Xia Ning with patience, ¡°Lady Xia, your performance has improved a lot these past days. Don¡¯t feel pressured, just perform at your normal level.¡±

    Xia Ning instantly put on a sweet smile: ¡°Thank you, Director, I will definitely perform well.¡±

    Fu Han, listening on the side, nearly got goosebumps. She rubbed her arms and returned to her position, preparing for the next take.

    With the director¡¯smand, filming officially started. Everything went smoothly at first, but as Xia Ning and Luo Qinghe were drinking milk tea in the middle of the scene, Xia Ning ¡°couldn¡¯t hold on¡± to the cup, and it flew far away, hitting the camera lens spot on.

    The screen blurred, and the camera was covered in sticky milk tea. The cup rolled by Fu Han¡¯s feet, making her new pair of Martin boots dirty.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The director¡¯s voice was filled with obvious anger.

    Xia Ning looked at Qin Xiaonian first, then she shrank her neck and said in a small voice, ¡°Director, I¡¯m sorry, I might have put on too much hand cream, it was too slippery and I didn¡¯t hold on tight.¡±

    Truth be told, Xia Ning had been very cooperative these days, and Fu Han had even be unustomed to it; but with Xia Ning starting her antics again today, Fu Han felt unbearably irritated.

    She kicked the milk tea cup away with one foot, and it hit Xia Ning¡¯s dress perfectly, leaving a prominent stain on the ck pleated skirt. It was very conspicuous.

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes flickered with joy, but she concealed it in the next second. She ran towards the director while shouting exaggeratedly, ¡°Director, look at Fu Han, she purposely dirtied my costume. How am I supposed to continue shooting?¡±

    The director was already irritable. After hearing her words, his frown deepened as though he wished he could squash a mosquito between them, ¡°It was you who first threw the milk tea in her direction; it¡¯s not solely her fault.¡±

    If it had been a normal day, Xia Ning would have erupted in anger at the director¡¯s tant defense of Fu Han, but today it was exactly what she wanted. Her tears came as soon as she spoke, ¡°I know it was my fault that I didn¡¯t hold the milk tea steady and spilled it, but I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Yet Fu Han definitely did it on purpose when she sshed me with the milk tea, and you¡¯re still siding with her? All of you only know how to bully me, you¡¯re so awful. Just wait until Big Brother He Xing gets back and see how he deals with you.¡±

 Chapter 137 - 137 History Repeats itself 137

    ?Chapter 137: History Repeats itself 137   Chapter 137: History Repeats itself 137                                   Xia Ning used to be like this, always mentioning He Xing and Xia Cheng at the drop of a hat, bringing them up to suppress others whenever she encountered any issues or having Yang Kaitai, this young master,e to her aid.

    The moment Fu Han heard these words, she was furious. She walked straight up to Xia Ning: ¡°Xia Ning, if you want to seek revenge, do it yourself. Why keep dragging others into it?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Xia Ning took a couple of steps back, her eyes red as she spoke in a voice only audible to the two of them: ¡°Fu Han, do you want to hit me again? Go ahead if you dare. If you dare to hit me again, I¡¯ll definitely sue you with awyer.¡±

    Fu Han snorted coldly. For some reason, she suddenly found Xia Ning pitiful. Since her vengeance was alreadyplete and she was no longer angry, she turned around, preparing to leave.

    No sooner had she taken a step than someone kicked her feet from under her, causing her to lose her bnce and fall forward.

    ¡°Be careful.¡± Xia Ning¡¯s scream rang out as she grabbed hold of Fu Han. But because her movement was too forceful, she fell backward herself.

    Cries of shock began to rise around them. Some people rushed towards Xia Ning, but it was toote; Xia Ning¡¯s head hit the tripod of a fixed camera.

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t much better off. When Xia Ning grabbed her, she had taken hold of her neck and hair, causing a searing pain in her neck and a sensation as if her scalp was being torn apart.

    ¡°Xia Ning!¡± A clear voice called out in obvious anxiety.

    Fu Han turned her head to see He Xing rushing towards them, pushing past Su Cheng and Qin Xiaonian in his haste.

    Not having seen him for several days, He Xing¡¯s chin was now shadowed with a circle of bluish stubble, and his cheeks seemed to have thinned. Fu Han felt a twinge of heartache and softly called out, ¡°He Xing.¡±

    But He Xing didn¡¯t spare her a nce, scooping Xia Ning up in his arms and rushing outside at an astonishing speed.

    Everything happened in a sh, and many didn¡¯t even see how He Xing got inside.

    After regaining hisposure, the directorughed it off: ¡°Well¡­ He Xing does indeed care a lot about Xia Ning. No wonder she always brings him up.¡±

    The majority of the onlookers turned their gaze to Fu Han, curious to see her reaction.

    Su Cheng¡¯s eyes never left Fu Han for a second, his heart sinking when she looked surprised and aching when her face was deathly pale.

    Now, as everyone regarded Fu Han with the eyes of spectators, Su Cheng could not hold himself back any longer. He grabbed her hand and swiftly led her away.

    In the white Audi, Su Cheng looked worriedly at Fu Han in the passenger seat: ¡°Fu Han, where do we go now? Wherever you want to go, I¡¯ll be there with you.¡±

    Fu Han mustered a faint smile: ¡°Just drop me off at the hotel. I¡¯ll change and then we can go for a meal.¡±

    ¡°You still want to go for a meal?¡± Su Cheng looked at Fu Han surprised, his eyes a mixture of admiration, astonishment, and sorrow: ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t necessarily have to go. I can exin things to my parents.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s alreadyplicated expression grew more troubled, and she opened her mouth, a look of reluctance in her eyes as she gazed at Su Cheng.

    A bad premonition gripped Su Cheng, and he cut in before Fu Han could speak: ¡°Fu Han, I guess you¡¯re also very tired today, haha, if you have something to say, it¡¯s not urgent to talk about it today. Let¡¯s talk some other time.¡±

    Guilty feelings intensified within Fu Han, but some things she had thought through clearly: dragging things out was bad for everyone. It would only increase the guilt of the guilty and bury those already deeply involved even deeper.

    She turned to Su Cheng: ¡°Su Cheng, I have something to tell you. I truly appreciate that you like me and that you always stand up for me, but I think we can¡¯t continue pretending to be a couple anymore. It¡¯s not good for you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad.¡± Su Cheng¡¯s face was clearly pallid, but he still managed to force a smile and jokingly said: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s you who thinks it¡¯s bad, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s face flushed red, overwhelmed with emotions. After hesitating for a moment, she spoke again: ¡°I admit I haven¡¯t forgotten He Xing, but that¡¯s not the main reason I want to end things with you. Having spent some time together, I feel you and Nan Qing are trulypatible. My presence will hinder your rtionship, so that¡¯s why¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop talking.¡± For the first time, Su Cheng interrupted Fu Han. His face flushed with emotion, he said: ¡°Fu Han, if you want to rekindle things with He Xing, just say it. But don¡¯t bring up other irrelevant matters here. Go chase your happiness; I will never stand in your way.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face was beet red. She wanted to say more, but it seemed pointless.

    With an indecipherable sigh, in the end, she said nothing. When the car stopped in front of the hotel, she opened the door and got out.

    They said goodbye to each other as if nothing had happened, and then one drove away while the other entered the hotel, as though the argument in the car had never urred.

    As soon as Fu Han entered the hotel, she felt as if she were copsing under a heavy burden, weighing down so heavily on her that she could hardly straighten her back.

    The moment when He Xing carried Xia Ning away yed over and over in Fu Han¡¯s heart, on an endless loop.

    It was so simr to what happened three years ago: when she and Xia Ning fell into the swimming pool, He Xing¡¯s eyes only held Xia Ning, not even sparing Fu Han a nce before taking Xia Ning away.

    If Fu Han hade to terms with her longing for He Xing over the past few days, the events that just unfolded shattered any illusions she might have had.

    As for what she had told Su Cheng, those were thoughts that had been on her mind for quite some time. She had witnessed Nan Qing and Su Cheng¡¯s interactions, and aside from the title of a couple, there was a genuinely sweet atmosphere between them.

    She had been considering how to broach the subject of ending their contract rtionship with Su Cheng for several days, seeking the right moment. But now it seemed her timing was all wrong, amplifying Su Cheng¡¯s hurt instead of alleviating it.

    Fu Han sighed deeply, and just then her phone rang. Seeing it was He Xing¡¯s call, she hung up immediately; a few secondster it rang again, He Xing again, and she hung up once more.

    The phone stayed quiet for two minutes. Just as she exited the elevator, it rang again. Enraged, Fu Han picked up without checking: ¡°What is it with you? Can¡¯t you stop calling me?¡±

    ¡°Fu Han, what are you talking about? Who has been calling you?¡± Nan Qing¡¯s voice came through the phone, as sunny as ever.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I thought it was a harassing call.¡± Fu Han scrambled to save face. Her cheeks were flushed with the lie, grateful that they weren¡¯t face to face, otherwise, the lie would¡¯ve been easily exposed.

 Chapter 138 - 138 Conceal 138

    ?Chapter 138: Conceal 138   Chapter 138: Conceal 138                                   Nan Qing indeed did not suspect anything, and she chuckled, asking, ¡°Haven¡¯t you all wrapped up for the day? When are youing over to eat?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Can I not go?¡± Fu Han really didn¡¯t want to go. She had just spoken those words to Su Cheng, and now it would be truly awkward to meet again.

    ¡°No way,¡± Nan Qing rebutted without hesitation. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat and then I¡¯m heading back to City A straight to the airport to spend the New Year abroad. If you don¡¯te for dinner, we¡¯ll have to wait until next year to see each other again.¡±

    With a sigh, Fu Han said helplessly, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll change my clothes and head over. You guys start without me; no need to wait.¡±

    By the time she had changed clothes and taken a taxi to the hotel, Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe were already there; everyone was chatting idly and not a single dish was on the table, obviously waiting for her.

    Fu Han felt somewhat embarrassed as she politely apologized and settled next to Nan Qing. Nan Qing¡¯s parents smiled amiably and instructed the waiter to start serving the food.

    Ironically, Fu Han¡¯s seat faced right towards Su Cheng, and unless she kept her head down or turned to talk to Nan Qing, she inevitably had to see Su Cheng.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze was like twin beams of light, and intense ones at that, striking Fu Han directly and leaving her no ce to hide.

    Most importantly, though Su Cheng was a grown man, his gaze at Fu Han was filled with a wistful sorrow, like that of a resentful woman trapped in a deep pce.

    His staring was so intense that it drew the attention of others in the private room, making her the center of focus.

    Fu Han felt utterly ufortable. She had had little appetite to begin with, and now she ate less than ten bites off the whole table spread.

    The heat was cranked up too high in the private room, so Fu Han excused herself to the restroom for a breath of fresh air, standing by the window at the end of the room to catch the breeze.

    In less than two minutes, footsteps sounded behind her, and turning, Fu Han unsurprisingly saw Nan Qing. The two close friends shared a knowing smile.

    Nan Qing stood beside her and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s really going on between you and Su Cheng? One flees, the other chases.¡±

    ¡°We broke up.¡± Fu Han had never intended to hide it from Nan Qing, but although she had been trying to figure out how to tell her, now that she said it, she felt unexpectedly relieved.

    Nan Qing seemed surprised, but merely surprised. She tilted her head and chuckled, ¡°The breakup was inevitable. You never really had your heart set on Su Cheng.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Her revtion hadn¡¯t shocked Nan Qing, but it was Nan Qing¡¯s response that had taken her aback.

    Nan Qing shrugged andughed self-deprecatingly, ¡°Fancying someone can¡¯t be concealed, no matter how much you try. Your eyes can¡¯t lie. You¡¯ve never looked at Su Cheng the way you do when you look at He Xing.¡±

    A gust of wind swept through. The biting cold from the narrow gap of the window sliced into their cheeks like knives, one cut after another.

    Fu Han felt her body warmth fading away, and just when she thought she¡¯d freeze into an icicle, she spoke again, ¡°Nan Qing, do you want to give it another shot?¡±

    ¡°Chase Su Cheng?¡± Nan Qingughed mockingly, ¡°Although I don¡¯t mind your affair with Su Cheng, I am, after all, the treasured pearl of my parents. He has already rejected me several times. Do you expect me to keep humbling myself and chase after him?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Realizing Nan Qing misunderstood her, Fu Han hurriedly rified, ¡°I genuinely think you two suit each other. It would be such a shame to give up just like that.¡±

    ¡°You think we suit each other? Are you the only one?¡± Amidst the chilly wind, Nan Qing¡¯s hair was whipped about, her face obscured by fluttering strands, ambiguous between a smile and tears.

    Suddenly, Fu Han felt a pang of sadness. She patted Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re right, love cannot be forced. We can¡¯t make someone love us, nor can we force ourselves to love someone else.¡±

    ¡­

    Downstairs at the hotel, Luo Qinghe drove Fu Han away, leaving Su Cheng to bid farewell with his parents and godparents.

    The Huangpu madam took Su Cheng aside and asked, ¡°What¡¯s really the matter with you and Fu Han? You¡¯ve barely spoken all night, and you¡¯re not in a quarrel, are you?¡±

    Su Cheng gave a bitter smile, ¡°Mom, haven¡¯t you always wished that Fu Han and I would separate soon? You should be happy about this situation.¡±

    With aplex expression, the Huangpu madam sighed, ¡°That¡¯s true, but what can I do if you like her?¡±

    Then she abruptly shifted the topic, ¡°You asked your father and me not to be hard on Fu Han. We haven¡¯t said a harsh word to her all evening.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Dad and Mom,¡± Su Cheng sighed sorrowfully, then continued in a pleading tone, ¡°Mom, no matter what happens between me and Fu Han, it¡¯ll be my own willing choice. Even if we end up breaking up, I hope you and Dad will never me her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± the Huangpu madamughed heartily. ¡°If Fu Han really magnanimously breaks up with you, not only will I not target her, but I will also be grateful to her and regard her as a benefactor.¡±

    The mother¡¯s words were undoubtedly a thorn, piercing deeply into Su Cheng¡¯s heart. Several times he almost blurted out, ¡°We¡¯ve already broken up,¡± but it felt as though something was blocking his throat, and he just couldn¡¯t say it.

    The four elders were in the car, with Nan Qing and Su Cheng standing about five meters away.

    The chilly night wind howled on, and after several minutes, Su Cheng remained motionless.

    Nan Qing felt like she was about to turn into an icicle. She tightened her down jacket, ¡°Su Cheng, did you call me over just to catch a cold?¡±

    Her banter nearly broke down Su Cheng¡¯s defenses, and in the darkness, he smiled, like the brightest Morning Star in the sky, ¡°I can¡¯t spend New Year¡¯s with my parents, so please take good care of them for me.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Nan Qing said, pping Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder cavalierly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that. Alright, we¡¯re leaving, or we¡¯ll miss the flight.¡±

    As she turned to leave, Su Cheng suddenly interrupted her in haste, ¡°Wait a second, there¡¯s one more thing I need to ask of you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Nan Qing continued to stand with her back to Su Cheng. Her light response was like a stone dropped into still waters, causing no ripples.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t told my parents about the breakup with Fu Han¡­ Can you¡­ Can you¡­¡± Su Cheng stumbled over his words, finding it hard to continue.

    ¡°So you want me to keep it a secret, that¡¯s no big deal.¡± Nan Qing chuckled again, her smile in the dark night blooming like a serene cactus flower, indescribably beautiful, ¡°I wish you sess in winning Fu Han back.¡±

 Chapter 139 - 139 139 Unlikely Couple

    ?Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Unlikely Couple   Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Unlikely Couple                                   Fu Han and Luo Qinghe exited the elevator one after the other, and she bid him goodnight before heading straight to her own room.

    The light from above the corridor cast down upon Fu Han, making her long ck coat shimmer as if edged with gold, entuating her tall and slender figure, like a bamboo that would never bend.

    As she moved, the light-reflecting floor seemed adorned with the blossoming of ck petals.

    Her hand was already on the door handle when Luo Qinghe¡¯s detached voice arose from behind her, ¡°Fu Han, what¡¯s going on between you and Su Cheng?¡±

    Fu Han paused for two seconds and turned around with a smile, ¡°Why do you ask that?¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s handsome eyebrows furrowed in confusion, ¡°What exactly is the matter with you two? You didn¡¯t talk all night, and you don¡¯t at all resemble a couple.¡±

    Before Fu Han could answer, Luo Qinghe chuckled, ¡°Perhaps, I¡¯m just overthinking it. You and Su Cheng have never been like a typical couple, so it¡¯s normal for you not to talk.¡±

    If it were any other day, Fu Han would¡¯ve probably responded with a gracious smile and ignored thement, but today her mood was far from good. She blinked twice, ¡°That might be true, we naturally can¡¯tpare to you and Bai Wei. You¡¯re not a couple, yet better than one.¡±

    Luo Qinghe hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to turn back on him. His face flushed, and even someone as thick-skinned as him couldn¡¯t figure out what to say for a moment.

    Click, a door next to them opened, and Bai Wei¡¯s head poked out from the crack.

    She looked at Fu Han with a bright smile, ¡°You sure have a way with words. I¡¯ve got new spa equipment in my room; why don¡¯t youe and enjoy it?¡±

    Luo Qinghe looked visibly upset, but Fu Han¡¯s smile broadened, ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to.¡±

    In the blink of an eye, the spacious corridor was left with only Luo Qinghe standing alone. He sighed helplessly and, thinking of something, his lips curled into a slight smile as he headed back to his room.

    ¡­

    Amid the roaring din, the ne slowly ascended.

    Nan Qing leaned against the ss, looking out at the dark night sky, void of any stars.

    ¡°Xiaoqing, what are you thinking about?¡± Nangong¡¯s wife touched her arm, her tone gentle but unmistakably caring, the cabin lights falling from above and illuminating the fine lines on her face, yet she radiated a saintly glow.

    Nan Qing wrapped her arm around Nangong¡¯s wife, affectionately leaning on her shoulder, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m thinking about our future journey.¡±

    A sigh escaped Nangong¡¯s wife, and she managed a smile, ¡°Xiaoqing, I think Qinghe is also a good kid, won¡¯t you consider him at all?¡±

    ¡°No, both Brother Qinghe and I have better options. I¡¯m just a dream of his youth, not someone he could share his life with.¡±

    Nan Qing turned her gaze back to the window, her thoughts drifting to a few hours earlier.

    That evening, Nan Qing and four elders arrived at the restaurant first, awaiting the others. Luo Qinghe was the first to arrive; he didn¡¯t return to the hotel to change clothes but simply took off the makeup from his performance and changed into his own outfit.

    When Luo Qinghe arrived, Nan Qing was just in the Lobby, ordering food. Luo Qinghe naturally took a seat beside her, and they chatted casually.

    She ordered two coffees, handing one to Luo Qinghe with an apologetic expression, ¡°Brother Qinghe, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know what vor you liked, so I just ordered one at random.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not picky,¡± Luo Qingheughed appreciatively, a stark contrast to his usually indifferent demeanor.

    Nan Qing was suddenly reminded of what she had told Fu Han a few days earlier: ¡°Love should never be forced.¡±

    She looked at Luo Qinghe with a hint of sadness. This carefree, life-of-the-party kind of guy, when had he be so cautious and restrained? That wasn¡¯t him at all; he was supposed to be the brightest sunflower under the sun.

    Nan Qing set down her coffee, her round eyes fixed on Luo Qinghe, ¡°Brother Qinghe, there¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Luo Qinghe set his tea down too, his smiling face indulgent, just like how he¡¯d always looked at her through the years.

    Nan Qing¡¯s heart ached, but she knew some pains are better dealt with quickly. She mentally organized her thoughts before speaking, ¡°Brother Qinghe, I know you like me, and I¡¯m grateful for your feelings, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s smile had vanished, his face pale under the chandelier¡¯s glow like gardenias, his voice tinged with a plea, ¡°Xiaoqing, I know what you want to say. There¡¯s no need to continue.¡±

    ¡°No, I need to say this.¡± Nan Qing persisted, each word clear and deliberate, ¡°Brother Qinghe, you and I will never be a couple. In my heart, you are my brother, and that will never change.¡±

    Luo Qinghe bit his lip, blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. Yet he still forced a smile, ¡°Xiaoqing, actually you don¡¯t have to tell me. I get it, and I won¡¯t be mad.¡±

    Nan Qing wished he would show his anger, but he didn¡¯t, which only made her sadder. Her eyes reddened, tears uncontrobly streaming down, ¡°Brother Qinghe, please don¡¯t misunderstand, my words have nothing to do with Su Cheng¡­ I¡¯ve already decided to give him up. Some things can¡¯t be forced, and you should¡­ You should give up on me too.¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes reddened as well. With a stretch of his arm, he pulled Nan Qing into an embrace ¨C the first and possibly thest time he would ever hold her.

    Nan Qingpliantly leaned on his shoulder, ¡°Brother Qinghe, cherish the one you have now. Don¡¯t be like us, not knowing what you have until it¡¯s toote to regret.¡±

    ¡°Xiaoqing, are you listening to me?¡± Nangong¡¯s wife touched her arm.

    ¡°Ah, yes, I¡¯m listening.¡± Nan Qing hastily curbed her untimely daydream and looked at Nangong¡¯s wife with her signature sweet smile, ¡°Mom, what did you just say? Could you please repeat it?¡±

    Nangong¡¯s wife shook her head, smiling indulgently, ¡°I didn¡¯t say much, it¡¯ste already. You should sleep for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mom,¡± Nan Qing wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk, and though she wasn¡¯t sleepy, she closed her eyes anyway.

    She never imagined a day woulde when she¡¯d feign sleep in front of her parents.

    ¡­

    In the hospital,

    Xia Ning¡¯s wound had been treated. Her head was wrapped in a thick bandage, and anyone unaware of the situation would think she¡¯d sustained a serious injury.

    But in reality, though she¡¯d hit the back of her head and it bled, the wound wasn¡¯t serious. She had pleaded with the emergency room Doctor to make her condition seem more severe, to wrap her head like a glutinous rice dumpling and to put her on an IV and admit her to the hospital.

 Chapter 140 - 140 140 Blocked Again

    ?Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Blocked Again   Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Blocked Again                                   The doctor originally disagreed, but Xia Ning tricked the doctor by saying that He Xing was her boyfriend but was going to break up with her, and she wanted to win He Xing back, which is why she did it.

    Feeling helpless, the doctor thought that in normal circumstances Xia Ning would also need a re-examination in three days, so he agreed to Xia Ning¡¯s request.

    Xia Ning is now lying on the bed with a pitiful look, staring at He Xing, ¡°He Xing, did I cause trouble again?¡±

    He Xing was sending a message to Fu Han. Hearing her, he looked up indifferently and said, ¡°It has nothing to do with you, and besides, it¡¯s not like you did it on purpose.¡±

    After saying this, He Xing lowered his head again, or rather, when he looked up to speak, he barely nced at Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning bit her lip hard, a sh of emotion slivered across her eyes, but soon she put on a self-ming smile, ¡°He Xing, I didn¡¯t mean to have a falling-out with Fu Han, and I don¡¯t know why she always targets me. But it doesn¡¯t matter, I won¡¯t be angry with her for your sake, He Xing, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have saved her.¡±

    He Xing pressed the send button, his eyes finally settling on Xia Ning, ¡°What exactly happened at that time, why did Fu Han suddenly fall?¡±

    Xia Ning was so frightened that she shuddered instinctively, but soon she opened her puzzled big eyes and said, ¡°He Xing, I don¡¯t know either. At that time, I was telling Fu Han not to throw her milk tea at me again next time, so I didn¡¯t notice.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± He Xing frowned.

    It seemed as if the temperature in the room changed drastically from the moment he uttered that first word. Xia Ning felt it most clearly, as if someone were blowing a fan at the back of her head in the dead of winter, bone-chillingly cold.

    He Xing only looked at Xia Ning a few times, but Xia Ning felt as if He Xing had seen right through her.

    But now there was no time to worry about that. Xia Ning, while trying to avoid eye contact with He Xing as much as possible, blurted out the words she had prepared in her heart, ¡°He Xing, you don¡¯t know how miserable I have been these days while you were away. Fu Han either beats or scolds me, and she even knocked out one of my teeth once. I haven¡¯t gotten it fixed yet.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s dark eyes were tumultuous, ¡°It was wrong for Fu Han to hit you, but you were the one who hit Su Cheng first. You have no reason to feel aggrieved.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s back was already drenched with cold sweat. After being hit by Fu Han, she specifically ordered people not to tell He Xing, all for the purpose of striking him decisively when he returned.

    Where had things gone wrong? Xia Ning thought but came up with no clues.

    But He Xing had already walked to the ward door, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I should be going back. I¡¯ve hired a nurse for you who will being soon. If you need anything, just ask the nurse.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Xia Ning, casting aside the demure shyness expected of a youngdy and any so-called pride, panicked as if she wanted to jump off the sickbed, ¡°He Xing, I don¡¯t know the nurse, I don¡¯t want her, I¡¯m scared to be in the hospital alone, can you stay with me?¡±

    ¡°I cannot,¡± He Xing¡¯s refusal was swift and resolute, without a second¡¯s hesitation.

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t let this rare opportunity of being alone with He Xing slip by; she rushed towards him barefooted, clinging tightly to his arm, ¡°He Xing, have you forgotten what happened when Fu Han was in the hospital? If something happens to me while I¡¯m hospitalized, my parents would be heartbroken.¡±

    He Xing, who had been about to leave, stopped in his tracks as if his feet had been filled with lead, unable to move.

    Yes, his life had been given by Du Wanting, and it was the most devastating sacrifice of one¡¯s life for another¡¯s. How could he leave her seriously injured daughter alone in the hospital?

    He Xing pulled his hand out of Xia Ning¡¯s embrace and took two steps back to maintain a distance. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stay tonight, and the nurse wille too. Now, I¡¯m going out for a smoke; what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll bring it back to you.¡±

    Although Xia Ning wasn¡¯t physically close to He Xing and felt a bit disappointed, her goal had been achieved, and she was happy inside. She immediately showed a sweet smile, ¡°Whatever you buy, I¡¯ll like.¡±

    He Xing nodded expressionlessly and left directly.

    In the winter, darkness falls quickly.

    As He Xing went downstairs, all the street lights were already on. He found a spot to sit in the corridor beneath the hospital, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it.

    In the dark night, the lit cigarette appeared like the glow of a firefly, not bright, but conspicuously visible.

    He Xing took a deep drag on the cigarette, so forcefully that he choked and coughed violently until tears were almost forced from his eyes before he stopped.

    Looking at the cigarette in front of him, his eyes shimmered with twin mes, as if at any moment he could destroy the world.

    In the surrounding dim light, it was clear to see countless bare vines hanging around the corridor. Because of winter, they looked stark and resembled a swarm of venomous snakes, hissing, ready to devour everything in this world at any moment.

    He Xing took out his phone from his pocket; there were many unread messages in Whatsapp, but not a single one was from Fu Han, whom he had pinned at the top.

    After thinking it over, he made a call ¡ª he had already called Fu Han several times while waiting for Xia Ning outside the emergency room, but Fu Han either didn¡¯t answer or hung up herself.

    ¡°Hello, the number you have dialed is currently unavable.¡±

    ¡°Blocked me?¡± He Xing looked at his phone in shock, then showed a helpless smile. She was just the same, never growing up, always blocking people when she was unhappy, never considering the harm her actions could cause others.

    There was a crackling sound; in the quiet night, it sounded rather grating.

    He Xing got up and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw moths surrounding the streetmp, and the crackling sound was the moths pping their wings against themp.

    The life of a moth is tragic, always chasing the light and ultimately perishing in the pursuit of it.

    But isn¡¯t such an existence another kind of fortune? For the sake of what you love, you rush forward heedlessly, and even if it costs your life, so what?

    Rather than abandoning what you cherish and living a long life, it¡¯s better to chase after what you love with abandon. Even if it¡¯s just a short time, you will have no regrets in death.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze grew firmer. He took out Bai Wei¡¯s number and dialed it.

    Bai Wei answered quickly, ¡°Hello, He Xing, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Go see if Fu Han has returned,¡± He Xing didn¡¯t beat around the bush, saying exactly what he thought.

    There was a loudughing from Bai Wei on the phone, and just when He Xing was about to lose his patience, Bai Wei spoke up seriously, ¡°Bro, Fu Han hasn¡¯te back to her room yet.¡±

 Chapter 141 - 141 141 Two Setbacks

    ?Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Two Setbacks   Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Two Setbacks                                   ¡°Where did she go?¡± He Xing¡¯s brows were furrowed deeply. He always felt there was something off about Bai Wei¡¯s words, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly was wrong in the moment.

    Bai Wei¡¯s exaggeratedughter came through again, and there was the faint sound of something spilling.

    He Xing was exasperated, ¡°Where are you now? And who are you with?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in my own room,¡± Bai Wei replied with a chucklingugh to He Xing¡¯s other question. ¡°I¡¯m doing SPA with Fu Han, with my new equipment. Do you want toe and experience it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He Xing helplessly rolled his eyes. He wanted to lose his temper, but the words that came out were, ¡°Take good care of Fu Han. I¡¯ll bring you guys breakfast tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow morning?¡± Bai Wei immediately asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you bringing us a midnight snack tonight? Are you going to spend a spring night with Xia Ning?¡±

    ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll sew your mouth shut,¡± He Xing was at his wits¡¯ end. If Bai Wei were in front of him right now, he definitely would have had a stern word with her.

    This was truly something only a real sister would do, to speak such words in front of Fu Han that incited discord between him and Fu Han.

    Bai Wei burst into loudughter, as if not at all afraid of his threats, ¡°You just answer my question properly, why threaten me? Don¡¯t you know that Fu Han is also very concerned about these issues?¡±

    For the first time in his life, He Xing waspletely outmatched in a confrontation with Bai Wei, not for any other reason but because Fu Han was by Bai Wei¡¯s side.

    He calmed his emotions and said as calmly as possible, ¡°The doctors said Xia Ning has the risk of a concussion and needs to stay in the hospital for two days. Her family isn¡¯t here, so I have to stay with her overnight. Tell Fu Han not to misunderstand ¡­¡±

    Before He Xing could finish, someone in a fluorescent-striped uniform approached him, ¡°Mr. He Xing, right? This is the takeout you ordered. Please sign for it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Please ce it here,¡± He Xing pointed to a nearby stone table. Not wanting to go far to buy food, he had ordered takeout directly from his phone.

    While signing, Bai Wei snorted heavily, ¡°Enjoy your meal with Xia Ning then, goodbye.¡±

    He Xing stared at the ck screen of his phone in speechlessness. After signing, he called Bai Wei again, but this time her phone was unreachable.

    He knew Bai Wei had blocked him. His teeth clenched so hard they squeaked, and he wished he could rush over and give his overly ipetent cousin, Bai Wei, a thorough beating.

    ¡­

    At the top floor of the hotel, in Bai Wei¡¯s room.

    Bai Wei shook her phone triumphantly, ¡°There, now He Xing won¡¯t be able to find me here. Satisfied?¡±

    Fu Han ripped off the facial mask on her face, saying indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s there to be satisfied about? He Xing and I are not having a happy rtionship now.¡±

    ¡°Give me a break,¡± Bai Wei, who had grown up abroad, spoke her mind bluntly, ¡°Anyone with eyes can see that both you and He Xing are in love. Stop being so stubborn.¡±

    Being hit where it hurt, Fu Han was embarrassed beyond measure. Her face was already flushed red, and she regretted not keeping her facial mask on. If she had, her blushing wouldn¡¯t have been noticeable.

    Bai Wei saw her expression clearly and burst intoughter, covering her mouth. Her crispughter traveled far away, and the neighbors probably heard it loud and clear.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t stay another second. She rose to her feet and headed for the door, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and I have things to do. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°What things?¡± Bai Wei was stillughing so hard she could barely stand straight, ¡°Are you going to the hospital to drag He Xing back?¡±

    Fu Han had already reached the door, but at those words, she turned around with a cold face and said seriously, ¡°Bai Wei, I warn you not to joke about He Xing and me anymore. We have nothing to do with each other now.¡±

    Under the light, Fu Han radiated a chilling aura from the inside out, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

    Fu Han¡¯s scoff pulled Bai Wei back to reality, who realized she had taken the joke too far, and she stuck her tongue out and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, I was just trying to cheer you up with a joke. You¡¯re not really angry, are you?¡±

    Fu Han humphed without a word. She was not one to joke around to begin with, especially not with inappropriate jokes like these, which were no different than rubbing salt in a wound.

    Finally, Bai Wei had a moment of insight. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll take revenge for you,¡± she said as she stood up to dress. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital and drag He Xing back, leaving Xia Ning all alone there.¡±

    ¡°Childish.¡± Fu Han¡¯s anger peaked in that moment as she scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re underestimating Xia Ning¡¯s importance in your brother¡¯s eyes. If you can get He Xing out of the hospital, then you¡¯re really something.¡±

    After saying this, she ignored Bai Wei¡¯s shouts and went straight back to her own room.

    When washing her hair, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head, the kind that hurt whenever she touched water. She touched the back of her head and looked at her hand to find faint traces of blood.

    Fu Han gasped in pain. Although she hadn¡¯t fallen over, Xia Ning had yanked her hair when ¡°saving¡± her, meaning all her body weight had been on her hair. How could it not hurt?

    At the moment, she felt as if her scalp was being torn apart, but due to the many events that followed, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention, and with her hair always draped behind her, no one would have noticed.

    In pain, Fu Han couldn¡¯t continue washing her hair. After a shower, she stepped out of the bathroom, intending to find a first aid kit to treat her wound.

    But her room had everything except a first aid kit, so she had to call the front desk to have one brought up.

    Though Fu Han had nned to work on some photos she had taken recently, she wasn¡¯t in the mood anymore. She could only lie on the sofa and listen to music.

    A few minutester, there was a knock on the door. As Fu Han walked towards it, she mused, ¡°Five-star hotel service is great. It hasn¡¯t been long, and they¡¯ve already delivered the first aid kit?¡±

    When she opened the door, she was stunned to find He Xing and Bai Wei standing outside.

    It took her several seconds to recover, ¡°What are you two doing here?¡±

    He Xing was breathing somewhat heavily as he surveyed Fu Han from head to toe. The body beneath the white bathrobe was shapely and delicate, with a pale and slender neck, a fair and petite face, and slender, slightly plump hands ¨C she didn¡¯t look injured at all.

    He turned to Bai Wei, ¡°Did you lie to me?¡±

    Bai Wei showed no guilt, sticking out her tongue innocently, ¡°I just told you Fu Han was injured. Who asked you toe back with me without even inquiring?¡±

    ¡°Then tell me now, where is Fu Han injured?¡± He Xing was infuriated, his handsome eyes seemed to spit fire.

 Chapter 142 - 142 142 Xia Ning Got Scalded

    ?Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Xia Ning Got Scalded   Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Xia Ning Got Scalded                                   ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± Bai Wei pointed at Fu Han¡¯s chest and said, ¡°You walked off with Xia Ning in public; Fu Han¡¯s heart got hurt.¡±

    Her words left Fu Han speechless and forced all the words He Xing had back into his stomach.

    It wasn¡¯t that he had nothing to say, but rather that he felt quite fine after hearing her words, yet now he especially didn¡¯t want to show Bai Wei that he was in a good mood.

    When Bai Wei thought about Xia Ning¡¯s annoyed face, her heart bloomed with joy.

    She was provoked by Fu Han¡¯s words at the time, and considering that Fu Han had helped her multiple times with Luo Qinghe¡¯s matters, she too wanted to show goodwill to Fu Han.

    She immediately called for a car and rushed to the hospital. When she arrived at the ward, Xia Ning was absentmindedly eating while gazing at He Xing with tender affection.

    Seeing Xia Ning¡¯s lovestruck expression irritated Bai Wei. Why couldn¡¯t she act this dedicated when filming?

    She stormed into the ward, grabbed He Xing, and ran off, anxiously saying that Fu Han was injured, that it was serious, and urging He Xing to deal with it quickly.

    Of course, Xia Ning disagreed, but He Xing was so thrown off by the news of Fu Han¡¯s injury that he didn¡¯t resist, and ultimately, Bai Wei managed to take He Xing away from the hospital smoothly.

    Upon reaching Fu Han, Bai Wei boasted, ¡°See? I told you I could make He Xinge back to you immediately, and I did, didn¡¯t I? Don¡¯t worry, you and I are on the same side. You help me chase Luo Qinghe, and I¡¯ll handle He Xing for you. Fair deal, right?¡±

    Fu Han was incredibly frustrated, rubbing her forehead as she exined, ¡°Who wants to make that kind of deal with you?¡±

    At the same time, He Xing finally began to understand everything. His face darkened as he said, ¡°Fu Han, since when have you started acting as senseless as Bai Wei? Xia Ning got hurt trying to save you. I have been taking care of Xia Ning for you. How could you let Bai Wei do such a thing?¡±

    When Bai Wei saw Fu Han¡¯s pale face, the smile on her own face froze, as if someone had pressed the pause button.

    She turned her head in surprise to He Xing: ¡°He Xing, what are you talking about? It was my own idea to find you, and it had nothing to do with Fu Han. Yes, lying to you about Fu Han being injured was wrong, but it¡¯s unrted to Fu Han, do you understand?¡±

    He Xing had been fooled by Bai Wei twice that day, and both times in front of Fu Han, which he found embarrassing. His face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot: ¡°Your idea? Your brain came up with such a good idea? Then I think my aunt should burn more incense this New Year.¡±

    As soon as these words left his mouth, He Xing felt something was off. He hurriedly turned to Fu Han and unsurprisingly saw that her already pale face was now as white as a sheet of paper.

    He took two steps towards Fu Han and chose his words carefully: ¡°Xiaohan, I didn¡¯t mean that. I meant Bai Wei¡ªthis girl has been spoiled rotten by my aunt. It wasn¡¯t about you¡­¡±

    Fu Han shook her head and stepped back: ¡°President He, you don¡¯t need to exin so much. From a young age, when has Xia Ning not been incredibly important to you? Both fell into the pool, but you personally carried her to the hospital. You probably don¡¯t know, but while you were lovingly caring for Xia Ning, how your fianc¨¦e was washing her face with tears alone in the ward.¡±

    Fu Han said all this with a smile, but her smile was so deste, it made people feel even sadder than if she had cried.

    ¡°I¡­¡± He Xing¡¯s mouth opened and closed, guilt flooding over him like a tidal wave, burying him. He urgently stepped forward two paces wanting to exin.

    But at that moment, his phone rang. It was the caregiver on the line.

    He Xing answered with undisguised irritation, nearly snapping: ¡°What is it?¡±

    The caregiver was startled and stammered, ¡°Mr. He, just now when I went to wash some fruit, Miss Xia got thirsty and went to pour herself some water, but she identally scalded herself with boiling water. You should hurry over.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s scalded, go to the doctor,¡± He Xing, frustrated and suspecting another deception due to being fooled by Bai Wei just moments ago, didn¡¯t believe that Xia Ning had actually hurt herself.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± said the caregiver, his already imperfect Mandarin deteriorating further in his anxiety: ¡°Mr. He, Miss Xia said she won¡¯t get treated unless youe back. It¡¯s really serious, so please hurry.¡±

    Leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, Bai Wei spoke with indifference: ¡°The first person who uses this trick is smart, but using it a second time is just in stupid. He Xing, if you fall for this kind of lie again, I¡¯llugh at you every time I see you.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± He Xing turned sharply to re at Bai Wei, his handsome face cold and merciless.

    The pressure within the room expanded from He Xing as its center, with Bai Wei bearing the brunt of it¡ªher face turned deathly pale, the fear on her beautiful features overtaking any trace of the unaffected humor she previously held.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze shifted,nding on Fu Han, which seemed to lessen the tension in the room. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly: ¡°Xiaohan, Xia Ning is here alone, and I can¡¯t ignore her. I¡¯lle back when her situation improves, and I¡¯ll exin everything to you then.¡±

    Fu Han was already seething with rage inside, but the angrier she felt, the moreposed she appeared. She let out a hollowugh, ¡°President He, you better hurry and see her. What if your Miss Xia¡¯s scald heals if you¡¯re toote? Oh¡­ wait, what if it scars if you¡¯re toote?¡±

    He Xing sighed and, without saying another word, headed for the door.

    Just as he had taken no more than two steps away from Fu Han¡¯s door, a service staff carrying a medical kit ran towards them. He stopped to make way, but scrutinized Fu Han from head to toe: ¡°Xiaohan, what happened to you? Let me take you to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°No need to trouble yourself, President He. People like us don¡¯t go to the hospital unless it¡¯s very serious. I can treat it myself.¡± She was standing not far from the door, and as she spoke, she reached out with a slight movement. With a ¡°snap,¡± the door was firmly shut.

    ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve seen who has managed to shut He Xing out,¡± Bai Wei said, examining the ointment while giving Fu Han a thumbs-up.

    Loud knocking erupted, and He Xing¡¯s anxious voice came through, ¡°Xiaohan, open the door, let me see how bad your wounds are.¡±

    He called for several minutes and said many things, but Fu Han, as if she hadn¡¯t heard a thing, didn¡¯t respond at all.

 Chapter 143 - 143 143 So Thats How It Is

    ?Chapter 143: Chapter 143: So That¡¯s How It Is   Chapter 143: Chapter 143: So That¡¯s How It Is                                   The caretaker had made several phone calls in a row, all of them urgently urging He Xing to hurry to the hospital, iming Xia Ning waspletely uncooperative with the doctors.

    Eventually, He Xing gave up, ¡°Xiaohan, I need to go to the hospital first. I¡¯lle back to see youter.¡±

    Fu Han snorted coldly, still ignoring him.

    Bai Wei rushed to the peephole, and sure enough, she saw that He Xing had left, cursing angrily, ¡°Are all these men blind or what? Can¡¯t they tell the difference between a good woman and a scheming bitch?¡±

    Fu Han still obedientlyy on the sofa, waiting for Bai Wei to apply the ointment: ¡°If they could tell a scheming bitch apart, do you think I would have ended up calling off the engagement?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Bai Wei said bluntly, ¡°My mom used to say that you were really lucky to be with He Xing; you wouldn¡¯t really call off an engagement.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s body stiffened, but the next second she was back to normal.

    It was not Bai Wei¡¯s bluntness to me; Fu Han knew most people thought this way. She couldn¡¯t exin to everyone that it wasn¡¯t the He Family¡¯s background she cared about, but her true feelings for He Xing.

    Most importantly, she was no longer the person she had been three years before, someone who would scream and resist the moment they were pricked by a needle; now, she had high self-esteem and wouldn¡¯t fall into self-doubt over a few words from others.

    Bai Wei was utterly unaware of what she had said, as she sat beside the sofa disinfecting Fu Han¡¯s wound while continuing to speak, ¡°But after getting to know you, I think you are decisive, capable at work, beautiful, and have a good figure. You are worthy of He Xing.¡±

    Who doesn¡¯t like to be praised, especially when it¡¯s from He Xing¡¯s only cousin?

    Fu Han¡¯s mood instantly improved, and she turned around with a smile: ¡°Thank you for your praise, whether it¡¯s for Luo Qinghe¡¯s sake or it¡¯s genuine.¡±

    Bai Wei smiled, then her expression turned solemn again as she looked at Fu Han¡¯s wound and spoke righteously, ¡°If you had told me earlier that Xia Ning was almost tearing off your scalp, I would have definitely beaten her up when I went to find He Xing.¡±

    Fu Han smiled, ¡°Then your brother would probably have beaten you up badly out of distress, and no one would have been there to help you.¡±

    Bai Wei was indignant, her pretty face flushing red with anger, ¡°Are He Xing¡¯s eyes blind? How can he be so nice to that green tea bitch Xia Ning?¡±

    The words sounded as if pearls were falling onto a jade te, very pleasing; yet they also echoed like the sound of a stone thrown into the water, the final scream of a dying life.

    Fu Han detected Bai Wei¡¯s dissatisfaction with He Xing in her words and took a while before choosing her words carefully, ¡°Xia Ning¡¯s mother died trying to save He Xing, so if you were He Xing, could you ignore Xia Ning?¡±

    The room suddenly fell into an eerie silence, as quiet as death.

    It took a long time before Bai Wei¡¯s voice could be heard again, ¡°I see.¡±

    Yes, that was it.

    When Fu Han first learned of this, the only thought in her mind was those four words.

    These four words were filled with intense helplessness, a resignation to the immutable reality, and a reluctant eptance, with no other options avable.

    ¡­

    Hospital.

    When He Xing entered the ward, he was unable to hide his anger. As he drove here, he became more and more convinced that Xia Ning must be copying someone.

    So, when he saw the row of blisters under Xia Ning¡¯s left forearm, all his anger turned to guilt for having med Bai Wei¡¯s actions on Xia Ning.

    Throughout the treatment of the wound, Xia Ning had cold sweat on her forehead that never stopped, and tears streamed down like broken beads, but she endured without crying out.

    He Xing¡¯s arm was tightly gripped by her. Through his clothing, he could clearly feel his arm being scratched raw, but He Xing did not frown, silently enduring it.

    Finally, all the blisters had beennced, and the doctor applied ointment and bandaged Xia Ning¡¯s arm.

    He Xing followed the doctor out, asking if Xia Ning¡¯s arm would scar.

    A few minutester he returned, giving Xia Ning a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve had the doctor use the best medication on you. There won¡¯t be any scars.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xia Ning nodded, her eyes still red, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know Fu Han was hurt, I shouldn¡¯t have called you here, but I was really scared without you.¡±

    He Xing handed Xia Ning a cup of warm water, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, I¡¯m not angry.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened, and she immediately put on a sweet smile, ¡°Thank you so much, Brother He Xing. I¡¯m lucky to have you; otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t know what to do by myself.¡±

    The feeling of irritation rose again in He Xing¡¯s heart. He hesitated before he finally spoke slowly, ¡°Xia Ning, Fu Han¡¯s wound hasn¡¯t been treated yet, I must go back and check on her. You should get a good night¡¯s sleep, and I¡¯lle see you tomorrow.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes widened in an instant. For a moment, the hatred in her eyes was almost impossible to conceal, but the next second, she burst into tears, ¡°Daddy, Mommy, where are you? Xiaoning misses you so much, I wish you coulde and keep mepany. Xiaoning is scared alone in the hospital.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s heart felt as if it were crushed under a massive stone; even if he had grown wings, it seemed impossible for him to move at all.

    That restless night, almost nobody could sleep.

    Even Xia Ning was no exception. He Xing did stay with her, but he refused to stay in the ward, eventually just taking an extra nket from the nurse station and making do on a chair outside the ward for the entire night.

    ¡­

    The next day, He Xing indeed got up early to buy breakfast and went back to the hotel to find Fu Han, and to avoid Bai Wei saying anything, he also brought a breakfast for her.

    Unfortunately, he was disappointed. Not only was Fu Han¡¯s room empty, but Bai Wei¡¯s room was also unupied, and to make matters worse, both of them had blocked He Xing¡¯s number.

    Eventually, after contacting the director, He Xing found out where Bai Wei was. When he found Fu Han in the makeup artist¡¯s room, she and Bai Wei were having breakfast, purchased by Luo Qinghe.

    Although He Xing felt awkward, he still brought in the breakfast he bought.

    What he received in return was Bai Wei¡¯s lukewarm response, ¡°Director He, thanks for buying us breakfast, but we¡¯ve already eaten. You can give your cold breakfast to the hospital¡¯s Miss High-and-Mighty; she certainly won¡¯t mind it.¡±

    There weren¡¯t many people in the makeup room but still a significant number, including other artists, assistants, and makeup artists. Although no one ogled He Xing overtly, there was eager non-verbalmunication among them.

    Unable to keep face, He Xing left without a word after Bai Wei¡¯s mockery.

    Xia Ning was on the phone again, urging him to return to the hospital, saying the doctor needed to discuss something with the patient¡¯s family, and asking He Xing to hurry over.

    Liang Tao had already arrived in H City, and he apanied He Xing to the hospital. On the way, the two of them spoke no more than ten words to each other.

 Chapter 144 - 144 144 Invalid Cooing

    ?Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Invalid Cooing   Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Invalid Cooing                                   Upon their arrival at the hospital, Liang Tao handed a jewelry box to He Xing, ¡°Young Master, they rushed the work through the night. Remember, I sent one out before leaving. Take a look, and if there¡¯s any issue, I can send it back for revisions right now.¡±

    He Xing opened it for a nce and then closed it, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    The two entered the hospital one after the other; Xia Ning¡¯s ward door was wide open, and it so happened that the doctor wasing out after making his rounds.

    He Xing stopped the doctor, ¡°Doctor, I¡¯d like to ask about Xia Ning¡¯s condition and when she can be discharged from the hospital.¡±

    ¡­

    Xia Ning sat on the hospital bed, applying makeup to herself. Today, she was wearing her best no-makeup makeup look, which was pitifully charming, giving off a protective vibe.

    When He Xing entered, Xia Ning was pursing her lips, applying a bean paste-colored lipstick that gradually faded from darker on the inside to lighter on the outside, craftily enhancing her beauty.

    She looked up at He Xing with the sweetest smile, ¡°Brother He Xing, you¡¯ve finallye. I¡¯ve been so bored here by myself. Can you take me out for a walk, please?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± He Xing smiled, sitting steadily on the sofa, ¡°I¡¯ve already had your Assistant bring clothes over, let¡¯s go out after you¡¯ve changed.¡±

    Xia Ning looked at He Xing, her delight bordering on ecstasy. She had rushed to the hospital in clothes stained with milk tea the day before, and although she changed into a hospital gownter, it was so bulky that it had no sense of beauty whatsoever.

    Qin Xiaonian quickly arrived, bringing with her a princess outfit for Xia Ning. It was a pink and white checkered dress with a coat of the same color wool, and the cuffs and neckline were lined with fox fur, looking soft and tender, matched with a pair of knee-high white boots.

    Although the sleeves felt a bit tight due to the bandages on Xia Ning¡¯s arm, it didn¡¯t affect the overall look much.

    Once d in the outfit, she immediately transformed into a charming princess, looking very cute.

    After changing, Xia Ning bounced over to He Xing, ¡°Brother He Xing, I¡¯m dressed now, can we go out and have fun now?¡±

    ¡°We certainly can,¡± He Xing smiled, stood up, and walked towards the door.

    He was fast, forcing Xia Ning to trot to keep up with him. After a few steps, she looked back, puzzled to find Liang Tao and Qin Xiaonian following them.

    She was somewhat displeased, thinking that these two reallycked tact, not giving them any personal space.

    He Xing kept walking forward, eventually stopping next to his Lamborghini. He opened the door and got straight into the car. Xia Ning hurried up next to him, seated in the passenger side, while Liang Tao and Qin Xiaonian took the back seat.

    Xia Ning looked at He Xing with confusion, ¡°Um, Brother He Xing, where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Back to the Film and Television Base,¡± He Xing said, devoid of emotion as he started the car.

    ¡°What for?¡± A sense of foreboding filled Xia Ning, and her beautiful face lost its earlier excitement, now showing a vague sense of worry.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes fixed straight ahead, his dark pupils brimming with starlight, ¡°Obviously, to shoot the movie.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Xia Ning whispered, ¡°I¡¯m still injured; it¡¯s not suitable for shooting.¡±

    The red light came on, and the Lamborghini slowed to a stop. He Xing finally turned to look at Xia Ning, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked the doctor. Your injury isn¡¯t serious¡ªyou just need toe to the hospital to change the dressings daily. It won¡¯t affect filming.¡±

    Xia Ning pouted and acted coy, ¡°But filming with an injury will have an impact. I wanted to stay in the hospital for a couple more days, so you could keep mepany, Brother He Xing.¡±

    ¡°Xiaoning, you¡¯re grown up now; you have to take responsibility,¡± He Xing said solemnly, a rarity for him, ¡°You signed a contract for this movie, which holds legal responsibilities. Moreover, if filming is dyed because of you, the crew will face serious losses.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Xia Ning crossed her arms defiantly, not wanting to miss this rare opportunity, ¡°But, Brother He Xing, could you maybe make an exception for me because of my injury and take me out for dinner tonight?¡±

    He Xing hesitated noticeably; he had nned to have dinner with Fu Han that night, and he needed to appease her.

    Xia Ning seized the opportunity, darting towards He Xing, her head resting on his shoulder, ¡°Please agree, Brother He Xing, and I promise I¡¯ll shoot my scenes well afterward.¡±

    As she spoke, fearful that He Xing might push her away, she wrapped her hands around his arm, attempting to embrace him. identally, her hand brushed against something hard. She reached into He Xing¡¯s pocket and felt around, pulling out a jewelry box, which contained a stunning ne when opened.

    ¡°This ne is so beautiful,¡± Xia Ning said with sparkling eyes looking at He Xing, ¡°Brother He Xing, can you give me this ne? I really like it.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the light had turned green, and He Xing, with one hand on the steering wheel, reached out with his other hand to take the jewelry box back.

    With a swift turn, Xia Ning dodged He Xing¡¯s hand, her eyes smiling, ¡°Why not? Could it be that this is for Fu Han?¡±

    What was meant to be a teasing remark was met with a serious nod from He Xing, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a gift I¡¯ve prepared for Fu Han.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face fell instantly, and the bitterness in her heart almost pulled her expression down. She put on an aggrieved look, ¡°Brother He Xing, didn¡¯t you prepare a gift for me?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± He Xing was as concise as ever, his expression unchanging.

    Liang Tao looked at Xia Ning with some sympathy; her face was growing uglier by the second, her hands clenched tight, going white¡ªa clear sign that she was holding back her rage.

    A gleaming idea struck Xia Ning, and she held up the ne with a pleading look at He Xing, ¡°Brother He Xing, I really like this ne, may I take a photo of it? I¡¯ll get one custom-made for myself.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± He Xing agreed without hesitation. After Xia Ning took the photo, he quickly took the ne back, this time carefully cing it in a different pocket.

    When they arrived, Fu Han and her group were already inside, and filming was in progress. It was Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s scenes, with Fu Han and Su Cheng each controlling a camera.

    He Xing stood at a distance and looked Fu Han up and down, failing to detect any sign of injury on her.

    During a break in the shooting, He Xing pulled Fu Han aside, ¡°Xiaohan, where are you injured? Is the wound properly treated?¡±

    Fu Han shook off He Xing¡¯s hand, her beautiful face icy, ¡°Mr. He, what is our rtionship that you¡¯re touching me like this?¡±

    A sh of hurt flickered through He Xing¡¯s eyes, but it vanished in a second as he regainedposure, patiently coaxing, ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t be like this. An injury is serious, let me have a look. Shall I take you to the hospital?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Fu Han was still fuming internally, and seeing He Xing arriving with Xia Ning only fueled her anger, ¡°Mr. He, you should just take good care of Miss Xia. We¡¯re not so delicate.¡±

 Chapter 145 - 145 145 Navigating the Minefield of Pampering

    ?Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Navigating the Minefield of Pampering a Girlfriend   Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Navigating the Minefield of Pampering a Girlfriend                                   He Xing knew Fu Han was angry, so he took the initiative to grab her hand. ¡°Alright, I said I was wrong yesterday, I apologize to you, what do you want me to do for you to forgive me?¡±

    If wooing a girlfriend were a minefield, then not only did He Xing not build a house directly on it, he was definitely hopping around it all day long.

    Fu Han pulled her hand back, took two steps back and looked He Xing up and down. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, did He Xing exchange his IQ for EQ?

    Moreover, she had always thought that she and He Xing were in a puppy love, but now it seemed like they weren¡¯t in puppy love at all. It was obvious that He Xing had never been in a rtionship before; otherwise, how could he not even know how to coax someone?

    She snorted coldly, ¡°President He, are you saying that you want me to teach you how to coax me?¡±

    He Xing finally realized something was off. His face turned red all of a sudden, and he exined awkwardly, ¡°Uh, that¡¯s not what I meant. I really do want to apologize, but I just don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t do anything, and by the way, make a smooth exit from my presence.¡± Fu Han couldn¡¯t control her anger any longer and, flinging her sleeves, went straight towards the camera.

    Just when the director yelled ¡°Action,¡± even if He Xing wanted to follow her, he couldn¡¯t.

    The rest of the day, it was as if the whole world was conspiring against He Xing. They had to rush their lunch, so Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe, and Su Cheng took up the space next to Fu Han.

    Xia Ning never ate boxed lunches, convinced that they were so bad not even pigs would eat them. Hence, her assistant ordered her avish lunch, and she forcefully dragged He Xing onto her RV.

    Bai Wei happened to see this scene when she went out to wash her hands. Upon returning, she described everything to Fu Han in dramatic detail, and concluded earnestly. ¡°People like He Xing, who have you in their heart but still can¡¯t cut ties with other women, are best avoided.¡±

    Fu Han nodded in deep agreement. She¡¯d been tormented by such a man for too long and was still affected by him now and then, so thest shreds of her rationality told her not to soften up and revert to how she was three years ago.

    With Fu Han¡¯s tacit consent, Luo Qinghe, Bai Wei, and Su Cheng became like the Three Musketeers, preventing He Xing from getting close to Fu Han.

    The actions of the two men were understandable; after all, He Xing had screwed over Luo Qinghe before, and Su Cheng used to be He Xing¡¯s romantic rival.

    As for the overly enthusiastic Bai Wei, Fu Han was utterly puzzled why she opposed He Xing getting close to Fu Han. This person used to talk about He Xing non-stop in front of Fu Han, but why was she so against it now?

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t figure it out and ultimately could only sigh in resignation. Perhaps Bai Wei was holding a grudge over what He Xing saidst night.

    In fact, if Fu Han knew the real reason behind Bai Wei¡¯s actions, she might be speechless.

    The matter was a bitplicated. Nan Qing mentioned the breakup between Su Cheng and Fu Han while talking to Luo Qinghe, and Bai Wei, who was most serious about shooting the breeze with Luo Qinghe about everything under the sun, managed to slip it out without intending to.

    Bai Wei was happy to know that Fu Han was single again, but she didn¡¯t tell He Xing. She felt that He Xing was indeed overdoing it with Xia Ning, so when Su Cheng no longer posed a threat, Bai Wei thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt for He Xing to suffer a bit more.

    Things thate too easily are often taken for granted.

    So the day passed, and He Xing never found another opportunity to be alone with Fu Han because even at night, Fu Han and Bai Wei slept together.

    In front of others, there were things He Xing felt he couldn¡¯t say to coax Fu Han.

    In the end, the cold war between Fu Han and He Xing dragged on and on until the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month. Tomorrow would be the Spring Festival, and the crew was about to have a break.

    The original n was for the crew to have a three-day holiday, but when He Xing looked at the calendar, he realized that the sixth day of the lunar new year was Valentine¡¯s Day. Finally, with a grand gesture, he decided to give a seven-day break and return to work on February 15.

    Every additional day the crew dyed, renting the photography studio and equipment would cost hundreds of thousands more. It didn¡¯t make financial sense for the entire crew to have so many days off.

    But He Xing had his own ns. If he and Fu Han weren¡¯t in a cold war, of course, he could just take three days off and then, on Valentine¡¯s Day, use his status as a producer to take Fu Han out for the holiday.

    Unfortunately, there were no ifs, and now he had to let everyone in the crew have Valentine¡¯s Day off just so he could spend the holiday with Fu Han.

    ¡­

    There was only one scene left to shoot. While getting her makeup done, Bai Wei was talking excitedly to Fu Han. ¡°I heard Nuan City is like spring all year round. Since we have a seven-day break, let¡¯s go on a trip there together.¡±

    Fu Han, who had been listlessly browsing her phone, looked upzily upon hearing this. ¡°Just go with Luo Qinghe by yourself. Why drag me along as a third wheel?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you think I want to?¡± Bai Wei revealed a depth of expression that belied her age and said helplessly, ¡°Luo Qinghe looks at me like a chaste woman caught sight of a rogue. If it were just the two of us going, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d agree to it.¡±

    Fu Han hummed in response as a sort of reply, her attention still captured by the phone screen. It disyed a work taken by a photographer: a woman with a face full of freckles, in-looking, but her smile carried an original vitality.

    ¡°Hey, are you even listening to me?¡± Bai Wei poked Fu Han¡¯s waist with a finger and raised her voice. ¡°I haven¡¯t been bad to you these past few days, have I? I helped you throw shade at He Xing so much. It¡¯s about time you repaid me.¡±

    Fu Han found herself in over her head. She really wanted to say she hadn¡¯t asked for help, but she held back, and the words ultimately went unspoken.

    Thinking she had a chance, Bai Wei was ready to put in more effort to persuade Fu Han, but she was interrupted by her ringing phone. ncing at it, she stuck out her tongue. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a call from Her Majesty Mother, please wait a moment. We¡¯ll talk more in a bit.¡±

    Even though Bai Wei¡¯s mother was on the other side of the ocean, her control over Bai Wei was still strong, with no less than two calls a day.

    Apparently, to ovee the time difference, she had set an rm clock specifically to call Bai Wei the moment it went off.

    The funniest part was, as tough as Bai Wei appeared, her demeanor during phone calls with her mother was akin to a mouse in the presence of a catplete submission. The mother had single-handedly dominated the conversations with Bai Wei.

    Therefore, whenever Bai Wei took calls from her mother, Fu Han¡¯s mood would always improve. Their mother-daughtermunication was a source of happiness for Fu Han.

    As expected, Bai Wei¡¯s face fell as soon as she picked up the phone. She mumbled responses with her head down, ending the call in less than five minutes. When she hung up, her face had sagged enough to hang an oil pot.

    Suppressing her curiosity, Fu Han immediately followed up, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did the sky fall, and you have to hold it up?¡±

 Chapter 146 - 146 146 Same Phone Content

    ?Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Same Phone Content   Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Same Phone Content                                   ¡°It¡¯s even worse than that.¡± Bai Wei gave up in despair andy back, saying without any hope, ¡°I can¡¯t go to Nuan City now; the n to conquer Luo Qinghe will have to be put on hold.¡±

    Fu Han giggled, sessfully amused by her, ¡°If you can¡¯t go, then you can¡¯t go. It¡¯s not a big deal. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, and you can go then.¡±

    Bai Wei sighed deeply and looked at Fu Han with her newly permed hair, ¡°That¡¯s not the worst part. The worst part is that I have to spend the Spring Festival at the He Family¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°The He Family¡­¡± It took Fu Han about three seconds to finally equate ¡°The He Family¡± with ¡°He Xing¡¯s family,¡± and she also finally realized, after the fact, that Bai Wei was rted to the He Family.

    Bai Wei nodded vigorously, looking at Fu Han hopelessly, ¡°What should I do? If I go to the He Family¡¯s house, He Xing will definitely use her host¡¯s privilege to bully me. Do you think she¡¯ll treat me like a servant?¡±

    Fu Han rolled her eyes, unable to stand it anymore, ¡°Aren¡¯t you overthinking it? Even if He Xing bears a grudge, isn¡¯t there still Grandpa? Grandpa loves girls the most.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not afraid of Grandpa at all.¡± Bai Wei sighed helplessly. She couldn¡¯t understand how her mother had changed her mind so quickly. Justst night, she had been talking about wanting to travel during the Spring Festival, and her mother hadn¡¯t objected at all.

    In the span of a single night, it hade to this: Bai Wei either had to spend the Spring Festival at the He Family¡¯s house or cross the ocean ande home. There was no third option.

    Fu Han was just thinking of what to say next when her phone rang. It was a call from old Mr. He, and she hurriedly answered.

    This time, it was Bai Wei¡¯s turn to be the spectator. She watched Fu Han with her chin propped on her hands.

    Fu Han sweetly called out, ¡°Grandpa,¡± then her expression changed as she spoke, ¡°But Grandpa¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± ¡°No way,¡± ¡°Okay then,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think some more.¡±

    After a struggle, she finally hung up the phone. Bai Wei immediately asked excitedly, ¡°What did Grandpa He call you for? He didn¡¯t ask you to tell He Xing not toe home for the Spring Festival, did he?¡±

    ¡°You really can imagine things.¡± Fu Han squeezed out a helpless smile and revealed the content of the phone call, ¡°Grandpa He asked me toe home for the Spring Festival.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Bai Wei screamed excitedly, hugging Fu Han and spinning around, ¡°We¡¯ll both spend the Spring Festival at the He Family¡¯s house. With you there, He Xing definitely won¡¯t dare to bully me.¡±

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t agreed yet.¡± Fu Han was opposed to the idea; although not going to the He Family¡¯s house meant she would spend the Spring Festival alone, she really didn¡¯t want to keep being involved with He Xing.

    You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Bai Wei said, hands on hips, looking down at Fu Han from a moral high ground, ¡°Grandpa He is so old now, how many more Spring Festivals can he have? You said yourself that you treat him like your own grandpa, so why can¡¯t you spend the Spring Festival with him?¡±

    The two girls were shouting and making noise in the Photography Studio, drawing the attention of everyone in the studio.

    Fu Han, not used to being stared at, blushed deeply. Knowing Bai Wei¡¯s tenacious nature, she could only helplessly agree.

    But deep down, she still had a small doubt: why had Bai Wei and she received phone calls one after another, and both phone calls had the same content, asking them to spend the Spring Festival at the He Family¡¯s house?

    Their unnoticed observer was He Xing, who had been silently watching them the whole time. His thin lips curled in a slight smile as his finger, like a section of bamboo, swiftly tapped on the screen of his phone, sending two messages; one to his aunt, one to his grandfather.

    The content of both messages was the same: ¡°It¡¯s all set, thank you for your help.¡±

    With a holiday tomorrow, today¡¯s shooting went surprisingly smoothly, finishing an hour earlier than expected.

    As usual, Luo Qinghe drove Bai Wei and Fu Han back to the hotel, and on the way, they talked about their ns to return to A City for the Spring Festival. Since Luo Qinghe was finally relieved from having to apany Bai Wei to Nuan City over the holiday, he readily agreed to Bai Wei¡¯s request to drive them home.

    It was only a seven-day holiday; there wasn¡¯t much to pack. Most of Fu Han¡¯s clothes were in A City, and Bai Wei was even thinking of going shopping during the holiday, so she just casually packed two sets of clothes to change into.

    Fu Han, dragging her suitcase and about to leave, was interrupted by a knock at the door. Opening it, she saw He Xing and immediately switched to an expressionless face, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°To take you home.¡± He Xing reached out naturally, intending to help Fu Han with her luggage.

    ¡°Who wants to go home with you?¡± Fu Han stepped back and looked away from He Xing. Just hearing his words made her blush uncontrobly, as she felt the word ¡°home¡± carried a different significance.

    He Xing immediately stopped and stood in ce, his handsome face breaking into a tender smile. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Grandpa told me you agreed toe home for the Spring Festival. I¡¯m here to take you back home.¡±

    A gentle He Xing is irresistible to anyone, Fu Han included.

    His smile was like the winter sun; when his eyes squinted slightly, his dark pupils were like two shiny stars. The small dimples at the corners of his mouth were like little candies, and his every word was sweet as sugar.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart softened, and she gazed at He Xing as if she were a sunflower looking at the sun.

    The smile on He Xing¡¯s face deepened, and as he approached Fu Han, about to take her hand, Bai Wei¡¯s loud voice suddenly erupted, ¡°Fu Han, are you ready yet? Luo Qinghe is hurrying us.¡±

    As Bai Wei¡¯s voice fell, she arrived at Fu Han¡¯s door, dragging her luggage. She looked puzzled at the two, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s face darkened, and he said through gritted teeth, ¡°Nothing!¡±

    Fu Han, who was already feeling awkward, couldn¡¯t help butugh at his reaction. She passed by He Xing, taking Bai Wei¡¯s hand proactively, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t pay attention to him.¡±

    He Xing hurriedly followed them into the elevator, where the two girls chatted up a storm,pletely ignoring him as if he were invisible.

    Once out of the hotel, He Xing noticed they were going the wrong way. He pointed to his Lamborghini parked behind and said, ¡°Xiaohan, Bai Wei, my car is over here.¡±

    ¡°Who wants to ride in your car?¡± Bai Wei turned back and stuck out her tongue at him, ¡°We¡¯re riding in Luo Qinghe¡¯s car.¡±

    He Xing, gritting his teeth in frustration, was about to say something when Xia Ning came running over, calling ¡°Brother He Xing¡± and heading his way, ¡°Brother He Xing, I¡¯m having some trouble with my car. Can I catch a ride with you back home?¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s car had already started up and as it passed by He Xing, Bai Wei rolled down the window, ¡°Mr. He, you¡¯d better take good care of your precious Miss Xia.¡±

    ¡°You want to bet I¡¯ll throw a punch?¡± He Xing clenched his fist and waved it vigorously, but inadvertently met Fu Han¡¯s cold gaze.

    At Xia Ning¡¯s insistence, He Xing had no choice but to take her directly to the Xia Family¡¯s home.

    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng were very enthusiastic when they saw He Xing, and they kept inviting him to have somete-night snacks, almost lifting him up between the two of them in their eagerness.

 Chapter 147 - 147 147 The Festive Courtyard

    ?Chapter 147: Chapter 147: The Festive Courtyard   Chapter 147: Chapter 147: The Festive Courtyard                                   He Xing missed Fu Han so much that he wished he could sprout wings and fly back to the He family; naturally, he was unwilling to stay any longer, and thus the Xia family had no choice but to let him go.

    On the other hand, Bai Wei was much like Xia Ning, shamelessly insisting that Luo Qinghe stay at the He family for a while, but she had an extra helper. With Fu Han coordinating, Luo Qinghe was almost helpless to refuse.

    The old Master He had already received news from Fu Han and had the servants prepare a rich midnight snack.

    Moreover, the old man had a particrly keen eye; even before Fu Han and Bai Wei said anything, he guessed that Bai Wei liked Luo Qinghe. He was exceptionally warm towards Luo Qinghe and even invited him to attend a ball hosted by the He family in a few days.

    Luo Qinghe had been notoriously rebellious since childhood, and since the Li family did not count on him to take over the family business, everyone was especially indulgent towards this youngest son. He never attended any balls he did not wish to, and nobody would force him.

    That¡¯s also why the upper-ss society in City A knew there was such a young master in the Li family, but few knew what he looked like.

    When Bai Wei heard Luo Qinghe had agreed, she cheered joyfully, grabbing Old Master He¡¯s arm and jumping up in excitement.

    The three had almost finished theirte-night snack when He Xing finally returned. As soon as he entered the door, he heard bursts of joyfulughter, among which Fu Han¡¯sughter, though not loud, was very clear.

    His expression unconsciously softened, ¡°Such a long-lostughter¡± ¡ª as long as he could hear suchughter every day, he felt he would be the happiest person in the world.

    As He Xing walked towards the dining room, he unconsciously slowed his pace. Standing at the entrance to the dining room, he looked at the four people inside. What a harmonious family scene it was.

    Old Master He was the first to spot He Xing, waving to him: ¡°Why have you only juste back? Hungry from the trip, aren¡¯t you? Come in and have something to eat.¡±

    He Xing responded with a yes, but his eyes were fixed on Fu Han, who just happened to turn around and look at him.

    When their gazes locked in midair, it was as if the zap of an electric current passed between them. Something had changed, and yet it seemed as if nothing had at all.

    Suddenly, a scene appeared in Fu Han¡¯s mind: she was sitting at the dining table, feeding their child, who suddenly burst intoughter, ¡°Daddy¡¯s home,¡± and as she turned her head, it was indeed He Xing¡¯s face she saw.

    ¡­

    Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve.

    Fu Han slept until she woke up naturally. This room was where she had grown up, and even if she hadn¡¯t lived here for a while, her body still remembered the room. She had a rare good night¡¯s sleep the previous night without any disturbances.

    She casually slipped on a robe and pushed open the balcony window. The warm sunlight poured down, dazzling her a little, and she raised her hand to shield her eyes.

    Even in winter, the garden downstairs was, as ever, beautiful. Several green plum trees blossomed splendidly, with countless flowers dotting the branches. That light green color was full of vitality, with a faint fragrance wafting in.

    She turned back into the room and came out momentster with a camera, beginning to click away at the courtyard.

    Suddenly,ughter came through. Following the sound, she saw He Xing and Bai Wei emerging from the storage room, each holding arge bag in their hands.

    Looking closer, Fu Han realized they were carryingnterns, couplets, and other New Year decorations.

    The two below were busy andughing, and during this Old Zhou had brought a few servants over to help, only to be chased away by Bai Wei.

    Because they were not very close, Fu Han couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, only faintly hearing her own name mentioned frequently.

    After taking a few more photos, she changed her clothes and went downstairs, only then realizing that Old Master He had instructed someone to ce a rattan chair in the corridor for him to enjoy the sunshine and supervise the work.

    Seeing Fu Han, they immediately called her over to help. When she took the first string ofnterns, the long-lost feeling of New Year surged in her.

    As a child, a month before the New Year, her parents would start preparing for it. Food, entertainment, and clothing were all purchased in advance.

    On New Year¡¯s Day, the family would hang couplets. Back then, without tape, her mother would cook paste to stick the couplets, and she would ride on her father¡¯s neck, following her mother¡¯s instructions to hang them properly.

    That atmosphere of a family together during New Year¡¯s ¡ª since her parents passed away, she had not enjoyed it again. It wasn¡¯t that the He family treated her poorly, but only Old Master He and He Xing were there, the family was thin, and it was hard to have that feeling of togetherness.

    But now it was different. She had a premonition that this year¡¯s festivities would be very happy.

    After over two hours of busy work, the three of them had finally hung up all the New Year decorations Old Zhou had bought, and therge courtyard waspletely transformed.

    The two begonias in the yard had colored lights the size of soybeans, the parasol tree was adorned withrge rednterns that did not light up; even the grape trellis was wrapped with countless tiny Chinese knots.

    Fu Han rubbed her slightly sore back, stretched a bigzy stretch: ¡°Finally done. Indeed, beautyes at a price.¡±

    He Xing indulgently approached her from behind, naturally massaging her shoulders: ¡°Not entirely, you are beautiful at all times.¡±

    His broad palmsy on her shoulders, transferring warmth and strength like a heating pad, and along with his words, they softened her heart.

    Bai Wei called out exaggeratedly from the side, ¡°He Xing, how can you say such cheesy things? My teeth are about to fall out listening to you.¡±

    Old Master He pretended to scold with a stern face: ¡°Xiaowei, don¡¯t be disrespectful. Should your brother hear this?¡±

    ¡°He Xing is older than Fu Han, so howe Grandpa never makes Fu Han call him brother?¡± Bai Wei, not satisfied, pouted as if she could hang an oil pot on it.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same,¡± Old Master He¡¯s expression suddenly became serious, and he said earnestly, ¡°Xiaohan will one day be He Xing¡¯s wife. Of course, she won¡¯t call him brother. You¡¯ll always be He Xing¡¯s sister, understand?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Bai Wei looked at Fu Han with meaningful eyes, and seeing Fu Han¡¯s face turn bright red, sheughed even more happily, ¡°Grandpa, when He Xing and Fu Han actually get married, I¡¯ll change how I address them to brother and sister-inw then.¡±

    Old Master He burst into a heartyugh, glowing with health and looking ten years younger.

    Fu Han felt both shy and awkward, blurting out ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore¡± as she covered her face and ran off.

    Bai Wei red at He Xing and said irritably, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to chase her?¡±

    He Xing had also turned a bit red, but ignoring Bai Wei and Old Master He¡¯sughter, he quickly followed after Fu Han.

    Just as Fu Han was about to close her room door, He Xing caught it in time, and the next second he was inside.

    Seeing He Xing, Fu Han¡¯s face grew even redder, and she muttered, ¡°Get out,¡± but those two words held no power to deter him.

    He Xing closed the door behind him, then stretched out his long arm to encircle Fu Han in his embrace, ¡°Xiaohan, I¡­¡±

 Chapter 148 - 148 148 I Love You Do You Believe Me

    ?Chapter 148: Chapter 148: I Love You, Do You Believe Me?   Chapter 148: Chapter 148: I Love You, Do You Believe Me?                                   ¡°Stay away from me,¡± Fu Han said, pressing her hands against He Xing¡¯s chest, her face as red as a ripe apple, and her words were as soft as a mosquito¡¯s hum.

    He Xing¡¯s forehead was against Fu Han¡¯s, and he whispered, ¡°Xiaohan, do you know how much I love you?¡±

    Fu Han visibly shuddered; this was the first time He Xing had spoken the word ¡°love.¡± To say she wasn¡¯t moved would be a lie; in fact, she was deeply touched.

    They had grown up together since they were young, as if everything had naturally fallen into ce: the second button from a school uniform, the additional seat on the mountain bike, a shoulder to carry another¡¯s backpack¡­

    They had been through all the experiences of adolescence together, each witnessing the other grow up; He Xing, from a naughty boy into a graceful young man, and Fu Han, from a snotty-nosed tag-along into a stunning beauty.

    They hadn¡¯t even spoken of ¡°love,¡± nor had they said ¡°like,¡± yet a marriage contract had already been cast upon them, and naturally, Fu Han was so happy she couldn¡¯t sleep at night.

    He Xing¡¯s reaction was as calm as ever; ording to Fu Han¡¯s understanding, hisck of objection was tantamount to agreement, so she never asked He Xing whether he actually liked her.

    ¡°Xiaohan, are you listening to me?¡± He Xing¡¯s hand caressed Fu Han¡¯s cheek, which seemed smallerpared with his hand.

    ¡°Ah, I¡­ sorry, could you say that again?¡± Fu Han¡¯s face grew hot with embarrassment; she couldn¡¯t believe she had be distracted in the middle of He Xing¡¯s confession. No one would believe her if she told them.

    ¡°I can say it as many times as you want,¡± He Xing chuckled, lifting Fu Han¡¯s chin slightly to make her look at him. ¡°Xiaohan, when I say I love you, do you believe me?¡±

    A voice inside her head told her to keep calm; but the voice was weak and was quickly engulfed by a tidal wave of emotion. She nodded almost instinctively, and, worried that He Xing might doubt her, she quickly added, ¡°I believe, I really do.¡±

    A smile gradually appeared on He Xing¡¯s face, eventually revealing his dimples and sparkling eyes. ¡°Then, would you like to resume our marriage contract?¡± he asked.

    Fu Han¡¯s muddled mind suddenly cleared as if struck by lightning, and she regained her senses. She took two steps back and removed He Xing¡¯s hand from her cheek, ¡°I can¡¯t answer that question right now.¡±

    ¡°When can you answer me?¡± He Xing, usually known for hisposure, showed a hint of panic and even a touch of fear in his eyes. Worried that he had seemed too eager, he hastily reassured her, ¡°Xiaohan, you don¡¯t have to rush your answer, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    Fu Han nodded, feeling inexplicably heavy-hearted.

    He Xing cupped Fu Han¡¯s cheeks and gently kissed her forehead, ¡°Wait here for me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Then he ran off, leaving Fu Hanpletely confused. In a whirlwind, He Xing returned with an exquisite jewelry box in his hand.

    ¡°Xiaohan, this is the Valentine¡¯s Day gift I prepared especially for you. I couldn¡¯t wait until then to give it to you,¡± he said as he presented the jewelry box to her.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Fu Han asked, opening the jewelry box to find a ne inside. The silver chain was shaped like lotus roots, and the pendant was a budding lotus flower, with a fully grown diamond the size of an adult¡¯s thumb at its center.

    The lotus flower¡¯s petals wereyered intricately, each with a tiny pink diamond at the tip, while a yellow diamond the size of an adult¡¯s thumbnail adorned the center, its light yellow color soft and delicate.

    The lotus flower was exquisitely crafted, lifelike, as if it were a real lotus waiting to bloom in a pond; probably the most expensive lotus she had ever seen.

    She nced at her wrist, still adorned with the bracelet Su Cheng had given her: a half-opened lotus, also thoughtfully chosen.

    He Xing followed her gaze to the bracelet, his expression stiffening for a moment before returning to normal. ¡°Xiaohan, may I help you put on the ne?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied obediently, turning around and standing still.

    He Xing tenderly ced the ne on Fu Han, then, holding her shoulders, he turned her toward himself to admire the piece. He smiled, ¡°It looks beautiful.¡±

    Fu Han blushed, unable to speak.

    ¡­

    New Year¡¯s Eve is a festive holiday with ritual significance, starting with ancestor worship, followed by the family reunion dinner.

    As dusk fell, the dinner began in the festively decorated dining room, with a table full of food that appealed to all the senses.

    The He Family¡¯s cook had never let Fu Han down, and this was the same cook they had had for three years; Fu Han was used to it and enjoyed the meal very much.

    He Xing ate a lot that evening, but all his attention was on Fu Han, mainly because he kept piling food onto her te.

    Finally, Fu Han, patting her round belly, waved her hand continuously, ¡°Stop, I can¡¯t eat anymore, really, I¡¯m full.¡±

    Bai Wei, sitting next to her andughing so hard her teeth were showing, teased, ¡°He Xing, I¡¯m not full yet, why aren¡¯t you serving me any food?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned beet red, and she cleared her throat, saying nothing, wishing she could sew Bai Wei¡¯s unruly mouth shut.

    Grandfather He tapped Bai Wei¡¯s head with his chopsticks, ¡°You¡¯re always up to some mischief. What do you want to eat? Let Grandpa get it for you.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Bai Wei said, rubbing her head and giggling, ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re so partial. Fu Han isn¡¯t even married into the family yet, and you¡¯re already taking her side.¡±

    Thement was meant as a joke, but Grandfather He¡¯s face turned serious. He looked earnestly at Fu Han, ¡°I like Xiaohan not because she will be my granddaughter-inw, but because she¡¯s a girl worth liking. In my heart, she has been my granddaughter for a long time.¡±

    Fu Han could feel that Grandfather He¡¯s words were heartfelt. She was moved and her eyes welled up with emotion as she said, ¡°Grandpa, in my heart, you¡¯re the only family I have in this world.¡±

    He Xing, with one arm around Grandfather He and the other around Fu Han, brought their heads together, resembling a true family.

    New Year¡¯s Eve wasn¡¯t just for the reunion dinner; there were also firecrackers and staying upte.

    Old Zhou had bought a lot of cold fireworks because firecrackers were banned. Although theycked the exuberant re of traditional fireworks, they added a festive touch.

    Bai Wei, celebrating New Year¡¯s in China for the first time, had a st ying with the cold fireworks and chasing Fu Han around.

    Her silver bell-likeughter echoed through the yard, illuminated by colorful lights and smallnterns. Though they were only four, the once quiet courtyard of the He family was filled with warmth and buzz.

    He Xing took pictures with Fu Han¡¯s camera, here and there, and ultimately, the camera was filled with images of smiling faces: Fu Han¡¯s, Bai Wei¡¯s, and Grandfather He¡¯s. Smiles were indeed the most precious memories.

 Chapter 149 - 149 149 Turns Out Theres Been a Plan All Along

    ?Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Turns Out There¡¯s Been a n All Along   Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Turns Out There¡¯s Been a n All Along                                   The clock ticked steadily forward, inching closer and closer to midnight.

    On the enormous TV screen at the He Family residence, the Spring Festival G was being broadcasted. Three young people and an elderly sat on the sofa watching TV, while the coffee table wasden with candies, sunflower seeds, pastries, and the like.

    Fu Han was used to going to bed early, and at this moment, her eyes were struggling to stay open. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a huge yawn.

    ¡°Do you want to take a nap?¡± He Xing gently ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair; his handsome face with sharp features softened due to his smile, making him look even more sunny and charming.

    ¡°No, I can hang on,¡± said Fu Han, rubbing her head in the palm of his hand like a kitten, squinting her beautiful eyes, looking for all the world like azy cat.

    Just as He Xing was about to say something, his phone suddenly rang; he pulled it out to see that it was a video call from ¡°Auntie.¡±

    He exined to Fu Han that the call was from ¡°Bai Wei¡¯s mom,¡± then answered, ¡°Auntie, hello.¡±

    A woman who bore a strong resemnce to Bai Wei appeared in the video, though she looked older; Fu Han silently mused that they were like copy and paste, clearly mother and daughter.

    The auntie¡¯s heartyughter came through, ¡°Xing, the girl beside you must be your girlfriend, right?¡±

    Only then did Fu Han realize her face was visible in the video too, and she hurriedly blushed and ducked out of view.

    Just then, Bai Wei squeezed in, eximing loudly, ¡°Mom, yes, yes, yes, that¡¯s my future sister-inw, her name is Fu Han.¡±

    Fu Han pinched Bai Wei¡¯s waist without any hesitation, her face flushed to the extreme with embarrassment, her eyes a mix of threat and pleading ¨C she was truly afraid of Bai Wei¡¯s uncontroble mouth.

    Bai Wei immediately shut her mouth, but the mischievous expression on her face was vivid.

    Auntie on the phone had already heard it and she immediatelyughed, ¡°Fu Han, you are very pretty. I often hear about you from Bai Wei, and I really like you. I hope we can meet soon.¡±

    Fu Han immediately sat up straight and looked at the phone, smiling obediently, ¡°Auntie, I also hear about you often from Bai Wei. I like you as well, you¡¯re even younger and prettier than I imagined.¡±

    After exchanging pleasantries, the auntie turned to He Xing and said, ¡°Xing, you asked me to help bring Bai Wei over to the He Family for the New Year, but it seems like your real intent was Fu Han, right?¡±

    Fu Han and Bai Wei immediately turned their gazes toward He Xing, who coughed awkwardly and hurriedly hung up the call, ¡°Um, Auntie, I have something else to do, can¡¯t chat now, goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Now you have to exin the New Year¡¯s thing, right?¡± With her arms crossed, Bai Wei looked imposingly at He Xing, ¡°He Xing, I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d ruin my trip for your own selfish desires, I hate you.¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡± He Xing¡¯s face blushed slightly, and he said somewhat unnaturally, ¡°It¡¯s just a trip to Nuan City. After the shoot ends, I will organize a trip for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Yay, that¡¯s great!¡± Bai Wei cheered, her beautiful face beaming as if she could already see herself traveling in Nuan City with Luo Qinghe.

    ¡°What about me?¡± The elderly Mr. He¡¯s kind gaze moved back and forth between Fu Han and He Xing, ¡°You asked me to bring Xiaohan over for the New Year. How do you n to thank me?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take you with us when we go on the trip,¡± He Xing said with a smile, his mood seeming quite good.

    Fu Han felt her face burning hot with embarrassment. She had guessed yesterday that it was no coincidence to receive calls before and after Bai Wei¡¯s, and now it seemed her suspicions were correct.

    He Xing naturally took Fu Han¡¯s hand, smiling openly like the bright sun, ¡°Now you know how much effort I¡¯ve put in to spending New Year¡¯s with you.¡±

    Fu Han quickly withdrew her hand, murmuring with a red face and in a low voice, ¡°What did you do? You just made some phone calls to grandpa and auntie.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re calling my mom ¡®auntie.''¡± Bai Wei covered her mouthughing pointing at Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, aren¡¯t you already admitting you¡¯re my sister-inw now?¡±

    ¡°You guys are so annoying,¡± protested Fu Han, both angry and flustered, her face bright red, ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯m going to go back to my room to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Alright, stop talking,¡± scolded He Xing while also hugging Fu Han, but out of her sight, he gave Bai Wei a thumbs up.

    Fu Han felt she should push He Xing away, but her body seemed to have its own ideas, contentedly reveling in his embrace and that familiar scent she¡¯d dreamt of.

    The TV hosts had started the countdown, and He Xing brought out the biggest firework, lighting it up in sync with the New Year¡¯s countdown.

    The massive fireworks burst in the sky, each household on Lanwan Mountain lighting their own fireworks, countless disys shifting shapes in the sky¡ªlilies, roses, sunflowers¡­

    Bai Wei opened a video call with Luo Qinghe, yelling into the phone ¡°Happy New Year!¡±

    He Xing gave Fu Han a peck on the forehead while she, slippery as a fish, quickly turned to the elderly Mr. He with a sly extension of her hand, ¡°Grandpa, Happy New Year, hand over the Red Envelope.¡±

    ¡°I want one too, I want one too,¡± Bai Wei, fearful of missing out, hung up the call without even a chance to say ¡°goodbye.¡±

    Luo Qinghe shook his head helplessly looking at his darkened phone screen, this quirky girl, how much is a Red Envelope worth? To hang up his video call just for a Red Envelope¡­

    ¡°Who were you video calling?¡± A gentle female voice sounded behind him.

    Luo Qinghe turned around and saw his mother, Luo Qiluo, standing three steps behind him, her graceful figure enshrouded by heavy shadows, looking stunning in her Cheongsam, exuding ssical beauty.

    Although his mother was already in her fifties, time had left no marks on Luo Qiluo¡¯s appearance; when they went out together, they were often mistaken for siblings. If his mother went out with his brother, they were even more likely to be mistaken for a brother and sister pair.

    He and his mother had always had a close rtionship, and since he was in a good mood at the moment, he immediately smiled and said, ¡°No one, just a friend.¡±

    ¡°Is it a boy friend or a girl friend?¡± Luo Qiluo stood in front of Luo Qinghe, her narrow phoenix eyes slightly squinting, radiating a captivating charm.

    Many people said Luo Qinghe and Luo Qiluo were cast from the same mold, and aside from temperament and gender, they looked almost identical.

    ¡°A girl friend.¡±

    ¡°Sure it¡¯s not a girlfriend?¡± Luo Qiluo smiled again, her eyes twinkling, her charm mixed with yfulness.

    ¡°Not,¡± redness crept unwittingly onto Luo Qinghe¡¯s face, he coughed and added, ¡°Not currently, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Qiluo led Luo Qinghe toward the Garden, asking as they moved, ¡°So, you haven¡¯t won her over yet?¡±

    ¡°Do you have some misunderstanding about my charm?¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyebrows were scrunched up so tightly they could squash a mosquito, ¡°Have you ever seen me chasing after girls since I was young?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Nan Qing count?¡± A mother¡¯s sass could be the most lethal, Luo Qiluo casually picked a plum blossom, toying with it, ¡°You have liked her for over twenty years now, haven¡¯t you? And yet you haven¡¯t been sessful.¡±

 Chapter 150 - 150 150 Celebrating the New Year Together

    ?Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Celebrating the New Year Together   Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Celebrating the New Year Together                                   ¡°She¡¯s different,¡± Luo Qinghe rolled his eyes, visibly annoyed as he pushed aside the branches blocking his path: ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve never really pursued her, so it can¡¯t count as my failure.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right,¡± Luo Qiluo tried to hold back herughter, solemnly saying, ¡°On the second day of the New Year, our Li Family is hosting a banquet. Bring that girl over for me to see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said there isn¡¯t even a hint of anything happening yet,¡± Luo Qinghe was close to wearing his opposition on his face.

    But his opposition was somewhat different; it was more about being embarrassed, like a boy experiencing the dawn of feelings, blushing at a simple joke.

    Luo Qiluo patted Luo Qinghe¡¯s shoulder, herugh warm and harmless: ¡°A man should not be so hesitant. Your brother is bringing his girlfriend home this year for me to see. If you don¡¯t bring that girl home, after the New Year, I¡¯ll make you go work at thepany.¡±

    ¡°Mom, can¡¯t you threaten me in a different way?¡± Luo Qinghe sighed helplessly, his face clearly expressing his turmoil.

    ¡°No, this method works best on you,¡± Luo Qiluo decisively said, her beautiful face blossoming into a smile: ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare the meeting gift. You sort out your own affairs.¡±

    ¡­

    Ever since her parents passed away, Fu Han had always kept her distance from lively asions, fearing that after the festivities, she would face the dreadful silence alone.

    And what¡¯s more solitary than the quiet following the re of fireworks on New Year¡¯s Eve?

    It was already two or three in the morning, the world was terrifyingly silent, and Fu Han even felt as if she was the only person left in the world.

    She tossed and turned in her warm, soft bed. Even though she was so sleepy she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open around eleven o¡¯clock, now that she was actually in bed, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep.

    The words He Xing said when he confessed kept reappearing in Fu Han¡¯s mind, and thinking back on them now, they seemed almost surreal.

    She touched her chest where the delicate lotus ney, warmed by her body temperature, feeling warm to the touch.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ I should give it another try,¡± Fu Han said, starting tough at herself.

    This sentence was like a watershed moment; the feeling that she was the only person in the world dissipated. Suddenly, the vi felt warm, alive, and once again became thest haven in the depths of her heart.

    When Fu Han woke up, it was past noon. She hadn¡¯t woken up naturally, but had been startled awake by Bai Wei¡¯s earth-shaking pounding on the door.

    Dappled light peeked through the gaps in the curtains, casting diamond-like reflections on the floor, so blinding that she couldn¡¯t open her eyes.

    Fortunately, she wouldn¡¯t get lost in this room even if she closed her eyes. She haphazardly threw on a robe, and with her eyes still shut, opened the door: ¡°Bai Wei, knocking on the door so early in the morning is really too much.¡±

    ¡°Sleeping in on the first day of the New Year, careful, or you might bezy all year,¡± Bai Wei felt no guilt for waking someone up, instead she shouted louder and even went straight to shaking Fu Han: ¡°Wake up, wake up, let¡¯s go shopping.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Fu Han had always been disinterested in shopping since she was young, not to mention she was still groggy.

    ¡°No, you have toe,¡± Bai Wei pulled at Fu Han with all her might, stammering, ¡°Luo Qinghe invited me to their family gathering tomorrow, and¡­ and I didn¡¯t bring any formal wear, you have toe with me to buy some.¡±

    Fu Han finally opened her eyes wide, giving Bai Wei a once over to confirm she wasn¡¯t lying, then said calmly, ¡°Are you an idiot? Just ask Luo Qinghe to go with you, then you¡¯d have one more opportunity to see them.¡±

    ¡°Then how can I dazzle everyone when I see him tomorrow? There¡¯d be no suspense left,¡± Bai Wei argued adamantly, her face already flushed.

    Before Fu Han could respond, Bai Wei spoke up again, ¡°Also, if it weren¡¯t for you and He Xing, I wouldn¡¯t be in Nuan City,pletely troubled over meeting my future inws. Now that your issue is resolved, are you going to ignore me? That¡¯d be really ungrateful of you.¡±

    ¡°You win, okay? I¡¯ll go, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Fu Han waspletely awake now, and she pushed Bai Wei out of the room: ¡°Let me get changed, wait half an hour for me.¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s heart blossomed with joy, but turned to see He Xing¡¯s door open. She stuck out her tongue and chuckled, ¡°Luo Qinghe is taking me to his family gathering. Jealous?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be jealous of,¡± He Xing replied while fastening the buttons on his shirt: ¡°I¡¯ve apanied Fu Han to all of her gatherings ever since we were kids.¡±

    Bai Wei, who was still wearing a smug look, gritted her teeth so hard they could have cracked upon hearing that, wishing she could punch the smile right off He Xing¡¯s face.

    In less than half an hour, Fu Han was ready. She wore a pink short down jacket over a white fleece-lined hoodie, paired with pencil pants and knee-high leather boots, her waist-length seaweed hair casually draped over her shoulders.

    This outfit was casual andfortable. Even if she took off the down jacket indoors, she still looked great. Most importantly, thebination of white and pink showcased Fu Han¡¯s youthful charm without a doubt.

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes never left Fu Han, and she sincerely admired her, ¡°Fu Han, you truly are a Photographer, your sense of color coordination is absolutely perfect. If my stylist had your taste, people wouldn¡¯t criticize my outfits online anymore.¡±

    Fu Han was about to put her phone into her woven bag when she paused, her smile deepening, ¡°If you¡¯re up for a part-time job, I could help you coordinate your outfits in my free time.¡±

    ¡°When did I not realize you loved money so much?¡± He Xing popped up out of nowhere, mussed Fu Han¡¯s hair, and naturally took her small bag, taking her hand and heading out, ¡°The car¡¯s heater has been on for a while, we can leave now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯reing too?¡± Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°An extra person provides more opinions, and men see things differently than women,¡± Bai Wei chuckled slyly, herughter betraying her nervousness.

    Bai Wei, having been a star for years, had made quite a sum of money, but her parents managed it all.

    And tomorrow would be her first time meeting Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents, so it mattered a great deal to her.

    She estimated the money she had would only be enough for a nice-looking gown, but for a gown to really stand out, jewelry was essential.

    The He Family had many pieces of jewelry, each one a fine example.

    There you have it, Bai Wei saw an opportunity with He Xing. She used helping He Xing win back Fu Han as an excuse for He Xing to let her borrow jewelry from the He Family¡¯s safe, and in turn, He Xing got to go shopping with them that afternoon.

    All in all, it was a win-win deal. He Xing and Bai Wei got what they wanted, and even Fu Han was happy because He Xing would be with them.

 Chapter 151 - 151 151 Going Shopping on the First Day of the

    ?Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Going Shopping on the First Day of the New Year   Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Going Shopping on the First Day of the New Year                                   The trees lining the mountain road of Lanwan Mountain were all adorned with various little animal-shapednterns. Although it was apparent they were made of cheap stic, the sheer number of them, cluster after cluster, made for a very pretty sight.

    Lanterns embellished the trees on both sides of the street whilerge red Chinese knots adorned the tops of the streemp poles; every shop along the road had couplets on disy, exuding a festive and joyous atmosphere everywhere.

    The Spring Festival isn¡¯t actually much different from any other time, but the ambience of a family reunion is distinct, harboring a charm exclusive to the Spring Festival thatpels countless people to travel across oceans to return home.

    The three people of simr ages in the car were chatting andughing more and more jovially. He Xing was known for not showing his emotions, but these past two days, whenever Fu Han looked at him, he was always smiling,ughing more times these two days than he had in the entirety of the past year.

    If possible, Fu Han truly wished that He Xing could be this happy every day instead of the way he used to be, carrying a burden as if it weighed a thousand pounds on his shoulders.

    Even when their rtionship was at its most intimate, Xia Ning always felt a sense of distance from He Xing, making him hard to approach, as if his heart was hidden in abyrinth and she couldn¡¯t find the path leading to its center.

    Now, she felt she had found that path, and although she still wasn¡¯t quite sure how to navigate it, she believed that by feeling her way through, she could eventually find the ce where He Xing¡¯s heart resided.

    The Lamborghini slowly pulled into the underground parking garage, and the three took the elevator up to shop for party dresses for Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei, unfamiliar with City A and not knowing where to find beautiful gowns, was directly led by He Xing to his personal tailor¡¯s high-end custom shop.

    Three years ago, Fu Han had taken the word ¡°clingy¡± to extremes, doggedly following He Xing every day, so she frequently apanied him when he was getting clothes tailor-made. She was curious whether they were heading to the same high-end shop as before.

    Following behind He Xing, Fu Han navigated the unfamiliar mall¡¯s corridors withplex feelings; this wasn¡¯t the route she knew. Had He Xing changed tailors in these three years?

    No matter how much she lied to herself, times change and some things do indeed change, including tailors.

    Thinking this, she felt a sense of loss, subtle, yet pricking her like a needle, causing her considerable difort.

    Once they entered the tailor shop, Bai Wei was whisked away by the staff to try on dresses.

    Fu Han and He Xing sat in a booth waiting for her, and a staff member brought them coffee and a fruit tter. The aroma of the coffee was rich and the fruit fresh, befitting the service of a luxury garment store.

    ¡°Open your mouth.¡± He Xing¡¯s voice sounded, and before Fu Han could even process it, her mouthplied and opened.

    A small slice of mango slipped past her lips, soft and chewy with a lingering fragrance, a vor she loved. Her mood slightly improved, she spoke with a nonchnt air, ¡°I thought we were visiting the tailor from before, but it turns out he has been reced.¡±

    It took He Xing a few seconds to realize what she was referring to. He smiled and casually replied, ¡°It¡¯s still that tailor¡¯s shop, actually. He¡¯s just gone abroad with his family for the Spring Festival, so you didn¡¯t see him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Fu Han¡¯s response was measured, her expression unchanged, but her heart¡¯s tion was beyond description.

    Indeed, some things remain constant in the ever-flowing river of time, despite how much the world around them may have transformed.

    He Xing, holding Fu Han¡¯s hand, was filled with emotion: ¡°Over the past three years, the tailor has mentioned you many times,menting that his business hasn¡¯t been as good without you. He says you¡¯re naturally suited to clothes like a hanger, and even the outfits that don¡¯t sell would look good on you.¡±

    ¡°No wonder!¡± Enlightened, Fu Han puffed her cheeks andined, ¡°No wonder I thought some of the dresses looked old-fashioned, yet everyone always said they looked good on me. I was being hoodwinked.¡±

    Three years prior, whenever He Xing attended a banquet, Fu Han was invariably present; every banquet required a different gown, a gown that could only be worn once, an unwritten rule where repeating an outfit was scoffed at.

    Back then, all her gowns were specially tailored by He Xing¡¯s tailor, and objectively speaking, each was exquisite.

    But indeed, certain gowns made her feel like a delicately soulless puppet, and while some looked good on her, they shed with her temperament.

    Over the past three years, she had reflected on it and concluded that she had been too young and impatient at the time, easily provoked into anger by the likes of Xia Ning and ill-suited for those splendid garments. She hadn¡¯t expected hidden circumstances also contributed to the inappropriateness of some dresses.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t resist pinching Fu Han¡¯s puffed cheeks, his dimples deeply etched with a smile: ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t be angry anymore. The tailor said that as soon as youe back, he will gift you two unique gowns.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Amused by He Xing¡¯s childish behavior, Fu Han pried his hand away, feigning seriousness, ¡°Then go tell the staff to take my measurements. Get the gowns ready; you never know when they¡¯ll be needed.¡±

    ¡°No need to measure,¡± He Xing moved closer to Fu Han. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯ve already checked, your measurements haven¡¯t changed in the past three years, the tailor remembers them.¡±

    His breath, as he spoke, fell on Fu Han¡¯s ear and neck, burning her cheek red. Images flitted through her mind, reminding her of her recent return to the country when He Xing had pushed her against the wall on several asions, nearly igniting a fire.

    As she embarrassingly struggled for words, the curtain of the fitting room was drawn back, and Bai Wei appeared in a pure white floor-length gown: ¡°How do I look? Is this dress nice?¡±

    For the first time in her life, Fu Han was genuinely d to see Bai Wei. She quickly got up, and with feigned thoroughness, circled around Bai Wei, inspecting her. After careful consideration, she spoke sincerely, ¡°You do look very good in this dress, but to those who don¡¯t know any better, they might think tomorrow is your engagement party with Luo Qinghe.¡±

    ¡°Is it that exaggerated?¡± Bai Wei lifted her voluminous skirt, her beautiful face showing undisguised bewilderment, having fallen for the dress at first sight.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that exaggerated,¡± Fu Han nodded earnestly, ¡°That gown could easily be mistaken for a wedding dress. Wearing it tomorrow would be inappropriate; people might think you¡¯re trying to steal the spotlight. I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    As she said it, she looked back at He Xing, seeking an ally.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze upon her was intense, and as their eyes met, his deepened. ¡°Xiaohan is right; the dress does resemble a wedding gown and seems more fitting for an engagement,¡± hemented.

    Bai Wei conceded to their opinion with resignation, but as she took a couple of steps towards the fitting room, she suddenly stopped and told the staff, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one. I¡¯ll buy it in advance to wear for my engagement, and try on the others for now.¡±

 Chapter 152 - 152 152 Combat Power Off the Charts

    ?Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Combat Power Off the Charts   Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Combat Power Off the Charts                                   ¡°Oh, you¡¯re acting as if you¡¯re already thinking about getting engaged,¡± Fu Han¡¯s previous embarrassment vanished as she took the opportunity to avoid He Xing¡¯s piercing gaze and teased Bai Wei, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid Luo Qinghe willugh at you when he finds out?¡±

    ¡°Being afraid of beingughed at for falling in love? Then I might as well not bother,¡± Although Bai Wei¡¯s face reddened, her words came out confidently, with the ease of someone who wears her emotions openly, untroubled byplexity.

    Truth be told, Fu Han envied Bai Wei¡¯s openness; she was like a piece of transparent crystal, allowing others to see right into her heart, clear and uplicated unlike most people.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze never left Fu Han, and in her eyes, he saw the envy people feel for things they¡¯ve never had.

    His heart ached for such a Fu Han; in his eyes, she was the best and deserved the best things in the world.

    He Xing adjusted his emotions and gently touched Fu Han¡¯s eyes, ¡°Xiaohan, why don¡¯t you try on some clothes too? There¡¯s a banquet at the He Family in a few days.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to, I still have several dresses at home that I haven¡¯t worn,¡± Fu Han replied. When she returned home the day before yesterday, she found several dresses she had bought while shopping three years ago.

    Back then, she didn¡¯t mind spending money since it wasn¡¯t hers; now, however, she was reluctant to spend the He Family¡¯s money.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to give He Xing a chance, but she truly cherished the opportunity to start over with him. She hoped that this time their rtionship would be based on equal footing, not like a clinging vine dependent on another.

    These days, she only spent what she earned. Money that shouldn¡¯t be spent couldn¡¯t be spent recklessly, especially tens or hundreds of thousands on a dress that would only be worn once¡ªsuch an idea seemed impractical to her.

    A clerk approached Fu Han with several garments and said politely, ¡°Lady Fu, our boss called and these dresses were custom-made for you personally as a token of appreciation for our regr customer. Please try them on, and if they don¡¯t fit, we can alter them.¡±

    ¡°No need, really,¡± Fu Han shook her head and hid behind He Xing, feeling awkward around the overly enthusiastic clerk, as their enthusiasm made her feel guilty about not buying something.

    ¡°Go on and try them, it¡¯s an apology from the master, specially tailored for you, and it¡¯s free,¡± He Xing insisted and pushed Fu Han toward the fitting room, leaving her no chance to refuse.

    The first dress Fu Han tried on was a light pink strapless gown, short in front and long in the back, with a generously red skirt thanks to the designer¡¯s exquisite work.

    Loremore, this dress came in only one color, a gentle pink perfect for a young girl. Pure pink to the extreme is a color few can wear well, yet Fu Han was the exception.

    When the fitting room¡¯s curtain was drawn aside, He Xing felt as if the figure walking towards him was an elf from the mountains, embodying all that was most beautiful in the world.

    He was mesmerized and speechless, his mind nk, his eyes and heart captivated only by the beautiful figure before him.

    Bai Wei, who came out a step behind from the fitting room, only took one nce before she eximed dramatically, ¡°Fu Han, if you go out with me wearing that, where will that leave me?¡±

    There was no need to ask if the dress looked good; between He Xing¡¯s and Bai Wei¡¯s reactions, everything was clear¡ªeven without a mirror, Fu Han could tell.

    Sheughed and appraised Bai Wei¡¯s outfit, praising her as well, ¡°Your light blue dress is lovely too. The one-shoulder design shows off your swan-like neck and prominent corbones, sexy but not revealing. And the blue gives a calm impression, very suitable for meeting elders.¡±

    Thestment made Bai Wei¡¯s face flush red, and she immediately told the clerk, ¡°I¡¯ll take this dress. I¡¯ll try a few more on¡ªI¡¯ll also need a dress for the He Family banquet in a few days.¡±

    Fu Han was quick to try on clothes; the three dresses brought by the clerk were custom-made for her by the master, fitting her just as they did three years ago, each one perfectly suited for her.

    On the other hand, Bai Wei wasn¡¯t satisfied with the next two she tried and was now buried in the fitting room, determined to pass her own scrutiny before allowing Fu Han and He Xing to weigh in.

    Suddenly, amotion came from the entrance of the store; generally, people don¡¯t create disturbances in malls, so Fu Han frowned and turned towards the source of the noise.

    Unexpectedly, with just a casual nce, she spotted someone familiar¡ª¡±Xia Ning,¡± someone she would recognize even if they turned to ashes.

    Xia Ning noticed Fu Han and her smile instantly vanished, her demeanor turned stormy as she walked in, appearing for all the world like she owned the ce.

    ¡°Fu Han, what are you doing here?¡±

    Before she finished speaking, she saw He Xing. Xia Ning¡¯s expression stiffened momentarily before she forcibly smiled, ¡°He Xing, what a coincidence! What brings you here?¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s persistence over the years was unwavering. Once she learned that all of He Xing¡¯s clothes were custom-made from this store, she also began shopping here on asion. Today, she had actually run into him.

    Of course, it would¡¯ve been better if Fu Han, the thorn in her side, weren¡¯t there.

    He Xing looked at that smile worse than crying; his expression cooled as he naturally pulled Fu Han¡¯s hand closer, ¡°We¡¯re here to buy clothes, of course.¡±

    ¡°For yourself?¡± While speaking, Xia Ning picked up the light blue dress resting on the chair and admired it, feigning cuteness with herrge eyes, ¡°Blue is my favorite color. This dress is so beautiful, I¡¯ll buy it.¡±

    She assumed the dress was one Fu Han had chosen and was deliberately intending topete with her for it.

    Qin Xiaonian, following Xia Ning, immediately called out loudly, ¡°Clerk, we¡¯ll take this dress.¡±

    Fu Han was rather looking forward to seeing Bai Wei and Xia Ning face off; the thought was thrilling to her. She immediately called toward the fitting room, ¡°Bai Wei, someone wants to take the dress you¡¯ve chosen.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Bai Wei¡¯s curtain flew open, and she ran out, her dress trailing, followed by the frantic clerk, ¡°Lady, please wait, the zipper isn¡¯t up yet.¡±

    Barely steadying herself, Bai Wei waited for the zipper to be pulled up before she charged toward Xia Ning, ¡°Are you trying to take my dress?¡±

    Xia Ning was already regretting her actions as Bai Wei made her entrance, but backing down in front of He Xing was out of the question. She boldly imed, ¡°The dress was left unattended on the sofa, you haven¡¯t paid for it, and I don¡¯t see a problem with me wanting to buy it. Do you need to get so angry over just a dress?¡±

    Herst sentence, spoken while ring at Fu Han, carried a clear sense of disdain.

    Fu Han leaned on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, her eyes curving into crescent moons withughter, determined to watch the tiger fight from the mountain and not to get involved with Xia Ning.

 Chapter 153 - 153 153 Be Careful From Now On

    ?Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Be Careful From Now On   Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Be Careful From Now On                                   Bai Wei really got provoked. She stood with her hands on her hips and stood on tiptoes to emphasize her not-so-obvious height advantage. ¡°It¡¯s just a dress, isn¡¯t it? In my eyes, you¡¯re not even worth a dress. Firste, first served, get it? Oh, I forgot, you don¡¯t understand anything but putting on a cute act.¡±

    The hurtfulness of those words was indeed too much, and Fu Han, listening on the side, felt a guilty pleasure; she silently thought to herself that if she had had Bai Wei¡¯s devastating power back then, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have been angry enough to leave her hometown.

    As for now, she had that power, but she wouldn¡¯t easily do such things anymore, after all, being bitten by a dog, she couldn¡¯t bite back, could she?

    Xia Ning¡¯s face had turned extremely ugly; the semi-permanent mask she had worn was finally torn off by Bai Wei. She red at Bai Wei through gritted teeth. ¡°Bai Wei, do you think you¡¯re so great? You¡¯re just an empty vase, and every award you have wasn¡¯t it bought for you by your pitiable fans? What are you so proud of?¡±

    p!

    Bai Wei stepped forward and pped Xia Ning¡¯s face, the sound especially loud. ¡°This p is for your ignorance. How could someone like you, who has lived in the sight of money from a young age, see other people¡¯s efforts? I tell you, if your nonsense affects ¡®Yearn for Return,¡¯ I will make you pay the proper price.¡±

    A clear palm mark appeared on Xia Ning¡¯s face; her eyes brimmed with tears from the pain.

    Her first reaction after being pped was to seek help from He Xing, but when she clearly heard what Bai Wei said, her look towards He Xing was filled with fear.

    ¡°Yearn for Return¡± was He Xing¡¯s most important project, and it was the first step for He Group to enter the movie industry, where sess was mandatory and failure was not an option. Now, by ndering the film¡¯s leadingdy, she was indirectly attacking the movie.

    He Xing¡¯s expression becamepletely overcast. Although he still sat leisurely on the sofa, the chill that radiated from him turned the well-heated room as cold as an ice cer.

    ¡°Brother He Xing, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to say that, it was Bai Wei who started on me first,¡± Xia Ning said, her legs trembling, with big droplets of sweat sliding down her cheeks.

    After a suffocating silence, He Xing finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯re a public figure now. You need to be careful with your words and not cause trouble for yourself and others.¡±

    Xia Ning obediently stood still, quiet as a student on the first day of school, not daring to say another word, just obediently standing there listening.

    Bai Wei was overly pleased with herself, trying on different outfits and deliberately parading in front of Xia Ning.

    As for her behavior, Fu Han made a sinctment: ¡°She¡¯s like a peacock showing off its feathers, strutting around to unt its beauty.¡±

    When they left the boutique, Fu Han hadn¡¯t spent a penny but left with three evening gowns, Bai Wei bought two, while Xia Ning hadn¡¯t bought any, as she had no mood to try on clothes.

    Bai Wei¡¯s dresses were paid for by He Xing, proimed as a New Year¡¯s gift for her, and Bai Wei was over the moon, showing no signs of refusal.

    Yet, no one noticed that when He Xing paid, there were five dresses rather than two, which meant that the Boss¡¯s so-called free gift of dresses to Fu Han was nothing but a lie, a beautiful lie concocted alongside the dress designer.

    Bai Wei proposed to have some coffee; He Xing agreed seeing that Fu Han had no objections, and immediately Xia Ning stated she wanted to join too.

    Fu Han nced at He Xing sideways, and, as expected, though He Xing was somewhat reluctant, he eventually agreed.

    This immediately got under Fu Han¡¯s skin; she took Bai Wei¡¯s arm and walked in the opposite direction. ¡°Bai Wei, I want to drink milk tea, let¡¯s go get milk tea. Whoever wants to drink coffee can go have it.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s gazended on Fu Han¡¯s neck. Because of her movement just now, the ne on her neck was exposed. A cold gleam shed in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, and her heart sneered with derision.

    He Xing followed Fu Han and Bai Wei while turning back to Xia Ning and saying, ¡°Go have your coffee by yourself, I have to leave for something.¡±

    On the way back, Fu Han refused to sit in the passenger seat. She and Bai Wei sat in the back, both holding a cup of milk tea, drinking absentmindedly.

    Even He Xing, dull as he might be, knew that Fu Han was angry. He spent the entire trip watching her through the rearview mirror, wanting to speak but hesitated in Bai Wei¡¯s presence, embarrassed to open his mouth.

    When the car passed by the gate at the bottom of Lanwan Mountain, He Xing cleared his throat. ¡°Bai Wei, in a while, I¡¯ll ask grandpa to open the safe for you. You can pick out the jewelry yourself.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Bai Wei replied nonchntly, as if she hadn¡¯t even looked at He Xing.

    He Xing felt awkward and coughed with a feeble attempt at appeasement. ¡°Xiaohan, no need to drink the milk tea anymore, it¡¯s already cold.¡±

    ¡°The milk tea I bought is supposed to be cold,¡± Fu Han retorted while taking a big gulp as if taking revenge.

    ¡°You¡¯re really too adorable, Xiaohan,¡± He Xing chuckled, and if he wasn¡¯t driving, he really would have been unable to resist pinching Fu Han.

    ¡°Do you find this funny?¡± The anger in Fu Han had reached a boiling point before she finally couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°He Xing, it was you who said you loved me and wanted to be with me, but then you¡¯re always intertwined with Xia Ning. Do you think this behavior is appropriate?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± He Xing sighed deeply, looking helplessly resigned. ¡°I¡¯m not entangled with Xia Ning, but I can¡¯t just ignore her, can I?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you even need to apany her for coffee?¡± Bai Wei snapped wittily, ¡°He Xing, you must be what they call a full-service escort, right?¡±

    ¡°Bai Wei, if you talk less, no one will mistake you for being mute,¡± He Xing¡¯s face turned icy as he stared at her.

    Bai Wei shivered, but she couldn¡¯t stand He Xing¡¯sck of principles, immediately retorting without showing weakness, ¡°I have the freedom of speech, why can¡¯t I speak? I ask you, if Fu Han treated Su Cheng the way you treat Xia Ning, could you stay calm and just watch?¡±

    Struck by her words, He Xing felt quite ufortable putting himself in Fu Han¡¯s shoes, but he believed Xia Ning was different from Su Cheng. His life was saved by Du Wanting, and he couldn¡¯t really neglect Xia Ning.

    But how to take care of her and to what extent was indeed a matter that needed reflecting upon.

    As soon as the car stopped, Fu Han got out and ran straight to her room, with He Xing chasing after her. Just as the door was about to close, he hastily used his hand to stop it.

    ¡°Ah!¡± He Xing¡¯s fingers got caught in the door, and despite his usually high tolerance for pain, he couldn¡¯t help but cry out.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fu Han hurriedly turned back upon hearing him, and upon seeing He Xing¡¯s pained expression, she immediately examined his fingers closely, reprimanding him, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you more careful? Let¡¯s go to the hospital to get it checked out.¡±

    ¡°Xiaohan, it¡¯s okay, no need to worry,¡± He Xing took the opportunity to pull Fu Han into his arms. ¡°Xiaohan, I know you¡¯re angry. I¡¯ll be more careful from now on. Can you please not be mad at me?¡±

 Chapter 154 - 154 154 The Self-Harming Trick

    ?Chapter 154: Chapter 154: The Self-Harming Trick   Chapter 154: Chapter 154: The Self-Harming Trick                                   ¡°Scoundrel, ying the injured card,¡± Fu Han¡¯s face turned red as she pushed He Xing¡¯s hand away. Yet, she was still concerned about his hand and didn¡¯t dare use too much force.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± He Xing immediately clutched his own hand and exaggeratedly cried out, ¡°It¡¯s not an act, it really hurts, look if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    As he spoke, he stubbornly extended his hand towards Fu Han, his handsome face crumpling in genuine pain.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart softened once more; while gently blowing on He Xing¡¯s fingers, she said with concern, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to the hospital to get your fingers checked.¡±

    He Xing took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Fu Han¡¯s waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he whispered, ¡°Xiaohan, you¡¯re much better than any doctor. Just help me treat this wound and that¡¯ll be enough.¡±

    This was the first time Fu Han saw He Xing act so coquettishly. Her heart melted into a mess. After instructing him to wait patiently, she hurried off to find the first aid kit.

    As she descended the stairs, she ran into Bai Wei, who was carrying several jewelry boxes upstairs. Bai Wei started to smirk meaningfully, ¡°He Xing managed to cheer you up so quickly?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face began to burn again. She rushed downstairs, not wanting to engage with Bai Wei at all.

    But Bai Wei refused to miss this opportunity, leaning over the second-floor railing to call out to Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Fu Han, don¡¯t let yourself be easily coaxed, otherwise men will never learn their lesson.¡±

    ¡°Who said I was coaxed?¡± Fu Han replied, rather defensively, while searching for the medical box in the storage cab.

    Bai Weiughed heartily and slowly returned to her room with the jewelry boxes in arms.

    He Xing, lying on Fu Han¡¯s bed, heard Bai Wei¡¯s words. He came out with a cold expression, blocking Bai Wei at the doorway, ¡°Can¡¯t you wish me some good for once? Always stirring up trouble.¡±

    ¡°If you were truly a wless boyfriend, would I even have the opportunity to stir trouble?¡± Bai Wei snorted through her nose, unapologetically stating, ¡°That Xia Ning bothers me a lot. Continue to spoil her, and I¡¯ll continue to stir things up.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s expression darkened, but he was unable to refute her words.

    Bai Wei waved her hand, smugly returning to her room.

    Footsteps resounded in the stairwell. He Xing sprinted back to Fu Han¡¯s room and quickly kicked off his shoes, once again sprawling on her bed in the shape of a ¡°big¡± character.

    Fu Han stood at the door for a few seconds, her mind conjuring some not-so-child-friendly scenes. Feeling guilty, shemented in her heart, ¡°Sinful, sinful, to think of such things at this time.¡±

    He Xing turned over, supporting his forehead with his hand, lying on the bed in a pose reminiscent of a drunken imperial concubine. He wore a ¡°grievously wronged¡± smile and said to Fu Han, ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing in? I¡¯m dying of impatience here.¡±

    ¡°Who told you to lie on my bed? Get down,¡± Fu Han said as she entered, her face flushing. She deliberately opened the half-ajar door fully, as if to signify that her heart was free of any improper thoughts.

    Unable to hold back any longer, He Xing burst intoughter. He rolled around on Fu Han¡¯s bed and kissed her pillow before reluctantly getting up.

    Even as anger bubbled inside her, Fu Han couldn¡¯t get mad at He Xing¡¯s childish antics.

    She carefully examined his fingers. Aside from the index finger being a bit red, the others looked normal. Fu Han finally rxed.

    After all the fuss, Fu Han merely disinfected He Xing¡¯s finger. To ensure He Xing didn¡¯t think she was just going through the motions, she still applied a band-aid to it.

    At the end, she patted the back of He Xing¡¯s hand and said earnestly, ¡°Luckily you didn¡¯t agree to go to the hospital, because if we had and discovered that the hand healed itself, what would we have done?¡±

    It took He Xing a few seconds to realize that Fu Han had made a dry joke.

    The two looked at each other and burst outughing together,ughing so hard they couldn¡¯t even straighten their backs.

    Laughter filled the room where Fu Han had grown up. How long had it been since it was filled with such cheer? Perhaps three years, or maybe four, who remembers?

    Whileughing, He Xing watched Fu Han, wishing time could stop at this moment; and even if it couldn¡¯t, he would always remember Fu Han as she was right then.

    Branches of the Parasol Tree stretched diagonally onto the balcony, where a myna bird hopped about, infusing the barren tree with vibrant life.

    Looking closely, one could see tender green buds on the tree trunk, signaling that spring was on its way.

    A bit further away, the sunlight shone onto green plum trees, illuminating every corner of the yard.

    Where there is sunlight, there is also darkness, butughter can dy the dark froming, just a little bit longer.

    He Xing wrapped his arms around Fu Han as they sat together in the balcony swing, tightly holding her slender waist, ¡°Xiaohan, I know you¡¯re angry that I haven¡¯t made clear boundaries with Xia Ning. It¡¯s definitely my fault. Although I can¡¯t promise never to deal with Xia Ning again, I will certainly try to keep my distance from her in the future.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll trust you one more time,¡± Fu Han¡¯s voice was soft and nasal, revealing a trace of attachment as it wafted through the window.

    ¡­

    Xia Family¡¯s vi.

    Qin Xiaonian was bent over, applying egg on Xia Ning¡¯s face; the handprint on her face was too obvious. She should have gone to the hospital, but the Xia family was superstitious and unwilling to go to the hospital on New Year¡¯s Day, so they had to opt for this treatment.

    Because of the pain, Xia Ning¡¯s face was contorted like a bitter melon. She turned and pped Qin Xiaonian squarely, ¡°You idiot, do you want to kill me with your strength?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Lady,¡± Qin Xiaonian apologized immediately without a second thought, even though she had been as gentle as possible.

    Qin Xiaonian was the assistant that Xia Guoxiong had hired for Xia Ning, intended to take care of her daily needs on the crew.

    But Xia Ning had grown used to Qin Xiaonian¡¯s care and didn¡¯t let her go home even during the crew¡¯s break; instead, she took her back to the Xia family, of course promising a hefty overtime pay.

    Money talks, and Qin Xiaonian was utterly obedient to Xia Ning, having somewhat be her henchman; but subservience was only on the surface. Every night before sleep, Qin Xiaonian would silently berate Xia Ning from head to toe.

    It was the same at this moment. While her lips were apologizing, her eyes revealed undisguised disgust and schadenfreude where Xia Ning couldn¡¯t see them.

    The door of the vi was opened from outside, and a draft of cold air swept in with it.

    ¡°Dad, we¡¯ve settled on the time for the Xia family¡¯s banquet. Here¡¯s the list of invites for you to review,¡± Xia Cheng walked into the living room, still not forgetting to pull out a document from his briefcase. He seemed incredibly work-oriented, not ceasing to discuss work even while walking.

    But only Xia Ning knew that these tasks were certainly not done by Xia Cheng but by someone he¡¯d assigned.

 Chapter 155 - 155 155 A Pawn

    ?Chapter 155: Chapter 155: A Pawn   Chapter 155: Chapter 155: A Pawn                                   Usually, as long as Xia Guoxiong was not around, Xia Cheng couldn¡¯t stay in the office for more than five minutes; his mind was preupied with eating, drinking, and merrymaking. Usually, he would only put on a show of diligence in front of his father.

    However, Xia Guoxiong was so busy every day that he did not truly investigate whether his only son was really as devoted to thepany as he imed to be, exhausting himself for its sake.

    Xia Guoxiong sat on the sofa opposite Xia Ning, nced over a list in his hand, and eventually pointed to it andmented, ¡°Yi Lixing is now a rat crossing the street, already a discarded piece. Moreover, you might offend He Xing by inviting him. Why ask him for what?¡±

    ¡°Alright, the invitations haven¡¯t been sent out yet; I¡¯ll cross this one off.¡± Xia Cheng hurriedly took a pen out of his suit and crossed out Yi Lixing¡¯s name, grinding his teeth and thinking to himself that he must deal severely with the person who drew up this list. Such a simple matter was not understood, causing him to make such a low-level mistake in front of his father.

    Xia Guoxiong skimmed through the list at a nce and casually threw it on the coffee table. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of the sofa, and his gaze fell on the birdcage outside the room. Two birds hopped and bounced in the cramped cage, pecking at each other and fighting incessantly.

    ¡°This year¡¯s Xia Family banquet must be unparalleled, inviting Nangong, Huangpu, and the Li Family over for a lively celebration.¡±

    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Xia Cheng¡¯splexion changed, and he spoke with some urgency, ¡°But the four major families are at odds internally. If we invite them all, wouldn¡¯t there be conflicts?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better if they have conflicts,¡± Xia Guoxiongughed, his usual dignified square face giving off a somewhat sinister feeling when he smiled.

    Xia Ning, who was applying an egg mask on her face, shivered at Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words. Her mouth opened as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she obediently remained silent.

    On the other side, Xia Cheng began to speak like he was presenting a treasure: ¡°Dad, you¡¯re really clever. Let the four families fight among themselves while we reap the benefits of the fisherman.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Xia Guoxiong looked at Xia Cheng approvingly, his thick lips moving up and down: ¡°In the past, our Xia Family¡¯s power was insufficient, and we could only cling to the wings of He Group. All the banquets we hosted could not invite the other three families. By inviting them now, we are sending a signal that we no longer depend on He Group.¡±

    The father and son grew more and more excited as they discussed, their words bing more and more hyperbolic, as though they had already reached the pinnacle of A City¡¯s business circle and were trampling the four major families underfoot.

    As Xia Ning observed her father and brother, who were spitting with enthusiasm, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit bewildered. When her father and brother talked about He Xing, it was as if they were discussing an enemy or someone they extremely loathed. Yet, this person was the man Xia Ning had chosen as her future husband.

    Is this the normal attitude one holds toward a son-inw or a brother-inw?

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what role she yed in her father¡¯s eyes¡ªwas she his precious princess or his weapon?

    A cat was pawing at the birdcage, attempting to climb it. It was her cat named Xiao Bai, which she had raised for a year. It was a gift from He Xing for herst birthday.

    It seemed that once when she went to visit He Xing, she identally saw a picture of a cat. Not knowing what else to discuss with He Xing and wanting to appearpassionate, she kept mentioning how cute the cat in the picture was.

    Unexpectedly, for her birthday, He Xing actually gave her a cat that looked exactly like the one in the photo.

    But in fact, Xia Ning did not like cats at all, especially the way cats¡¯ eyes glowed green at night, which she found unsettling. Under the gaze of this cat, she always felt that there was nowhere to hide.

    Since it was a gift from He Xing, she did indeed try to care for it for a while initially, thinking that maybe one day she would have the chance to boast in front of He Xing about how well she and the cat got along, and howpassionate she was.

    However, in less than a month, her patience and curiosity were exhausted. The sight of the cat staring at her with wide eyes every morning was unsettling to think about even now.

    Eventually, Xia Ning gave the cat to the family servants to take care of, with the instruction not to let the cat die. What if He Xing asked about itter?

    Today¡¯s events reyed in Xia Ning¡¯s mind; He Xing had already agreed to have coffee with her. If it hadn¡¯t been for Fu Han and Bai Wei, they might still be together now.

    The more Xia Ning thought about it, the angrier she got. Her fingers tightened into a fist, her neatly manicured nails nearly piercing her palm.

    She stood up and walked out of the vi. The white cat was still fluttering under the birdcage. She kicked the cat¡¯s back impatiently and said, ¡°What a stupid cat, dead stupid.¡±

    The cat rolled on the spot after being kicked, looked up at Xia Ning, meowed twice, and ran away.

    After calming down, Xia Ning regretted kicking the cat. He Xing was definitely going to attend the Xia Family¡¯s banquet today. If she met him while holding the cat, it seemed very romantic.

    Thinking this, she asked the kitchen staff for some small dried fish and tried to feed it patiently to the cat. However, the cat held a grudge, and despite Xia Ning chasing it for over two hours, it adamantly refused to let her touch it.

    ¡­

    On the second day of the new year, the Li Family banquet.

    Bai Wei probably got up at the first hint of dawn, as she was too excited the night before and, in a moment of thoughtlessness, drank a cup of coffee before bed, tossing and turning between sleep and wakefulness all night.

    Yet, her spirits were surprisingly good. She started her morning with a rose bath, a SPA, a facial mask, and skincare treatments.

    When Fu Han woke up, the makeup artist had just arrived. This was the makeup artist Bai Wei would only employ for events, incredibly expensive and very well-known in the industry.

    Normally this makeup artist wouldn¡¯t be in A City, but for Bai Wei¡¯s sake, she came hastily. Of course, Bai Wei was very generous this time, offering a hefty price to get her makeup done.

    By the time Fu Han woke up, the makeup artist had already begun. With nothing else to do, and knowing her own mediocre makeup skills, she pulled up a chair and sat beside Bai Wei to watch.

    Much to behold¡ªprofessional makeup artist tools were indeed endless. An entire suitcase was filled with bottles and jars. You might think they all looked the same, but each one was different.

    Bai Wei¡¯s head was covered in small clips. She eyed her freshly nail-polished fingers as she didn¡¯t forget to remind the makeup artist, ¡°Make sure not to give me a heavy makeup look. I want today¡¯s makeup to be subtle and clean, as if I¡¯m not wearing any, yet still looking fresh. Also, don¡¯t cover up this mole on my face; it¡¯s quite distinctive.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s patience finally ran out. She waved her hand, got up, and headed out, tranquilly thinking, ¡°Apanying someone during makeup is the most boring job. I won¡¯t be so silly as to ever do this again¡ªit¡¯s utterly dull to the extreme.¡±

 Chapter 156 - 156 156 So Sweet

    ?Chapter 156: Chapter 156: So Sweet   Chapter 156: Chapter 156: So Sweet                                   ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Bai Wei panicked as she saw her leaving and wanted to get up but didn¡¯t dare to move: ¡°Could you have someone bring me a ss of water, and remember, it needs to be warm boiled water.¡±

    When ites to how strictly artists manage their figures, Bai Wei still counts as someone not easily prone to gaining weight, but she would only eat anything after mixing it with boiled water first. Usually, she only drinks boiled water or tea, likest night, having a coffeete at night was a reward she gave herself.

    Fu Han sat on the swing under the grapevine, gently swinging, holding a book of prose poetry in her hands. It wasn¡¯t clear if she was actually reading it or not, as she had been staying on the same page for half an hour already.

    The sunlight filtered through the dark brown grapevines and finally turned into mottled patches of light, falling on her beige woolen clothes, on the prose poetry book that emitted a fragrance of ink, and on her feet, covered by pink and white checkered warm slippers.

    Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

    ¡°Sit tight, I¡¯ll push you.¡± The voice of a young man came from behind her, and without looking back, she knew it was He Xing.

    ¡°Alright.¡± She immediately closed the prose poetry book and gripped the swing¡¯s ropes tightly with both hands.

    Two warm handsnded on her back, and before she could feel the warmth of his palms, he had already pushed her far away.

    The wind on Fu Han¡¯s cheeks became more intense, and her long hair floated backward with the wind. There were moments when her hair would get entangled with his beige sweater, then fly away and entangle again.

    Life is like this swing that goes up and down; it needs someone behind you to push you into the sky. But when you reach the highest point, that¡¯s also when you¡¯re about to fall; then you get pushed again, take off, fall, and the cycle repeats.

    There are some things you just can¡¯t do alone, like swinging. You can swing by yourself, but you¡¯ll never reach the heights that two people can.

    Bai Wei sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, doing her makeup, her eyes gradually shifting towards the grapevine below. She snapped a photo of the two people, one sitting and one standing by the swing, and sent it to Luo Qinghe with the caption: ¡°The best love is one where we all enjoy the rtionship, knowing our own ce, not feeling awkward in silence, and treating the asional mischief as just a dose of seasoning. Most of the time, we have our ways to enjoy life.¡±

    A few minutester, Luo Qinghe replied: ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, have the two of them already be so sweet?¡±

    A smile involuntarily appeared on Bai Wei¡¯s lips: ¡°They have already been prominent in each other¡¯s lives for twenty years, these past days have just made them find back their old feelings.¡±

    It was only after Bai Wei had changed her clothes that Luo Qinghe¡¯s reply came: ¡°How many twenties does a person have in their life? It¡¯s good that they know to cherish it.¡±

    For some reason, when Bai Wei saw this message, she felt like Luo Qinghe was talking about him and Nan Qing, after all, he and Nan Qing had also known each other for nearly twenty years.

    A feeling called jealousy emerged in Bai Wei¡¯s heart. For a moment, she didn¡¯t want to attend the Li family¡¯s banquet anymore. His family would surely know about Nan Qing, so how would they see her?

    Were they inviting her to the banquet to inspect a ¡°recement¡±?

    Carrying such thoughts, Bai Wei couldn¡¯t rx, and she didn¡¯t even feel like taking a careful look at her own face.

    Fu Han keenly noticed her difort and after asking about it, she rolled her eyes unabashedly: ¡°You only have two choices, don¡¯t go to the banquet and give up on Luo Qinghe; or, if you don¡¯t want to give up on Luo Qinghe, go there boldly. Nan Qing¡¯s existence is inevitable, and even if Luo Qinghe loves you madly, the things between them can¡¯t be erased. If you can¡¯t get past this, you might as well not muddy the waters anymore.¡±

    Old Zhou drove Bai Wei to the Li family personally, with Fu Han and He Xing seeing them off.

    He Xing naturally took Fu Han¡¯s hand as they walked out of the He family¡¯s gate: ¡°Xiaohan, every time I see you talk with them, I always feel like you¡¯ve grown up, matured a lot.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just talking reason, who can¡¯t do that?¡± Fu Hanughed, easily concealing the sorrow in her eyes.

    Which girl doesn¡¯t want to be forever protected by the person her heart belongs to? Unfortunately, over the years, He Xing indeed protected her a lot, but on some issues, he deeply hurt her the most, and her maturity is out of necessity.

    The two walked up the winding mountain road together; the boy was heartily joyous without any distractions, and although the girl was also happy, her happiness was mixed with a tinge of fear.

    Fu Han always felt that she and He Xing indeed were very sweet at the moment, but this sweetness could only be kept inside a ss case: once exposed to the wind and sun, it wouldn¡¯tst long.

    They wandered aimlessly on the mountain, asionally stopping to enjoy the scenery, asionally talking about Bai Wei, who was attending the banquet, and the afternoon was leisurely andfortable.

    ¡­

    Li family vi.

    The luxurious detached vi was especially lively. Apart from the Li family¡¯s rooms and the study room of Mr. Li, all other rooms were open to guests, mainly because there were so many people that it was necessary.

    Bai Wei had already been there for half an hour, but besides being led to greet Luo Qinghe upon arrival, she hadn¡¯t seen him since.

    Most of the attendees had a few acquaintances, so even without the host¡¯s entertainment, they could gather in small groups to chat.

    But Bai Wei only knew Luo Qinghe there, exaggerating a bit, she probably wouldn¡¯t even recognize his parents if they were standing right in front of her.

    However, she might not know someone, but others knew her.

    Someone recognized her as the superstar, called out loudly, and soon, many people ran over to stare at her like she was a zoo animal. Some asked for a photo, others for an autograph, but once their requests were satisfied, they left without another word.

    This waspletely different from the kind of banquet Bai Wei had imagined. She thought it was a dance, where she dreamed of dancing with Luo Qinghe all night and naturally having their first kiss off the stage at the end.

    The tempting scent of food came wafting over, but Bai Wei wasn¡¯t hungry at all. Seizing the chance when everyone went to eat, she simply left the room and sat down in a corner of the garden corridor. Although it was a bit cold, it was at least quiet.

    At that moment, Bai Wei was silently considering in her heart whether to leave early. Would Luo Qinghe be angry if she left early? But she hadn¡¯t met Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents yet, and she felt it was a loss to leave just like that.

    ¡°Why are you here alone?¡± A gentle female voice rang out from not far away.

    Bai Wei looked towards the source of the sound, and for a moment, she thought she saw Luo Qinghe; it was clearly him in women¡¯s clothing.

    Her heartbeat elerated uncontrobly, and while she strived to stay calm, she stood up and responded, ¡°It was too stuffy inside, so I came out for some air. May I ask if you are¡­ are you Luo Qinghe¡¯s sister?¡±

    In fact, Bai Wei didn¡¯t know much about Luo Qinghe¡¯s family structure, and the only thing she knew was that Luo Qinghe shared his mother¡¯s surname, not knowing whether he had a sister or not.

 Chapter 157 - 157 157 Cliche Guess

    ?Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Cliche Guess   Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Cliche Guess                                   Luo Qiluoughed, taking a seat opposite Bai Wei. ¡°Lady Bai Wei, I presume? Please sit down. I¡¯m not Qinghe¡¯s sister; I am his mother.¡±

    ¡°Mother?¡± Bai Wei covered her mouth, eximing in surprise, ¡°How is that possible? You only look a few years older than Luo Qinghe.¡±

    ¡°It seems that the money I¡¯ve spent on my face over the years was well worth it.¡± Luo Qiluo held her face andughed, her narrow eyes squinting, much like anguid fox.

    Bai Wei scrutinized her thoughtfully, silently noting to herself that at first nce, she indeed bore a strong resemnce to Luo Qinghe. However, their demeanors werepletely different. The mother exuded femininity to its utmost while the son was the epitome of a roguish, handsome young master.

    And though their face shapes and noses were the same, their eyes and lips were different; the mother¡¯s lips were slightly fuller, paired with foxy eyes that were quite charming; the son, with his thinner lips and peach blossom eyes, was seductive.

    Feeling that her observation had caught the other¡¯s attention, Bai Wei smiled politely, ¡°Indeed, every penny a woman spends on herself is worthwhile, especially if I could look as beautiful as you at your age.¡±

    These words reached the heart of Luo Qiluo, who couldn¡¯t help but grow fonder of the girl before her, thinking that by looks alone, she was indeed a match for her son.

    The smile on Luo Qiluo¡¯s face deepened as she sized up Bai Wei, casually asking some questions, such as how many people were in Bai Wei¡¯s family, what they did, and where they were now.

    This was an indirect way of prying. If someone else had been so inquisitive, Bai Wei would have grown impatient long ago, but since the person asking was Luo Qinghe¡¯s mother, she obediently answered each question.

    ¡°I¡¯m the only daughter in my family, born and raised in M Country. Both my parents are in M Country, and they have settled there for over twenty years.¡±

    As the two chatted, Luo Qinghe approached, calling ¡°Mother¡± from a distance. His and Bai Wei¡¯s eyes met briefly before they looked away, both blushing.

    Luo Qiluo gracefully stood up, smoothing out her slightly wrinkled cheongsam, ¡°What¡¯s the rush, child? Are you afraid that I would bully Bai Wei?¡±

    ¡°No, Father is looking for you,¡± Luo Qinghe replied awkwardly, still avoiding eye contact with Bai Wei.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go over there,¡± Luo Qiluo suggested with a smile to Bai Wei before heading towards the vi. Luo Qinghe hastily followed, leaving Bai Wei standing there, uncertain whether to follow or not.

    The banquet was not at all what Bai Wei had expected. Although she hadn¡¯t really anticipated any breakthrough in her rtionship with Luo Qinghe at the banquet, it certainly wasn¡¯t like this, with Luo Qinghe seemingly avoiding her on purpose.

    If that was the case, why had he invited her to begin with? Bai Wei had been proactive in pursuing Luo Qinghe, but she was not about to demean herself.

    With that thought, the feeling of grievance in Bai Wei¡¯s heart started to spread silently like fine cracks on ss, eventually spreading across the entire pane. It was barely noticeable on the surface, but at any moment, it could shatter into fragments.

    She followed the mother and son from a distance. Luo Qiluo turned back every few steps to look at Bai Wei, while Luo Qinghe only turned to nce at her once he had one foot in the vi¡¯s door.

    Finally, standing by the entrance, Luo Qinghe seemed to be waiting for Bai Wei. After they entered the vi, he led her straight upstairs, ¡°My father is in the study meeting my brother¡¯s girlfriend. He said¡­ said he wanted to meet you.¡±

    ¡°What is my rtion to you, that I should meet your parents?¡± Bai Wei said, partly out of pique and partly out of grievance, stopping in her tracks and refusing to move.

    Her striking appearance, coupled with her status as a superstar, meant that as soon as she entered the vi, countless eyes were fixated on her. At that moment, many people were clearly converging around them, clearly there to watch the drama unfold.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face turned even redder. He took a couple of steps towards Bai Wei, brushing the back of her hand with his, and whispered into her ear, ¡°Although we aren¡¯t boyfriend and girlfriend right now, we could try interacting based on the premise that we are.¡±

    An immense joy spread through Bai Wei¡¯s heart. She looked at Luo Qinghe in disbelief, the happiness felt so sudden that she feared she had misheard.

    Grasping Bai Wei¡¯s hand, Luo Qinghe led her upstairs. When they were not far from his father¡¯s study, he stopped, leaned down, and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises to you right now. All I can say is that I feel differently about you than about other girl friends, but as for what that feeling is exactly, I don¡¯t know right now.¡±

    Bai Weimitted every word Luo Qinghe said to memory with utmost seriousness, feeling as if she had been walking in pitch darkness for a long time and had finally seen the first light of dawn.

    ¡°Can you now meet my parents?¡± Luo Qinghe gently shook Bai Wei¡¯s arm, speaking softly, ¡°They consider you as a potential daughter-inw.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can,¡± Bai Wei said, smiling, blooming like her namesake, the beautiful white rose, the most exquisite of flowers.

    When they arrived, the two long couches were already upied by Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents and ¡°brother and sister-inw.¡± He greeted them with Bai Wei and had her sit on a single-seater couch, while he perched on the armrest, making it seem from a distance as if Bai Wei was nestled in his arms.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s father, Li Huazhi, was talking to his brother Li Qingjiang, but upon hearing them, Li Huazhi looked up at Bai Wei. What should have been an indifferent nce changed dramatically in expression.

    He took in Bai Wei from head to toe, struggling to remain calm as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    This was not the look of an elder scrutinizing a younger rtive. Bai Wei felt puzzled but responded with a smile, ¡°Uncle, hello, my name is Bai Wei.¡±

    While she spoke, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Luo Qiluo¡¯s expression changing to one of shock and surprise.

    ¡°Do you know Bai Qian?¡± Li Huazhi¡¯s hand tightened into a fist on his knee, his voice trembling slightly.

    Bai Wei was now the surprised one, ¡°You know my mother?¡±

    Luo Qinghe casuallyid his hand on Bai Wei¡¯s shoulder with a faint smile, ¡°Dad, you know Bai Wei¡¯s mother? What a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°Know¡­ know her,¡± Li Huazhi replied, seemingly just realizing Luo Qiluo was sitting beside him. His face flushed slightly as he awkwardlyughed, ¡°Know her, but¡­ not well-acquainted.¡±

    Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei exchanged a look, both detecting deep confusion in each other¡¯s eyes.

    But Li Huazhi did not give them a chance to inquire further. In fact, it was evident he purposefully avoided looking at Bai Wei thereafter, choosing instead to pull Luo Qiluo into a conversation. However, she was clearly distracted, and if Li Huazhi managed to get one response from Luo Qiluo after three attempts, it was considered good.

    This surprised both Luo brothers, as it was aplete reversal from the usual dynamic¡ªtypically, it was Luo Qiluo who would speak thrice before Li Huazhi replied once.

 Chapter 158 - 158 158 Xia Family Banquet

    ?Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Xia Family Banquet   Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Xia Family Banquet                                   At the He Family vi.

    Bai Wei sat cross-legged on the sofa in Fu Han¡¯s room, her hands on her hips, puffing up with anger as she said, ¡°Is it weird or what at Luo Qinghe¡¯s ce? Has anyone ever met their future daughter-inw with that kind of attitude?¡±

    ¡°Future daughter-inw?¡± Fu Han covered her mouth and chuckled, ¡°Compared to that, I¡¯m more interested in what exactly is your rtionship with Luo Qinghe now. So, are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend yet?¡±

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed, her fingers twirling the hem of her clothes, ¡°Well¡­ Luo Qinghe said he wanted to try and see how things go, so it¡¯s probably not official yet. Plus, I have to discuss dating with my agency; it¡¯s not just something I can jump into.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you¡¯re still so enthusiastic. Aren¡¯t you afraid that if you be too sessful, your agency won¡¯t agree?¡± Fu Han spread her hands in a gesture of utter helplessness.

    ¡°That situation will absolutely not happen.¡± Bai Weiughed foolishly, a silly grin on her face: ¡°If they don¡¯t agree by then, I can just make the announcement myself.¡±

    ¡°If that day reallyes, I would be very impressed with you.¡± Fu Han raised her thumb, her face beaming with a smile.

    Bai Wei held her phone and let out augh, but as sheughed, her face fell again: ¡°Fu Han,e on, help me analyze this. What¡¯s really going on between Luo Qinghe¡¯s dad and my mom? And his mom changed her attitude towards me so muchter on. There were two identical bracelets in the jewelry box, and she gave one to Brother Qinghe¡¯s girlfriend but didn¡¯t give me anything.¡±

    She hastily added with a red face, ¡°I don¡¯t care about the bracelet. It¡¯s just that we all went there as girlfriends so why did she get one and I didn¡¯t? It¡¯s clear that she has an issue with me.¡±

    As Fu Han listened to Bai Wei describe what happened at the party, she felt something was off and now had to admit Bai Wei¡¯s concerns made sense.

    ¡°Disaster often follows when there¡¯s an anomaly.¡±

    After thinking it through, she said seriously, ¡°Since you¡¯ve asked Luo Qinghe and he doesn¡¯t know; maybe you should still ask your mom. She might be able to solve your puzzle.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that my mom really does have some entanglement with Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents?¡± Bai Wei couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°If that¡¯s true, then it¡¯s just too melodramatic.¡±

    Fu Han covered her mouth, still unable to hold back herughter: ¡°Based on the few melodramatic dramas I¡¯ve seen, maybe there was a dramatic love triangle back in the day. Even though Mrs. Li won in the end, perhaps your mom remains a thorn in their side.¡±

    Bai Wei pondered for a long time but couldn¡¯te up with a counterargument; in the end, she could only grit her teeth and say through clenched teeth, ¡°Fu Han, don¡¯t take joy in other people¡¯s misfortune. One day, you might find yourself caught up in a mess too.¡±

    All she got in return was Fu Han¡¯s carefreeughter. Her parents had died early in life, and in all these years, no rtives had sought her out. It seemed she would likely never have rtivese looking for her.

    ¡­

    Typically, families choose a specific day during the New Year to invite all friends and rtives over for a visit, to foster rtionships. People from the same social circle n their parties so as to not ovep with each other.

    The Xia Family¡¯s party was on the third day of the new year. The old master He didn¡¯t want to go, neither did Fu Han, so in the end, only He Xing went. Before leaving, he held Fu Han¡¯s hand, earnestly promising toe back early.

    Bai Wei was puzzled why Fu Han, knowing full well Xia Ning had no good intentions, didn¡¯t apany He Xing to the party.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t exin much, but she clearly thought that given He Xing¡¯s past ¡°record,¡± this was a test for him. If He Xing was truly changing, like he said, she believed today would yield a result.

    But these thoughts couldn¡¯t beid out on the table; they had to be hidden deep within her heart.

    At this moment, He Xing had already arrived at the Xia Family¡¯s vi, attracting all the attention as he appeared, especially from the unmarried youngdies.

    Xia Ning saw every girl filled with hostility, thinking they were all there to snatch He Xing away.

    From the moment He Xing arrived at the Xia Family, Xia Ning had not left his side; she was like a mother hen, spreading her wings to shield He Xing, driving away anyone who dared to approach.

    The dance soon began, and Xia Ning¡¯s intentions were clear. No one invited her to dance, nor did they dare to ask He Xing.

    As many people started gathering in the middle of the dance floor, He Xing had not yet asked Xia Ning to dance. Though she felt embarrassed, she shamelessly asked, ¡°Brother He Xing, won¡¯t you invite me to dance?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like dancing today,¡± He Xing replied after taking a sip of fresh juice, looking emotionless and handsome.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned red as she pleaded in a soft voice, ¡°Brother He Xing, if you don¡¯t invite me to dance, I¡¯ll really lose face. Everyone willugh at me behind my back.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Yang Kaitai just ask you to dance?¡± He Xing nced at Yang Kaitai standing not far away against the wall and said coldly, ¡°It seems like he genuinely likes you. After all these years, you could consider him.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ Brother He Xing, what do you mean?¡± Xia Ning¡¯s face turned pale; images of Yang Kaitai forcing himself on her shed through her mind, and she stammered, ¡°Brother He Xing, you¡¯re the only one in my heart. I will never be with anyone else. I¡¯ve liked you for so many years; can¡¯t you turn around and look at me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things again in the future.¡± He Xing put down his juice ss and headed straight for the door: ¡°Please let your father and brothers know, I have other matters and need to leave.¡±

    By the time Xia Ning snapped out of it, He Xing was already five meters away. She hurriedly picked up her dress hem and chased after him, but by the time she came out, He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini had left a shrinking silhouette behind.

    She was so angry she felt like her lungs could explode. In fact, she had prepared two ns today. If Fu Han hade, she would have worn the ne; if heaven was kind and Fu Han didn¡¯t show up, she would monopolize He Xing, determined to take their rtionship to the next level.

    But could anyone tell her why He Xing had left barely an hour after he arrived?

    ¡°Xiaoning, what are you doing here?¡± Xia Cheng emerged from the Bamboo Forest beside the courtyard gate, his face somewhat flushed, his lips even redder.

    The Bamboo Forest rustled as a woman in a white dress ran out covering her face.

    Xia Ning looked at her with contempt and said irritably, ¡°Brother, can¡¯t you control yourself a bit? This is your home, and her boyfriend is inside. How can you mess around so shamelessly? Aren¡¯t you afraid of making a scene and embarrassing yourself?¡±

    After a pause, she disdainfully added, ¡°Your face is covered in lipstick marks; can you be more careful?¡±

    Xia Cheng carelessly wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his suit, thankful it was a ck suit that wouldn¡¯t show: ¡°Hehe, I would have cleaned up even if you hadn¡¯t reminded me.¡±

    Xia Ning snorted coldly and turned to walk away.

    ¡°Wait a second.¡± Xia Cheng grabbed Xia Ning, ¡°Why did He Xing leave all of a sudden? What happened? Did Yang Kaitai fight with him?¡±

 Chapter 159 - 159 159 Great Performance Today

    ?Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Great Performance Today   Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Great Performance Today                                   Xia Ning¡¯s face turned red this time, and she flung Xia Cheng¡¯s hand away before saying angrily and with embarrassment, ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡± Xia Cheng¡¯s hand shot out like lightning, and he swept aside the hair by Xia Ning¡¯s neck, ¡°Xiaoning, do you really think nobody knows why Yang Kaitai came to our house so early? Even if I hadn¡¯t seen it, couldn¡¯t I guess what he did in your room?¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face went deathly pale in an instant. Frantically, she tried to cover the ¡®strawberry¡¯ mark on her neck with her hair, while asking in a fluster, ¡°Does Dad know about this?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t,¡± Xia Cheng replied nonchntly while leisurely adjusting his clothes, ¡°I know you like He Xing in your heart, and you and Yang Kaitai were just satisfying some physical desires. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. But you¡¯d better be careful not to let He Xing find out.¡±

    After saying this, he even patted Xia Ning¡¯s shoulder reassuringly and turned to enter the vi.

    Right at that moment, Xia Guoxiong came out striding forward. Upon seeing Xia Ning, he headed straight for her: ¡°Where¡¯s He Xing? The guests from the other three families have arrived, we¡¯re supposed to take He Xing over.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Xia Ning said in a low voice, all the while avoiding Xia Guoxiong¡¯s eyes, fearing that he would notice anything amiss with her.

    ¡°Gone?¡± Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned red with anger at once: ¡°I went to so much trouble to invite the Nangong, Huangpu, and Li families over, and now He Xing doesn¡¯t show up?¡±

    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but the message the Xia Family intended to convey to the outside world would changepletely if He Xing didn¡¯t appear at the same time as the other three families.

    The most terrifying thing was that outsiders might think that the Xia Group and the He Group hadpletely severed ties, which was of no benefit to the Xia Family who still needed the He Group as a support; and the other three major families had nothing to do with the Xia Family, they would still consider the Xia Group a subsidiary to the He Group.

    ¡­

    At Blue Mountain Bay, the He Family vi.

    Bai Wei and Fu Han were chatting idly; actually, it was mostly Bai Wei pestering Fu Han with guesses about how long He Xing would stay at the Xia family banquet. Of course, in her heart, Fu Han hoped that He Xing would return as early as possible.

    However, the banquet was scheduled to end at ten in the evening, and she thought it would be a surprise if He Xing could make it back by eight.

    On the contrary, Bai Wei had apletely different view; she felt He Xing would either return early or wait until the banquet was over.

    Uncle Zhou was standing in the courtyard, looking up at the two youngdies on the open-air balcony of the third floor: ¡°Miss Fu, Lady Bai, dinner is ready. The master is asking you toe down and eat.¡±

    ¡°Understood, we¡¯reing down now.¡± Fu Han folded the nket on herp, and before turning around, she looked down the winding road and saw a distant car light. Smiling to herself, she thought it must be someone hurrying home for dinner, but it definitely wasn¡¯t He Xing.

    As they descended the stairs, Elder Master He was standing in front of the wine cab. Hearing the sound, he turned to look at the two youngdies: ¡°Since He Xing isn¡¯t here, I¡¯ll open a bottle of Lafite and let the three of us enjoy ourselves.¡±

    Bai Wei, who had grown up in M Country, had a high alcohol tolerance. At these words, she pped her hands in excitement: ¡°Fantastic, Grandpa, I love you so much.¡±

    Fu Han, who wasn¡¯t a big drinker and only indulged in fine wines, also smiled and took the initiative to grab the wine sses.

    Their sses had just been filled when the sound of a car horn suddenly arrived.

    Uncle Zhou quickly set down the wine bottle and headed outside: ¡°I¡¯ll go see who¡¯sing by thiste. They don¡¯t even pick a proper time for a visit.¡±

    Bai Wei swirled her wine ss and said to Fu Han and Elder Master He: ¡°To the first ss of wine, I toast to you, thank you for spending Spring Festival with me.¡±

    ¡°Am I not spending Spring Festival with you?¡± An abrupt voice sounded, and the three of them, their wine sses already raised to their lips, immediately set them back down and turned towards the entrance.

    From the moment He Xing¡¯s voice was heard to when his figure appeared, only a brief time had psed, but Fu Han felt as though she had been waiting for an entire century.

    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Fu Han set down her wine ss and ran towards He Xing, flinging herself into his arms just like a swallow returning to its nest.

    He Xing hugged Fu Han tightly, as if embracing the most precious treasure in the world¡ªthis moment he felt, his hurried dash back home was worth it.

    With this hug, he thought even if it cost him everything, it would be worth it.

    He leaned down and kissed Fu Han¡¯s forehead: ¡°I promised toe back early; does this count as early enough?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, you came back very early,¡± Fu Han replied, her hands still clinging tightly around He Xing¡¯s waist.

    Today was a day of great significance for her. Between her and Xia Ning, He Xing had clearly chosen her for the first time, and not Xia Ning.

    Tremendous joy enveloped her, to the point where she felt an almost surreal sense of happiness. Three years ago, such a scene would only appear in her dreams.

    He Xing leaned down to kiss Fu Han¡¯s forehead repeatedly, while Bai Wei covered her eyes as if she couldn¡¯t bear to watch.

    Elder Master He sipped his wine with a smile, then pretending to be annoyed at the couple still embracing, he said: ¡°Are you going to eat or not? If not, go back to your room. Bai Wei and I are still hungry here.¡±

    It was only then that Fu Han finally remembered there were others around. Blushing, she extricated herself from He Xing¡¯s embrace and, with a forcedugh, headed towards her seat: ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m just too happy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy too,¡± He Xing said, pulling out the chair next to Fu Han and sitting down, his eyes never leaving her.

    Bai Wei, gracefully swirling her wine ss, looked at them with a profound expression: ¡°He Xing, now you understand how sad Fu Han was when you used to side with Xia Ning, right?¡±

    Thisment struck He Xing¡¯s heart like a sword, and it also reflected the truest feelings in his heart at that moment.

    He hurried back from the Xia Family for several reasons: one was his dislike for the Xia Family treating him like a cash cow; two was Xia Ning¡¯s constant clinginess, and he wanted to avoid being too intimate with her; and the third, most important reason, was the more he saw Xia Ning, the more his heart ached for Fu Han, so he couldn¡¯t stand to stay at the Xia Family for even a second longer, leaving in less than an hour.

    However, it wasn¡¯t until Bai Wei¡¯sment that he was truly jolted awake. He realized the things he did out of a sense of obligation were actually hurting Fu Han in another way.

    He Xing wrapped his arms around Fu Han¡¯s waist, forehead against hers, and swore: ¡°Xiaohan, I¡¯ll be careful in the future, and I won¡¯t let you get hurt ever again.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s tears couldn¡¯t be held back any longer and fell with a pitter-patter. With reddened eyes and a soft voice, she said: ¡°I believe you.¡±

    Just as He Xing was about to wipe away Fu Han¡¯s tears, Bai Wei abruptly reached out, gave a strong tug, and pulled Fu Han away from He Xing. She looked sternly at Fu Han: ¡°He Xing has only done one thing right, and you¡¯ve already eagerly agreed? You should have said, ¡®I¡¯ll see how you behave in the future.''¡±

 Chapter 160 - 160 160 Preparing the Birthday Gift

    ?Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Preparing the Birthday Gift   Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Preparing the Birthday Gift                                   ¡°Okay, then watch my performance from now on.¡± He Xing held onto Fu Han¡¯s hand tightly, wishing he could bind them together with a rope, no, an iron chain, so they would never be separated.

    As dinner wasing to a close, the He Family elder suggested, ¡°He Xing, Xiaohan, since you two are together now, why not announce your engagement when we host guests at the He Family¡¯s celebration?¡±

    ¡°Engagement?¡±

    He Xing and Fu Han asked in unison, their faces and eyes expressed utter surprise.

    Fu Han, flustered, spoke hastily, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too soon? I¡­ we should spend more time together, what if we find out we¡¯re notpatible?¡±

    ¡°Notpatible?¡± The color drained from He Xing¡¯s face, and he looked at Fu Han with a threatening gaze, ¡°Dare you repeat that statement?¡±

    As soon as the words left her mouth, Fu Han knew she had misspoken. She stuck out her tongue and sneakily tugged at He Xing¡¯s sleeve, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely what I meant, but¡­¡±

    At this point, she identally saw the amusement in He Xing¡¯s eyes and immediately realized she had fallen into his trap. She smiled slyly and said earnestly, ¡°But, after all, we haven¡¯t been together for three years; who knows if the other¡¯s temperament and character have changed? What if we end up arguing every day?¡±

    He Xing watched her with a look that seemed to say, ¡°Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll spin this tale,¡± until her face turned red. Only then did he drop his teasing demeanor and said seriously to the He Family elder, ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s wait on this matter, no need to rush. It wouldn¡¯t be good to announce it so abruptly; it¡¯s better to n properly first.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s up to you,¡± the He Family elder said with a smile, taking another sip of red wine and blinking twice, ¡°but if you two fight or whateverter on, don¡¯t me your grandpa for not helping you.¡±

    He Xing, who was in the midst of drinking, choked upon hearing this and began coughing violently, covering his mouth.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t stopughing at his predicament, thinking to herself, He Xing, you too have your day, huh?

    This dinner was the most enjoyable one for everyone, even more so than the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.

    In the days to follow, He Xing was busy every day, attending banquets, and that was after turning many of them down.

    Fu Han and Bai Wei weren¡¯t idle either; the He Family elder, iming it was good training for Fu Han and Bai Wei, made them responsible for all the events at his banquet on the sixth day of the new year.

    The banquet venue wasn¡¯t the vi they were staying in, but another vi the He Family owned in Lanwan Mountain ¨C only a bit over a hundred meters away.

    At first, they drove there, butter, feeling the distance was too short for driving to be justified, they decided to walk as if hiking.

    The He Family elder had only assigned Uncle Zhou to assist them; he himself enjoyed a leisurely time every day, basking in the sun and sipping tea in the courtyard of the He Family¡¯s vi.

    In the blink of an eye, it was already the evening of the fifth day, and as Fu Han and Bai Wei returned, night had fallen. He Xing had gone to attend another banquet as part of his routine.

    Fu Han quickly gobbled up a bowl of rice and instructed the servant to tell He Xing that she had gone to bed early feeling tired. Then she retreated to her room.

    Tomorrow was He Xing¡¯s victory; she hadn¡¯t given him a present in three years, so this year she wanted to give He Xing a ¡°valuable¡± birthday gift, to make up for the missing years.

    Actually, she had been hesitant about giving He Xing a present this year since, beforeing to the He Family for the New Year, she had been nning to escape from his side. How could she give a gift if she meant to flee? Wouldn¡¯t that be contradictory?

    But since He Xing confessed, saying he loved her, everything was naturally different.

    Her heart wavered, willing to give it another try.

    So, this was to be their first gift since starting anew, how could she not treat it with importance?

    All the curtains in Fu Han¡¯s room were drawn up as she, wearing an apron and with a smallmp lit, busied herself; a thick notebooky open on the nearby desk, with a fountain pen ced beside it.

    When the first rays of sun shone over the mountain, Fu Han opened the heavy curtains and stood on the balcony, stretchingnguidly.

    Despite staying up all night, there wasn¡¯t a hint of fatigue on her, only bloodshot eyes.

    It was still early, the entire vi remained asleep. The banquet wouldn¡¯t start until the afternoon, so she decided to get some sleep first, readying herself for the special day ahead.

    He Xing reached for his phone before even opening his eyes¡ªas he had messaged Fu Han the previous night, asking her toe find him as soon as she woke up, eager to see if she had replied.

    Sure enough, there was an unread message, sent just over an hour ago by Fu Han: ¡°I¡¯m so tired these past few days, going to sleep in today. Tell everyone not to disturb me.¡±

    He Xing chuckled, thinking to himself that thisss was clearly afraid he would disturb her and had made a grand request for everyone not to bother her.

    Hey in bed a bit longer, considering that today was his birthday and Valentine¡¯s Day. He was very much looking forward to what present Fu Han would prepare for him.

    As far as he was concerned, he had originally nned to give Fu Han the ne on Valentine¡¯s Day, followed by his confession, but that happened a few days earlier than expected.

    This was their first Valentine¡¯s Day together since getting back together, and He Xing thought it was significant, of course, he would have been happier if they could have spent the day together without any family events.

    He felt under the pillow and pulled out a small box to look at; unconsciously, his lips curled into a smile, then he tucked the box back underneath the pillow.

    When He Xing got up, Bai Wei was sitting alone in the garden downstairs, lost in thought.

    She was dressed in a very thick housecoat, looking round and plump like a bun. Silently she sat on the swing, her eyes hollow as she stared ahead at nothing in particr.

    If you looked closely, you could tell she hadn¡¯t washed her face yet, her eyebrows were faint, and there were even fine dark circles under her eyes ¨C a rare sight for Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei was the type who was very conscious of her image as a celebrity. Whenever she left her room, it was impossible to catch her without makeup, and unless it was for an advertisement, one would never see her in pajamas.

    He Xing thought for a moment and then approached her to ask softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    A cold wind passed through the bare grapevines. It took Bai Wei several seconds to react. When she looked up and saw He Xing, her mouth opened and she started crying loudly.

    He Xing frowned deeply, scrambling in his pocket for tissues as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, okay? Xiaohan will think I¡¯m bullying you.¡±

    It would have been better if he hadn¡¯t spoken. With his words, Bai Wei burst into even more tears, clutching at He Xing¡¯s sleeve and sobbing, ¡°Luo Qinghe said he doesn¡¯t like me, he said he doesn¡¯t like me.¡±

 Chapter 161 - 161 161 Seeking Justice

    ?Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Seeking Justice   Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Seeking Justice                                   ¡°What?¡± He Xing abruptly grabbed Bai Wei¡¯s wrist, his face cold as he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell Xiaohan a few days ago that at the Li Family¡¯s banquet, Luo Qinghe personally told you he wanted to date you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Bai Wei smeared her tears and mucus all over He Xing¡¯s sleeve, sobbing so hard that she was gasping for breath, ¡°Luo Qinghe only said that he thought I was different from other girls, he didn¡¯t personally say he liked me, and¡­ and¡­¡±

    Bai Wei couldn¡¯t continue because she was too heartbroken, she had begun to tremble all over.

    ¡°You stay right here, I¡¯m going to find out what¡¯s going on.¡± He Xing suddenly pulled his hand away and strode toward the garage.

    It was only when she heard the sound of the car starting that Bai Wei realized what had happened. She cried and chased after him, but only a faint smell of gasoline remained in the air.

    She couldn¡¯t care about anything else, crying and running upstairs, frantically pounding on Fu Han¡¯s door, ¡°Fu Han,e out quickly, something¡¯s happened.¡±

    Fu Han didn¡¯t even open her eyes, still half-asleep as she went to open the door, thinking this was just another of Bai Wei¡¯s tricks to wake her up. As she opened the door still grumbling, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say not to disturb my sleep¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t finish the sentence because she was interrupted by Bai Wei¡¯s ear-piercing sobs.

    Then came a few minutes of chaos, Fu Han hurriedly changed into a decent outfit and forced Bai Wei to do the same. The two of them washed their faces, skipped skincare, and directly drove off in the car Old Zhou used to buy groceries.

    As the car drove out from the foot of Lanwan Mountain, Fu Han¡¯s mind finally clearedpletely, and Bai Wei was also able to normally startmunicating with Fu Han.

    It turned out that ever since Bai Wei came back from the Li Family, she had been pestering Luo Qinghe day and night to chat, ostensibly to develop feelings, mainly because she was too bored at the He Family with nothing to do.

    Although Luo Qinghe never seemed very enthusiastic, at first, it was okay; but thesest few days, the messages Bai Wei sent were like stones dropped into the sea, sent without reply.

    When pressed, Luo Qinghe would respond with a single message saying there was a lot going on at home, that he was busy and had no time to check his phone.

    Bai Wei, always carefree, didn¡¯t think much of it, but this morning when she chatted with Luo Qinghe about the banquet today, Luo Qinghe said he wasn¡¯ting.

    What Bai Wei didn¡¯t know was that on the eve of New Year¡¯s Eve, it was Luo Qinghe who had driven her and Fu Han back, and it was Mr. He himself who had invited him to the He Family banquet, which Luo Qinghe had agreed to.

    Of course, Bai Wei disagreed, nning to take things further with Luo Qinghe at today¡¯s banquet since this would be their first meeting since the Li Family¡¯s banquet.

    At first, Luo Qinghe was reasonably normal, but when pressed by Bai Wei, he blurted out a harsh truth, ¡°It¡¯s impossible between us, stop wasting your time on me from now on.¡±

    After that, Luo Qinghe ¡°vanished into thin air,¡± with Bai Wei¡¯s messages left unread and her calls unanswered.

    After hearing the story, Fu Han¡¯s rage was also intense. She had witnessed the rtionship between Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe develop, having met Bai Wei with Luo Qinghe in Antarctica. She knew how hard Bai Wei¡¯s journey had been.

    She patted Bai Wei¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Luo Qinghe isn¡¯t someone whocks responsibility, there must be some misunderstanding. Let¡¯s go and ask for rification.¡±

    Bai Wei barely managed to stop crying, but now her tears burst forth again as she sobbed with her face covered, ¡°Fu Han, I¡¯ve never been this sad before. If only I had known, I would have never agreed to follow He Xing to Antarctica. Maybe then I wouldn¡¯t have met him.¡±

    The car screeched to a sudden halt, and Fu Han parked on the side of the road, surprised as she looked at Bai Wei, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Bai Wei grabbed a couple of tissues and hastily wiped her face, saying indignantly, ¡°He Xing thought there was something between you and Luo Qinghe. I just happened to be there for amercial shoot, so he had me follow you guys.¡±

    Fu Han once thought the world was really too small when she hailed a car during a photographypetition and the driver turned out to be Nan Qing and Su Cheng¡¯s childhood friend, Luo Qinghe.

    She was ndered online by someone hired by Yang Kaitai, won first ce in the photographypetition, and no sooner had she gotten the medal, when it was revealed that He Xing and Xia Ning had gotten drunk togetherte at night.

    Then Luo Qinghe took her to Antarctica, where they coincidentally encountered the superstar Bai Wei, and this Bai Wei turned out to be He Xing¡¯s cousin whom she had never met.

    Memories cascaded into Fu Han¡¯s mind, the pains she had deliberately suppressed in her heart began to spread bit by bit, like needle pricks, not sharply painful, but also not to be ignored.

    She had been determined to stay away from He Xing, so she deliberately forced herself not to inquire about the reason He Xing and Xia Ning had spent a night at the hotel together.

    She had repressed herself too severely, so much so that when He Xing confessed his feelings a few days ago, she hadn¡¯t at all remembered to ask about that night. Was it really as He Xing had imed, that nothing had happened between them?

    Bai Wei finally noticed something wrong with Fu Han, she touched Fu Han¡¯s arm, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Fu Han gave a forcedugh, then feeling it was inappropriate, she hurriedly added, ¡°It¡¯s my first time driving this car, I¡¯m not very used to it, hold on tight.¡±

    Bai Wei, worried that He Xing and Luo Qinghe mighte to blows, didn¡¯t think too much and just urged Fu Han to hurry up,pletely missing how pale and bloodless Fu Han¡¯s face had be.

    It must be said their luck was good, not only were there no red lights, but there were also very few cars on the road, allowing them to reach the Li Family vi as fast as possible.

    They saw the Lamborghini parked on the roadside from a distance, but they had no idea where He Xing was.

    The two girls rushed out of the car in a flurry, the front gate of the Li Family was open, He Xing was nowhere to be seen, the courtyard was empty, void of anyone.

    Bai Wei stood at the entrance, hesitating whether or not to go in, but Fu Han grabbed her hand and dragged her inside directly, ¡°What are you afraid of at this point, worried about trespassing into a civil house?¡±

    This was Fu Han¡¯s first time at the Li Family, the garden too vast and wellndscaped, she nced around, not even sure which way to go.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± said Bai Wei as it was only her second time there, leading Fu Han straight inside, through a garden asrge as a ser field.

    After several twists and turns, they finally saw the grand door of the Li Family¡¯s three-story vi. The two of them instinctively clenched their hands, exchanged encouraging nces, and then marched in with their heads held high.

    Both girls had the same image in their minds: He Xing taking on the entire Li Family alone, surrounded and attacked by a crowd.

    Therefore, when they saw He Xing sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, leisurely sipping coffee, they were stunned, not understanding what had happened.

    He Xing was surprised to see them, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± After pausing for a moment he understood, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re worried I might have started fighting with Luo Qinghe, right?¡±

 Chapter 162 - 162 162 Protect Bai Wei Together

    ?Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Protect Bai Wei Together   Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Protect Bai Wei Together                                   Fu Han still had the matter of Xia Ning and He Xing¡¯s hotel photos on her mind, and she approached He Xing with a displeased tone, ¡°We were just afraid that you would be powerless against their beating.¡±

    Before He Xing could speak, suddenly a young man came down from upstairs, his footsteps particrly grating in the vast living room.

    Fu Han looked at the man, didn¡¯t recognize him, and noted he looked nothing like Luo Qinghe; she turned to Bai Wei, puzzled.

    Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red as she stepped forward and asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Li, may I inquire if Luo Qinghe is at home?¡±

    ¡°What do you need him for?¡± The young man¡¯s voice was pleasant, which somewhat enhanced his otherwise average looks, and his face was adorned with a faint smile. ¡°Lady Bai, I¡¯ve just told Mr. He that my brother is not home today.¡±

    So this was Luo Qinghe¡¯s brother, the future heir to the Li Group. Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but size him up again; this man¡¯s appearance barely met average standards, while Luo Qinghe was indeed the eye-catching type you¡¯d spot instantly in a crowd.

    She couldn¡¯t resist muttering to herself, ¡®Are these two really born to the same parents?¡¯

    While she was still wondering, the sound of footsteps arose again.

    ncing up, Fu Han saw a woman dressed in a cheongsam, strikingly resembling Luo Qinghe, except this woman walked with a swaying waist, seemingly like a fox full of seductive charm.

    Although the Li Family¡¯s house was warmed by heating, wearing just a cheongsam in the dead of winter did indeed seem cold, but the woman appeared unfazed by the chill, her arms and long legs fully exposed to the air, and her feet in a pair of extremely thin high heels.

    Bai Wei leaned in close and whispered in Fu Han¡¯s ear, ¡°She is Luo Qinghe¡¯s mother.¡±

    In that brief space, Luo Qiluo had already approached them. She was far from the gentle and approachable person of the other day; her beautiful face void of any expression, her fox-like eyes also brimming with a chilling air, ¡°Mr. He, Lady Bai, and this Miss¡­¡±

    ¡°Fu Han, Miss Fu.¡± Bai Wei hurriedly introduced, her lovely face adorned with a slightly ingratiating smile.

    Luo Qiluo nodded, her gaze swiftly swept past Fu Han without pausing, ¡°May I ask what brings you to my home?¡±

    ¡°This woman is not to be trifled with.¡± That was Fu Han¡¯s first impression of Luo Qiluo. She didn¡¯t get angry at being overlooked; instead, she felt very sorry for Bai Wei.

    How proud Bai Wei usually was, always the center of attention, nothing like now, trying to please others, and seeming as if the others didn¡¯t even care.

    As she zoned out, He Xing beat Bai Wei to the punch and said, ¡°Madam Li, we have something to discuss with Luo Qinghe. May I ask when he will be back?¡±

    Luo Qiluo turned her head to look at Li Qingjiang, her face carrying a faint smile, ¡°Did you contact your brother? Where is he now?¡±

    ¡°He said he went out of the city with friends, I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back,¡± Li Qingjiang responded at once, his voice as melodic as ever but with a touch of coldness.

    He Xing raised his eyebrows and uttered a meaningful ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°But howe I heard from the servants that Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t go out today? So who¡¯s lying then?¡±

    As he spoke, the temperature in the room seemed to drop, and Fu Han saw goosebumps erupting on Luo Qiluo¡¯s arms.

    After a moment of silence, Luo Qiluo let out a coldugh, ¡°What are you implying, Mr. He? Are you saying our Li Family must produce the person at all costs?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily need you to hand over the person.¡± He Xing smiled as well, but his smile seemed to give one the shivers. ¡°Luo Qinghe was vague in some of his words, and I¡¯m here to ask him in person. Are you afraid?¡±

    The smile finally faded from Luo Qiluo¡¯s face; she looked coldly at He Xing and, after several seconds, she shifted her gaze to Bai Wei. ¡°Lady Bai, I know you¡¯ve liked Qinghe for a long time, and perhaps our invitation for you to attend the banquet the other day gave you the wrong impression. Now that you¡¯vee to us, let me say this: Although our Li family might not be nobility, we still set high standards for our future daughter-inw. We¡¯ll never allow our child to marry a woman from the entertainment circle.¡±

    The more Fu Han listened, the more wrong it all seemed to her; by the end, Bai Wei was already trembling, and Fu Han could no longer contain her anger as she stepped forward, shielding Bai Wei.

    ¡°Madam Li, just because Bai Wei has a bit of affection for Luo Qinghe, what gives you the right to look down upon her from your high horse? What¡¯s wrong with being a star? Are they beneath your contempt? Or are you suggesting that your birth is noble, perhaps of royal descent?¡±

    Luo Qiluo paled, her body also starting to shake, her hand raised high as she swung it swiftly towards Fu Han.

    Fu Han snorted coldly and was about to raise her hand to block, but suddenly another hand captured hers, and she fell backward off-bnce,nding into a warm embrace.

    He Xing abruptly grabbed Luo Qiluo¡¯s wrist, holding Fu Han aloft as he looked down at Luo Qiluo, ¡°You dare hit my woman?¡±

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Luo Qiluo¡¯s face twisted in pain as she desperately tried to pull her hand away, but He Xing was too strong, and all her efforts were in vain.

    ¡°Bai Wei is my only cousin. If I hear you speak ill of her again, I won¡¯t promise what I might do,¡± He Xing said expressionlessly, before suddenly releasing Luo Qiluo¡¯s hand.

    Caught off guard by her sudden freedom, her stilettos slipped on the floor, and she fell to the ground in a most embarrassing fashion.

    He Xing turned back and reached out to Bai Wei, whose face was as pale as death, devoid of any color. She numbly ced her hand in He Xing¡¯s palm.

    Just like that, holding Fu Han with one hand and Bai Wei with the other, he led them both away.

    Be it Luo Qiluo, Li Qingjiang, or the servants and security guards of the Li Family, not a single person dared to stop them.

    With Li Qingjiang¡¯s help, Luo Qiluo got back on her feet, heartache evident as she looked at the two red marks on her fair knees, wondering how much time and money it would take for her legs to heal.

    Li Qingjiang asked softly by her side, ¡°Mom, what should we do now?¡±

    ¡°You keep an eye on your brother and don¡¯t let him run away,¡± Luo Qiluo said through gritted teeth. ¡°At least he must not be allowed out today.¡±

    ¡°What about his phone¡­¡± Li Qingjiang took out a cellphone from his pocket, hesitated, but couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you like Bai Wei anymore? It was you who invited her to the banquet that day.¡±

    Luo Qiluo¡¯s face immediately darkened, and she looked at Li Qingjiang coldly: ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. Don¡¯t worry about it, just make sure to watch your brother.¡±

    Li Qingjiang immediately fell silent, but before he left, he cast a deep look at Luo Qiluo.

    Up in the attic, Luo Qinghe had smashed everything in the room. The window ss had been broken by him, but there was still a burr outside, and despite his throat almost being hoarse from shouting, no one paid him any attention.

    Li Qingjiang stood outside the attic door, listening, his expression changing multiple times before finally he walked away with heavy steps.

    And Luo Qinghe inside the room, had no idea that someone had been standing outside the door for a long time.

    ¡­

    On the ride back, He Xing drove the car, with Fu Han and Bai Wei sitting together in the back seat. As for the car they had driven over, He Xing wouldter arrange for someone toe and pick it up.

    Fu Han held onto Bai Wei¡¯s hand the entire time without letting go, clearly feeling her body shaking uncontrobly.

    She shook Bai Wei gently, ¡°Bai Wei, I know these words are useless right now, but if you want to cry, then cry. No matter what you do, I¡¯ll be by your side.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t cry,¡± Bai Wei shook her head, forcing back the tears in her eyes: ¡°Why should I cry? If I did, wouldn¡¯t that make them very happy?¡±

    Fuhan sighed and said nothing; on the other hand, He Xing pressed the elerator to the floor and without looking back said, ¡°What¡¯s there to cry about? He¡¯s not worth your affection.¡±

    There was a brief silence in the car. A few secondster, Bai Wei burst into loud crying, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I must see Luo Qinghe. Even if he was just toying with me, I want him to tell me so himself.¡±

    ¡°Are you still going to look for him?¡± He Xing got angry, raising his voice to scold, ¡°Have you no sense of shame at all?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my affair, it¡¯s none of your business,¡± Bai Wei retorted, tears still falling as she argued with resolve.

    Fu Han was at a loss, rubbing her forehead as she said helplessly, ¡°Stop arguing, you two. This is an issue between Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe. Even if you¡¯re her brother, you don¡¯t have the right to make decisions for her.¡±

    This time, not only did He Xing keep silent, even Bai Wei herself stopped discussing the matter.

 Chapter 163 - 163 163 The First Dance

    ?Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The First Dance   Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The First Dance                                   The car sped towards Lanwan Mountain, and on the way, the three of them discussed and felt that since Master He was getting on in years, it would be best not to tell him about today¡¯s incident.

    Fortunately, by the time they got home, Master He had already gone to the vi halfway up the mountain, where the party would be held.

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes were swollen like walnuts, and it would be difficult for her to recover quickly. If she really attended the party with red, swollen eyes, she might be tomorrow¡¯s front-page headline.

    As it was gettingte, He Xing and Fu Han changed into their formal wear and went to the mountainside vi ahead of time, as they would be greeting the guests in the hosts¡¯ stead today.

    Upon seeing them, Master He led them to tour the house: ¡°Come,e, take a look, which vi do you prefer, this one or the one we are currently living in? If you like the other one, we can refurbish itter and use it as your wedding house.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, why are you talking about this?¡± Fu Han¡¯s face turned beet red, and with a twist of her body, she ran to the backyard.

    She kept thinking about what her grandfather had just mentioned, and every time she tried to take a closer look at the house, she felt uneasy. After a round in the backyard, she ran back to the front.

    Guests had started to arrive gradually, and Fu Han stood to the left of Master He with He Xing on the right. She discovered for the first time that smiling could be such a tiring task, feeling her face stiffen after less than a few minutes.

    Just as she thought about sneaking off for a break, a morous noise suddenly came from the outside. She turned her head and saw Xia Guoxiong, Xia Ning, and Xia Cheng arriving.

    Fu Han¡¯s sense of being a hostess instantly awakened, she straightened up and inadvertently held Master He¡¯s hand.

    Xia Guoxiong came in with a broad smile, bending his back to shake hands with Master He and exchange pleasantries.

    ¡°Hello, Grandpa He,¡± Xia Cheng greeted Master He before he walked over to He Xing, chatting andughing loudly with him, even patting He Xing on the shoulder as if they were close friends.

    Fu Han¡¯s gazended on Xia Ning, who wore a calf-length beige, ruffled neckline tweed dress, buttoned up tightly to conceal her dress underneath.

    Her fair ankles were exposed, adorned with a delicate gold anklet, and on her feet were a pair of cream-colored strappy sandals, with freshly painted red nail polish on her toenails that made her ankles appear even whiter.

    Their gazes met in mid-air, and the corner of Xia Ning¡¯s mouth quirked up in an unmistakable challenge.

    Fu Han snorted coldly in response. The hostility in their eyes was unmasked; they were natural-born enemies, and that would never change.

    The Xias entered the vi, and He Xing moved to stand next to Fu Han, whispering boastfully, ¡°I did pretty well, didn¡¯t I? I didn¡¯t look at her even once.¡±

    ¡°You did well, keep it up,¡± Fu Han nodded, but for some reason, after seeing Xia Ning, she had an ominous premonition.

    The party officially began, with Master He wearing a white suit and a ck bow tie, giving a speech on stage.

    Fu Han stood underneath the stage, zoning out grantly. No wonder, since the speeches at every party were always the same. Having heard them for so many years, it was hard to be interested.

    Suddenly, she felt a burning gaze on her and instinctively looked over, locking eyes with Xia Ning.

    Only then did she truly see Xia Ning¡¯s dress, which was¡­ was shockingly simr to her own pink outfit, both with high-low wide skirts and thin straps.

    The only difference was the design on the front; Fu Han¡¯s pink dress had a fake hand-span waistband, while Xia Ning¡¯s had a bow; one was simple and ssic, the other cute.

    Xia Ning smiled at Fu Han from a distance and touched the ne around her neck.

    Too far away to see the style of the ne, Fu Han could only make out that it was also a fine piece of jewelry.

    Fu Han touched her own ne. She was wearing the lotus diamond ne He Xing had given her a few days earlier. Today, her look was elegantly simple, with a pair of diamond studs in her ears and a filigree silver bracelet on her wrist.

    The dance officially began, and He Xing bowed and extended his hand to Fu Han, ¡°Miss Fu Han, would you do me the honor of dancing the first dance with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Fu Han lifted the hem of her gown in a standard curtsy, elegantly cing her hand in He Xing¡¯s, with his other hand resting on her waist, feeling how slender it was underneath.

    The two danced in perfect unison, not needing words or even a nce tomunicate; they could dance well even with closed eyes.

    They found themselves in the center of the dance floor before they knew it.

    ¡°Happy New Year, Brother He Xing!¡± Xia Ning¡¯s voice rang out, as sharinely sweet as ever.

    Fu Han turned her head and caught only a glimpse of Xia Ning¡¯s profile, surprised to find that Xia Ning¡¯s first dance was with Xia Cheng.

 Chapter 164 - 164 164 Same Necklace

    ?Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Same Ne   Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Same Ne                                   Fu Han turned her head away, not wanting to look at Xia Ning anymore. She knew that an encounter with Xia Ning was inevitable today and that she would definitelye to pick a fight.

    But she had already made up her mind that since she was going to restart her life and give it another try with He Xing, she should be mentally prepared.

    Xia Ning tried to get Fu Han¡¯s attention, but Fu Han seemed determined not to look at her, preferring to look at the ground rather than give her a nce.

    The first dance ended like that, and the second dance ended too.

    Finally, Fu Han released He Xing¡¯s hand; she hadn¡¯t danced in a long time and felt a bit tired after two dances.

    Neither of them danced anymore; they found a corner table to sit at, eating the delicacies meticulously prepared by the He family, their hearts filled with sweetness.

    Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the buds in the yard began to sprout, the tender green leaves resembling Maojian tea spreading in water. Just one look brought joy to one¡¯s heart.

    He Xing held Fu Han¡¯s hand in his palm, gently squeezing it from time to time; her hand was delicate and smooth like a newborn¡¯s skin, yet there was a thin callus on her palm¡ªnot thick, but fine and dense, like countless needles pricking at He Xing¡¯s heart. How much hardship had she endured in the past three years?

    He pressed Fu Han¡¯s palm to his cheek and said with emotion, ¡°Xiaohan, you¡¯ve suffered in the past. I won¡¯t let you suffer anymore.¡±

    The slight roughness of Fu Han¡¯s palm rubbed against He Xing¡¯s cheek. She had never felt inferior because of the coarseness of her palm¡ªon the contrary, she saw it as a testament to the three years she lived independently, a symbol of honor.

    She touched He Xing¡¯s cheek and smiled warmly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty. I think the past three years have been very happy for me.¡±

    He Xing fell silent for a moment and then said in a low voice, ¡°But, when I think that I wasn¡¯t by your side over the past three years, I¡­¡± He let out an almost inaudible sigh, ¡°I just feel sad.¡±

    A surge of tears threatened to overwhelm Fu Han; she sniffed, trying hard to remainposed, ¡°Today is your birthday, and I haven¡¯t wished you a happy birthday yet.¡±

    Looking directly into He Xing¡¯s eyes, she said with feeling, ¡°He Xing, happy birthday. I hope you¡¯re happy every day, always blessed.¡±

    ¡°With you, I feel very blessed.¡± He Xing cradled Fu Han¡¯s cheeks and nted a passionate kiss on her forehead.

    Not far away, Xia Ning witnessed this scene with eyes that could almost spit fire, jealousy gnawing at her to the point of grinding her teeth to dust.

    A few secondster, Xia Cheng appeared by her side and said in a low voice, ¡°Everything¡¯s been arranged. You¡¯ll have a chance to go over there soon.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Those three words were squeezed out from between Xia Ning¡¯s clenched teeth; if possible, she wished she could tear Fu Han apart and devour her alive.

    A servant came up to He Xing to tell him a new guest was looking for him.

    Knowing that Fu Han disliked dealing with business matters, He Xing told her to wait there for him, and he would be back shortly.

    Fu Han was wondering how to ¡°discretely¡± present the birthday gift she had painstakingly prepared to He Xing, so when this rare opportunity arose, even if he had invited her to see who was looking for him, she would have found an excuse to refuse.

    Seeing that He Xing had left the hall, Fu Han quickly got up and headed towards the storage room at the back. She had sneakily put her things there when she had arrived earlier.

    When Fu Han came out with arge gift box, she ran into Xia Ning by coincidence.

    Xia Ning was leaning against the door frame with her attractive eyes showing an evident challenge, ¡°Fu Han, what is that you¡¯re holding in your hands?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Fu Han responded irritably as she turned to leave.

    ¡°Hold on, don¡¯t rush off,¡± Xia Ning blocked Fu Han¡¯s path with a swift move. She adjusted the bow tie at the front of her dress and puffed out her chest, ¡°We rarely run into each other, shouldn¡¯t we chat for a bit?¡±

    ¡°Not interested.¡± Fu Han couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at Xia Ning; she felt a growing anger inside her, ¡°If you don¡¯t move, don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡±

    Xia Ning had been present when Fu Han bought the dress she was wearing. Normal people would avoid choosing a simr style when they see someone else¡¯s dress, but Xia Ning was wearing one strikingly simr to Fu Han¡¯s. Who would believe it was a coincidence?

    As expected, Xia Ning elongated her tone, ¡°Fu Han, our dresses are so simr. Who do you think looks better in it?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes were still on the gift box she held, and upon hearing those words, she scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that a knockoff looks better than the original. Feel free to strut around in that dress, but don¡¯t cry when the designer sues you for giarism.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s face instantly turned pale, but in the next second, she regained her smile, ¡°The dress is just simr after all. Why don¡¯t you take a look at our nes? Aren¡¯t they the same?¡±

    Looking suspiciously at Xia Ning¡¯s neck, Fu Han¡¯s expression changed after just one nce. The ne on Xia Ning¡¯s neck was indeed the same as the one she was wearing at the moment, just with slightly different details, but overall simr.

    ¡°Where did you get this ne from?¡± Fu Han tried to control herself, but her voice still trembled as she spoke; it was clear that she was greatly agitated.

    Xia Ning pursed her lips and smiled sweetly, ¡°This was a gift from brother He Xing. Is yours also from him?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure he gave it to you?¡± Fu Han held onto thest bit of reason she had, her cold gaze fixed on Xia Ning, ¡°I know all your tricks over the years¡ªincessant badgering, acting weak and pitiable for sympathy, and using your mother, who saved He Xing¡¯s life, as leverage. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    The rebuke made Xia Ning¡¯s face burn with embarrassment. She clenched her teeth, wanting to retort, but found herself unable to say a word.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t want to spend another second with Xia Ning and tried to get past her to leave quickly.

    In her haste, Xia Ning called out to Fu Han¡¯s retreating back, ¡°This ne is one of a kind, custom-made by He Xing. If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask him yourself.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will,¡± Fu Han stopped, uttering the cold words before resuming her confident stride forward, not looking back at Xia Ning once more.

    She dared not look back or stop, afraid that Xia Ning would see that she was not as strong as she imed. But if she had turned around, perhaps she would have noticed the worried expression in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes.

    For the rest of the evening, Xia Ning was covertly watching Fu Han and He Xing. The two of them hardly had time alone together, nor did they dance again; it was either someone seeking He Xing or Fu Han.

    Xia Ning was looking forward to seeing Fu Han confront He Xing, though it seemed she wouldn¡¯t be able to witness it herself.

    Fu Han was bored with the party and worried about Bai Wei, so she returned to the vi on the hilltop half an hour before the party ended.

    Bai Wei¡¯s mood had improved. She told Fu Han that since the crew would be starting to shoot again tomorrow, she would definitely see Luo Qinghe and could ask for rity then.

 Chapter 165 - 165 165 Sweet Gift

    ?Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Sweet Gift   Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Sweet Gift                                   Her candid attitude influenced Fu Han, who decided to also clear up the mysteries in her heart. Having finallye this far, she couldn¡¯t just condemn someone without asking anything.

    By the time He Xing returned, Fu Han had already taken off the pretty but diforting evening gown, bathed, removed her makeup, and changed into afortable set of home clothes.

    After knocking, Fu Han let him in. As she helped him take off his coat, she asked, ¡°Have all the guests left?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve all left. Uncle Zhou is arranging for some cleanup over there, so I came back first,¡± He Xing exined, loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, revealing a glimpse of a well-defined corbone.

    Fu Han¡¯s face felt slightly warm, so she quickly turned away, not looking at He Xing, ¡°It¡¯ste; you should go back and sleep.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t yet, I still haven¡¯t given you your gift.¡± He Xing fumbled in his suit pocket and pulled out a keychain with a car key hanging from it.

    Fu Han¡¯s face darkened even though she didn¡¯t ept the gift, ¡°You¡¯re giving me a car? If I wanted a car, I¡¯d buy it myself. I don¡¯t need your gift.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± He Xing insisted on cing the key in Fu Han¡¯s hand, pointing to a baby-sized orb hanging on the keychain, ¡°Take a look at this before you say anything.¡±

    Fu Han skeptically epted it and was surprised to find that it was actually a piece of amber, embedding two three-dimensional little figures, chibi-style, withrge eyes and round cheeks, looking exceptionally adorable.

    The more she looked, the more she felt that the two little figures resembled her and He Xing. She couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Is this us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t it cute? I made it myself.¡± He Xing, proud as if showing off a treasure, also pulled out a keychain from his pocket, shaking the pattern inside, ¡°These two are the same; one for you and one for me.¡±

    Though moved by the words ¡°made it myself,¡± Xia Ning¡¯s words from earlier that evening had be a thorn in her heart, and it was suffocating not to speak out.

    She grasped He Xing¡¯s hand with a backhanded grip, like a drowning person clinging to thest straw, ¡°Are you sure these are the only two in the world?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that Fu Han didn¡¯t trust He Xing, but she was just too afraid of treasuring He Xing¡¯s gifts, only for it to turn into a humiliating joke like it did today.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± He Xing tapped on Fu Han¡¯s forehead, feigning annoyance, ¡°Making these was a hassle. I failed countless times before I managed to make just two.¡±

    Joy bubbled up in Fu Han¡¯s heart like a fountain in ake, bursting forth again and again.

    She touched the ne at her chest, and a voice inside her said, ¡°Wait a bit longer before you address this.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s gaze wandered across her room, eventually resting on a beautifully wrapped box on the coffee table not far away.

    His eyes lit up as he approached the box, ¡°Xiaohan, is this the birthday gift you prepared for me?¡±

    ¡°Who said it¡¯s for you.¡± Fu Han blushed deeply and rushed towards the coffee table, trying to reim the gift first.

    But she was no match for He Xing. He had already secured the gift box in his hand and nimbly sidestepped her, ¡°Stop lying to me. This is obviously my gift. I saw you bring it downstairs. If I hadn¡¯t been so busy tonight, I would¡¯ve asked you for it earlier.¡±

    So he knew; he knew everything.

    Fu Han felt her heart bubbling up, and it soared halfway to the skies.

    She was looking forward to how He Xing would react to the gift. She stuck out her tongue,ughing yfully, ¡°Alright, you guessed it. This is indeed a gift from me. Although I also made it myself, it¡¯s not as valuable as the gift you gave.¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s a gift from you, it¡¯s the most valuable thing in my heart,¡± He Xing said emotively, and ced a firm kiss on Fu Han¡¯s forehead.

    He carefully opened the gift box, and when he saw inside was an album the size of an A4 piece of paper, the album¡¯s cover read, ¡°Remembrance.¡±

    Upon opening the front page, two lines of elegant handwriting were visible: ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten when we met; I remember all the happiness we shared!¡±

    He Xing turned the pages one by one, each filled with photos of him and Fu Han together, from their childhood to their adulthood. The most recent photo showed them sitting on the balcony the night before, their background pitch ck, their faces barely visible, yet their smiles and bright teeth were infectious.

    Next to each photo was a caption, detailing the circumstances under which the photo was taken, along with Fu Han¡¯s mood at the time of the shot.

    The photos from their past three years apart were all digitallyposited by Fu Han. Her photo editing skills were impable, leaving no trace of alteration.

    These three years of photos were numerous, and the apanying text was extensive, like diary entries chronicling Fu Han¡¯s journey of the heart during the three years away from He Xing.

    The album was thick, about the width of an adult¡¯s palm, and one could only imagine the amount of effort Fu Han had poured into these photos.

    After flipping through once, He Xing couldn¡¯t help but want to go through it a second time. He felt that they were the essence of Fu Han¡¯s heart, and even a thousand views wouldn¡¯t suffice.

    With utmost care, he closed the album and held Fu Han¡¯s hands even tighter, as if wishing he could meld her into his being.

    Their tender kisses were like the night sky outside the window, not too bright, yet lingering long enough to intoxicate the senses.

    Fu Han had always found kissing He Xing sweet, like tasting the sweetest cotton candy, but tonight the kiss was different. Amidst the sweetness was a faint anticipation, indescribable and unclear.

    At some point, her outer garment had fallen to the floor, her bare shoulders glowing pale in the night; while his hands fanned mes across her body.

    The temperature in the room rose higher and higher, and the clothes on the floor grew more and more disheveled.

    Gasp for breath, He Xing hoisted Fu Han up in a horizontal lift, and perhaps because the movement was too brisk, her ne caught in her hair, pulling painfully and contorting half her face.

    Anxious, He Xing crouched before her to help, but the more frantic they became, the more tangled her hair got, especially with the lights out, He Xing could only work by the dim moonlight.

    He stood up intending to turn on the light, but Fu Han suddenly grabbed his wrist, ¡°Don¡¯t turn on the light.¡±

    Yes, she knew what was going to happen next. Even if she hadn¡¯t been prepared before, she had now resolved to give her all to him.

    Yet, she still couldn¡¯t bear to bepletely exposed under the light.

    He Xing, who was always deferential to her, immediately returned to gently coaxing her while again attempting to untangle her hair.

    The moonlight glinted off the diamond lotus pendant, and suddenly, Fu Han blurted out the question she had pondered for long but never dared to ask, ¡°He Xing, did you buy this ne from a disy window, or was it custom-made?¡±

 Chapter 166 - 166 166 Love is too extravagant I cant afford

    ?Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Love is too extravagant, I can¡¯t afford it.   Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Love is too extravagant, I can¡¯t afford it.                                   ¡°It was custom-made.¡± He Xing had already untangled a strand of hair, and now the only one left caught in the ne was thest one. As he focused intently on unraveling the entangled strands, he said, ¡°I designed this pattern myself. Your name is Fu Han, and Han is an unopened lotus, so I wanted to give you a lotus that never wilts.¡±

    Fu Han felt a warmth in her heart. Reason told her to let the matter rest here, but emotion gained the upper hand, and she still voiced the question in her heart, ¡°Is this the only ne of its kind in the world?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± He Xing looked up and smiled at her, his expression as beautiful as a night-blooming cereus, ¡°I said, everything I give you is unique.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s mouth opened again, and the name Xia Ning was on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, she didn¡¯t have the courage to ask. She cleared her throat and tried a different approach, ¡°Does Xia Ning know about this ne?¡±

    He Xing paused in his task, then hurriedly embraced Fu Han and exined, ¡°Xiaohan, I only got this ne the day I came back from H City. I had it in my pocket, and on the way, Xia Ning took it out to look at it. She asked me to give it to her, but I didn¡¯t agree, and then she took a photo of it.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt as though it were hanging in icy water in the midst of winter, utterly cold.

    She believed what He Xing had said was true and also believed that Xia Ning had lied today, but¡­ what she couldn¡¯t ept was that He Xing, knowing full well she didn¡¯t get along with Xia Ning, still let Xia Ning take a photo of the ne.

    No, that¡¯s not right. The ne wasn¡¯tid out in the car; it was in He Xing¡¯s pocket. How could Xia Ning have found it if she didn¡¯t go through his pocket? Would a normal person let someone they¡¯re not intimate with reach into their pocket?

    So, what exactly happened between He Xing and Xia Ning in the car on the way back from H City that day?

    Or rather, what was it like every time Fu Han was not around, when they were alone?

    The images of them together in the bar and in the hotel reappeared in Fu Han¡¯s mind, her heart devoid of any warmth, not even the bright sunshine could thaw it.

    Fu Han tugged at her hair with force, and a throbbing pain shot through her, as the hair caught in the ne broke off harshly.

    The ne she had treasured so much broke as well due to her actions, slipping from her chest, eventuallynding in He Xing¡¯s palm, entwined with a few strands of Fu Han¡¯s ck hair.

    He Xing tried to pull Fu Han back into his arms while anxiously saying, ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t be angry, there¡¯s really nothing between me and Xia Ning, you saw today¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Yeah, when I¡¯m around, you two maintain a safe social distance as ordinary friends, and when I¡¯m not, you two are good friends who drink together and share a room,¡± Fu Han coldly interrupted He Xing, not knowing where she got the strength, but she pushed He Xing away.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Shock and anger mixed on He Xing¡¯s face. His fingers curled into a fist, veins bulging on the back of his hand, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so many years, I¡¯ve already rified everything to the media, do you still not believe me?¡±

    In the hazy night, Fu Han¡¯s face looked terrible, deathly pale without a trace of color, highlighting her blood-shot eyes, looking startling; even her body was shivering, as though she might copse any second.

    She picked up her clothes from the floor and put them on, turning her back to He Xing without looking at him again, ¡°Mr. He, it¡¯s gettingte, I need to sleep, please leave.¡±

    He Xing stared at her retreating back for a long time, until his eyes began to feel sore.

    If it were up to his temperament, he would have walked away a long time ago, but God knows how much he regretted not staying by Fu Han¡¯s side consistently over the past three years.

    After collecting his emotions, he spoke again with the gentlest tone he could muster, ¡°Xiaohan, I know I¡¯ve truly done a lot of things in the past that hurt you, but from now on, I absolutely won¡¯t do it again. Didn¡¯t you say before that you wanted to put me to the test? You¡­ You can test me for a longer time; it¡¯s okay, I can wait.¡±

    Pearl-like tears slid down Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, her long eyshes already drenched, yet her voice was steady as she said, ¡°Mr. He, I¡¯m just an ordinary girl, and all I want is a simple romance. Your love is too extravagant, I can¡¯t afford it.¡±

    ¡­

    Bai Wei was woken from her sleep by Fu Han, who by then had already put on a thick down jacket.

    Expressionless, she said to Bai Wei, ¡°If you¡¯reing back to the crew with me, then pack your things and let¡¯s go immediately.¡±

    Bai Wei packed inplete confusion and without a clue, finally snapping back to reality only after getting into the passenger seat, ¡°Isn¡¯t He Xinging with us?¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly returned to normal and started the car, ¡°He Xing has some business and can¡¯te back with us. You need to get there early for makeup, so we have to go separately.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Bai Wei suddenly realized, while adjusting her seat, ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap then. If you get tired, just wake me up to talk.¡±

    The car slowly left the He Family vi, descending the winding Lanwan Mountain road; the vi soon out of sight in the rearview mirror, Fu Han¡¯s heart ached unbearably.

    She had never imagined there woulde a day when leaving He Xing¡¯s side, she would drive away in the car he gave her, thetest model of the Mini Cooper, pink and perfect for a girl; of course, the price tag was just as lovely, and right now, Fu Han might need to tighten her belt for a while if she wanted to buy such a car herself.

    But what was the alternative, to keep standing her ground against He Xing? Then, endlessly, on and off, keep torturing herself?

    In the end, their ¡°argument¡± resulted in neither willing to budge, concluding with Fu Han forcibly evicting He Xing from her room.

    Afterward, Fu Han sat in silence in her room for nearly three hours, guessing that He Xing would have fallen asleep; only then did she leave with Bai Wei.

    Truthfully, she would have left more freely without Bai Wei, but she did have an agreement with her; besides, she feared that traveling to another city alone in the middle of the night would be too dangerous, it was better to have someone along.

    The pitch-ck night was apanied only by streetlights and Fu Han, while Bai Wei beside her had already sunk into deep sleep, her breathing loud, almost snoring, because it was ufortable to sleep in the seat.

    Normally, Fu Han would despise anyone who snored, but at this moment, she felt fortunate to have someone alive beside her, thinking it a happy thing.

    Scenes of her past with He Xing yed in Fu Han¡¯s mind. By now, she no longer doubted He Xing¡¯s feelings for her, but her heart felt even more tired.

    Three years had passed, so why had the pattern of interaction among the three of them¡ªHe Xing, her, and Xia Ning¡ªnot changed at all? Why was there always a Xia Ning between them?

 Chapter 167 - 167 167 First Day of Work

    ?Chapter 167: Chapter 167: First Day of Work   Chapter 167: Chapter 167: First Day of Work                                   Fu Han didn¡¯t know that He Xing hadn¡¯t slept at all that night. Their rooms were right next to each other, and as soon as Fu Han opened her door, he heard her. Through the surveince system in the vi, he watched her entire departure.

    If Fu Han hadn¡¯t taken Bai Wei with her, he wouldn¡¯t have let her leave all ale at night, even if it meant she¡¯d end up hating him.

    And most importantly, the car was equipped with a tracking system and had top-notch security features. He Xing couldpletely rely on it to ensure that Fu Han had safely arrived in H City.

    He Xing stood on the balcony all night long. The taillights of her departing car had long disappeared without a trace, and the locator showed she had arrived at the hotel in H City four hours earlier. Yet, he still stood there motionless, as if by doing so, she never actually left.

    It was only when the first rays of morning light fell upon the earth that he finally felt a slight soreness in his eyes.

    He gazed once more into the distance of the great road, mumbling to himself, ¡°Xiaohan, I will never let you leave my side, never!¡±

    ¡­

    The holidays had ended, and the He Group building was bustling with activity once again. As in previous years, the elder Mr. He and He Xing stood by the main entrance on the ground floor early on, handing out Red Envelopes to every employee returning to work.

    This was a tradition of the He Group, where the current person in power and the future sessor would hand out Red Envelopes to everyone who served the He Group, symbolizing a prosperous start.

    Although the elder Mr. He was the Chairman and CEO of the He Group, he had been attending thepany less frequently over the years.

    The reason for this was He Xing¡¯s strong business capabilities, which had kept thepany running smoothly and allowed the elder Mr. He to enjoy his twilight years at home, drinking tea, sunbathing, and practicing Tai Chi.

    Nevertheless, the elder Mr. He was still expected to attend the year¡¯s first board meeting. He led the way, with He Xing maintaining a half-step behind him, while Zhou and Liang Tao kept a three-step distance from them.

    In the He Group¡¯srgest roundtable Meeting Room, all the shareholders had already arrived, and all leaders above the rank of general manager were seated in their respective ces.

    He Xing stood behind with his hands down, his expression calm without any ripples, inscrutable eyes as still as water, revealing nothing else.

    The elder Mr. He walked to the only vacant seat at the head of the round table, took out his gold-rimmed sses from his suit pocket, put them on, and scanned the faces of everyone present.

    Even though the elder Mr. He didn¡¯t speak a word or even appeared to scrutinize anyone rigorously, each person he nced at couldn¡¯t help but sit up straight¡ªsome so nervous they started sweating profusely from their backs.

    After his assessment, the elder Mr. He leisurely pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. Upon closer inspection, one could see the imprint of a fountain pen showing through the backside¡ªit was his handwritten speech.

    ¡°Today, I see many familiar faces as well as numerous new ones, yet some familiar faces are absent,¡± the elder Mr. He¡¯s raspy voice slowly began, ¡°but from today onwards, everyone here is a familiar face. I hope to see all of you here next year.¡±

    ¡°Well, that concludes my speech. I¡¯ll leave the rest of the time to He Xing.¡±

    The elder Mr. He¡¯s every word and action were slow, as if from a slow-motion sequence in a movie; yet the slower his movements, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.

    It wasn¡¯t until the elder Mr. He walked towards the door that Director Wu snapped out of it, calling out loudly, ¡°Elder Mr. He, please wait, I have something to say.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± The elder Mr. He stopped and turned back slowly, his benevolent face emotionless.

    Director Wu¡¯s forehead was already covered in cold sweat as he swallowed and whispered, ¡°Chairman, it¡¯s nothing serious¡ªit¡¯s about the acquisition of Wang¡¯s Electronics. Several of us directors feel there¡¯s no need to participate in the acquisition, more harm than good.¡±

    ¡°Which directors hold this opinion?¡± The elder Mr. He turned around, his indifferent gaze sweeping over the crowd, ¡°Stand up and let me take a look at you. If everyone is opposed, then we¡¯ll reconsider the acquisition n.¡±

    Director Wu also turned around, his flushed face betraying his eagerness, ¡°Stand up quickly, didn¡¯t you all disagree just now? Let¡¯s tell the Chairman together.¡±

    The spacious Meeting Room buzzed with activity, with many in low murmurs, yet after two minutes, no one actually stood up.

    Director Wu was frantic, directly calling out names, ¡°Old Wang, have you forgotten what you just said? Stand up and tell the Chairman¡ªit¡¯s not a joke.¡±

    Director Wang, who was called out, stood up with a red face, stumbling over his words, ¡°Chairman, I¡¯m not against the acquisition, but we can¡¯t pay too much, otherwise it won¡¯t be worth it for us.¡±

    The elder Mr. He nodded nomittally, his gaze sweeping once more over the others, ¡°Does anyone else have something to say?¡±

    This time the Meeting Room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; no one dared to speak, and everyone who made eye contact with the elder Mr. He instinctively shook their heads.

    It was a suffocating process, seeminglysting an eternity, though it was less than two minutes.

    The elder Mr. He cleared his throat and spoke slowly, ¡°I understand everyone¡¯s opinion, and so does He Xing. I believe he will make his own considerations. He is a prudent young man and will not do anything that could harm the He Group, you can be assured of that.¡±

    As he said the words ¡°harm the He Group,¡± his eyes were fixed on Director Wu. Upon hearing this, Director Wu¡¯s face turned ashen,rge beads of sweat ran down his forehead, his embarrassment was palpable.

    Director Wu clumsily wiped his face with his sleeve, ¡°Chairman, you¡¯re right¡­ Under the young master¡¯s leadership, our He Group will surely flourish and continue to improve¡­¡±

    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence as his tongue seemed to tie itself in knots.

    A sneer formed on the elder Mr. He¡¯s lips, ¡°Director Wu, the shares you hold in the Xia Group now outnumber those you hold in the He Group, don¡¯t they?¡±

    The question drained all color from Director Wu¡¯s face, leaving him a stammering mess, ¡°Chairman, I¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You know Sun Guoqiang, don¡¯t you?¡± He Xing, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke. He gestured to Liang Tao, who immediately distributed the documents in hand to everyone.

    ¡°Who¡­ who is that? I¡­ I haven¡¯t heard of him,¡± Director Wu blustered, but it was evident to anyone with eyes that his act was faltering rapidly.

    He Xing scoffed with disdain, ¡°Sun Guoqiang is your wife¡¯s nephew, also one of the never-before-seen board members of the Xia Group. His shares were gifted by Xia Guoxiong. Isn¡¯t it quite a coincidence?¡±

 Chapter 168 - 168 168 Hesitating to Act for Fear of Harming

    ?Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Hesitating to Act for Fear of Harming Others   Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Hesitating to Act for Fear of Harming Others                                   Director Wu slumped into the chair like a boneless entity, his face as pale as paper, and it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he seemed petrified.

    By now, everyone in the meeting room had a copy of the document detailing the rtionships among Director Wu, Sun Guoqiang, and Xia Guoxiong. As they read, they lifted their heads one by one to look at Director Wu, their expressions changing.

    But no one sympathized with him; in fact, many looked at him with eyes filled with hatred.

    Especially the directors, who could say that they had staked their fortunes and lives on the He Group. Now, with it confirmed that Director Wu had deep ties with the Xia Family, this could no longer be described as a simple oversight¡ªthe stark evidence was in the clear ck and white in everyone¡¯s hands.

    He Xing¡¯s icy gaze swept across everyone before he coldly instructed Liang Tao, ¡°Call the police and hand over all the evidence. Let¡¯s proceed ording to judicial process.¡±

    Director Wu could no longer stay silent. He dropped to his knees in front of the elder Mr. He, ¡°Chairman, in consideration of the battles we¡¯ve fought together, please forgive me this once. I promise never to do it again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve disappointed me greatly,¡± said the elder Mr. He, whose tone for the first time since he had arrived was not calm and unrippled but carried clear anger.

    ¡°I know I was wrong, Chairman, please leave me a way out,¡± Director Wu, with his short and plump body, shook violently, and big tears streamed out from his distinctive triangle eyes, looking utterly ludicrous.

    The elder Mr. He sighed deeply, looking down from his height, ¡°Considering your years of contribution to the He Group, divest all your shares now, and never set foot in the He Group headquarters building again.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Chairman, thank you!¡± Director Wu, with snot and tears running down his face, was so agitated that he even kowtowed several loud times to the elder Mr. He.

    He was well aware of the dirtyundry he had hidden, and if it truly came to calling the police, he¡¯d never see the outside of that jail cell for the rest of his life. Now that the elder Mr. He was only asking for his shares, this was an extraordinary act of leniency.

    What followed was simple, Director Wu swiftly sold all his shares, and the purchaser was none other than He Xing himself.

    The price offered by He Xing waspletely in line with the He Group¡¯s current stock price¡ªnot taking advantage of the situation. His fairness and integrity were a thorough disy of the mettle expected from the future heir of the He Group.

    Many people privately discussed that He Xing¡¯s punishment of Director Wu was too lenient. What if others followed suit in the future?

    But He Xing had his own considerations. If he reported Wu for epting bribes, then Xia Guoxiong, who had bribed him, wouldn¡¯t get off scot-free. If he really sent Xia Guoxiong to prison, how could he face his life-saving benefactor Du Wanting?

    It was a case of not wanting to harm the mouse for fear of breaking the precious vase¡ªthat¡¯s why he had shown leniency towards Director Wu.

    ¡­

    In H City, the filming site of ¡°Longings Return¡±.

    The director had already paced the set three times, growing more and more anxious with eachp until he finally rushed straight into Bai Wei¡¯s makeup artist¡¯s room, ¡°Bai Wei, can you get in touch with Luo Qinghe?¡±

    Bai Wei turned pale, herplexion bing quite unsightly.

    Fu Han, sitting nearby, quickly stood up and suggested, ¡°Director, we don¡¯t know his whereabouts either. If he hasn¡¯t arrived, perhaps we can shoot other scenes first?¡±

    If those words hade from anyone but Fu Han, the director would have cursed them out.

    Unfortunately, there were no ifs, and the director could only suppress his anger and patiently exin, ¡°Miss Fu, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to¡ªit¡¯s that our filming schedule for each day is pre-arranged, including scenes, set design, and props which all require advance preparation. We can¡¯t just shoot whatever scene you suggest.¡±

    Fu Han silently sighed, knowing well that the director spoke the truth. She cast a worried nce at Bai Wei, then said to the director, ¡°Please think of any other possible solutions. We¡¯ll try to contact him again.¡±

    ¡°Ah, if I had known it woulde to this, I shouldn¡¯t have cast this yboy in the film. He has no sense of responsibility, just here to live the life,¡± the director shook his head and walked away, sighing.

    Fu Han took out her phone to look for Luo Qinghe¡¯s number, but Bai Wei suddenly spoke up, her voice hoarse with a hint of a sob, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, it¡¯s no use. I¡¯ve been trying. His phone is switched off.¡±

    The two of them had rushed from A City to H City overnight, and after less than two or three hours of sleep, Bai Wei had woken up to put on makeup. Fu Han, concerned that Bai Wei would be lost in worry, had alsoe early to the makeup room.

    Fu Han had intended to sleep for a while in the makeup room but instead, they ran into Xia Ning. Making it even more awkward, Xia Ning still prominently wore the ne from yesterday around her neck.

    With that, even with Fu Han¡¯s usually easygoing nature, she found herself unable to sleep.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a cup of honey water,¡± said Fu Han as she got up and walked toward the water dispenser.

    By the time she returned, Bai Wei was staring nkly at her, her eyes slightly red, ¡°What do we do if Luo Qinghe doesn¡¯t show up?¡±

    Fu Han had pondered this question before. Looking at Bai Wei with sadness, she said, ¡°There are two options: find another actor to reshoot, or use a stand-in while he¡¯s absent.¡±

    ¡°I have thought about it too. I definitely won¡¯t ept recing the actor. Let¡¯s find a temporary stand-in,¡± Bai Wei said painfully, massaging her forehead, ¡°I still don¡¯t believe Luo Qinghe is someone who won¡¯t honor his promises. He signed the contract himself; he will surely abide by it.¡±

    Fu Han sighed, also hoping that Luo Qinghe would show up today, but with less than an hour left before filming and not enough time for makeup, he still hadn¡¯t appeared. It seemed their hopes were going to be dashed.

    Suddenly, the makeup room was filled with the sound ofmotion from outside¡ªsomething had happened.

    Neither Fu Han nor Bai Wei were in the mood to be spectators; they just looked at each other silently, neither speaking.

    As time ticked away, the director¡¯s voice came through the walkie-talkie, calling the rted actors to get ready to start filming.

    Fu Han patted Bai Wei, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Everything will straighten out in the end. It seems the director has already found a solution.¡±

    Bai Wei sighed and stood up, heading outside with less straightened shoulders than before, as if bearing a thousand pounds of weight on them.

    Reaching the filming location, Fu Han headed straight for her equipment, but as she turned around, she heard Bai Wei cover her mouth and exim, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Instinctively, Fu Han turned back and immediately saw Luo Qinghe standing not far from Bai Wei, dressed in period costume,plete with a newsboy cap, resembling a gentleman from the Republic of China era.

    Luo Qinghe ruffled Bai Wei¡¯s hair and smiled from afar at Fu Han, ¡°I¡¯m back. Let¡¯s all do our best.¡±

    Fu Han wanted to ask what had happened, but the director called with his megaphone, ¡°Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe,e here to discuss the scene. All departments, get ready in advance.¡±

 Chapter 169 - 169 169 We are together now

    ?Chapter 169: Chapter 169 We are together now   Chapter 169: Chapter 169 We are together now                                   Due to the crew¡¯s consecutive seven days of rest, the uing filming tasks were very heavy, and today, everyone was so busy they were on their feet all day long.

    By the time Fu Han finished processing today¡¯s footage, it was almost midnight. Exhausted in body and mind, she returned to the hotel, with only one thought in her head¡ªto take a quick shower and go to sleep.

    As for why Luo Qinghe had disappeared and then suddenly showed up on the set, she had already pushed that to the back of her mind, with no mood left to ponder over it.

    After exiting the elevator, the dim light in the hallway plunged her vision into darkness for a moment. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw Bai Wei waiting at her door.

    Upon hearing someone approach, Bai Wei immediately turned around and, calling out Fu Han¡¯s name, ran over to give her a big hug.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Fu Han asked curiously, sensing Bai Wei¡¯s jovial mood, which unwittingly influenced her as well.

    ¡°We¡¯re together, Fu Han, we¡¯re together now.¡± Bai Wei released Fu Han and excitedly spun around on the spot. Although in her twenties, she acted with the exuberance of a teenager.

    ¡°Really?¡± Fu Han was genuinely happy for her, but within that happiness was an odd sensation¡­ It all seemed off, given that this morning Bai Wei was so upset she nearly cried her heart out.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, it¡¯s really true.¡± Bai Wei pulled out her phone, turned on the gallery, and showed Fu Han a photo of her and Luo Qinghe with their heads together, and another with their hands intertwined.

    Thispletely settled Fu Han¡¯s heart, and she sincerely said, ¡°Bai Wei, congrattions on waiting till the clouds dispersed to see the bright moon. I hope you and Luo Qinghe willst a long time and have a smooth journey together.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. When we get married, you¡¯ll be my bridesmaid, okay?¡± Bai Wei, holding her face, was already daydreaming about their wedding, her face bearing the smile found only on a woman deep in love.

    Fu Han replied with a sly smile, teasingly saying, ¡°Why are you so sure you¡¯ll get married before me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Bai Wei furrowed her delicate brows and twiddled her fingers, contemting seriously before saying, ¡°You and He Xing are in a stable rtionship; it¡¯s indeed possible you¡¯ll marry before us. How about this¡ªif you get married first, I¡¯ll be your bridesmaid. If I get married first, you¡¯ll be mine.¡±

    Upon hearing the name ¡°He Xing,¡± Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat skipped. It was a name she would miss even if she stopped breathing, and also the one she had forced herself not to think about all day.

    She managed a slight smile, striving to appear calm, ¡°I probably won¡¯t be getting married anytime soon, so you go for it. Aim to make me your bridesmaid; I¡¯ve never been one before.¡±

    After some more lighthearted banter, Fu Han excused herself for being too tired and ¡°shooed¡± Bai Wei away.

    It was almost one o¡¯clock, and Fu Hany in bed unable to fall asleep. Unwittingly, she reached for the phone under her pillow, which disyed an unread message.

    It was from He Xing: ¡°Xiaohan, I¡¯ve finished work for today and am off to sleep. In a couple of days, I¡¯lle to see you. Missing you, Xing.¡±

    He Xing had sent her many messages today, all very ordinary, as mundane as ifst night¡¯s incident hadn¡¯t happened, with the usual affectionate tone.

    But this was precisely what irritated Fu Han. If they had fought, why act as if nothing had happened?

    Agitated, she stuffed her phone back under the pillow. The anger inside her was like leaves growing silently in the night, unseen and intangible.

    Fu Han knew she had to sleep. Last night she had almost gone without any sleep at all. If she didn¡¯t sleep tonight, her body wouldn¡¯t cope, and how would she manage tomorrow¡¯s shoot?

    She forced herself not to think about He Xing and shut her eyes, silently counting in her mind, ¡°One sheep, two sheep, three sheep¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Hope Returns filming location.

    During a break in the shooting, Luo Qinghe sat in his spot with his phone open to a game, ready to y as usual.

    Right then, Su Cheng approached him, ¡°Brother Qinghe, do you have a moment to chat?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s phone screen went dark, and he indicated the seat beside him, ¡°Shall we talk here, or find another ce?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else,¡± Su Cheng said before leading the way outside.

    As Luo Qinghe stood up, he locked eyes with Bai Wei and nodded before following Su Cheng out.

    The area outside the Photography Studio was spacious, with mountains in the distance. Unlikest year, hints of green were now visible on the mountains, branches beginning to sprout buds, and young grass poking through the soil, as spring was nearing.

    Not far from where they stood was a river, its water murmuring down the stream, a clear and pleasant sound that soothed the soul.

    When Su Cheng came out, he brought his camera, took a few shots, reviewed them carefully, and his lips curled into a satisfied smile, clearly pleased with the pictures he¡¯d just taken.

    He waited patiently nearby, never rushing Luo Qinghe as he took his photos.

    When the cigarette in Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand was nearly finished, Su Cheng finally turned back to him, ¡°Brother Qinghe, I¡­ heard about the situation with your family.¡±

    Luo Qinghe hummed in response and flicked his cigarette to the ground, aimlessly kicking stones, ¡°So, what do you want to say?¡±

    Su Cheng sighed deeply but slowly began, ¡°Brother Qinghe, my mother told me to keep an eye on you, to not let you act recklessly. This¡­ this must be something your mother entrusted.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Luo Qinghe said, bending to pick up a pebble and throwing it hard into the river.

    The small stone caused ripples and a ssh in the water, but soon enough, it was swallowed by the flow, and the river returned to its calm state as if nothing had happened.

    Su Cheng watched where the stone had fallen and closed his mouth that had opened.

    Luo Qinghe bent down again, grabbed a handful of stones, and vented his feelings by throwing them all into the river, creating plopping sounds as they hit the water.

    ¡°Many say people like us are born with a golden spoon, living a life of silk and riches from the start. But who knows about the shackles ced on us since childhood, who understands that even drinking and eating aren¡¯t freedoms we possess?¡±

    His words rippled momentarily like the water, then dissipated into silence.

    Su Cheng sighed, his heart heavy with thoughts, unsure of what to say next.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a joke in your eyes. I am from the Li Family, yet I bear my mother¡¯s surname.¡± Luo Qinghe spoke again, ¡°I don¡¯t need to inherit the family business, but I carry all of my mother¡¯s hopes. My childhood was even more miserable than my brother¡¯s. Yes, miserable because I couldn¡¯t afford not to excel.¡±

 Chapter 170 - 170 170 Void Consolation

    ?Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Void Constion   Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Void Constion                                   There was a look of sympathy on Su Cheng¡¯s face as he patted Luo Qinghe on the shoulder, ¡°Aunt Luo has always been strict with herself, she¡­ she¡¯s doing it for your own good.¡±

    ¡°For my good?¡± Luo Qinghe sneered, his gazeced with irony as he looked at Su Cheng, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t youfort yourself with those words when your parents forced you? Why didn¡¯t youfort Nan Qing with these words when she ran away from home?¡±

    Usually, Luo Qinghe would be the one who felt awkward at the mention of ¡°Nan Qing,¡± but today, as he spoke her name, he felt an unprecedented ease, while it was Su Cheng who seemed out of sorts.

    A blush flickered across Su Cheng¡¯s face as he coughed and tried to speak in an even tone: ¡°Brother Qinghe, our family backgrounds are simr, so are our upbringings, I understand how you feel. Even though my mom asked me to persuade you, what I want to say is, if you truly like Bai Wei, of course that¡¯s fine, but if you¡¯re just with her out of spite towards your parents, I think you shouldn¡¯t be together.¡±

    He spoke with sincere emotion, but to Luo Qinghe, the words were grating. His face flushed with anger, and his voice rose involuntarily, ¡°This is between me and Bai Wei, it¡¯s not your ce to interfere.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± Su Cheng hurried to exin. There might be a few years¡¯ difference in age between the two, but they had grown up together. Everyone knew Luo Qinghe had a temper, and Su Cheng realized he had inmed him now.

    Before Su Cheng could finish, he was interrupted, not by Luo Qinghe, but by Fu Han, who appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°So, this is between you and Bai Wei, have you told her all of your true thoughts? Does she know she¡¯s being used by you as a weapon to fight your family?¡± Fu Han asked, the coldness of her face punctuating each word.

    A nameless wind kicked up, ruffling the high ponytail on her head and the tassels hanging from her little leather jacket, blowing the stray hairs across her cheek.

    Bai Wei, not seeing Luo Qinghe return after a while, had grown worried something was wrong, so she asked Fu Han toe out and check, only to walk in on such explosive news.

    There she stood, in the distance was a live-action set, the unique simplicity of the Republican-era buildings striking an imposing figure.

    Fu Han seemed to blend into the scenery behind her, but the vigorous spirit kindled by her anger set her distinctly apart from it.

    Contradictory, yet perfectly harmonized.

    Su Cheng stared dumbly at Fu Han, undisguised love in his eyes.

    Luo Qinghe also watched Fu Han, his expressionplex, anger mingled with shame. After ncing at Fu Han a few times, he looked away.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t let it drop there. Walking up to within three steps of Luo Qinghe, she looked directly into his eyes and said word by word, ¡°Your family is well-off, and you have good looks, perhaps you¡¯re not short of admirers; but remember, what goes aroundes around. If you dare mistreat Bai Wei, I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±

    The wind grew stronger, tossing their clothes about like fluttering butterflies; yet the same breeze left their foreheads painfully chilled.

    Fu Han gave Luo Qinghe a piercing look, then turned to leave, but as she took a step, she suddenly stopped. Bai Wei was standing not far away, her face pale.

    Just then, Luo Qinghe also turned around, and his eyes instantly found Bai Wei. His expression wasplex, but after a few seconds, he smiled, adopting aissez-faire attitude with his hands in his pockets.

    Fu Han watched, seething, wishing she could punch him right in the face. She hadn¡¯t expected Luo Qinghe to be with Bai Wei simply to defy his family.

    She said to Bai Wei, who was approaching, in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s just a madman, the world is vast¡­¡±

    She had meant to say that there are plenty of other fish in the sea, advising Bai Wei not to fixate on just one man.

    ¡°This is my business, I will handle it myself,¡± Bai Wei interrupted Fu Han, walking past her straight towards Luo Qinghe.

    In a few breaths, Bai Wei stood before Luo Qinghe. Both were in costume, one a rebellious young man with a duckbill cap; the other, a Republican-era female student in uniform with braided pigtails.

    Against the backdrop of rolling hills and rivers, they were stunning¡ªa boy and girl so good-looking they seemed as if lifted from a hand-painted ink wash, captivatingly beautiful.

    Bai Wei tilted her head up slightly to meet Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze, a hint of sorrow veiling her beautiful face. She simply watched Luo Qinghe silently, not saying a word.

    At first, Luo Qinghe maintained his prior posture, one hand in his pocket, showing a mean-spirited smirk at the corner of his mouth.

    But as he looked into Bai Wei¡¯s misty eyes for too long, his own expression turned awkward, and, rather ufortably, he began, ¡°Bai Wei¡­ you must have heard what I just said. It¡¯s¡­ my fault, and you can do whatever you want about it.¡±

    Tears blurred Bai Wei¡¯s vision, yet her voice remained eerily calm, ¡°On the second day of junior high, you said you felt I was different from other girls. Were those your true feelings?¡±

    Luo Qinghe, caught off-guard by her question, coughed awkwardly and nodded, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Andst night, when you said let¡¯s try to be together, that you would try to like me, was that your true feeling?¡± Bai Wei asked again, tears falling like pearls from her cheeks, dropping to the ground and instantly disappearing without a trace.

    A fleeting pain washed over Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes, turning them red, but after he blinked and looked up, his eyes had cleared again.

    His hand, hanging at his waist, clenched into a fist, and his words came out icy cold, ¡°I think it¡¯s better to speak inly. My parents are against us being together, so we will face their strong opposition if we do, which means our rtionship may not lead to anything.¡±

    ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± asked Bai Wei, her bright eyes fixed on Luo Qinghe, having finally stopped crying.

    Luo Qinghe nodded.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s give it a try,¡± Bai Wei said nonchntly, wiping her tear-streaked face with a hand, ¡°I¡¯ve been in so many movies, and hardly any of the couples had their parents¡¯ approval, yet didn¡¯t they all happily end up together in the end?¡±

    For the first time, Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression truly changed, and he looked at Bai Wei with astonishment, as if he was seeing her for the first time.

    Bai Wei brushed aside her tears, looking quiteposed, ¡°Come on, you should have known since the day we met that I never y by the rules.¡±

    Memories came flooding back, of several months earlier when Luo Qinghe and Fu Han took a ship from Wu City to Antarctica.

    He Xing had entrusted Bai Wei with a mission to rify the rtionship between Fu Han and Luo Qinghe, making sure the two never had a chance to be alone.

 Chapter 171 - 171 171 Willing to Be a Fool

    ?Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Willing to Be a Fool   Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Willing to Be a Fool                                   Bai Wei first sought out Fu Han, only to discover that he did not recognize her. So, she deliberately showed off an interest in Luo Qinghe, and after learning where his room was, she went straight in.

    Her approach was simple and brute, using her beauty to seduce Luo Qinghe; if he took the bait, it would mean there was nothing between them.

    But Luo Qinghe did not take the bait. He expressed no interest in Bai Wei¡¯s beauty, leaving her with no choice but to shamelessly follow them to Antarctica.

    Both of them remembered the melodramatic scene when they first met andughed together without nning.

    Watching the two of them walk side by side towards the photography studio, Fu Han was utterly bewildered, feeling that the change was perhaps too sudden.

    So what was the situation now? Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents opposed his rtionship with Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe himself insisted on being with Bai Wei, and even though Bai Wei knew it was a tactic Luo Qinghe used to oppose his parents, she still agreed to be with him?

    ¡°What a fool!¡± Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but mutter.

    ¡°If I were Bai Wei, I would also be willing to be such a fool,¡± Su Cheng suddenly spoke up. His voice was steadier than before,cking some of the youthful vigor, but still clear.

    Ever since Fu Han proposed ending their ¡°pretend romance,¡± she had intentionally been reducing her interactions and meetings with Su Cheng. During the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, Su Cheng had invited her to meet several times, all of which were rejected by Fu Han; on the first day back at work, Fu Han spent the entire time avoiding Su Cheng.

    It was their first time alone together since their ¡°breakup,¡± and Fu Han felt a bit uneasy, diverting her gaze and whispering, ¡°Happy New Year.¡±

    During the New Year¡¯s Eve, Su Cheng called Fu Han, but she didn¡¯t answer, and she also didn¡¯t reply to the messages he sent after. She had made up her mind that it was better to endure short-term pain than long-term pain. Rather than softening and getting entangled with Su Cheng again, it would be better to ignore himpletely.

    Su Cheng¡¯s lips twitched, and his expression was veryplex, but in the end, only concern remained on his face: ¡°Fu Han, have you been all righttely?¡±

    Though it was just a simple greeting, to Fu Han, it felt especially bitter, like a child who had been bullied outside and unintentionally heard their parents¡¯ concern uponing home.

    Distracting herself from looking at Su Cheng, she said as calmly as possible, ¡°I¡¯m very good. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going back, lest the director starts searching.¡±

    ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± In his urgency, Su Cheng suddenly grabbed Fu Han¡¯s wrist, but the next second he immediately let go: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to. I wanted to ask you, there¡¯s nothing going on between you and He Xing, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Fu Han chuckled dryly: ¡°What could possibly be going on between us? You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±

    ¡°Then why did youe to H Cityte at night the day before yesterday?¡± Su Cheng¡¯s anxious expression was genuine as he said urgently, ¡°It¡¯s so dangerous to drive at night. Why would He Xing agree to it?¡±

    ¡°Bai Wei needs to get up early for makeup. He Xing had something else and couldn¡¯te, so it was just the two of us,¡± said Fu Han, her mood now returning to calm, as she spoke without missing a beat.

    Of course, this was also thanks to the fact that she had anticipated this question and prepared an answer beforehand.

    ¡°I see,¡± responded Su Cheng, nodding with aplex expression, but mostly he seemed reassured. He took a step towards Fu Han and said earnestly, ¡°Fu Han, I know you like He Xing. I won¡¯t ever say I like you again, but can we still be friends?¡±

    Fu Han had always felt that no matter how much she liked someone, she shouldn¡¯t lower herself to the dust; yet Su Cheng was showing such humiliation in front of her.

    She knew she should say that it would be better to see less of each other in the future. She had also decided to leave Su Cheng¡¯spany once this film waspleted, transforming their rtionship into one between two strangers with no ties whatsoever.

    But at this moment, seeing Su Cheng¡¯s face filled with pleading, she simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to say such words, feeling as if doing so would make her a demon.

    She tried to force a smile, speaking as lightheartedly as she could, ¡°Why would you say that? Haven¡¯t we always been friends?¡±

    ¡°Right, we¡¯ve always been friends,¡± said Su Cheng, his handsome face flushed red with emotion as he frantically rubbed his hands.

    A sour feeling emerged in Fu Han¡¯s heart; she suppressed the impulse to soften and chat, and said, ¡°The shoot is about to start, let¡¯s go in.¡± Then, without waiting for Su Cheng, she ran towards the photography studio as if fleeing.

    Su Cheng watched her leaving figure, and the sorrow that had been hidden finally surfaced on his face.

    In fact, he didn¡¯t know if anything had progressed between Fu Han and He Xing over the Spring Festival holiday. The words he had just said actually had double meanings.

    As he spoke, there was a secret hope in his heart that Fu Han would say nothing had happened between them. However, Fu Han didn¡¯t say that. Her words were implicitly acknowledging that she and He Xing were now together.

    Su Cheng¡¯s fingers clenched into a fist forcefully, his veins bulging on the back of his hand, his eyes red, as if tears would flow down any second.

    The wind grew stronger, tousling Su Cheng¡¯s hair and making it unkempt, but Su Cheng, who was normally so attentive to his appearance, was now oblivious to this.

    The only thought in his mind was that he had beenpletely heartbroken. Before, he couldfort himself thinking that although Fu Han had broken up with him, she had not been with anyone else, and he still had hope.

    But now, such thoughts no longer offered anyfort.

    Suddenly, a mocking female voice rang out: ¡°If you were really a man, you¡¯d go win her back. What¡¯s the use of crying here?¡±

    Su Cheng turned sharply, only to see Xia Ning appear out of nowhere. She stood behind him, wrapped in a pink long down jacket with ridicule written all over her beautiful face.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Su Cheng frowned at Xia Ning, guarded and unable to conceal his disgust.

    ¡°I feel so sorry for you,¡± Xia Ning gathered the hem of her down jacket, circled around Su Cheng, and said, ¡°You clearly like Fu Han so much, and she was once in a rtionship with you. Now that she has found someone better, she has kicked you to the curb. Are you really content with this?¡±

    ¡°This is my business. What¡¯s it got to do with you?¡± Su Cheng¡¯s face turned frosty as he looked at Xia Ning, his gaze firm as steel.

    Xia Ning, despite being wrapped in a thick costume, still felt a chill. This was the first time she had sensed such a strong presence from Su Cheng.

    But an opportunityy before her¡ªhow could she give it up so easily?

    She swallowed hard, mustering her courage to say, ¡°You¡¯re just being used by Fu Han as a pawn. Shees to you when she needs you and discards you when she doesn¡¯t. Even with a good temperament, you shouldn¡¯t let yourself be used like this, right? Standing up for yourself won¡¯t get you any criticism.¡±

 Chapter 172 - 172 172 Unexpected Turns in the Acquisition

    ?Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Unexpected Turns in the Acquisition   Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Unexpected Turns in the Acquisition                                   ¡°If you dare to utter such words in front of me again, I¡¯ll make sure you pay for it,¡± Su Cheng sneered coldly, his gaze unblinking as he watched Xia Ning.

    At that moment, the sunny youth had vanished, reced by a man with sharp contours and an aggressive demeanor.

    Xia Ning, despite having a bellyful of words to say, didn¡¯t dare utter a word at that moment. She had a strong intuition that if she were to continue speaking recklessly, Su Cheng¡¯s creaking hand might just strangle her by the throat.

    ¡­

    He Group¡¯s meeting room.

    The theme of the meeting was to discuss the acquisition of Wang Group. The meeting had started at eight in the morning and now, almost four hourster, the room was still aze with heated arguments; tempers red as everyone stubbornly stuck to their own views.

    The mostposed was He Xing, seated in the dominant middle position. He watched calmly as everyone made their cases, only asionally tapping something into hisputer, recording what he deemed useful, while the meeting note-taker¡¯s keyboard tter was deafening.

    Wang Group specialized in electronics. Though smaller than Yang Group and less famous, they had been rooted in the electrical appliance industry for over a decade with a number of their own patented technologies.

    Had it not been for the industry¡¯s downturn in recent years and Wang Group¡¯s untimeliness in reforming, they wouldn¡¯t have found themselves awaiting acquisition.

    But He Group wasn¡¯t the only one interested in acquiring Wang Group;petitors included Xia Group and Yang Group.

    Many industry insiders assessed that if Wang Group was indeed acquired by Yang Group, they would face no rivals in the electrical appliance industry from then on and, to put it bluntly, could even establish a monopoly in the sector.

    He Group also had interests in the electrical appliance industry chain, but that wasn¡¯t the main reason He Xing sought to acquire Wang Group. The principal reason was that he couldn¡¯t allow Wang Group¡¯s patents to fall into the hands of Xia or Yang families, as that would be a blow to He Group.

    There was another reason he hadn¡¯t shared with his staff: Yang Kaitai had once hired people to smear Fu Han online, and despite Yang¡¯s return, he had not forgiven Kaitai.

    Directly in front of He Xing hung an exquisite clock on the wall. Its second and minute hands ticked forward, marking past twelve o¡¯clock. Footsteps resounded outside the meeting room; the staff were heading out for lunch.

    Tapping his pen against the tabletop, He Xing brought all discussion to an abrupt halt. Everyone¡¯s gaze instinctively turned to him.

    ¡°This meeting is adjourned,¡± He Xing said as he closed hisptop and stood, ¡°Continue with your assigned tasks. ording to my instructions from earlier, attend the acquisition meeting at two in the afternoon. Sess is the only option.¡±

    ¡°But the budget¡­¡± The Finance Director immediately interjected, then silenced himself halfway.

    ¡°I have my calctions for that,¡± He Xing stated and, without another word, marched out with hisputer.

    After a moment of silence, the vast meeting room descended into frenzy; many were excitedly discussing, but their hoped-for listener had already left.

    The acquisition meeting was set to officially begin at two in the afternoon. At noon, He Xing hadn¡¯t stepped out of his office and had only shared a quick, makeshift lunch with Liang Tao.

    At one o¡¯clock, He Xing and Liang Tao left the He Group Office Building, driving straight to Wang Group, where the final result of the acquisition would be revealed that day.

    Although the Wang Group¡¯s building wasn¡¯t asrge as He Group¡¯s, it was still a majorpany upying ten floors in the city center, an entity none had expected to be on the verge of copse.

    Standing at the bottom of the building, He Xing looked up for a moment and, for a split second, fancied it was the He Group Building.

    By the time they reached the negotiation room, He Group¡¯s personnel in charge of the matter had already arrived. Seeing He Xing gave everyone a sense of backbone, and they started to inform him about the information they had gathered in a mor.

    It turned out that Xia Group and Yang Group had not abided by the spirit of the agreement. The acquisition, scheduled to start at two o¡¯clock, saw their arrivals at one o¡¯clock, and the representatives of bothpanies had even united to meet the Chairman of Wang Group ¡ª nearly an hour had passed, and nobody had yete out.

    After listening, Liang Tao muttered incredulously, ¡°Could it be that Xia and Yang families intend to cooperate and acquire Wang Group together?¡±

    This was exactly what everyone present was thinking, but no one dared to voice it in front of He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯s expression remained unchanged, like the millennia-old ice beneath the Antarctic ciers, radiating inner chillness.

    Normally, this chill would scare the staff into silence, but now they found it immenselyforting.

    ¡°Take me to the general manager¡¯s office,¡± He Xing said as he retrieved hisputer from his briefcase, and a staff member immediately led the way.

    When they arrived at the general manager¡¯s office, its upant was sitting on the sofa having lunch, a simple meal of two dishes and a soup.

    ¡°Mr. He? What brings you here?¡± General Manager Wang hastily swallowed his food, a in look of bewilderment on his face: ¡°The meeting is scheduled for two o¡¯clock. It¡¯s not time yet.¡±

    ¡°I have a few words to discuss privately with General Manager Yang. Please step out,¡± He Xing didn¡¯t respond to General Manager Wang¡¯sment and instead turned to dismiss the employee who had led the way.

    The door to the general manager¡¯s office was carefully locked by He Xing.

    About ten minutester, the door opened again, still by He Xing himself, with General Manager Wang not bothering to see him out.

    As he emerged, he happened to encounter Xia Guoxiong and Yang Group¡¯s Chairman just stepping out from Chairman Wang¡¯s office, meeting each other unpreparedly.

    Xia Guoxiong wore an embarrassed expression, instinctively distancing himself from Chairman Yang, while Chairman Yang awkwardly touched his nose, almost as if guilt was written across his face.

    Following them, Chairman Wang of Wang Group seemed unfazed as he greeted He Xing: ¡°Mr. He, your arrival is timely. The meeting will start at two o¡¯clock. Please wait in the resting room, and I¡¯ll have someone serve you coffee.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± He Xing nodded, his handsome face still impassive, as if he wasn¡¯t concerned in the slightest about the meeting between the Xia, Yang, and Wang chairmen.

    With barely three minutes to two o¡¯clock, an employee came to escort He Xing and his associates to the meeting room. He leisurely finished his final cup of coffee and gracefully ced the cup on the table.

    The acquisition meeting proceeded normally until the final phase, when Xia Guoxiong suddenly dered his intent to give up the acquisition opportunity.

    For a moment, silence fell over the expansive meeting room, then it exploded into chaos, many too shocked to maintain the decorum of the meeting as they discussed fervently.

    Yet a few individuals didn¡¯t change their expression from beginning to end, including He Xing, Chairman Yang, Chairman Wang, and General Manager Wang.

 Chapter 173 - 173 173 Displaying Weakness to the Enemy

    ?Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Disying Weakness to the Enemy   Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Disying Weakness to the Enemy                                   He Group and Yang Group respectively handed over their acquisition proposals to the person in charge at Wang Group, and now it was a matter of waiting for Wang Group¡¯s decision.

    During the wait, every person in the spacious meeting room was extremely tense, including Xia Guoxiong, who wasn¡¯t involved in the acquisition and whose forehead was beading with cold sweat.

    He Xing was quite calm as he instructed Liang Tao, ¡°The car¡¯s low on fuel, go and fill it up.¡±

    Liang Tao¡¯s jaw almost hit the floor in surprise, but seeing that He Xing didn¡¯t seem to be joking, he could only take the keys and leave the meeting room.

    As he went, he couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself, wondering what He Xing had discussed with Wang¡¯s general manager during the ten minutes he was away, considering He Xing seemed so confident.

    Those remaining in the meeting room hadplex expressions as they watched He Xing, their feelings much like Liang Tao¡¯s; Xia Guoxiong and Chairman Yang, while nearly certain of their sess, couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy.

    A long half-hour passed, and Chairman Wang and Wang¡¯s general manager came in one after the other, as the tense moment arrived.

    Another ten minutes passed, and the meeting ended. Only He Group¡¯s staff remained while the people from Xia Group and Yang Group had all left.

    When Liang Tao returned, he happened upon the staff of He Group walking out from Wang Group¡¯s office under He Xing¡¯s lead. He hurriedly went up to greet them, ¡°Boss He, is it over?¡±

    Immediately, someone excitedly announced, ¡°It¡¯s over; our He Group has acquired Wang Group, and the contract has been signed.¡±

    Liang Tao never imagined things would be so simple. Even as their car hit the expressway, he would from time to time steal nces at He Xing¡¯s profile, contemting how to broach the subject.

    Indeed, after He Xing left Wang Group¡¯s office, he instructed his staff to return to thepany to handle the follow-up matters while he himself drove with Liang Tao towards H City without dy.

    In fact, though He Xing¡¯s face showed no emotion, his heart was incredibly excited, wishing he could sprout wings and fly straight to Fu Han.

    To see Fu Han sooner, He Xing hadpressed the original ten-day acquisition n again and again, eventuallypleting the acquisition of Wang Group in just five days, and sessfully at that.

    Though he was confident of victory, he had narrowly avoided a disaster. This was all because on the day of the acquisition, Xia Group and Yang Group suddenly reached a cooperation.

    Fortunately, their cooperation wasst-minute. Had they nned to coborate from the start, He Group definitely would not have had the upper hand.

    With time pressing, He Xing had no choice but to meet with Wang¡¯s general manager. In those ten minutes, he only said one sentence to Wang¡¯s general manager and left behind two contracts he had already signed.

    He said, ¡°The cooperative model between Xia Group and Yang Group can also be considered by He Group and Wang Group. If you¡¯re willing, Wang Group will be a subsidiary of He Group¡¯s independently operatedpanies. When you have the capability one day, I will allow you to break away from He Group.¡±

    This was his trump card, his killer move, and his biggest concession¡ªand it worked, as expected.

    This was also attributed to Wang Group¡¯s different business model, being apany started by two brothers together. After going public, one became the chairman, and the other the general manager.

    Others sought the older brother, the chairman, while he sought the younger brother, the general manager.

    The two-hour car drive was neither particrly long nor short, but to He Xing, who had been up for most of the previous night, it was indeed tiring, especially since he had been tense all day for the afternoon¡¯s acquisition.

    At one point, Liang Tao suggested he could drive instead or that they take a rest; but He Xing, finding Liang Tao¡¯s driving too slow, decided to keep driving himself.

    The Photography Base was now within reach, and He Xing¡¯s permanently frosty facial expression finally began to change; the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily, and his eyes shimmered with a starry light.

    Today was an outdoor shooting day, with a sea of people at the filming site¡ªactors, staff, and extras were everywhere.

    Using his height to his advantage, He Xing scanned the crowd and quickly spotted Fu Han.

    She was leaning over a photographic screen, deeply focused on the shots she had just taken, her earnest expression making her face as exquisite as a hand-painted portrait.

    With a hint of a smile in his eyes, He Xing stepped closer to Fu Han. In the crowded scene, his eyes beheld only her, the sole upant of his vision.

    Fu Han was looking so intently that she wished she could review each frame one by one. When she finally finished and straightened up, she encountered a familiar face resting on the camera, staring at her unblinkingly.

    They were so close that at first, she didn¡¯t recognize who it was beyond the familiar eyes staring back at her.

    After staring at him for several seconds involuntarily, she finally realized something was off, her face reddening as she turned away, ¡°You¡­ how did you get here? Weren¡¯t youing tomorrow?¡±

    Driven by curiosity, Liang Tao stayed not far from He Xing and reassured himself that since Boss He hadn¡¯t asked him to leave, he would stay.

    He was extremely curious about how He Xing and Fu Han would react upon their reunion, wondering if it would be like a TV drama where they would rush to hug each other.

    To his surprise, Fu Han didn¡¯t seem very pleased and even uttered those words.

    Feeling indignant on behalf of his boss, Liang Tao couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Lady Fu, Boss He came directly to find you afterpleting his work without even returning to the Office.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Fu Han looked at He Xing with some surprise.

    In the past, work was He Xing¡¯s top priority. Once, Fu Han waited from six in the evening until eleven at night to have dinner with him, only to end up hungry and asleep in his Office.

    Now, He Xing was skipping the Office just to see her, something unimaginable in her dreams before.

    ¡°Who told you to say that?¡± He Xing gave Liang Tao a scolding look and sternly ordered, ¡°Hurry and buy something for Xiaohan to eat. It¡¯s sote, and she must be hungry.¡±

    Owing to Liang Tao¡¯s speedy departure, Fu Han¡¯s ¡°I¡¯m not hungry¡± was left unsaid.

    He Xing moved closer to Fu Han, attempting to grab her hand, ¡°Xiaohan, I¡¯ve missed you so much these past few days, did you miss me?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s our rtionship that you¡¯re touching me like this?¡± Fu Han kept a straight face and pped He Xing¡¯s hand away, ¡°I¡¯m busy here, don¡¯t cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡± He Xing showed his reddened hand to Fu Han, ¡°I¡¯vee all this way to see you, and you hit me as soon as we meet? I¡¯m so heartbroken!¡±

    Fu Han, holding her jaw that was about to drop, looked at He Xing in astonishment, ¡°Did you take the wrong medicine today? Why have you changed so much?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all to make you forgive me.¡± He Xing was inwardly pleased thinking that Liang Tao¡¯s advice to show weakness to the enemy worked well. He carefully reached out for Fu Han¡¯s hand again while whispering, ¡°Xiaohan, I truly realize my mistake. From now on, the gifts I prepare for you will be locked in the safe until I present them to you, okay?¡±

 Chapter 174 - 174 174 Make You Jealous Enough

    ?Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Make You Jealous Enough   Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Make You Jealous Enough                                   Fu Han¡¯s face could no longer hold back, and she burst intoughter.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes lit up, and he grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand in an instant, barely containing his excitement as he said, ¡°Xiaohan, you¡¯reughing, so does that mean you¡¯ve forgiven me?¡±

    Even when He Xing was excited, his expression didn¡¯t change much. The only tell was the smile that would adorn the corners of his eyes and lips.

    ¡°Who said I¡¯ve forgiven you?¡± Fu Han immediately tried to pull her hand back with a stern face, but she couldn¡¯t seed because He Xing had anticipated her reaction and was holding on tightly. Her face flushing, she whispered, ¡°There are so many people watching. Will you let go, please?¡±

    ¡°Let them watch. Everyone knows about us already.¡± The smile on He Xing¡¯s face deepened¡ªhe adored this shy yet helpless expression on Fu Han.

    Fu Han¡¯s face reddened even more as her starry, sparkling eyes involuntarily scanned her surroundings, inadvertently locking eyes with Xia Ning, whose eyes were filled with mes of jealousy, almost as if they could burn everything down.

    She had been trying to keep her distance from He Xing, but upon seeing Xia Ning¡¯s expression, she immediately filled her face with smiles and even leaned onto He Xing¡¯s shoulder¡ªYou¡¯re jealous, right? Let me give you a good dose of it then.

    As expected, Xia Ning became even angrier upon seeing this, and from so far away, Fu Han felt like she could hear the grinding sound of Xia Ning¡¯s teeth.

    Perhaps it was just Fu Han¡¯s perception, but after He Xing arrived, filming seemed to be easier, efficiency increased greatly, and many scenes werepleted in one take.

    When she found out He Xing was the producer, she thought he was just messing around. But when she watched him speaking to the actors earnestly with the script in his hands, she almost felt like they were ying house.

    Before the new year, Fu Han had deliberately kept her distance from He Xing, so she had never intentionally approached when He Xing was discussing a scene. But now, things were different¡ªshe liked listening to him talk and would find herself unconsciously drawn closer whenever he spoke.

    It turned out that a talented person is outstanding in whatever they do. Although He Xing had be a producer midway through his career, his knowledge was surprisingly vast, and his discussions were relevant, deep yet understandable to all.

    She often heard directors and other crew members praising He Xing, and every time she heard this, she felt incredibly proud¡ªmore so than if she had been the one receivingpliments.

    Some were happy, while others were distressed, and the most distressed of all was Xia Ning.

    It had been difficult for He Xing to return, and Xia Ning¡¯s myriad schemes had failed to earn her more than a few words with him. Meanwhile, He Xing spent any spare moment by Fu Han¡¯s side, shaking Xia Ning with rage.

    The day¡¯s shoot finally wrapped up, and Xia Ning¡¯s dream of sharing dinner with He Xing shattered. With no appetite for supper, she dragged her tired body back to her room.

    She was applying a face mask when her phone rang¡ªit was a call from Xia Cheng.

    ¡°Xiaoning, can you talk right now?¡± She pressed the speakerphone button directly, and Xia Cheng¡¯s voice came through the phone.

    ¡°I can.¡± Xia Ning shifted to a morefortable position on the sofa.

    ¡°I asked you to reach out to Su Cheng, what happened?¡± Xia Cheng¡¯s voice carried a hint of urgency.

    ¡°Not much.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been inconvenient to make facial expressions with her face mask on, Xia Ning would probably be rolling her eyes. She said annoyedly, ¡°Fu Han is a seductress. Su Cheng is so charmed by her that, even though she dumped him, he refuses to rebuke her and instead scolded me.¡±

    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Xia Cheng¡¯s voice became noticeably more irate when he spoke again, ¡°Ungrateful. Offering to partner with him was giving him a chance. If he doesn¡¯t appreciate it, then he can¡¯t me us for whates next.¡±

    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Xia Ning perked up, propping herself up on the couch with her hands, her fair legs draped casually over it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Just focus on your acting, aim for a hit, and help the Xia Group reach new heights.¡± Xia Cheng¡¯s, or rather the Xia Family¡¯s, wishful thinking was that if Xia Ning became famous, it would naturally benefit the Xia Group.

    Under normal circumstances, Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t have asked further. She never meddled inpany affairs, and neither Xia Guoxiong nor Xia Cheng had ever mentioned them to her. But today was different. The very thought of Fu Han smiling on He Xing¡¯s shoulder ignited a fiery anger within her.

    Grinding her teeth, she said, ¡°Brother, if you need my help, then tell me everything.¡±

    The phone went quiet again, and after a while, Xia Cheng¡¯s signature brooding voice came through: ¡°There¡¯s no harm in telling you. Today, we nned to take over Wang Group with the Yang Family, but He Xing disrupted us. Dad and Uncle Yang are furious. They n to ally with Huangpu and the Li Family to confront the He Group.¡±

    ¡°All of them together?¡± Since it involved He Xing, Xia Ning was a bit worried, hastening her words, ¡°Brother, didn¡¯t we agree to only target Fu Han? Why have you been going after He Xing all the time?¡±

    Xia Cheng answered quickly this time, ¡°Xiaoning, are you silly? We¡¯re targeting He Xing for your sake. The He Group is soaring high, and with Fu Han in his heart, how could he spare a nce for you? But if the He Group is on the brink of copse and the Xia Family extends a helping hand with the condition that He Xing marries you, do you think he would refuse?¡±

    Xia Ning found those words grating to her ears, lighting the mes of anger in her heart almost instantly.

    However, upon further thought, she felt her brother made sense. She nodded immediately, ¡°Alright, brother, do as you say. I don¡¯t care, He Xing can only belong to me. You must ensure that Fu Han never gets her way again.¡±

    ¡­

    With He Xing¡¯s arrival, the crew¡¯s filming went smoothly. Except for night scenes, everyone finished on time and didn¡¯t work overtime.

    This rxed atmosphere continued until the filming wasplete. What followed was post-production, and then waiting for the film¡¯s release.

    By the time the final scene wrapped, H City was already in the full bloom of spring. The mountain was lush, the sound of flowing water more vibrant, and grass and flowers were visible everywhere, prompting everyone to shed their thick winteryers early.

    After returning from the crew, Fu Han went straight to pack up her things. She would head back to A City with He Xing that very day.

    The Lamborghini hit the road, and Fu Han, looking at the empty back seat, was puzzled, ¡°What about Liang Tao? Isn¡¯t heing back with us?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s taking the crew¡¯s car back,¡± He Xing replied, eyes focused straight ahead, speaking earnestly. ¡°Do you want him to sit in the back and watch us lovey-dovey? That would be a critical hit for a single guy.¡±

    Fu Han touched her head in distress, ¡°He Xing, why do I feel like you¡¯ve changed? You¡¯ve be almost unrecognizable to me.¡±

    Hadn¡¯t he changed? The old He Xing could hardly be coaxed into saying something sweet, but now, every word out of He Xing was enough to cloy.

    ¡°Have I changed?¡± He Xing held the steering wheel with one hand, freeing the other to ruffle Fu Han¡¯s hair. ¡°Then do you like this change in me?

 Chapter 175 - 175 175 Husband and Wife Following Together

    ?Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Husband and Wife Following Together   Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Husband and Wife Following Together                                   The warmth from his palm seeped through the top of her head and into her heart, turning Fu Han¡¯s face a deep red. She coughed ufortably yet decided to tell the truth, ¡°Like.¡±

    The two words softened He Xing¡¯s heart into aplete mess. His hand slipped down to Fu Han¡¯s neck, and reaching out, he tried to hook her over to steal a kiss.

    ¡°We¡¯re driving, safety first.¡± Unfortunately for him, Fu Han was quicker. She ducked her head down, easily evading He Xing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You little teaser¡­¡± He Xing was itching with desire, but out of concern for safety, he could only reluctantly withdraw his hand. However, he made a firm decision in his heart, thinking, just wait until we¡¯re back in City A, then you¡¯ll see.

    Although Fu Han pretended to watch the road seriously, the corner of her eye never left He Xing. She naturally caught every expression on his face.

    As they got nearer and nearer to City A, Fu Han pretended to y with her phone whilst casually saying, ¡°Nan Qing is already waiting for me at home, you can just drop me off at Huating No.1.¡±

    ¡°Huating No.1?¡± He Xing raised his voice suddenly, and if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that they were on the highway and unable to brake, he would probably have mmed on the brakes. He half turned to Fu Han, ¡°You are my girlfriend now, why don¡¯t youe to live in Lanwan? Grandpa misses you so much, and besides, that¡¯s also your home.¡±

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Whenever it came to this, Old Master He was the moral lever that He Xing used to press Fu Han. It was always effective.

    Today was no exception, and Fu Han immediately felt guilty. With a resentful look at He Xing, her voice carried an unintended tinge of coquetry, ¡°But we¡¯re not married yet, and living together seems a bit awkward. Can you exin it to grandpa for me? Just tell him I¡¯ll visit him every week.¡±

    He Xing had originally made up his mind to bring Fu Han back to the Lanwan vi, but seeing her like this, his heart melted into a puddle. He had no choice but to agree.

    Again he gripped the steering wheel with one hand while he fumbled with his phone with the other, finding a number to dial. ¡°Liang Tao, arrange for someone to tidy up my apartment at Huating No.1. I¡¯m moving in today.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re staying at Huating No.1?¡± Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at He Xing. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that ever since she forgave him, he¡¯d be increasingly thick-skinned and relentless.

    As expected, He Xing looked at her with a matter-of-fact expression, ¡°Where the wife goes, the husband follows. Where you are, there I¡¯ll be. Anyway, since you won¡¯t go back, Grandpa doesn¡¯t care much for me either.¡±

    Fu Han admitted defeat, spreading her hands in an ¡°as long as you¡¯re happy¡± gesture.

    The scenery outside the car window swiftly receded as they drove along: the trees formed thick canopies; the clouds in the sky stacked inyers uponyers, with blue skies and white clouds so pure they were void of any impurity; and the endless roads ahead meandered through thendscape. asionally, the scent of unknown flowers carried on the breeze, mixing with the calls of birds.

    Such beautiful weather was enough to make a person¡¯s heart feel expansive and refreshed.

    With a beautiful scene outside the window, her beloved by her side, and her favorite music in her ears, Fu Han felt there was no moment in her life happier than right now.

    Fu Han reclined her seat slightly and closed her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap. Wake me up when we arrive.¡±

    A minuteter, she snapped her eyes open in a hurry, shaking a little fist in a threatening manner, ¡°If you dare to secretly take me back to Lanwan, you¡¯re dead meat.¡±

    In He Xing¡¯s eyes, her threats were meaningless, but he still cheered up, his eyes twinkling like stars, ¡°Okay, okay, I got it.¡±

    ¡­

    Life quieted down again, just as it had been before the beginning of Pan Si Gui¡¯s filming. Every day, Fu Han and Nan Qing would forsake their cars in favor of riding the subway to work.

    Living in the city center at Huating No.1, their struggle to get onto the subway could aptly be described as tough, but still, they never tired of the daily battle to catch the train.

    Sometimes, when they were lucky enough to find seats, Nan Qing would take out her sketchbook from her bag and draw spontaneously, capturing the diverse people on the subway.

    Fu Han¡¯s camera had been with her twenty-four hours a day, but she could hardly snap photos of people on the subway, iming she wanted to capture the variety of life, right?

    But watching Nan Qing draw made Fu Han¡¯s fingers itch to do the same, so she eventually asked Nan Qing for a sketchbook and started drawing every day too.

    In the beginning, her drawings could only be described as cryptic symbols; after a month, though, the figures she drew hade to life, despite still being quite different from Nan Qing¡¯s.

    Nan Qing belonged to the realistic school, capturing every detail of a person; Fu Han¡¯s style was more impressionistic or perhaps abstract, often exaggerating certain features, making her sketches resemble cartoon characters.

    One day, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°Fu Han, if you keep drawing, I think you could use these characters to create aic strip. And when you do, I¡¯ll be your number one fan.¡±

    While nonchntly tucking her book into her bag, Fu Han stood up and headed for the subway door, ¡°That sounds great, and I¡¯ll be even happier if you¡¯re interested in investing.¡±

    She and Nan Qing shared the same direction to work, but Fu Han got off two stations earlier.

    ¡°Be safe,¡± Nan Qing waved her goodbye before returning her focus to her sketchbook.

    It took Fu Han about ten minutes to walk from the subway station to the Office. She and Su Cheng still co-owned thepany and now had returned to being just friends.

    The fact that they could interact as normal friends was entirely due to Su Cheng¡¯s efforts. When he found out that Fu Han and He Xing were together, he buried his feelings for her deep in his heart and never showed them again.

    The moment Assistant Zhao Ting saw Fu Han, she came up immediately, ¡°Manager Fu, someone¡¯s here to apply for the photographer position. Manager Su isn¡¯t in. Will you take a look?¡±

    Su Cheng typically left the harder tasks for himself, and if he wasn¡¯t there, he must have gone out for a shoot before dawn.

    ¡°Bring them in for me to see,¡± nodded Fu Han, turning and entering her own office.

    Two minutester, the knock sounded, and upon her invitation to enter, the footsteps stopped in front of her desk. Only then did she finally look up, and in a moment of surprise, she eximed, ¡°Why is it you?¡±

    Seeing Fu Han¡¯s reaction, Zhao Ting looked back and forth between her and the applicant. Out of curiosity, she asked, ¡°Manager Fu, do you know each other?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Fu Han smiled and reached out her hand generously, ¡°Zhu Lian, long time no see. How have you been?¡±

    How could she forget? When she returned to the country looking for a job, her so-called good friend invited her to work at the Xia Group. Only on that very day, Zhu Lian had not said a word in her defense when Xia Ning teased her, even ming her for dragging her down.

    He Xing had been present that day, and Fu Han hadn¡¯t been put at a disadvantage, but afterwards, she had blocked this ¡°friend,¡± adhering to her principle of ¡°betray me once, and I¡¯ll never need you again.¡± She never expected anyone to help pull her out of the mud, but at least they shouldn¡¯t kick her when she was down, or stab her in the back.

 Chapter 176 - 176 176 Old Friend Reunion

    ?Chapter 176: Chapter 176 ¡°Old Friend¡± Reunion   Chapter 176: Chapter 176 ¡°Old Friend¡± Reunion                                   Zhu Lian¡¯s expression wasplex as she spoke softly to Fu Han, ¡°I have something I want to talk to you about alone, can I?¡±

    After all, they were once friends, though they were no longer friends, Fu Han still nodded to Zhao Ting, ¡°Go out first, I¡¯ll call you if I need anything.¡±

    Only Fu Han and Zhu Lian were left in the office. Fu Han looked at Zhu Lian with a half-smile, ¡°Go ahead and say what you want to say. I¡¯ve got other things to deal with.¡±

    Thump!

    Zhu Lian actually knelt down in front of Fu Han, crying and saying, ¡°Fu Han, I know I shouldn¡¯t have done that, but my father is seriously ill at home, and the whole family is depending on my sry. I can¡¯t be without a job.¡±

    Fu Han quickly got up to avoid Zhu Lian and said coldly, ¡°Get up, I didn¡¯t ask you to kneel before me. You had your choices, and I have no right to me you.¡±

    ¡°Can you forgive me then?¡± Zhu Lian didn¡¯t get up, but instead covered her face and cried, ¡°I worked hard and withoutint at the Xia Family¡¯s Newspaper Office to stay, but since that incident, everyone in our office has been giving me dirty looks, giving me all the dirty and tiring jobs, and also cursing me at every turn. Now¡­ now they¡¯ve just kicked me out.¡±

    Fu Han thought to herself, with Xia Ning¡¯s pettiness and vindictiveness, it was already an extraordinary mercy that she hadn¡¯t dismissed you on the spot.

    But then she thought again, Zhu Lian had indeed kindly introduced her to the job, and for her own revenge against Xia Ning, she knew it was the Xia Family¡¯s Newspaper Office and yet she still went there. So, Zhu Lian ending up in this predicament was, more or less, her responsibility.

    Fu Han¡¯s expression softened. She cleared her throat awkwardly twice and said, ¡°Let bygones be bygones, I¡¯m not ming you anymore. You can get up now.¡±

    Zhu Lian got up, leaning on a chair, and stood before Fu Han, pleading quietly, ¡°Fu Han, my dad¡¯s condition is really severe. I can¡¯t be without a job. Could you let me stay here?¡±

    The truth was, Fu Han really didn¡¯t want to work with someone who had betrayed her, but she thought Zhu Lian was truly pitiable, and she always felt that Zhu Lian¡¯s downfall was somewhat connected to her.

    After an internal struggle, she finally spoke, ¡°You can work here, but the position you¡¯re applying for doesn¡¯t pay much, and I can¡¯t give you any special treatment. Think it over.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, as long as there is an ie,¡± Zhu Lian said, her face full of gratitude. But because of the tears on her face, her grateful smile seemed strange no matter how one looked at it.

    Watching Zhao Ting lead Zhu Lian away to handle the onboarding, Fu Han always felt as if there was a heavy stone pressing on her heart, indescribably heavy.

    Outside the window, birds flew by, leaving a faint trace against the blue sky and white clouds, but within seconds, that trace had vanished.

    She hade back this time determined to be free, but why did she feel the word ¡°freedom¡± growing farther and farther away from her?

    Actually, being a bird wouldn¡¯t be too bad. You could fly wherever you wanted, with no one to restrain you.

    ¡­

    Human Resources Company.

    The person in charge of onboarding pleasingly insisted Zhao Ting take a break and sit down while perfunctorily asking Zhu Lian, ¡°Whichpany did you work for before? Why didn¡¯t you bring a resignation certificate?¡±

    Zhao Ting patted the HRdy¡¯s shoulder to remind her, ¡°Miss Zhu Lian knows Director Fu. It was Director Fu who asked me to bring her here for the onboarding.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± the HRdy¡¯snguid attitude disappeared instantly. She sat up straight and earnestly instructed Zhu Lian to fill in the information, while she couldn¡¯t help asking curiously, ¡°You¡¯re Zhu Lian, right? How do you know our Director Fu?¡±

    Zhu Lian, who was bending down to write, did not raise her head upon hearing the question and said seemingly casually, ¡°I was Fu Han¡¯s ssmate before. After she returned to the country, I even helped introduce her to a job.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ssmates,¡± the HRdy nodded, smiling even more brightly as she looked at the information Zhu Lian had already filled out, but then couldn¡¯t help asking with doubt, ¡°You¡¯re ssmates with Director Fu, but why are you three years older than her?¡±

    Zhu Lian had a quick sh of guilt across her face but immediately reced it with an embarrassed expression, ¡°Well¡­ my family was poor, so I started schoolte.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the HRdy quickly epted the exnation.

    By this time, Zhu Lian had finished filling out all the information. She looked up hesitantly at the HRdy and Zhao Ting, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask for your help with. Could you not tell others that I am Fu Han¡¯s ssmate? I don¡¯t want others to think I got in through connections.¡±

    Seeing Zhao Ting and the HRdy still hesitating, Zhu Lian quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s also what Fu Han wants. She doesn¡¯t like her private matters being discussed in thepany.¡±

    ¡°Of course, we won¡¯t talk about it,¡± the HRdy blurted out anxiously, ¡°We¡¯re not the kind of people who gossip, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Zhu Lian kept voicing her thanks, and due to the connection with Fu Han, the HRdy and Zhao Ting acted even more politely, introducing Zhu Lian to her work with added care.

    The position she applied for was Su Cheng¡¯s Assistant, and as Su Cheng was currently not in the Office, she didn¡¯t have much to do. Thus, the HRdy arranged a workstation for her and let her get to know thepany environment.

    In the afternoon, Su Cheng returned. The HRdy roughly exined the matter regarding Zhu Lian to him, but actually, she didn¡¯t need to offer many details; she just had to say this person was hired by Fu Han, because Su Cheng would never say a single word of ¡°no¡± to Fu Han.

    ¡­

    At dinnertime, thinking about Zhu Lian¡¯s situation, Fu Han still wasn¡¯t sure if she had made the right decision, so she casually mentioned the incident to Nan Qing.

    Right then, Nan Qing was gnawing on a corn cob. She swallowed all the corn kernels she was holding in her mouth and said, ¡°I think you did the right thing. She pushed you down when you were already down, but she had her hardships, and now she has received hereuppance. Let the past be the past; we should all look forward.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking too,¡± Fu Han smiled, revealing her bright white teeth.

    With this, thest stone in Fu Han¡¯s heart finally settled. She smiled as if a burden had been lifted off her shoulders.

    Sometimes, choosing to forgive may be a form of liberation. Hatred is too heavy; when your heart carries too much, even smiling can feel like a luxury.

    Fu Han stood on the balcony looking at the scenery outside the window and unconsciously nced towards the balcony of 2502 next door, which was shrouded in darkness; He Xing hadn¡¯te home yet.

    Actually, she didn¡¯t need to judge by the lighting of the balcony to know if He Xing had returned, because He Xing woulde to 2501 to report his arrival every day aftering back, not just to his own apartment at 2502¡ªa fact even Nan Qing knew.

    These days, He Xing was returningter andter each day. He never said what he was busy with when asked, only mentioning work issues; waiting for him, Fu Han had started to get used to sleepingte.

    You can¡¯t me Fu Han, she was just picking up the habit from three years ago. Without personally saying goodnight to He Xing, she couldn¡¯t sleep.

 Chapter 177 - 177 177 Old Times

    ?Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Old Times   Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Old Times                                   The spacious living room was illuminated by the warm chandelier, and every so often, moths would fly in through the wide-open windows, fluttering their wings as they made their way toward the chandelier, producing a faint sound.

    Neither Fu Han nor Nan Qing found the intrusion of moths intolerable; they would often stare nkly at the moths colliding with the chandelier.

    Perhaps due to the gradually warming weather, there were an unusual number of moths tonight, continuously crashing into the chandelier one after another. After all, it wasn¡¯t a real torch, so the moths wouldn¡¯t die upon impact.

    After watching for a while, Fu Han found it boring and returned to the studio to grab a copy of ¡°Gone with the Wind,¡± then sat in the hammock on the balcony to read, the light illuminating her perfect profile, casting a golden glow over her.

    Nan Qing lounged on the sofa ying with her phone when she suddenly asked out of the blue, ¡°Fu Han, are Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe dating?¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Instead of answering directly, Fu Han was more curious about why Nan Qing suddenly mentioned Luo Qinghe.

    In fact, aside from Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe themselves, only Fu Han, Su Cheng, and He Xing knew about their rtionship. He Xing had guessed it on his own.

    An artist dating was a big deal, even for someone as bold and forthright as Bai Wei. They were bound by too many contractual obligations, including having to conduct various tests before going public with a rtionship, to ensure the minimum impact on their losses.

    So when Bai Wei¡¯s agent approached both Fu Han and Su Cheng, asking for their help in keeping the rtionship a secret, they didn¡¯t hesitate to agree, which ultimately led to them not even telling Nan Qing.

    Nan Qing shook her phone, her smile blooming like flowers, ¡°There are a lot of people online saying they fell for each other while filming the movie. I watched some clips, and it seems legit to me.¡±

    Holding her book, Fu Han sat next to Nan Qing and looked sincerely into her eyes, ¡°Nan Qing, I should have told you about this earlier, but I had promised Bai Wei¡¯s side to keep it a secret, so I didn¡¯t mention it to you. For their sake, I hope you can keep it a secret too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal; what¡¯s there for you to feel guilty about?¡± Nan Qing¡¯sugh was bright and pure, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m happy for Brother Qinghe to find someone he likes, and Bai Wei really is a good girl who genuinely likes Brother Qinghe.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite happy for them too,¡± Fu Han¡¯s mood was lifted by Nan Qing¡¯sughter, but as sheughed, her heart began to feel a bit heavy, ¡°But¡­ I¡¯ve heard¡­ just heard, mind you, that Luo Qinghe¡¯s family doesn¡¯t like Bai Wei and doesn¡¯t approve of their rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°But Aunt Luo used to be a model herself, right? Back in her prime, she was nowhere near as popr as Bai Wei is now.¡±

    Fu Han uttered an ¡°Ah¡± in response, still remembering the disdainful expression Luo Qiluo had when mentioning ¡°female star¡±.

    Nan Qing spoke again, ¡°Very few people know about Aunt Luo¡¯s past; it was my mother who mentioned it offhand. She said Aunt Luo was very dedicated to modeling, working out every day. Even after so many years, she still maintains a good figure.¡±

    Fu Han nodded in approval, ¡°I¡¯ve seen her; not only does she keep in good shape, but her face is well-cared-for too. She looks almost the same age as Luo Qinghe.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­¡± Nan Qing¡¯s smile turned ambiguous, ¡°Everyone has their own pursuits. Aunt Luo seeks eternal youth. The amount she spends each year on her face and figure is outrageous; I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s enough to buy a vi.¡±

    Fu Han never paid much attention to her own face and figure, but perhaps because she was always running around with her camera, she never gained weight, no matter how much she ate.

    That¡¯s why she found it hard to understand this extreme focus on appearance. She shook her head, thinking to herself: No wonder she always felt ufortable speaking with Luo Qiluo. Indeed, ¡°Those who pursue different paths can hardly make ns together.¡±

    The clear voice of Nan Qing continued, ¡°Aunt Luo seems very kind and easy to talk to, but she¡¯s actually quite stubborn at heart and won¡¯t change her mind once it¡¯s made up. If Bai Wei wants to end up with Brother Qinghe, she might have a tough time.¡±

    Fu Han felt herself bing weighed down, thinking for a moment before speaking seriously, ¡°I think Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei will be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Nan Qing¡¯s voice wasced with a distinct cheer, ¡°Brother Qinghe and his mother are alike, both very determined once they set their minds on something. They¡¯ve been at odds for over twenty years. So now that he¡¯s chosen Bai Wei, he won¡¯t easily back down.¡±

    This was somewhatforting for Fu Han. Although Luo Qinghe was pretty good to Bai Wei now, she still resented the fact that Luo Qinghe had chosen Bai Wei just to spite his parents. But knowing that Luo Qinghe was someone who followed through with his decisions, she figured that Bai Wei¡¯s days would not be too difficult.

    The living room fell silent, signaling the end of this topic.

    Suddenly, an idea sparked in Fu Han¡¯s mind, and she whispered, ¡°Nan Qing, can you help me find out more about Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents, like¡­ about their romantic affairs and marriage, you know¡­ This is my request. If it¡¯s too much trouble, forget about it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re asking me to do something outrageous.¡± Nan Qing stood up from the sofa, waving her phone, ¡°I¡¯ll look into it right away, and get back to you soon.¡±

    The moment Nan Qing stepped into her room, an unexpected knock on the door echoed through the space.

    Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat elerated with the knocking. She peered through the peephole and indeed, it was He Xing. She hurriedly opened the door and rushed into his arms as if returning to a nest, ¡°You¡¯re finally back.¡±

    He Xing hugged Fu Han tightly, wishing he could melt her into his body, and kissed her forehead. He whispered into her ear, ¡°I bought some barbecue, do you want toe over and eat some?¡±

    In the past, Fu Han often found herself being taken to his cete at night for food, but today¡­

    Fu Han shook her head, ¡°No, I still have some work to finish today. It¡¯s gettingte. You should head back and rest, ande over for breakfast in the morning.¡±

    Under the light of the living room, the star-like glint in He Xing¡¯s eyes wasced with red veins, a clear sign of extreme fatigue. Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel distressed at the sight.

    ¡°Mm¡­¡± He Xing agreed softly, resting his head on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder while his eyshes danced restlessly on her neck.

    Fu Han felt increasingly overwhelmed. She patted He Xing¡¯s back and cooed like soothing a child, ¡°Okay, be good. Go back and sleep well. We¡¯ll have breakfast when you wake up.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­¡± He Xing finally straightened up, and before lifting his head, he didn¡¯t forget to give Fu Han¡¯s lips a quick kiss, ¡°I¡¯ve been too slowtely. ¡®Anticipation for Return¡¯ is about to premiere, and I¡¯m busy with pre-release promotions. I haven¡¯t had time to apany you. You¡¯re not mad, are you?¡±

 Chapter 178 - 178 178 Preparation of the Premiere

    ?Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Preparation of the Premiere   Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Preparation of the Premiere                                   ¡°Of course I won¡¯t be angry,¡± Fu Han¡¯s hand unconsciously slid across He Xing¡¯s abdomen, over and over. She had only discovered today that He Xing actually had a six-pack, all neatly arranged across his waist, feeling quite nice to the touch.

    With her movements, He Xing¡¯s gaze became deep. The hand that was touching Fu Han¡¯s cheek increased its movements, and his breathing grew urgent.

    When He Xing¡¯s hand started to slide down to her waist, Fu Han finally realized something was amiss. A yful smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and with an agile twist, she had retreated back into the room, using the door to block He Xing: ¡°You better go back now; you¡¯re starting to think all sorts of messy thoughts again.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s foot was keeping the door from closing. He touched his chin, smiling but not quite, as he looked at Fu Han: ¡°If you didn¡¯t think of anything, how would you know what I¡¯m thinking about in my heart?¡±

    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s face turned thoroughly red. She frantically avoided He Xing¡¯s gaze, hearing her heartbeat loud as if a drum was beating: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense; I still have things to do. I¡¯m busy now; see you tomorrow.¡±

    As she spoke, she tried to push He Xing¡¯s foot out from the gap in the door. He Xing quickly pushed in a bag: ¡°This is the supper I bought for you; take it and eat. Don¡¯t go to bed toote tonight.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± Fu Han asked hurriedly. Based on what she knew about He Xing, once he got busy, he wouldpletely forget about meals¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he hadn¡¯t had dinner yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got another portion,¡± He Xing said, shaking the other hand that indeed was holding another bag. His smile deepened: ¡°Every day, as if setting an rm, you have Li Tao remind me to eat on time; how could I let myself go hungry?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I specifically told him not to tell you about it,¡± Fu Han¡¯s face was both ashamed and embarrassed, wishing she could crawl into a crack in the ground.

    After deciding to restart her rtionship with He Xing, she was determined not to worry about everything concerning him like a mother hen as she did before. But when mealtime came around, she couldn¡¯t help but remind him, which was truly embarrassing.

    There was the sound of footsteps behind Fu Han; it must be Nan Qing finishing her call with her parents.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t give He Xing another chance to speak, pushed him out the doorpletely, and then mmed the door shut with a snap.

    Turning around, she indeed saw Nan Qing leaning casually against the door frame, holding her phone and looking at Fu Han with an amused expression: ¡°Seems like I¡¯ll get to enjoyte-night snacks again today.¡±

    Ever since returning from H City, He Xing seemed determined to fatten Fu Han up; he would buy supper every night if he had to workte, and naturally, Nan Qing, as Fu Han¡¯s best friend and roommate, always got her share.

    Fu Han knew her cheeks were still red. No matter what she said, Nan Qing would surely tease her, so she simply didn¡¯t say anything and silently took out the dinner boxes from the bag.

    Indeed, it was barbecuemb skewers, beef skewers, chicken feet, chicken wings, mushrooms, stinky tofu, enoki mushrooms¡­

    Nan Qing remarked, ¡°How much did He Xing buy? Seems like he bought one of everything on the menu, doesn¡¯t it? Fu Han, he must be treating you like a pig to feed, right?¡±

    Fu Han felt like Nan Qing was implying ¡°He Xing is silly¡±; she defended He Xing with a blushing face: ¡°He did buy many varieties, but there¡¯s only a small amount of each, we can finish it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± Nan Qing said, picking up a skewer of beef and eating as she spoke: ¡°I just called my mom; she doesn¡¯t know much about Uncle Li and Aunt Luo¡¯s situation either. Apparently, Aunt Luo was the one who pursued Uncle Li, but at that time, Uncle Li really liked a girl from their school. It wasn¡¯t until that girl went abroad that Uncle Li finally married Aunt Luo.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the name of that girl or have a picture?¡± Fu Han instinctively felt that the girl Li Huazhi once liked was crucial, otherwise how could it exin the drastic change in Luo Qiluo¡¯s attitude from before and after?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Nan Qing honestly admitted: ¡°My mom said what she knows is also hearsay, not necessarily true. Just listen and leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°Got it, thanks,¡± Fu Han understood what Nan Qing meant¡ªshe also knew these were indeed facts.

    ¡­

    It was only a few days between He Xing mentioning the film anticipation for the premiere and the actual event. In these days, everyone from Cheng Yihan¡¯spany was drafted to help.

    Su Cheng and Fu Han were so busy preparing for the filmunch press conference that they barely touched the ground, while Zhao Ting and Zhu Lian, the two assistants, disyed decent performances. Despite their limited abilities, they were willing to work overtime every day with them.

    Although Fu Han didn¡¯t say anything, she couldn¡¯t help but think that perhaps she had misunderstood Zhu Lian in the past. ¡°Every man for himself,¡± they say, but at least for now, Zhu Lian was proving to be apetent assistant to Su Cheng. Should a promotion and a raise be avable in the future, she too deserved to be treated fairly.

    Today was the day of the premiere, and actors arrived early at the venue.

    To avoid any scandal, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe came to makeup backstage separately, and their makeup rooms were also separate.

    Recently, there had been many rumors about their romance, but Bai Wei¡¯s studio insisted on not allowing her to go public with the rtionship before the film¡¯s release and threatened to ban her outright if she didn¡¯tply.

    Bai Wei felt helpless, as she couldn¡¯t possibly let her career stall just for the sake of romance, could she?

    Fu Han didn¡¯t quite understand why they couldn¡¯t announce their rtionship at the same time as the film release; she thought it would be romantic but couldn¡¯t change others¡¯ minds.

    He Xing¡¯s whereabouts were unknown. Su Cheng was preupied with the procedural matters, leaving Fu Han responsible for the actors to ensure they arrived early for makeup and didn¡¯t dy the premiere.

    She went into each makeup room with a checklist in hand to confirm attendance.

    When she stood in front of Xia Ning¡¯s makeup room, she took a deep breath until her heart calmed before pushing the door open.

    But where was everyone in the makeup room?

    Oddly enough, Fu Han didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit sad. On the contrary, she even thought it would have been strange if Xia Ning had been obediently waiting inside.

    What had toe would alwayse. She flipped through the roster and dialed Xia Ning¡¯s assistant, Qin Xiaonian¡¯s phone, not wanting to call Xia Ning herself as her voice made Fu Han ufortable.

    Qin Xiaonian answered the call quickly, but she said she wasn¡¯t with Xia Ning¡ªshe had gone to the restroom, and had no idea where Xia Ning had gone off to.

    Fu Han, frustrated to the point of almost cursing, knew this wasn¡¯t the time for that. If Xia Ning had been just a minor character, her absence might have been overlooked, but she was the second lead.

    After several unanswered calls to Xia Ning, Fu Han had no choice but to send Zhao Ting to check if the remaining actors had arrived, while she herself resorted to the most foolish method¡ªa search on foot.

 Chapter 179 - 179 179 The Lovely Girl

    ?Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Lovely Girl   Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Lovely Girl                                   But as she walked around backstage, not only did she not see Xia Ning, she didn¡¯t see anyone from Xia Ning¡¯s studio.

    Just as she was feeling utterly clueless, she suddenly saw Fu Hehang. He was talking to a staff member at the time, but when he saw her, he hurriedly pped the documents he had been holding into Liang Tao¡¯s arms, and quickly walked over to Fu Han¡¯s side, ¡°Xiaohan, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?¡±

    Fu Han knew that even if she hid the truth now, if Xia Ning didn¡¯t show up, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hide it in the end. She could only speak in as calm a tone as possible, ¡°Xia Ning has gone missing. I¡¯m looking for her.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t reach her by phone?¡± After finishing his question, He Xing saw Fu Han shaking her head, and he immediately understood that if there were any other way, Fu Han would not be running around like a headless fly. He patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder tofort her, ¡°You go back and handle the other matters. I¡¯ll take care of Xia Ning¡¯s problem.¡±

    Hearing this, a knot formed in Fu Han¡¯s heart. If it were possible, she really didn¡¯t want He Xing to have any entanglements with Xia Ning.

    But now, the big picture was more important, and she couldn¡¯t just think about her own feelings.

    She still remembered seeing ament online the day before yesterday, saying that although He Group seemed prosperous on the surface, it was actually facing a significant challenge, since very fewpanies stand for a hundred years.

    The conclusion drawn was that this movie was of great importance to He Group. If it seeded, He Group could maintain its premier status for the next five years; but if the movie failed, then He Group would indeed be in a precarious position.

    Fu Han was in turmoil, but she managed to keep herposure and nodded obediently to He Xing before turning to walk towards the Makeup Room backstage.

    At the corner, she couldn¡¯t help but look back and saw He Xing had already reached the stairs, probably bending due to his height. However, Fu Han felt like it was the weight of enormous burdens that was bending his back.

    She looked only for a second before her eyes involuntarily reddened, and she quickly turned away, not daring to look any longer, for fear that her tears would fall.

    ¡­

    Xia Ning answered after three calls from He Xing, and the moment the call connected, her signature coquettish voice came through, ¡°He Xing brother, why are you looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡± He Xing¡¯s tone was as calm as ever, but he let out a sigh of relief internally. It was good that he had found her, as for the rest, there would always be a way to solve it.

    ¡°I¡¯m having milk tea,¡± came Xia Ning¡¯s innocent voice, ¡°He Xing brother, there¡¯s a Milk Tea Shop here that¡¯s really good. Do you want me to bring you a cup?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s anger finally boiled over, and he rebuked her lowly, ¡°What time do you think it is? Why are you still running around? Hurry back!¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± Xia Ning replied with her usualpliance, but after a few seconds, she spoke again, her voice carrying a whine, ¡°He Xing brother, you¡¯re so fierce. You scared me, and I feel so upset; it makes me afraid to see you now.¡±

    If Xia Ning were in front of He Xing right now, he would definitely scold her without mercy, but he couldn¡¯t do that currently. Even though he clenched his fists, he still regained his calm tone, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t let it happen again. Don¡¯t run around everywhere in the future; it¡¯s not safe.¡±

    ¡°I got it, He Xing brother,¡± Xia Ning immediately cheered up, ¡°He Xing brother, I just saw from the outside there are so many people. I don¡¯t know if I can push through by myself. Can youe out and get me?¡±

    Although this movie featured many neers, because Bai Wei was in it, arge number of fans had already gathered outside the premiere venue. What Xia Ning had said was true.

    To avoid furtherplications, He Xing finally agreed, ¡°Alright, send me your location, and I¡¯lle to get you. Don¡¯t wander off again.¡±

    ¡­

    In Bai Wei¡¯s Makeup Room.

    When Fu Han returned, Bai Wei had already finished her makeup and was on the phone.

    After hanging up the phone, she excitedly looked at Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, my parents are here, they¡¯ll be here soon. Could you find someone to go out and pick them up?¡±

    Fu Han checked the time; there was less than half an hour left before the premiere was due to start. She had just received a message from He Xing saying that he had found Xia Ning, and now Fu Han indeed had nothing else to do.

    Since Bai Wei obviously couldn¡¯t go out herself, someone else would have to pick them up. Fu Han readily agreed. After getting the phone number and a photo, she set out.

    The premiere was packed with fans, most of whom were holding Bai Wei¡¯s portrait. Walking along the way, she asionally saw fans of Luo Qinghe and Xia Ning.

    Being cautious, Fu Han put on a mask. She struggled through the crowd, heading towards the agreed spot. She had seen Bai Wei¡¯s mother in a video before, and now with the photo in hand, she quickly found Bai Wei¡¯s mother.

    After introducing herself, Fu Han smoothly escorted them back to Bai Wei.

    Upon seeing her parents, Bai Wei let out a cheer and rushed over, hugging her mother and then her father, clinging to their arms and acting charmingly like a child who hadn¡¯t yet grown up; her parents looked at her with incredibly indulgent eyes.

    Such a tender family reunion was cruel for Fu Han to witness. Since her parents had passed away, she would never have the chance to act like a pampered child again.

    She was not envious of Bai Wei; in fact, she was happy for Bai Wei¡¯s reunion with her parents, but she still felt so bitter that she turned her head away, unable to bear watching any longer.

    A momentter, Bai Wei called her name, ¡°Fu Han, Fu Han,e here. My parents want to meet you.¡±

    Sheposed herself and walked over to Bai Wei¡¯s side. Bai Wei took off her mask, proudly showing her off to her parents, ¡°Dad, Mom, didn¡¯t I tell you? Fu Han is a great beauty.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, a beauty,¡± Bai Wei¡¯s mother examined Fu Han with a kindly gaze, thenughed and gave a heartfelt judgment, ¡°I think Fu Han is even more beautiful than Xiaowei, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    She turned her head to seek agreement from Bai Wei¡¯s father, and Fu Han unconsciously followed her gaze to Bai Wei¡¯s father as well.

    When Fu Han had picked them up earlier, she had been too anxious and only confirmed Bai Wei¡¯s mother, not paying any attention to her father. This was her first good look at him.

    Tall, very tall; that was the first impression Bai Wei¡¯s father gave her, probably around one hundred and ny centimeters.

    But he wasn¡¯t burly at all, rather, he appeared thin; his rimmed sses made him look very refined, and his skin was paler than that of the average man, yet it was not the unhealthy kind of pale.

    Dressed in a well-fitting suit, his hair meticulously groomed, he had an aura of aloofness, but for some reason, Fu Han felt an unusual closeness when she looked at him.

    But it didn¡¯t make sense. Ever since her parents died, she had hidden her heart within a shell and had never felt this sense of closeness to anyone again.

    As she was lost in thoughts, Bai Wei¡¯s father¡¯s gaze politely fell upon her. After a few seconds, he finally spoke, ¡°Yes, she is indeed a very cute girl.¡±

 Chapter 180 - 180 180 Premiere Interlude

    ?Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Premiere Interlude   Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Premiere Interlude                                   Fu Han¡¯s gaze inadvertently met his, and both were startled for a moment before quickly diverting their eyes. It was like a dragonfly skimming over wild grass alighting onto the surface of a pond, touching the water for less than a second before flying away, without even causing a ripple.

    The premiere was about to start, and even backstage the cheers of the audience could be heard.

    Bai Wei¡¯s parents had been led to their seats in the audience by Zhao Ting, leaving only Bai Wei and Fu Han in the makeup room. The rest had gone out to attend to their duties, entrusting Fu Han with the task of escorting Bai Wei backstage.

    ¡°Okay, the mic is all set up, we can go,¡± Fu Han said, patting Bai Wei¡¯s shoulder with a faint smile on her face. After all, this was the first work she had done as a photographer, and she was very much looking forward to it.

    The two had already left the waiting room, but after a few steps, Bai Wei suddenly stopped, ¡°Where is Luo Qinghe? Where is he?¡±

    Fu Han pointed to the makeup room at the end of the corridor, ¡°That¡¯s his makeup room, he should have already gone to the front, let¡¯s hurry.¡±

    Bai Wei nodded but then suddenly gripped Fu Han¡¯s wrist anxiously, ¡°Fu Han, I have a bad feeling. I¡¯ll go to the front myself. Please could you check Luo Qinghe¡¯s waiting room to see if he¡¯s there?¡±

    Through the walkie-talkie someone was already urging Bai Wei to hurry up onstage. Time was tight, and they couldn¡¯t dy any longer. Fu Han quickly replied, ¡°Okay, you go ahead to the front, I¡¯ll go check for you.¡±

    Except for Bai Wei, the corridor was empty. The piercing sound of her high heels on the floor echoed, thump, thump, thump, involuntarily evoking a sense of oppression in those who heard it.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know why her heart was suddenly in turmoil. She took a deep breath before slowly heading towards the end of the corridor, where the only sound now was that of her boots.

    ¡­

    The premiere of ¡°Longing for Return¡± was packed without an empty seat. A giant poster of the characters was projected onto the movie screen, with Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe at the center, followed by Xia Ning and other actors behind them.

    On stage stood the director, producer, and a host of supporting actors. The host was good at controlling the room, steady in speech and witty, eliciting bursts of warm apuse from the audience from time to time.

    Bai Wei quickly scanned around backstage, filled with nervous tension. Luo Qinghe was nowhere to be found, nor was he on stage. Where on earth could he be?

    The host had finished a speech drawing from authoritative references when his enthusiastic voice rose once more, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, let¡¯s wee with warm apuse the leading actress of ¡®Longing for Return,¡¯ Bai Wei, and the leading actor, Luo Qinghe, to share with us the ups and downs of this film.¡±

    The microphone was already handed to Bai Wei, and the spotlight had already hit the top of her head. She had to go up now.

    Climbing the stairs lined with a red carpet, her high heels made no sound, much like the stormy waves in her heart, which, despite her calm exterior, seemed like nothing was wrong at all.

    There she stood in the center of the stage, with He Xing on her left and Xia Ning on her right, holding her head high, neck proudly arched, like a majestic swan.

    The host waited but Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t appear on stage. Her smile deepened, ¡°Dear guests and friends, it seems your apuse wasn¡¯t enthusiastic enough. Let¡¯s give a louder round of apuse to wee our leading man, Luo Qinghe!¡±

    Thunderous apuse erupted once again, and the audience thought Luo Qinghe was merely ying a joke on everyone.

    Only Bai Wei¡¯s heart sank. Before the host could speak again, she took the initiative to recite her prepared speech, ¡°Good evening, friends. Thank you for joining us at the premiere of my new movie ¡®Longing for Return.¡¯ In this film, I y a ¡­..¡±

    However, she was interrupted before she could finish, not by someone, but by the sounds of surprise from the audience below, and the noisy chatter and discussion.

    Bai Wei turned following everyone¡¯s gaze. Behind them, on therge electronic screen which originally disyed their movie poster, a not-so-child-friendly video was ying. More than that, the sounds emanating from it were very¡­ very intimate; it was unmistakably a mature [adult] event.

    The first to react was He Xing, who reprimanded towards the side of the stage at Liang Tao, ¡°Turn it off now!¡±

    Liang Tao finally realized what was happening and frantically pulled the plug. The screen went dark in an instant, and nothing could be seen.

    From the appearance of the inappropriate scenes on the screen to the moment Liang Tao unplugged the power, only a few seconds had passed. Furthermore, because of the angle of the camera, only the bodies of a man and a woman could be seen grappling with each other; neither of their faces were clear. The woman¡¯s face was a blur, while the man¡¯s was just the back of his head.

    Even though the host was experienced, he had never dealt with such a major scandal in all his years, so he just stood gaping stupidly at the now-dark screen,pletely unresponsive to his role as the host.

    He Xing, ever adaptable, calmly took the microphone from the host¡¯s hand and spoke with a cid expression to the audience below, still stunned by the event, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the incident that just urred. The problem is being solved as we speak. Let¡¯s continue with the discussions about the film¡¯s production.¡±

    The host finally came to his senses, looking gratefully at He Xing and swiftly taking back the mic.

    The actors and director on stage were all unaware of exactly what had happened, but the movie was the fruit of everyone¡¯sbor, and they all hoped for its sess. Thus, despite feeling unsettled, they gathered their wits and followed the process rehearsed earlier.

    For Bai Wei, even though she responded to every question from the host, it was obvious that her mind was elsewhere. No amount of makeup could hide her paleplexion, but luckily her lipstick wasn¡¯t a bold red that would have made her face look too ghastly pale.

    In contrast to her state was Xia Ning, who stood the entire time next to He Xing. Whatever the question, she managed to bring He Xing into her answers, turning a simple question into a long description, and she even managed to share a lot about her rtionship with He Xing without any prompts.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for He Xing¡¯s repeated interjections, the premiere would have almost be Xia Ning¡¯s solo performance.

    Although she yed the second lead actress in the movie, sharing romantic scenes with the leading man and third male lead, she did not mention those two at all, making it seem as if He Xing was the only one she acted alongside in the film.

    Luckily, although He Xing was not part of the entertainment circle, he was always the dream man of young women in A City, so the audience below did not really mind Xia Ning¡¯s words.

    Finally, the time for the creative team to share ended, and the film premiere officially began. The electronic screen was back to normal, with the film now ying on it.

 Chapter 181 - 181 181 A Dazzling Scene

    ?Chapter 181: Chapter 181: A Dazzling Scene   Chapter 181: Chapter 181: A Dazzling Scene                                   The people who had just stood on stage sat down in their respective ces. Between Bai Wei and He Xing was Xia Ning. Bai Wei tried several times to make eye contact with He Xing, but Xia Ning seemed to have made it her mission not to give Bai Wei that opportunity.

    During the two-hour premiere, Bai Wei was on pins and needles. By this time, no one was concerned about where the lead actor Luo Qinghe had gone. The focus of the audience was now on the film ying on the screen.

    While Bai Wei, He Xing, and others were outwardly calm but inwardly turbulent as they watched the movie, Fu Han at least maintained the same appearance inside and out.

    She stood at the door of Luo Qinghe¡¯s makeup room without entering, witnessing a scene she could never have dreamed of.

    Luo Qinghe and¡­ Qin Xiaonian were embracing in a tangle on the floor, the room filled with ambiguous sounds and their discarded clothes strewn all over.

    At this moment, Fu Han¡¯s heart was in agony, feeling a thousand times that Bai Wei didn¡¯t deserve this. With her temperament, she would have turned around and left, but she noticed a camera not far from them with a red light blinking on and off, seeming to be recording.

    Moved by an impulse, Fu Han put her mask back on, first turned off the camera, and then kicked Luo Qinghe in the leg, ¡°Luo Qinghe, I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a person.¡±

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s brain was momentarily muddled. By the time he realized what was happening, he looked down in shock at Qin Xiaonian in his arms, eximing, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°This is not the time to talk about this; you¡¯d better get your clothes on right now,¡± Fu Han said before turning and walking towards the door. She didn¡¯t go out, but closed the door instead, turning her back on them.

    After a few minutes, the sound of clothing rustled to a stop, and Fu Han turned back to look at the two of them. She took out her phone, opened the camera mode, and pointed it at them, ¡°Now, please exin what exactly is going on here?¡±

    Upon seeing the phone, Qin Xiaonian immediately covered her face and yelled, ¡°Why are you recording? What right do you have to record?¡±

    ¡°What right?¡± Fu Han scoffed and pointed coldly at the nearby camera, ¡°Maybe you should first exin why you¡¯re in Luo Qinghe¡¯s makeup room, and also, what¡¯s your rtionship with this camera?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Qin Xiaonian mumbled, retreating behind Luo Qinghe as if seeking protection.

    ¡°You¡¯re as good at ying the victim as your boss,¡± Fu Han couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°There are fingerprints on this camera. I¡¯ll have someone test them to see who brought it in, and don¡¯t forget about the surveince cameras in the hallway that show how you got in.¡±

    By now, Luo Qinghe was getting his bearings back. He moved a couple of steps to the side and looked at Qin Xiaonian with the same cold demeanor, ¡°I don¡¯t really know you, and I have no idea when you came in. If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll use you of rape.¡±

    Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face finally turned pale. Fu Han¡¯s arrival was unexpected, leaving her isted and utterly at a disadvantage. Biting her lip, she slowly began to speak.

    A few minutester, the door to Luo Qinghe¡¯s waiting room opened, and Fu Han poked her head out first. After making sure no one was in the corridor, she nodded at Luo Qinghe and then stepped out first.

    Fu Han and Luo Qinghe, one after the other with Qin Xiaonian in between, made their way toward the side exit. They left the premiere in Luo Qinghe¡¯s car, taking the camera from Luo Qinghe¡¯s waiting room with them.

    ¡­

    The two hours of the premiere finally passed. He Xing rushed backstage immediately to find Fu Han, but after searching every makeup room, he still hadn¡¯t seen her.

    It was only then that he remembered he could call Fu Han, and he quickly asked Liang Tao for his phone.

    Fortunately, the call was answered quickly. Fu Han¡¯s soft, mushy voice came through the phone, ¡°He Xing, Luo Qinghe had a sudden health issue, so I apanied him to the hospital. Don¡¯t worry. How did the premiere go?¡±

    Guessing that Fu Han didn¡¯t know about the incident at the premiere, He Xing didn¡¯t want her to worry. He immediately replied with a light tone, ¡°Everything went smoothly here. Take care of yourself, and contact me if there¡¯s anything.¡±

    Xia Ning, unabashedly, came over and said as if presenting a treasure, ¡°Brother He Xing, I saw that the reviews online aren¡¯t bad. Don¡¯t worry; this movie will definitely be a sess.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go ahead with your work,¡± He Xingpletely ignored Xia Ning. Sheltered as she was, she would never understand the nuance of such matters, and no amount of exnation from him would make any difference.

    Xia Ning came to im credit but ended up embarrassing herself. Naturally, she was not willing to just leave like that. She approached He Xing with a mysterious smile and whispered, ¡°Brother He Xing, about that video at the premiere¡ªdid you recognize who was in it?¡±

    He Xing¡¯s spine stiffened instantly. He looked at Xia Ning with a mix of surprise and suspicion, his dark pupils almost seemed to draw Xia Ning in.

    An invisible pressure radiated from He Xing, spreading in all directions. A cold wind made Xia Ning¡¯s clothes cling to her back; she swallowed nervously, ¡°That¡­ I didn¡¯t look closely; I just thought the woman looked a bit like my assistant, Qin Xiaonian.¡±

    ¡°Qin Xiaonian?¡± He Xing recalled the resemnce, his eyebrows furrowing as he pressed, ¡°Then who is the man?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Xia Ning said, looking down, avoiding He Xing¡¯s gaze. Yet even so, she felt like there was a thorn in her back. She blurted out involuntarily, ¡°Qin Xiaonian¡­ she seems quite fond of Luo Qinghe; I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything between them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about whom?¡± Bai Wei¡¯s voice suddenly cut in. No one noticed when she had approached them.

    He Xing grabbed Bai Wei¡¯s arm and raised his voice slightly, ¡°Calm down, don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡±

    Xia Ning, who had kept her head down, suddenly looked up and turned to Bai Wei with a toothy smile, ¡°Right, Bai Wei, I didn¡¯t say the man in the video was Luo Qinghe; you mustn¡¯t misunderstand. But¡­ why didn¡¯t Luo Qinghee today? Is he feeling unwell?¡±

    Making the connection with Fu Han¡¯s recent phone call, He Xing spected that the couple in the video was likely Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian, but this was not the time to discuss it. He quickly told Bai Wei, ¡°I just called Fu Han, and she said Luo Qinghe wasn¡¯t feeling well; they¡¯re at the hospital now. You can go see him if you¡¯re not busy.¡±

    Without saying another word, Bai Wei turned and ran. After several meters, she looked back worriedly at He Xing, ¡°What about my parents?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± He Xing gestured, and Liang Tao immediately came over. Without waiting for He Xing¡¯s orders, he assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. I¡¯ll make sure Lady Bai Wei¡¯s parents are taken care of.¡±

 Chapter 182 - 182 182 Beating People in the Hospital

    ?Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Beating People in the Hospital   Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Beating People in the Hospital                                   In the blink of an eye, only He Xing and Xia Ning were left in the corridor. Xia Ning lifted her head and looked cautiously at He Xing, ¡°Brother He Xing, did I say something wrong? But Qin Xiaonian really likes Luo Qinghe, she even asked him for an autograph; and¡­ and didn¡¯t Lady Bai Wei¡¯s agent dispel the rumors of their affairst night?¡±

    He Xing felt as if there was a tangled mess in his heart. He had a feeling that something was off about today¡¯s events, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what the problem was.

    Feeling unusually irritable and somewhat impatient, he said, ¡°Right now is a critical time for the movie release. If you don¡¯t have anything important to say, don¡¯t talk about these jumbled matters. It¡¯s bad for the movie.¡±

    Xia Ning immediately put on an obedient girl¡¯s expression and made a zip-the-lip gesture, ¡°Okay, Brother He Xing, if you¡¯re unhappy, I won¡¯t talk anymore. Will you please not be mad at me?¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m not angry. It¡¯ste; you should go back early.¡± He Xing answered with forced patience, but even before his words hadpletelynded, he had already turned and left directly.

    Xia Ning watched his retreating figure, her smile growing deeper and deeper. There was none of the earlier meek and obedient girl to be seen; in fact, if an ordinary person saw the smile on her face at that moment, they might feel a chill down their spine.

    Unfortunately, He Xing had left with the greatest speed, carrying hisptop and relevant materials, without ever looking back.

    It was still his Lamborghini, but this time the driver was Liang Tao, while He Xing sat in the back seat. Theputer rested on hisp, his hands flying over the keyboard at a rapid pace.

    Liang Tao nced at He Xing through the rear-view mirror and said softly, ¡°President He, the lodging for Lady Bai Wei¡¯s parents has been arranged. It¡¯s at the top-tier apartment hotel owned by the He Group.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± He Xing responded without raising his head, an acknowledgment.

    Liang Tao knew this was not the time to speak. Though he was brimming with questions, in the end, he said nothing.

    In fact, it was the right decision; He Xing genuinely had neither the time nor the mood to answer the doubts in Liang Tao¡¯s mind. He had more important issues to handle.

    The premiere of ¡°Pensive Return¡± had gone smoothly, but a few seconds of video captured and uploaded to the inte caused an explosion of public opinion, fermenting wildly.

    If not handled properly, ¡°Pensive Return¡± could be the first movie ever to be cut mid-release after just one premiere, and He Xing¡¯s ns to break into the film industry might be cut as well. As for the He Group¡­

    The consequences would be a series of butterfly effects¡ªa single misstep resulting inplete loss.

    From the movie theater where the premiere was held to the headquarters of the He Group was only a twenty-minute journey. During these twenty minutes, He Xing had already issued a dozen orders.

    By the time they reached the He Group, personnel there had already begun to follow his directives.

    First, the official Weibo of ¡°Pensive Return¡± posted a message saying that the incident at today¡¯s premiere was purely idental and under investigation, promising updates as soon as they were avable.

    Second, a specialized team was established to monitor online public opinion, to provide necessary positive guidance, but absolutely not to silence voices.

    Third, and most importantly, identify whether the online public opinion was being manipted and concurrently gather evidence of such maniption.

    Everyone in the Public Rtions Department was overwhelmed with work, wishing they could function as three people in one; on seeing this, He Xing immediately arranged for staff from other departments toe and support.

    He himself found an empty space in the Public Rtions Department and set up an impromptu office there.

    ¡­

    Bai Wei returned to the Fitting Room, quickly changed out of her performance clothes, undid her braids, removed her makeup, and then quickly changed into casual clothes. Wearing a duckbill hat and a face mask, she hurriedly left the cinema.

    She had already obtained the hospital¡¯s location from Fu Han. Now, she naturally wanted to rush to the hospital to ask directly for rity.

    Perhaps others could not figure it out, but she recognized at first sight that the person engaged in a fervent battle on the screen was Luo Qinghe. They were currently boyfriend and girlfriend, and she absolutely would not allow such a thing to happen.

    After Fu Han and the others arrived at the hospital, Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian went first to have blood drawn for tests, followed by gastricvage.

    Of course, Qin Xiaonian resisted the whole process. She agreed to the blood draw only with reluctance, and during the gastricvage, she even tried to sneak away, but to no avail as Fu Han kept a tight watch on her.

    Qin Xiaonian finished the gastricvage before Luo Qinghe. By the time he emerged, she had already mostly recovered. When she saw Luo Qinghe¡¯s pale face, her heart ached, and she couldn¡¯t help rushing over to support him.

    As soon as Luo Qinghe saw Qin Xiaonian approaching, he pushed her away, ¡°Stay away from me. Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, her mouth opened as if to say something, but on second thought, she ultimately chose to remain silent.

    ¡°What are you all doing?¡± A crisp voice of a young girl rang out. A tightly wrapped figure at the end of the hallway was walking towards them.

    Fu Han recognized her immediately as Bai Wei and hurried forward to try and stop her, ¡°Bai Wei, calm down. There are many people here. Whatever it is, we can talk about it when we get back. Don¡¯t make a scene here.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± These three words popped out from between Bai Wei¡¯s teeth as she lightly pushed away Fu Han, step by step approaching Luo Qinghe, ¡°Is that you in the video?¡±

    By the time they arrived at the hospital, they were already aware of the events at the premiere. Even though Bai Wei¡¯s question was abrupt, everyone understood what she was asking.

    Luo Qinghe turned his head away ufortably, saying with embarrassment, ¡°Xiaowei, this isn¡¯t what you think. You have to believe me; I will exin everything to you.¡±

    Qin Xiaonian also chimed in, ¡°Lady Bai, please don¡¯t me Qinghe. We¡­¡±

    ¡°Qinghe? You sure are on familiar terms, aren¡¯t you!¡± Bai Wei was furious, her hand flying towards Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face with a p.

    Caught off guard, Qin Xiaonian was pped to the ground. She looked up at Luo Qinghe with pleading eyes for help, but to no avail; Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t even spare her a nce.

    Themotion they caused drew the attention of many onlookers. A kind passerby even helped pick Qin Xiaonian up, asking if she was okay.

    Qin Xiaonian, still with a look of great grievance, said in a low voice, ¡°Lady Bai Wei, I know you also like Luo Qinghe, but he¡¯s not exclusive to you. I, too, have the right to like him; I want topete with you fairly.¡±

    ¡°You think you¡¯re worthy?¡± Bai Weiughed out of anger, havingpletely forgotten Fu Han¡¯s earlier words. She sneered as she walked towards Qin Xiaonian, her hand reaching out for another p.

    With a p on the other cheek, Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face was symmetrically marked. No longer covering her face, she knelt to the ground with a thud and cried out heart-wrenchingly, ¡°Bai Wei, I know you disdain me, but today¡¯s incident isn¡¯t just my fault alone. The two of us were carried away by our feelings¡­¡±

 Chapter 183 - 183 183 A Light Beating Would be Considered

    ?Chapter 183: Chapter 183: A Light Beating Would be Considered Mild   Chapter 183: Chapter 183: A Light Beating Would be Considered Mild                                   ¡°Alright, stop talking,¡± Fu Han could no longer bear it as the crowd of onlookers grew, grabbed Bai Wei, and without further ado, dragged her towards the elevator, ¡°Let¡¯s get going quickly; we don¡¯t want to talk about these things here.¡±

    Bai Wei was still furious, but upon spotting someone with a camera around the corner and many in the crowd holding up their phones, she dared not make a scene and followed Fu Han.

    ¡°Wait for me,¡± Luo Qinghe hurried after them,pletely ignoring Qin Xiaonian¡¯s calls.

    Outside the Emergency Room, only Qin Xiaonian was left, facing more and more people taking photos of her, she finally realized how embarrassing the situation was and ran off, covering her face.

    ¡­

    Inside the Mercedes-Benz Unimog cabin.

    Fu Han, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, didn¡¯t turn her head as she reached out her hand to the back, ¡°The car keys.¡±

    Luo Qinghe immediately handed over the keys, and the car immediately started, shooting out like an arrow released from a bow.

    When they came to the hospital because they couldn¡¯t find a taxi, it was Fu Han who drove this car to the hospital, so she was not as flustered now as she had been the first time; her hand on the steering wheel also stopped trembling, and she even had the leisure to nce at the two people in the back seat through the rearview mirror.

    Bai Wei was still wearing a duckbill cap, only her mask had been removed. She sat with her arms crossed, gazing out of the window, her beautiful face as cold as ice, radiating an aura that screamed ¡®keep away from me.¡¯

    Luo Qinghe reached out, attempting to grab Bai Wei¡¯s hand, ¡°Xiaowei, listen to me, things aren¡¯t what you think they are¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me with those dirty hands that have been all over other women, it makes me sick,¡± Bai Wei snapped Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand away with disgust painted across her face.

    For a moment, Luo Qinghe¡¯s face became aplex mix of embarrassment, anger, guilt, and shame, but eventually, he said in a low voice, ¡°Xiaowei, even a murderer is given a chance to defend himself before execution; isn¡¯t it too much for you to sentence me to death without letting me speak a word?¡±

    Bai Wei snorted, but her expression softened somewhat from before.

    Luo Qinghe, like a drowning man clutching at thest straw, hurriedly began to exin, ¡°Xiaowei, I was already made up and about to go on stage at the time, I asked the Assistant to pour me some honey water to soothe my throat because I worried about my voice hurting after speaking too much. Not long after, Qin Xiaonian came with the honey water, saying my Assistant had suddenly arranged other tasks and sent her to bring the water. I didn¡¯t think too much and drank it, and after that I didn¡¯t know anything until Fu Han kicked me awake¡­¡±

    ¡°Her kicking you was light; if it were me, I¡¯d have scalded you with boiling water,¡± Bai Wei angrily poked Luo Qinghe¡¯s forehead with her pointed finger, rebukingly said, ¡°Are you an idiot? Just drink the water someone sends you; aren¡¯t you afraid it¡¯s poisoned so that you can¡¯t talk after drinking it?¡±

    ¡°I know I was wrong, I won¡¯t do that again,¡± Luo Qinghe, seizing the opportunity, grabbed Bai Wei¡¯s hand, pleadingly said, ¡°Can you forgive me this once, just this once?¡±

    Bai Wei had not replied when Luo Qinghe¡¯s phone rang. He took it out to look, and his already pale face lost itsst trace of color, turning ashen.

    He let out an almost inaudible sigh and pressed the answer button, ¡°Mom, did you need me for something?¡±

    ¡°Youe back home this instant,¡± Luo Qiluo¡¯s sharp voice emerged from the phone, marked with intense irritation, ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that you fool around all the time, but now you¡¯ve embarrassed the Li Family¡­ you¡¯re simply a disgrace.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m noting back¡­¡± Luo Qinghe paused, nced at Bai Wei, and then continued, ¡°I can handle my own affairs, I don¡¯t need you interfering.¡±

    ¡°Fine, those are your words,¡± Luo Qiluo raised her voice, practically seething, ¡°Since your brother secretly let you out, since you won¡¯te back, I have no choice but to punish him.¡±

    Fu Han¡¯s upbringing stopped her from eavesdropping on other people¡¯s phone calls, but Luo Qiluo¡¯s voice was so loud while driving she couldn¡¯t cover her ears, and could only listen in.

    Inparison to Luo Qinghe, she was more worried about Bai Wei, indeed Bai Wei¡¯s face was looking terrible, and if you looked closely, you could see she was trembling slightly.

    In that moment, Luo Qinghe had already hung up the phone. He reached out again trying to hold Bai Wei¡¯s hand, speaking in a negotiating tone, ¡°Xiaowei, I have to go back for a bit, you stay well with your parents, and I¡¯ll call you when I have time.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you go back,¡± Bai Wei abruptly raised her voice, desperately clutching Luo Qinghe¡¯s sleeve, ¡°What if your mother locks you up again?¡±

    Fu Han was also surprised to learn that parents still locked up their children, and she herself didn¡¯t want Luo Qinghe to go back; she hesitated whether to speak up when suddenly her own phone rang.

    She looked down and it was He Xing calling. She swiped the screen to answer, ¡°He Xing, is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡± He Xing¡¯s cold voice came through, devoid of any warmth.

    Already feeling chaotic at heart, Fu Han¡¯s unease intensified upon hearing He Xing¡¯s words, and a startling anger rose within her. She spoke as calmly as possible, ¡°We¡¯re on the road, about to head back.¡±

    There was a moment of silence on the phone, and then a few secondster He Xing spoke again, this time with evident reproach, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to keep an eye on Bai Wei and not let her act recklessly? Look online for yourself and see what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Wasn¡¯t it just Bai Wei getting angry and hitting Qin Xiaonian? It didn¡¯t blow up into a big deal,¡± Fu Han said while recalling the previous events in her mind¡ªshe remembered someone taking photos when Bai Wei hit Qin Xiaonian, but Qin Xiaonian really deserved it; a beating was light for someone like her.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you consider the consequences when you hit someone?¡± He Xing¡¯s voice filled with fury immediately rang out, ¡°Just go online and see for yourself how many people are saying that Bai Wei is hopelessly in love with Luo Qinghe and that Luo Qinghe and Xia Ning had an affair at the premiere, which got livestreamed.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Fu Han was so shocked that shepletely failed to notice the red light at the intersection, or maybe she saw it but mistook the elerator for the brake.

    Bang!

    The two cars collided at the intersection; the sound wasn¡¯t loud, but the soft noise caused an explosion in everyone¡¯s hearts.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe instinctively held each other¡¯s heads, but Fu Han wasn¡¯t so lucky¡ªher head hit the steering wheel hard.

    The intersection turned into chaos, with many drivers mming on their brakes, some calling the police, others taking photos, the scene was lively to say the least.

    He Xing, on the other end of the phone, heard the screams of Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe; he panicked, calling out Fu Han¡¯s name several times, but no one responded. His heart sank.

 Chapter 184 - 184 A Deal in 184

    ?Chapter 184: A Deal in 184   Chapter 184: A Deal in 184                                   He Xing, his mind burdened with heavy thoughts, hung up the phone. The expectant faces of everyone in the Public Rtions Department turned to him, hoping he would say something that could clear up the confusion in their minds.

    After a while, the newly appointed director of the Public Rtions Department could not help but speak up, ¡°General Manager He, did you find out why Lady Bai Wei hit someone in the hospital?¡±

    He Xing finally snapped back to reality. He suppressed the panic in his heart and spoke in the calmest tone he could manage, ¡°You all need to contact Bai Wei¡¯s talent agency right now. If they don¡¯t want Bai Wei to be cklisted all over the inte, they must immediately disclose her rtionship with Luo Qinghe.¡±

    ¡°And after they disclose the rtionship?¡± the director of the Public Rtions Department immediately pressed on, ¡°Which angle should we take to manage the public opinion?¡±

    ¡°Stick to the facts, Qin Xiaonian is a homewrecker,¡± He Xing said as he gathered his things. ¡°I have an urgent matter and must step out for a bit; call me if there¡¯s anything.¡±

    He dialed Fu Han¡¯s number while heading out, but where could he get through?

    He Xing¡¯s heart sank into a bottomlesske, bound by a stone that pulled it down relentlessly, sinking deeper and deeper without end.

    His hands trembled as he looked up Bai Wei¡¯s number on his phone, unable to recall thest time he had experienced such trembling hands, perhaps three years ago when he found Fu Han gone from the hospital.

    The phone rang for a long time with no answer. He Xing¡¯s heart plummeted to rock bottom, and a crushing panic enveloped him from all directions, making it hard for him to breathe.

    He Xing sat in his car and looked around nkly. He knew he had to find Fu Han, but he had no idea where to go. The people he had sent out to investigate hadn¡¯t given him any feedback yet.

    He had no idea how Fu Han was doing, nor did he know if all this was because of that phone call he made; irritated, he turned on the radio, and the announcer¡¯s customer service-like voice rang out.

    ¡°Just moments ago, a woman driving a Mercedes-Benz Unimog ran a red light, causing a rear-end collision between two cars. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Three people in the Mercedes fainted and have been taken to the hospital. The cause of the ident is under investigation, and we will continue to report on this event.¡±

    Although the car mentioned on the radio was notmon, He Xing knew it was Luo Qinghe¡¯s, and Fu Han had told him earlier that she was taking Luo Qinghe to the hospital.

    If all this was a coincidence, it was far too exaggerated.

    He Xing didn¡¯t pause for a second and drove his Lamborghini at the maximum legal speed towards the hospital.

    ¡­

    In the Xia Group, the general manager¡¯s office.

    Xia Ning sat on the leather sofa, her long and straight legs crossed on the coffee table, as her discerning eyes scanned Qin Xiaonian from top to bottom as if appraising merchandise in a shop window.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, Bai Wei truly lives up to her reputation as an action star, those ps she delivered¡­¡± Xia Ning shook her head with a bit of schadenfreude, ¡°Will you be disfigured from this?¡±

    Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face changed immediately; she touched her cheek with worry and winced in pain. She couldn¡¯t help asking anxiously, ¡°Lady Xia, will I really be disfigured? You must help me, I was hit because of you after all.¡±

    ¡°Because of me?¡± Xia Ningughed as if she had heard a huge joke, covering her mouth andughing loudly, ¡°Qin Xiaonian, you can really twist the facts. It was you who fell for Luo Qinghe at first sight and resorted to any means to get close to him. It was you who begged me to help you achieve your dream, and now you¡¯re saying all of this was to help me?¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but¡­¡± Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face turned crimson with embarrassment mixing with the p marks, which made her look even more ludicrous, ¡°But Lady Xia, you were the one who gave me that tampered honey water, you told me to bring a hidden camera, and you also promised to give me five million afterward¡­¡±

    ¡°I will definitely give you the money I promised.¡± Xia Ning stood up and rummaged through Xia Cheng¡¯s office desk, pulling out a contract and handing it to Qin Xiaonian, ¡°Since we¡¯re making a deal, let¡¯s get the ugly talk out of the way first. Sign this contract, and the money will naturally be transferred to you.¡±

    Qin Xiaonian opened the contract to read it. The content was simple: ¡°Upon receipt of five million from Party B, Party A, Qin Xiaonian, will not use any reason to extort or solicit money from Xia Ning.¡±

    ¡°This contract was drafted by awyer, so just take a look, there won¡¯t be any problems,¡± Xia Ning remarked as she held up her hand to admire the manicure she had just had done.

    Qin Xiaonian felt a bit embarrassed by the ridicule, and that inherent inferiority when in Xia Ning¡¯s presence returned. She blushed, daring not to say more, and hastily signed on both copies of the contract.

    Xia Ning nced at the contract with a sideways nce, then opened her phone to transfer the money.

    Two minutester, Qin Xiaonian¡¯s phone received a message¡ªit was a notification of funds received. She counted carefully and asked with confusion, ¡°Lady Xia, you¡¯ve transferred an extra five hundred thousand to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Xia Ning also took a look at her phone, and after confirming, sheughed apologetically, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see clearly. Please return the extra five hundred thousand to me.¡±

    Her words gave Qin Xiaonian a sense of being on equal footing with Xia Ning. She agreed and immediately returned the extra five hundred thousand.

    With the matter settled, Xia Ning¡¯s smile deepened. She elegantly stood up and approached Qin Xiaonian, ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to this matter. If the media interviews you, stick to the n and remember not to speak out of turn.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Xia. If I¡¯m paid, I¡¯ll do the job well,¡± Qin Xiaonian assured, patting her chest, the excitement hard to hide even with the p marks on her face.

    Five million is not five hundred; starting from today, Qin Xiaonian could also join the ranks of the wealthy. Perhaps she might even have something with Luo Qinghe in the future, but of course, that¡¯s allter.

    Satisfied, she left without noticing that Xia Ning¡¯s gaze on her fading figure was like looking at a dead person.

    No sooner had Qin Xiaonian left than Xia Cheng walked out from the resting room of the general manager¡¯s office suite.

    He picked up the contract from the table and looked at it with satisfaction before turning to Xia Ning, ¡°Not bad, you did well today. With this, the He Group might not go bankrupt but will definitely suffer a severe blow.¡±

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile faded, revealing her concern, ¡°If He Xing finds out we¡¯re behind the halving of his movie, will he hate me?¡±

    ¡°As long as you vehemently deny any connection to this matter, how could he ever hate you?¡± Xia Cheng advised earnestly, ¡°That fool Yang Kaitai is nowpletely our Xia Family¡¯s pawn. If anything goes wrong, we¡¯ll push all the me onto him, iming he did these crazy things for you. Once the evidence is presented, do you think He Xing won¡¯t believe it?¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Xia Ning, convinced by the rationale, quickly cheered up again, her mind already filled with visions of her married life with He Xing.

 Chapter 185 - 185 185 Go for Broke

    ?Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Go for Broke   Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Go for Broke                                   Xia Chengughed as he ruffled Xia Ning¡¯s hair and spoke seriously, ¡°Alright, serious matters first, hurry up and give me the video, let¡¯s make Yang Kaitai go all in.¡±

    Upon hearing the name Yang Kaitai, Xia Ning shuddered again. She rummaged through her bag and ced an SD card in Xia Cheng¡¯s hand, ¡°You give it to him yourself, I don¡¯t want to see him again.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t want to see who?¡± Suddenly, an arrogantly disdainful voice rang out, and in the next second, the office door was kicked open. Standing at the doorway was none other than the Yang Kaitai they had just been talking about.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face instantly paled, as she instinctively hid behind Xia Cheng, hands trembling.

    However, Xia Cheng was quicker than her; he sidestepped two steps to easily dodge Xia Ning¡¯s hand, whileughing heartily and went to greet him, ¡°Kaitai, you¡¯re finally here. Xiaoning and I were just talking about you.¡±

    ¡°Talking about what?¡± Yang Kaitai sat down beside Xia Ning nonchntly, his hand restlessly rubbing her thigh.

    Xia Ning tried to dodge but was stopped by a look from Xia Cheng, who again spoke with a smile, ¡°Kaitai, we were saying how you¡¯ve put in so much effort today, and we were just discussing how to thank you. Didn¡¯t expect you to show up yourself.¡±

    As he spoke, Xia Cheng handed over the still-cool SD card to Yang Kaitai, ¡°Here are all the videos. I¡¯ll leave them in your care, do what you need to do.¡±

    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll have someone take care of it now.¡± Yang Kaitai took out his phone and made a call. In less than two minutes, someone came, and he gave the SD card to the person with an impassivemand, ¡°Proceed as nned, this time we must ensure He Xing will never be able to make aeback.¡±

    When Xia Ning heard thest sentence, her face turned deathly pale. She was about to say something when Xia Cheng cut in first, ¡°Xiaoning, we¡¯ll handle this matter. You don¡¯t need to worry about it, just stay here with Kaitai. I¡¯m going to call someone to bring in two cups of coffee.¡±

    No sooner had Xia Cheng stepped out, the door not yet fully closed, than Yang Kaitai pinched Xia Ning¡¯s chin and kissed her.

    ¡°Stop, this is my brother¡¯s office.¡± Xia Ning struggled desperately to push Yang Kaitai away, but her strength was feeble against him; she could only plead sorrowfully.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of, your brother won¡¯te in,¡± Yang Kaitai¡¯s breathing grew heavier, his hand sneakily wandered under Xia Ning¡¯s clothes.

    With no effective resistance, and knowing now was not the time to turn against Yang Kaitai, Xia Ning let things proceed half-heartedly.

    Ambiguously suggestive noises filled the room, clothes scattered messily on the floor.

    Although there was a waiting room right behind the office, Yang Kaitai, too impatient to even cover the few meters distance, pressed Xia Ning down on the sofa right away.

    The sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated the two naked bodies, which stood there stark and unshielded, looking unbearably ring.

    Xia Ning almost blurted out, ¡°Who wants to have a baby with you,¡± but she swallowed the words back at thest moment.

    Now was not the time; Yang Kaitai¡¯s knife was still of use to her. Once her goal was achieved, she could deal with Yang Kaitai properly.

    ¡­

    When He Xing rushed to the hospital, he couldn¡¯t find anyone. All he learned from the hospital reception desk was that the three people in the Mercedes-Benz were all in the emergency room.

    He sat alone in the hallway outside the emergency room waiting anxiously, and as time passed, his anxiety grew. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t sit still and began to pace around.

    ¡°Xiaowei, Xiaowei!¡± Suddenly an anxious female voice called out, He Xing turned his head and saw Bai Wei¡¯s parents had arrived, his aunt and uncle by marriage.

    He reined in his troubled mind and approached them with as calm a voice as possible, ¡°Aunt, Uncle, don¡¯t worry too much, I¡¯ve already found the best doctor to take care of it.¡±

    Relieved slightly by these words, the uncle patted the aunt¡¯s shoulder, ¡°The hospital forbids loud noises, let¡¯s stay quiet and not trouble the doctors.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± The aunt obediently sat down on the chair, but not even a second passed before she looked up again, anxious, ¡°Xiaohang, what exactly happened? How did a car ident ur out of nowhere?¡±

    The question hit He Xing like a knife digging deep into his heart. It hurt, but he felt a strange sense of relief.

    His eyes squeezed shut tightly, and when he opened them again he had regained his usualposure, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I wasn¡¯t aware that Xiaohan was driving when I scolded her for not taking care of Bai Wei, maybe that¡¯s why the ident happened.¡±

    The aunt looked deeply at He Xing and eventually let out a helpless sigh, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s not entirely your fault. Besides, nobody could have expected something like this to happen, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡±

    He Xing didn¡¯t respond to that. What he thought was, if anything were to happen to Fu Han, he would never forgive himself.

    The hallway enjoyed a moment¡¯s silence before the uncle adjusted his rimmed sses and hesitantly inquired, ¡°Xiaohang, what exactly is going on with the situation online? Why are so many people denouncing Xiaowei?¡±

    He Xing looked up at the red light above the emergency room door. The dazzling red light was still shing, its door yet to open.

    His heart was in turmoil; he decided to spill out the entire situation as a way to pass the time.

    It turned out that although Bai Wei left the premiere fully disguised, it was her thoroughness that attracted attention, leading to someone following her to the hospital.

    The person who followed was maliciously live streaming the whole time, drawing attention from the He Group¡¯s Public Rtions Department, who reported it to He Xing.

    He Xing, not wanting to worry Fu Han too much, had only called to remind her not to let Bai Wei do anything outrageous; he believed as long as Bai Wei behaved, he could handle the rest.

    Unexpectedly, Qin Xiaonian was shameless enough to publicize her affair with Luo Qinghe, which sessfully enraged Bai Wei and spurred her to hit Qin Xiaonian.

    The worst part was that this scene was broadcast live, seen by thousands, with videos circting everywhere online, leaving no room to clear her name.

 Chapter 186 - 186 186 So Weve Known Each Other All Along

    ?Chapter 186: Chapter 186: So We¡¯ve Known Each Other All Along   Chapter 186: Chapter 186: So We¡¯ve Known Each Other All Along                                   The public opinion is fermenting violently, with some saying Bai Wei is a homewrecker who disrupted the rtionship between Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian, and others iming that Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe are the real couple, with Luo having affairs with Qin behind Bai Wei.

    No matter the version, Bai Wei by herself has topped the trending search list more than ten times, with both positive and negative coverage; she has people cursing her as well as speaking up for her.

    In any event, the inte has exploded, and the Public Rtions Department of He Group has been renderedpletely ineffective.

    This is also the very reason why He Xing is angry with Fu Han. He clearly instructed Fu Han, clearly, if only Fu Han had held on to Bai Wei, none of this would have blown up the way it has.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Wei¡¯s parents were full of sighs, no one expecting that merely a premiere would turn into a battle between the lead actors in a film and a supposed third party.

    After a long silence, the uncle-inw spoke slowly, ¡°We¡¯ve always been against Xiaowei joining the entertainment circle. If this incident really has a big impact, we¡¯ll just take her away.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the aunt held the opposite opinion, ¡°Xiaowei can leave the circle, but not when she¡¯s being unjustly used. Even if we do take her away, we¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s with her name cleared.¡±

    He Xing didn¡¯t speak, but this was exactly what he was thinking. No matter how fiercely the public opinion fermented, he would not walk away under a cloud of disdain.

    Anothermotion came from down the corridor, and He Xing turned to look. Leading the way was Luo Qiluo, whom he had seen before, the mother of Luo Qinghe; following not far behind her were two men, one recognized as Luo Qinghe¡¯s brother Li Qingjiang, and the other a middle-aged man who should be Luo Qinghe¡¯s father Li Huazhi.

    Luo Qiluo had also spotted He Xing and hurried over to him, shouting gracelessly, ¡°He Xing, I¡¯m telling you, if anything happens to my son, I¡¯ll never forgive you.¡±

    Before He Xing could open his mouth to reply, his aunt couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and pushed Luo Qiluo away, ¡°Who¡¯s to me for your son¡¯s phndering?¡±

    By the time she said thest word, her tone had changed, and the look she gave Luo Qiluo was strange, as if witnessing something unbelievable.

    ¡°Bai Qian?¡± Luo Qiluo looked back at her with a bizarre expression, yet in her gaze lingered an unmistakable trace of spite.

    The two women remained silent, eyeing each other until a voice, filled with world-weariness, broke the silence¡ªit was Li Huazhi: ¡°Xiaoqian, is that you?¡±

    Bai Qian, the name belonged to Bai Wei¡¯s mother; unexpectedly, it was called out here, and by the parents of Luo Qinghe, no less.

    An incident from the Spring Festival shed through He Xing¡¯s mind again, some aspects of which he still had not figured out, but he started to understand all of a sudden.

    The drastic difference in Luo Qiluo¡¯s attitude toward Bai Wei before and after had only one reason¡ªshe had always known who Bai Wei¡¯s mother was. Even worse, she had treated Bai Wei so differently because of her mother.

    At that moment, Li Huazhi moved as though soulless, step by step toward Bai Qian, whose retreat into her husband¡¯s arms only drew him closer.

    Bai Qian¡¯s husband wrapped his arms around her shoulder protectively, eyeing Li Huazhi warily, ¡°What do you want? Please keep your distance from my wife.¡±

    Li Huazhi seemed to notice Bai Qian¡¯s husband for the first time, sizing him up; a sense of inferiority unknown to him until now crept into his heart.

    All these years, Li Huazhi had poured his entire energy into hispany; while his personal image management wasn¡¯t bad, the protruding beer belly and middle-age spread were all too apparent.

    Yet, none of these middle-aged male issues were to be found on Bai Qian¡¯s husband. Tall and straight, with thick, medium-length hair and wless, pale skin, he was theplete antithesis of greasiness.

    Li Huazhi forced a smile, though it carried a hint of destion, he still maintained hisposure and extended a hand, ¡°Hello, my name is Li Huazhi, Bai Qian¡¯s¡­ senior ssmate.¡±

    ¡°Fu Xingbo, Bai Qian¡¯s husband,¡± Fu Xingbo reached out his hand, clean and slender, his nails neatly trimmed.

    A polite exchange followed between the two men, but He Xing had no interest in listening to these empty pleasantries. He was more interested in the reactions of the twodies.

    Bai Qian stoodposedly next to her husband, asionally exchanging nces with him, while Luo Qiluo waspletely ignored by Li Huazhi. Despite all efforts to maintain a smile, anyone could see hers was a forced grin.

    The awkward atmosphere persisted until the doors to the Emergency Rooms opened, and as expected by He Xing, out came Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei.

    Both had bandages wrapped around their heads and arms, eyes closed as theyy on the gurneys, but fortunately, there weren¡¯t many tubes attached to them.

    The doctor¡¯s conclusions for both were simr¡ªthey were not in life-threatening condition, but when they would awaken depended on their willpower.

    The parents followed their respective children¡¯s gurneys, leaving He Xing alone in the corridor. Finally, his ears got some quiet, but his heart began to ache again¡ªFu Han was still being resuscitated inside.

    People hustled along the corridor, some searching for someone, some seeking medical attention, some handling hospital admissions, others undergoing various check-ups. Each was absorbed in their own story, with no time to feel the pain of others.

    He Xing leaned against a chair, his head resting on the cold wall, silently praying in his heart.

    The phone in his pocket vibrated¡ªa call from Liang Tao. As the call connected, Liang Tao¡¯s sociable voice immediately rang out, ¡°President He, it¡¯s bad news. There¡¯s been a massive outbreak online about your affair with Miss Fu.¡±

    Strangely, hearing the bad news this time, He Xing¡¯s heart didn¡¯t stir at all. Or maybe his heart had already calmed, imperturbable even if the sky were falling.

    Nevertheless, he still went online to check.

    The issue began with those two ps Bai Wei delivered to Qin Xiaonian, whichizens interpreted wildly. Some noticed Fu Han appearing in the video, looking on coldly without intervening.

    Then, people started condemning both Fu Han and Bai Wei as birds of a feather and dug into Fu Han¡¯s past, revisiting the scandals Yang Kaitai had orchestrated to be leaked online.

    Next were a mix of true and false leaks from the crew, saying He Xing and Xia Ning were originally a couple. During the filming of ¡°Yearning for Return,¡± Fu Han used various schemes to snatch He Xing away, while still being Su Cheng¡¯s girlfriend.

    After taking it all in, He Xing called Liang Tao back, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do, but I will not allow anyone to attack Xiaohan on the inte.¡±

    Less than a minute after he hung up, the Emergency Room door opened, and several doctors emerged first, followed by Fu Han being wheeled out on a stretcher.

 Chapter 187 - 187 187 Disfigured by a Car Accident

    ?Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Disfigured by a Car ident   Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Disfigured by a Car ident                                   As He Xing walked towards Fu Han, he distinctly felt his legs go weak. For the first time in his life, he was actually a bit afraid to see Fu Han.

    He Xing barely managed to ask, ¡°Doctor, how is she?¡± His own voice seemed to tremble noticeably.

    ¡°The situation is not optimistic,¡± the doctor said gravely as he removed his mask. ¡°Her right cheek collided with the steering wheel, and her frontal bone is somewhat fractured, damaging her appearance. She also has a head injury, the consequences of which¡ªwe don¡¯t know yet. As for injuries on the rest of her body, they are not very serious and a few days¡¯ rest should suffice.¡±

    At that moment, He Xing felt as if his world had copsed. This was scarier than seeing Fu Han¡¯s face wrapped in bandages. He didn¡¯t know how he managed to get Fu Han to the ward.

    When Su Cheng arrived, he immediately spotted He Xing sitting in front of the hospital bed. He was hunched over, his eyes lifeless, his whole being as if devoid of a soul.

    In the past, he had been jealous of He Xing, but today he felt an inexplicable pang of sympathy for him.

    Moving close to He Xing, he patted him on the shoulder and consoled, ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad. Nowadays, stic surgery is so advanced. We¡¯ll find the best doctor, and Fu Han will definitely recover her original appearance.¡±

    He Xing looked at Su Cheng nkly for a full two minutes before he realized what he had said. That conversation hit him like enlightenment, infusing new life into his withered heart.

    He stood up abruptly, knocking the chair to the floor with his excitement. As he walked out, he said, ¡°Xiaohan is in your care, I¡¯m going to make some calls.¡±

    Without waiting for Su Cheng¡¯s response, he was already running out.

    Yes, it was far too early to give up. With today¡¯s medical advancements and so many renowned doctors, surely someone could cure Xiaohan.

    She cared so much about her beauty. Living the rest of her life with such a face would be worse than death for her.

    Su Cheng picked up the fallen chair and sat where He Xing had sat, staring unblinkingly at Fu Han.

    Though half of her face was swathed in bandages, the visible half was stunningly beautiful: her pure white cheeks, her long, curling eyshes. Even with her eyes closed, he could imagine the pristine beauty of Fu Han¡¯s eyes, bright as the moon.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze traveled down from Fu Han¡¯s eyes. Her nose was undamaged, and one that could not have been created by stic surgery¡ªher prominent nose ridge and restrained nostrils added dimension to her face, enhancing its graceful beauty.

    He wanted to keep looking, but his eyes involuntarilynded on the gauze covering Fu Han¡¯s right cheek. It was like an electric shock, and he hastily diverted his gaze elsewhere.

    One of Fu Han¡¯s hands was receiving an IV, and the othery outside the nket. When Su Cheng had entered, He Xing had been holding that very hand.

    Although Su Cheng had ¡°dated¡± Fu Han, he had never truly held her hand in his.

    Thinking this, his hand, as if bewitched, found itself resting upon Fu Han¡¯s hand, its silky smoothness unrivaled even by a newborn¡¯s.

    Although Su Cheng knew that what he was doing was taking advantage of her vulnerability, he could not control himself. He unconsciously grasped Fu Han¡¯s palm and rested his cheek against the back of her hand.

    In that moment, Su Cheng experienced an unprecedented sense of fulfillment; he had done something he wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream of. Even if Fu Han was unconscious, at least he had finally touched her.

    Truthfully, in Su Cheng¡¯s heart, appearance did not matter that much. If¡­ if she truly was disfigured, he would still cherish her, hold her as the most precious treasure, and never leave her.

    But still, he agonized for Fu Han. The thing girls value most is their appearance. The more beautiful she once was, the more heartbroken she would be after disfigurement¡ªthat much was certain.

    If possible, Su Cheng would rather be the one disfigured, not Fu Han.

    When Fu Han had rejected him before, she always said he was in love with the Fu Han in his imagination. Su Cheng didn¡¯t have the heart to contradict her, so he never argued; but in truth, he knew he was madly in love with Fu Han, willing to give up his life for her.

    The more he thought about these things, the more heartbroken Su Cheng became. It was a pain like being sliced by knives, and he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears. They fell inrge drops,nding on the back of Fu Han¡¯s hand, then from her hand to the white sheets, quickly spreading into arge stain.

    Tears blurred his vision, so he couldn¡¯t see Fu Han¡¯s face, naturally not noticing Fu Han¡¯s long eyshes trembling.

    Suddenly, Fu Han¡¯s fingers twitched. Su Cheng thought he was mistaken. He wiped his eyes forcefully, and his vision finally started to clear.

    Atst, he saw Fu Han¡¯s eyshes fluttering, each movement feeling like a dance upon his heart. It felt like an eternity before Fu Han finally opened her eyes.

    Just like the Fu Han of his memories, her eyes shone as bright as the Pr Star in the sky, maic, easily drawing in all of his attention.

    Su Chengpletely forgot what he was supposed to do. He just leaned in, gazing down at Fu Han, like someone peering at a beloved item in a store window¡ªafraid to touch, afraid to speak.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s lips parted slightly, and in a low voice she asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s pupils dted sharply. For a moment, he doubted his hearing. He lowered his voice as much as he could, fearing he might frighten Fu Han, ¡°Fu Han, I¡­ I¡¯m Su Cheng. Don¡¯t you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Su Cheng?¡± Fu Han lifted a finger to point at Su Cheng, who nodded in confirmation. Then she pointed at herself ¡°Fu Han?¡± Su Cheng nodded again.

    Fu Han rubbed her head, the unharmed half of her face expressing pain, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember. Who am I, really?¡±

    Su Cheng¡¯s heart felt as if it were plummeting from a cliff into a bottomless pit. He could not stop the fall, only watch helplessly as his heart kept falling, deeper and deeper.

    He rushed to the ward door, screaming for the doctor, ¡°Doctor! Come quick, Fu Han¡¯s awake. Pleasee check on her!¡±

    After a short while, not only the doctors came but He Xing also hurried over, frantic. A group of people surrounded Fu Han, examining her thoroughly and asking many questions.

    Watching from the side, Su Cheng suddenly had a strange feeling, as if Fu Han was a monkey caged for disy, powerless to resist, lying there, allowing everyone to observe with no right to refuse.

    His heart clenched with pain, and unintentionally, his gaze met Fu Han¡¯s, who was looking back at him with a plea in her eyes. He felt his resolve melt away, and for a moment, he wanted to rush forward and chase everyone away.

 Chapter 188 - 188 188 The Pain of Amnesia

    ?Chapter 188: Chapter 188 The Pain of Amnesia   Chapter 188: Chapter 188 The Pain of Amnesia                                   Finally, after the doctors had asked all their questions, an elderly head doctor with white hair and a kindly face spoke, ¡°We tentatively diagnose that Miss Fu Han has amnesia due to a serious blow to the head, but we need to conduct further tests to determine the specific cause. I¡¯ll go and write up an order for Miss Fu. You go pay the fees, and then take her to get the tests done.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the payment.¡± Su Cheng knew He Xing must be the one apanying Fu Han, and he promptly offered to take care of it, then followed the doctor outside without further dy.

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, he hadn¡¯t taken more than a few steps when Fu Han¡¯s anxious voice rang out, ¡°Su¡­ Su Cheng, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t go.¡±

    Her voice was low, barely above a whisper, but that faint sound seemed to ensnare Su Cheng from all sides like thes of heaven and earth.

    He turned to look at Fu Han, his heart softening into a mess, but he caught a glimpse of He Xing¡¯s very unsightly expression out of the corner of his eye, looking darker than the bottom of a pot, and he forcibly swallowed the words that had reached his lips. In the end, he said somethingpletely different, ¡°Fu Han, you don¡¯t remember the past, and you need to have some tests done. I¡¯m going to pay, and He Xing will stay with you.¡±

    He Xing immediately put on a smile, looking at Fu Han as gently as possible, ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ll be with you.¡±

    This was the first thing He Xing said to her after she had woken up; until now, it had been the doctors conducting various tests, and he had watched over her anxiously from the side.

    But upon hearing this, Fu Han screamed in fright, reacting strongly and violently scooting away in the opposite direction of He Xing. If He Xing hadn¡¯t acted with quick reflexes, she would have fallen off the bed.

    However, He Xing¡¯s quick move to save herpletely terrified her. She fell backwards, her face stricken with horror, as she screamed as if her heart was being torn apart, ¡°Get away from me, get away, I was wrong, I know I was wrong.¡±

    He Xing was stunned. He had never expected Fu Han to react like this upon seeing him, but now was not the time to ponder these things. He stepped back, trying to calm her, ¡°Xiaohan, I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going, don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t listening to a word he said. Her gaze darted around frantically, and when she spotted Su Cheng, she immediately stretched out a hand towards him, ¡°Su Cheng save me, please save me.¡±

    The abruptness of the situation had caught Su Chengpletely unprepared. Driven by instinct, he took a few steps towards Fu Han, but He Xing¡¯s gaze stopped him in his tracks, and he hesitated at the foot of the bed, uncertain what to do.

    Struggling to sit up, Fu Han reached desperately towards Su Cheng with her free hand, like a drowning person clutching at thest straw.

    Obvious agony filled He Xing¡¯s eyes as he looked on with heartache. Ultimately, he stepped back, turning to Su Cheng, ¡°You stay here and look after Fu Han. I¡¯ll go pay.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, very good,¡± Fu Han immediately brightened up, gazing at Su Cheng with eyes as innocent and helpless as those of a small rabbit.

    When He Xing reached the door, he couldn¡¯t help but look back. Su Cheng was already by Fu Han¡¯s side, her hand tugging at Su Cheng¡¯s clothes, a look of adoration clearly written on her face.

    For He Xing, the scene was nothing short of blinding. The pain in his heart was overwhelming, yet he couldn¡¯t utter a single word, and with a heavy heart, he turned and left the ward.

    Whether it was undergoing tests or eating, Fu Han only recognized Su Cheng. She became noticeably more anxious when he wasn¡¯t around.

    By contrast, whenever He Xing got within one meter of her, she became extremely nervous, irritable, easily angered, and emotionally unstable.

    No matter how He Xing tried to exin their rtionship as a couple, Fu Han¡¯s hostility toward him didn¡¯t diminish in the slightest; even when Su Cheng personally admitted that Fu Han and He Xing were indeed together, it was to no avail, as she just wouldn¡¯t listen.

    She only trusted Su Cheng at this point, and only feared He Xing. As for others, like Nan Qing, she treated them as strangers; neither overly affectionate nor fearful towards them.

    In the end, even the doctors could do nothing but indirectly suggest to He Xing that he should refrain from appearing before Fu Han for the time being, as the doctor said it would be more beneficial for her condition.

    After trying many times, He Xing finally capitted.

    The online public opinion was a mess. Since Fu Han didn¡¯t want to see him and Su Cheng had promised to take good care of her, He Xing simply decided to leave the hospital first.

    When he went to the underground parking lot to retrieve his car, he saw Nan Qing, who had left twenty minutes earlier, waiting beside his car.

    He approached her without a trace of emotion, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you, of course,¡± Nan Qing said straightforwardly, without beating around the bush, ¡°Fu Han¡¯s situation is tricky. I know you¡¯re in pain, but for her sake, it¡¯s best if you¡­ restrain yourself until she remembers who you are.¡±

    He Xing had conceded to this when the doctor spoke, so despite his difort, he nodded.

    Nan Qing let out an almost imperceptible sigh. Truthfully, she felt some sympathy for He Xing at this point, but in her heart, Fu Han was more important.

    After thinking for a moment, she spoke again, ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why Fu Han is afraid of you. Maybe if you understand the reason, her attitude might change.¡±

    The Lamborghini roared out of the underground parking lot, its tires screeching against the ground with a piercing sound.

    No emotion was visible on He Xing¡¯s exquisitely sculpted face as Nan Qing¡¯s words echoed in his mind, each echo slicing through his heart like a knife.

    Of course, he knew why Fu Han was scared of him; it was because thest thing Fu Han had heard before she passed out was him yelling at her. He¡¯d been so harsh; of course, she would be frightened.

    If he could turn back time, he would trade everything just to return to the moment before he¡¯d made that call, swearing he would never speak a harsh word to her again.

    He would never forget the way Fu Han had looked at him as though he were an enemy, nor would he forget the look of dependency and trust in her eyes when she turned to Su Cheng. Every nce from her was a form of excruciating torture for him.

    When He Xing returned to the He Group building, he had regained his usual expressionless demeanor, his stoic face and bright eyes radiating a coldness that said ¡®keep out¡¯, asposed as someone who would remain unppable even if Mount Tai crumbled before him.

    It was well past closing time, and he encountered hardly anyone on his way, but the Public Rtions Department was still bustling with noise.

    Upon entering, He Xing was immediately assailed by the smell permeating the room¡ªtobo, coffee, instant noodles, and other foods, creating an almost unbearable stench.

    Covering his nose, He Xing walked up behind Liang Tao, who was tirelessly tapping away at the keyboard, typing up a rification for today¡¯s public opinion.

    ¡°Your rification is too verbose. Who¡¯s going to read it?¡± He Xing spoke out of the blue, his icy voice like a cold breeze skimming across ake.

 Chapter 189 - 189 189 Event Summary

    ?Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Event Summary   Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Event Summary                                   Liang Tao instinctively shivered and turned around to see He Xing standing there expressionless, which terrified him so much that he began to tremble, stammering, ¡°President He, when did you arrive?¡±

    ¡°Step aside, I¡¯ll write it,¡± said He Xing without expression, radiating a chill.

    ¡°Oh, oh,¡± Liang Tao hurriedly stood up, moving so quickly that he nearly fell while stepping back.

    He Xing sat in the chair Liang Tao had just vacated, his eyes narrowing slightly like twinkling stars¡ªa habit of his when pondering over a problem. Secondster, his eyes reopened, sharp and prating.

    His well-defined hands tapped on the keyboard, and within just a few minutes, he had written several hundred words. After finishing, he revised carefully several times, then about ten minutester, he clicked save.

    ¡°Follow this idea, be concise and to the point, too much talk and no one will read it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, President He.¡±

    Liang Tao took his seat again, reading and rereading what He Xing had said. The more he read, the more he felt thatnguage was a talent, and He Xing had taken this talent to its pinnacle.

    The few hundred words he wrote could truly be described as each word a gem; Liang Tao considered them seriously and felt that not a single word could be omitted.

    He Xing, carrying hisptop, headed toward the office, leaving behind an indifferent remark, ¡°Notify the relevant staff to finish their current tasks. We¡¯ll have a meeting in ten minutes.¡±

    In the small meeting room next to the Public Rtions Department, a space usually amodating around ten people, there were now more than twenty. Those without seats found ces to sit on their own.

    He Xing sat in the central position at the top, with a giant screen behind him.

    His long fingers asionally tapped on the off-white meeting table. Under the light, his fingers seemed even whiter than the table itself.

    While his gaze only calmly swept over everyone, it was as if his eyes wielded magic power, sweeping away all fatigue and instantly energizing everyone to their highest alertness.

    Without speaking a word, the meeting room fell into a silence so profound that one could hear a pin drop.

    Then his voice, clear as melting ice, resonated, ¡°Everyone, let me first summarize what happened today, what we need to do, and then delegate tasks. Each of you will take responsibility for your own part.¡±

    ¡°The first issue, the premiere of ¡®Longing Returns¡¯ broadcast a live explicit scene. The few seconds of video are now brewing on the inte, with countless people iming it¡¯s Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian.¡±

    ¡°The second issue, Bai Wei pped Qin Xiaonian twice in the hospital, and Qin Xiaonian publicly acknowledged her rtionship with Luo Qinghe, begging Bai Wei for forgiveness. Now, public opinion has fermented into Bai Wei stealing the love, while Luo Qinghe jumps from one love interest to the next.¡±

    ¡°The third issue, there are rumors online that while Fu Han and Su Cheng were dating, I cheated with Su Cheng;izens sympathize with Su Cheng, condemn Fu Han, and some even dredge up the hotel photo of Xia Ning and me, urging Xia Ning and me to get together.¡±

    When he reached the third point, not only did He Xing¡¯s expression change ever so slightly, but the faces of everyone present also shifted, with their nces falling upon He Xing, inscrutable.

    He Xing coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°I know you all want to know about Fu Han and me. Let me tell you now, we¡¯ve never done anything that goes against morality.¡±

    Everyone in the room instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. If He Xing really had something to be ashamed of, they wouldn¡¯t even know where to cry, and it would be pointless to rify anything online.

    He Xing flipped through hisputer and returned to his expressionless state, ¡°We will form specialized teams to follow up on these three issues, each working on rifications. Additionally, the dy of the ¡®Longing Returns¡¯ premiere has been announced, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, President He,¡± someone answered immediately. ¡°But, President He, Bai Wei¡¯s agency disagrees with publicizing her rtionship with Luo Qinghe. They say the matter has already blown up; they need Luo Qinghe¡¯s side to speak first.¡±

    Luo Qinghe speaking out first could indeed protect Bai Wei to the fullest extent, which He Xing had also considered.

    But Luo Qinghe was currently injured and unconscious, and his agency had been taken over by his parents, who refused to publicize any romance at this time.

    Moreover, it was said that not only the stock price of He Group had fallen, but the Li Group¡¯s stock also suffered because of this incident, reaching its lowest point in a year.

    Once again, the meeting room quieted, all eyes on He Xing, waiting for him to say something.

    He Xing rubbed his forehead, feeling overwhelmed.

    The Director of the Public Rtions Department hesitated, then spoke softly, ¡°President He, regarding the issue between you and Fu Han, I have thought of a solution. If Mr. Su Cheng of Huangpu Group is willing to make a statement saying that he and Miss Fu Han had broken up long ago, this issue would dissipate on its own.¡±

    Of course, He Xing had considered this solution, and if Fu Han hadn¡¯t had the ident, he would have already reached out to Su Cheng. But now¡­

    Images of Fu Han looking at him with fear and then her dependency on Su Cheng came to He Xing¡¯s mind; he couldn¡¯t help but ponder if Fu Han would always despise him if she never regained her memory, and choose to be with Su Cheng instead.

    It wasn¡¯t beyond the realm of possibility; as a man, he understood Su Cheng¡¯s gaze. Su Cheng clearly still had feelings for Fu Han, to the extent that even her disfigurement had not extinguished them.

    He Xing sighed, ¡°First, try to contact Huangpu Group to see their viewpoint on this matter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, President He.¡± The Public Rtions Director spoke again, ¡°President He, shall we also contact the Li Family to see if they are willing to deal with this matter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, contact them now, ande to the office with the results.¡± He Xing closed hisptop and stood up, looking at everyone, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent out the team assignments by email; the email also contains each team¡¯s tasks. Just remember your responsibilities. Also, remember we only rify non-existent issues. Don¡¯t be someone who smears others indiscriminately.¡±

    After finishing his statement, He Xing gave everyone a profound look, ¡°This battle is crucial¡ªwe can only afford to seed, not fail. After the matter is resolved, everyone involved in this battle will get a 20% raise.¡±

    His words instantly exhrated everyone in the meeting room. If it weren¡¯t for He Xing¡¯s usual severity, some might have burst into cheers.

    Let¡¯s face it, all those present were workers, and what they cared about most was the pay they took home. To willingly work overtime and go all out, it boiled down to their sry.

    No sooner had He Xing left the meeting room than a loud cheer erupted from within, as everyone excitedly discussed the 20% raise, as if they were no longer daunted by the imminent challenge.

 Chapter 190 - 190 190 Being Slandered for Undermining

    ?Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Being ndered for Undermining   Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Being ndered for Undermining                                   He walked forward step by step with aptop in hand, the vast office pitch dark, with only the asional motion-sensor light flickering on at the sound of his footsteps. His silhouette, d in a ck suit, looked worn and thin.

    In the spacious office, He Xing sat at his desk without turning on the lights. He leaned wearily against the leather chair, with the night sky visible through the floor-to-ceiling window. The cerulean sky, clear as if washed clean, was devoid of stars or moon, yet it carried an untouched purity.

    Looking down, one could see a sea of neon lights. City A never slept, bustling even more at night than during the day.

    Despite the height of his office, he felt as though he could still hear the noise from the city below.

    In the past, he hated these sounds, but now he found them¡­ so full of life, something he had never experienced before, but perhaps trying it out wasn¡¯t such a bad idea.

    He Xing pulled out his phone and called Su Cheng, who told him that Fu Han had fallen asleep soon after he had left and hadn¡¯t woken up since.

    He Xing¡¯s heart was slightlyforted, and he thought for a moment before speaking earnestly into the phone, ¡°Su Cheng, thank you for helping to take care of Fu Han. I¡­ I am tied up with something and can¡¯t leave at the moment. She is in your hands now; please call me the moment anything happens.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking care of Fu Han for myself, not for anyone else, and certainly not for you. My feelings for her are not any less than yours.¡± Su Cheng paused briefly before continuing, ¡°But rest assured, I won¡¯t take advantage of her amnesia to do anything to her.¡±

    He Xing let out a deep sigh and, in the end, could only say, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Just as he was about to hang up the phone, Su Cheng suddenly spoke again, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the recent stuff online about me. Handle it as you see fit, but it must not harm Fu Han.¡±

    He Xing¡¯s usually impassive face finally showed a change, softening as if ice were melting, and he heard his own voice respond, ¡°Su Cheng, you truly are a man of integrity.¡±

    He was about to hang up when there was a knock at the door, and through the backlit entrance, he could see the Public Rtions Department Director entering.

    Seemingly startled by the unlit office, the director stood frozen near the door, unmoving.

    He Xing¡¯s irritation surged, and he said coldly, ¡°Turn on the lights.¡±

    After fumbling around for a moment, the Public Rtions Director finally managed to switch on the lights. His face flushed, he approached He Xing¡¯s desk and said anxiously, ¡°Mr. He, I¡¯ve already contacted both the Li Family and the Huangpu Family. The Li Family said they¡¯ll decide how to deal with it after Luo Qinghe wakes up. The Huangpu Family outright refused the statement, and there¡¯s more¡­ ¡±

    At this point, the Public Rtions Director stopped, cautiously observing He Xing. His face turned from red to white and back again, as if he were choking on a swallowed egg.

    With a fierce m on the desk, He Xing said irritably, ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. What¡¯s with all these hesitations?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the Public Rtions Director blurted out anxiously like spilling beans, ¡°Not only has the Huangpu Family declined to issue a breakup statement, but they¡¯ve just released an announcement¡­ the announcement severely condemns your¡­ your poaching actions.¡±

    Oddly, even though this was clearly bad news, He Xing felt his restless heart calm upon hearing it.

    An emerging enemy stepping into the light was a good thing, wasn¡¯t it?

    Then, the Public Rtions Director, still tentative, spoke again, ¡°Also, there¡¯s a new leak online, it¡¯s a video¡­ a certain kind of video. It clearly shows¡­ shows the man and woman who appeared during the premiere¡¯s live broadcast¡­ it¡¯s Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian.¡±

    There was no worse news, only news that could get worse, He Xing thought to himself, hoping this was the worst of it.

    He twirled a pen in his hand, rotating it idly, round and round, as if it would never stop.

    His voice was as steady as the movements of his pen, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve heard everything you¡¯ve said. Notify Bai Wei that we won¡¯t reveal her rtionship with Luo Qinghe for now. Keep monitoring online sentiment, but there¡¯s no need to take any further action for the moment.¡±

    ¡°Mr. He, what do you mean?¡± The Public Rtions Director couldn¡¯t help but ask for rification, able to understand each word He Xing said, but not their collective meaning.

    ¡°I mean, draft a statement saying that due to Fu Han¡¯s car ident today, the matter regarding her, myself, and Su Cheng will be addressed at a press conference after her condition has stabilized,¡± He Xing exined, while internallymenting that this Public Rtions Director was not on par with Yi Lixing in terms of ability.

    True to form, the Public Rtions Director, clueless as ever, nervously leaned in and asked in a low voice, ¡°Mr. He, what about Lady Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s situation?¡±

    ¡°The same n of action,¡± replied He Xing, his irritation soaring as he almost snapped the pen in his hand. ¡°Contact Bai Wei¡¯s agency, have them issue a statement that the artist was in an unfortunate ident today and is currently unconscious. The details will be exined once she regains consciousness.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore¡­¡± He Xing leaned back in his chair after a brief pause, ¡°Once these two issues are handled, arrange for staff to take turns on duty. Everyone else should go home and rest up, conserving their energy for the tough battles ahead.¡±

    The car ident involving Fu Han, Bai Wei, and Luo Qinghe had already blown up online today, with mostizens aware of it, making an exnation from them unnecessary.

    Currently, the public opinion was one-sided and interconnected, part of a strategy where the opponent was gradually releasing information, intending to boil the frog in warm water.

    He Xing had been preupied with the release of ¡®Longing for Home¡¯ recently and hadn¡¯t anticipated the opponent¡¯s move at this time, catching him off guard.

    However, ording to his analysis, the opponent clearly wanted to cut the Gordian knot. Right now, he was entirely on the defensive, and it was better to diverge radically; by staying silent, they could tten the mockery.

    After a few days, once He Xing had something substantial in his hands, the rubberneckers would have cooled down, and the matter would be easier to manage.

    When He Xing left the office, the vastpany was in darkness, except for the lights still on at the Public Rtions Department. From afar, he could see that only two staff members remained, the rest having left.

    He Xing¡¯s suit jacket hung over his arm as he strolled towards the elevator. In the shadowy night, the echoes of his footsteps were distinct and resonant.

    The Lamborghini¡¯s headlights lit up in the underground garage. He Xing casually tossed his suit jacket onto the back seat, with hisptop and other belongings on the passenger side. With thepany affairs on pause, it was time to visit that person who haunted his dreams.

 Chapter 191 - 191 191 A Moments Midnight Dream Return

    ?Chapter 191: Chapter 191: A Moment¡¯s Midnight Dream Return   Chapter 191: Chapter 191: A Moment¡¯s Midnight Dream Return                                   The hospital at night is very different from during the day, which bustles like a market, so crowded that describing it as seas of people wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration; but at night, the hospital is almost devoid of people, with only the emergency department¡¯s lights still on.

    He made his way forward with practiced ease, turning corners, entering the elevator, and exiting the elevator.

    As he passed the Nurse station in the Inpatient Department, the nurse on duty, who had been dozing off, heard footsteps from a distance and looked up; her eyes clearly lit up when she saw it was He Xing.

    Fu Han was staying in a deluxe ward, which was as spacious and bright as a hotel suite, with its own restroom and a small bed for nighttimepany.

    He Xing stood at the door and peered inside; Fu Han was sleeping quietly there, while Su Cheng was napping with his head on her bed.

    He looked closely and saw that although Fu Han¡¯s hand was outside the cover, it was not touching Su Cheng.

    He Xing let out a sigh of relief, and as he did, he couldn¡¯t help but mock himself inwardly for being so petty and secretly jealous.

    He tiptoed through the door, and the two people inside remained undisturbed, continuing to sleep peacefully.

    He Xing ced theptop on the ward¡¯s simple desk, then approached Fu Han¡¯s bedside, bending down to look at her.

    She seemed to be dreaming, probably of something painful, as her delicate eyebrows knitted together and her cherry-blossom-like lips were tightly clenched, revealing a small row of clear gums.

    He Xing¡¯s heart immediately ached, and he bent down to touch Fu Han¡¯s brow, wishing to rescue her from the nightmare, not daring to make a sound for fear his voice would plunge her into a deeper one.

    Suddenly, Fu Han¡¯s eyes opened, she nced at him, smiled, and then wrapped her arms around his, closing her eyes again and falling into a deep sleep.

    God knows how nervous He Xing was when Fu Han opened her eyes; he was so afraid her emotions would copse again, so afraid she would suffer even the slightest harm.

    But instead of screaming or being frightened, she actually smiled at him.

    He Xing¡¯s heart felt as if it had grown wings, flying from the abyss to the clouds, so happy he didn¡¯t know what to say; he had an intuition that the person who had just opened her eyes was Fu Han herself, the Fu Han who recognized him.

    In the midst of night, a beam of light suddenly appeared, lighting up He Xing¡¯s heart that had been darkened for the better part of the day, and he suddenly felt life was filled with hope, and the hurdles ahead seemed insignificant.

    When the first light of dawn shone through the window, Fu Han opened her eyes. Like a startled deer, she looked around frantically and immediately felt relieved upon seeing Su Cheng sleeping beside the bed.

    However, the next moment she saw someone leaning over the simple desk not far from the foot of her bed, the light from hisputer indicating that he must have fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion; she remembered that this person was He Xing.

    Su Cheng had told her this man was her boyfriend, the one she liked.

    After waking up yesterday, she was terrified just hearing this person¡¯s voice, not even daring to look at him; now that He Xing was asleep, she could take a good look at him.

    He Xing was in a corner where sunlight couldn¡¯t reach, yet he simplyy there, and Fu Han felt as if he could shine.

    Although she still felt somewhat afraid of him in her heart, she couldn¡¯t deny that he was indeed very handsome, with skin even fairer than a girl¡¯s and lips that seemed to be naturally tinted. His nose was straight but not in a smooth, slide-like way; it had a slight hump in the middle that made his face all the more three-dimensional.

    His eyes were closed so she couldn¡¯t see them clearly, but his eyshes were like false ones,yer uponyer, very long and curled, the kind many people would envy.

    After thoroughly assessing him, Fu Han concluded in her heart that He Xing was indeed an exceptionally handsome man, even more handsome than Su Cheng.

    Thinking this, she turned to look at Su Cheng, only to realize that he was already awake and staring at her unblinkingly.

    Their eyes met, both their faces reddened, and Fu Han became even more flustered, hurriedly averting her gaze.

    In fact, when Su Cheng had talked to her about her past with He Xing yesterday, she had really wanted to ask what Su Cheng felt about her, but instinct told her she should absolutely not ask.

    However, at this moment, she felt that whether or not to ask was no longer important; Su Cheng had already told her what she wanted to know with his gaze.

    A Doctor came in for rounds, and He Xing finally woke up. His first reaction upon waking was to look at Fu Han, but she was noticeably avoiding him, never once looking his way.

    He Xing¡¯s heart sank once more, for he had hoped all night that perhaps Fu Han would return to her old self by morning, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.

    The Doctor¡¯s rounds concluded with instructions to keep Fu Han rxed and not to provoke her, as she might remember past events, especially since her brain scan from yesterday showed no problems.

    After rounds, it was the nurse¡¯s turn to change Fu Han¡¯s dressing. As He Xing watched the nurse peel away the bandages from Fu Han¡¯s face, his heart grew heavier, each step the nurse took like a knife slicing into He Xing¡¯s heart.

    Finally, thestyer of gauze was removed, and Fu Han¡¯s face waspletely exposed to the air.

    For the first time, He Xing felt a sense of trepidation and was afraid to look at Fu Han, but he mustered the courage to do so. At first nce, he was relieved; it wasn¡¯t as frightening as he had imagined.

    On closer inspection, his heart grew heavier. If he were topare Fu Han¡¯s right cheek to a pane of ss, then at this moment, that ss had a hole shattered from within, from which countless fissures spread.

    The Doctor was right; that half of Fu Han¡¯s face was indeed ruined.

    Su Cheng¡¯splexion was as grim as He Xing¡¯s; both were clearly devastated.

    But Fu Han¡¯s expression remained calm, first because she had no mirror to see her face; second, she had woken up the day before, aware of her disfigurement and had already epted it in her heart; and third, no one had told her how beautiful she had been before, so she was indifferent to beauty or ugliness.

    Once her wound was redressed, she looked at Su Cheng and smiled, ¡°Why do you look like that? Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think I¡¯m dead.¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Su Cheng forced a smile, trying to look cheerful, but the smile was even uglier than tears, ¡°Fu Han, don¡¯t worry, He Xing has already consulted a Doctor¡ªthe Doctor will surely restore your face.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Fu Han turned to look at Su Cheng, her beautiful face expressionless as if asking, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    This was the first time Fu Han had spoken to He Xing since she woke up yesterday, and He Xing almost felt honored by her attention.

 Chapter 192 - 192 192 She Needs You Now

    ?Chapter 192: Chapter 192 She Needs You Now   Chapter 192: Chapter 192 She Needs You Now                                   He smiled hurriedly, trying to sound as gentle as possible, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve found the best doctors in the world for you. They can definitely restore your appearance, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ thank you.¡± Fu Han nodded, revealing a fleeting smile on her face, which disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.

    Still, He Xing felt satisfied. He rubbed his hands together and said with a hint of a coaxing tone, ¡°Xiaohan, rest here for a while. I¡¯ll go buy you breakfast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d better go,¡± Su Cheng hurriedly stood up and walked toward the door. Although he wanted to spend more time with Fu Han, after all, she and He Xing were the real couple, weren¡¯t they?

    Just as he had not yet reached the door, Fu Han was already calling out anxiously, ¡°Su Cheng!¡±

    He Xing¡¯s heart sank once more, but the smile on his face grew even stronger. In a few quick steps, he reached Su Cheng¡¯s side, ¡°You better stay here. She needs you right now.¡±

    Su Cheng looked at He Xing¡¯s retreating figure and, inexplicably, he felt a pang of sympathy for him.

    He sat back down in the same chair, with a heavy heart.

    Fu Han sat up in bed, her eyes asionally resting on Su Cheng. She parted her lips and asked softly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cruel?¡±

    With his head bowed and hands buried in his hair, Su Cheng replied in a low voice, ¡°Fu Han, I do feel sorry for He Xing, but it¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t me yourself.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Fu Han looked down to meet Su Cheng¡¯s gaze, trying hard to see his face, but it was obscured by his hands.

    Su Cheng, sensing her gesture, raised his head promptly, cracking a wide, bright smile.

    Fu Han smiled along, her faint sense of loss hidden away as if it had never existed.

    It was nearing summer, and the sunlight was somewhat dazzling, but it didn¡¯t feel hot through the window.

    Fu Han leaned back on the bed, squinting her eyes slightly. Her gaze drifted unintentionally to He Xing¡¯s still-openptop, ¡°Can you tell me the story between me and He Xing?¡±

    Su Cheng spread his hands helplessly, ¡°I really can¡¯t help with that. I met you three years ago, when we were both abroad. He Xing wasn¡¯t with you at the time. I only know you returned to the country for him¡­ Before you lost your memory, you truly loved him a lot.¡±

    ¡°Three years?¡± Fu Han murmured, feeling a sudden wave of sadness. She looked out at the lush green trees and whispered, ¡°Do you know why I went abroad three years ago?¡±

    Su Cheng scratched his head, struggling, ¡°I really don¡¯t know about that. You could ask He Xing directly¡­¡±

    ¡°If I were willing to ask him, I wouldn¡¯t be asking you.¡± Fu Han¡¯s expression wasplex, reflecting her current state of mind¡ªeager to understand her past, yet somewhat fearful of knowing it.

    Seeing her like this pained Su Cheng too. After some thought, he said softly, ¡°Fu Han, I think Nan Qing might know more. She messaged that she would be here soon. Why don¡¯t you ask her then?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Fu Han nodded. The image of the girl with the round face who gave her such a familiar feeling came to mind.

    But yesterday when Nan Qing had visited, she had only cried incessantly, barely able to utter a few words. At that time, Fu Han felt as if she was on an emotional roller coaster, so she hadn¡¯t really spoken to Nan Qing.

    He Xing came in carrying several bags filled with Fu Han¡¯s favorite breakfast items.

    Fu Han had one hand hooked up to an IV, making it inconvenient for her to eat on her own, so someone else had to feed her.

    As He Xing set up the bed table, he asked softly, ¡°Xiaohan, may I feed you?¡±

    Fu Han instinctively turned to look at Su Cheng, but at that moment, he turned his head away, his back speaking volumes of his refusal.

    In the end, it was He Xing who fed Fu Han. She ate reluctantly, while He Xing, looking as though he had received the world¡¯s greatest gift, was extremely careful, as if afraid of scalding her.

    The way he was acting, was it really just feeding Fu Han? It rather seemed as if he was afraid of melting her in his mouth or breaking her in his hands.

    Ji Liangchuan stood dumbfounded at the door, watching He Xing. They had known each other for many years; He Xing was usually as cold as ice, acting as if everyone owed him a fortune, unpredictable in his moods. No one could grasp his pulse, but now¡­

    ¡°No one can escape from love,¡± Ji Liangchuan sighed almost imperceptibly, then put on a polite smile and knocked on the door.

    All three people in the room turned to look at the door. Neither Fu Han nor Su Cheng recognized Ji Liangchuan, both wearing expressions of confusion; only He Xing spoke in an even tone, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan nodded, walked in leisurely, and ced the fruit basket on the coffee table before standing at the foot of the bed to study Fu Han. His gaze lingered on her bandaged half-face several times, and he spoke with aplex expression, ¡°Fu Han, are you okay?¡±

    His gaze made Fu Han distinctly ufortable. She moved to hide behind He Xing, her clear eyes as innocent as a deer¡¯s, inly showing her fear.

    He Xing¡¯s heart turned to mush. While protectively wrapping himself around Fu Han like a mother hen, he turned and chided Ji Liangchuan with displeasure, ¡°Why are you scaring her? Just leave.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Liangchuan pointed to his nose, a look of helpless resignation on his face as he shook his head, leaving behind a remark about prioritizing romance over friendship before truly exiting the ward.

    ¡°Xiaohan, don¡¯t be afraid; I¡¯ve sent him away,¡± He Xing turned back with an expression of doting concern.

    Yet, the half of Fu Han¡¯s face that was visible did not show fear. Instead, her cheeks were faintly flushed, and she looked thoughtfully at He Xing, wondering about something.

    Worried that he had frightened her again, He Xing gently tugged at Fu Han¡¯s hospital gown and whispered in the smallest of voices, ¡°Xiaohan, you¡­ you¡¯re not angry with me, are you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Fu Han answered quickly, looking out the window where a bird took flight, pping its wings resolutely toward freedom; the sky etched with the trail of a passing ne, rocket-like in its impetuousness.

    She turned to He Xing, ¡°When can I be discharged? I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore.¡±

    ¡°Xiaohan, I also want you to be discharged soon, but¡­¡± He Xing started with difficulty, ¡°but you need surgery on your face. Let¡¯s just be patient for now. Once your surgery is done, then we can leave, okay?¡±

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Fu Han lowered her head to look at the back of her hand, which, in less than twenty-four hours, had already been poked with several needles, and there would be more toe.

    He Xing looked at Fu Han, disheartened by her dejection. Yet, in the end, he remained silent. With the ongoing controversy on the inte, and manyshing out at Fu Han, the consequences of her going outside were unimaginable. For now, the hospital was her umbre of protection.

 Chapter 193 - 193 193 Their Story

    ?Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Their Story   Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Their Story                                   Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei both woke up around midnightst night, almost at the same time, as if by some tacit understanding, only He Xing didn¡¯t learn about it until this morning.

    However, He Xing couldn¡¯t go see Bai Wei; her agent Lin Na had already scolded her so fiercely, saying she might as well have not bothered being an artist at all these years, for acting so thoughtlessly, for hitting someone in public.

    Lin Na was so furious, she even mentioned banning her.

    Bai Wei¡¯s stubborn temper kicked in, and she adamantly refused to admit any wrongdoing; Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo watched silently from the side¡ªtheir family education was very liberal, and they rarely interfered with Bai Wei¡¯s work.

    The atmosphere in the ward became very tense until He Xing entered and broke the awkward silence.

    He Xing spoke directly to Lin Na, ¡°Whether what Bai Wei did was right or wrong, the incident has already happened. We should be thinking of how to handle the situation in a way that¡¯s beneficial to Bai Wei.¡±

    ¡°And what do you propose we do?¡± Lin Na pushed up her ck-framed sses, her face looking even more rigid, ¡°Mr. He, I never had high expectations for your movie, to begin with. Our Bai Wei has always been known for tough, androgynous roles, and then you pulled her in to y a literary youngdy, talking about a transformation. You promised to take her career to the next level, so how do you n on handling this now?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll start with the rtionship between Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe.¡± The other party was blunt, and He Xing¡¯s face turned even uglier as he spoke expressionlessly, ¡°Miss Lin, I advise you not to make yourself out to be too meless. Bai Wei has wanted to go public with the rtionship for a long time. It was you who stopped her with the contract. If her rtionship had been made public, she¡¯d now be seen as the pitiable person betrayed by her boyfriend, not the third party that everyone despises.¡±

    Lin Na¡¯s exaggerated thick lips parted, but in the end, all she could muster was a weak retort, clearly on the back foot, ¡°I didn¡¯t foresee such an incident, or I never would have let her take on this movie.¡±

    Bai Wei, who had been lying in bed silent all this time, suddenly spoke up, dropping a bombshell: ¡°Even without this movie, I would still have been together with Luo Qinghe.¡±

    Lin Na red at Bai Wei with eyes wide as a bull¡¯s, her expression resembling that of someone who¡¯d just swallowed a fly.

    He Xing let out a light chuckle, his tone indifferent, ¡°Miss Lin, are you willing to cooperate with me now?¡±

    ¡°Do I have any other choice?¡± Miss Lin snorted coldly, her gaze full of disappointment at Bai Wei, ¡°You, you¡¯ve just been too lucky all along. It¡¯s about time you suffered a setback; otherwise, you¡¯ll never learn.¡±

    Bai Wei stuck out her tongue defiantly, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for always telling me not to date, and now look, I¡¯ve be obsessed with love¡ªit¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±

    Lin Na let out a deep sigh, spreading her hands in resignation as she looked at He Xing, ¡°Mr. He, seeing as the situation hase to this, our studio can onlyply with your arrangements, I just hope you won¡¯t disappoint me.¡±

    He Xing took out aputer and started issuing instructions; his deep voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet ward, unhurried, inexplicably soothing.

    Meanwhile, the situation was much the same in Fu Han¡¯s ward, only there were two people speaking: Nan Qing and Ji Liangchuan, who had been sent away by He Xing but hade back again.

    Fu Han sat on the hospital bed, holding her knees, listening intently to their conversation¡ªone was speaking from He Xing¡¯s perspective about their rtionship, and the other was speaking of their past in front of the yet-to-lose-her-memory Fu Han.

    It turned out her connections with He Xing were deeper than she had thought; they¡¯d known each other since they were young, they had set a marriage contract on her eighteenth birthday, truly childhood sweethearts.

    But she had left He Xing at the age of 21, only to return earlyst fall.

    Nan Qing said she came back to leave He Xing¡¯s side for good; yet everyone around them knew they still loved each other.

    Su Cheng said, he¡¯d seen Fu Han cry in secret several times, and they had finally broken through their barriers and gotten back together during the Spring Festival.

    All three told broken fragments of the story that couldn¡¯t be pieced into aplete narrative, leaving Fu Han with the feeling of an outsider listening to someone else¡¯s story.

    Ji Liangchuan said, knowing He Xing for so many years, every time He Xing drank, it was because of her, and every time he got drunk was also because of her.

    Yet as she listened to these fragmented pieces, her eyes were always filled with sorrow, with tears spinning continuously in her eyes.

    Su Cheng reached out as if to ruffle Fu Han¡¯s hair but eventually settled his hand on her shoulder, ¡°Fu Han, don¡¯t be too sad. One day you¡¯ll remember everything.¡±

    Fu Han smiled, but against her paleplexion and the bandages, the smile carried a tinge of destion.

    Her gaze returned to the window, the blue sky and white clouds, the clear expanse, traces of airnes long erased, birds no longer in sight. Instead, a yellow butterfly flew outside the window, seemingly in search of something.

    ¡°Where is he now?¡± Fu Han asked softly.

    Ji Liangchuanughed meaningfully with his hands in his pockets, ¡°What else could he be doing? He¡¯s dealing with the mess you two made yesterday.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Cheng also sighed, ¡°I checked the inte myself yesterday, thements were indeed distasteful. The issue is that Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe initially said their rtionship wasn¡¯t to be made public, and now even if they had mouths all over their bodies, they couldn¡¯t exin it clearly.¡±

    ¡°Hmph¡­¡± Nan Qing said disdainfully, ¡°What does it matter if they went public with their rtionship? Would it change the fact that Brother Qinghe did what he did? I truly never expected Brother Qinghe to do such a thing.¡±

    The video of Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian spread quickly on the inte, and though they censored crucial parts, the bare shoulders, the kissing, and what followed were undeniable truths¡ªthese were stains that couldn¡¯t be washed away.

    Su Cheng followed up with a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say about this, but I still believe Brother Qinghe isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡±

    These words dropped like a stone into the water, rippling not even a single wave.

    Nan Qing¡¯s silence stemmed from her lingering anger; although she didn¡¯t believe Luo Qinghe would do such a thing, the reality was undeniable. Ji Liangchuan remained silent¡ªnot being acquainted with Luo Qinghe, he couldn¡¯t offer an objective assessment. As for Fu Han, she was still lost in her own story with He Xing, scarcely paying attention to Su Cheng¡¯ster words; in one ear, out the other.

    About two minutes of silenceter, Ji Liangchuan gestured towards Su Cheng, ¡°Young Master Huangpu, have you thought about how to deal with the inte gossip about you and Fu Han?¡±

    ¡°Us?¡± Su Cheng suddenly remembered something and quickly checked his phone. After only a few nces, his expression underwent a drastic change.

 Chapter 194 - 194 194 About Their Past

    ?Chapter 194: Chapter 194: About Their Past   Chapter 194: Chapter 194: About Their Past                                   He turned his head towards Fu Han, speaking in a frantic, incoherent manner, ¡°Fu Han, I don¡¯t know why my parents issued that statement, I clearly told them that we had already broken up before the new year, and I even ¡­ I even instructed them not to speak on the Inte.¡±

    Fu Han gazed at Su Cheng with innocent eyes, her soft and tender voice echoing in the spacious ward, ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    A breeze drifted by, causing the strands of hair by Fu Han¡¯s temples to flutter gently like ripples on water, showcasing a different kind of gentleness. Even with bandages on her face, there was an irresistibly eye-catching, broken beauty about her.

    In the room, three people and six eyes were all fixed intently on her.

    Beauty isn¡¯t only skin-deep, and that¡¯s especially true for someone with grace; it turns out that even with bandages on her face, she remained someone whose beauty was captivating¡ªan undeniable beauty.

    Fu Han¡¯s hand slightly lifted to tuck the stray strand of hair behind her ear, then she tilted her head looking at Su Cheng with an expectant expression, waiting for an exnation.

    Unfortunately, at this moment, Su Cheng¡¯s face was flushed red, dizzily infatuated by Fu Han, his mind muddled. He could only dumbly stare at Fu Han, incapable of gathering the energy to respond to her question.

    Nan Qing finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer; she shook her head and patiently exined, ¡°Fu Han, you ¡­ you and Su Cheng had a brief romance in the past, but parted ways for some unknown reason. Not long after your breakup, you started dating He Xing, and now there¡¯s a lot of rumors on the inte alleging that He Xing is the third party. Su Cheng¡¯s parents also issued a statement implying He Xing is the third party.¡±

    The words were convoluted, and with Fu Han having no memory of the past, relying only on others¡¯ ounts, she knew nothing herself.

    She cocked her head in thought, speaking naively, ¡°But ¡­ ording to what Nan Qing said, He Xing is the third party, right?¡±

    That single sentence surprised everyone in the room, and Nan Qing desperately wanted to cover Fu Han¡¯s mouth.

    Ji Liangchuan was the most angry, ¡°Fu Han, do you think you can spout nonsense just because you¡¯ve lost your memory? By saying this, are you trying to erase over a decade¡¯s worth of feelings with a single sentence? Do you even have a heart?¡±

    Fu Han was startled, herplexion pallid as she shrank back, hiding behind Nan Qing, too afraid to speak any more.

    Su Cheng felt an immense heartache. He stepped forward, shielding her from Ji Liangchuan, and coldly said, ¡°What right do you have to talk to Fu Han like that? Nan Qing said it too; when she returned from abroad, shepletely ended things with He Xing. It¡¯s only natural for her to think this way now.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, of course, you¡¯d say that,¡± Ji Liangchuan showed no sign of backing down, but sneered unceasingly, ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t see you¡¯re still fond of Fu Han. You¡¯re probably dying to take advantage of her amnesia and snatch her back.¡±

    Nan Qing acutely felt Fu Han straighten her back upon hearing this, as if shocked, but without eyes on her back, she couldn¡¯t see Fu Han¡¯s expression at that moment.

    For a time, the atmosphere in the room became extremely awkward, broken only by the sound of the wind entering through the window.

    After what felt like an eternity¡ªor perhaps it was just a moment¡ªSu Cheng¡¯s sudden voice rang out again, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, I do like Fu Han, and I won¡¯t deny that, but I would never take advantage of someone¡¯s vulnerability.¡±

    Ji Liangchuan stared deeply at Su Cheng, his expression growing increasinglyplex, as though he admired his courage yet also feared some unknown; it was such aplicated look, no one could interpret it clearly.

    Fu Han rested her hand on Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder, peeking out from behind her, her face earnest as she watched Su Cheng, this man publicly dering his affection for her.

    His expression was serious, tinged with the indignation of a cornered beast, a hint of do-or-die determination, and a whisper of ethereal hope.

    Fu Han instantly knew, he was waiting for her response.

    She thought seriously; upon opening her eyes the day before, the young man before her was holding her hand and shedding tears.

    Fu Han was moved, and those tears made her feel a closer bond to Su Cheng; though she had lost her memory, she wasn¡¯t foolish¡ªshe knew someone who cried for her wouldn¡¯t harm her.

    But, did she like Su Cheng?

    Fu Han thought to herself, Nan Qing said they had once dated, so she must have liked him, but then why did they break up? Why did she end up with He Xing? And then there was He Xing¡ªshe felt fear at the sight of him. If she truly liked He Xing, would she feel this way?

    Too many questions circled in her mind, leaving her confused. However, a voice within told her to wait just a bit longer, that eventually, all would be revealed.

    Sheposed herself as best as she could before speaking calmly, ¡°Su Cheng, thank you for liking me, but right now I can¡¯t remember the past, so I can¡¯t give you any answer.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t expect to take advantage of the situation,¡± Su Cheng smiled, as bright and cheery as ever, without a hint of darkness, ¡°Like I¡¯ve always told you, I like you, and what does that have to do with you?¡±

    Not only was Fu Han deeply struck by his words, but Ji Liangchuan and Nan Qing were equally moved.

    After hearing him, Ji Liangchuan nced at Fu Han, perhaps not deliberately; Nan Qing tried hard not to look at Su Cheng, yet couldn¡¯t help but sneak nces at him with the corners of her eyes.

    ¡­

    He Xing and Lin Na walked together toward Luo Qinghe¡¯s ward. Bai Wei wanted to join, but was fiercely stopped by Lin Na.

    Finally, it was He Xing who hit the nail on the head, ¡°If you don¡¯t want your years of hard work destroyed over a man, you¡¯d better stay quietly in the ward. Some things be simpler when you¡¯re not present.¡±

    Although Bai Wei had aplex expression after hearing this, she eventually relented and no longer insisted on going over there.

    When the ward door was pushed open, He Xing saw Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents and older brother just inside; Li Huazhi and Li Qingjiang stood by a single-seater sofa, each in front of aputer.

    Luo Qiluo had moved a chair to sit in front of Luo Qinghe¡¯s bed. Her expression suggested that she had been ¡°chatting¡± with Luo Qinghe right up until the moment He Xing and hispany knocked on the door.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression was poor, but upon seeing He Xing, he still nodded in greeting.

    Lin Na ran out of patience and asked straight away, ¡°Luo Qinghe, what do you n to do about the situation online?¡±

    ¡°What situation?¡± Before Luo Qinghe could respond, Luo Qiluo was the first to speak, ¡°What does this have to do with our Qinghe? Bai Wei is the one relentlessly pursuing Qinghe, and he has never paid any attention to Bai Wei.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Lin Na, ustomed to being treated with courtesy everywhere as a top agent, was not used to being mocked overtly like this. Moreover, Luo Qiluo was deriding her most prized client, Bai Wei¡ªhow could she stand for that? Rolling up her sleeves, she prepared to confront Luo Qiluo for a ¡°thorough discussion.¡±

 Chapter 195 - 195 195 Negotiating with the Li Family

    ?Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Negotiating with the Li Family   Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Negotiating with the Li Family                                   Women can only truly be dealt with by other women, and Luo Qiluo was intimidated by her assertiveness, leaning backward as she spoke incoherently, ¡°What now, you want to hit me, is that it? I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡±

    Lin Na¡¯s hand was already raised high, but was pped down by He Xing, who rebuked her coldly, ¡°Are you here to solve the problem, or to exacerbate the conflict?¡±

    With just one sentence, Lin Na was rendered speechless. She really wanted to retort against He Xing, but for some reason, after so many years of reigning over the Entertainment circle, fearless of both heaven and earth, she felt somewhat afraid of He Xing.

    Lin Na stood unwillingly behind He Xing, resolutely deciding not to speak recklessly anymore.

    Having not been pped, Luo Qiluo¡¯s courage grew considerably, and with her husband and son both present, she wasn¡¯t afraid of He Xing either. She stood up facing He Xing directly, ¡°Mr. He, our Li Family has no business dealings with your He Family, nor do we have any personal connections. You are not wee here, please leave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you.¡± He Xing didn¡¯t even nce at Luo Qiluo, his gaze sweeping over her head directly to Luo Qinghe, who was sitting on the hospital bed, ¡°Luo Qinghe, you know about the stuff on the inte, right? What¡¯s your take on the matter?¡±

    Luo Qinghe withdrew his gaze from looking out the window, his eyes showing a moment of bewilderment before he slowly began to speak, ¡°What¡¯s your n to deal with it?¡±

    Although his response wasn¡¯t a perfect answer, it wasn¡¯t bad either.

    He Xingid out the solution he had formted in his mind, ¡°This happened while you and Bai Wei were dating, and you did something to wrong her. Now, she is being med and insulted because of it. As a man, you should take the responsibility you¡¯re supposed to bear and hold a press conference to clear things up.¡±

    The wind blew in from the wide-open window; it was nearly summer, but the wind still carried a chill, causing a tingling sensation on the scalp.

    Luo Qinghe rubbed his arms, speaking as if he didn¡¯t much care, ¡°Sure, you arrange it, and I will exin everything clearly.¡±

    He Xing wasn¡¯t expecting Luo Qinghe to agree so readily, and he was so surprised that he was momentarily frozen.

    This time Lin Na reacted quickly, her face breaking into a beaming smile, ¡°Organizing a press conference is easy. I can arrange it with just one phone call. Mr. Luo, on behalf of our Bai Wei, I want to say thank you.¡±

    However, before Luo Qinghe could respond, Luo Qiluo stood up abruptly, speaking righteously, ¡°No way, I absolutely disagree with Qinghe holding a press conference.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lin Na once again opened her eyes wide, staring at Luo Qiluo like a frog, looking as if she wished she could swallow Luo Qiluo whole.

    Luo Qiluo stood tall and proud facing Lin Na, and although her slender and tall figure had no advantage in front of Lin Na, her momentum was not overshadowed.

    ¡°Why? Just because you say Qinghe and Bai Wei were dating, they were dating? I, as a mother, never knew they were in a rtionship. Besides, I¡¯ve told Qinghe long ago that I do not like girls from the Entertainment circle, and I absolutely will not allow Qinghe and Bai Wei to be together. Mr. He here has heard this with his own ears, hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lin Na pushed up her ck-framed sses, herrge eyes looking at He Xing as if her expressions were saying, ¡°If you dare say yes, then I¡¯ll eat you alive.¡±

    Unfortunately, her deadly gaze and expressive demeanor had no effect because He Xingpletely ignored her.

    He Xing kept the same unppable expression as if Mount Tai were copsing before him, looking at Luo Qinghe, ¡°Luo Qinghe, on the sixth day of the first lunar month I indeed heard your mother say that at your house, but you are almost thirty years old and long weaned. You should decide your own matters. Now, in the presence of your parents, tell us the truth: have you been with Bai Wei or not?¡±

    All eyes were on Luo Qinghe, but his gaze was on his hands, wrapped inyers of bandages.

    During the car ident, he instinctively protected Bai Wei¡¯s head, and she did the same for his. In the end, both of their arms suffered severe impacts and broke, but their heads were fine, with only mild concussions.

    The memory abruptly stopped, and Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze shifted from his mother to his father, and finally to He Xing, saying word by word, ¡°Bai Wei and I started dating on the second day of the first lunar month. I have nothing to do with Qin Xiaonian. I don¡¯t know what really happened yesterday, but I¡¯m willing to hold a press conference to exin everything. If people want to curse, they can curse at me alone, but don¡¯t curse Bai Wei.¡±

    Lin Na¡¯s spirits rose again, her smile directed at Luo Qiluo, ¡°Mrs. Li, I understand now, it¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t like Bai Wei, but your son does like her; you can¡¯t look down on celebrities too much, can you? If you hadn¡¯t been a model participating in fashion shows, could you have met Mr. Li? Without meeting Mr. Li, you¡¯d probably still be a minor model.¡±

    As she said ¡°minor model,¡± her face showed undisguised contempt.

    Now the person who was hopping mad became Luo Qiluo. She walked towards Lin Na with clenched teeth, her face devoid of any of the permanence of a noblewoman¡¯sposure.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Li Huazhi, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. He stood between Luo Qiluo and Lin Na, stating unequivocally, ¡°Since Qinghe says Bai Wei is his girlfriend, let him handle this matter. We shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±

    ¡°Handle it himself?¡± Luo Qiluo¡¯s face twisted with anger as she forcefully shook off Li Huazhi¡¯s hand, ¡°I absolutely do not agree to him spilling everything; if he remains silent now, people will only say that Bai Wei is a homewrecker, but if he speaks up, he¡¯ll bebeled as a two-timer. How can he face anyone after that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it, I have nothing to do with Qin Xiaonian.¡± Luo Qinghe¡¯s face turned cold, his hands clenched into fists, making a cracking sound.

    ¡°Foolish son, don¡¯t you see that they don¡¯t believe it?¡± Luo Qiluo threw herself in front of Luo Qinghe¡¯s bed, a face full of frustration.

    ¡°A man should speak up even if others don¡¯t believe him, shouldn¡¯t he?¡± Li Huazhi snorted coldly, still with the air of a family patriarch, ¡°Qinghe is almost thirty years old. He should take responsibility for his actions. If he can¡¯t even protect his girlfriend, he doesn¡¯t deserve to be a part of our Li Family.¡±

    Luo Qiluo felt thest bit of her rationality crumble with these words, jumping up like a dog whose tail had been stepped on, ¡°Li Huazhi, do you think I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying this? If Bai Wei¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t Bai Qian, would you really care about Bai Wei¡¯s well-being? How caring and righteous you are! She isn¡¯t your daughter, yet for her sake, you¡¯re willing to disregard your own son.¡±

 Chapter 196 - 196 196 The same feeling

    ?Chapter 196: Chapter 196 The same feeling   Chapter 196: Chapter 196 The same feeling                                   He Xing was about to say something else but, hearing this, he held back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

    He had witnessed with his own eyes the scene of Li Huazhi and his wife meeting with Bai Qian yesterday, so he was indeed very curious about what exactly their rtionship was.

    The curiosity wasn¡¯t because He Xing was a gossip, but because he felt intuitively that this matter was rted to Bai Wei.

    Li Huazhi¡¯s expression changed several times, and his eyes swept over He Xing and the others a few times before ultimately softening his tone and, holding Luo Qiluo¡¯s hand in a good-natured manner, said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this matter. Can we discuss Qinghe¡¯s issue a bit further?¡±

    To Luo Qiluo, the most important thing in life was face, which in her definition included both physical appearance and stature. That¡¯s why she loved spicy food but could go a lifetime without eating a single chili pepper. She was clearly from a humble background but insisted on making it seem as if she came from a wealthy family, adamant that Luo Qinghe take her surname.

    Now that Li Huazhi had spoken carelessly, she didn¡¯t want He Xing and Lin Na tough at her, nor was she willing to admit that the perfect love she had crafted for many years was nothing but a bubble. So, she nodded her head, even squeezing out a bit of a smile on her face.

    However, they all underestimated the determination of the person involved to handle this matter, as well as the rebelliousness of Luo Qinghe.

    Luo Qinghe erupted like an irate lion, yelling, ¡°Who said we¡¯d discuss? I¡¯ve already decided¡ªthis afternoon, I¡¯ll hold a press conference. As for what everyone will say about me then, if I have done wrong, then I¡¯m prepared to face it.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Luo speaks wisely,¡± Lin Na praised, giving a thumbs up, ¡°I finally understand why Bai Wei likes you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll issue a statement saying that Bai Wei believes in your character, that your rtionship was hard-won, and she won¡¯t give up easily. Then there won¡¯t be as many people criticizing you.¡±

    She thought she had spoken elegantly, but even Luo Qinghe himself didn¡¯t give her a nce. Lin Na stopped talking and followed He Xing out of the room.

    In the hallway, He Xing gave Lin Na a couple of instructions before calling Liang Tao to prepare the venue for the press conference.

    Lin Na was also busy making phone calls, notifying journalists from various tforms to be ready for the press conference.

    Today was destined to be a busy day, and after hanging up the phone, He Xing stood by the window at the end of the corridor for a while. Today was destined to be a busy day; he really wanted to stay with Fu Han, but the matters online were clearly more urgent.

    He held his cigarette from beginning to end without taking a single puff, eventually snuffing the butt out in an ashtray on top of the trash bin. Straightening his clothes, he headed towards Fu Han¡¯s ward.

    Before he entered, he heardughtering from the ward¡ªSu Cheng, Nan Qing, Ji Liangchuan, and also Fu Han¡¯sughter.

    He Xing stood at the door for a good while, finding Fu Han¡¯sughter as clear as a wind chime on the windowsill, irresistibly refreshing to the listener.

    As time ticked on, he knew he had to say goodbye to Fu Han before leaving with hisputer.

    He Xing pushed the door open as gently as possible, but as soon as his face appeared in the crack of the door, the ward became as quiet as if a pause button had been pressed, with all eyes on him, and theughter vanished without a trace.

    He felt saddened, but more than that, guilty.

    Since Fu Han woke up yesterday, this was the first time he had seen herugh, but Fu Han¡¯sugh no longer belonged to him. Now, even his presence was a mistake.

    He Xing forced a smile, pretending not to have heard theughter from before, and asked in a light tone, ¡°Fu Han, what are you all chatting about?¡±

    ¡°We were¡­¡± Fu Han¡¯s face flushed slightly, and with an innocent gaze that flitted away, she whispered, ¡°They were teaching me how to y a board game.¡±

    He Xing nodded, his smile deepening and growing gentler, ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    Fu Han shrank back a little, without saying a word.

    But this small gesture wounded He Xing deeply. He had intended to walk over to Fu Han and speak with her, but now his feet seemed leaden, rooted to the spot.

    His smile stiffened, but his voice remained gentle, ¡°Xiaohan, I need to step out for a bit to handle Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s issue. Is it okay if Ie back to see you once I¡¯m done?¡±

    Somehow, seeing He Xing¡¯s appeasing demeanor, Fu Han¡¯s heart ached as if it were pierced by needles, leaving her breathless with pain. She nodded, then after a moment added, ¡°Be safe.¡±

    He Xing chuckled, the first heartfeltugh he had had since Fu Han woke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to fight anyone; there won¡¯t be any safety issues.¡±

    Fu Han knew she had misspoken, her face flushing deeply. The image of He Xing¡¯s unexpected smile lingered in her mind, leaving her unable to utter another word.

    Feeling as though he might have frightened Fu Han again, He Xing hastily packed up hisputer and such, said goodbye, and left with his briefcase.

    The ward returned to quiet, but this time, something seemed to have changed, yet it also seemed as if nothing had at all.

    How long it was no one could tell¡ªperhaps a long time, or maybe just a few minutes¡ªwhen Ji Liangchuan heaved a deep sigh, ¡°Why do I feel like He Xing is a bit pitiful?¡±

    Nan Qing immediately agreed, nodding vigorously, ¡°I feel the same way. He Xing used to not even smile, but now in front of Fu Han, he dares not smile. It feels¡­ it feels like his spine has bent.¡±

    Thisst remark struck Fu Han profoundly, and a sentiment called ¡°heartache¡± surged in her. Her fingers unwittingly twirled the hem of her hospital gown round and round.

    Finally, she turned to Su Cheng, ¡°Can you¡­ can you help me tell He Xing something? Just tell him¡­ tell him I¡¯m not mad at him.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Su Cheng agreed readily, immediately taking out his phone to send He Xing a message. Afterposing it, he showed it to Fu Han for confirmation before hitting send.

    On the side, Ji Liangchuan looked thoughtfully at Su Cheng and Fu Han interacting so intimately, even with four people in the room, they seemed to have a barrier around them, one that the others couldn¡¯t enter.

    Ji Liangchuan couldn¡¯t help thinking to himself, if Fu Han truly had permanent amnesia, then it might be that He Xing could never have her again.

    Not just Ji Liangchuan felt this way; Nan Qing had a stark realisation as well.

    But her concern wasn¡¯t for He Xing; it was for Su Cheng. With Fu Han relying on Su Cheng as she was now, if she didn¡¯t regain her memory, it would be the most natural thing for them to be together.

    But if Fu Han did regain her memory and found out that the person she loved most was He Xing, wouldn¡¯t that be too cruel for Su Cheng?

 Chapter 197 - 197 197 Maintain Distance

    ?Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Maintain Distance   Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Maintain Distance                                   The stic surgery expert invited by He Xing had arrived. He Xing made a phone call asking Ji Liangchuan to make arrangements, instructing that Fu Han¡¯s facial wounds should not be examined today. The expert woulde to consult when Fu Han had her dressing changed tomorrow morning.

    Nan Qing took the opportunity to send Su Cheng away too, telling him to apany Ji Liangchuan in making the arrangements.

    For a moment, only Fu Han and Nan Qing remained in the ward.

    They were best friends, who shared everything, but now, as they looked at each other, they suddenly found themselves lost for words.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze fell on the windowsill, where outside a colorful butterfly was dancing gracefully. It was hard to imagine that beneath its enormous wings, the body was so tiny.

    Nan Qing, eyes filled withpassion, finally broke the silence, ¡°Fu Han, I¡­ I have something I want to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Fu Han turned her head to look at Nan Qing, a smile still on her face, but because of the bandages wrapped around it, her smile appeared somewhat eerie.

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes brimmed with even morepassion. She bit her lip hard, but she still spoke: ¡°Fu Han, I know you¡¯ve forgotten the past, and I know you¡¯re relying on Su Cheng right now, but have you ever thought about what if you regain your memory?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡± Fu Han¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, causing a heart-wrenching effect on those who saw it.

    A flood of guilt overwhelmed Nan Qing. She struggled to open her mouth and decided to tell the truth: ¡°Fu Han, you know Su Cheng likes you, but you¡¯ve already broken up with him. If you continue to be so close to him, I¡¯m afraid he will never be able to get over you. What will he do when¡­ when you regain your memory?¡±

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is, I should keep my distance from Su Cheng, right?¡± Fu Han smiled, her eyes glistening with tears, as if she was harboring a great grievance, but she still spoke slowly: ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll keep my distance from him.¡±

    Nan Qing had finally said what she wanted to say. She felt a sense of relief, but there was also a sense as if something was stuck in her heart, unclear and deeply ufortable.

    ¡­

    A five-star hotel under the He Group.

    The press conference for Luo Qinghe was being held here. Though it had not started yet, there were already many people waiting outside, including invited journalists, paparazzi who had heard the news, and onlookers who had learned about the event.

    After leaving the hospital, He Xing headed back to the office for a shower and a change of clothes. Now dressed in a fitted suit, meticulously buttoned at the cor and cuffs, his royal blue tie gave his handsome face a chilly, invible air, making him look like a sword ready to be unsheathed.

    Liang Tao followed close behind He Xing, his usually yful bronze face now serious. They were checking through a list, making sure there were no oversights.

    Luo Qinghe had already arrived at the venue and was whisked away by the stylist brought in by Lin Na. Lin Na insisted that even for a press conference, one must dress up seriously, absolutely no one should say anything bad about Bai Wei¡¯s taste.

    He Xing didn¡¯t think much of Lin Na¡¯s assertion, but as long as it didn¡¯t affect the press conference, he didn¡¯t care.

    With less than ten minutes before the press conference, the stylist brought Luo Qinghe over. He Xing asked Liang Tao to do one final check of the personnel, then he pulled Luo Qinghe aside and spoke to him in a low voice.

    Ten minutes to go, the journalists started to enter, taking their seats.

    With three minutes to the start, Luo Qinghe made his entrance, the shbulbs popping so fiercely that it was blinding.

    Luo Qinghe remainedposed, sitting down calmly, adjusting the microphone height, and gesturing for silence with a downward press of his hands. Then, in an even tone, he began his speech.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I am Luo Qinghe. Regarding the incident that urred yesterday, I feel it is necessary to give an exnation; I met Bai Wei during a trip to Antarcticast fall, and it was she who invited me to star in the film ¡®Yearning for Return¡¯. We confirmed our rtionship on the second day of the lunar new year. Our original n was to announce our rtionship at the ¡®Yearning for Return¡¯ celebration banquet.¡±

    A current A-list actress announcing a rtionship? Such explosive news set off a flurry of shbulbs.

    A journalist asked, ¡°Mr. Luo, can you tell us about what happened with Qin Xiaonian?¡±

    ¡°Qin Xiaonian, I only learned her name yesterday at the hospital. Before that, I only knew she was Xia Ning¡¯s assistant. Right before the premiere began yesterday, I had my assistant prepare a ss of honey water for me. The one who brought it in was Qin Xiaonian. I didn¡¯t think much of it and drank it, but I don¡¯t know what happened after that.¡±

    It was clear that Luo Qinghe was implying there was something wrong with that ss of honey water, another bombshell piece of information.

    A journalist pressed on, ¡°Mr. Luo, do you have any evidence to prove what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still investigating the matter myself, and I will announce any new information as soon as possible. The main reason I¡¯m holding this press conference today is to ask everyone to stop attacking Bai Wei. She is a victim in this matter, thank you.¡±

    Other journalists wanted to ask more questions, but Lin Na stepped forward to speak first: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, Bai Wei was involved in a car ident yesterday and is currently resting in the hospital. Please do not disturb her, and kindly ry this to her fans¡ªshe will always be there.¡±

    By the time Lin Na was speaking, Luo Qinghe had already left with the protection of his bodyguards, and the journalists couldn¡¯t find him.

    Lin Na had taken over the job of the host, politely seeing off the journalists with a microphone: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have responded to your most pressing questions. Today¡¯s press conference has concluded. Thank you all for taking the time to attend. Please ensure that our message is conveyed in full. We reject any misinterpretation, and reserve the right to take legal action against any malicious misrepresentation.¡±

    Lin Na, with her decade-plus years as a gold medal manager in the entertainment circle, spoke wlessly, like a smooth, uncatchable pearl, leaving the journalists without a clear target for their punches.

    Knowing they had no other recourse, the journalists¡¯ only option was to publish the interview content. Everybody had simr materials, and now it was a race to see who could post faster. The battle against the clock had begun.

    ¡­

    The ward of Luo Qinghe.

    At that moment, only Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo were in the ward. Over an hour ago, Luo Qinghe had been taken away, and Li Qingjiang had left right after him upon receiving a call from thepany.

    An hour had passed; Li Huazhi remained sitting on the sofa, watching hisputer screen intently and asionally typing something.

 Chapter 198 - 198 198 Watching the Quarrel

    ?Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Watching the Quarrel   Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Watching the Quarrel                                   Li Huazhi looked as if he was seriously working, but in fact, he waspletely disinterested in his work, or one could say that ever since he came to the hospital yesterday, his mood had been unable to remain calm.

    Take the email open on hisputer right now, for instance. Normally, it would take him only a few minutes to deal with an email, never more than ten minutes, but now, more than an hour had passed, and all he had managed to do was to forcefully concentrate on two or three emails.

    He was good at disguising it, so at first nce, you would think he was earnestly working. Unfortunately, he could deceive others but not Luo Qiluo.

    At first, Luo Qiluo did indeed act very calm, but when she realized Li Huazhi truly treated her as if she were invisible, her inner rage grew stronger and stronger. Her perfectly neat cheongsam had be crumpled from her agitation.

    She forced herself to admire the scenery outside the window, and once her mood had somewhat stabilized, she spoke as calmly as possible, ¡°Husband, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Working,¡± Li Huazhi replied without looking up, his tone as gentle as usual.

    But Luo Qiluo could still pick out the impatience in his words right away. Her anger finally erupted as she said spitefully, ¡°Li Huazhi, stop pretending to be working diligently in front of me. All you¡¯re thinking about now is Bai Qian, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Must you speak so unpleasantly?¡± Li Huazhi finally looked up, anger on his somewhat plump face, although the outline of his youthful face could still be discerned despite his middle-age spread and thinning hair.

    Luo Qiluo crossed her arms and sneered unceasingly, ¡°Unpleasant? I¡¯ve been married to you for so many years, bore you two sons, and maintained your reputation in public. I¡¯ve been so good to you, yet you¡¯ve never stopped thinking about Bai Qian for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Who says?¡± Li Huazhi retorted, but the guilt in his eyes was obvious.

    Luo Qiluo¡¯s anger grew even fiercer. She abruptly stood up, walked up to Li Huazhi, and leaning her hands on the coffee table, she red at him furiously, ¡°For over thirty years, I¡¯ve been a stand-in for Bai Qian for over thirty years. Because she liked to wear cheongsams, I had to look good in cheongsams. To look good in them, I haven¡¯t had a full meal in over thirty years. And after all that, you still remember Bai Qian.¡±

    This tearful usation made Li Huazhi feel even more guilty. He looked up at Luo Qiluo and said in a low voice, ¡°I know I¡¯ve wronged you, but we agreed when we got married that there would always be someone in my heart. I thought that by fulfilling your every request over the years, you might feel a bit better.¡±

    ¡°Fulfilling my every request?¡± Luo Qiluo huffed coldly, nodding her head emphatically, ¡°Being good to me means never interfering when I spend money. You are so generous indeed. But what you have plenty of is money, while what I want is your heart. Tell me, have you ever given me your heart?¡±

    Li Huazhi fell silent; he couldn¡¯t deny the truth in Luo Qiluo¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t care about money, so Luo Qiluo could use as much as she wanted; but the only true heart he had was given entirely to Bai Qian, and no one else could have a piece of it.

    It took a long while before Li Huazhi finally spoke again, ¡°I thought¡­ I thought you were with me for the money, so I figured giving you money would be enough.¡±

    That statement was like a match that lit the fuse of a powder keg.

    With her face full of fury, Luo Qiluo red at Li Huazhi as if thunderstruck, ¡°I¡¯ve wasted thest thirty years on you; you actually think I¡¯m only after money. If that¡¯s the case, then we might as well get a divorce. I don¡¯t care about your money.¡±

    He Xing and Luo Qinghe returned together; as soon as they exited the elevator, they heard amotion. Luo Qinghe was curious about who was arguing, but after a few steps, he came to a sudden halt. The next second, he desperately ran towards his own ward¡ªHe had recognized that the voices arguing were those of his parents.

    His ward had turned into aplete mess, everything that could be smashed was in shambles, the ward was more chaotic than a dumpsite, with several doctors and nurses standing at the door not daring to speak out.

    Luo Qinghe, already in a bad mood, felt his anger intensify upon seeing this. He coldly chased away the onlooking doctors and nurses still at the door, ¡°Stop gawking here; go about your business. I willpensate for all the damages.¡±

    This was a premium ward; those who stayed here were either rich or powerful. No matter which category they belonged to, they were people not to be offended. The doctors and nurses were well aware of this and thus none dared to intervene in Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo¡¯s argument.

    The hallway finally quieted down. Luo Qinghe leaned against the door frame and knocked on the door, drawing the attention of the two inside, ¡°If you want to argue, go home and do it. Don¡¯t make a spectacle of yourselves here!¡±

    Li Huazhi snorted coldly, turning his head away from Luo Qiluo.

    Seeing Luo Qinghe, Luo Qiluo burst into tears as if she had found her support. She cried bitterly, using herself of the great sacrifices she made over the thirty years,ining about the many wrongdoings Li Huazhi hadmitted against her, alleging Luo Qinghe¡¯sck of filial piety and disobedience.

    In short, at this moment, in Luo Qiluo¡¯s eyes, nobody in the world had treated her right; she saw herself as the most pitiful person.

    Luo Qinghe listened silently, his expression unchanging throughout. When Luo Qiluo paused to catch her breath, he seized the opportunity to speak, ¡°Mom, have you said enough? If you really can¡¯t get along with Dad, just get a divorce. With your conditions, you could definitely find someone better.¡±

    ¡°Qinghe, what are you saying?¡± Li Huazhi voiced in anger.

    ¡°Luo Qinghe, I really raised you for nothing; you actually wish for your parents to get divorced!¡± Luo Qiluo chimed in.

    Luo Qinghe spread his hands in a helpless gesture, ¡°See, I tell you to get a divorce and you don¡¯t listen. Since you won¡¯t, then live your lives properly together.¡±

    At that moment, the couple realized they were yed by Luo Qinghe. Just as they were about to say something, their gaze was simultaneously drawn to the group standing behind Luo Qinghe.

    Turns out, at some point, He Xing, Fu Han, Su Cheng, Nan Qing, Bai Wei, and Bai Wei¡¯s parents had all gathered outside the door.

    This entire floor was filled with premium wards. Their section just happened to consist of three wards, and now all the patients and their families from those three wards had congregated outside Luo Qinghe¡¯s ward.

    Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo both felt somewhat embarrassed, whereas Luo Qinghe nonchntly said, ¡°I already told you to take your argument home; you wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±

    Bai Wei felt that Luo Qinghe¡¯s words were a bit harsh. She tugged at the hem of his clothes and whispered in his ear, ¡°Be a bit more polite when you talk to your parents.¡±

    Unexpectedly, their affectionate gesture once again infuriated Luo Qiluo. She rushed forward and pushed Bai Wei away, ¡°You little homewrecker, get lost. Don¡¯t touch my son.¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 199: Protecting Wife and Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Protecting Wife and Daughter</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei hadn¡¯t reacted yet, but Bai Qian had already started to protect her cub. Like a mother hen guarding her chick, she spread her hands to shield Bai Wei behind her, defiantly saying, "Mrs. Li, please show some respect when you speak, or else I reserve the right to sue."

    Having spent over twenty years abroad, she had forgotten that the habit of arguing in the domestic scene meant spitting out words in the heat of the moment. Suddenly, she had brazenly imported a foreign method of dealing with the situation.

    Luo Qiluo was not at all afraid; on the contrary, the rage in her heart intensified. She ced her hands on her hips and pointed at Bai Qian, yelling, "You old hag, what do you think you are, seducing someone else¡¯s husband, having a shameless mother like you is why there¡¯s a daughter like Bai Wei, throwing herself at men..."

    She couldn¡¯t finish herst sentence because she was interrupted, not by anything else, but by a p from Li Huazhi.

    From the moment Luo Qiluo opened her mouth to speak, Li Huazhi had been walking towards her. Unfortunately, since Li Huazhi was originally standing by the bedside, the distance of a few meters allowed Luo Qiluo to pour everything out like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, saying things she should and shouldn¡¯t have said.

    Li Huazhi reached Luo Qiluo from behind, grabbed her shoulder with one hand, and forcefully yanked her, not only pping her but also throwing her to the ground.

    "You hit me?" Luo Qiluo cried out, covering her face. The quality Cheongsam she wore was now wrinkled like a crumpled piece of white paper, which, even if clean, no one would bother to look at anymore.

    Luo Qinghe was already angry when Luo Qiluo was speaking ill of Bai Wei.

    But now, seeing his father striking his mother so mercilessly in front of everyone, he began to sympathize with his mother again. Like an arrow released from a bow, he rushed forward, propping up Luo Qiluo with his only uninjured hand, and used Li Huazhi with a cold face, "Dad, you¡¯ve gone too far, why did you hit Mom?"

    In fact, after hitting her, Li Huazhi was somewhat regretful, but hearing Luo Qinghe speak that way now, he couldn¡¯t save face, and could only continue with a furious expression, "Listen to what your mother is saying, should an elder speak like that?"

    With someone backing her, Luo Qiluo suddenly became arrogant again, "Li Huazhi, you really went too far, for decades you still can¡¯t forget that woman, now you hit me for that woman, you..."

    p!

    Another p sounded. This time it was not from Li Huazhi, but from the always silent Fu Xingbo.

    He stood before Luo Qinghe and Luo Qiluo, his figure tall and straight, even slightly taller than Luo Qinghe.

    All he said, coldly, was, "Mrs. Li, if you continue to speak disrespectfully, I assure you, it won¡¯t be as simple as a p."

    Luo Qinghe, who didn¡¯t feel his mother was right to begin with, now saw her refusing to repent and speaking such foul words, also got angry. Seeing Bai Wei¡¯s father hit her, Luo Qinghe turned his head and pretended not to see.

    Interestingly, after being pped by Fu Xingbo, Luo Qiluo was dumbfoundedly staring at him, not cursing as before.

    But her cheeks bore a clear p mark on each side, which looked particrlyical and ridiculous.

    Fu Xingbo no longer looked at Luo Qiluo; he turned to Li Huazhi, his tone reverting to the slow cadence typical of European aristocrats, "Mr. Li, I have heard that you and my wife attended the same university and are therefore alumni. Furthermore, considering the rtionship between your son and my daughter, I will overlook Mrs. Li¡¯s behavior today, but I reserve the right to pursue the matter. Please ensure propermunication within your family so that I will not have to hear any more ndering of my wife and daughter."

    "I assure you this will not happen again," Li Huazhi hurriedly replied, his eyes asionally wandering to Bai Qian at the door; regrettably, Bai Qian¡¯s gaze was fixed on Fu Xingbo, not giving him a nce.

    With one hand holding Bai Qian and the other holding Bai Wei, Fu Xingbo turned to leave, the three of them never looking back at Luo Qiluo again.

    The doorway to the ward suddenly cleared out. Fu Han, He Xing, Nan Qing, and Su Cheng, who had been obscured, now stood exposed. Apart from He Xing, the expressions on the other three faces were more or less awkward.

    Nan Qing was the first to recover, forcing a dryugh, "Aunt Luo, Uncle Li, please don¡¯t argue anymore, my parents always say you two are the most affectionate."

    Li Huazhi squeezed out a faint smile, speaking as kindly as possible, "I got it, thank you, everything is fine now, you can go about your business."

    "Okay," said Nan Qing with another smile, trying to ease the awkwardness carved by the spectacle, quickly leaving without paying further attention to the other three, shamelessly escaping.

    In such situations, men¡¯s faces are often thinner than women¡¯s, and Su Cheng¡¯s face turned from white to red and then from red to white. He coughed twice and said, "Brother Qinghe, maybe you should take Auntie to... to check her face, I... I should go now."

    He really had struck a nerve, unintentionally dancing in a minefield; even Fu Han, who hadn¡¯t yet fully grasped theplex web of rtionships, knew that Su Cheng¡¯s words were poking at sore spots.

    Indeed, Luo Qiluo¡¯s face turned very ugly, as grim as a rock in atrine, both stinking and hard.

    She was still absorbing the shock when she realized Luo Qiluo was ring at her with malicious intent, a sickly red flushing her face.

    After all, she did not know whether she had any past entanglements with Luo Qiluo and dared not speak rashly, especially with Luo Qiluo¡¯s frightening gaze causing her to involuntarily take two steps back.

    Suddenly, her back was met with a warm embrace. Turning around, she found herself facing He Xing¡¯s sharp, star-like eyes, their obsidian depths maically drawing her gaze in.

    He Xing¡¯s hand gently rested on her shoulder as he whispered almost inaudible, "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here," and then he nodded towards Luo Qinghe, easily leading Fu Han away with a slight pull.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t understand why she followed him, but his "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here" seemed almost magical, or perhaps these words sounded incredibly familiar as if they were a memory she couldn¡¯t forget even after drinking the Spicy Soup in her previous life.

    Su Cheng followed three steps behind them, his eyes fixed on the arm that He Xing had wrapped around Fu Han, his gaze growing deeper.

    Some watch the scenery on the bridge; others watch those on the bridge from the window.

    The situation was just so. Nan Qing¡¯s eyes uncontrobly followed Su Cheng, her heart filled with destion, realizing that even after deciding to give up, years of habit were hard to break, and at any moment, he was still the focus of your attention.

    It was only when reaching the door of the ward that Fu Han became aware that He Xing was still holding her shoulder. Startled like a frightened deer, she broke free from his embrace and said with a blushing face and lowered head, "That... thank you for earlier."

 Chapter 200: No Need to Say Thanks

    <h4>Chapter 200: Chapter 200: No Need to Say Thanks</h4><h4></h4>

    "Between us, ¡¯thank you¡¯ is never needed," He Xing said with his head lowered, his prating eyes fixed on Fu Han, insistently advising, "Remember that, okay?"

    "I remember," Fu Han¡¯s distinctively clear eyes desperately dodged He Xing¡¯s burning gaze. Her look wandered to Nan Qing and Su Cheng nearby, but eventually, she mustered the courage to meet his eyes, "I... Can we find a ce to talk?"

    This was the first time Fu Han had taken the initiative to speak with He Xing since waking up, suggesting to "talk" with him. He Xing looked at her, surprised and delighted, and quickly nodded, "Of course, I¡¯ll take you to a nice ce."

    As he spoke, he reached out to take Fu Han¡¯s hand, but as soon as he touched the back of her hand, she reacted intensely and drew back.

    A wounded expression shed across He Xing¡¯s face, but in the next second, he returned to normal, mocking himself with ease, "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just used to it. I won¡¯t do it again next time."

    Fu Han nodded in response, and they walked one after the other towards the elevator not far away.

    ...

    This was thergest hospital in the city center, and to provide a morefortable environment for the inpatients, there was a garden not far from the Inpatient Department.

    The hospital had a long history, as did the flowers and trees in the garden.

    Towering trees notmonly seen in the city center were quitemon in this modest garden. Each tree was surrounded by railings, with wooden benches arranged on the outside for passersby to sit and rest.

    It was already past four in the afternoon; the relentless sun gave off light and heat. Even though lush branches sheltered them overhead, the asional ray of sunlight that peeked through the leaves was enough to make someone squint.

    Fu Han shielded her eyes with her hand, curiously observing the camphor tree above. Its lush leaves interspersed with beige flowers, which fell like snowkes in the breeze.

    The ground was covered with a thinyer of camphor flowers. Each small and inconspicuous on its own, but together they clustered inrge patches, looking like scattered jade pendants on the ground¡ªquite beautiful.

    Fu Han liked it when the camphor flowers drifted down in the wind, feeling in those moments that the world was exceptionally beautiful.

    He Xing watched Fu Han from the side. The white gauze on her face was jarring, but her neatly distinctshes were even more captivating, not to mention her amber eyes that glimmered like a cat¡¯s.

    Whenever he looked into Fu Han¡¯s eyes, all the negative emotions in his heart would melt away instantaneously.

    He was eager to know what Fu Han wanted to say, but he didn¡¯t want to interrupt her, fearing that it might scare her. He even wished he could capture this moment with her in a photograph.

    Suddenly, Fu Han turned to look at He Xing, her half-intact face revealing a faint smile. She tilted her head thoughtfully before speaking earnestly, "Before... did you treat me this way in the past? So..."

    She paused for a while, seeming to search for the right words: "So cautious with your words and actions? It feels... not like a couple, but more like a superior and subordinate."

    A dull pain began to throb in He Xing¡¯s heart again, not wanting to dismiss her frivolously. After thinking, he decided to speak the truth, "We didn¡¯t interact like this before, but I caused your car ident and disfigurement... You don¡¯t remember me, and you always avoid me. I¡¯m afraid that if I say something wrong, you... will never want to see me again."

    "So that¡¯s how it is," Fu Han smiled faintly, casually sweeping the hair from her cheeks,menting nonchntly, "I can see you really liked me... the former me. So, you couldn¡¯t have caused the ident on purpose. Besides, you¡¯ve brought the stic surgeon over, so my face will be fine before long."

    Listening to her speak so indifferently about herself, as if she were discussing someone insignificant, the sorrow in He Xing¡¯s heart swelled like the rising tide, overwhelming him in an instant.

    Unable to remainposed any longer, his tone rose sharply, "You¡¯ve lost your memory, how can it be the same? What should I do if you never recall our past?"

    Fu Han, with no memory of the past, was surprised by He Xing¡¯s intense reaction. But realizing it stemmed from his affection for her, she felt a sense of understanding.

    She smiled kindly, "But even if I have truly lost my memory, I am still Fu Han, aren¡¯t I? You can still... still..."

    Amidst He Xing¡¯s agitated gaze, Fu Han ultimately averted her eyes and said as calmly as possible, "You can still be friends with me."

    Thest glimmer of hope in He Xing¡¯s heart flickered out, and he watched Fu Han with a deste gaze. As he watched, he suddenly remembered that his look might pressure her.

    He hastily withdrew his gaze and forced himself to smile, "Right, even if you don¡¯t remember me, we can still get to know each other again. Whatever happens, whatever you think of me, I will always watch over you."

    Fu Han, who had started to stand up to escape the suffocating atmosphere, was moved by He Xing¡¯s words. She turned around, came back, and gently hugged He Xing.

    Since learning of Fu Han¡¯s car ident, He Xing¡¯s heart had never been at peace, filled with regret, worry, fear, and resentment at the heavens¡¯ injustice for subjecting Fu Han to such ordeals.

    But now, Fu Han¡¯s embrace healed him, and he suddenly felt that fate was not too cruel to him after all¡ªat least Fu Han was still by his side; at least there was still a chance to make amends for his mistakes.

    Another breeze blew through, with camphor flowers falling like snowkes and a light floral fragrance in the air.

    ...

    As Fu Han and He Xing left, Su Cheng¡¯s devastated expression was impossible to hide even if he had wanted to.

    "Stop looking; they¡¯re out of sight." Nan Qing¡¯s long sigh resonated, like a sprite hidden deep in the forest that had briefly visited the mortal world and be touched by mundane concerns, carrying a hint of pity.

    When Su Cheng¡¯s gaze finally settled on the elevator doors before shifting to Nan Qing, all that remained on his face was a smile, bright as sunlight on marble flooring¡ªwithout a shadow, only radiating light: "Yeah, I know."

    Actually, Nan Qing was aware that Su Cheng had no desire to speak again, but she still had a belly full of words that needed expressing.

    Leaning against the cold wall, her clear gaze tenderly enveloped Su Cheng, "Fu Han has lost her memory. Have you ever thought of helping her recover it?"

 Chapter 201: Useless, Donâ€™t Touch Me

    <h4>Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Useless, Don¡¯t Touch Me</h4><h4></h4>

    "Of course I¡¯ve thought about it," said Su Cheng, a fleeting glint in his eyes, but it dimmed the next second, and even the tone of his voice noticeably turned gloomy, "But the doctor said there¡¯s nothing wrong with her brain, and they can¡¯t find the reason for her amnesia."

    "So..." Nan Qing¡¯s gaze softened as it sharpened, staring unwaveringly at Su Cheng, "I mean, if Fu Han has amnesia and confesses to you, would you be with her?"

    "How could that be possible!" Su Cheng shook his head like a rattle-drum.

    "Do you mean to say that it¡¯s impossible for her to confess to you, or that even if she did, you wouldn¡¯t agree?" Nan Qing was relentless in her pursuit with her beautiful eyes locked on Su Cheng.

    Under her gaze, a blush crept up Su Cheng¡¯s cheeks, and for the first time, he felt a sense of oppressioning from Nan Qing¡ªsomeone who shared his birthday and was only an hour older than him.

    The question from Nan Qing just now was far too heavy, and he actually hadn¡¯t thought it through. His intention was to give a perfunctory answer and move past it, but now it seemed that Nan Qing wasn¡¯t going to give him that chance.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze moved to the small window at the end of the corridor. The vastness of the world seemed constricted by that window, and everyone in sight through it appeared to be trapped in a cage, like frogs at the bottom of a well.

    Nan Qing also looked in the direction of Su Cheng¡¯s gaze; she wasn¡¯t in a hurry for Su Cheng to answer right away, but her posture clearlymunicated that she would stand there waiting for Su Cheng to deliver the answer he¡¯d contemted.

    Time passed, the clouds in the sky drifted aimlessly until, atst, a palm-sized cloud was framed outside the small window.

    Su Cheng¡¯s clear and mature voice finally rang out, "I like Fu Han and wouldn¡¯t change my feelings for her, not even if she were disfigured. Deep in my heart, I long for her to like me; if... if she says she likes me without regaining her memory, I... I can¡¯t guarantee that I wouldn¡¯t ept."

    Nan Qing heard clearly something shattering¡ªit was her painstakingly pieced-together heart breaking into fragments again, but this time morepletely, not only because her love was unrequited but also because the utopian boy of her heart had disappeared.

    That night, Nan Qing stayed alone in therge house at Huating No.1, pulling out bottle after bottle from the cab and increasing the count of empty bottles on the floor.

    The wines in the cab were all fine ones she had moved from home recently. Usually, when she and Fu Han stayed upte or sat in the living room to rest, they would pour a ss to savor, but today she cleared them out.

    The room reeked of alcohol, so pungent that it was hard to keep your eyes open. Even the gusty wind blowing in from the balcony seemed unable to disperse it.

    Nan Qing could barely keep her eyes open, her belly filled to the brim with alcohol. Any more and she would vomit, but still, she clutched the wine bottle without letting go, realizing the red wine she had drunk today was worth about the cost of an apartment.

    It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t they say drink to drown one¡¯s sorrows? Then why the more she drank, the clearer she became, the more her heart ached?

    For years, in her heart, Su Cheng was always that sunny, bright young man¡ªthe kind you scrutinize under a magnifying ss, wless.

    But now, this young man says if Fu Han truly confesses to him, he doesn¡¯t know how to refuse?

    Nan Qing had thought that being forced to give up on Su Cheng was painful enough, but she hadn¡¯t realized that it was even more painful to discover that Su Cheng wasn¡¯t the person she had imagined.

    But could she me Su Cheng?

    No!

    Su Cheng doesn¡¯t have to change for anyone, does he?

    It was she who always imposed her own imagination on Su Cheng, she who indulged in things that shouldn¡¯t be mysterious, and now it¡¯s time for her to wake up.

    ...

    At the Yang Group, in the general manager¡¯s office.

    Though summer hadn¡¯t fully arrived yet, Xia Ning had already switched to summer clothing. Today she wore a pink and white checkered strappy sundress, which not only showcased her perfect figure but also drew eyes to her bare arms and snow-white legs.

    She stood with her arms crossed in front of the desk, her manner fierce as she demanded, "Yang Kaitai, what kind of job are you doing? Didn¡¯t you assure Luo Qinghe¡¯s mother that you¡¯d absolutely prevent him from making any statements?"

    Yang Kaitai shamelessly ogled Xia Ning, nearly undressing her with his eyes, while he stroked his chin carelessly and said, "That old woman doesn¡¯t keep her word; she can¡¯t control her son, so neither can I."

    "I don¡¯t care!" Xia Ning plopped down on the sofa, "You promised me that ¡¯Pensive Return¡¯ would fail to screen. Now that Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s issue has been dealt with, won¡¯t this movie still be shown?"

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s gaze seemed glued to Xia Ning as he sat beside her, his hand wandering inappropriately across her body, a sinister smile creeping onto his face, "Don¡¯t you still have Qin Xiaonian? As long as she tells the journalists that Bai Wei is the other woman, proims that Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei are illicit lovers, what more could you fear?"

    "You¡¯re right; how could I have overlooked that?" Xia Ning¡¯s eyes brightened, and she stood to leave, "Qin Xiaonian was sent away by my brother; I¡¯ll tell him to find her."

    "Don¡¯t go," Yang Kaitai quickly reached out and pulled Xia Ning into his embrace, his lips approaching hers as his hands started to pull at her dress.

    "Let go of me!" But Xia Ning was prepared; her knee struck hard at Yang Kaitai¡¯s groin, "So indecisive when I ask you for a favor, ruining my mood, and you still expect benefits?"

    Xia Ning stood up, straightening her dress while coldly eying Yang Kaitai; her kick had carried with it full malice, no mercy spared.

    At this moment, Yang Kaitai was curling up on the sofa like a shrimp, endlessly muttering ¡¯pain, pain, pain,¡¯ where now was his usual arrogance?

    Since being released from prison, how many times had Xia Ning been coerced or left with no choice but to be with him? She finally felt a small sense of vindication.

    Xia Ning bent down to whisper disdainfully into Yang Kaitai¡¯s ear, "Yang Kaitai, if it weren¡¯t for your marginal usefulness, I wouldn¡¯t even let you touch me. If you still want to be with me, then you better work hard to make it happen, make the He Group regret crossing paths with you."

    After saying this, she didn¡¯t linger, turning around and walking out directly.

    Xia Ning left Yang Kaitai¡¯s office, walking down the hall in her high heels with an elevated chin, all but literally wearing "disdain for everyone" written across her face.

    Everyone she encountered along the way bowed and greeted her with "Good day, Miss Xia," yet to Xia Ning¡¯s disdain, she didn¡¯t even acknowledge their greetings.

 Chapter 202: Morning Surprise

    <h4>Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Morning Surprise</h4><h4></h4>

    As evening approached, the question of who should stay for the night became an issue, and now it seemed an important and difficult one to resolve.

    He Xing¡¯s attitude was very clear, he was determined to stay the night, even if it meant sleeping on the floor or, at worst, outside in the hospital corridor.

    But the problem was Su Cheng also actively wanted to stay, and Fu Han was obviously more affectionate towards him. Although she didn¡¯t say it directly, her attitude clearly showed she wanted Su Cheng to stay.

    Seeing Fu Han¡¯s troubled expression, He Xing felt as if his heart was bleeding, but in the end, hepromised, "Xiaohan, if you agree, maybe Su Cheng and I could both stay to take care of you."

    This proposal was the only one that satisfied the wishes of all three, and although Fu Han felt a bit embarrassed, she agreed.

    In fact, He Xing and Su Cheng staying wasn¡¯t particrly useful, because He Xing had found the best caretaker for Fu Han, and since she only had some injuries to her cheek and arm, she wasn¡¯t especially limited in her movements.

    As night truly fell, it was time to sleep, and a new issue presented itself.

    Inside the ward were two beds, one was Fu Han¡¯s hospital bed, and the other a sofa that could be extended into a 1.2-meter wide bed for the person staying overnight.

    Fu Han looked worriedly at the two men standing in front of her, each about 1.8 meters tall, struggling to imagine how they would sleep on that 1.2-meter bed.

    When the two men saw Fu Han¡¯s worried gaze, they immediately softened and unanimously insisted it was no problem at all, they could definitely fit.

    Then, under Fu Han¡¯s stunned gaze, they genuinelyid down shoulder to shoulder.

    From Fu Han¡¯s perspective, it was like forcefully stuffing two dolls into a small box, an indescribable feeling, both funny and bittersweet, amusing yet a bit eerie.

    Her mood lightened immediately, the pain in her arm and cheek diminished a lot, and she easily drifted into dreams.

    Fu Han slept much more soundly this night than thest, having woken up several times then, always feeling restless, puzzled by the past and shrouded by the uncertainties of the future.

    But tonight, she slept with unprecedented peace, her heart having be much steadier within just a day. She knew that even if she truly couldn¡¯t remember her past, there would be people to apany her towards the future, and that was enough.

    Early the next morning, before He Xing and Su Cheng had risen, Liang Tao had already arrived with the expert Daisi, who had hurried over from abroad overnight.

    Liang Tao gaped at the sleeping positions of He Xing and Su Cheng, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg; it was no wonder he was astonished, as even Fu Han was shocked when she saw them earlier.

    The reason was straightforward: the sleeping posture of He Xing and Su Cheng was just too... intimate. Su Cheng¡¯s head rested on He Xing¡¯s arm, He Xing had his arm around Su Cheng¡¯s waist, and their four legs were tangled up like ¡¯Luohan.¡¯ Anyone who didn¡¯t know better might think they were a couple.

    Swallowing hard, Liang Tao tentatively asked Fu Han, "Lady, should I wake them up?"

    Before Fu Han could reply, He Xing had already opened his eyes. Seeing Liang Tao, he promptly tried to sit up, "Liang Tao, has the expert arrived?"

    But as he moved, he realized his arm was pinned down by something. His gaze followed and saw his and Su Cheng¡¯s sleeping arrangement, making even someone asposed as him let out a shriek. He then withdrew his arm forcefully and without mercy, and Su Cheng, unprepared in his sleep, thudded onto the floor.

    Fortunately, hended on his buttocks, but the fall still left him utterly bewildered. Rubbing his head and trying to open his eyes, he asked in confusion, "What happened?"

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and burst intoughter, her tinklingughter echoing in the ward, persisting for a long time.

    He Xing was initially upset, but hearing herugh, his mood also improved significantly, so he stopped minding the sleeping issue and, taking a set of clothes, headed to the restroom.

    As for Su Cheng, he just sat there on the floor, staring nkly at Fu Han, smiling as sheughed, his mind aplete nk, not even realizing he was still sitting on the floor.

    In the end, it was Fu Han who couldn¡¯t bear watching any longer and embarrassingly reminded Su Cheng, "You... maybe you should get up first before we talk?"

    Finally, it was time for rounds, and Daisi, together with Fu Han¡¯s head doctor, came over to examine her. Of course, Daisi¡¯s main concern was to check Fu Han¡¯s face.

    When it was time to remove the gauze, He Xing and Su Cheng both stared tensely, their hearts beating as loudly as drums, yet they both desperately held their breath, fearful of missing even half a sentence, more anxious than Fu Han herself.

    Daisi conducted the examination meticulously, even pulling out a magnifying ss at one point.

    The lengthy examination finally concluded, and pushing his gold-rimmed sses up his nose, Daisi slowly said, "The main reason for her facial damage is bone injury inside her cheek, some levels of damage can¡¯t be operated on, a detailed examination is required for this, and right now, I cannot give you a definitive result."

    Although this wasn¡¯t the best answer everyone had hoped for, it wasn¡¯t the worst either, there was still hope, wasn¡¯t there?

    Everyone, including Fu Han, let out a breath of relief unintentionally.

    Although Fu Han had lost her memory, she was still a girl who wanted to be beautiful, so despite the painful checking process, she endured it with gritted teeth.

    The results of the check-up would only be avable the following day. He Xing instructed Liang Tao to set aside all his duties, take Daisi to enjoy the sights and shopping in A City, with He Xing covering all expenses.

    Su Cheng¡¯s parents called in a series of urgent calls, mentioning an important matter that required his return. He couldn¡¯t avoid it, and he indeed had some issues to discuss with his parents, so he made a solemn promise to Fu Han that as soon as his business was taken care of, he would return immediately.

    Now only Fu Han and He Xing were left in the ward. Initially, Fu Han worried that He Xing would engage her in conversation again, but luckily, he didn¡¯t. Instead, he took out a book from his briefcase for Fu Han and buried himself inputer work. Unless necessary, he didn¡¯t speak another word to her.

    The book he gave to Fu Han was titled "Identity Anxiety," and after only a few pages, Fu Han was quietly astounded. The book was indeed very suitable for her current situation.

    The hospital was lively in the morning, and even though the Inpatient Department was at the back of the hospital, the bustle from the front could still reach there. The noise, softened by the distance, carried a hint of the world¡¯s liveliness, bringing some warmth to the quiet ward.

 Chapter 203: The Unspoken Retention

    <h4>Chapter 203: Chapter 203: The Unspoken Retention</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han asionally looked up at He Xing¡¯s back, He was extremely serious while working, and somehow, he looked even more... handsome when engrossed in his tasks.

    His spine was always straight, no matter what; even when he asionally stroked his chin in thought, he sat up ramrod straight, like a bamboo that would never bend, possessing an unyielding character.

    Suddenly, the piercing ring of a phone shattered the quiet of the ward¡ªsomeone was calling He Xing.

    For some reason, when the ringtone sounded, Fu Han¡¯s heart began to race uncontrobly, a sense of intense unease flooding her. Her hands even started trembling.

    Frowning, He Xing nced at his phone screen and thought for a moment before he stood up and said to Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m going out to take a call. I¡¯ll be right back."

    Fu Han didn¡¯t want him to leave, but the words wouldn¡¯te out, and she could only nod silently.

    True to his word, He Xing returned in two minutes, but before Fu Han¡¯s smile could bloom, He Xing, already wearing an apologetic face, said, "Xiaohan, there¡¯s been an emergency at thepany, and I have to go back for a bit. I¡¯ll return as soon as I sort things out, okay?"

    Fu Han really wanted to say no, but looking at the so-called "boyfriend" before her, she couldn¡¯t voice her refusal. Even though she had amnesia, she wasn¡¯t foolish ¡ª she knew that even if she really did ask him not to go, He Xing would still find other reasons to persuade her.

    Eventually, she just nodded, much like how she had mostlymunicated with He Xing since waking up¡ªa nod or a shake of the head, seldom speaking.

    He Xing hurriedly stuffed hisputer into his briefcase, hoisted his suit jacket, and walked two steps toward the door. Then he thought better of it and approached Fu Han¡¯s bedside. He reached out, intending to touch her.

    Fu Han watched him do all this, and she initially did not n to dodge, but identally catching a glimpse of guilt in He Xing¡¯s eyes, a sudden surge of anger rose within her. As his hand was about to touch her head, she turned away.

    "I¡¯m off, take care of yourself," said He Xing, hiding the disappointment in his eyes, and after the caregiver arrived, he left hurriedly with his briefcase.

    The call hade from Uncle Zhou, informing him that Grandfather had suddenly fainted at home and was now being urgently rushed to the hospital¡ªit was his own grandfather who had raised him, and he couldn¡¯t neglect this.

    ...

    Huangpu Group.

    Su Cheng, having left the hospital, drove straight there. The security guards at the entrance saw him from far off and eagerly came to greet him, calling him "Young Master" while opening the door for him.

    Despite the raging fury in his heart, he politely thanked the assiduous security guard.

    The spacious and bright headquarters of the Huangpu Group operated with meticulous order, each person like a small cog in a machine, working at their designated posts.

    Su Cheng took the CEO¡¯s private elevator directly to the top floor. As the elevator doors opened, the CEO¡¯s assistant was already waiting for him outside.

    Seeing Su Cheng, the assistant immediately put on a broad smile and said, "Young Master, the CEO is currently in a meeting; he asked you to wait in his office for a moment."

    "Take me to him," said Su Cheng, his sharp and angr face from recent weight loss looking particrly stern¡ªa fleeting likeness to He Xing¡¯s mercurial demeanor.

    The assistant scurried ahead of Su Cheng, spread his arms in an attempt to stop him, and pleaded with a woeful face, "Young Master, please don¡¯t make it difficult for me. If I let you interrupt the CEO¡¯s meeting again, he¡¯ll definitely fire me, and then I¡¯ll..."

    Before he could finish the thought, Su Cheng already pped the assistant¡¯s obstructing arm away, striding towards the meeting room.

    This was Su Cheng¡¯s family business, his home. Even though he had set out on his own to prove his capabilities, this was where he grew up. He knew the location of every single meeting room, so he naturally knew which one his father was in.

    Su Cheng stood in front of the three-meter-high meeting room door, took a deep breath, and pushed it open with force.

    Dozens of people were in a meeting and turned their gaze to the door upon hearing themotion. When they saw it was Su Cheng, they all revealed amiable smiles.

    For the family-owned Huangpu Group, Su Cheng was the crown prince, and the only one with a im to session, facing nopetitive obstacles.

    As he entered, Mrs. Huangpu was presenting financial matters. Seeing Su Cheng arrive, an involuntary look of affection crossed Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face, though her words were reproachful, "What are you doing, child? Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re in a meeting? Why can¡¯t you announce yourself beforeing in?"

    Another tradition within the Huangpu family business was that the Family Head and his wife each held the positions of CEO and Finance Director respectively, firmly keeping the Huangpu Group under their control.

    It¡¯s worth noting that the enduring sess of the Huangpu Group as a family-owned business was in no small part due to the outstanding capabilities of its Finance Directors from generation to generation.

    Furthermore, when Su Cheng became the CEO of the Huangpu Group, his future wife would also assume the role of Finance Director.

    Fu Han had studied majorspletely unrted to finance since childhood, which was one reason why Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu disapproved of her rtionship with Su Cheng, feeling she was utterly unqualified for the position of Finance Director.

    Su Cheng shook off his untimely daydreaming and looked expressionlessly at Mrs. Huangpu, "Mom, I need to talk to you. Could youe out for a moment?"

    "You¡¯re really bing less sensible as you grow up. Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re in the middle of a meeting?" Mr. Huangpu chided, his face, so simr to Su Cheng¡¯s, growing angry.

    "Are youing out or not?" said Su Cheng, as if totally oblivious to his parents¡¯ displeasure, his face emotionless. "If you don¡¯te out, then I will just say it right here."

    Mr. Huangpu¡¯s face had turned ashen, and Mrs. Huangpu immediately dropped her half-finished PPT and hurried over to Su Cheng. Pulling him outside, she whispered, "What¡¯s so important that you can¡¯t discuss it privately with us? Why must you embarrass your father and me like this?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s face was full of defiance, but out of respect for the onlooking crowd, he silently followed Mrs. Huangpu out.

    The two of them headed straight to Mr. Huangpu¡¯s CEO office. Mrs. Huangpu settled into an armchair and asked coldly, "Alright, tell me, why did youe here today?"

    "Why did you let the official Huangpu Group Weibo post that message?" Su Cheng demanded, his face red with anger. "The official ount criticized me, saying I¡¯m not the real Su Cheng of the Huangpu family, using me of seeking publicity."

    "Did that really happen? I wasn¡¯t aware," Mrs. Huangpu said, her voice oozing mock innocence. "Our Huangpu Group is a big target, and many like to ride on the coattails of our fame. Perhaps they simply made a mistake."

 Chapter 204 Mother-Son Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Mother-Son Confrontation</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng looked at the Mrs. Huangpu with an expression that read, "Do you think I believe you?" But the thought of Fu Han still in the hospital eventually calmed his impatience, and he said as calmly as possible, "Since that¡¯s the case, take me to the Public Rtions Department now and have them issue a statement acknowledging that I am Huangpu Su Cheng."

    "No." This time, Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s refusal was quick and decisive, "Do I even know you? If I let the official media recognize your identity, you will definitely speak up for Fu Han online."

    Sunlight streamed through the spacious and clean floor-to-ceiling windows, and whether by coincidence or not, Su Cheng stood beneath the sunlight, while Mrs. Huangpu stood in the shadows.

    Despite being mother and son, they clearly stood on opposing sides, like light and shadow, day and night, distinct as water from drainage.

    Su Cheng looked silently at Mrs. Huangpu, as if he were looking at someone he didn¡¯t recognize. After a long time, he slowly nodded, "Good, very good. Since you¡¯rebeling my Weibo as a troll, then I will call a press conference."

    Having said that, he didn¡¯t linger any longer and headed straight for the door.

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face finally changed color, and she yelled after Su Cheng¡¯s retreating figure with heart-wrenching agony, "Su Cheng, do you like Fu Han so much that you¡¯re willing to stand against your parents for her?"

    Su Cheng stopped in his tracks but didn¡¯t turn around; his voice was hoarse as he replied, "It¡¯s not that I like her that much, it¡¯s that your actions go against my principles as a person. You lie for so-called business territory, and you collude with rivals behind the scenes to strike at He Group. Do you think I don¡¯t know any of this?"

    "Who told you?" asked Mrs. Huangpu in a frantic outburst. Looking as white as a ghost, she ran to Su Cheng on her high heels, fearful he would run off.

    Su Cheng snorted coldly, his contemptuous expression growing more apparent, "I didn¡¯t know, but now I do."

    Mrs. Huangpu, eaten up by vexation, had never expected that one day her son, innocent as a white rabbit, would trap her in her own words, and seed at that, "So what are you nning to do? Expose your parents at the press conference?"

    "I don¡¯t know," said Su Cheng as he turned his head away, his heart deste.

    It is one thing to suspect, but to have those suspicions confirmed is another. Although he had gone overseas four years ago because he couldn¡¯t stand the excessive interference in his life by his parents, he had always regarded them as models of integrity, which was why Huangpu Group had been able to stand firm for so many years.

    But just now, his mother, whom he had idolized since childhood, had admitted that for thepany¡¯s development, they had joined others in targeting theirpetitors¡ªand it appeared that their methods were not necessarily fair.

    He felt as if his beliefs were crumbling, a sensation hardly better than the sky falling down.

    Mrs. Huangpu was also feeling very ufortable. On one hand, she was worried that her son couldn¡¯t handle it, and on the other, she feared what he might say to outsiders. She reached out to pat Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, but he dodged it.

    Her already pale face lost even thest trace of color, and for the first time before her son, she disyed a pleading look, "Su Cheng, listen to Mom. Not just ourpany, but every bigpany does this¡ªotherwise, how could they develop and grow, right?"

    "Don¡¯t talk to me aboutpany matters, I don¡¯t care," Su Cheng raised his voice sharply, looking down at Luo Qiluo with disdain, "Mom, I don¡¯t care how others conduct themselves, but I absolutely won¡¯t act against my conscience. Since no one is handling the matter I posted about on Weibo, I¡¯ll go and call a press conference."

    As he spoke, Su Cheng paused, then continued, "Rest assured, I will only rify the rtionships among myself, Fu Han, and He Xing. I won¡¯t talk about anything else."

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face visibly rxed a little, and when she realized her son was looking at her, she coughed awkwardly and diverted the subject, "But have you considered, if you rify now and if you and Fu Han end up togetherter, what will people say? People will say that you and Fu Han pretended to break up to trap He Xing. You may not care, but... but don¡¯t you care about Fu Han?"

    Her words instantly cooled Su Cheng¡¯s fiery passion. Over the past few days, all he could think of was to quickly rify the situation among the three of them, but he had to admit that what his mother said was true.

    Dark clouds drifted in from afar,pletely obscuring the sun and the sky suddenly darkened; golden lightning streaked across the sky like a snake, signaling theing storm.

    Summer had always been like this ¡ª clear skies one second could turn into thunder and lightning the next. Indeed, the raindrops,rge as beans, began to pitter-patter against the window, gathering on the exterior pane into meandering rivulets before sliding away and disappearing below.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze shifted from the rain to his mother, and he spoke tly, "We¡¯ll deal with the future when ites. If I don¡¯t do what needs to be done now because of some nebulous possibilities in the future, then how am I any different from those who freely smear others online?"

    After speaking, he did not stay any longer. He walked past Mrs. Huangpu and headed straight towards the door. Before he could open it, however, the door was pulled open from the outside, and in walked Mr. Huangpu, Su Cheng¡¯s father.

    Father and son stood face to face in the doorway, their faces barely concealing the rage within, like two atomic bombs on the verge of explosion.

    Mrs. Huangpu hurriedly stepped forward and seated them back on the sofa, summarizing what Su Cheng meant.

    Mr. Huangpu, holding a newly lit cigar in his hand, squinted his eyes, watching Su Cheng motionlessly, "So you¡¯re determined to speak for He Xing and Fu Han?"

    "Yes," replied Su Cheng, born with a silver spoon, who had never known want. He had only ever shown a measure of fear towards his father, but now that fear was not enough to stop him from doing what he wanted.

    "Fine, I can agree to your request," Mr. Huangpu took a puff of his cigar, with smoke wafting from his nostrils and lips, veiling his face in a haze and obscuring his features, "But you must promise me one thing. After you clear things up for Fu Han, you can no longer harbor any other thoughts about her. The two of you can only be ordinary friends, and you must be with Nan Qing."

    "No, I disagree," Su Cheng erupted, standing up abruptly with his handsome face red and pale with anger, the emotions intertwined, wishing he could overturn the coffee table before him.

    Mr. Huangpu, however, regarded Su Cheng with an icy gaze, "Do not think that just because you are my only son, you can do as you please. Nothing is more important to me than the Huangpu Family¡¯s business. If you don¡¯t agree to my terms, even if you go ahead with your press conference now, I can just turn around and tell people that you¡¯ve had a psychiatric breakdown, that you¡¯re speaking nonsense because of a shock. Then you¡¯ll see whether people believe me or you."

 Chapter 205: Use His Love to Threaten Him

    <h4>Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Use His Love to Threaten Him</h4><h4></h4>

    "You¡¯re truly despicable," Su Cheng¡¯s teeth grounding as if he wanted to bite through steel, his face drained of all color.

    "Su Cheng, how can you speak to your father like that?" Mrs. Huangpu scolded Su Cheng while positioning herself between him and Mr. Huangpu, fearing Mr. Huangpu would not be able to restrain himself from striking.

    The fear proved to be well-founded as Mr. Huangpu snapped the cigar in his hand, standing up directly¡ªit was clear he meant to deal with Su Cheng.

    Unable to hit him, Mr. Huangpu said with towering rage, "Since you say I¡¯m despicable, then I¡¯ll show you how despicable I can be. I¡¯ve already made my demand; consider for yourself whether or not you¡¯ll agree."

    While Su Cheng¡¯s teeth audibly gnashed, he was acutely aware that his parents did indeed have the power to enforce their will, with the current situation being such that even if he were to post a rification on Weibo, it would be misinterpreted.

    After much thought, he gritted his teeth and said, "I can be just ordinary friends with Fu Han, but I won¡¯t get together with Nan Qing. I see her as a sister, and she¡¯s also your goddaughter¡ªdon¡¯t you want her to be happy too?"

    "No!" Mr. Huangpu rejected the idea outright, squinting his eyes as he looked coldly at Su Cheng, "Do you have any idea that because of your affair with Nan Qing, our partnership with Nangong Group for this year¡¯s strategy has been cancelled? You must salvage your rtionship with Nan Qing, or else I will make sure Fu Han suffers consequences."

    Mrs. Huangpu, caught in the middle, looked from one to the other. While she typically stood by her husband without wavering, faced with the despair in her son¡¯s eyes, she felt a softening in her heart.

    She tugged at her husband¡¯s arm and whispered, "Alright, since our son has agreed to stay away from Fu Han, he can¡¯t remain single forever, right? In time, he will surelye to appreciate Nan Qing¡¯s virtues."

    "No," Mr. Huangpu¡¯s brows furrowed deeply enough to kill a fly, he impatiently retorted, "You¡¯re just being softhearted. Right now, I need to stand united with the Nangong family, and I don¡¯t have the luxury of time to wait for him to develop feelings for Nan Qing. The business world is a battlefield, and the situation changes in the blink of an eye. Don¡¯t you understand that?"

    Su Cheng watched his parents argue because of him, feeling an iparableplexity of emotions. In his memory, it seemed that every argument they had was because of him, and the result was always the same: his father mightpromise on small matters, but never on major ones.

    The storm grew fiercer, with thunder booming sporadically and lightning crackling everywhere. The rain intensified, the floor-to-ceiling windows now a translucent sheet, rendering the room as dark as night without the lights on.

    Su Cheng¡¯s heart felt as the weather did, growing heavier and heavier, sinking into an abyss. He knew there was no room for negotiation in this matter.

    ...

    Fu Han sat on the hospital bed hugging her knees, staring nkly at the rain outside; it fell like a waterfall, pounding against the windows with a pitter-patter.

    She didn¡¯t find the sound unpleasant. In fact, she liked the sound of the rain falling¡ªthe primal sound belonging to this world, terrifying yet carrying the power to soothe hearts.

    The ward was somewhat dark, like the twilight before sunrise, caught between visible and invisible.

    Resting her head on her knees, she thought silently that, with such terrible weather, it was unfortunate that both He Xing and Su Cheng had had to leave for urgent matters. She didn¡¯t know what to make of it.

    Suddenly, a knocking sound started. She didn¡¯t turn around, thinking the nurse had returned, who had just mentioned going out to get some hot water for Fu Han, to soak her feet and promote cirction.

    "Fu Han, what¡¯s wrong with you?" A delicate voice came from the doorway¡ªit was Xia Ning.

    Fu Han turned her head to look. She saw a girl as delicate as the voice standing by the door, wearing a fitted pale green dress with ruffles, her fluffy curly hair making her look like a princess stepped out of a fairy tale.

    A sense of inferiority welled up inside Fu Han. She instinctively hid the injured side of her face into her knees, murmuring, "I¡¯m sorry, I may have known you before, but now I¡¯ve forgotten."

    A flicker of doubt passed across Xia Ning¡¯s face; although she had received the news that Fu Han had been disfigured in a car ident, she could hardly believe it without seeing it with her own eyes.

    Her smile deepened, and she made her way to Fu Han¡¯s side with a sway in her step, taking hold of Fu Han¡¯s wrist affectionately, "Fu Han, my name is Xia Ning, your best friend. I¡¯m sorry I only found out about your ident today, and I came to see you right away. Are you okay?"

    Fu Han instinctively pulled away; she still wasn¡¯t used to such intimacy, especially since this Xia Ning radiated a strong perfume scent, almost nauseating.

    "Are you still mad at me?" Xia Ning let go of Fu Han¡¯s hand as if she too detested any physical contact with her, but she forced herself to do so to test Fu Han¡¯s reaction.

    Fu Han, mistaking Xia Ning as truly a close friend, had already been feeling guilty about forgetting everything. Seeing Xia Ning¡¯s pitiable demeanor only increased her guilt.

    "Not at all," she quickly took Xia Ning¡¯s hand in hers, saying sincerely, "Xia Ning, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not angry at you, I just don¡¯t remember what happened between us."

    With this, Xia Ning¡¯s anxiety dissipated, her smile genuine, "Fu Han, you, me, and big brother He Xing, we grew up together. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember the past, I can tell you all about it."

    Although Nan Qing and Su Cheng had also talked to Fu Han over thest few days about her past, neither knew about her childhood, and they kept rehashing events from thest three years. What Fu Han most wanted to know was why she had left He Xing three years ago.

    Thinking about this, she looked at Xia Ning with an urgency, "Can you tell me why I left He Xing three years ago?"

    "Of course, I can," Xia Ning smiled "gently," but the next second, she appeared troubled, "Fu Han, I should warn you, you might find these things upsetting. Are you sure you want to know?"

    A p of thunder exploded, and for an instant, Fu Han¡¯s heart pounded erratically. She felt nervous, but at the same time, she heard her own voice rise, "Tell me, I want to know."

    About ten minutester, Xia Ning slowly rose to her feet, tidying her clothes gracefully, and said gently as a spring breeze, "Fu Han, I have to go now, I have other matters to attend to. I¡¯ll visit you another day. Remember, they all don¡¯t want me to see you, so you mustn¡¯t tell anyone I was here, okay? Otherwise, no one will tell you what you want to know."

 Chapter 206: Parent-child Identification

    <h4>Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Parent-child Identification</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hmm, I understand," Fu Han lifted her head, trying to say goodbye to Xia Ning withposure, but her heart felt like it was being cut by a dull knife, hurting with each slice.

    So, there was a reason for He Xing¡¯s resistance since she woke up; there was a third person in the story between them; it turns out...

    Xia Ning told her that she was the daughter of a servant from the He Family; her parents had saved Elder He during an outing, and it was during that same ident that her parents had died.

    Since then, Elder He had treated her like his own granddaughter, and on her eighteenth birthday, she had asked Elder He to arrange her marriage to He Xing.

    But He Xing¡¯s heart was set on Xia Ning; they were a match in social status, grew up ying together, and Xia Ning liked He Xing too.

    What could be done, though? Elder He threatened to disinherit He Xing if he disagreed with the marriage, leaving He Xing with no choice but topromise, while Xia Ning could only hide her deep affection.

    Xia Ning said that the previous Fu Han, relying on Elder He¡¯s favoritism, acted recklessly and often made things difficult for Xia Ning. Once, she even pushed Xia Ning into the swimming pool, nearly drowning her.

    Fortunately, He Xing arrived in time to save Xia Ning.

    But Fu Han was so angry about the incident that she left without a word, and that departurested for three years.

    Xia Ning said she and He Xing felt extremely guilty because of Fu Han¡¯s departure and had agreed to never be together unless they saw Fu Han living well.

    At this moment, Fu Han¡¯s mind was still filled with the image of Xia Ning¡¯s tearful eyes: "Fu Han, I know you like He Xing. I¡¯m not as nice as you are and don¡¯t have parents who owe a debt of gratitude to Elder He. Now that you¡¯re back, you must live well with He Xing."

    Fu Han turned her head to look out the window, not knowing when the rain had stopped, and the sun was already out, leaving the air moist after the rain.

    This unpredictable and mysterious weather really left people at a loss for words.

    Who says that not remembering the past is a bad thing? In fact, not remembering the past isn¡¯t such a big deal; knowing the past only makes the heart heavier.

    She sighed deeply, feeling very perplexed about how to handle her rtionship with He Xing from now on. Should she pretend to know nothing and continue living as He Xing¡¯s girlfriend, or should she let He Xing and Xia Ning, the star-crossed lovers, be together?

    "Girls shouldn¡¯t sigh all the time; it can cause wrinkles," Fu Xingbo stood in the doorway with his tall posture, a kind smile on his face.

    Fu Han was not at all familiar with the man in front of her. She only knew he was Bai Wei¡¯s father. Nan Qing once mentioned that she had a decent rtionship with Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe; the three of them had been in the same car during the ident.

    As for how well she got along with Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, nobody had told her; neither Bai Wei nor Luo Qinghe hade to see her, nor had she sought them out.

    So when Fu Han suddenly encountered Bai Wei¡¯s father, she felt somewhat guilty, remembering that it was she who caused Bai Wei¡¯s injury and hospitalization. She smiled a little: "Uncle, how do you have the time now? How is Bai Wei?"

    "Thank you for asking; she¡¯s doing well," Fu Xingbo tilted his head and chuckled, "May Ie in?"

    "Of course," Fu Han hurriedly sat upright. She felt an inexplicable fondness for the man before her, perhaps because he had steadfastly defended his wife and daughter the day before, or perhaps because he always seemed so calm and collected.

    Fu Xingbo moved a chair to sit in front of Fu Han¡¯s bed. He looked at Fu Han politely and seemed a bit conflicted, but ultimately he spoke, "Your name is Fu Han, right?"

    "Yes," Fu Han smiled, but the smile was tinged with bitterness, "I share a surname with you, Uncle."

    "Although it¡¯s presumptuous to ask," Fu Xingbo paused, then hesitantly asked, "Do you have a photo of your parents? What do they look like?"

    Fu Han looked at Fu Xingbo with innocent eyes, wanting to say that even if she had a photo of her parents, she wouldn¡¯t recognize them now because of her amnesia.

    A blush shed across Fu Xingbo¡¯s overly fair cheeks, and with difficulty, he spoke again, "Usually girls take their father¡¯s surname; is that the case for you, or did you take your mother¡¯s? I... I have a sister who I haven¡¯t been in contact with for many years, and... I think you resemble her."

    "Are you saying you suspect I¡¯m your niece?" Fu Han, who had been sorting out rtionships these past days, understood immediately.

    The flush on Fu Xingbo¡¯s face deepened, and he awkwardly touched his nose, "I won¡¯t hide it; I do have that suspicion. My sister used to live in A city¡ªI¡¯ve had people looking for her for a long time with no sess, so..."

    Fu Han waited but he didn¡¯t continue. She thought for a moment and spoke earnestly, "I¡¯m sorry, I may not be able to help you right now because I don¡¯t remember anything."

    "Then..." Fu Xingbo¡¯s face showed eagerness as he rubbed his hands together, "Would you please agree to do a DNA test with me?"

    "What?" Fu Han found the suggestion utterly absurd.

    Half an hourter, Fu Han looked at the fresh needle mark on her hand with a bitter smile. She was so soft-hearted that she hadn¡¯t refused such an absurd proposal and had actually gone to do a DNA test with Fu Xingbo.

    Fu Xingbo carefully ced the rted certificates in the pocket of his suit, looking at Fu Han with a very gentle gaze, as if he had already confirmed their familial rtionship, "Fu Han, the moment I saw you, I wanted to confirm your identity. Now we just wait for the results in three days. Regardless of the oue, thank you for your help."

    "It¡¯s alright," Fu Han tossed the cotton swab into the trash can, her smile neutral, "If your intuition is right, then I have rtives in this world after all. I¡¯m not losing anything, either way."

    ...

    He Group private hospital, outside the Emergency Room.

    He Xing sat on the bench one moment, then stood up and started pacing back and forth the next. Although his face showed no expression, anyone with eyes could see how anxious he was inside.

    Two hours had passed, but Elder He was still in the Emergency Room. The door had been opened several times, yet each time it was only medical staff moving in and out, with several bags of blood having already been taken inside.

    He Xing was worried about Fu Han being alone at the hospital, so he stepped into the corridor and called her. It was noisy on her end, and when he asked where she was, she said she was at the hospital with Bai Wei¡¯s father.

    He Xing wanted to ask more, but to avoid upsetting Fu Han, he simply told her to be careful, then hung up.

    Nearly another two hourster, the doors of the Emergency Room finally opened, and a hospital bed was pushed out with Elder He lying on it, pale and riddled with tubes.

 Chapter 207: Sudden Cerebral Hemorrhage

    <h4>Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Sudden Cerebral Hemorrhage</h4><h4></h4>

    The doctor said that the old Mr. He had eaten two kinds of ipatible food, causing vasodtion and a sudden rise in blood pressure, which led to a cerebral hemorrhage. He was only temporarily rescued, and as for the final result, it depended on the situation after Mr. He woke up, or whether he could wake up at all.

    He Xing felt very heavy-hearted. Reason told him he should stay by his grandfather¡¯s side, but emotionally, he really wanted to check on Fu Han; his heart kept thumping uncontrobly, unable to remain calm.

    In Mr. He¡¯s ward, Lao Zhou noticed He Xing¡¯s unusual behavior. He whispered to He Xing, "Young master, I know you¡¯re worried about Miss Fu. Do you want to go see her? I can take care of the old master here."

    "That might be best," He Xing said, struggling with the decision and feeling somewhat guilty, "Lao Zhou, I¡¯ll have to leave grandfather in your care then. If anything happens, please call me immediately."

    The doctor had said that the anesthesia Mr. He was under would not wear off for another two hours. Even if he were to wake up, it would be at least two hourster. He Xing figured he could return within that time frame.

    Fortunately, the drive from the He family¡¯s private hospital to the hospital where Fu Han was staying only took ten minutes. In these chaotic times, it was the only sce he could find.

    He rushed to Fu Han¡¯s ward and saw her holding a book, her head slightly lowered. The sunlight fell on her ck hair, turning it golden, like that of a sacred angel.

    He Xing simply stood at the door watching Fu Han from afar, feeling that the hardships of traveling back and forth were negligible. Seeing her filled him with energy.

    If there was anything less than perfect about the situation, it was that Su Cheng had taken over the desk he had used before. Right now, he sat stiffly in that very ufortable chair, typing away on the keyboard.

    If He Xing were an outsider, he would think a girl reading and a boy working were beautiful sights, but since he wasn¡¯t unrted, he found the scene before him irritating.

    Still, he adjusted his emotions, knocked on the door with two fingers, and when Fu Han looked up, he showed her the brightest smile he could muster at that moment, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m back."

    Following the sound of his voice, Fu Han looked toward He Xing. For a moment, the backlight at the door made it hard for her to see his expression clearly, but after two seconds, she saw the usually distinct ck and white of his eyesced with thin veins of red, like a tiny marble cracked at the center and spreading numerous fissures.

    Moreover, although he had only been gone for four or five hours, Fu Han felt like he had be a different person; though he left with a heavy heart, he came back seeming to have lost his soul, which described his state perfectly.

    A pang shot through Fu Han¡¯s heart, and for an instant, she was so pained that tears almost came, but the inexplicable "hostility" toward He Xing in her heart forcibly pushed back the tears.

    She smiled and asked in a level tone, "So, have you dealt with your issue?"

    Until the moment he knocked on the door and greeted her, He Xing had nned to hide his grandfather¡¯s condition; but somehow, seeing Fu Han like that, he suddenly felt aggrieved, realizing for the first time such emotions could emerge within him.

    He walked to the side of Fu Han¡¯s bed and looked down at her, his voice hoarse, "Grandfather... Grandfather had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. The rescue has just finished, and the oue... is unknown."

    The pain in her heart resurfaced, this time so intense that Fu Han could not even sit up straight. She clutched at her chest, tilted her head back to look at He Xing, and asked with an unconceble fear, "Grandfather... Grandfather won¡¯t be in trouble, right?"

    He Xing turned his head away, and for a moment, he did not know how to answer her question.

    Fu Han¡¯s fingers, as white as scallion segments, tugged at He Xing¡¯s shirt while she looked up at him, her voice already carrying a sob, "He Xing, tell me, is there a chance grandfather will be alright?"

    Fu Han had crumpled He Xing¡¯s pristine wrinkle-free shirt, something that would have infuriated him on a normal day, but now all he felt was guilt. If he had known Fu Han was so worried, he never would have told her about it.

    He bent over slightly, reached out to stroke Fu Han¡¯s hair, and soothed her in the gentlest voice possible, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find the best doctors in the world for grandfather. He definitely won¡¯t be in any danger."

    Fu Han audibly let out a sigh of relief. She let go and fell back onto the bed, her back soaked with sweat¡ªit turned out that even if she had forgotten everything else, deep inside, there was still a sense that made her mourn for someone she could not remember.

    She did not remember old Mr. He. If it hadn¡¯t been for Xia Ning and He Xing mentioning him, she would not have known he even existed. Yet, despite her ignorance, she was still so upset by the news of his critical condition.

    Fu Han hurriedly ushered He Xing out of her ward, "I don¡¯t need you here. You should hurry and stay with your grandfather, and if anything... if anything happens, you must call me."

    He Xing didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. Fu Han¡¯s reaction to his grandfather¡¯s situation being so intense suggested that she had notpletely severed ties with the past.

    From the moment He Xing knocked on the door to his departure, it all added up to less than half an hour, yet his mood was considerably lighter when he left than when he arrived.

    During He Xing¡¯s visit, Su Cheng had remainedpletely unnoticed the entire time, as if he didn¡¯t exist at all.

    But in fact, as he watched He Xing caress Fu Han¡¯s head, he felt aplex mix of emotions: jealousy, envy, and an indescribableplexity.

    Once they were the only two people left in the room, Su Cheng shifted his gaze from theputer screen to Fu Han.

    She still held the book "Identity Anxiety" in her hands, her longshes castingrge shadows on her eyelids, like butterfly wings. Several minutes passed without her turning a page. Although her eyes were fixed on the book, she was clearly daydreaming.

    Su Cheng gazed at Fu Han foolishly as if to etch her into his heart forever. His eyes were filled with affection, reluctance, and pain.

    After a long while, Su Cheng finally spoke up, "Fu Han, I... I have something I want to tell you."

    "Ah..." Fu Han hastily stopped her inopportune daydreaming, showing a faint smile, "Go ahead. Whatever you want to say, just say it."

    Su Cheng forced his gaze away to look out the window, where the sky was as clear as after a rain, blue like the ocean. He inadvertently looked up and saw a rainbow hanging in the sky, vibrant and clear with its splendid colors.

 Chapter 208: I Heard You Like Me

    <h4>Chapter 208: Chapter 208: I Heard You Like Me</h4><h4></h4>

    "Fu Han, I went back to thepany today to see my parents, and we have made a public statement about the stuff on the inte, so there should be no one cursing you anymore," Su Cheng said with a smile, his expression rxed but his eyes revealing tiredness.

    Although Fu Han had lost her memory, she wasn¡¯t stupid. Once they taught her, she quickly learned how to surf the inte. When she had nothing to do these days, she would also go online to browse and look at the news rted to herself.

    There were many people cursing her online. Initially, Nan Qing was worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it after seeing it. But as it turned out, when Fu Han saw people cursing her, it was as if she was just watching the excitement, and everyone eventually stopped worrying.

    For instance, right now, when Fu Han heard Su Cheng¡¯s words, she felt indifferent as though it didn¡¯t concern her: "I see, well then, thank you very much."

    Su Chengughed again, striving to hide his heartache, and speaking as if it were nothing: "Fu Han, I... I like you. I¡¯ve liked you since the first time I saw you, you know that."

    Fu Han¡¯s pupils dted abruptly, and she looked at Su Cheng in surprise, muttering, "I... I didn¡¯t know, but Nan Qing told me."

    The moment the words "Nan Qing" were spoken, Su Cheng¡¯s heart seemed to be covered by a deste shade, barren and empty.

    The sky outside the window was getting brighter. It was dusk, yet there was no sign of it getting dark. The sunset at the edge of the sky was burning, rolling, changing shapes.

    How long had it been since hest saw such a beautiful sky? Su Cheng thought to himself quietly. He used to hurry on the road, seeing only the world¡¯s evil spirits, never stopping to take a good look at this world.

    Now, he was willing to appreciate the beauty of this world, but he could never hold the hand that he most wanted to hold.

    He looked deeply at Fu Han, being frank about his deep feelings for the first time since she woke up: "Fu Han, I truly do like you, more than you know. Even if your beauty cannot be restored, I will still like you. But... I know that the person you like is He Xing. In the future, I will continue to be your ordinary friend, protecting you by your side."

    Fu Han stared nkly at Su Cheng. Memories of when she first woke up shed through her mind, her hand was being held by Su Cheng, pressed against his cheek, tears falling from his eyes onto the back of her hand, scalding hot.

    She always felt that if it wasn¡¯t for Su Cheng¡¯s tears, she wouldn¡¯t have woken up so soon; it was for this reason she always felt so close to Su Cheng.

    But now, this person she felt closest to at this moment said that they would only be ordinary friends in the future.

    Fu Han felt her emotions wereplicated, so tangled that she didn¡¯t know what to say. Perhaps it was better to say nothing at all. Hadn¡¯t Nan Qing said so? To not change her friendship with Su Cheng while her memory hadn¡¯t recovered.

    Several minutes passed, and amidst Su Cheng¡¯s secret anticipation, Fu Han said softly, "Okay, then let¡¯s be friends for life."

    ...

    The Xia family vi.

    Xia Ning danced with excitement as she described to Xia Cheng how she had tricked Fu Han today, her face flushed with exhration like a freshly picked apple.

    "Xiaoning, you are truly brilliant," Xia Cheng said, excited as well. He put out his cigarette butt nonchntly, his smile exceptionally vulgar: "Next time you get the chance to see Fu Han, keep instilling in her how you and He Xing are so in love. It would be best if it was just like three years ago, so that she gets angry and leaves. After all, she doesn¡¯t remember anything now."

    "Got it," Xia Ning said with a dismissive toss of her head: "You don¡¯t have to teach me that, though opportunities like this are rare. Those people treasure Fu Han so much that they¡¯d hate not to follow her even to the restroom. I was lucky toe across an opportunity like today¡¯s."

    "Don¡¯t worry, there will be plenty more chances like these," Xia Cheng lit another cigarette, inhaling deeply. Through the swirls of smoke, his features seemed even more despicable: "He Xing won¡¯t be able to be with Fu Han all day long anymore. The He family¡¯s old man is on hisst legs."

    "What?" Xia Ning shot up, spraying perfume on herself from her bag whileining discontentedly: "Brother, you really should¡¯ve told me earlier about Grandpa He¡¯s illness. I can¡¯t miss such a great opportunity to perform well."

    While she sniffed her hair near her nose¡ªthere was a strong smell of smoke¡ªsheined incessantly: "Brother, can you smoke less? There¡¯s the smell of smoke all over my hair and body. He Xing would definitely not like it."

    Xia Cheng looked indifferent, inhaling forcefully and exhaling a cloud of smoke: "The scent of your perfume is much more unpleasant than this, and He Xing hasn¡¯t said anything about it, has he?"

    Xia Ning knew it was no use arguing any further. She went upstairs in slippers, but to be cautious, she decided to wash her hair and take a shower. ording to Xia Cheng, Grandpa He wouldn¡¯t be leaving the hospital anytime soon.

    When Xia Ning, dressed up beautifully, arrived at the hospital, He Xing had already had a desk set up in the ward and was working at it.

    She stered on an alluringly coquettish smile on her face before knocking delicately on the door with her well-maintained fingers, making sure that what He Xing saw as he looked up was the most beautiful her.

    He Xing turned his head to look, then his gaze, devoid of any ripples, returned to theputer. With a nd expression, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

    "I heard Grandpa He was hospitalized, so I rushed over immediately," Xia Ning approached He Xing with a swaying walk, her smile practiced a thousand times in front of a mirror. But the smile was like a stic flower, pretty, yet void of any real affection: "Big brother He Xing, is Grandpa He¡¯s condition serious? My father knows many renowned doctors; do you want me to..."

    "No need," He Xing interjected curtly, furrowing his brow. At that moment, even though the distance between them was a meter, the overwhelming scent of perfume was already making him feel like sneezing. With a cold tone, he said: "Thanks for your concern, but I will handle Grandpa¡¯s matters."

    Xia Ning¡¯s expression froze for a moment, but she quickly smiled again: "Big brother He Xing, you¡¯re so busy, why don¡¯t you let me stay and help you take care of Grandpa He."

    "You?" He Xing raised his head for the second time, fixing his gaze on Xia Ning. His eye twitched, and he couldn¡¯t hold back his blunt honesty: "You¡¯re dressed like this to take care of someone?"

    Xia Ning nced down at herself. To look more beautiful today, she wore a Lolita-style dress, and she had even had her hair curled into wavy locks, with a loose topknot on her head, the rest of her hair cascading behind. She had looked in the mirror; she was very pretty.

    But... okay, her outfit today was indeed not suitable for doing chores. However, she would never admit herck of sincerity, she gently tugged on He Xing¡¯s sleeve, pleading softly: "Big brother He Xing, please let me stay. Having an extra person around would mean extra care, right?"

 Chapter 209: Awkward but Not Giving Up

    <h4>Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Awkward but Not Giving Up</h4><h4></h4>

    Recently, so many things have happened, and He Xing¡¯s already limited patience had vanished. He impolitely pulled his sleeve back. His handsome face could not hide the coldness within, and there even seemed to be a hint of murderous intent.

    "If you truly have nothing to do, you can go do some charity work at the Du Wanting Foundation. I can¡¯t even help my grandfather, let alone you."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned red, white, and green with emotion, her embarrassment and persistence intermingling. She bit down on her teeth, her eyes reddening, "He Xing Brother, I know you must think I came to see Mr. He because of you, right? My grandpa died before I was born, and my mom passed away when I was very young. Dad was always focused on business. Every time I was upset, I would seek you out. Grandpa He was very nice to me, in my heart, he is my real grandpa."

    He Xing¡¯s expression changed several times before he ultimately sighed and said, "Suit yourself."

    A smile immediately appeared on Xia Ning¡¯s face; she finally got her wish to stay. In her mind, since the old Mr. He was unconscious and no different from a dead person, she and He Xing were effectively alone together.

    However, looking at He Xing¡¯s expressionless face, she didn¡¯t dare to brazenly approach him anymore. She was afraid of really angering him, which could result in him truly sending her away.

    Xia Ning pretended to help old Mr. He wash his hands and face, then she moved a chair to sit not far from He Xing, her bright, shiny eyes fixed unwaveringly on him.

    Although He Xing kept staring at theputer, his work pace undiminished, he was fully aware of Xia Ning¡¯s every move.

    Several times he felt the urge, the urge to ask Xia Ning to leave; Xia Ning had no rtion to him or his grandfather. He now just wanted his grandfather to be safe and sound. Yet, he couldn¡¯t dismiss the fact that Xia Ning had lost her mother, Du Wanting, who was inextricably linked to him, and had Du Wanting not saved him, there might not have been anyone to take care of his sick grandfather at this very moment.

    So, when he heard the name Du Wanting, it was already determined that no matter what, he couldn¡¯t tell Xia Ning to leave; and although the Xia Group used underhanded tactics behind the scenes, Xia Ning had never worked for the Xia Group ¨C those matters were unrted to her.

    He Xing¡¯s emotions were extremelyplex. He found so many reasons to convince himself, but in the end, there was only one reason that mattered: the grown-up Xia Ning looked exactly like her mother.

    Every time he saw Xia Ning¡¯s face, he would remember Du Wanting, the woman who had saved his life. Faced with a face that was the spitting image of hers, he simply could not bring himself to be cruel.

    ...

    The garden behind the Inpatient Department of the hospital.

    The camphor trees grew tall and dense, slicing the sky into sections; sunlight filtered through the patchy shade, less fierce and sprinkling the marble ground with a glittering light, much like scattered diamonds.

    Even in the light of the setting sun, it demanded respect.

    Underneath the camphor trees, Su Cheng had set up a cool shed, trying to find the countless camphor flowers among therge leaves. Unfortunately, the leaves were too big and the flowers too small; he couldn¡¯t see them.

    Nan Qing sat a meter away from him, also ncing up at the camphor trees, but she quickly turned her attention to the ants nearby.

    Countless ants were marching forward, each carrying a grain of rice that was muchrger than their own bodies, yet they persevered in moving the grains forward.

    After a long while, Nan Qing finally grew weary of watching them. She turned her head towards Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, you said you had something to tell me. If you don¡¯t speak up, I¡¯m leaving."

    Her gallery had an exhibition today and she had been very busy; it wasn¡¯t until dusk that she found time to visit Fu Han, but Su Cheng brought her here before she even had the chance to see him in the ward.

    With a swallow adam¡¯s apple, Su Cheng knew that what was toe woulde. He turned his head to Nan Qing and said word for word, "Do you have someone you like now?"

    "No," Nan Qing answered crisply, thinking that the quicker she spoke, the less her heart would hurt. Since she had chosen to give up, there was no need to show a wretched look to others.

    Su Cheng¡¯s heart constricted¡ªat her frankness, at the words he was about to say, and at the inexplicable distress that had washed over him.

    Apparently, when a person who had liked you for many years said they no longer liked you, it felt terrible.

    For a moment, Su Cheng wanted to turn and flee, but remembering his parents¡¯ words, his feet felt as though they were rooted to the ground, unable to move.

    He took a deep breath and mustered his courage to say, "Nan Qing, I... I am grateful that you liked me. If I say... if I say I want to try with you, would... would you be willing?"

    Nan Qing¡¯s pupils dted in disbelief as she stared at Su Cheng, "What are you talking about?" It wasn¡¯t that she wanted Su Cheng to repeat himself; she genuinely doubted what she had heard.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face turned beet red, wishing within those ten seconds that nothing had been said, hoping time could rewind.

    Unfortunately, there were no ifs. He could only pluck up the courage to speak again, "Your parents, my parents, they all hope we can be together. Maybe the elders have a point. We could consider their suggestion."

    Nan Qing¡¯s face flushed as well, she stood up abruptly, looking down at Su Cheng with righteous fury on her cute, round face, "What makes you think I would agree?"

    Su Cheng nervously scanned the surroundings; it wasn¡¯t very sunny at this time, and many people hade out from the Inpatient Department for a walk. Hearing Nan Qing¡¯s loud voice, many looked their way.

    If he were to rank all the embarrassing moments he had ever encountered, this one would certainly make the list. He started to regret why he had chosen such an open ce to discuss such private matters.

    Rubbing his hands together and blushing, he said, "I... that¡¯s not what I meant, and it¡¯s not that I wanted to belittle you. What I meant was, if you still like me, we could give it a try. Of course, you have the right to refuse."

    Nan Qing, realizing more people were looking at them and calming down, forced herself to sit down again. Then, using all the rationality in her body, she kept her voice low and enunciated every word, "You just concede because of your parents¡¯ expectations. That¡¯s not you. Please don¡¯t say such things again."

    After speaking, she stood up to leave, but Su Cheng quickly grabbed her hand, his eyes earnestly looking at her, "Nan Qing, I¡¯m not joking. I hope you will consider my proposal."

 Chapter 210: Thirty Percent Confidence

    <h4>Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Thirty Percent Confidence</h4><h4></h4>

    Daisi had arranged for Fu Han¡¯s check-up yesterday, and the results came out today.

    He Xing rushed to the ward on time, firmly believing that it was he who had ruined Fu Han¡¯s face and was determined to restore it at any cost.

    Her ward was packed with people, the most crowded it had been since she awoke.

    Bai Wei and her parents were there, as well as Su Cheng, Luo Qinghe, Nan Qing, and Ji Liangchuan, plus the doctor and nurses, making the spacious ward seem crowded.

    Daisi had been examining the results for ten minutes now, and the longer he looked, the deeper his frown became.

    Everyone was anxiously waiting, yet no one dared to rush him, fearful that any pressure might cause the doctor to walk out.

    After what felt like an eternity, Daisi finally pushed up his sses and spoke, "Mr. He, the situation is not optimistic, but there is still some hope. If we proceed with the surgery, I have a thirty percent chance of sess."

    "Only thirty percent?" He Xing asked urgently, his face pale, "Why is the chance so low? Didn¡¯t you say the injury wasn¡¯t that serious?"

    "But it has damaged the bone," Daisi exined patiently, "Her case isplex. I haven¡¯t done a simr cosmetic surgery before, so I conservatively estimate only a thirty percent chance of sess. If you decide to go through with the surgery, I can design the surgical n, and we can proceed to the operating room first thing in the morning."

    The once noisy ward was now silent, no one speaking a word.

    He Xing broke the silence as he looked at Fu Han earnestly and said, "Xiaohan, what do you think?"

    "Let¡¯s go for the surgery," Fu Han said indifferently, "Thirty percent is not bad, I think it¡¯s worth considering."

    "Could you all step outside for a moment? I have something I want to discuss with Fu Han alone," He Xing didn¡¯t directly respond, instead turning his gaze to the others in the room.

    The rest weren¡¯t amnesiacs and were well aware of the rtionship between Fu Han and He Xing; it was time for the couple to have some privacy, so they should step aside.

    In a blink, only the two of them were left in the ward. He Xing sat down by the bed, attempting to reach for Fu Han¡¯s hand, "Xiaohan, I know how important a face is to a girl, but I¡¯ve always remembered your beautiful face. So even if... even if you have be less attractive now, it¡¯s fine, I absolutely won¡¯t mind."

    Hearing him say this, what came to Fu Han¡¯s mind was the sight of Xia Ning dressed beautifully like a princess from the day before. Even though she couldn¡¯t remember the past, she still felt inferior when she saw Xia Ning.

    Love for beauty is natural, and she was meant to be a beauty but for a little ident.

    She looked up at He Xing seriously and said, "You don¡¯t have to persuade me anymore, I¡¯ve made up my mind."

    He Xing was still very worried, but as Fu Han had said, it was her face, her matter, and no one else had the right to make this decision for her.

    He intended to pat Fu Han on the shoulder, only to realize that he had been holding her hand all this time, and this time, she didn¡¯t pull away as she had the past two days.

    A surge of joy overwhelmed him, in that moment He Xing felt even happier than if he had kissed Fu Han.

    For a split second, he wanted to hug her as he used to, but ultimately he restrained himself; the bit of happiness he had was already a gift, he couldn¡¯t be too greedy, lest he scare Fu Han away again ¡ª he would never forgive himself for his whole life.

    Fu Han felt He Xing gripping her hand more tightly, her feelings mixed. Her body not only didn¡¯t resist his touch, but felt a hidden pleasure from it. However, her rational mind told her she couldn¡¯t continue to be confused like this.

    Her clear eyes met He Xing¡¯s as she asked quietly, "Can you tell me why I left you three years ago?"

    "Why are you suddenly asking this?" He Xing blinked fiercely, managing to maintainposure, although his heart was already in turmoil. The incident from three years ago was a wound in both his and Fu Han¡¯s hearts that would never heal, and the best strategy was to ignore it.

    As they were holding hands, Fu Han could clearly feel him stiffen. She guessed that what Xia Ning said was true; He Xing and Xia Ning were lovers, and she had used her parents¡¯ status as lifesavers to the elderly He to secure an engagement with He Xing through contemptible means.

    So it turned out... she was the interloper in someone else¡¯s love story, the third party wrecking others¡¯ rtionships.

    Fu Han¡¯s heavy heartsted until He Xing left, as Su Cheng and Nan Qing came to persuade her, and continued until night fell.

    During this time, all she thought about was how fortunate it was that she had amnesia, allowing her to leave He Xing without getting hurt. True lovers were meant to be together, and love was always a game for two.

    ...

    Bai Wei¡¯s phone rang; she casually took it out and saw a message from Luo Qinghe, who was just a wall away, "I have something I want to discuss with you, can youe out for a bit?"

    She nced at the sofa, where her mother was reclining on the armrest watching a drama, while her father sat at the end of the sofa typing away on aputer, her mother¡¯s feet resting on his legs.

    It was a scene she had grown ustomed to since childhood, leading her to believe that all parents were like this, close-knit, speaking with smiles, always exuding a warm feeling.

    But what she had witnessed that day was Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents using and cursing each other, even resorting to physical violence ¡ª yet usually, they seemed so noble, so affectionate, it was all a lie.

    Not all couples were loving; the man she liked would not, like her father, be eternally faithful to love.

    Clenching her phone tightly until pain spread through her palm, she slowly raised her head and looked at her parents, "Dad, Mom, Luo Qinghe wants to talk to me, what do you think, should I go?"

    Ever since they had awakened from the car ident, she and Luo Qinghe had exchanged a few words, but it was always in the presence of others; they never had a "talk".

    Looking up from behind theputer, Fu Xingbo smiled at Bai Wei, "Do you want to go?"

    "I don¡¯t know," Bai Wei said, frustratedly running her fingers through her hair, which had grown from a bob to shoulder length without her noticing, "I feel like we should clear things up, but I don¡¯t know what to say."

 Chapter 211: Family of Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Family of Freedom</h4><h4></h4>

    "Let¡¯s go, then," Bai Qian set down her tablet and looked at Bai Wei tenderly, "Maybe once you see him, you¡¯ll know what to say."

    Absolute freedom was also part of the fabric of Bai Wei¡¯s family life. Her parents never interfered with her affairs; they had never gone through her drawers or read her diary.

    Furthermore, they never meddled in each other¡¯s business. They could go out with their friends untilte at night, and the only concern from the other would be a phone call to confirm safety. There was never anything like checking in or surprise visits.

    This healthy family environment was why Bai Wei and her parents were like friends. The friends she had liked since childhood were all known by her parents, and she never had secrets from them.

    Eventually, Bai Wei got up from the hospital bed. Just like her parents said, she wanted to see him. As for what she would say, that would be clear once she saw him.

    Bai Qian immediately stood up, found a set of clothes from the closet for Bai Wei, then went into the restroom to help her change, wash her face, apply some light makeup, and add a touch of orange lipstick, which instantly made her look more spirited.

    "Xiaowei is really beautiful," Fu Xingbo sincerely admired.

    Bai Wei hadn¡¯t really taken care of her appearance during her days in the hospital. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt quite satisfied with her reflection. Her mood involuntarily rose, lifted, and ascended until she was happily ready to go out.

    The ce Luo Qinghe had chosen for the meeting was the rooftop of the Inpatient Department. It was bare up there, nothing to see, but it was clean and the view was expansive.

    They tacitly found a corner that wasn¡¯t easily seen by others, where they both looked out at the scenery. Directly in front of them was an Amusement Park, with its giant Ferris wheel particrly striking. Visually, it felt like they were very close to the Ferris wheel.

    If they listened closely, they could also hear the loud cheers from the Amusement Park, where countless tiny figures were running around¡ªit then dawned on them that today was the weekend.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze was also drawn to the distant Amusement Park, and he said quietly, "I promised you before, once this busy period was over, we would go to the Amusement Park. Do you remember?"

    "How could I forget?" Memories came flooding back, and a smile touched Bai Wei¡¯s face, "I begged you so many times before you agreed, it¡¯s impossible to forget."

    "It¡¯s all my fault." Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes were full of remorse as he turned to look at Bai Wei and said earnestly, "So now, I¡¯m asking you to apany me to the Amusement Park. Will you agree?"

    "Is this what you brought me here to talk about?" Bai Wei tilted her head slightly, and a faint smile yed on her beautiful face, but the smile carried a hint of chill, nowhere near as sunny and bright as usual.

    "Of course not," Luo Qinghe touched his trouser pocket, took out several thin sheets of paper, his lips curving up into a slightly roguish grin, "I haven¡¯t been in touch with you before because I wanted to wait to get conclusive evidence before exining everything to you. So, as soon as I got this, I came to find you."

    Bai Wei took the papers with a puzzled look, nced through them¡ªthere were four in total, two for Luo Qinghe and two for Qin Xiaonian, one for a gastricvage and one for a blood test.

    She looked them over but didn¡¯t understand what it all meant, her frown deepening.

    Luo Qinghe carefully put the papers back in his pocket before dropping his smile and saying seriously, "During the premiere that day, what happened between me and Qin Xiaonian... Out of nowhere, Fu Han showed up, and she immediately took both of us to the hospital for an examination. I didn¡¯t grasp what was happening at the time, but now I feel lucky for Fu Han¡¯s intervention. Otherwise, even with a mouth all over my body, I might have had to carry this stigma for a lifetime."

    In his recounting, Bai Wei finally understood that the honey water from that day really had been tampered with, which meant the online scandal would now fall apart on its own.

    Immense joy swept over her. Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed with excitement; she had been so tormented over the past few days, thinking she had blindly chosen a jerk. It turned out not to be the case; he had never changed.

    "Then what are we waiting for? Get your studio to release this information right away and make sure the rification is written clearly," Bai Wei said more and more eagerly, her words bursting with excitement, "If you¡¯re worried that your publicist won¡¯t write a good statement, I can ask Lin Na to get someone to handle it for you. I guarantee they¡¯ll sew it up without a seam."

    "We don¡¯t need to trouble your agent over such a small matter," Luo Qinghe always remembered the hostile look Lin Na gave him. He coughed awkwardly and said somewhat unnaturally, "With irond evidence like this, writing a statement is not a huge deal. Besides, just a moment ago, my team has already published the rification."

    "How did you move so fast?" Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful eyes twinkled with stars of admiration as she looked at Luo Qinghe, already imagining howizens would react to the rification.

    Luo Qinghe stretched out his arm, hooked Bai Wei¡¯s neck, and pulled her into his embrace, "Now, are you still willing to go to the Amusement Park with me?"

    "Let¡¯s go then, who¡¯s afraid?" Bai Wei looked up andughed defiantly.

    From the premiere to now, it had only been a few days, but the events that took ce were as thrilling as a movie, and one with no bathroom breaks, at that.

    For Bai Wei on the inside, it was hard to simply describe it as exciting; like the saying goes, ¡¯only the drinker knows if the water is hot or cold,¡¯ the pain she had suppressed for days finally released in full. She could finally stand under the sunlight, looking up and breathing freely.

    In the past, she never thought standing in the sunlight was anything difficult, but indeed, people only learn to cherish something after losing it.

    Suddenly, Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand on her shoulder moved down to wrap around her slim waist. Instinctively, she looked up, only to be met with soft lipsnding on hers.

    For a moment, Bai Wei felt as if the wind started howling and spring light burst forth; she seemed to see the fireworks of New Year¡¯s Eve, the endless blooming lotuses in a summer pond, and the snow echoing with red plum blossoms.

    All the beauty of the world couldn¡¯tpare to the feel of his lips.

    Indeed, there were kissing scenes in "Yearning for Home," which Bai Wei had even privately begged He Xing to add, but the public kisses held no sweetness. This was their true first kiss.

    Bai Wei realized for the first time that kissing could be like this, sweet without embarrassment. A kiss could indeed be very sweet, even sweeter than cotton candy.

    Time seemed to stretch on, and finally, Luo Qinghe let go of Bai Wei. He kissed her on the head and said in a husky voice, "From today on, you are officially my girlfriend."

    Bai Wei, still dazed from the kiss, her brain rusted and hardly working, didn¡¯t quite understand what he was saying. She looked at him with eyes still twinkling and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

 Chapter 212: Saying Goodbye Before Entering the Operating Room

    <h4>Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Saying Goodbye Before Entering the Operating Room</h4><h4></h4>

    "Remember how I once said that dating you was just my way of avoiding being manipted by my mother?" Luo Qinghe scratched Bai Wei¡¯s nose affectionately and smiled indulgently as he patiently exined, "These past few days, I¡¯ve thought things over very clearly, and I really do like you. I want to be your real boyfriend, the kind who can kiss, hug, and hold hands with you as we walk down the street."

    The sunlight beamed down from overhead, but the breeze made it feel not at all hot. With the wind¡¯s aid, Bai Wei¡¯s mind finally began to function normally.

    Cheerful words were on the tip of her tongue, but what she ultimately said was, "What about Nan Qing? Don¡¯t you like her anymore?"

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes changed several times before he looked at Bai Wei earnestly and said, "I can¡¯t tell you right now that I¡¯ve forgotten her, but I do know that I like you, the way a boyfriend likes a girlfriend."

    These words were somewhat jarring to Bai Wei¡¯s ears, but from another perspective, if Luo Qinghe said he had forgotten Nan Qing, would she believe him? The answer was no.

    So, the truth was best. With no deceit, everything could beid out in the open, and as long as there was no deception, everything would get better and better.

    ...

    After Elder He was hospitalized, He Xing started spending the nights there, and Su Cheng, due to an agreement with his parents, could no longer stay overnight at the hospital.

    These past few days, it had always been Nan Qing and the caregiver keeping Fu Hanpany every night. She had grown ustomed to life in the hospital and her dependency on Su Cheng had lessened. Therefore, Fu Han didn¡¯t feel any different; instead, her friendship with Nan Qing had gained momentum.

    Sometimes, she would even engage Nan Qing in conversation, asking about their past, the outside world, or discussing their views on various matters.

    Fu Han might have lost her memories, but her intuition seemed to have sharpened, allowing her to clearly sense whether someone¡¯s intentions towards her were genuine or not.

    Today was no different. Before she had even gotten up, Nan Qing was already out of bed, quietly taking care of Fu Han by washing her hair, blow-drying it, and then braiding it into small sections. This way, there was no worry that Fu Han¡¯s hair would get tangled and need to be cut after the surgery.

    Just as Nan Qing finished braiding Fu Han¡¯s hair, Su Cheng arrived. He looked noticeably uneasy when he saw Nan Qing, but his awkwardness could not mask his determination to visit Fu Han.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze lingered on Fu Han¡¯s face, which was still wrapped in bandages, hiding her wounds. He remembered vividly the first time he saw Fu Han changing her dressing.

    Although Fu Han was trembling and trying hard to endure the pain, her disfigured face looked as if it had been hollowed out, an especially horrifying sight.

    Considering the doctor had only given a threeyer sess rate for the surgery, Su Cheng felt frightened. More than fearing for Fu Han¡¯s beauty, he was terrified of the thought of not having her by his side.

    This worry had tormented him for a day and a night, and after much hesitation, he finally couldn¡¯t help but speak, "Fu Han, I think life is more important than appearance. Maybe you should consider it again?"

    Fu Han looked up at Su Cheng with a slight tilt of her head. The morning light streamed through the window and shone directly behind Su Cheng, making him seem to glow.

    To be fair, Su Cheng was also very handsome, with delicate features, almost feminine if he grew his hair out. But his attractiveness didn¡¯t have the visual impact that He Xing¡¯s did. To borrow Nan Qing¡¯s words, he wasn¡¯t the aggressively handsome type, but the kind that requires closer appreciation.

    Remembering the sight of her own face during thest dressing change, Fu Han felt a sense of shame. Her expression resolute, she said, "I¡¯ve already made up my mind about this. No one can persuade me otherwise."

    Before her words had even settled, she saw He Xing standing at the door. He didn¡¯t speak, but his expression clearly conveyed the same sentiment as Su Cheng¡¯s.

    A warm feeling inexplicably flowed through Fu Han¡¯s heart. She smiled at He Xing without saying a word, not really knowing what to say, in fact.

    Outside the Operating Room, shey on the hospital bed, surrounded by a group of people. Everyone¡¯s expression was somber as they each offered her many words of encouragement.

    Even when it came time to part with He Xing, he touched Fu Han¡¯s forehead gently and said, "Be brave and don¡¯t be afraid. No matter what happens, I will be right by your side."

    "Okay, I know," Fu Han nodded obediently, even managing to show a faint smile on her face.

    But He Xing would have preferred she didn¡¯t smile. He¡¯d rather she me him for causing her ident. The more sensible she was, the more remorseful he felt.

    He bent down to kiss Fu Han¡¯s forehead, "I will be right outside the Operating Room waiting for you. You¡¯ll see me as soon as youe out."

    Fu Han¡¯s pupils dted slightly as she asked with a hint of confusion, "What about Grandfather He?"

    "Don¡¯t worry about Grandpa. I¡¯ve made arrangements," He Xing said, smiling as if coaxing a child. "Someone is taking care of him. Right now, you are more important."

    In truth, the smartest thing would have been to end the conversation there, but something seemed to clog Fu Han¡¯s heart all at once, and she couldn¡¯t help but speak again, "Is Xia Ning the one taking care of him?"

    That single question changed the expression on He Xing¡¯s face. He coughed awkwardly, trying to appear nonchnt, "Yes, it¡¯s her."

    "Alright, I understand," Fu Han said, then closed her eyes, no longer looking at He Xing.

    He Xing felt as though his heart was struck heavily, the pain nearly preventing him from standing straight. He took a deep breath, his heart felt as if it was blocked, and it was very ufortable.

    What followed was a long wait. Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe had been taken home by their parents because they still had to hang IV drips in the morning, leaving only He Xing, Su Cheng, and Nan Qing to watch outside the Operating Room.

    The three of them sat in silence on the cold bench for nearly two hours until Su Cheng broke the silence and spoke to He Xing for the first time, "Mr. He, I¡¯m here, why don¡¯t you go check on your grandfather?"

    He Xing¡¯s face darkened immediately, and he said coldly, "I¡¯ve said I¡¯d be outside waiting for Xiaohan, and I won¡¯t leave by a single step."

    "I..." Su Cheng opened his mouth to exin, not harboring any ulterior motive, genuinely only concerned about Elder He.

    But before he could finish, Nan Qing had already grabbed his sleeve to stop him, "Su Cheng, I advise you not to suggest He Xing leave. You two are rivals in love, and if you ask him to go, he might think you want to monopolize Fu Han."

    "I¡¯m not," Su Cheng protested with a flushed face, initially wanting to exin, but suddenly feeling unable to utter a single word.

 Chapter 213: Hemiplegic Stroke

    <h4>Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Hemiplegic Stroke</h4><h4></h4>

    Should he deny his love for Fu Han in front of He Xing? Impossible, that would be a betrayal of the genuine emotions he had invested over the past three or four years; or should he dere his love for Fu Han in front of Nan Qing? Then how would he exin what he said a few days ago about giving it a try with Nan Qing?

    A few minutester, Su Cheng left the Operating Room without saying a word, his retreating figure appearing somewhat deste.

    In the empty corridor, only Nan Qing and He Xing remained, both of them leaning against the wall and staring at the Operating Room without speaking.

    After a few minutes, Nan Qing was the first to break the silence, "Don¡¯t misunderstand Su Cheng, he didn¡¯t mean anything else."

    "I know," He Xing spoke with a casual air, devoid of the aggressiveness he had shown when talking to Su Cheng just moments before. After a pause, he turned to look at Nan Qing, "Do you still like Su Cheng?"

    "Who said that?" Nan Qing¡¯s pupils dted dramatically, and she stiffened, as though she had turned to stone.

    He Xing¡¯s lips curved into a slight smirk, his tone was three parts mocking, three parts disdainful, and four parts enjoying the show, "Anyone with eyes can see that you like him, you make it too obvious."

    "Uh..." With neither Su Cheng nor Fu Han present, Nan Qing scratched her head and chuckled, admitting quite readily, "Alright, I do still like him. But he only has eyes for your precious Fu Han, and I have no intention of shamelessly pursuing him, so... I¡¯ll stop liking him after a while."

    "Why?" He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, his confusion clear as he said, "Bai Wei pursued Luo Qinghe with such effort, and now they are doing well. Isn¡¯t it a pity for you to give up after liking him for so many years?"

    Since Nan Qing had known He Xing, that was the longest sentence he had ever said to her.

    Nan Qing mulled over his words, feeling more and more that something was off. She raised her eyebrows and said helplessly, "You want me to pull Su Cheng away from Fu Han¡¯s side, don¡¯t you? Just say so directly, why beat around the bush?"

    "It¡¯s not entirely that." He Xing admitted frankly, ncing at the Operating Room indifferently, "Even if Su Cheng keeps orbiting around Fu Han, she will only be my woman; as for you and Su Cheng, I¡¯ve said so because I think Su Cheng likes you."

    "Are you talking about a fairy tale?" Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Apart from her parents and godparents, nobody had ever told her that Su Cheng liked her, and in fact, Su Cheng certainly had never expressed such sentiments.

    He Xing wasn¡¯t used to talking so much; he brushed off all other expressions from his face, remaining neutral as he said, "This is your own business, aren¡¯t you aware of your own feelings?"

    Nan Qing had a lukewarm reception to the rebuff¡ªshe really wanted to say she didn¡¯t know. She had always thought that by staying by Su Cheng¡¯s side, he would definitely be hers; so what had happened? He had fallen in love with Fu Han at first sight, hadn¡¯t he?

    Suddenly, the elevator door dinged, and they both shifted their gaze that way. Out came Su Cheng, carrying several food boxes that wafted inviting aromas, making both their stomachs growl; could they not be hungry? They hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast and were now on empty stomachs.

    Su Cheng first handed one of the boxes to Nan Qing, "This is your favorite minced meat noodles with soybean paste, no green onions but extra chili, eat it while it¡¯s hot."

    As Nan Qing took the box, her gaze inadvertently collided with He Xing¡¯s, she quickly averted her eyes, feeling guilty under his meaningful look.

    Su Cheng then passed another food box to He Xing, "Just ordinary minced meat noodles with soybean paste. I don¡¯t know your taste, so you¡¯ll have to make do."

    "Thanks." He Xing didn¡¯t bother with formalities. At this point, his stomach was beyond empty, and his priority was to eat and continue his vigil by Fu Han¡¯s side.

    The three devoured a bowl of minced meat noodles with soybean paste each, then polished off a box of crystal steamed dumplings and two boxes of Dumplings, their speed impressively swift and efficient.

    Finally, each holding a cup of hot soy milk, they remembered the manners they had been taught since childhood¡ªeat slowly and chew thoroughly, posture must be graceful.

    ...

    In the Ward of Elder He.

    Xia Ning knew that today was Fu Han¡¯s surgery, and in order to show off in front of He Xing, she took the initiative to take on the responsibility of caring for Elder He.

    Elder He had suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and was rushed to the hospital. He didn¡¯t wake up until the morning after the surgery, which meant that more than a day had passed since Elder He regained consciousness. During this time, apart from going back to shower and change clothes, Xia Ning had stayed in the Ward.

    She worked hard to make herself useful, hustling to talk to Elder He the moment he woke up, to the extent that some doctors and nurses wondered if she really was his granddaughter.

    Even though He Xing wasn¡¯t here, Xia Ning still took her duties seriously, meticulously peeling grapes, removing the seeds, then patiently feeding them to Elder He with a fork, "Elder He, the doctor said you need to eat more fruit for a swift recovery, be good now, eat a bit more."

    Elder He had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, which was akin to a walk through the Ghost Gate, his life salvaged but now half his body was paralyzed and his speech unclear.

    He was quite pleased with Xia Ning¡¯s conduct over the past two days. Hearing her coaxing, Elder He struggle to muster a smile, but unexpectedly, his mouth failed to cooperate, and a long, thin trail of drool leaked out.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened. Xia Ning suppressed the revulsion in her heart and swiftly caught the drool with a tissue before quickly tossing the soiled tissue into the trash bin.

    She felt so nauseated that her previous night¡¯s dinner threatened toe up, but still, she conveyed understanding, "Elder He, don¡¯t be sad, you¡¯ll get better in a few days, huh? The doctor said your mood is vital."

    Elder He understood that such matters couldn¡¯t be forced; in front of Xia Ning, he felt a bit embarrassed. He managed to turn his head away,boriously speaking, "Xia... Ning, you... call Zhou... have Zhou do these things, you go rest."

    "How could I?" Xia Ning gave Elder He a reproving nce, smiling, "Serving you is my honor, Elder He. How could I be tired? I want to make the most of He Xing¡¯s absence to take good care of you, otherwise, he always tries topete with me."

    Xia Ning¡¯s sweet-talking was recognized by Xia Guoxiong¡ªif she chose to, her words could make you soar with happiness; however, she could also be quite biting when upset, to the point of making you want to physically reprimand her.

    For Elder He, her words just then were very soothing. He Xing indeed was very filial, and Xia Ning was not showing any impatience despite He Xing¡¯s absence, perhaps truly epting him as her grandfather.

    He struggled to lift his hand, trying to pat Xia Ning on the shoulder, but ended up touching her elbow instead, "Good... good child... when... grandpa gets better... I will... send you a... gift..."

 Chapter 214 Mysterious Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 214: Chapter 214 Mysterious Meeting</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning watched with open eyes as the old man He¡¯s bony, vein-covered handnded on her elbow. She felt terribly ufortable inside, yet on the surface she had to pretend to be pleasantly surprised.

    She put on a sweet smile and said crisply, "Then I¡¯ll thank Grandpa first. Grandpa, don¡¯t think about anything now, just focus on looking after your health. That¡¯s the most important thing. I will take good care of you."

    Laughter echoed through the ward, but it sounded somewhat eerie. The elderly man¡¯sugh was intermittent due to his physical condition, while the young woman¡¯sughter, though cheerful, seemed forced no matter how one listened to it.

    ...

    The CEO¡¯s office of Huangpu Group.

    Yang Kaitai sprawled on the sofa, legs carelessly resting on the expensive coffee table. He tilted his chin up and said bluntly, "CEO Huangpu, hadn¡¯t we agreed onunching a public opinion campaign to damage He Xing¡¯s reputation? Now you¡¯re changing your strategy at thest minute; don¡¯t you think you owe me an exnation?"

    Mr. Huangpu¡¯s expression was ugly; in his world, Yang Kaitai was the first person brazen enough to prop his feet up on Huangpu¡¯s coffee table and face him with the soles of his shoes.

    The Yang Group could be considered arge corporation, but it was only one of the titans in the electronics industry. However, it still paled inparison to the Huangpu Group.

    Remembering this, Mr. Huangpu¡¯s face turned colder as he said icily, "Mr. Yang, if you are still interested in cooperating, please correct your attitude."

    A glint of anger shed across Yang Kaitai¡¯s face. Ever since he had spent time in prison, his temperament had changed dramatically, from the humble and polite demeanor of the past to his current unpredictability and propensity for violence.

    Normally, had he heard such words, Yang Kaitai would have beaten up the speaker on the spot. But the person in front of him was neither one of his subordinates to twist and squeeze to his liking; upon reflection, not only could he do nothing to the man, but he also had to continue cooperating with him.

    With this in mind, Yang Kaitai took his feet off the table and even pulled out a couple of tissues to wipe down the spot where his feet had been. Then he slightly cocked his head while looking at Mr. Huangpu: "Is this better?"

    Mr. Huangpu snorted coldly inside, full of disdain, but his facial expression softened considerably, and his tone changed as well: "Mr. Yang, we are very sincere about our coboration. So far, it has only been our Huangpu Group that has publicly used He Xing on the inte."

    What he didn¡¯t say was that thepetition between Huangpu Group and He Group had alreadye into the open; even if he wanted to switch sides now, it wouldn¡¯t be possible. There was no need to exin such things to someone like Yang Kaitai, whose brawn overshadowed his brains. To do so would be akin to handing his weaknesses to the other party.

    As expected, Yang Kaitai immediately burst into happyughter upon hearing this: "I knew Mr. Huangpu wasn¡¯t the kind of person to break their word. Then why did your official ount repost Su Cheng¡¯s weibo, which cleared He Xing of being the third party?"

    "This..." Mr. Huangpu sighed deeply, sounding extremely helpless: "I didn¡¯t know about this at first. It was my own rebellious son acting behind my back, begging his mother, saying if she didn¡¯t let him tell the truth, he would never acknowledge us again. My wife was hoodwinked, and by the time I found out, it was already toote."

    Yang Kaitai stared at Mr. Huangpu, hisrge eyes making it clear that he didn¡¯t believe the story, yet he couldn¡¯t find any loopholes to attack him with.

    It took Yang Kaitai several minutes before he uttered a sentence devoid of any threat: "I hope such a thing doesn¡¯t happen again in the future."

    Of course, Mr. Huangpu immediately agreed. However, a moment¡¯s thought would reveal that Mr. Huangpu¡¯sst bargaining chip had already been yed and had ended in failure.

    Another stretch of silence ensued; during these brief minutes, Yang Kaitai smoked several cigarettes, and the room became filled with swirling smoke.

    A few minutester, he put out the cigarette in his hand and said slyly, "Mr. Huangpu, we are now grasshoppers on the same rope. We must work together to defeat He Group; otherwise, we will only be defeated by them in the future."

    The vast office rang with sound, asionalughter seeping out and giving a listener the chills.

    About half an hourter, Yang Kaitai left Mr. Huangpu¡¯s meeting room with a triumphant air. As soon as he left, Mrs. Huangpu entered.

    Disdain was written all over her beautiful face. "What did Yang Kaitai say?"

    Mr. Huangpu flicked his cigar, scoffing, "He wants our Huangpu Family to take the lead in a public confrontation with He Group."

    "Did you agree?" There was an unmistakable worry on Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face.

    "How could I do something so foolish?" Mr. Huangpu chuckled, a sense of justice beaming from his square face, discordant with his scheming smile.

    Mrs. Huangpu finally rxed, patting her husbandfortably: "Don¡¯t worry, as long as Su Cheng and Nan Qing are together, Nangong Group will definitely cooperate with us fully, and then He Group will be nothing to fear."

    "Right," Mr. Huangpu smiled but soon paused: "How much longer will Su Cheng drag this out? Why hasn¡¯t he gotten together with Nan Qing yet?"

    "This..." Mrs. Huangpu looked troubled, somewhat helplessly saying, "Su Cheng told me that it¡¯s Nan Qing who doesn¡¯t want to be with him now."

    "Impossible!" Mr. Huangpu roared like a lion with raised hackles: "Nan Qing likes him so much, how could she refuse him? It must be that he¡¯s not showing enough enthusiasm. Call Su Cheng again for me; I¡¯m giving him two more days. If they¡¯re not together by then, then I¡¯ll have to intervene again."

    "I understand," Mrs. Huangpu nodded, her heart filled with sorrow.

    Men and women think differently. She could actually understand Nan Qing¡¯s feelings, given she was in Nan Qing¡¯s ce, she wouldn¡¯t just ept Su Cheng once he came back.

    But she knew that even if she expressed this understanding, Mr. Huangpu wouldn¡¯t believe her.

    After leaving the CEO¡¯s office, she didn¡¯t return to her own, but drove directly to the hospital where Fu Han was.

    ...

    The operationsted a full six hours, from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon, before it finally ended.

    When Fu Han emerged, her face was wrapped in bandages, revealing only her eyes, nose, and mouth, making her look like a mummy in clothes.

    "Doctor, is she alright?"

    "Doctor, was the surgery sessful?"

    The first question was asked by He Xing, the second by Su Cheng, and the questions from others like Bai Wei and Nan Qing were totally iprehensible due to the multitude of speakers.

    Daisi removed the cap from his head and said at a leisurely pace: "If you want to hear what I have to say, then please be quiet."

 Chapter 215 Surgery Successful

    <h4>Chapter 215: Chapter 215 Surgery Sessful</h4><h4></h4>

    The corridor, which had been as lively as a market just a moment ago, was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at Daisi with eager eyes, or rather, everyone was nervously watching Daisi, afraid he would bring the news that no one wanted to hear.

    Speaking in his poor Chinese, Daisi said, "The surgery was sessful. Please be patient, the bandages can be removed in a few days."

    A tremendous cheer erupted, and even He Xing, who always kept his emotions under control, excitedly hugged Daisi, patting him firmly on the back twice, "How would you like me to thank you? Just name it."

    "No need, I¡¯ve already received my payment from you," Daisi replied in his usual unhurried manner, perhaps used to managing the gamut of emotions from families of patients in the hospital, "I was just doing what I had to."

    He Xing patted his shoulder, unable to speak, his throat choked up. He felt an urge to cry, an emotion he hadn¡¯t experienced in many years.

    Fu Han¡¯s face was a heavy stone pressing on his heart, and now that the stone had finally fallen, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

    After so many days, this was the happiest news he had heard.

    Even in his heart, this news was more important than the rification of Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s scandal, more important than Su Cheng¡¯s post iming a peaceful breakup with Fu Han, without any third party involved.

    He Xing stayed by the ward, never leaving. He quietly resolved that this time he would make sure that the first thing Fu Han saw when she woke up was him.

    But before Fu Han woke up, Xia Ning called. With a cry in her voice, she told He Xing toe back quickly, saying grandfather had suddenly taken a turn for the worse and been rushed into the Emergency Room again.

    It was like He Xing had climbed from a deep abyss, not quite reaching the shore before being harshly pped awake.

    His gaze shifted around the ward, seeing Bai Wei and Nan Qing, and also Luo Qinghe and Ji Liangchuan, but in the end, it settled on Su Cheng¡¯s face, "Something urgent hase up, and I must leave. I¡¯m entrusting Fu Han to you."

    If anyone besides himself would treat Fu Han well, it would definitely be Su Cheng; they were rivals in love, but when it really came down to entrusting Fu Han to someone else, He Xing trusted no one else but Su Cheng.

    Su Cheng took the spot He Xing had just vacated, his gaze never leaving Fu Han, equally tense. His mother had messaged him an hour ago, asking him to meet her at a nearby cafe, but he refused to leave without seeing Fu Han wake up.

    Just three minutes earlier, his mother had sent another message, warning that if he didn¡¯t bring Nan Qing to her within ten minutes, she woulde to the hospital to find them.

    After some thought, Su Cheng sent another message to his mother, "Please wait a little longer, I¡¯ll be right over, I¡¯m tied up with something here."

    Though the message was sent, he received no reply from his mother, and Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help but worry, ncing at the door now and then, fearing his mother would suddenly appear.

    Nan Qing, who had been absentmindedly ying with her phone on the couch, sent a Whatsapp message to Su Cheng upon noticing his uneasy demeanor, "Something wrong?"

    Su Cheng immediately checked his phone when he heard the notification and, after a moment of hesitation, responded to Nan Qing¡¯s message, "My mom is waiting for me at the Cafe, but I can¡¯t leave right now."

    "Need me to go check on her for you?" Nan Qing typed and sent the message almost without thinking.

    Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Nan Qing, who was giving him a sweet smile, clearly eager to help.

    He sent Nan Qing the location of the Cafe and added, "I¡¯m sorry to trouble you, but I don¡¯t want my mom toe to the hospital and disturb Fu Han. No matter what she says to you, don¡¯t take it to heart."

    "Got it," Nan Qing replied and then stood up, heading straight for the door without looking back.

    A few minutes passed, and Fu Xingbo¡¯s phone rang with a reminder he had set, notifying him it was time to collect the paternity test results.

    He whispered to Bai Qian, closed hisptop, and then left.

    About ten minutester, Fu Xingbo returned. He was alwaysposed, every move exuding the leisureliness of the nobility, but this time he was moving quickly, his usually pale face flushed red with undeniable excitement.

    Bai Qian greeted him immediately with a rare excitement of her own, "Is it true?"

    Fu Xingbo just nodded, unable to utter a word.

    Bai Wei had been cuddling with Luo Qinghe, immersed in a TV drama, but at this news, she looked up, puzzled, "Mom, Dad, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand?"

    "From now on, you¡¯ll need to be even more independent and strong," Fu Xingbo said with a smile, showing off his bright white teeth, "because, from today forward, you¡¯re not the sole heir to my estate anymore. Fu Han is your cousin and will also inherit my estate. Got it?"

    "What?"

    Everyone in the room couldn¡¯t help but repeat the question, their mouths gaping open in surprise as if they were hearing a fairytale.

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s face was clearly marked with excitement as he waved the document bag in his hand, "This is the result of the paternity test between me and Fu Han, a ny-two percent match. The conclusive result is that we have a blood rtion. If she¡¯s not your cousin, then what is she?"

    "But..." This news was too shocking for Bai Wei to ept; her wide eyes filled with confusion as she said, "But I¡¯ve never heard you mention that I had a sister."

    "I didn¡¯t know before, so of course, I couldn¡¯t tell you," Fu Xingbo answered, settling back on the couch with Bai Qian. He was someone who seldom spoke about his private life, but today¡¯s joy was overwhelming, provoking a strong desire to share, "It turns out my parents passed away early, and I grew up depending on my sister. It was thanks to her that I could study abroad, but in those days there were no mobile phones, no telephones, and I lost contact with my sister not long after I left the country."

    He had met Bai Qian abroad and had decided to settle there.

    Yet he had never forgotten his sister and had continually asked people to search for her in his homnd, but there were no updates.

    This time, their visit to their country was not just to see Bai Wei but also out of a private hope to search for her sister themselves.

    Fate had yed a bizarre trick¡ªit was a blessing from heaven that, upon returning to his homnd, he met Fu Han. At first, he just thought the surname ¡¯Fu¡¯ was very simr to his own, but as he observed Fu Han more, he felt she bore a resemnce to his sister.

    But in truth, this notion was mostly Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian¡¯s spection, as they had no photographs of Fu Xingbo¡¯s sister.

    Eventually, Bai Qian persuaded Fu Xingbo that instead of guessing here, it would be better to take a direct approach and have a paternity test done with Fu Han. Whether positive or negative, there was nothing to lose.

 Chapter 216: The Bracelet of Great Significance

    <h4>Chapter 216: Chapter 216: The Bracelet of Great Significance</h4><h4></h4>

    After they finished speaking, Bai Wei eximed excitedly and jumped three feet in the air, "Great, I have a male cousin, and now I have a female cousin too, and the two of them are a couple."

    That didn¡¯t sound quite right to anyone who heard it, and Bai Qian¡¯s frown only deepened, "Xiaowei, do you know how to speak? They are not blood-rted."

    "Okay, okay, I know," Bai Wei said, shaking her head with a clearly upbeat mood, "But one day they will get married, so tell me, am I from the bride¡¯s family or the groom¡¯s family?"

    "Of course, you¡¯re from the groom¡¯s family," Fu Xingboughed, showing his teeth, "Fu Han is your sister, your biological sister, you know?"

    Bai Qianughed aloud but couldn¡¯t help joining in, "He Xing is also your brother, but, if those two argue, just remember to side with Fu Han."

    "You didn¡¯t need to say it," Bai Wei boasted with a proud smile, "Even if Fu Han weren¡¯t my sister, I¡¯d always support her."

    Su Cheng listened on the side as Bai Wei¡¯s family looked forward to their happy future, but he felt an overwhelming bitterness in his heart; just thinking about being nothing more than ordinary friends with Fu Han in the future made his heart ache so much that even breathing was painful, not to mention everything else.

    Fu Han was still unconscious. It had been almost two hours since she had been brought out of the Operating Room, and the Doctor said that if Fu Han didn¡¯t wake up within three hours, they should go find a Doctor.

    Nan Qing had left nearly half an hour ago, Su Cheng didn¡¯t know what she and her mother were discussing and started to worry.

    Just as he was hesitating whether to message Nan Qing, she returned, approaching Su Cheng with a calm expression, as if nothing had happened.

    But it was Su Cheng who couldn¡¯t keep calm and couldn¡¯t resist asking, "Nan Qing... Sister, what did you say to my mother?"

    "Nothing much," Nan Qing swung her arm, showing off a bracelet that was entirely emerald green and clearly expensive.

    That wasn¡¯t the key point, the key was that Su Cheng recognized the bracelet; its familiarity took him by surprise as he pointed at it and said, "That¡¯s what my mother received from my grandmother when she married into the Huangpu Family, she said it was... meant for..."

    Su Cheng couldn¡¯t bring himself to finish the sentence, but he believed that even if he couldn¡¯t say it, Nan Qing would understand the implication.

    Indeed, the color drained from Nan Qing¡¯s face as she struggled to take off the bracelet while saying anxiously, "You¡¯re misunderstanding, I didn¡¯t mean that, I¡¯ll give the bracelet back to you right now."

    In the past, thedy of the Huangpu Family often gave various gifts to Nan Qing, including the bracelet today without a word, and Nan Qing hadn¡¯t thought too much of it, but now she had to think it over.

    However, the bracelet, which was easy to put on, proved difficult to remove, and despite her great efforts, the bracelet remained securely on her wrist as she nearly broke it trying to get it off.

    Su Cheng remembered his mother mentioning that the bracelet seemed ordinary, but once worn, it couldn¡¯t be taken off for ten or twenty years.

    Su Cheng had always thought his mother was exaggerating, but now he felt she might have been telling the truth; how else could he exin seeing her unable to take off the bracelet before, while now it was on Nan Qing¡¯s wrist?

    He stopped Nan Qing¡¯s attempts, trying to speak as calmly as possible, "Don¡¯t overthink it, it¡¯s just an ordinary bracelet, not very valuable; you look good wearing it."

    Nan Qing stared at Su Cheng nkly. His eyes shimmered, and his face turned a slight red. She felt a stir in her heart and, without saying anything, didn¡¯t attempt to forcefully remove the bracelet anymore.

    Their eyes inadvertently met, and both their faces flushed; they hastily looked away, too embarrassed to meet the other¡¯s gaze again.

    Only Luo Qinghe, from his vantage point where he sat, saw everything that happened between them clearly.

    His expression grewplex as he inwardly sighed deeply, thinking that taking a step back could lead to a broader view of the world, a different life journey, like his own.

    But sometimes perseverance could also reveal a newndscape, like Bai Wei¡¯s.

    Luo Qinghe felt very happy with his life now, hoping Su Cheng could find the same broad horizons by taking a step back and hoping Nan Qing could, like Bai Wei, persist a little longer, just a little longer.

    But everyone¡¯s life choices are different, and no one has the right to demand others solve their problems the same way they do.

    Fu Han woke up just as everyone was lost in their thoughts, unnoticed as she opened her eyes, which gave her a chance to look around calmly; her first instinct was to look for He Xing, but the person who had said he would always stay with her wasn¡¯t there.

    She distinctly felt a piercing pain in her heart, like being pricked with needles, and though she was still very sleepy and wanted to close her eyes and sleep some more.

    But Su Cheng¡¯s eyes caught hers precisely, ck and white distinct, and he immediately shouted ecstatically, "Fu Han is awake, Fu Han is awake."

    In less than five seconds, the whole room gathered around her Ward bed, and she felt like a gori at the zoo under everyone¡¯s gaze, making "gori" Fu Han quite ufortable.

    She forced a smile, "Thank you for your concern, I¡¯m fine."

    Before Su Cheng could say anything, Bai Wei blurted out Fu Han¡¯s identity in excitement, stumbling over her words several times.

    Fu Han felt an unreal sensation, she had thought the paternity test was too melodramatic, straight from a fantastical tale, and now her feelings hadn¡¯t changed, still believing Bai Wei¡¯s words to be false.

    Fu Xingbo unfolded the paternity test paper in front of her like a treasured item, the usually calm middle-aged man was as excited as a young man, "Fu Han, you really are my niece, it¡¯s true."

    If Fu Han hadn¡¯t lost her memory, she probably would have been very happy, but now she didn¡¯t feel excited, rather, she thought everything that had happened to her was bizarre enough, and a couple more incidents didn¡¯t make much of a difference.

    Under the excited and expectant gazes of everyone, Fu Han rigidly called out for "Uncle" and "Aunt," moving Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian to tearful gratitude while she awkwardly wished she could hide.

    As the fervent atmosphere in the Ward finally eased, Fu Han, with a red face, asked the question she had wanted to ask since waking up, "Where did He Xing go?"

    Although Su Cheng was jealous of He Xing, he feared Fu Han¡¯s distress even more and quickly said, "He Xing was waiting outside the Operating Room for you all along. After your surgery was over, he got a phone call and had to leave for something important. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯lle back to see you as soon as he has dealt with his affairs."

    "I..." Fu Han blushed, whispering softly, "I¡¯m not... not worried."

 Chapter 217: Trachea Blocked by Foreign Object

    <h4>Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Trachea Blocked by Foreign Object</h4><h4></h4>

    Actually, it would have been better if she hadn¡¯t spoken at all, her words giving off a feeling like she was trying to hide something, which only made it stand out more. Everyone in the room smiled kindly.

    Su Cheng also smiled, but his smile was uglier than crying. However, since the people present knew about the grudges and entanglements among the three of them, they didn¡¯t me Su Cheng for adding to the tension at this time.

    ...

    He Family Private Hospital.

    He Xing rushed back as fast as he could, nearly running a red light on the way. After getting out of the car, he sprinted towards the Emergency Room, arriving there drenched in sweat.

    As soon as Xia Ning saw He Xing, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms, "Brother He Xing, it¡¯s all my fault, all my fault. Grandpa said he liked grapes, so I peeled them for him, and I even picked out all the seeds from each grape, but I never imagined that he would still choke on them, it¡¯s all my fault."

    "Stop crying," He Xing sighed heavily. His hand, already lifting to push Xia Ning away, hesitated, and in the end, he just patted her shoulder and said in a low voice, "I¡¯ve seen how you¡¯ve been taking care of Grandpa these past few days. It¡¯s not your fault, don¡¯t feel guilty."

    "Do you really not me me?" Xia Ning looked up at He Xing, her hands clutching his waist, beautiful tears still hanging on her face.

    He Xing stepped back abruptly, as if electrocuted, forcefully breaking free from Xia Ning¡¯s grasp.

    But he moved so suddenly, and Xia Ning,pletely unprepared, stumbled and fell forward.

    With quick reflexes, He Xing extended his long arm and caught Xia Ning by the waist, steadying her.

    Xia Ning, who had braced herself for a hardnding, ended up in the arms of He Xing, and for the first time outside of dancing, he was holding her waist.

    Her cheeks med red, and she felt all her strength drain away, her body light as though floating on clouds, without foundation.

    If she could, she would love to stay in He Xing¡¯s arms forever.

    Unfortunately, He Xing let go as soon as she was steady on her feet. Xia Ning clung to that fleeting feeling, while regretting how short the embrace had been.

    With a quick thought, tears welled up in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes again, and in a pitiful voice she said, "Brother He Xing, are you really not angry with me?"

    "No," He Xing did not look at Xia Ning, his gaze turning towards the end of the corridor and the staircase. Frowning, he spoke to Old Zhou at his side, "I thought I felt someone taking photos just now, go check it out quickly."

    "Taking photos?" Xia Ning¡¯s eyes widened, and watching Old Zhou leave, she realized something and hurriedly exined, "Brother He Xing, you don¡¯t suspect that it was me who arranged for someone to take photos, do you? It really wasn¡¯t me, I swear!"

    "Really not you?" He Xing¡¯s frown deepened. When Xia Ning had been drunk at the bar and he took her to the hotel, there had been photos taken, and his prime suspect was Xia Ning setting it up, which waster confirmed. Now, it was hard for him not to think she¡¯d done it again.

    Xia Ning, increasingly frantic, waved her hands and tears fell, "Brother He Xing, I really didn¡¯t know about this. I¡¯ve been taking care of Grandpa He these past few days, staying with you almost around the clock. I had no time to set something like this up, you have to believe me."

    After joining He Group, He Xing had seen his fair share of deceitful people and quickly recognized that Xia Ning was telling the truth. He couldn¡¯t help but mumble to himself, wondering if perhaps this time it really wasn¡¯t Xia Ning who had arranged for the photos to be taken.

    But whether it was or it wasn¡¯t, now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on these matters. To him, the most important thing was that Grandpa He quickly got better.

    About ten minutester, Old Zhou returned looking downcast, obviously having failed his task.

    Old Zhou, furious, said, "Young Master, it was the paparazzi who took the photos. By the time I got there, someone else had already taken their camera away."

    He Xing was about to say something when suddenly the door to the Emergency Room opened and a group of medical staff wheeled out Old Master He; the operation was over.

    He Xing immediately put aside everything and rushed forward, "Doctor, how is my grandpa doing?"

    "He¡¯s out of danger for now," the doctor said helplessly after removing his mask. "CEO He, you must remember that until the CEO has fully recovered, he can only eat liquid food. Two grapes got stuck in his windpipe and wouldn¡¯te out. We had to cut open the trachea to retrieve the grapes. You all must be careful in the future."

    He Xing naturally agreed, while silently resolving never to give in to Grandpa He¡¯s cravings again. Foods that shouldn¡¯t be eaten simply shouldn¡¯t¡ªespecially not grapes.

    He watched over Old Master He lying in the bed, his mind torn over whether he should visit Fu Han.

    Xia Ning knew that Fu Han was having surgery today, and it was precisely because of Fu Han¡¯s surgery He Xing had gone over early to apany her, leaving Xia Ning to take care of Old Master He.

    Gently, she approached He Xing and asked, "Brother He Xing, I haven¡¯t asked you yet, how is Fu Han doing now? Did the surgery go well?"

    "The surgery was a sess," He Xing said, a smile beginning to form involuntarily at the corners of his mouth. Looking out the window, he seemed to see Fu Han¡¯s smiling face, and after a few seconds hemented, "I wonder if Fu Han has woken up yet, I..."

    "How about I go check on her for you?" Xia Ning immediately volunteered, "Grandpa has juste out of the operating room and can¡¯t be left alone, and if anything sudden happens, I might not be able to handle it, so it¡¯s best that I go see Fu Han, right?"

    He Xing thought about it and it did seem like the best solution. He nodded slowly, and, still worried, he cautioned, "If Xiaohan is awake, tell her to focus on recovering. Once Grandpa¡¯s condition is stable, I¡¯ll go see her."

    "Of course, I will make sure to tell her clearly," Xia Ning said with a sweet smile, waving at He Xing, "If anything happens, I¡¯ll call you. I will bring you dinner when Ie back, so don¡¯t eat alone, okay?"

    He Xing nodded tiredly; not only did heck any appetite, but without news from Fu Han, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to sleep.

    The cute smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face vanished as soon as she stepped out of the ward, reced by a cruel smirk on her beautiful face.

    An opportunity that came once in a thousand years had to be seized, and she was determined to have a thorough talk with Fu Han. Preferably, she would shatter thest bit of hope in Fu Han¡¯s heart, making her flee in panic just like three years ago.

    Xia Ning was confident in herself; if she had seeded in driving Fu Han away once, she could certainly do it a second time.

 Chapter 218 Mysterious Duckbill Hat

    <h4>Chapter 218: Chapter 218 Mysterious Duckbill Hat</h4><h4></h4>

    The night had already fallen, and Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei had both returned to their rooms. As for Ji Liangchuan, he had left early after Fu Han woke up, since his bar was starting business; Fu Xingbo and his wife Bai Qian also went back to the hotel where they were staying; Su Cheng ate dinner with Fu Han and Nan Qing and then left as well.

    Although the hospital where Fu Han was staying was one of the best in A City, its facilities were quite outdated due to its long history. For instance, the bathing area was still amunal bathroom, fortunately divided into cubicles.

    It was just that if you went toote, there would be no hot water left.

    Thus, Nan Qing tidied up her clothes and went to take a bath early. Before she left, she reminded Fu Han not to wander off and to call her if anything came up.

    With her face now resembling a mummy, Fu Han was more likely to scare others than be frightened herself, so naturally, she chose to stay obediently in her ward.

    She had been reading both day and night, nearly finishing "Identity Anxiety." Flipping through the book listlessly, she didn¡¯t know what to do next.

    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Thinking that Nan Qing might have forgotten something, she simply said, "Come in."

    The door was pushed open, and the face of a man she had never seen before appeared in the gap¡ªthough to call it a "face" wasn¡¯t quite urate. The man wore an exaggerated duckbill cap and also had a mask on. His face waspletely unrecognizable.

    "Who are you? Don¡¯te any closer!" A strong sense of unease surged in Fu Han¡¯s heart, and she pressed the call button twice forcefully, then began to fumble for her phone under the pillow.

    The phone was grasped in her hand, but the stranger had already approached her.

    Only then did she notice a cold glint from within the loose sleeve of the intruder¡ªa dagger¡¯s de gleaming there.

    Even if Fu Han was naive, she knew something was amiss, and as the hand clutching the dagger swung toward her, she let out a shriek and forcefully hurled her phone at the man in the duckbill cap.

    This was a desperate move, executed with all her strength; and since the man was so close, he couldn¡¯t avoid it, taking the full blow of the phone to his nose without any defense.

    A muffled grunt came out as the duckbill-capped man, infuriated, red at Fu Han and muttered, "Seeking death," before swinging the dagger straight for Fu Han¡¯s eyes.

    Fu Han was terrified but found herself bing calmer as the danger escted. She ducked sharply downwards, kicking out forcefully with both feet, striking the man in the stomach.

    The cap-wearing man¡¯s dagger only grazed the top of Fu Han¡¯s head, but she had kicked out with all her might, causing him to fall and sit on the ground with a thud.

    "Now¡¯s my chance!" Fu Han didn¡¯t dare linger; not bothering to put on her shoes, she hurried out of the bed on the other side and dashed toward the door.

    "Think you can run?" Fueled by hurt pride, the man gave chase, but s, the dagger had already flown from his hand, rolling away, probably under the bed, and it was now toote to retrieve it.

    He reached out grabbing Fu Han¡¯s braid¡ªluckily, Nan Qing had braided it tightly, otherwise, if pulled forcefully by the cap-wearer, half of Fu Han¡¯s scalp might have been ripped off.

    But even without losing her scalp, Fu Han was in agony as she was dragged to the ground. When her head made contact with the floor, the pain nearly knocked her unconscious.

    The man raised his fist high, swinging it straight towards Fu Han¡¯s cheek. Had the blownded, Fu Han¡¯s nose might have beenpletely crushed.

    In the nick of time, a crisp voice rang out from the doorway: "Who are you? What are you doing?"

    The cap-wearing man¡¯s hand froze in mid-air, and both he and Fu Han turned to look at the door¡ªit was Xia Ning who had appeared at the critical moment.

    "You¡¯re lucky!" The man in the cap didn¡¯t linger. He dropped Fu Han and charged towards the door, moving so swiftly that he knocked Xia Ning to the ground.

    Scrambling to her feet, Xia Ning hurried over to Fu Han and helped her up: "Fu Han, are you all right?"

    "Thank you, I¡¯m fine," Fu Han said with difficulty as she got up with Xia Ning¡¯s assistance. In reality, the pain from being pulled by the scalp and the fall had left her feeling as if her bones were falling apart.

    Xia Ning propped Fu Han up so that she was half-lying on the hospital bed, then sat at the edge herself. Holding Fu Han¡¯s hand, she expressed deep concern: "It¡¯s a good thing He Xing asked me to check on you; otherwise, I can¡¯t imagine what might have happened."

    At the mention of "He Xing," Fu Han¡¯s emotions becameplicated. She was grateful for the bandages on her face, which hid her reactions from Xia Ning: "I really can¡¯t thank you enough. I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done otherwise. How is... how is Grandpa He right now?"

    "Not so good," Xia Ning sighed, turning to look at Fu Han with a pleading look: "Fu Han, can I ask you a favor? Grandpa He¡¯s condition is very dangerous, could you please not keep asking He Xing to stay with you?"

    "I..." Fu Han¡¯s mouth opened, but she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t wait for a response, shaking Fu Han¡¯s hand slightly before speaking again: "Fu Han, I know you and He Xing are engaged, and I don¡¯t want toe between you. But Grandpa He is He Xing¡¯s only family. I¡¯ve been with Grandpa He nonstop these past few days; He Xing is really exhausted running between us. Your condition isn¡¯t that serious, could you perhaps not be as willful as you were before this time?"

    Fu Han felt as if her heart was soaked in cold water, thoroughly chilled. She looked up slowly at Xia Ning: "Did He Xing tell you to speak with me about this?"

    "No," Xia Ning replied with a bitter smile: "He takes his promises very seriously. You are his fianc¨¦e in name, and taking care of you is his responsibility."

    "Responsibility?" Fu Han echoed the word, shaking visibly, yet her voice was eerily calm. Even her exposed eyes managed a smiling twinkle: "Xia Ning, thank you for telling me this. I understand, and from now on, I won¡¯t trouble He Xing anymore."

    Xia Ning stared intently into Fu Han¡¯s eyes, surprised that she had agreed so readily, but she couldn¡¯t clearly see through the bandages.

    Despite her happiness, Xia Ning concealed it deep within herself. Her face,den with concern, assured Fu Han: "I don¡¯t have any other motive in telling you this, nor do I intend to fight with you over He Xing. Once Grandpa He recovers, you can still have He Xing with you all day long, just like before. Really!"

    "I understand," Fu Han replied, her spirits so low she hardly felt like speaking, leaning back on the bed exhaustedly as she addressed Xia Ning: "I¡¯ve taken in all you said. If there¡¯s nothing else, you should go back for now. You¡¯ve also had a hard time taking care of Grandpa He these past few days."

 Chapter 219: Wild Behavior in the Motorhome

    <h4>Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Wild Behavior in the Motorhome</h4><h4></h4>

    "Then... then I¡¯ll head back first," Xia Ning¡¯s smile deepened on her face. She gracefully rose to her feet and took a few steps before suddenly turning back, "He Xing is waiting for me to eat, he won¡¯t have his meal if I don¡¯t return."

    Fu Han tried to smile, but after she did, the bandage wrapped around her face hid her smile from others. Even if her expression fell, no one could see it.

    Across the room, Xia Ning stopped abruptly at the door, resting her hand on the frame as she slowly turned back, still wearing a sweet smile, "Fu Han, you mustn¡¯t tell anyone about what I just confided in you, in case He Xing finds out and feels conflicted... Consider it a favor, okay?"

    "I won¡¯t tell," Fu Han replied indifferently, her bright eyes narrowing slightly as she averted her gaze from Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning, swaying her hips seductively, left the hospital. A motorhome was parked at the entrance. After ncing around to make sure no one was following, she quickly ducked inside.

    As soon as she entered, someone grabbed her. The motorhome door closed with a snap, and she was pushed against the door, a deluge of kisses raining down upon her.

    If Fu Han were there, she would have instantly recognized the man tangled with Xia Ning as the cap-wearing, masked man who had threatened to kill her with a knife.

    Who knows how much time had passed before the ambiguous sounds finally ceased. Xia Ning slowly got up and walked barefoot to the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water filled the air, and after about fifteen minutes, it stopped. She opened the bathroom door a crack and said, "Yang Kaitai, get me my clothes."

    The man sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette replied, immediately heading to the room.

    A few minutester, Xia Ning came out dressed. She found a hairdryer and began to blow-dry her hair, as the scent of shampoo and shower gel spread throughout the motorhome, contending with the overpowering odors.

    Yang Kaitai had finished his cigarette. He walked over to Xia Ning, wrapped one arm around her slender waist, and his other hand began to wander restlessly.

    Xia Ning pped his hand away, "I still have things to do, stop it!

    "I really don¡¯t understand why you¡¯ve been hanging around the hospital these days taking care of that old man." Yang Kaitai¡¯s face darkened, and with dissatisfaction, he looked at Xia Ning, "Do you still have feelings for He Xing?"

    "So what if I do?" Xia Ning¡¯s expression also turned cold as she stated matter-of-factly to Yang Kaitai, "What happens between He Xing and me is none of your business. Stay out of it."

    "What did you say?" Yang Kaitai trembled with rage, and in his fury, he hurled a delicate vase to the ground.

    With a crash, ss shattered and scattered everywhere, even sshing a small area of Xia Ning¡¯s long dress.

    "Yang Kaitai, are you sick?" Xia Ning shook with anger, as she rounded on Yang Kaitai cursing, "Who do you think you are? With your Yang Family¡¯s current wealth, you still want to marry me? If it hadn¡¯t been for you teaching Fu Han a lesson for me today, I wouldn¡¯t even nce at you."

    After finishing her tirade, she marched to the front of the motorhome and knocked forcefully on the window, shouting at the driver, "Stop the car, stop the car now."

    Everyone around Yang Kaitai knew one thing for certain, it¡¯s better to offend Yang Kaitai than Xia Ning. Offending Yang Kaitai would get you a beating, but offending Xia Ning went beyond just a simple beating.

    The sound of urgent braking arose, Xia Ning pulled open the car door and got out directly.

    When Xia Ning berated him, Yang Kaitai remained seated on the couch, speechless. Now, seeing Xia Ning actually get out of the car, he panicked. He hurried forward, catching up in a few quick strides and grabbed Xia Ning, "What are you doing? Didn¡¯t we agree I would take you to the hospital?"

    "Am I the one causing a scene? It¡¯s clearly you who¡¯s making a fuss!" Xia Ning¡¯s anger only grew as she red at Yang Kaitai, "I like He Xing, and the whole world knows it. What jealousy are you stewing in here? What, you¡¯ve had my body, now you want my heart too?"

    For a moment, Yang Kaitai felt a surge of anger, but looking at Xia Ning¡¯s face, still beautiful even in anger, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything harsher.

    Eventually, he seized Xia Ning¡¯s wrist, pleading in a low voice, "Xiaoning, I¡¯m sorry, I misspoke. I... I just love you too much, that¡¯s why I¡¯m acting this way. Please don¡¯t be angry. I promise I¡¯ll never behave like this again."

    "You¡¯d better think carefully about what you¡¯ll do in the future," Xia Ning said, shrugging off his hand, and got out of the car without looking back.

    In fact, they were already close to the hospital by then. Even without the argument, it was time for Xia Ning to get out.

    She stood at the edge of the road, looking around until she spotted the hotel that had been her go-to for takeout these past few days. She sauntered over, intending to buy dinner for He Xing.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s motorhome stayed parked on the side of the road until Xia Ning had purchased dinner and entered the hospital. Only then did the vehicle make a U-turn and drive away.

    He Family private hospital.

    In the ward, the anesthesia had worn off the elder Mr. He. He was now awake, but after thesest few days, he had thinned considerably. His eyes were cloudier, and he seemed to have aged more than ten years in appearance.

    He Xing and a nurse were each massaging one of Mr. He¡¯s legs.

    Mr. He struggled to open his mouth, his words slurred, "Xiao... Xiaohan¡¯s surgery... how... how did it go?"

    "The surgery went smoothly," He Xing said, a hint of a smile involuntarily gracing his lips, as he exined, "Xiaohan mentioned several times that she wanted toe see you, but her condition doesn¡¯t allow it right now."

    "Don¡¯t try to coddle me with that talk." Mr. He¡¯s tongue seemed to suddenly straighten out, and he was able to speak a full sentence clearly, but his next words were still a struggle, "Xiao... Xiaoning, she has... has amnesia, doesn¡¯t remember me, how... how would she want... toe to see me."

    He Xing¡¯s emotions roller-coastered. He cleared his throat and spoke in as steady a voice as he could manage, "Xiaohan does have amnesia, but I¡¯ve told her some things about the past, and when she heard you weren¡¯t feeling well, she was genuinely upset. I could tell it wasn¡¯t an act. I... I believe her memory loss is only temporary."

    Mr. He nodded in relief and after a moment of worry added, "If... if something truly... happens to me, you... must... take good care of... Xiaohan, don¡¯t let her... be wrong... wronged."

    "I know, don¡¯t worry," He Xing vowed, "She has already left me once. This time I won¡¯t let her go again."

 Chapter 220: The Failed Attempt to Sow Discord

    <h4>Chapter 220: Chapter 220: The Failed Attempt to Sow Discord</h4><h4></h4>

    Outside the ward, Xia Ning¡¯s face turned terribly grim upon hearing these words.

    A nurse was approaching from a distance, so it wasn¡¯t good for her to continue eavesdropping. She put on her painstakingly honed sweet smile and entered the ward, "He Xing brother, I¡¯m back. I bought you dinner. Has Grandpa He awakened?"

    The moment He Xing turned his head, a sh of exhaustion crossed his face, but by the time he looked at Xia Ning, his expression had calmed without a ripple, "Grandpa has already awakened."

    "That¡¯s great." Xia Ning hurriedly ced the takeout box on the coffee table and scurried to the bedside, looking at Old Master He with a face full of distress, "Grandpa He, it¡¯s all my fault for letting you eat grapes. You have no idea what went through my mind while waiting outside the operating room. I thought if anything happened to you, I wouldn¡¯t want to live either."

    Old Master He¡¯s murky eyes shimmered with tears. He struggled to raise his hand, and Xia Ning quickly offered hers, "Good... child, it¡¯s not... your fault."

    Xia Ning burst into tears, copsing onto Old Master He and crying as if she had suffered the greatest injustice in the world, her sobbing filling the room.

    In the end, it was He Xing who opened the takeout box and beckoned her over to eat. Xia Ning then stopped her tears and, looking back every three steps, came to sit beside He Xing, cradling her bowl and began to eat.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t very well ask Xia Ning not to sit next to him. He took his own bowl and chopsticks, rose to his feet, and sat down on a single sofa nearby, silently and wordlessly eating.

    Xia Ning was in a good mood but couldn¡¯t show it on her face. While eating, she stealthily observed He Xing and said softly, "He Xing brother, Sister Fu Han¡¯s condition is not bad. The doctor said she could be discharged in a few days."

    "Really? So soon?" He Xing looked up at her, his puzzlement undisguised.

    With a smile, Xia Ning replied, "Yes, I¡¯m genuinely happy for Fu Han, it¡¯s just..."

    She sneaked another nce at He Xing, then pretended to pick up food while looking down, "Never mind, He Xing brother, these are all your favorite dishes, you should eat more."

    "Just what?" He Xing stopped eating, his eyes unwaveringly fixed on Xia Ning, an invisible pressure radiating from him.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned somewhat pale; for a moment, she thought He Xing had seen right through her. But thinking this might be herst chance, her heart sank still further.

    She put on a slight smile and feigned concern, "It¡¯s just that Fu Han woke up angry not seeing you, questioning why you couldn¡¯t wait for her to wake up."

    He Xing¡¯s hand trembled slightly¡ªa brief moment, but Xia Ning was ready to catch it.

    Feeling somewhat smug inside, she appeared all the more understanding on the surface, "He Xing brother, I¡¯ve exined to Sister Fu Han that you didn¡¯t mean to not wait for her. You said that as soon as you have time, you will definitely go see her, and I told her not to misunderstand you."

    "Mm," He Xing murmured an indifferent affirmation, devoid of any emotion, and looking down again, resumed his eating.

    Xia Ning was uncertain of what He Xing meant. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had been too subtle. Maybe He Xing didn¡¯t understand the implications of her words.

    After some thought, she added, "He Xing brother, I feel like Fu Han has be a different person after her memory loss. I told her that Grandpa had another surgery, and she didn¡¯t react at all."

    Crack!

    He Xing ced his chopsticks on the table. Looking coldly at Xia Ning, just when she thought he was going to say something, He Xing suddenly asked, "Did you change your clothes?"

    Five simple words, yet Xia Ning felt as if she had fallen into an ice pit. She had only felt Yang Kaitai¡¯s scent on her previous outfit and hadn¡¯t expected He Xing to notice that she had changed clothes.

    She forced a stiff smile and said in as calm a voice as possible, "I... I opened a room at the hotel to wait for them to make dinner, took a bath, and changed into a new set of clothes."

    "Mm." With just a single syble, He Xing then got up and left without another nce at Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning, losing herposure, called out after him anxiously, "He Xing brother, please eat a little more, you haven¡¯t finished your bowl."

    "I¡¯m not eating anymore." He Xing went over to Old Master He, bent down to whisper something, then grabbed his phone and car keys and headed for the door. He stopped momentarily beside Old Zhou, "Stay with Grandpa without a moment¡¯s absence. I¡¯ll be back in at most an hour."

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t care less about maintaining a girl¡¯s pride; she dashed up and grabbed He Xing¡¯s arm, "He Xing brother, where are you going? Do you want me toe with you?"

    "I¡¯m going to see Fu Han." He Xing pulled back his arm, looking down emotionlessly at Xia Ning, "It¡¯s too hard on you to care for Grandpa here. Better you head back after eating."

    After saying those words, he walked straight out, not giving Xia Ning a chance to speak. Xia Ning watched his receding figure, stamping her feet in frustration, to no avail.

    After leaving Old Master He¡¯s ward, He Xing drove straight to the hospital where Fu Han was staying. He had always been worried about Fu Han and now, hearing Xia Ning¡¯s words, he felt it necessary to see Fu Han with his own eyes.

    He wasn¡¯t angry with Fu Han; he thought it was right for her to be angry at him. In fact, he was happy that she was angry with him because that meant he still mattered to her in her heart. Heaven knows how sad he felt when Fu Han treated him like an enemy or stranger in the days before.

    All the way there, he pondered how to speak to Fu Han upon seeing her. An apology was a must, but maybe he should also make a serious confession. The ne he gave her for the New Year, which she broke in anger, had been repaired, and he could give it to her again.

    Fate hadn¡¯t been too unkind to him. Although his rtionship with Fu Han had note easy, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, as long as they were alive, he would never give up.

    Fu Han¡¯s ward was now in sight, and He Xing¡¯s heart swelled with rising excitement¡ªhe almost wished he could sprout wings and fly straight to Fu Han¡¯s side.

    Yet, as he arrived at the entrance of Fu Han¡¯s ward, he saw an unexpected person outside her door. He greeted in surprise, "Uncle, what are you doing here?"

    Fu Xingbo was sitting on a chair he had moved in front of Fu Han¡¯s bed, seemingly discussing something. He turned to nce at He Xing, then looked back at Fu Han, "Think about what I told you. I¡¯ll wait for your response."

    After he said that, he stretched out his hand to ruffle Fu Han¡¯s head, turned, and walked away. At the door, he nodded at He Xing as a greeting.

    He Xing watched Fu Xingbo¡¯s retreating figure, falling deep into thought, until Fu Han broke the silence in the ward, "Didn¡¯t you send Xia Ning to see me? Why have youe again?"

 Chapter 221: The Repaired Necklace

    <h4>Chapter 221: Chapter 221: The Repaired Ne</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m not at ease, it¡¯s better toe and see for myself," He Xing said with a smile while walking towards Fu Han and asked, "What brings my little aunt¡¯s husband here?"

    In his mind, Fu Xingbo was his little aunt¡¯s husband, naturally, he was also Fu Han¡¯s little aunt¡¯s husband.

    For some reason, Fu Han didn¡¯t want to actively bring up her rtionship with Fu Xingbo to He Xing, even though she still found this way of recognizing rtives absurd; or perhaps since her memory loss, many people had repeatedly told her about their once close rtionship, which Fu Han found... odd. She listened to the stories they recounted, feeling only a sense of alienation.

    She turned her gaze away from He Xing, saying calmly, "Nothing much, just ordinary concern."

    He Xing epted her words without overthinking, since Bai Wei and her family often came to visit Fu Han when he was present.

    He sat down where Fu Xingbo had been sitting earlier, looking closely at Fu Han. He found that although her face was wrapped in gauze, her eyes, with their watery autumn depths, seemed even more attractive; like sunlight reflecting on water, shimmering; like a bottomless ck hole, drawing in everyone¡¯s gaze.

    If he could, He Xing felt he could watch Fu Han day and night without anyint, willing to drown in her gaze, without regrets, for a lifetime, for generations toe.

    Unfortunately, this pleasant atmosphere was broken by Fu Han, mainly because she couldn¡¯t stand He Xing¡¯s gaze, intense as if he wanted to devour her whole.

    She coughed awkwardly and asked, "You haven¡¯t told me, what exactly are you here for?"

    He Xing suddenly realized, and reaching into his pocket, he took out a ne: "This is... a gift I gave you for the New Year, but it broke by ident, and now that it¡¯s fixed, I¡¯ve brought it over for you."

    Fu Han opened her palm to receive it, her hand adorned with thin calluses, not rough but as if enchanted. He Xing, feeling a light touch upon them, felt as though he had been electrified.

    "What¡¯s this?" Fu Han examined the ne closely before her eyes, asking with curiosity, "A lotus flower?"

    "Yes, a lotus flower," He Xing said with a gentle tone, "An unopened lotus is also called a ¡¯heart-lotus pod.¡¯ You are like the pure lotus in my heart."

    Fu Han distinctly felt her heart pounding uncontrobly. Thankfully, even if she blushed, no one would notice. She yed with the ne, silently thinking that it was indeed a thoughtful gift.

    "May I put it on for you?" He Xing rubbed his hands, his face slightly flushed, his eyes clearly pleading.

    Fu Han had a refusal on the tip of her tongue, but seeing him like this, her heart softened, and she couldn¡¯t utter the words. She could only nod her consent silently.

    Immense joy spread across He Xing¡¯s cheeks. He handled the ne as if it were a priceless treasure, carefully helping Fu Han put it on and then tidied her slightly disheveled hair.

    Fu Han felt a rush of shyness, beginning to understand why the former Fu Han was so fixated on He Xing. Although He Xing did not like Fu Han, as a fianc¨¦, he was still decent, not to mention a handsome one at that?

    Just as she was about to say something, a knock at the door interrupted them. Nan Qing leaned against the door frame, smiling at them: "Mr. He, it¡¯s gettingte, Fu Han needs her rest. Maybe you should..."

    "Oh, I¡¯ll leave right away." He Xing stood up quickly, took a couple of steps, but then turned back and approached Fu Han again, reaching to caress her hair, and bent down, intending to kiss her forehead.

    But just in the nick of time, Fu Han dodged away. When she looked up, she saw He Xing¡¯s hand awkwardly suspended in mid-air. She suddenly felt guilty and said quietly, "I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t remember how we used to interact."

    "It¡¯s okay," He Xing quickly reced his expression with a smile, rubbing his hands as he charmed, "It¡¯s my fault, no worries, we have plenty of time."

    Watching He Xing¡¯s retreating figure, Fu Han pondered and then suddenly spoke, "He Xing, was the arrangement for our engagement made by my grandfather¡¯s insistence?"

    "Yes," He Xing stopped and turned back to look at Fu Han, his smile bing even warmer, "It was a gift from your grandfather on your eighteenth birthday, and I also..."

    "Alright, I understand, thanks for telling me these things." Fu Han interrupted him before he could finish, then bowed her head, indicating she did not wish to speak further.

    He Xing was faintly worried. He took a step forward, wanting to say more, but sensing his intent, Fu Han hastily spoke again: "Grandfather He is waiting for you, you should hurry back, I¡¯m going to sleep."

    At that moment, Nan Qing stepped in, whispering to He Xing, "Fu Han¡¯s mood isn¡¯t very stable right now, maybe you shouldn¡¯t keep pushing her to regain her memory. Give her more time."

    Even as He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini roared to life, his mind dwelt on the evening¡¯s events. He had never intended to rush Fu Han¡¯s memory recovery or pressure her. Perhaps he was still too anxious. He resolved to be more mindful in the future.

    Today wasn¡¯t entirely unfruitful; Fu Han had at least epted the ne again.

    With these thoughts, He Xing¡¯s spirits lifted. He felt even the neon lights he had seen countless times outside his car window look more attractive. A world with her in it was wonderful indeed.

    ...

    Early the next day, Daisi himself came with a team to change Fu Han¡¯s dressings. As theyers of gauze unwrapped, Fu Han actually felt a slight chill; apparently, wearing a mask for too long truly seeps into one¡¯s bones.

    Daisi carefully examined every part of her cheek, then finally uttered a relieving statement, "So far the recovery looks very good. You need to continue to keep a positive mood, remember not to cry, tears on the wound that hasn¡¯t yet healed could have serious consequences."

    As Fu Han nodded, the ne on her chest touched her skin, cold and refreshing, lifting her spirits bit by bit: "Yes, I know, I¡¯ll be careful, don¡¯t worry."

    She often imed she didn¡¯t care about her looks, but she was a woman after all and had seen photos of her beautiful self; most importantly, Xia Ning was so attractive, and somewhatpetitively, she too hoped to be a bit more beautiful.

    After changing her dressing, it was time for an injection. Fu Han dreaded needles the most, but these days she had to be injected daily, sometimes more than once. She had be numb to it, knowing that her fear was futile; all she could do was mp her teeth and turn her head away from the sight.

    Nan Qing turned on the TV. Fu Han couldn¡¯t read while having her injection, so watching a ssic movie was the best way to pass the time.

 Chapter 222: An Intimate Photo Reappears

    <h4>Chapter 222: Chapter 222: An Intimate Photo Reappears</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning hadn¡¯t expected it to be so early. The movie channel was broadcasting the news, and as she listened, she felt drowsy. She turned her head to look outside the window.

    The sky was very blue, just like the sea; the clouds were very white, just like cotton candy. Today was a beautiful day, neither cold nor hot, perfect for an outing.

    Her eyes narrowed slightly. Nan Qing had said she was a photographer whose work had gained some fame online, and she had even gone under the sea as a photographer for a film.

    Xia Ning thought that if she hadn¡¯t lost her memory, she would probably go out to capture the scenery on such a weather, experience thendscapes of this world, and understand different lives.

    Suddenly, the voice from the TV changed¡ªa monotonous middle-aged male voice turning into a lively female one: "Everyone, it¡¯s time for the entertainment news now, let¡¯s turn our attention to..."

    As she listened, she suddenly heard the name "He Xing," and she couldn¡¯t help but turn her puzzled gaze towards the TV. She saw, out of the corner of her eye, that Nan Qing had also turned towards the TV; it seemed it wasn¡¯t just her mishearing.

    The TV screen disyed He Xing¡¯s photo, but it wasn¡¯t just He Xing alone in the photo; there was also Xia Ning.

    Several pictures appeared on the screen, either showing Xia Ning nestled in He Xing¡¯s arms, He Xing wrapping his arms around Xia Ning¡¯s waist, or Xia Ning resting her chin on He Xing¡¯s shoulder.

    The host¡¯s sharine voice kept ringing in Xia Ning¡¯s ears: "Mr. He Xing, heir to the He Group, has always been the focus of everyone¡¯s attention when ites to romantic affairs. There were rumors he was once involved in the rtionship between Xia Ning and Su Cheng of Huangpu. Now there are rumors that he and Xia Group¡¯s daughter have been childhood sweethearts. Regarding their rtionship,izens havemented aptly¡ªit¡¯splicated and more thrilling than a TV drama."

    Smack!

    Nan Qing hurriedly turned off the TV, turned to Xia Ning with a forcedugh, and said, "Those journalists know nothing but to spout nonsense. Don¡¯t listen to them. Those pictures could be photoshopped, and the way He Xing treats you is obvious to me."

    Xia Ning felt a sourness in her eyes. She wanted to say indifferently that it didn¡¯t matter, but what she ended up saying was, "But He Xing and Xia Ning were indeed wearing those clothes yesterday."

    "Really?" Nan Qing sounded perplexed. She turned the TV on again, searched for the program they had been watching, and paused on the joint photo of He Xing and Xia Ning.

    She scrutinized the image, then nodded silently: "Last night, I did see He Xing wearing this outfit, but I¡¯m not sure about Xia Ning. Did you see Xia Ning yesterday?"

    Xia Ning nodded, "She came over while you were taking a shower..." Xia Ning paused, then touched the ne on her chest and said in a low voice, "Nan Qing, look at the ne around Xia Ning¡¯s neck, doesn¡¯t it look very simr to the one I¡¯m wearing?"

    Nan Qing peered at the TV, then leaned in close to examine Xia Ning¡¯s ne, and gasped in surprise, "They really are the same! Where did you buy them? How can your tastes be so simr... Well, given that both of you like He Xing, it seems your aesthetics are indeed quite aligned."

    If it were any other time, Xia Ning might have yed along with Nan Qing¡¯s attempt at humor. But now, she was in no mood for it. Her mind was filled with whys.

    Why did He Xing say the ne was unique, yet Xia Ning also had one? And what was the rtionship between He Xing and Xia Ning? He Xing said he would always be with her, but Xia Ning said they loved each other?

    Nan Qing said a lot tofort Xia Ning, but she didn¡¯t take any of it in. She was preupied with trying to understand why, and what was really going on between the three of them.

    While they were engaging in a disjointed conversation, He Xing called. Xia Ning picked up the phone calmly.

    He Xing¡¯s voice was clearly anxious, "Xiaohan, have you seen the news on the inte?" Then, without waiting for Xia Ning to reply, he continued, "If you haven¡¯t seen it, don¡¯t look at it, and if you have, don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s not what you think."

    Xia Ning lifted her head to look at the ceiling, remembering Dr. Daisi saying she shouldn¡¯t cry or she¡¯d turn into a monster forever. But why did her eyes feel so ufortable?

    She clenched her fists tightly, her fingernails digging into her skin: "I want to ask you, are the photos on the inte fake?"

    There was a moment of silence on the phone. Each second of waiting was like being scorched by mes for Xia Ning.

    After what felt like an eternity, He Xing¡¯s voice came through, chilly and helpless, "The photos are real, but Xia Ning was about to fall, and I just helped her. Then someone took the photos."

    If there had been any flicker of hope left in Xia Ning¡¯s heart, it was now extinguished. She felt overwhelmed by a profound sadness.

    Sheposed herself, then said evenly, "Okay, I understand. The doctor is here, goodbye."

    "Why do you have to lie?" Nan Qing sighed deeply, her eyes brimming with pity.

    Xia Ning leaned back, covered by the sunlight, but at this moment, the sun could no longer warm her. She felt icy cold, as though she was soaked in freezing water.

    Nan Qing pulled up a chair close to Xia Ning. She earnestly advised her, "Xia Ning, I don¡¯t know what happened between you two in the past. It¡¯s true that Xia Ning chased He Xing for many years, but I feel He Xing genuinely likes you. You must not give up on your rtionship with He Xing over a few photos."

    A faint bird chirping could be heard from outside the window, not particrly melodious but oddly brimming with the vibrancy of life.

    Xia Ning¡¯s long eyshes fluttered as she looked up at the ceiling, her voice low and soft, "But I don¡¯t remember my feelings for He Xing."

    How sorrowful that statement was, making one want to argue but at a loss for words.

    Indeed, how can you demand that someone cherish a rtionship they don¡¯t remember?

    The sourness in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes had vanished, and upon reflection, she felt not as heartbroken as she had initially. Perhaps, she just felt a measure of disillusionment.

    Everyone said how wonderful He Xing was to her, how perfect she and He Xing were together, but in reality, she remembered nothing. Perhaps her sadness was merely due to disappointment, realizing He Xing didn¡¯t like her as much as everyone said.

    ...

    He Xing had left his grandfather in Zhou¡¯s care and drove straight to thepany.

    Some work could be done in the ward, but other tasks required his presence at thepany, such as today¡¯s photo incident. He needed to discuss a strategy with the Public Rtions Department. Otherwise, the movie "Pansi Gui," which had started scheduling screenings, might be adversely affected and potentially lead to a huge loss.

 Chapter 223: Joint Declaration

    <h4>Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Joint Deration</h4><h4></h4>

    Everyone in the Public Rtions Department was waiting in the Meeting Room, and he paused for 0.01 seconds at the door, casually fastened the buttons of his suit, and walked in with his head held high.

    All eyes in the Meeting Room were fixed on him, and the mood wasplex. After all, it was He Xing¡¯s personal scandal making the headlines¡ªall were curious about the subject¡¯s reaction yet also felt a sense of impending chaos; it was truly one trouble after another.

    He Xing looked around, his face expressionless, and said, "The photos online were an ident, but Xia Ning was about to fall, so I just gave her a hand."

    There was a moment of reaction before everyone realized He Xing was exining.

    But as for that exnation, it was up to the individual listener. Some thought He Xing was straightforward and honorable, while others felt his exnation was worse than saying nothing at all, muddying the waters even further.

    The Meeting Room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The head of the Public Rtions Department felt the need to chime in, and chuckled awkwardly, "Director He, does this mean the incident is unfounded? Shall we issue a joint statement with Lady Xia Ning?"

    That sentence dropped like food into hot oil, creating an instant, massive reaction¡ª the Meeting Room erupted with fervent discussion.

    Some said Xia Ning would never agree to issue such a statement, as everyone in A City knew she had feelings for He Xing.

    Others suggested a joint statement between He Xing and Fu Han, arguing that if Fu Han spoke out, the noise online would dissipate on its own.

    And yet others opined the best action was to ignore it; with time, the onlooking public would lose interest and eventually forget.

    He Xing listened to their myriad suggestions with an impassive face, his brain racing. The opposition would certainly have thought of these strategies too. Objectively, the pictures were not definitive proof of any "ambiguous" rtionship between him and Xia Ning, but why then had the opposition chosen this move?

    What was most critical for him was to discern whether the source of these photos was the paparazzi or the enemy camp?

    The identity of the leaker would directly affect how he handled the situation.

    The meeting had gone on for two hours, with no useful solutions reached, yet the online public opinion was fermenting ever more fiercely, and a response had be unavoidable.

    Everyone looked to He Xing, awaiting his decision on how to deal with the issue.

    Honestly, He Xing felt that if a rification was needed, it was best linked with Fu Han. This time, he was determined not to let Fu Han leave his side again.

    He left them to continue the discussion while he stepped out to call Fu Han, feeling that the best course was indeed a joint statement from both of them, affirming that there was no issue in their rtionship, which would automatically dismiss the photos circting online.

    The phone rang for quite a while before being answered. Fu Han¡¯s voice came through, devoid of any warmth: "Hello, do you need something?"

    He Xing¡¯s heart clenched as if squeezed in someone¡¯s grip, making breathing difficult. He took two steps back to lean against the wall, inquiring in the most rxed tone he could muster, "Xiaohan, do you have a moment? I¡¯d like to talk with you."

    About five secondster, Fu Han finally responded, "I have time. What do you want to talk about?"

    He Xing was already holding a cigarette to his mouth, but upon hearing her words, he put it back, heading to the empty stairwell at the end of the hallway: "Xiaohan, we have a bit of a tricky situation. I want to make a statement about the incident and then you could issue one as well, saying something like you believe in me. Would that be okay?"

    Silence ensued, suffocating. During the time Fu Han remained silent, He Xing truly understood the meaning of the phrase ¡¯each day feels like a year.¡¯

    Finally, Fu Han spoke slowly, saying just two words, "Sure."

    He Xing didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of relief; instead, his heart grew even heavier.

    This was his second call to Fu Han that day. In the first call, she had still asked him whether the photos were real, but now, she seemed unwilling to even speak.

    He Xing would¡¯ve preferred Fu Han to be angry, or even to refuse outright. What he couldn¡¯t bear was her obvious reluctance to talk to him; it was more painful than if she had killed him.

    As he was about to say something else, Fu Han spoke again, "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up. You better go deal with your matters."

    He Xing felt as if he had punched cotton¡ªa sense of futility, of despair.

    He said goodbye and hung up.

    When he returned to the Meeting Room, the Public Rtions Department¡¯s rification draft was ready. He Xing skimmed through it and, finding nothing to change, gave the go-ahead to release it.

    About five minutester, Fu Han retweeted the post, adding, "I only lent a helping hand to ady who almost fell. Didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this. Next time such a thing happens, be careful with your paws."

    He Xing chuckled at the first read, but frowned on the second. This wasn¡¯t something Fu Han would say; moreover, with her current memory loss, she was even less likely to make such a statement.

    He returned to his Office, intending to pack hisputer and head to the hospital to see her. Couples should be able to discuss their issues face to face, not be distanced by insincere words as they were now.

    But before he could put hisputer into the bag, Liang Tao came in: "Director He, please review the tour itinerary for this afternoon. If there¡¯s no issue, we need to leave now."

    He Xing suddenly remembered that "Yearning for Return" would be officially released in theaters the day after tomorrow, and the next two days were scheduled for promotional tours¡ªthest chance for "Yearning for Return" to get promoted.

    He continued with his task but knew he couldn¡¯t rush to Fu Han¡¯s side immediately. If all went well today, he might have time to see her in the evening.

    ...

    The tour event for "Yearning for Return."

    While Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe still had casts on their arms, they were highly cooperative with the tour games. As a genuine couple, they freely indulged in public disys of affection, with no need for discretion.

    As for Xia Ning, the second female lead, she was in a state of ¡¯lone beauty¡¯ throughout the event; she only showed a reaction when He Xing appeared.

    Due to the photo incident, He Xing had worn a mask the entire day and had even maintained a distance from Xia Ning, ensuring there was always at least one person between them whenever they spoke.

    And Liang Tao, used by He Xing as a human shield, received plenty of cold res from Xia Ning. But he had no choice; he worked for He Xing and had to follow his orders.

    The tour¡¯s first event was drawing to a close, and the host was delivering the closing speech when amotion arose at the door. Curious eyes turned in that direction, including those on the stage.

    Unbelievably, the one causing a scene and desperately pushing her way in was Qin Xiaonian.

    Confronted with the nces of Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, Xia Ning responded indifferently, "Don¡¯t look at me¡ªI fired her after the incident."

 Chapter 224 - The Malicious Sulfuric Acid

    <h4>Chapter 224: Chapter 224 - The Malicious Sulfuric Acid</h4><h4></h4>

    The security guards were still trying to pull Qin Xiaonian away, but how could the media present miss such a sensational scene? shbulbs popped all around her.

    He Xing¡¯s expression darkened as he emotionlessly instructed the group of security guards, "Let Miss Qine up."

    The guards dared not stop her any longer. Qin Xiaonian walked onto the stage with her chin up and an air of arrogance, as if she were the leadingdy of the movie.

    The crowd was abuzz, but at the same time, many genuinely admired He Xing for being able to calmly allow Qin Xiaonian in amid the chaos.

    Qin Xiaonian immediately took the stage and even snatched the microphone from the host¡¯s hand. She ran up to Luo Qinghe and stood before him, looking up, "Luo Qinghe, didn¡¯t you say you liked me and would be with me forever? Why are you doing this to me?"

    When Luo Qinghe saw her, his face was already quite unpleasant, but upon hearing her words, he clenched Bai Wei¡¯s hand tightly and coldly said to Qin Xiaonian, "Everything between us has been made clear. I didn¡¯t press charges in the hope of giving you a chance to change, but if you continue to bother me, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless."

    Qin Xiaonian looked down at their sped hands, her face cycling through emotions. Finally, she red hatefully at Bai Wei, "Why is it you, bitch, who gets to be with him? Is it just because you¡¯re prettier than me? I¡¯ll ruin your face and see if you can still seduce anyone!"

    As soon as she said this, she took out a bottle from her pocket, opened the cap, and sshed its contents toward Bai Wei.

    It all happened too suddenly for anyone to see exactly how she managed it, only Luo Qinghe, who was nearest to Qin Xiaonian, realized what was going on. All he could do was push Qin Xiaonian away and then shield Bai Wei with his own body.

    A pungent odor spread, and the next second Luo Qinghe¡¯s cries of pain could be heard. There was arge tear in the back of his shirt, and the hole seemed to be spreading.

    "Call an ambnce!" He Xingmanded as he rushed to Luo Qinghe¡¯s side, quickly removing his suit jacket, then tearing off his dress shirt, and finally reaching his undershirt.

    When Luo Qinghe¡¯s back was exposed to the air, everyone realized his back was caked in blood¡ªit looked as though it had been burned.

    "Sulfuric acid, she threw sulfuric acid!" someone cried out after spotting the bottle on the floor and covering their mouth in shock.

    "Arrest her," He Xing ordered, pointing at Qin Xiaonian. He himself promptly carried Luo Qinghe away for emergency washing withrge amounts of water after being sshed with sulfuric acid.

    The scene was in utter chaos. Bai Wei followed He Xing, and Xia Ning watched everything silently with arms crossed, clearly indifferent, while the journalists lingered for the follow-up story and refused to leave.

    Without He Xing, the situation waspletely out of control. The staff were like headless flies, clueless about what to do.

    Eventually, the sound of an ambnce was heard. Luo Qinghe was taken away in the vehicle, and Bai Wei went along, while He Xing returned to the stage.

    Taking the microphone from the host, he swept his icy gaze around the room and said inly, "Ladies and gentlemen, today¡¯s events are indeed breathtaking. Qin Xiaonian first tampered with Luo Qinghe¡¯s tea during the premiere and now has even brought sulfuric acid to hurt Bai Wei. Now, on behalf of the He Group, I promise that I will thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure justice is served for Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei."

    Secondster, someone began to p, followed by more and more people, until thunderous apuse echoed through the studio.

    He Xing slightly pressed his hands down, and the studio promptly quieted to the point that one could hear a pin drop.

    His voice clear as a phoenix¡¯s cry, he spoke again, "Ladies and gentlemen, the twists and turns of ¡¯The Thoughts of Returning Home¡¯ only serve as a testimony to the quality of this production. Due to the ident, we had dyed the release once, but we will not dy any further. I invite you all to watch this film produced by the He Group in theatres, and I assure you, you will not regret it."

    Among the resounding apuse, He Xing left the stage without looking back; after all, he had only dealt with the current crisis, and there were many more issues waiting for his attention.

    ...

    In Fu Han¡¯s hospital ward, the premiere fiasco was being broadcasted live on the screen. Fu Han and Nan Qing watched with fists clenched tight, wishing they could rush into the television and drag Qin Xiaonian away.

    The scene was chaotic; they feared Qin Xiaonian might take the opportunity to escape, not expecting that the security would still manage to capture her.

    Watching the chaos in the studio, Fu Han had a strange feeling that she had seen this ce before, yet she was certain she had never dreamed of it.

    Meanwhile, Nan Qing let out a sigh, "How many people has He Xing offended for this movie to have such difficulty being released? If there¡¯s another issue, it could shake his very foundations, couldn¡¯t it?"

    "What?" Fu Han was perplexed, frowning at Nan Qing, "Didn¡¯t you say that the He Group is an enterprise that has stood for a hundred years, never falling? How could a single movie take it down now?"

    Nan Qing leaned back against the sofa, her round eyes rolling as she looked at Fu Han, "Do you really think there¡¯s apany that could never go bankrupt? We big corporations may seem glorious on the outside, but inside, everything is interconnected. A small problem could lead to defeat, and this movie is crucial for the He Group to break into new markets."

    Pausing, Nan Qing continued with an honest and helpless tone, "Fu Han, all this is what my parents told me. As for the intricate ins and outs, I¡¯m not clear on that."

    Fu Han nodded, knowing she wouldn¡¯t get any more answers, but it seemed to her that He Xing was in a difficult situation.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Nan Qing received a call from her parents who had something urgent to discuss and insisted shee out. Before leaving, she reminded Fu Han not to go out alone and to have a caregiver apany her if needed.

    In the blink of an eye, only Fu Han and the caregiver remained in the ward. Fu Han¡¯s thoughts still lingered on He Xing, not understanding why she cared so much, especially when she couldn¡¯t remember anything.

    After some thought, she asked the caregiver to help locate Bai Wei¡¯s father, asking him toe alone as Fu Han had something to discuss.

    Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei had gone out for the premiere today, but in fact, they hadn¡¯t been discharged from the hospital yet. And just a moment ago, Nan Qing found out that Luo Qinghe was brought back to the hospital by ambnce.

    Fu Han deduced that if Bai Wei¡¯s parents watched the roadshow, they should alsoe from the hotel to the hospital. She somewhat regretted not having kept Bai Wei¡¯s parents¡¯ contact details; it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to find people in such a clumsy way now.

 Chapter 225: Really the Uncle

    <h4>Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Really the Uncle</h4><h4></h4>

    Fortunately, her guess was right; Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian did indeede to the hospital, and as soon as Fu Xingbo heard Fu Han was looking for him, he immediately came over.

    When he arrived, Fu Han was standing by the window, looking out at the outside world. Behind the Inpatient Department was the old Urban Area, the Market, fly-infested eateries, and all sorts of misceneous stores one could think of.

    Every day, before dawn, many people would be there, a lot of them elderly with graying hair, bringing vegetables grown in their own gardens to sell. They didn¡¯t have stalls and could only squat by the walls; they would split their lips in pleasing grins at every passerby, hoping against hope that someone would buy the vegetables they picked early in the morning, still dewy from the fields.

    In the mornings, if you opened the window and there was a breeze, one could even catch the distinct market scent of poultry and meat mingled together, an unpleasant smell.

    But now it was the afternoon and the Market had quieted down a lot. A look across revealed hardly a soul, a vast difference from the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of the morning.

    Even the bustling Market, after the surge of people had passed, could not escape falling into a lull; it wasn¡¯t clear whose sorrow this was, but there was a deste feeling that emerged in the heart.

    Separated by a pane of ss and a wall, she and the Market seemed like two different worlds; no, it would be more urate to say that beyond this Ward was another world. Since waking up, the number of times she left this Ward could be counted on one hand. The asional outings were either for a breath of fresh air or for various examinations, but even withpany, she still felt so out of ce with the world.

    Daisi said she would be discharged in a few days, and by then, without this small Ward, how would she manage?

    Thinking of the future, Fu Han sighed softly, unaware when she would recover her memory. Right now, she had no idea if there was any money in her bank ount, let alone how much was there. No, she didn¡¯t even know the pin to her bank card.

    "Why the sigh?" came a gentle male voice from behind, carrying an inexplicable warmth.

    Fu Han turned slowly, not unexpectedly seeing Fu Xingbo standing at the door of the Ward.

    He tilted his head slightly with a smile: "Xiaohan, I heard you were looking for me. May Ie in?"

    "Yes." Something called awkwardness appeared in Fu Han¡¯s heart. She opened her mouth and asked with difficulty, "Are you really my uncle, with a blood rtion?"

    "Of course it¡¯s true." Fu Xingbo walked up to Fu Han and tenderly touched her hair. This time she didn¡¯t dodge, and Fu Xingbo was visibly pleased: "We did the test together, and the results are out. They are absolutely urate."

    "I see." Fu Han responded, lifting her head to scrutinize Fu Xingbo. Perhaps because of the test results, she felt that the person before her, aside from being refined and cultured, seemed very familiar.

    Seeing the expectant look in his eyes, Fu Han coughed dryly, calling out somewhat stiffly, "Uncle."

    "I¡¯m really happy that you can call me uncle!" Fu Xingbo replied loudly, his eyes behind his sses a little misty, the fine red veins filling half his eye visible, betraying his emotional state.

    About two minutes passed before Fu Xingbo¡¯s emotions settled. He led Fu Han to a seat on the sofa, asking with concern, "Your nurse said you had something to tell me. Can you say what it is now?"

    Fu Hanposed herself, her bright eyes fixed on Fu Xingbo: "Uncle, I want to know the current state of He Group. Could they... could they be facing a fatal crisis?"

    "Is that what you want to ask?" Fu Xingbo seemed surprised. Stroking his chin and pondering for a moment, he finally spoke earnestly: "Any enterprise with a long history faces the challenge of transformation, especially family businesses like He Group. It¡¯s like a gigantic tree, seemingly majestic, but there are many parasites with deep ties to the He Family sucking the blood from it, and there are hardly any woodpeckers."

    Fu Han thought about it but still didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant.

    Fortunately, Fu Xingbo didn¡¯t dwell on this and started speaking on his own: "To put it simply, He Group isrge, they earn a lot but also support many people. Among those people, many don¡¯t do any work, they just take the money. He can¡¯t just fire them, he can only think of ways to earn more money. Do you think that¡¯s difficult?"

    Fu Han fell silent. Since waking up, He Xing had been constantly working, aside from chatting and walking with her, and she felt as if it had always been natural for He Xing to work.

    But she had never considered whether the weight on He Xing¡¯s shoulders was too much.

    "What are you thinking about?" Fu Xingbo touched Fu Han¡¯s hair again. His palm was dry and warm, with the power to soothe hearts: "I know you¡¯re worried about your boyfriend, but he was born to carry these burdens, so it¡¯s fine. He¡¯s used to it after all these years."

    "Hmm..." Fu Han murmured her agreement, not wishing to continue on this topic. She actually wanted to deny thebel of boyfriend, as well as to refute the statement that "He Xing is used to it," but in the end, she felt that saying anything was pointless.

    Meanwhile, Fu Xingbo sighed unfathomably: "The situation in He Xing¡¯s area is very chaotic, and you have amnesia. I mentioned taking you abroad for a check-up; how are you thinking about it?"

    "Let me think about it some more." Fu Han sighed again. She had thought long and hard about it the night before. She knew she couldn¡¯t genuinely treat He Xing as her boyfriend at this point, but to just let go of He Xing felt somehow... indescribable.

    "Alright, I won¡¯t rush you," said Fu Xingbo in a coaxing manner: "But you¡¯ll be discharged in a few days, and Bai Wei¡¯s tour will also be over. We¡¯ll be going abroad then. I hope you can give us an answer by that time."

    "I understand."

    ...

    He Group, He Xing¡¯s Office.

    Outside the window, it was pitch ck. In the towering building, most of the lights had been extinguished, except for a few offices that were still lit.

    The knock at the door sounded, piercing the silence of the night with an odd, indescribable eeriness.

    He Xing looked up from behind hisputer towards the door, only speaking after the second knock: "Come in."

    The door was pushed open just a crack by someone from the outside, and Xia Ning¡¯s half-face appeared through the gap. She looked around, making sure there was only He Xing inside the office before scurrying in.

    He Xing frowned, not enjoying her surreptitious demeanor, and his tone was naturally not pleasant: "Xia Ning, what are you doing?"

    "I brought you something to eat," Xia Ning said with a smile, as if by magic producing arge bag from behind her.

 Chapter 226: Late Night Confession

    <h4>Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Late Night Confession</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m not hungry, it¡¯s gettingte, you should head back." What He Xing actually wanted to say was that if someone with intent captured hering to see him sote at night, things would get difficult to exin again.

    While opening the takeout containers, Xia Ning said proudly, "Don¡¯t worry, He Xing, I changed into a special outfit beforeing to see you, and I even wore a hat when I entered. Even if someone did see me, they wouldn¡¯t know it was me."

    He Xing had noticed as soon as she entered that her outfit was different from usual. The usual Xia Ning, even in winter, would definitely wear clothes that showed off her figure, never like today¡¯s loose jeans and an exaggerated sweatshirt,plete with a nondescript duckbill cap on her head.

    But to be fair, He Xing thought these more casual clothes actually suited Xia Ning better. The clothes she usually wore looked good, yes, but they made a girl in her early twenties look worldly and sophisticated, just like a woman in her thirties.

    Now, the sweatshirt paired with jeans made her look much more vibrant, which is how a girl her age should dress.

    After opening all the boxes, Xia Ning ran to the opposite side of the table where He Xing was sitting, leaned forward with her hands on the table, and blinked herrge eyes rapidly, "He Xing, I just bought these for you because I saw you were feeling hungry. Why don¡¯t you eat a little?"

    Acting cute was a trick Xia Ning had mastered since she became sensible. She had practiced looking pitiful in front of a mirror, and with the performances soaked into her life for over a decade or two, she had perfected the act.

    Unfortunately, He Xing had seen Xia Ning trying to act cute too many times over the past ten or twenty years. He had be immune, so he responded without even looking up, "I¡¯m not hungry right now, help yourself."

    A sh of anger crossed Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, but in the next second she was already sweetly tugging at He Xing¡¯s arm, "He Xing, I know what¡¯s troubling you. Don¡¯t worry, I have a way to solve your problem."

    Finally, He Xing looked up, his gaze questioning as if he were silently asking, "Do you really have a solution?"

    "Of course, I do." Proud in her heart, Xia Ning shook He Xing¡¯s arm coquettishly, "He Xing, I chose this food carefully for you. Please, eat a little bit. Then I¡¯ll give you the solution, okay?"

    He Xing sighed. He was indeed frazzled by various issues at the moment and thought that maybe an outsider could see things he couldn¡¯t and maybe there was indeed another way.

    He finally rose and walked towards the sofa. Xia Ning pulled on him, wanting him to sit on the longer couch, but he chose a single-seater instead.

    There was a variety of food on the coffee table: barbecue, stir-fried noodles, and even soup. This was food for more than two people; five probably couldn¡¯t finish it all.

    He Xingdled himself a bowl of pork rib soup, slowly sipping it. His starry eyes seemed even brighter than the moon outside and maic, making it hard to look away.

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, looking at He Xing as if she were someone in hell gazing up at heaven, filled with longing, greed, determination to win at all costs, every emotion intertwined.

    "He Xing, have a chicken wing. They¡¯ve just been roasted," Xia Ning said eagerly, cing a steaming skewer of chicken wings in front of him.

    He made a nomittal sound and continued to sip his soup with elegance, as if he was dining in a Michelin restaurant, not even ncing up.

    Xia Ning felt somewhat humiliated. She smiled awkwardly, wanting to sit close to He Xing, but the single-seater couch he had chosen meant she could only sit as close as possible.

    "He Xing, I heard that you¡¯ve run into some difficulties, is that right?"

    "You just said you had a solution, why not spell it out?" After finishing his soup, He Xing set the bowl aside and wiped his mouth while asking, showing no expression on his handsome face.

    However, Xia Ning¡¯s heartbeat was pounding as if it were being drummed. Without looking, she knew her face must be red. She spoke cautiously, "He Xing, my dad said that if you¡¯re willing, our Xia Family¡¯s cinemas could arrange more screenings for you. I think this method could work. You could talk to more cinemas to increase their screening schedules. That way, ¡¯Nostalgia for Home¡¯ viewership would certainly look good."

    "Is that your solution?" He Xing¡¯s eyebrows twitched in surprise, and he couldn¡¯t help but mock himself inwardly for thinking Xia Ning might have had a viable idea.

    His clear voice filled the spacious office, "Movie theaters have their own rules about scheduling. If we used some method to get them to schedule more showings, the money we spend might exceed our earnings."

    "But..." Xia Ning pouted, her eyes reddening with grievance as she looked at He Xing, "He Xing, this is really the best idea I¡¯vee up with after thinking hard. The Xia Family has many cinemas under our name. I can persuade my dad to provide screenings for free, he¡¯ll surely agree."

    He Xing¡¯s gaze wandered out the window. The city¡¯s night wasn¡¯t ck; it was a deep shade of dark blue, tranquil. Gazing at such a night sky seemed to quiet the soul. His long eyshes quivered as he issued another dismissal, "It¡¯s gettingte, you should head back."

    "But..." Xia Ning stood up anxiously, "I heard that the banks have refused to loan to the He Group and the funds from your previous project haven¡¯t been recovered. If your movie doesn¡¯t generate revenue, what will you do?"

    "That¡¯s my business, and I¡¯ll handle it," He Xing replied, his face darkening. He looked emotionless at Xia Ning, "I don¡¯t care where you heard this information, but you must not discuss it with Fu Han."

    The tone of He Xing¡¯s voice was clearly threatening, and fear mixed with anger began to swell within Xia Ning.

    Resentment gnawed at her; why was it that she was the one trying to find ways to help He Xing, yet it was Fu Han who couldfortably enjoy the affection He Xing had for her?

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t control her emotions and dashed up to He Xing, "He Xing, do you really like Fu Han that much? But have you ever considered that if you marry Fu Han, she won¡¯t be any help to your business, but if we were together, the Xia Group would support you wholeheartedly?"

    "Don¡¯t say such things in the future." He Xing¡¯s eyes were still fixed on the night outside the floor-to-ceiling window, where neon lights were like tiny nightlights, his eyes.

    "Why?" Xia Ning¡¯s emotionspletely copsed. She grabbed He Xing¡¯s sleeve and yanked it hard, "He Xing, it¡¯s true you and Fu Han grew up together, but we grew up together too. I¡¯ve liked you for so many years. Why can¡¯t you give me a chance? I like you so much, much more than Fu Han."

 Chapter 227: Never Changing

    <h4>Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Never Changing</h4><h4></h4>

    Just as Xia Ning had said, although He Xing masterfully addressed the sulfuric acid incident during the premiere today, and firmly announced that Pan Si Gui would be released as scheduled, all of this was because the He Group genuinely encountered some financial problems. The bank¡¯s credit line was broken, and payments from external clients were dyed ining back.

    He Xing was in no mood to talk about feelings now. He turned to look at Xia Ning, intending to drive her away without mercy, as he had done in the past. But when he caught her gaze, the words he was about to say got stuck in his throat.

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes were crazed, like someone drowning desperately thrashing about, not letting go of any chance for help. Yet, the merciless water still engulfed her bit by bit.

    In fact, when one thought about it, ever since Fu Han lost her memory, the way He Xing looked at her was so simr to Xia Ning¡¯s current expression¡ªnever giving up as long as there was a sliver of hope.

    He Xing sighed softly; a crack suddenly appeared in his heart, and it became a bit softer.

    Looking down, he spoke earnestly to Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, I know you like me, but my thoughts are still the same as before. In my heart, you are like my sister, and that will never change."

    "Why?" Two streams of tears slowly slid down Xia Ning¡¯s cheeks, scattering on the ground when they fell, like broken strands of pearls. They bore a deste beauty: "I¡¯m no less attractive than Fu Han, my family background is better than hers, and I can help you more."

    "Love has nothing to do with these things," He Xing said as he turned around and handed a tissue to Xia Ning with a resolute look. "The moment I saw Fu Han, I knew I could never just be friends with her. She¡¯s the only one in my heart, I¡¯ve told you this many times. I think Yang Kaitai actually treats you quite well, you could consider him."

    "Even if you don¡¯t like me, you can¡¯t just shove me into someone else¡¯s arms," Xia Ning, as if making a wager, furiously wiped her face with her hand. Her already smudged eyeliner was nowpletely ruined, and her face, splotched with red and ck, lookedical and ridiculous.

    He Xing sighed silently, speaking in a lukewarm tone, "Yet... you and Yang Kaitai have been seen together numerous times after he got out of prison. I think you two do match each other well."

    His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, leaving Xia Ning utterly chilled to the core.

    She was so shocked that she forgot to cry, even forgot to hide her feelings. Her face pale, she looked at He Xing incoherently trying to exin, "Big Brother He Xing, it¡¯s not what you think. Yang Kaitai is always the one pestering me, I can¡¯t shake him off, but if we got together, he would surely back off. Big Brother He Xing, you must believe me, you are the only one in my heart."

    In the silent Office, you could hear a pin drop, the suffocating silence spreading.

    Time seemed to drag on before He Xing¡¯s thin lips moved slightly, "Xia Ning, but I feel that you and Yang Kaitai really are well-suited, I think you should give it a try."

    "I don¡¯t want that! I don¡¯t want that!" Xia Ning covered her ears and shook her head desperately, "I only like you, He Xing, I will win you over, I will!"

    Having said this, Xia Ning ran out without looking back.

    He Xing was left alone in the Office, turning to look at the untouched food on the coffee table. It would be a waste to throw it away, so he called Liang Tao to heat the food up and let the staff who were still working overtime eat it.

    Full of grief and indignation, Xia Ning ran out of the He Group building. She had nned to stay a while longer when she arrived, so she let her driver go first. Now, she could only stand by the roadside hailing a ride.

    In the daytime, it was easy to hail a ride here, but it was different at night. After standing for over ten minutes, she hadn¡¯t seen a single car pass by, which made her somewhat irritable.

    At that moment, her phone rang; it was Yang Kaitai calling.

    Xia Ning, already seething with anger, picked up the phone and in a very poor tone, asked Yang Kaitai to pick her up.

    Another ten minutes passed, and a convertible sports car pulled up to the curb. Yang Kaitai sat in the driver¡¯s seat, striking what he thought was a handsome pose as he looked at Xia Ning, "How about that, my timing isn¡¯t bad, huh?"

    Xia Ning rolled her eyes unkindly, finding Yang Kaitai less agreeable no matter how she looked at him¡ªhis Crayon Shin-chan eyebrows, t nose, thick lips, square face, and triangr eyes; not to mention his knotted muscles and the exaggerated tattoos on his arms.

    She got into the car with a stony face and said coldly, "Take me home."

    Xia Ning seldom gave Yang Kaitai any kind looks, and after more than a decade of being apdog, his skin had thickened to a point where not even a needle could pierce it.

    The sports car raced through the night, wind pouring in from the open top. Xia Ning¡¯s cap was blown away, and her long hair danced wildly in the wind, demonic-like, as if dozens of snakes rested on her head.

    Xia Ning was extremely precious about her hair, the amount she spent on her hair every month was not a small figure. At that moment, she felt like her scalp was about to split, anger welled up in her but found no release, and she hit Yang Kaitai on the shoulder, "Are you trying to kill us? Can you put the top down?"

    That p was like a tickle to Yang Kaitai, and the contact even spurred a peculiar sensation in him.

    He pulled over to the side of the road, his eyes greedy as he stared at Xia Ning, "You little enchantress."

    Then he pounced on her, his lips chaotically nibbling her face and neck.

    Xia Ning felt disgust as Yang Kaitai¡¯s saliva seemed to be everywhere on her. She desperately tried to push him away, but her strength was too meager. Not only was she unable to push him away, but she also excited him even more.

    As dusk deepened, on the road leading out to the suburbs, there was not a soul in sight. The deep blue night sky was devoid of stars, the moon hid behind the clouds, and only the light from the distant streetmps faintly traveled over.

    The words of He Xing echoed over and over in her mind. Xia Ning didn¡¯t know where she got the strength from, but she managed to push Yang Kaitai away with a shove.

    "Do you want to be watched by a crowd in the middle of the road?" Xia Ning straightened her clothes while finding a decent excuse to persuade Yang Kaitai.

    Truth be told, each of Yang Kaitai¡¯s touches made Xia Ning feel nauseous. But just as Xia Cheng had said, a person like Yang Kaitai, strong but brainless, was easy to use. They shouldpletely extract thest bit of utility value from him.

    Yang Kaitai, still licking his lips with lingering desire, looked at Xia Ning as if he might as well have the word "desire" written on his face. He tried to get handsy again, speaking casually, "Who woulde to such a remote cete at night? Besides, if someone dares to look at you, I¡¯ll gouge their eyeballs out."

    "There are plenty of people who stare at me every day. If you¡¯re up to it, gouge out all of their eyes," Xia Ning snorted, her wordsced with undisguised contempt.

 Chapter 228: Yang Kaitai Proposes

    <h4>Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Yang Kaitai Proposes</h4><h4></h4>

    Yang Kaitai snorted coldly, his expression growing grim.

    His smile often made him seem simple and honest, but when his face turned dark, he had the air of a mob boss from the movies, particrly merciless.

    Xia Ning shrank her neck, wrapping her arms around her chest defensively as she watched Yang Kaitai: "What... what are you trying to do? I... I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t want to have a fight here, so don¡¯t push me!"

    Yang Kaitai just looked at her coldly. After a while, he said nothing and floored the elerator. The car shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.

    The lights at the Xia Family vi were bright. The gatekeeper saw Yang Kaitai¡¯s car from a distance and immediately opened the gate. Yang Kaitai entered ostentatiously; his car, particrly conspicuous, parked in the middle of the yard, even knocked over the gardenia nted by the gardener a few days ago.

    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng were discussing the He Group in the living room when they heard themotion and looked back. Xia Cheng came out immediately.

    Ignoring Xia Ning¡¯s eyes signaling him to stop, he warmly invited Yang Kaitai toe in and sit down.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s infatuation with Xia Ning was like an addict unable to quit smoking. Even though he was sulking, the opportunity to spend more time with Xia Ning made him agree without hesitation.

    nging noises came from the Xia kitchen, as Xia Guoxiong directed the chefs to prepare ate-night snack.

    In the luxurious and spacious living room, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng each upied an armchair. Yang Kaitai sat on the couch, and Xia Ning looked away with a slightly red face, whispering, "You guys talk, I¡¯m going back to my room to sleep."

    Yang Kaitai even leaned forward, his face clearly disying his reluctance to part.

    A meaningful smile shed in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s sharp eyes. He cleared his throat, and his deep voice rose, "Xiaoning, the chefs are preparing midnight snacks. Why don¡¯t you eat something before going upstairs?"

    "Yeah, you¡¯ve been out for so long, you must be hungry by now." Xia Cheng had no other skills, but he was very adept at understanding Xia Guoxiong¡¯s intentions.

    Xia Ning¡¯s hand was already on the stair railing, but upon hearing this, she silently turned back and reluctantly sat down beside Yang Kaitai.

    Her ambiguous rtionship with Yang Kaitai was already taken for granted by her father and brother; they even saw the advantage of using this rtionship to turn Yang Kaitai into a free enforcer. To them, the deal was very cost-effective.

    Xia Ning had resisted before, but that only resulted in a p from Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng¡¯s endless nagging. In the end, she came to terms with it; since she couldn¡¯t deal with Yang Kaitai on her own for now, as long as her father and brother dealt with He Xing for her, what did her temporary sacrifice matter? She might as well think of it as an investment.

    Yang Kaitai was not shy at all; in front of Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng, he grabbed Xia Ning¡¯s hand. His gruff voice boomed, "Uncle Xia, Xia Ning and I have mutual affection. I want to settle our matter as soon as possible. My dad is getting on in years and is eager for grandchildren."

    "What?" Xia Ning reacted strongly, pping away Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand. She red at him with wide eyes, "Who said I¡¯m going to marry you? Stop dreaming."

    "Xiaoning, watch how you speak," Xia Guoxiong banged on the coffee table, admonishing her with a stern shout.

    Xia Ning looked at Xia Guoxiong with tearful eyes, "Dad, don¡¯t forget what you promised me."

    "Xiaoning!" This time, Xia Cheng spoke up. Taking advantage of his position, he grabbed her arm and yanked it hard, "Dad makes decisions and follows his own judgment. What are you worrying about here?"

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t say a word. She just stood there, fixedly looking at Xia Guoxiong, her intentions clear without words.

    The vast living room was silent for a moment; only asionally could one hear the sound of stirring utensils from the kitchen.

    Breaking the silence was Yang Kaitai. He nced at Xia Ning and then spoke resolutely to Xia Guoxiong, "Uncle Xia, as long as you¡¯re willing to give Xia Ning to me in marriage, you can name your bride price."

    "Name my price?" Xia Chengughed exaggeratedly. As he casually took out cigarettes and a lighter, he said nonchntly, "What does the Yang Family have that we don¡¯t? Are you going to give away the Yang Family assets as a dowry? Stop joking; we¡¯re not in a rush to resolve the matter between you two."

    The truth is always spoken in jest. Although all four present could tell Xia Cheng was speaking his true thoughts, his yful and unserious demeanor belied his sincerity.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s face turned dark, his eyes shifting back and forth between Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. Finally, with gritted teeth, he said earnestly, "What¡¯s wrong with that? As long as Xia Ning marries into the Yang Family, once the old man passes away, I will make the Yang Group a subsidiary of the Xia Group."

    Although the Yang Group is still under the old Mr. Yang¡¯s control, ever since Yang Kaitai was released from prison and his father saw the great change in him, he was relieved and handed over many responsibilities to Yang Kaitai.

    With the daunting aura he carried since his prison stint, Yang Kaitai indeed aplished many tasks, and in a short time, the Yang Group had risen another level.

    So, given his current status, his statement carried considerable weight.

    The three Xia Family members were all stunned; they had only heard phrases like "prefers beauty over kingdom" in dramas, but now they were actually witnessing such a person, which inevitably surprised them.

    After thete-night snack, Yang Kaitai finally left. Xia Ning could no longer restrain her emotions. She violently swept the dishes and cutlery from her hand onto the floor, shattering them; the white floor was stained and messy with soups and liquids.

    Xia Ning was still seething with anger, "Dad, why did you let me get engaged to Yang Kaitai?"

    "An engagement isn¡¯t the same as marriage; it¡¯s just a dying tactic. What¡¯s the rush?" worried that his father might actually get angry, Xia Cheng quickly exined to Xia Ning, "Why are you in such a hurry? Getting engaged isn¡¯t the same as actually marrying him."

    "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know the schemes you¡¯re ying," Xia Ning pointed at her father and then at Xia Cheng, "In your eyes, I¡¯m just a tool. Just like a supermarket product with a clear price tag; anyone who can afford it can take me away."

    "Xiaoning, why would you say such things about yourself?" Xia Cheng¡¯s face turned beet red, obviously feeling guilty about being hit where it hurts.

    Xia Ning snorted coldly, her face shedding all signs of weakness, reced with a resolute determination, "I¡¯ll tell you, I will either remain unmarried for life, or I will only marry He Xing, and nobody else should even think about it."

    "Then you find a way to make He Xing like you, to make him willing to marry you," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face was full of severity, "Comining to me is useless. If you can marry He Xing, I won¡¯t care about the Yang Family¡¯s so-called empire. But I¡¯m also telling you, if you can¡¯t manage He Xing, then you¡¯ll go bring me the Yang Family¡¯s assets!"

 Chapter 229: Divorce Tomorrow

    <h4>Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Divorce Tomorrow</h4><h4></h4>

    Ward of Luo Qinghe.

    The night was deep, and even the chirping of insects outside the window had faded, but the room remained brightly lit, filled with many people: Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents and older brother, the three members of the Bai Wei family, Fu Han, and Nan Qing.

    Luo Qinghey on the hospital bed, his face so pale it was even whiter than the snow-white sheets; not a trace of color could be found. His lips were so faintly colored they resembled pear blossom petals, just a step away from white.

    Bai Wei sat closest to him. She leaned forward, resting her chin on the bed, and strived to maintain eye contact with Luo Qinghe, "Does it... does it hurt a lot?"

    "If you stop crying, maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt so much." Luo Qinghe had intended to make a joke and smile, but as soon as he dared to form a smile, a piercing pain came from the wound on his back, and his expression uncontrobly turned into a mask of agony.

    Luo Qiluo couldn¡¯t stand seeing her son in such pain and, reaching out, she shoved Bai Wei aside, "Stop your fake concern here. If it weren¡¯t for you, would my son be hurt?"

    Caught off guard, Bai Wei was pulled to the ground, and pain shot through her eyes as she felt her buttocks smash into two.

    "What are you doing?" Bai Qian, distressed, helped Bai Wei up, her beautiful face filled with anger.

    "Stop arguing, stop arguing!" Li Huazhi hurriedly held back Luo Qiluo, "You can¡¯t me Bai Wei for this. The girl likes Qinghe, and all in all, this is between Qinghe and her."

    This made perfect sense to Bai Qian, who immediately said, "Exactly, if my daughter were really sshed with sulfuric acid, she would indeed be the one victimized by your son, not the other way around."

    That feeling of istion welled up again in Luo Qiluo¡¯s heart. She red at Bai Qian with wide eyes, wishing she could swallow her whole.

    Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Li Huazhi grabbed Luo Qiluo and, with an apologetic face, said to Bai Qian, "Bai Qian, my wife is just overly worried about my son, please don¡¯t take it to heart. It¡¯s gettingte; you should head back and rest."

    With a cold snort, Bai Qian pulled Bai Wei and Fu Xingbo towards the door,

    "Qinghe, you... take care and rest well. I¡¯lle see you again tomorrow." Bai Wei called out to Luo Qinghe anxiously as she was involuntarily dragged away.

    In the blink of an eye, only the Li family of four remained in the ward. Luo Qiluo shook off Li Huazhi¡¯s hand, her beautiful face unable to hide the hatred, "Li Huazhi, you¡¯ve really gone too far. Defending that wretch Bai Qian in front of our child, do you even care about me at all?"

    "Enough!" Li Huazhi¡¯s face also darkened as he let out a cold snort and threw Luo Qiluo onto the sofa, "Will you ever give it a rest? I¡¯ve told you many times that Bai Qian and I are not even friends anymore. Why must you make such a scene over nothing?"

    "I¡¯m making a scene?" Luo Qiluo struggled to her feet in a clumsy fashion, pointing at Li Huazhi¡¯s nose, "Then tell me, knowing full well I dislike that little wretch Bai Wei, why did you agree to let Qinghe be with her?"

    "Wretch, wretch!" Li Huazhi gritted his teeth as he red at Luo Qiluo, "It seems you¡¯vepletely forgotten your ce, throwing around insults at the drop of a hat. Do you have any manners at all?"

    "You¡¯re speaking to me about manners now?" Luo Qiluo challenged coldly, her stunning face twisted with anger, "Even if I had the best manners, they¡¯re now trampled under your feet. What use do I have for manners when I have to watch you flirt with another woman, smiling?"

    "Flirting just by having a conversation?" Li Huazhi spun around in frustration, his tone unintentionally rising, "When Bai Qian speaks to me, howe her husband doesn¡¯t jump around like you do?"

    "What does he have to jump about?" Luo Qiluo snorted coldly from her nose, looking disdainfully at Li Huazhi, "Can I evenpare to Bai Qian¡¯s husband? Back when you were in school, Bai Qian wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day, her husband¡¯s far better than you in every aspect. It¡¯s you who are jealous of him, not the other way around."

    "What did you say?" Li Huazhi¡¯s face went from red to white, then back to red, before he raised his hand and brought it down across Luo Qiluo¡¯s face with a p.

    A clear handprint appeared on Luo Qiluo¡¯s cheek, her face swelling up from the force of the p.

    Luo Qiluo, who was about to say something even more unpleasant, was silenced by the p. She covered her face, staring dumbly at Li Huazhi as tears fell heavily. She looked pitiful, a far cry from her fierce temper moments earlier.

    If she had cried a few minutes earlier, it might have worked, but her tears now didn¡¯t soften Li Huazhi¡¯s heart. Instead, his anger only grew stronger.

    Impatiently waving his hand, he said, "Every day I deal with enough from thepany, and then Ie home to this nagging. I can¡¯t live like this anymore. Tomorrow, we¡¯re getting a divorce."

    After uttering those words, Li Huazhi didn¡¯t linger any longer and turned swiftly to leave, mming the ward door behind him so hard it thundered.

    Luo Qiluo¡¯s face turned deathly pale in an instant, the red p mark a stark contrast to her pallor. She copsed on the floor, covering her face as she sobbed uncontrobly.

    After all, he was her blood son. Li Qingjiang couldn¡¯t stand by and offered her two pieces of tissue, "Mom, stop crying."

    His words were meaningless and only stoked Luo Qiluo¡¯s rage even further. She pped away Li Qingjiang¡¯s hand, "You all just watched as your dad bullied me, and now you want to y the good guys? I won¡¯t ept it."

    Li Qingjiang had never been able to handle his mother. Seeking help, he turned to Luo Qinghe, but unfortunately, Luo Qinghe had turned his head towards the window, opting for deliberate ignorance.

    With no other option, he braced himself and tried to persuade her, "Mom, to be honest, I think you¡¯re overreacting this time. I didn¡¯t see dad treating Auntie Bai Qian any differently, but you lose your temper at the slightest provocation."

    "I lose my temper?" Luo Qiluo, like a cat with its tail stepped on, shot up and red at Li Qingjiang, "With your dad always standing up for Bai Qian and Bai Wei, those wretches, are you blind not to see it?"

    Luo Qinghe, who had been silent since Bai Wei left, suddenly turned back with a nk expression and said to Luo Qiluo, "Mom, if you keep calling Bai Wei and her mother wretches, I won¡¯t stand by and let it happen either."

    "You..."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s rage surged and he cut off Luo Qiluo¡¯s words, "Because of your baseless suspicions, you insult others so. Tell me then, if Bai Wei is a wretch, and I like her, am I not even as good as a wretch?"

 Chapter 230: The Increasingly Beautiful Face

    <h4>Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The Increasingly Beautiful Face</h4><h4></h4>

    The ward once again fell silent. Two minutester, Luo Qiluo¡¯s earth-shattering cries echoed throughout the ward. Pointing at Li Qingjiang and Luo Qinghe, she eximed, "You two heartless brutes, you¡¯re all ganging up with dad to bully me."

    "Once you get divorced tomorrow, dad won¡¯t bully you anymore." Luo Qinghe snorted coldly, turned his head to look out of the window, and said indifferently, "Rest assured, after the divorce, my brother and I won¡¯t abandon you."

    Luo Qiluo¡¯s tears stopped instantly as she stared nkly at Luo Qinghe, unable to utter a word for a long time.

    Although Li Qingjiang felt some pity, he ultimately remained silent as well.

    From the standpoint of an onlooker, it seemed only right that Qin Xiaonian threw sulfuric acid at Bai Wei, and Luo Qinghe deserved praise for shielding her. To put it bluntly, if Luo Qinghe hadn¡¯t been there, Qin Xiaonian wouldn¡¯t have thrown the sulfuric acid at Bai Wei in the first ce.

    Besides, the injuries Luo Qinghe suffered were treated promptly and weren¡¯t particrly severe. After a period of time and a skin graft surgery, others wouldn¡¯t be able to tell.

    Moreover, the area where he was sshed with sulfuric acid was his back, but if he hadn¡¯t shielded Bai Wei from the acid, by now she would have definitely been disfigured beyond repair.

    ...

    The day to remove the bandage finally arrived. Fu Han¡¯s ward was crowded early in the morning. Half of those present were concerned for Fu Han, while many more were curious whether her face could really be restored to its original state, considering everyone had seen the extent of Fu Han¡¯s disfigured face, which was enough to wake someone from a nightmare.

    In contrast to everyone else¡¯s tension, Dr. Daisi seemed calm as he held a delicate pair of scissors and began to remove the bandages from Fu Han¡¯s face,yer byyer.

    He Xing, who had been standing aside watching, inadvertently noticed that Fu Han¡¯s hands were trembling. He quickly knelt down beside her bed, taking her hand in a firm grip, and reassured her, "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here."

    His palm felt warm and dry, as though magical, instantly steadying Fu Han¡¯s trembling hand. Her heart, which had been rolling like waves, suddenly calmed.

    Fu Han first felt her chin exposed to the air, then her cheeks, and finally her forehead.

    Her heartbeat unconsciously elerated again. She slowly opened her eyes, looking at everyone anxiously and fearfully. She wanted to gauge the condition of her face from their reactions.

    Standing directly opposite her were Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan, whose expressions were strikingly simr¡ªtheir mouths slightly agape, eyes filled with unmistakable astonishment.

    Unsure what their reactions meant, Fu Han turned to look at He Xing and asked with a trembling voice, "How is it, do I look ugly now?"

    In truth, she knew she shouldn¡¯t have asked that question the moment she saw He Xing, for he was gazing at her with sparkling eyes, clearly conveying "astonishing beauty."

    Without hesitation, He Xing responded, "Beautiful, exceptionally beautiful."

    "Take a look for yourself." Dr. Daisi handed a mirror to Fu Han with a light tone.

    Fu Han took the mirror with trembling hands. She knew the stic surgery was sessful and was eager to see how beautiful she looked.

    In the mirror appeared a beautifully contoured face, a full and smooth forehead, delicate eyebrows, eyes dark as grapes, cheeks as white as snowkes, a small and pert nose, and lips like cherry blossoms. It was a face thatbined sensuousness and structure, looking as perfect as a fairy stepping out of a magazine, wless.

    The most memorable feature was the small crimson mole on her nose.

    He Xing observed the face before him, familiar yet somehow strange. At a nce, she didn¡¯t seem different from the Fu Han he remembered, but upon closer examination, she seemed even more beautiful than before.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Daisi began to exin: "Miss Fu, because the injury on the right side of your face was severe, I had to make adjustments to avoid asymmetry after the stic surgery, so I slightly modified your left side as well. Overall, though, the reconstruction is based on your previous appearance."

    His words cleared up everyone¡¯s confusion.

    Although Fu Han had seen her own photos before, her current amnesia meant she didn¡¯t have a strong impression of her previous appearance. In contrast, she found her new face exceedingly pleasing, even more beautiful than she had imagined.

    She smiled and pointed to the tiny red mole on her nose, asking, "Dr. Daisi, was this your creation too? I didn¡¯t have anything on my face in the photos, did I?"

    "Yes, I added that especially for you." Dr. Daisi¡¯s smile was brimming with pride. "Your face was already stunningly beautiful, and after my adjustments, it¡¯s even more wless. However, a face that is too perfect can be forgettable, so I added a mole deliberately, hoping you¡¯d like it."

    Fu Han smiled faintly: "I like it very much, thank you."

    That subtle smile was like the first lotus blossom quietly unfolding in an endless pond at the turn from spring to summer, its pale pink petals fluttering in the wind, each motion tugging at your heartstrings.

    Everyone in the ward, including beauties like Bai Wei, Nan Qing, and Bai Qian, couldn¡¯t take their eyes off Fu Han, finding her unforgettable amidst the many beauties of the world.

    These past few days, Su Cheng had been trying hard to restrain his feelings for Fu Han, but when his gaze identally met hers, his heart pounded as if beating drums and gongs.

    Even though Fu Han only nced at him, he felt as though his heart could soar to the heavens. He couldn¡¯t help but beam, his joy evident. From the corner of his eye, he inadvertently locked eyes with Nan Qing¡¯s inquisitive gaze.

    Nan Qing¡¯s look was as cold as winter snow, chilling his exuberant heart in an instant. He silently shifted his gaze out the window, avoiding looking at Fu Han and Nan Qing any longer.

    The discharge procedures for Fu Han were handled by Liang Tao, as instructed by He Xing, who had originally intended to take Fu Han home. However, Uncle Zhou called, saying that the elder He wanted to see him.

    He Xing looked apologetically at Fu Han. He had tried to visit her as much as possible over the past few days, but in total, he had spent less than an hour with her each day.

    He had already told her a few minutes ago he would take her home, and now he really didn¡¯t know how to broach the subject.

    Fu Han, who had been packing up, paused when she sensed someone standing behind her. She turned around and inadvertently met He Xing¡¯s gaze, causing both to blush.

    She lowered her head and shifted her gaze away in haste. "I¡¯ll be done packing soon."

    "Xiaohan..." He Xing¡¯s face was full of remorse as he spoke with difficulty, "I¡¯m sorry, I... came up with something urgent and can¡¯t take you home."

    Fu Han¡¯s smile stiffened for a moment, but she quickly recovered and said, "No problem. Su Cheng has a car, and since he¡¯s going our way, I can just ride with him."

 Chapter 231: The Longing for Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 231: Chapter 231: The Longing for Freedom</h4><h4></h4>

    "Mmm..." Thest bit of light on He Xing¡¯s face extinguished, and his heart sank to the bottom of the sea. For the first time in his life, he felt fatigue, a boundless fatigue that was spreading.

    He realized that there were so many things beyond his control that kept him from being free to stay by her side.

    The moment the words left Fu Han¡¯s mouth, she knew she had misspoken. She hurriedly looked up, trying to exin, "I... I didn¡¯t mean that, I meant to say it just so happened..."

    "I know." He Xing forced a smile, his broad palmnding on her slender shoulder. The warmth from his palm seeped through her clothes into her heart, scorching and intense, like a heat patch on the small of her back during the coldest winters.

    Although Old Master He was waiting, He Xing still insisted on going downstairs with Fu Han. In the elevator, they stood side by side at the back. When He Xing looked at Fu Han, he suddenly noticed that the ne on her neck was gone.

    Worried that she might have lost it, he quickly touched Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and asked.

    Fumbling in the pocket of her jeans, Fu Han pulled out the lotus ne, "I¡¯m not used to wearing nes, so I took it off. I¡¯ll put it in a box when I get back."

    "Alright, if you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t wear it." He Xing smiled, pretending not to see the guilt on Fu Han¡¯s face.

    ...

    Huating No.1.

    Fu Han paced around the room in her slippers. She knew that this was the home she and Nan Qing had lived in for half a year, but she had no recollection of it, as alien as if she¡¯d never been there before.

    From the day she woke up until today, she had been in the hospital. Huating No.1 was the first ce she had been to apart from the hospital, and the unfamiliarity made her feel somewhat repelled.

    Yet she was very clear in her mind that no matter how ufortable she was with the outside environment, she had to adapt to it.

    She sat in the hanging basket on the balcony, the wind blowing in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. All that met her eyes were high-rises, as if even the sky had been chopped into pieces by these buildings.

    Freedom!

    This word appeared in Fu Han¡¯s heart for the first time. She touched the SLR camera resting on herp and closed her eyes lightly, vaguely feeling that this object was familiar.

    She really wanted to take a photo, but she had already tried¡ªthere was no power in the SLR, probably because it hadn¡¯t been used for too long. She looked for the charger in the living room but couldn¡¯t find it. Nan Qing and Su Cheng were tidying up the room, and she didn¡¯t want to disturb them.

    Fu Han nced at her phone and saw an unread message from Xia Ning, "I have something important to discuss with you, pleasee over."

    She clutched her phone, hesitating on how to reply to the message. Xia Ning said they had grown up together as friends, but Fu Han thought that since both of them liked He Xing, they should be rivals rather than friends. How could they still be friends?

    Just then, another new message arrived from Xia Ning, "It¡¯s about He Xing. If you don¡¯te, I hope you won¡¯t regret itter!"

    Fu Han¡¯s heart thumped uncontrobly, and her forehead began to ache as if something was about to burst forth. Her hands, seemingly out of her control, replied with two words, "Okay."

    In the kitchen, Nan Qing and Su Cheng were busily cleaning, chatting from time to time in a lively atmosphere.

    Fu Han knocked on the door, and under the watchful eyes of both of them, she tried to appear as calm as possible, "I want to go out for a bit, I¡¯ll be back soon."

    "How about Ie with you?" Su Cheng spoke as he was ready to take off his apron.

    "No need, no need!" Fu Han hurriedly waved her hands, "There¡¯s still so much cleaning to do at home. Do you want to leave it all to Nan Qing?"

    Initially, Fu Han had also insisted on cleaning together, but Su Cheng and Nan Qing felt that since her hand hadn¡¯t fully recovered, and her face was still healing, it was best not to do things like cleaning. Dust was not good for her recovery.

    This reasoning immediately convinced Su Cheng. Embarrassed, he blushed and smiled, "Then let Nan Qing go down with you, and I¡¯ll clean up by myself."

    "But..." The smile on Fu Han¡¯s face deepened, and with a touch of yfulness, she said, "After all, this is our girl¡¯s home. If we aren¡¯t here, it¡¯ll be inconvenient for you."

    This was indeed true. In the end, Su Cheng and Nan Qing could only tell Fu Han not to go far and to call them if anything happened, then they watched her leave.

    ...

    Old Master He¡¯s ward.

    He Xing ran in all the way, so frantic that he was panting. Fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead and the tip of his nose, and even his cheeks and neck were glistening with sweat.

    His white shirt was damp with sweat on the front, revealing the contours of his firm chest through the semi-transparent fabric, an innate sensuality.

    "Grandfather, how is Grandpa?" He Xing rushed over to Old Zhou, anxious as can be, and hurriedly asked.

    Old Zhou pointed towards Old Master He¡¯s bed, "The old master is still spirited right now, young master, you can talk to him yourself."

    Old Master He lifted his hand, muttering through his effort, "He... Xing, He... Xing."

    "Grandfather, what¡¯s wrong?" He Xing dashed forward, covering the remaining distance in mere seconds. Just this morning when he set off for Fu Han¡¯s hospital, Old Master He had been in much better shape than now. Although he asionally stumbled over words, he was mostly coherent.

    Old Master He grabbed He Xing¡¯s hand forcefully, his face red as he struggled to speak, "You... thepany... how is it... now?"

    He Xing turned to look at Old Zhou, worried about upsetting his grandfather, so he had never talked about thepany¡¯s affairs in front of Old Master He these past few days.

    Old Zhou sighed, helplessly saying, "Young master, when you went to see Miss Fu Han, Miss Xia Ning came by. She identally mentioned that the Xia Group could help, and the old master... the old master became agitated, and then this happened."

    A grating sound of bones came, the noise of He Xing clenching his fist in fury. His handsome face turned pale, and his deep eyes shimmered with a profound light.

    Although Old Zhou knew that He Xing wasn¡¯t angry with him, the sweat still broke out on his back, chilling him when the breeze blew.

    He couldn¡¯t help but mutter in his mind, thankfully Xia Ning wasn¡¯t here at the moment, for He Xing might have torn her to pieces had she been.

    He Xing took several deep breaths to calm his emotions before smiling and bending down to speak to his grandfather, "Grandfather, don¡¯t worry, the He Group will definitely be fine. You just need to focus on getting better, and I¡¯ll handle the rest."

    "No..." Old Master He became frantic and managed to prop himself up halfway, his dim eyes bloodshot, "I... I don¡¯t want you... to save the He Group... I... I want you and Xiaohan both to be happy."

 Chapter 232: Red Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Red Eyes</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing was stunned, his shocked gaze fixed on his grandfather. The He Group was the enterprise his grandfather had fought to build his entire life, and he had thought that his grandfather would never be able to let it go. But what he hadn¡¯t realized was that, in his grandfather¡¯s heart, his and Fu Han¡¯s happiness weighed even more heavily.

    His eyes reddened, and it seemed that this was the first time he had ever gotten emotional in front of his grandfather since his parents had left.

    In his early years, his grandfather had experienced the heart-wrenching pain of white-haired people sending off those with ck hair, and he felt greatpassion for He Xing, his only grandson; but to their generation, the more they cherished someone, the stricter they were with them.

    As a result, He Xing had no childhood to speak of. Aside frompleting the homework assigned by school, he also had to endure his grandfather¡¯s rigorous training. Every summer vacation, he even had to intern at the He Group, where he would be rebuked if he performed poorly.

    He had known from a young age that the He Group was his responsibility. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that when it came time for him to shoulder the responsibility of the He Group, his grandfather would say such words.

    After calming his grandfather, He Xing left the ward. He stood in front of a window at the end of the corridor, watching the bustle of traffic and the hustle and bustle of pedestrians on the crosswalk of the street next door.

    Every person in this world is an independent individual; no one will stay for someone else. Even the closest rtions can only be part of one¡¯s life for a while. But there is always that one person in the most special position, who can remain in your life forever.

    "Young Master, is there something you need from me?" a gentle middle-aged voice sounded, interrupting He Xing¡¯s thoughts. It was Old Zhou who hade out.

    He Xing turned slowly, the blue sky and white clouds instantly bing his backdrop, as he looked expressionlessly at Old Zhou: "What exactly did Xia Ning say to Grandfather?"

    "Nothing much in particr," Old Zhou recalled as he spoke, "Miss Xia initially talked to the Master about you, and then mentioned the movie you¡¯re currently screening. She just casually mentioned that the box office wasn¡¯t doing well, and that her father could help you arrange showings withoutpensation, and something about you not agreeing."

    The wind outside the window picked up a bit. Even though summer had already arrived, Old Zhou felt ayer of fine goosebumps on his arms, that chilling feeling creeping up on him once again.

    It took He Xing well over a minute before he spoke again, "It might be difficult for you to care for Grandfather alone. Starting today, hire two caregivers to take care of Grandfather with you, and remember, from now on, whoever wants to visit Grandfather must have my permission. Without it, no one is to be admitted."

    "Yes, Young Master." Old Zhou knew that although He Xing hadn¡¯t explicitly said so, these words clearly med him for letting Xia Ning in, which had aggravated the old Master¡¯s condition.

    He Xing took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag. The swirling smoke enveloped him, and his voice, veiled with disdain, became diffuse, "It won¡¯t be long before the world¡¯s leading neuroscientists will arrive. Grandfather¡¯s condition will definitely improve by then. Until that time, you must take good care of him."

    "Yes, Young Master." Inspired, Old Zhou immediately straightened up, his murky eyes shining with a faint light.

    "Take good care of Grandfather," said He Xing before leaving without looking back.

    Old Zhou stared at He Xing¡¯s retreating figure, suddenly realizing that his shirt seemed loose; from the back, it appeared almost hollow. This would have been inconceivable in the past, as He Xing¡¯s clothes had always been tailor-made since childhood.

    "It seems the Young Master has lost a lot of weight during this time," Old Zhou sighed, shaking his head slowly with unmistakable sympathy in his eyes.

    He was an orphan with no parents, surviving on begging as a child. By chance, he found a wallet filled with money. If he had taken the money inside, he could have bought the candy he dreamt of eating.

    But he didn¡¯t. In the dead of winter, he huddled in a corner, barefoot and wearing tattered clothes, waiting because he believed the owner would surely return for the wallet.

    As night fell and snowkes gently covered the world, a Mercedes, rare in those days, stopped not far from him. Two people got out of the car, searching around for something. They saw the crouching beggar but ignored him.

    It was the young Old Zhou who approached them, asking if they had lost something. After verifying that the wallet belonged to them, he carefully took it out from the inside of his clothes and handed it over, then shrugged his shoulders and walked towards a distant bridge, his ce to sleep ¡ª not knowing if there was still room there at thiste hour.

    Headlights illuminated behind him, and he instinctively moved to the side, but to his surprise, the car stopped beside him. The passenger-side window rolled down, and a kind-looking young man asked, "Kid, you found my wallet and didn¡¯t take a single cent for yourself?"

    Old Zhou rubbed his arms, feeling the chill of the snow-filled sky seeping into his bones, his teeth chattering, "You didn¡¯t give me the money, how could I take it?"

    Laughter came from inside the car, and the middle-aged man beckoned Old Zhou over. As if under a spell, Old Zhou approached immediately. The middle-aged man smiled and asked, "Would you like toe with me?"

    Then, Old Zhou was taken away with him. It was the first time in his life that he had ridden in a car. Cars back then had no heaters, but he felt that the car was much warmer than under the bridge.

    The young man was the young master, the same young Master He of years past. Master He got married, had children, and Old Zhou, like a nanny, helped with the kids. Later, when He Xing was born, he busied himself even more.

    Old Zhou had dedicated his entire life to the He Family. They had treated him well in return, with a generous sry and even a house and a car. Old Zhou was a grandfather himself now.

    Fifty years had gone by, and to Old Zhou, Master He had not changed at all. He was still the same young man who opened the car window in the Snond and spoke to Old Zhou with a smile.

    As for He Xing, Old Zhou had watched him grow up a bit at a time. Today was the first day Old Zhou had realized that He Xing actually bore such a strong resemnce to Master He in his youth.

    Old Zhou turned and walked step by step toward Master He¡¯s ward, striving to keep his back straight as an arrow.

    ...

    Outside Huating¡¯s District One, in the Cafe.

    Fu Han remembered the Doctor¡¯s stern warnings: no coffee, no alcohol, no chili peppers, no food with hormones, and a diet that had to be nd.

    She looked over the menu. This luxuriously decorated Cafe offered a variety of coffees, desserts, none of which were suitable for her current diet.

    To avoid beingughed at, Fu Han ordered a dessert and then requested a ss of in water to be brought over.

    Sitting across from her, Xia Ning¡¯s spring onion-like fingers pinched the exquisite coffee cup, gently stirring the coffee sporadically with a golden spoon, her eyes unabashedly surveying Fu Han¡¯s face.

    To be fair, Fu Han¡¯s previous face had been enough to incite envy in Xia Ning, but now, the face she possessed stirred even greater jealousy within her.

 Chapter 233: The War of Two Women

    <h4>Chapter 233: Chapter 233: The War of Two Women</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han had be even more beautiful than before. She wasn¡¯t wearing makeup, not even lipstick, yet she gave off the vibe of being fully made up¡ªa true crystal-clear beauty.

    There were many people in the cafe, and most of them had their eyes on Fu Han, a fact that drove Xia Ning mad with jealousy. She hated being ignored the most.

    And it was as if she were cursed, whenever Fu Han was around, Xia Ning was the one overlooked.

    She mmed her coffee cup down on the table, the light brown liquid sloshing dangerously close to spilling over the rim of the ss.

    Fu Han also set down her ss. Her eyshes fluttered slightly as her grape-like eyes turned to Xia Ning, "Can you now tell me what you wanted to discuss with me?"

    "I want you to leave He Xing." Xia Ning¡¯s eyes shed with a dark gleam, her gaze fierce.

    "Why?" Fu Han was asking Xia Ning, but also herself; it was strange. Xia Ning said they were good friends and that she wouldn¡¯t interfere with Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s rtionship, but upon hearing Xia Ning¡¯s words, Fu Han wasn¡¯t surprised at all.

    The mask had been torn off, and there was no need for Xia Ning to pretend. She looked at Fu Han without expression, "He Xing¡¯spany is facing huge problems. The banks aren¡¯t giving out loans, the capital chain is broken, and I am the only one who can help him."

    "So..." Fu Han smiled, shallow dimples appearing on her face, "you¡¯re saying the price for you helping He Xing is for me to leave him and let you have him?"

    She deliberately raised her voice when saying "let," and sure enough, Xia Ning¡¯splexion changed.

    "Looks like you¡¯re not that dumb even with amnesia." Xia Ning snorted coldly, her arms crossed as she eyed Fu Han, "I do like He Xing, but I¡¯m not so noble as to make a wedding dress for another. Think it over for yourself. After hearing about thepany¡¯s issues, Grandpa He¡¯s condition worsened. Even if you remember nothing, you can¡¯t deny the nurturing debt you owe Grandpa He, right? The He Group is his lifelong endeavor. Can you bear to see all that ruined?"

    Honestly, Fu Han didn¡¯t remember He Xing, and hearing Xia Ning ask her to leave He Xing didn¡¯t upset her much, just angered her. Whether to leave or to stay was her prerogative, and no one else had the right to dictate her actions.

    But could she truly disregard Grandpa He?

    After a prolonged silence, Fu Han rested her chin on her palm, staring out the window. On a distant building disyed a huge electronic screen, coincidentally showing Bai Wei¡¯s advertisement. Despite the distance, her face was still clear and beautiful¡ªan irresistible beauty amidst the crowd.

    Phrases rted to the He Group spoken by others shed through her mind. Thest thought to lock in her mind was something Fu Xingbo had said, "The He Group has either stepped on someone else¡¯s cake or has been targeted. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be facing such a string of problems."

    She remembered Fu Xingbo mentioning that He Xing was among the rare young men he knew who wasposed. Despite numerous upheavals in business, family, and love, He Xing seemed unbothered, his face always showing kindness in front of Fu Han.

    These words easily filled Fu Han with guilt, particrly because she couldn¡¯t remember anything, making her feel she had let down He Xing¡¯s deep affection.

    With that thought, her eyes grew sharp, and she stared intently at Xia Ning, speaking word by word, "Don¡¯t try to fool me here. The problems the He Group currently faces are not just about the capital chain. Who is behind all this? I won¡¯t leave until you tell me clearly."

    Xia Ning looked at Fu Han in surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected the amnesiac Fu Han to be so discerning. She had no intention of divulging these matters, but with such an opportunity before her, should she really give it up?

    Her pearly teeth left a clear bite mark on her red lips. Xia Ning¡¯s eyes shed with a desperate gamble as she mustered the courage to tell Fu Han, "It doesn¡¯t matter if I tell you. In the past, He Xing offended the young master of the Yang Group for your sake. Now that man is out of jail and wants revenge, so he¡¯s been barking like a mad dog, not letting go of He Xing."

    Fu Han silently mulled over these words, not missing a single one. After reviewing it three times, she couldn¡¯t find any ws; it sounded very likely true. After all, He Xing was always on guard against Su Cheng, and being jealous was not something he was short of.

    A chill shed in her eyes, "Are you able to deal with this Young Master Yang?"

    "Of course." Xia Ning¡¯s sharp chin lifted, her delicate face unable to hide the triumphant look, "No one else in this world can handle him, except for me."

    At that moment, Xia Ning¡¯s face changed slightly, realizing her slip-up. She quickly blushed, trying to cover, "My father has evidence against them, just wait and see."

    Fu Han keenly noticed Xia Ning¡¯s reaction, and to guard against deception, she feigned agreement with a nod, "Alright, then let¡¯s wait until you¡¯ve dealt with Young Master Yang before I leave."

    "What?" This time it was Xia Ning¡¯s turn to be shocked. She stared at Fu Han, her eyes wide, "What if I deal with Young Master Yang and you go back on your word?"

    "It¡¯s not just Young Master Yang that He Xing is facing, is it? And the capital chain problem, you¡¯re the only one who can handle it, right? What are you afraid of, my backing out?" Fu Han looked at Xia Ning disdainfully, mimicking her posture, but inside, she was trembling, worried Xia Ning would see through her false bravado.

    The two women faced off in silence, as if invisible des and swords surrounded them, engendered withyer uponyer of murderous intent, endless and inexhaustible.

    After who knows how long, Xia Ning was the first to look away, "Fine, I can take care of Young Master Yang first, but the day I do, you must leave immediately."

    "Deal." Fu Han¡¯s response came quickly. Her emotions were incrediblyplex at that moment¡ªthere was relief, an indescribable pain, and above all, a convoluted mix of feelings.

    But if it was fated for her to leave He Xing again, her amnesia might be another form of mercy from the heavens.

    ...

    He Xing stood looking at the multi-story building ahead, its top adorned with a massive sign, a bank¡¯s logo.

    He had just left that bank. It was the fifth one he had visited today, yet none were willing to give a loan.

    Indeed, in the business world, there are many who would add flowers to the brocade, but few who would give charcoal in the snowy weather; plenty seek to pull you off your horse, but few would give you a hand when you¡¯re underestimated.

    He adjusted his tie, exposing part of his corbone. That distinctly visible corbone made his figure appear all the more slender.

    There¡¯s an unspoken rule in the A-city business circle, if these five banks refuse to lend, it means that the enterprise is not far from bankruptcy, and all financiers would be unwilling to finance.

 Chapter 234: Playing Dangerous Moves

    <h4>Chapter 234: Chapter 234: ying Dangerous Moves</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing looked up at the sky, which was oppressively dark; the sun hid behind the storm clouds as if the entire sky was about to copse. The roiling dark clouds were like the hands of a demon lurking behind, ready to pull you into hell the moment you were inattentive, condemning you to eternal damnation.

    He stopped looking at the sky and hurried to the parking lot. He got into the car but didn¡¯t start it right away. Instead, he adjusted the seat to lie back halfway.

    The He Group was facing an unprecedented crisis, and the most pressing issue was the suddenness of these changes. They came one after another, throwing off his ns.

    Starting a business is hard, and sustaining one is even harder. Everypany faces various problems after being in existence for six months. The old system and the family business model bred a bunch of people who took money without doing work. And the critical problem was that you couldn¡¯t just drive them away¡ªdoing so would be deemed ungrateful.

    A transformation was urgently needed. In the past few years since taking over thepany, He Xing had been expanding the He Group¡¯s business territory, using argermercial footprint to mitigate thepany¡¯s crisis. This strategy had been effective in the past years.

    However, it seemed he had been too hasty, especially considering his ns for this year alone, which included expanding into the electronics and film industries.

    In the past, the He Group¡¯spetition with the Yang and Xia families had been fierce. Though they had ultimately seeded in acquiring Wang Electronics Group, the cost to the He Group was higher than anticipated, and the acquisition nearly depleted their reserve funds.

    ording to He Xing¡¯s n, the simultaneous release of "Hopes Return" was supposed to be a breakthrough for the film. From the actors to the production team, to the script, everything was top-notch. It was meant to be the He Group¡¯s entry point into the film industry, and the box office returns were expected to be impressive.

    But the film was beset by sessive mishaps. The spring pce live broadcast during the premiere, the "dog-blood" romance of the leads, and an incident involving sulfuric acid during the tour.

    Although He Xing had been working hard on promotion, while "Hopes Return" led the box office against its contemporaries, it fell far short of his expectations. Some cinemas even started to reduce the number of screenings.

    The reason was that there had been too many issues with the movie. Its public appeal had copsed, with many believing the productionpany deliberately caused these incidents for attention. The ensuing public bacsh continued to ferment.

    He Xing was unwilling to imitate such distasteful tactics, so it was inevitable that he¡¯d be left to absorb the hits passively.

    Currently, the He Group had several projects waiting to be initiated, all of which urgently needed funds. Previously invested projects had not yet returned short-term capital, which resulted in a dilemma for thepany, making the He Group appear cash-rich on paper, but without actual liquidity¡ªa conundrum with no solution.

    Major investment banks had also been silently monitoring the He Group¡¯s situation. Now, seeing the crisis, none of them were willing to risk further investment in the He Group, despite previously vying to invest in it.

    Of course, there were still investors willing to inject capital, but the terms they offered were uneptable to He Xing. These cunning businessmen refused to take any responsibility and demanded a gambling agreement with the He Group, where He Xing and the old master of the He Family would be ousted directly if the expected profits weren¡¯t met.

    Originally, his thought was the proverb, "A centipede dies but never falls down." Even if the He Group was currently under attack and its business footing was rapidly shrinking, he believed there would be a day he¡¯d make aeback.

    But after listening to his grandfather¡¯s words today, guilt surged through him like a raging river. The He Family¡¯s legacy, the result of generations of hard work, must not be squandered on his watch.

    However, the wager was also an opportunity. The risk was considerable, but not entirely hopeless.

    With this in mind, He Xing opened his eyes. He took out his phone from his suit pocket and directly dialed Liang Tao¡¯s number, "Arrange a meeting for me with all potential investors in the next couple of days. The sooner, the better."

    After hanging up the call, he scrolled through his phone and sent a Whatsapp message to Fu Han, "Are you free tonight? Dinner is on me."

    Fu Han was never fond of ying with her phone, and often, He Xing had to wait over two hours to receive a reply from her.

    Just as he was about to put his phone away and start the car, a new message notification popped up. To his surprise, it was a "Okay" from Fu Han. Though it was just two words, a smile involuntarily spread across He Xing¡¯s face.

    After confirming Fu Han¡¯s location, He Xing drove straight to Huating No.1. Along the way, he had already booked the restaurant¡ªa new ce that served top-tier steaks.

    Meanwhile, Fu Han was standing in front of her wardrobe, conflicted about what to wear.

    She and Xia Ning had reached an agreement. Within three days, Xia Ning would deal with He Xing¡¯s biggest obstacle ording to Fu Han¡¯s demands, and then it would be time for her to leave.

    Even though she had amnesia, she saw all the kindness He Xing showed her during this time. She felt that even if it was just to fulfill a responsibility, she ought to say goodbye to He Xing on behalf of her past self.

    Since He Xing had invited her to dinner that evening, she had dly epted. Perhaps after today, they would never see each other again, and Fu Han thought she should dress well, to leave a beautiful memory in their hearts.

    Of course, her so-called dressing up merely meant trading in her usual oversized shorts and jeans for a prettier dress because she couldn¡¯t wear makeup at the moment.

    She tried several outfits before settling on a shirt-style dress with blue and ck patchwork that added a distinctively eye-catching look to the garment.

    Fu Han checked herself in the mirror and felt her cheeks looked too pale,cking any sign of life. If she walked down the street in the middle of the night, people might mistake her for not being human.

    She rummaged through her vanity and found an opened stick of lipstick. After applying a thinyer, herplexion finally improved.

    Su Cheng and Nan Qing were already preparing dinner in the kitchen. Nan Qing¡¯s culinary skills were not exactlymendable. She was assisting, while Su Cheng took on the role of chef for the night.

    "Um..." Fu Han was a bit embarrassed, but she spoke up anyway, "Su Cheng, Nan Qing, I... I¡¯m going out for dinner with He Xing tonight. You two enjoy your meal at home."

    Su Cheng, who had been enthusiastically cooking, immediately lost his smile upon hearing this. His sadness was almost tangible.

    Fu Han¡¯s smile deepened a little as she tilted her head mischievously and said, "Eat more tonight, and next time I¡¯ll treat you."

    The sound of the door closing echoed. Nan Qing nced at Su Cheng and, after a moment of hesitation, broke the silence, "Su Cheng, don¡¯t be sad. Since Fu Han¡¯s gone, why don¡¯t you go back home too? I hardly eat anything at night anyway."

    Su Cheng looked at the ingredients Nan Qing had prepared and the steaming dishes in the pot. He couldn¡¯t bear to see the sad look in Nan Qing¡¯s eyes. After thinking it over, he smiled faintly and said, "I need to have my dinner. It¡¯s almost ready. If I leave now, wouldn¡¯t that be a loss?"

 Chapter 235: Itâ€™s Normal to Have a Meal

    <h4>Chapter 235: Chapter 235: It¡¯s Normal to Have a Meal</h4><h4></h4>

    "What do you mean by that?" Nan Qing was a bit bewildered. Her feelings wereplex, unable to say whether she wanted Su Cheng to stay or not.

    "We¡¯ve been friends for so many years, isn¡¯t it normal to have a meal together?" Seeing her like this made Su Cheng even more tender-hearted. He rubbed Nan Qing¡¯s head, just like when they were seventeen or eighteen years old in high school, "Which month¡¯s allowance of mine didn¡¯t I spend arge part on you?"

    "Alright." Nan Qing agreed in a low voice, not daring to look into Su Cheng¡¯s eyes. She found a random excuse to run out of the kitchen, not much different from fleeing in panic.

    Dinner started soon, with only the two of them, yet the table was set with five or six dishes, plus a pork rib soup and a tomato and egg soup.

    Nan Qing tasted each dish. Although the vors were far from those of a five-star hotel, she felt a unique sensation in her heart at the thought of Su Cheng having cooked the meal.

    It was odd, her feelings for Su Cheng were very special now. Their fate had been determined from the moment they were born; perhaps they didn¡¯t remember many of the past things, but they were witnesses to each other¡¯s life journeys.

    It had been almost ten years since Nan Qing¡¯s heart first fluttered in her teens. How many decades does one have in a lifetime? Her fondness for Su Cheng was deeply engraved in her bones¡ªit wasn¡¯t something she could simply stop liking if she said she didn¡¯t, as she could no longer control her emotions.

    But miraculously, she hade to terms with Su Cheng¡¯s liking for Fu Han¡ªshe even sometimes felt in her heart that Su Cheng indeed suited Fu Han more than He Xing did.

    As she was lost in thought, Su Cheng suddenly stood up and walked towards the wine cab, retrieved an opened bottle of red wine, and casually brought over two wine sses, "Nan Qing, would you like a drink?"

    Nan Qing knew Su Cheng was in a bad mood. She smiled and nodded, "Of course, I can¡¯t sleep without a couple of sses of red wine every day."

    The burgundy liquid swirled in the clear sses, each drop stirring up like jewels, leaping before finally falling and blending into the wine in the ss.

    Unable to remember how many sses he had drunk, Su Cheng let out a boozy burp. He looked at Nan Qing through bleary eyes, "You tell me, how exactly do I fall shortpared to He Xing?"

    Nan Qing had barely had two sses of red wine from the start. With her tolerance, she was nowhere near drunk, but she knew Su Cheng was close to it.

    She snatched Su Cheng¡¯s wine ss out of his hand, "You¡¯ve had too much. No more drinking. I¡¯ll call you a designated driver."

    "Let me drink!" Su Cheng panicked, unable to wrestle the ss back, he grabbed Nan Qing¡¯s wrist. He stared at the red wine in her hand like an addict, "Please, let me drink. My parents won¡¯t let me like her anymore. I can¡¯t do anything, so am I not even allowed to drink?"

    Nan Qing was stunned but ultimately ced the wine ss back in front of Su Cheng. However, driven by curiosity, she couldn¡¯t help asking with a trembling voice, "Why won¡¯t your parents let you be with her?"

    "Because..." Su Cheng let out a huge belch. He looked at Nan Qing with drunken, misty eyes and mumbled, "My parents want thepany to grow stronger, for Huangpu Group to reach He Group¡¯s level, to ally with the Nangong Family, and want me to..."

    His head tilted, and he copsed on the table, immediately falling into a deep slumber.

    Nan Qing had a bellyful of questions left unanswered. How could she let him just sleep like this? She vigorously shook Su Cheng¡¯s shoulders, anxiously asking, "What exactly did your parents force you to do?"

    "They..." Su Cheng lifted his head and let out a foolish smile, looking dopey, "They want me... for me to marry you... but it doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t pressure you about it."

    After saying this, Su Cheng passed outpletely, no matter how much Nan Qing shook him, hey on the table like a lump of mud, unconscious.

    Nan Qing watched Su Cheng with aplicated gaze; she hadn¡¯t anticipated that behind his sunny smile, such a sad story was hidden.

    She bent to try to help Su Cheng to the sofa when she suddenly heard a crisp sound. Looking down, it was her jade bracelet that had struck the table.

    The bracelet had only been on her wrist for less than ten days, but she had already be used to its presence. asionally, when she thought about how it was something only the daughters-inw of the Huangpu family would have, an unusual feeling would arise in her.

    Bowing her head to look at Su Cheng, she wondered when he had be so thin. Nan Qing always teased Su Cheng about still having baby fat in his twenties, but now it had all vanished, leaving a chiseled, sharp, and exquisite jawline.

    Nan Qing looked at Su Cheng unreservedly, trying to remember when thest time was she had looked at him like this. It seemed since she¡¯d acknowledged her feelings for Su Cheng, she hadn¡¯t dared to look at him like this¡ªwho would have the courage to scrutinize him like this?

    To be fair, Su Cheng was not as delicate-looking as He Xing. He Xing¡¯s handsomeness was the kind that stood out in a crowd, the center of attention.

    But without a doubt, Su Cheng was also handsome. His attractiveness was like a gentle, flowing stream. His features were delicate, and his facial lines were soft. At first nce, he didn¡¯t stand out, but the more you looked, the more appealing he seemed.

    Even in his drunken state, Su Cheng¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed.

    Nan Qing felt a pang of sadness and subconsciously smoothed out his furrowed brows with her hand.

    With some difficulty, she moved Su Cheng to lie on the sofa, thought for a moment, and closed the windows to keep out insects. She turned on the air conditioning and went to her room to fetch a thin nket to cover him.

    Then, Nan Qing began to clean up the dinner table, took care of the leftovers, and put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

    As she was handling the wine bottle, she shook it and realized why Su Cheng was drunk¡ªthere was only about one ss left in the bottle after she had opened it and had just a single ss.

    Nan Qing simply poured the remaining wine into a ss. Her slender fingers held the wine as she swayed it back and forth, her eyes involuntarily falling once more on Su Cheng¡¯s face.

    She sipped the wine slowly, marveling at how it tasted as sweet as fresh grapes picked straight from the vine, full-bodied and intoxicating, with hardly any taste of alcohol left.

    "How do you know that I wouldn¡¯t want to marry you?"

    On the balcony, a sketchbook was propped up, a pristine piece of sketch paper slowly took on the form of an outline under the charcoal pencil. Colors from the palette were brushed on swiftly, and soon a portrait came to life, closely resembling Su Cheng whoy on the sofa.

 Chapter 236: The Jealous Man

    <h4>Chapter 236: Chapter 236: The Jealous Man</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing picked up a pen and beside the portrait wrote a few vigorous characters: "Seasonal & Limited Edition!"

    ...

    That night, in the upscale restaurant, there were only a few sparsely arranged tables, each secluded by screens. To those in the know, these screens alone were evidently worth a small fortune.

    Indeed, ording to the size of the restaurant, there could have been more seats added; after all, the few avable ces were all filled.

    At the back of the restaurant was a slightly raised stage, furnished with a piano, a violin, a cello, a guitar, and even a drum set; although often merely for show, at this moment, there was slow music flowing out, someone was ying the piano.

    From Fu Han¡¯s position, she could see the side profile of a person: a high nose bridge paired with an almost ink-wash painting-like face, faint, as if he had just stepped out of the misty Jiangnan.

    Oddly enough, it was a man, with fairly long, light chestnut-colored hair loosely tied in a small knot at the back of his head. Loose strands of hair fell on either side of his face and behind his ears, partially covering his delicate features, adding an extrayer of "gentleness."

    Gentle features, this was the first time Fu Han used such a description for a man; like the music he was ying, gentle as water. At first listen it seemed ordinary, but the more one listened, the moreplex vors one discovered.

    He Xing¡¯s gentle gaze never strayed from Fu Han. As the piece ended, he spoke slowly, "Do you like it? If you do, I¡¯ll have him y another one?"

    "No need," Fu Han shook her head slowly, her gaze resting on the boy still ying the piano.

    It was already summer, and the restaurant¡¯s air conditioning was turned high, yet the boy ying the piano had a sweat droplet slowly sliding down his cheek, like slow motion in a movie.

    A staff member approached, most likely discussing which customer requested which song to be yed¡ªthe previous piece had been specially chosen by He Xing for Fu Han.

    After some thought, Fu Han picked up the untouched ss of warm water from in front of her and brought it on stage, "Take a sip of water," she said with a friendly smile, offering the cup to the young man.

    The young man looked up suspiciously, casting nces between Fu Han and the staff member, as if trying to deduce their rtionship.

    "The piece you just yed was requested for me, it sounded very nice." Fu Han smiled again, recalling how dedicated the young man looked while performing, "I see you¡¯re tired, so I brought you water, no strings attached."

    "Thank you." The man took the water ss and, with a few gulps, finished the entire content. He then handed the empty ss back to Fu Han, his face breaking into a faint smile, dimples ying hide and seek at the corners of his mouth.

    Fu Han nodded, not looking again at the young man, and returned directly with the ss in hand.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze followed her movements; when Fu Han was seated opposite him again, he nced back at the piano yer, who had resumed ying.

    The waiter began serving dishes; the not-so-small table was now filled with exquisite dishes. Luckily, each dish was served in small portions, or she really would havemented the waste of food.

    He Xing sliced the steak for Fu Han and passed it to her, his gaze asionally falling on her, "Do you think that man ys well?"

    Fu Han¡¯s focus had long shifted from the piano yer. Now, she was staring at an oil painting on the wall, suddenly realizing the signature beneath it was Nan Qing¡¯s.

    Hearing He Xing¡¯s question, she turned to look at him, herugh light and breezy, "I haven¡¯t heard anything better, but I believe he ys with great devotion, as if... with his very life."

    He Xing nodded, cutting his portion of steak, a flicker of light in his eyes unreadable.

    Fu Han chewed her beef carefully, then, almost as if on impulse, blurted out, "He Xing, you¡¯re not jealous, are you?"

    "Who says? I never get jealous," He Xing quickly denied, but his flushed ears betrayed his true feelings.

    Fu Han had never seen He Xing so adorably flustered. Her heart melted, and she found herself exining without thinking, "Don¡¯t get me wrong, I have no interest in him."

    He Xing¡¯s maic gaze shifted onto Fu Han, his obsidian-like eyes sparkling, and he looked deeply into her eyes, slowly cing his hand on her cheek, "I know, even if you lost your memory, you wouldn¡¯t fall for anyone but me."

    His hand approached slowly, and Fu Han certainly could have dodged it, but she didn¡¯t. Once again, her body acted beyond the control of her brain, leaving her with no ce to hide.

    As for what He Xing had said, any other day Fu Han would have argued¡ªthere are no such things as destiny in the face of tragedy, and despite her guilt towards He Xing because of her amnesia, she never thought about getting back with him without her memories.

    After all, the He Xing she now knew was just a very close and important friend; after all, one shouldn¡¯t choose without understanding who they truly are, as that would be irresponsible to both themselves and others.

    She felt the heat from He Xing¡¯s palm, burning and scalding, and though it was just a touch on the head, she could distinctly feel the deep affection He Xing harbored in his heart.

    Fu Han thought inwardly, if it had been the old Fu Han feeling such deep love, she would have been grateful and happy, but the current her only felt a heavy heart, like it was being pressed down by a huge stone, suffocating.

    She gave a stiff smile, trying to sound calm as she changed the subject, "The food¡¯s getting cold, let¡¯s hurry and eat."

    Unfortunately, her attempt to change the subject was too obvious. He Xing saw right through it. Under normal circumstances, he would y along and pretend not to notice, but today...

    He Xing stretched his long arm and grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand, "Fu Han, I want to know what you feel for me now?"

    The inevitable had finally arrived, and Fu Han sighed inwardly. She leaned back slightly, her gaze drifting and inadvertently locking eyes with the boy ying the piano. He nodded at her, a kind smile on his face.

    The music shifted, from the slow and somewhat sad tunes to a lively melody that unconsciously lifted the mood of the listeners.

 Chapter 237: Forget About Liking You

    <h4>Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Forget About Liking You</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han sighed quietly, a sound barely detectable. The music had nothing to do with her current mood¡ªin fact, it seemed to mock her plight.

    She really did not want to answer He Xing¡¯s question, but seeing the persistence written all over his face, she realized that evasion was futile; she must answer his query.

    Fu Han looked up to meet He Xing¡¯s gaze squarely and said earnestly, "He Xing, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve forgotten our past, how I used to like you... And, I hope we can remain just as friends at least until my memory returns."

    With every word she uttered, she saw the light in He Xing¡¯s eyes dim slightly, until, after she finished speaking, the final glimmer of brightness in his eyes flickered and then disappeared entirely.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt as if it was clenched by a great hand, powerless to resist the crushing grip.

    For a moment, she softened. She even had the urge to step forward and embrace He Xing, to tell him she remembered everything¡ªthat they would be together forever.

    But thest shred of rationality in her mind held her back until she pushed down all the words she had wanted to say.

    However, it was precisely in this moment that Fu Han realized, although she couldn¡¯t remember He Xing, she was fond of him. If they continued this way, she would indeed fall for him again, just as He Xing had said. But s, there were no ifs.

    Time passed before He Xing finally showed a faint smile. He reached out to ruffle Fu Han¡¯s hair, his eyes brimming with indulgence, deep like a bottomlesske: "All right, let¡¯s eat and not talk about these unhappy things anymore, okay?"

    "Okay!" Fu Han replied, shing a radiant smile. Yet, behind that smiley a profound destion.

    After dinner, He Xing suggested a walk by the river, which Fu Han agreed to readily.

    Just as they were leaving, they happened to run into the man who had been ying the piano earlier. He was now carrying arge guitar on his back, having swapped his suit for a loose ck tee, white ripped jeans, and graffiti-stained sneakers. His long hair was carelessly draped over his shoulders.

    Upon seeing Fu Han, he cheerfully waved "Hi," then walked off before she could respond.

    The wind messed up the man¡¯s hair, which he shook off nonchntly and sauntered across the street towards the depths of the alley.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes followed him, seeing in this man a kind of brilliance, a freedom unconstrained by anything.

    "Haven¡¯t had your fill of looking? He¡¯s already far away!" He Xing moved to block Fu Han¡¯s view.

    "Jealous, again?" Fu Han chuckled. Under the streetlight, her smile was dazzling, like a night-blooming cereus so captivating that one couldn¡¯t look away.

    He Xing stared, momentarily spellbound. He reached out to pinch Fu Han¡¯s nose and spoke with a gentle cadence, like a tender night breeze, "Yes, I am jealous. I don¡¯t want you looking at other men."

    Fu Han¡¯s expression instantly turned cold. Her face paled in the shadows of the night, making her lipstick-d lips seem even redder, yet the words she spoke were devoid of any warmth, "He Xing, even if you were my boyfriend¡ªwhich you¡¯re not, as I don¡¯t remember you¡ªI should not be restricted by you. My eyes are my own; I will look at whoever I choose."

    He Xing¡¯s expression darkenedpletely. He looked at Fu Han emotionlessly and then silently walked over and opened the passenger door: "Get in the car."

    A feeling of grievance surfaced in Fu Han¡¯s heart. For a split second, she felt like walking away, but she feared that she might regret itter when she recalled this day. Eventually, she obediently got into the car.

    Once inside, she didn¡¯t look at He Xing, her arms crossed as she gazed out of the window.

    Streetlights illuminated one by one, and the storefronts along the streets were all lit up. The facades of high-rises were stered with giant electronic screens continuously shing advertisements.

    Nighttime in City A was even livelier than day, with throngs of people bustling about. Couples walked hand in hand, wearing happy smiles, a reflection of their hopeful futures.

    Fu Han suddenly envied these people, whose happiness and unhappiness seemed so simple. No, they were always happy¡ªat least in her eyes.

    A breeze slipped through the slightly open window, messing up the hair on Fu Han¡¯s temples. Her pale face was enshrouded in her hair, obscuring her features.

    There were many people taking a stroll by the river at night. He Xing finally found a parking spot and jogged over, intending to open the door for Fu Han, but she had already opened it herself.

    The rippling water looked beautiful under the night sky, resembling countless fish shimmering on the surface.

    Standing at the metal railing, Fu Han closed her eyes and let the night breeze of the riverside wash over her, dispelling the heat of the day and leaving a moist warmth that eased all tiredness away.

    He Xing stood a step away from Fu Han, watching her. Her eyshes appeared especially long when her eyes were closed, more so than those who wore falseshes. The color had drained from her wind-blown face, leaving only her lips, now bright red¡ªso alluring that...

    "Have you had enough of looking?" Fu Han¡¯s cold voice suddenly broke the silence, disrupting He Xing¡¯s reverie.

    A faint flush crept onto He Xing¡¯s cheeks as he blurted out, "I could look at you for a lifetime and still not have enough!"

    Fu Han¡¯s face fell again. She truly disliked He Xing saying such things, especially when she couldn¡¯t remember anything¡ªhow was she supposed to respond?

    She turned away without expression and marched off, ignoring He Xingpletely.

    In fact, He Xing regretted his words the moment they left his mouth. Calling out Fu Han¡¯s name, he chased after her until he caught up behind arge tree. Spreading his arms, he blocked her path, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t be angry."

    "Sorry?" Fu Han repeated coldly, speaking without a trace of emotion, "There¡¯s no need for the great He Xing to apologize, is there? If anything, I should be the one to apologize."

    "Don¡¯t say that, Xiaohan. I really am sorry." He Xing seized Fu Han¡¯s hand despite her resistance, leaned forward with his head bowed and pleaded anxiously, "I shouldn¡¯t have tried to limit your freedom. From now on, you can do whatever you want, look at whoever you want, and I promise not to say a word, okay?"

    Fu Han had anticipated an apology, but not for He Xing to lower himself so much. A twinge of sorrow filled her heart, and, as she thought about their impending separation, her resolve softened.

 Chapter 238: The Kiss That Shouldnâ€™t Have Happened

    <h4>Chapter 238: Chapter 238: The Kiss That Shouldn¡¯t Have Happened</h4><h4></h4>

    "I know you like me, but you can¡¯t be so domineering, can you? I just nced at someone twice. I didn¡¯t do anything, and yet your face is already looking so long."

    "Yes, yes, I get it. I won¡¯t be like this anymore." He Xing, upon seeing Fu Han finally willing to speak, couldn¡¯t hide his joy, his face bursting with smiles.

    His half-long hair danced in the night, a few strands flying in front of his forehead, blocking his view. A face that was already chiseled was half-covered by hair, making it appear even more like a small, palm-sized face.

    The most captivating sight was under the veil of his ck hair; his pair of obsidian-like eyes sparkled brighter than the stars in the sky, maically drawing Fu Han¡¯s gaze deep into their depths.

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Whose heartbeats are roaring like a drum?

    In the distance, who is singing a lingering song?

    Fu Han felt a little deer ramming in her chest, causing her to panic and divert her gaze. If she continued looking, she genuinely feared she¡¯d drown in such an intense gaze¡ªwould the rest of her life, after she left, be spent in nostalgia?

    Unfortunately, while she wanted to leave, He Xing didn¡¯t give her the chance.

    With a long reach, he pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her gently on the forehead. She trembled slightly but kept her eyes closed, not speaking or pushing He Xing away.

    This act ofpliance was a massive encouragement for He Xing, and he slowly moved his lips downward, kissing her fluttering eyshes, her delicate nose, and finally, tenderly capturing her lips.

    The wind on this night suddenly became gentle. The azure night sky transformed into a world of pink bubbles, and Fu Han felt like she was savoring the sweetest candy in the world.

    He Xing¡¯s arms, wrapped around Fu Han¡¯s waist, tightened their grip. It took great self-control for him to keep his hands from roaming wildly, and he strove hard for his long-desired kiss not to be too domineering. He feared scaring her.

    The duration of this passionate kiss was uncertain, but when it ended, Fu Han barely had any strength left in her body, only able to stand by leaning on He Xing¡¯s arms for support.

    Just as she steadied herself, Fu Han realized they were surrounded by quite a crowd. The thought that these people might have witnessed their kiss embarrassed her so much that she wished she could dive into a hole in the ground.

    Lifting her fist, she punched He Xing in the chest and, with a face full of shame, scolded, "It¡¯s all your fault. How embarrassing."

    With a sweep of his arm, He Xing had hers around her neck, his voice low in her ear, "Okay, I¡¯ll admit my mistake. Next time, I¡¯ll find a ce with no people to kiss you again."

    "Who said I¡¯m going to let you kiss me?" Fu Han stamped on He Xing¡¯s foot not too gently and took the chance to run away when he wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    "Dare to run?" He Xing chuckled lightly and followed Fu Han as they both left.

    Even after they were long gone, they could still hearughter behind them¡ªit was from the strangers who had watched their kiss.

    Outside Huating No.1, He Xing¡¯s car came to a slow stop. He ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair and said with extraordinary tenderness, "I still have some things to take care of at thepany, I need to go back. Will you be okay going home alone?"

    "No problem." Fu Han¡¯s hand was already on the door handle. Suddenly turning to He Xing, as if remembering something, she asked, "How... How¡¯s yourpany doing right now?"

    He Xing¡¯s heart stopped for a split second, but he quickly regainedposure, smiling, "It¡¯s doing well, everything¡¯s normal. It¡¯s just that I spent too long in the hospital recently, so I¡¯ve got some backlog of work, making me quite busy right now."

    "I see. Then take care of yourself, don¡¯t work too hard." Fu Han smiled, looking as pure and serene as a lone sacred lotus in a tranquil pond.

    She opened the car door, one foot already stepping out, when she suddenly turned back in a teasing tone, "I heard He Group is having some financial problemstely, is that true?"

    "Who told you that?" Though He Xing tried to hide it, a sh of embarrassment still crossed his face.

    Unfortunately for him, both the nervous flicker from thest time and the emotional irregrity this time did not escape Fu Han¡¯s notice.

    A night breeze swept in, her body shivering. Even a summer night could be this cold, cold enough that her arms broke out in goosebumps.

    But the smile on her face deepened, radiant like a stunningly beautiful rose, breathtaking in its brilliance, "Does it matter who told me? You just need to tell me if it¡¯s true or not."

    He Xing had intended to say it wasn¡¯t true, but facing such clear and pure eyes devoid of any impurities, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter a single lie.

    He forced a smile and said as calmly as possible, "Ourpany is indeed facing some problems, but it¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle. It¡¯ll get better soon, don¡¯t worry."

    "Alright, I know. I¡¯m going to sleep now, and you should try to rest early too." Fu Han waved her hand and took a few steps backward before turning to walk into the residentialplex.

    She knew He Xing was watching her, yet she resisted the urge to look back.

    He Xing was clearly holding back, and the reality was probably more serious than he let on. Perhaps just as Xia Ning had said, He Group was at a critical juncture of life and death.

    Thinking back, she should never have allowed He Xing to kiss her. Although He Xing didn¡¯t bring it up afterwards, his every action towards Fu Han had clearly be much more intimate, which indicated that kissing had a particr significance in He Xing¡¯s heart.

    She wasn¡¯t foolish. She knew that the closer she got to He Xing, the greater the hurt he would suffer when she left.

    ...

    The engagement between the heiress of Xia Group and the sessor of Yang Group made headlines, as even though these twopanies weren¡¯t particrlyrge in A City, they were still considered second-tier enterprises, making their union a significant power coupling.

    The entire A City, and even most of the country¡¯s business circles who had dealings with Xia and Yang, were present for the grand engagement ceremony.

    Xia Ning was roused before dawn to get her makeup done.

    Now it was already noon, and although she was in the makeup room, the voices of the guests could still be faintly heard.

    Xia Ning was already done with her makeup and dressed, but she didn¡¯t want to go out and opted to open a game on her phone instead.

    The door to the makeup room swung open from the outside, and Yang Kaitai entered. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his face made up, his hair likely held in ce with half a bottle of hair gel, looking exceptionally spirited, better than usual to the eye.

    However, Xia Ning still felt a surge of distaste and said impatiently, turning her head away, "Why aren¡¯t you out there entertaining the guests? What are you doing here?"

 Chapter 239: Illusory Bubbles

    <h4>Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Illusory Bubbles</h4><h4></h4>

    Young Master Yang Kaitai didn¡¯t mind Xia Ning¡¯s attitude at all. After today, they would be two people bound by an engagement, and Xia Ning would truly belong to him. Why bother about her current attitude?

    He arrogantly stroked Xia Ning¡¯s face and, before retracting his hand, didn¡¯t forget to sneak a touch on her chest.

    Several makeup artists and the like were still in the room. Everyone despised his unabashed behavior, but ultimately, no one said a word and just silently diverted their gaze.

    "Take your paws off." Xia Ning felt extremely embarrassed and pped Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand away.

    She pped with hatred, the sound was loud, and Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand turned red.

    A flicker of anger crossed his heart, but as soon as he saw Xia Ning¡¯s stunningly beautiful face, all his rage dissipated.

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll go out and entertain the guests now. You rest a bit longer, you¡¯re going to be on stage soon."

    After he left, Xia Ning closed the game interface and opened Whatsapp to send out a message: "Is everything taken care of?"

    "Taken care of!" came the immediate reply.

    Xia Ning¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smile, and, as if thinking of something, she beckoned a makeup artist: "Go and see if He Xing and Fu Han have arrived?"

    Soon the artist reported back: "Lady Xia Ning, Lady Fu Han hasn¡¯te, but Mr. He Xing should be arriving shortly; the young masters anddies of Huangpu Family, the Li Family, and the Nangong Family are all here."

    "Su Cheng, Nan Qing, and Luo Qinghe?" Xia Ning silently repeated in her heart, but her face remainedposed. Everything was arranged; all that was left was to raise the curtainter. She was not afraid!

    ...

    The engagement venue for Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai was outdoors, with the Yang Family booking thergest and most scenic church in A City. Outside the church, the spaciouswn was decorated for the engagement ceremony.

    The scenery was indeed beautiful in this century-old church; the lushwn wasfortable to walk on with high heels and even more pleasant barefoot with its cool, grassy touch.

    Around the church was a circle of willow trees, with branches hanging like fringes that seemed to dance in the breeze; at the center of the vastwn stood arge tree sufficient for six people to encircle, with lush branches and dense leaves creating a natural shade canopied area with seats, drinks, and desserts underneath.

    Nan Qing sat in a secluded corner under the tree, and Su Cheng came over with two sses of wine. He handed one to Nan Qing, a bitter smile on his face: "I never thought we¡¯d one day attend Yang Kaitai and Xia Ning¡¯s engagement party."

    "What can we do?" Nan Qing sighed helplessly, "Being born into such families means we can¡¯t control our own fate. Even if I don¡¯t like her, I can¡¯t be willful."

    Su Cheng couldn¡¯t agree more; he raised his ss and took a big sip: "You¡¯re right. The two of them being together could be considered well-matched. It really proves that saying, ¡¯birds of a feather flock together.¡¯"

    Nan Qing nodded and her gaze shifted into the distance. The scent of Gardenia wafted in the wind, but she couldn¡¯t see where the flowers were.

    Having downed a ss of red wine, Su Cheng gathered courage from the alcohol and stuttered: "Um, Nan Qing, I got drunk at your ce the other day. Sorry for causing trouble."

    "It¡¯s okay." Nan Qing¡¯s cute, round face wore a sly smile: "But when Fu Han came back and saw youpletely drunk, she was really scared. It¡¯s hard to believe you do that sort of thing."

    "I..." Su Cheng flushed crimson with urgency, trying to exin, but his clumsy tongue and muddled mind left him speechless.

    "So..." Nan Qing¡¯s smile deepened, she patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder with a hint of schadenfreude: "You¡¯d better find a chance to exin to Fu Han. She seems to have always disliked people getting drunk easily."

    "I..." Su Cheng¡¯s eyes turned red, and he seemed on the verge of tears, he stammered frantically: "Then... then I¡¯ll never drink again."

    His response made Nan Qing feel guilty, sheughed and patted his shoulder: "Alright, it¡¯s not that serious. I¡¯ll exin to her that it¡¯s rare for you to drink and you¡¯re not good with alcohol... The bride ising out, let¡¯s go have a look."

    Before she could finish speaking, Nan Qing was already lifting her dress and running toward the stage.

    When Su Cheng looked back, he indeed saw that Xia Ning had, at some point, already stood on the stage.

    The guests gathered towards the stage in pairs and clusters. The Huangpu and Nangong couples were nearby, waving at Su Cheng and Nan Qing to hurry over.

    The two exchanged nces, seeing helplessness in each other¡¯s faces. They inevitably had to attend such gatherings, but they didn¡¯t want to push their way to the front and take the spotlight, especially since Xia Ning, to show off her engagement ceremony, had even started a live broadcast, visible to anyone who wished to watch.

    Meanwhile, the emcee had already taken the stage, a professional invited by Yang Kaitai from the TV station, who quickly stirred up the atmosphere.

    After some ice-breaking games, the emcee walked onto the stage with a microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, as everyone knows, when Young Master Yang Kaitai firstid eyes on Lady Xia Ning at a banquet years ago, he was smitten. It¡¯s been nearly ten years since then; time has not diminished their feelings but deepened their affection. Today is their engagement day, and here I represent Mr. Yang Kaitai and Lady Xia Ning in warmly weing all distinguished guests."

    Thunderous apuse rang out, and Nan Qing saw Yang Kaitai¡¯s eyes turn red, but Xia Ning was like a wooden statue, without any reaction, as if what the emcee spoke of didn¡¯t concern her.

    Nan Qing nudged Su Cheng¡¯s elbow, to which he reflexively lowered his head to look at her.

    She whispered into Su Cheng¡¯s ear: "Don¡¯t you think the idea of their engagement is absurd?"

    As she spoke, her breath on Su Cheng¡¯s ear and neck created a sweet fragrance that lingered in the sun, so warm that it made one want to draw closer.

    "Hey, are you even listening to me?" Nan Qing¡¯s voice rose slightly, her dissatisfaction palpable as she pped him.

    He was startled and quickly stopped his inappropriate daydreaming: "Yes, yes, I think so too, the news was really sudden."

    "Exactly!" Nan Qing¡¯sment was affirmed, her smile deepened as she watched the stage and continued: "Who doesn¡¯t know Xia Ning is into He Xing? She¡¯s always been determined to have him. Something¡¯s fishy about this sudden engagement."

 Chapter 240: The Chaotic Engagement Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 240: Chapter 240: The Chaotic Engagement Ceremony</h4><h4></h4>

    It was unclear what was happening on stage, but a hubbub of noise arose, and the atmosphere of the venue reached its peak.

    In Su Cheng¡¯s heart, however, it was as if he was treading on clouds, uncertain and unsettled. He knew he should speak up, and he hurriedly said, "You¡¯re right."

    But in truth, he had no idea what Nan Qing had said. It went in one ear and out the other, not a single word sinking into his heart.

    Fortunately, Nan Qing didn¡¯t notice and continued on with her gossip nonstop: "Do you think it¡¯s possible that Xia Ning is pregnant? That¡¯s why both families are in such a hurry. I heard the wedding is set for just one month from now."

    Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed a bright red. He never imagined Nan Qing would talk to him about such things. It was as if she really didn¡¯t see him as an outsider. Moreover, she probably saw him as her confidante again.

    Thinking of the term "confidante," and Nan Qing¡¯s indifferent expression when she mentioned Fu Han just now, Su Cheng felt speechless and stifled, as if something was blocking his throat.

    He hummed softly in acknowledgment that he had heard what Nan Qing said but did not make any furtherment.

    "Talking to you is no fun, like a gourd with its mouth sawn off," Nan Qing said, decidedly unsatisfied with Su Cheng¡¯s reaction. But, with no one else standing there to listen to her, she reluctantly shut her mouth.

    At this moment, the host spoke up again: "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Yang Kaitai has spent three days and nights preparing a video for Lady Xia Ning. All his love for Lady Xia Ning is contained in this video. I, on behalf of Mr. Yang Kaitai, invite everyone to watch this video together."

    Only then did Nan Qing realize that the backdrop with the photos of Yang Kaitai and Xia Ning was actually a projector screen.

    Although she wasn¡¯t fond of the two on stage, she was happy to hear about their engagement. The pair matched each other perfectly in her view: two of a kind. If they were together, no one would bother He Xing and Fu Han anymore. Fu Han could perhaps have some peace in the future.

    Nan Qing scanned the area with her eyes. She had heard He Xing woulde, but she hadn¡¯t seen him before. Now, with a closer look, she spotted He Xing sitting alone under a nearby tent. A cup of boiled water sat in front of him. He was looking down, seemingly lost in thought, and not looking towards the stage.

    The giant screen was disying various beautiful pictures of Xia Ning. The background audio featured Yang Kaitai speaking about how much he loved Xia Ning and what he had done for her.

    Suddenly, the pictures on the screen froze. Inexplicably, Nan Qing felt as if something seized her heart, and she held her breath unconsciously.

    After a few flickers, the screen went back to normal. Then, the sound of abuzz of astonishment filled the air. Nan Qing quickly focused her eyes and saw that instead of Xia Ning¡¯s beautiful images, a session of Yang Kaitai¡¯s photos scrolled by.

    In the photos, Yang Kaitai wore a ck tank top, had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and sat with his legs crossed on a chair. Several people stood with their backs to the camera, their faces unidentifiable.

    An off-screen voice began: "This is a meeting where Yang Kaitai joins forces with otherpanies to discuss how to monopolize the He Group."

    As photo after photo shed by, the voice-over pointed out instances of Yang Kaitai¡¯s bribery, illegal activities, and violent coercion.

    In short, if one were to believe what the voice-over imed, Yang Kaitai was portrayed as a person who hadmitted all manner of misdeeds.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s face on stage changed multiple times. He did not stop the video from ying. Instead, he looked at Xia Ning with bloodshot eyes and asked, "You... do you hate me this much?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s expression was no more pleasant than his. Shaking her head while pleadingly saying, "I... I don¡¯t know anything, what¡¯s happening here?"

    "It¡¯s really not you?" Yang Kaitai asked, both shocked and ted, as if the incriminating evidence against him ying on the screen had no impactpared to the relief he felt upon learning that Xia Ning was uninvolved.

    Nan Qing sighed softly. Although Yang Kaitai may have had many faults, his genuine love for Xia Ning was undeniable. Perhaps they could have led a happy life together if Xia Ning had been willing to cherish the man before her.

    But...

    How many in this world truly cherish the one in front of them?

    Just like Luo Qinghe to her; she to Su Cheng; Su Cheng to Fu Han; Xia Ning to He Xing.

    Suddenly, the sound of police sirens rang out, getting closer and closer. All the guests at the engagement party were flustered, their eyes shifting to Yang Kaitai withplex expressions, silently specting whether the sirens had anything to do with him.

    Yang Kaitai, on stage, suddenly approached Xia Ning. Grasping her hand, he took a ring from the master of ceremonies beside him and slowly slipped it onto Xia Ning¡¯s finger. "The diamond on this ring is one I bought years ago, and the ring was custom-made a long time ago too. I hope you like it."

    The wless, unassable smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face finally crumbled. Her eyes reddened and tears traced paths down her cheeks. Her fingers lightly touched the diamond ring, yet she remained silent.

    A group of uniformed officers burst into the marriage ceremony grounds. There was no longer any doubt that the recent wail of sirens was indeed due to Yang Kaitai.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s hands were cuffed as he was led away. Before leaving, he kissed Xia Ning, but only on the forehead.

    Everyone watched Yang Kaitai being escorted away, with Xia Ning on stage having the best vantage point. Tears fell from her eyes like broken string of beads, and her mind reyed Yang Kaitai¡¯sst words before he was taken away.

    "Xiaoning, the only person who can bring me down is you. If you say this matter has nothing to do with you, then it doesn¡¯t. I trust you. Even if I have to go inside again, it¡¯s okay. I wille out one day. You are mine, and only mine!"

    This upheaval was too sudden. The Chairman of the Yang Group, Yang Kaitai¡¯s father, couldn¡¯t handle the shock and fainted at the moment Yang Kaitai was taken away, causing yet another wave of panic as people shouted for an ambnce.

    Xia Guoxiong, however, remained rtively calm, though if one looked closely, they could see a raging tempest swirling in his eyes.

    He took the microphone and calmly addressed the gathered guests with an apology: "Ladies and gentlemen, I, on behalf of Xia Group, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here. I solemnly dere that all members of the Xia Family werepletely unaware of the actions of Yang Kaitai shown in the video just now. The engagement ceremony of my daughter Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai today also remains upleted, and they are both still unmarried. The Xia Family is distinct from the Yang Family, and I hope everyone does not confuse the two. I also hope that you will continue to support Xia Group as intimately in your business dealings with us as you have in the past."

 Chapter 241 Well-Marked Goods

    <h4>Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Well-Marked Goods</h4><h4></h4>

    The guests below were shocked by these words, and after regaining their senses, they all had veryplex expressions, but most were still contemptuous.

    All present were influential figures, and they all highly valued their reputation. Xia Guoxiong¡¯s sudden change of attitude, refusing to recognize someone just like that, was truly unheard of. Despite the circumstances, he wasn¡¯t even willing to say a few nice words.

    Although Nan Qing felt that Yang Kaitai got what he deserved, she also very much despised Xia Guoxiong. She nudged Su Cheng¡¯s arm, "Howe I never realized Xia Guoxiong was so shameless before?"

    "Ah..." Su Cheng reacted strongly, turning his head abruptly, and stammered, "Ah, yes... yes, I... I also find it very shameless."

    Nan Qing¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed, asking doubtfully, "Su Cheng, why do you look so pale? Are you alright?"

    "I¡¯m fine, haha, of course, I¡¯m fine." Su Cheng chuckled, his gaze roaming around before naturally changing the subject, "Howe I don¡¯t see He Xing? Has he left?"

    "Probably." Nan Qing¡¯s gaze swept around, noting that the ce where He Xing had been sitting was indeed empty, and she hadn¡¯t seen him anywhere else either. She shrugged indifferently, "I suppose He Xing must be feeling very frustrated right now, thinking that he had finally gotten rid of Xia Ning, only to have her engagement fail."

    "Yeah." Su Cheng dared not let his mind wander anymore, quickly following Nan Qing¡¯s lead in the conversation.

    But his eyes asionally searched the crowd, a deep concern hidden in their depths.

    Although Xia Guoxiong had tried hard to retain the guests, saying that today¡¯s engagement party would be turned into a regr gathering, most of the guests still left; after all, even if someone really didn¡¯t mind, the groom-to-be had been taken away right under their eyes, and to continue dining here would be distasteful to say the least.

    Nan Qing and Su Cheng couldn¡¯t wait to flee the ce, and after greeting Luo Qinghe, they left together in their car.

    Less than half an hourter, thevishly decorated engagement venue was left with only a few people remaining, looking somewhat deste.

    Just an hour ago, many had been admiring that all the flowers decorating the ce had been air freighted from France that very morning; the ribbons,ce, balloons were all exquisite, making the ce a dreamlike paradise.

    But in just one hour, it had all changed, with the flowers no longer as radiant and many of the decorations spoiled.

    Xia Ning casually found a chair to sit down in. Her wedding dress was too tight, constricting her breathing; she tried to remove her veil, but after several attempts, she couldn¡¯t manage it.

    In the end, with one forceful pull, the sound of tearingce filled the air as the veil ripped.

    "Dad, calm down!" Xia Cheng¡¯s urgent voice suddenly rang out.

    Before Xia Ning could see clearly, a sharp "p" rang out, causing half of her face to burn with pain; it hurt so much that tears almost formed in her eyes.

    She didn¡¯t clutch her cheek but slowly lifted her head to stare at Xia Guoxiong, who stood before her, both father and daughter in silent confrontation.

    After two minutes, Xia Guoxiong raised his hand again, "I¡¯m going to punish you, you ungrateful wretch."

    "Dad... Dad, stop hitting her, you haven¡¯t asked for rity, it¡¯s better not to hit her," Xia Cheng grabbed Xia Guoxiong by the wrist and urged Xia Ning, "Xiaoning, you better run now and we can talk about itter."

    However, Xia Ning remained still, just sitting there, looking up at Xia Guoxiong with red eyes, "Dad, if you want to hit me, hit me. Anyway, since mom died you never cared about me, doing nothing but scolding or yelling every day, you might as well just kill me."

    "What did you say?" Xia Guoxiong turned a dark shade of purple from anger, yanking his hand back fiercely; yet, the p didn¡¯te down, but he was still furious, "Tell me, did you really do this?"

    "Yes!" Xia Ning originally nned on keeping it a secret, after all, Yang Kaitai was already in the past; but now, overwhelmed by a sense of grievance, she boldly confessed.

    "Xiaoning, it was really you?" Xia Cheng looked stunned, asking in disbelief, "Even if you didn¡¯t want to marry Yang Kaitai, there could have been other ways; why send him to jail? Do you have any idea how many business dealings we have with the Yang Family?"

    "Think of other ways?" Xia Ning snorted coldly, looking at them mockingly, "You really think I don¡¯t know anything? In your eyes, I¡¯m just a piece of merchandise with a price tag, and as long as someone can afford it, you¡¯d sell me off."

    "Sigh!" Xia Cheng sighed deeply, guilt clearly written over his face.

    In the end, he said nothing more, because to some extent, what Xia Ning had said was indeed the truth.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s determination, however, was much stronger, still ring at Xia Ning as he said each word explicitly, "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re really thinking. By making such a scene, from now on, many eligible bachelors will be afraid to pursue you, so you think you can always be He Xing¡¯s backup, right?"

    The words "backup" struck a nerve with Xia Ning, who stood up abruptly, glowering at her father with amanding aura, "Who says I¡¯m a backup? Let me tell you, I will definitely get He Xing, definitely!"

    "We shall see!" Xia Guoxiong left without another word, and even from his receding figure, one could tell how intensely angry he was.

    Xia Cheng pointed at Xia Ning¡¯s forehead admonishingly, "You¡¯ve really angered dad this time, and I don¡¯t know whether Yang Kaitai¡¯s incident will affect the Xia Family. Find a hotel to stay in for the next few days, don¡¯te home."

    After saying that, he too left, following in the direction Xia Guoxiong had disappeared.

    Xia Ning looked at the empty church, feeling somewhat numb. It was she who had used Yang Kaitai¡¯s trust to obtain evidence that could condemn him; but on stage, she had denied it, and even shed tears when Yang Kaitai was taken away.

    Only she knew that her tears were not because she truly felt guilty towards Yang Kaitai¡ªshe harbored only hatred for him; her tears were because she wanted to leave herself an out. With so many people watching, she couldn¡¯t switch from being someone¡¯s fianc¨¦e one second to smiling the next as they were led away.

    If she had done that, she would have be a joke in the upper-ss society of A City, and behind her back, everyone would say she was cold and inhumane.

    Lost in thought, Xia Ning¡¯s phone rang. She checked it and saw a message from Fu Han¡ªa picture of an airne ticket, with a departure time set for ten minutester.

 Chapter 242 - The Plane Five Minutes Later

    <h4>Chapter 242: Chapter 242 - The ne Five Minutes Later</h4><h4></h4>

    "Finally gone." Xia Ning smiled happily, feeling that the p she had endured from her father was totally worth it. As long as Fu Han was willing to leave, she was willing to pay any price.

    She took out He Xing¡¯s phone to call him, but the call was hung up as soon as it connected. Undeterred, she dialed again, only to receive a message indicating an ongoing call on the other end.

    Sighing with resignation, she silently put the phone away. After all, that annoying person was already gone, and there was no need to rush to see He Xing at this moment. Time was on her side.

    ...

    He Xing, while controlling the steering wheel, spoke to the person on the other end of the phone: "Liang Tao, hurry up and check where Fu Han is, see if she bought a ticket to leave."

    "Yes, President He," Liang Tao responded promptly.

    Compelled by reputation, He Xing had no choice but to attend Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai¡¯s engagement ceremony. He knew that the event would be ufortable, so he did not even suggest that Fu Han shoulde with him.

    The unforeseen event at the engagement ceremony was unexpected, but it turned out to be good news for him, relieving much of the pressure he was under.

    He felt considerably more rxed and harbored a desire to see Fu Han immediately, which is why he left the engagement venue so abruptly.

    But when he tried to call Fu Han, he couldn¡¯t get through, and his messages were like stones sinking into the sea. Reminded of how Fu Han had left without a word three years earlier, He Xing panicked.

    He consoled himself internally, remembering that they had said goodnight to each other just the night before, and even if she still suffered from memory loss, they had at least formed some new emotional bonds.

    But the memory of Fu Han leaving without notice three years ago kept reying in his mind. He made a call to Liang Tao immediately; he couldn¡¯t wait any longer, not even a second.

    In less than five minutes, Liang Tao called back. Heaven only knows what those five minutes meant to He Xing.

    He answered the phone with utmost urgency: "How is it, did you find out?"

    "President He..." Liang Tao¡¯s voice was tremulous even through the phone. His anxious words then burst forth: "Miss Han bought a ticket for a flight to M Country today, taking off in three minutes."

    With a snap, He Xing ended the call, and the Lamborghini shot out like a bolt of lightning, the friction of the tires against the pavement creating a massive noise that sent shivers down the spine.

    Three minutes, three minutes.

    Even if he were driving a ne, he couldn¡¯t reach the airport in three minutes. But still... but still he couldn¡¯t give up. He had to go and see; what if the ne was dyed? What if she suddenly decided not to leave?

    At this moment, how fervently he wished for the clich¨¦ love drama where the heroine realizes she cannot leave the hero and decides to stay in the end, toe true in his life.

    ...

    In the airport terminal,

    Fu Han leaned back in the cold seat, watching a live stream on her phone. It was of Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai¡¯s engagement ceremony.

    Fu Xingbo, sitting beside her, looked on and asked with some confusion: "Have I seen this girl before? Did shee to your ward?"

    Indeed, Xia Ning had visited Fu Han¡¯s ward, and each time Xia Ning came, no one else was present, and she had been instructed not to tell anyone about these visits. But how did her uncle know?

    Fu Xingbo understood Fu Han¡¯s thoughts with just one nce and smiled while stroking her hair: "Once, as I was going out to get water from Xiaowei¡¯s ward, I happened to see her leaving yours. Since you seemed fine, I didn¡¯t question it further."

    "I see." Fu Han smiled, then took onest look at the live stream, which had descended into chaos, and Yang Kaitai had been taken away.

    She closed the live stream and decided to turn off her phone. Perhaps it was self-deception, but at least in this way, she might not feel as sad.

    "That girl..." Fu Xingbo spoke again, asking with curiosity: "Does she also like He Xing?"

    "How did you know?" Fu Han was genuinely surprised, thinking Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian knew nothing about the matter.

    "Silly kid, did you really think all of us are that ignorant?" Fu Xingbo was obviously in a good mood as he exined gently: "That girl is the second lead in the film ¡¯Longing for Return.¡¯ I¡¯ve seen the movie poster, and Xiaowei mentioned that she really likes He Xing and often gives you a hard time because of it."

    "A hard time?" Fu Han silently repeated the words, feeling that something was amiss.

    Xia Ning had said they were very good friends. How had it turned into Xia Ning always giving her a hard time?

    But upon reflection, an adversarial rtionship made more sense. After all, they were romantic rivals, and ¡¯rival¡¯ and ¡¯friend¡¯ were contradictory terms.

    Meanwhile, Fu Xingbo looked at Fu Han with concern. Unable to hold back, he spoke again: "Xiaohan, are you really sure? Have you really decided to leave with us?"

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze drifted to the corner of the waiting area, where she could see a sliver of blue sky and white clouds, stunningly beautiful.

    It took her several minutes before she turned back to look at Fu Xingbo: "Uncle, could you analyze the current situation of the He Group for me again?"

    "Of course," Fu Xingbo replied readily: "After you asked mest time, I went around and inquired some more. It seems that the He Group is likely being sabotaged from behind. I¡¯ve offered to help He Xing, but he refused."

    Fu Han sighed. He was such a proud man; he wouldn¡¯t say a word about his troubles, much less ept what seemed like charity.

    The announcement came over the loudspeaker, reminding passengers to board the ne.

    Fu Han stood up first and headed towards the Boarding Gate with her backpack.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian followed behind her, their faces showing faint worry. They exchanged nces but ultimately remained silent.

    The first-ss cabin was spacious, and Fu Xingbo gave the window seat to Fu Han.

    She leaned her head against the window, noticing how the vast airport and even the closest skyscraper seemed to shrink and appeared as mere models from this angle.

    A flight attendant announced that takeoff was imminent. Fu Han leaned back slightly, her mind bing a whirl ofplex emotions.

    It turned out that when departure became inevitable, she was still reluctant to leave. Even if she had less than a month¡¯s worth of memories here, this ce held all of her memories.

    The ne slowly ascended, the ground receding further away and the clouds drawing closer. Eventually, they flew above the clouds.

    The view above the skies was like this¡ªa wide expanse of orange dusk as far as the eye could see, like vast fields of chrysanthemums in autumn, breathtakingly beautiful.

    She wanted to capture this with her DSLR camera but then remembered her camera was in her luggage.

    Helplessly, she took out her phone. Even though there was nowork on the ne, she saw several unread messages on her phone, causing her heart to pound. In the end, she decided to turn on her phone.

 Chapter 243: Inspiration for Writing Songs

    <h4>Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Inspiration for Writing Songs</h4><h4></h4>

    All the messages were sent by He Xing.

    "Xiaohan, where are you?"

    "Xiaohan, why aren¡¯t you answering the phone?"

    "Xiaohan, don¡¯t go. Wait for me at the airport; I¡¯ll be right there to pick you up!"

    Tears slid down Fu Han¡¯s cheeks. She had thought it all through; she remembered nothing and was a free person. She only liked He Xing a little bit, and what she wished for even more was to travel around and see different sceneries.

    But why, at the thought of never seeing He Xing again in the future, did she feel so sad that even breathing became painful?

    "Hey, are you crying?" Suddenly a voice came from in front of her.

    Fu Han rubbed her eyes and looked up, stopping her tears in surprise. This person... wasn¡¯t this the pianist she had met once at the restaurant, the day He Xing had invited her for dinner?

    The man smiled, revealing a set of white, neat teeth, and his mouth formed a heart shape with two obvious dimples at the corners. He extended his right hand in a friendly gesture, "Hello, my name is Wang Yixuan. May I ask for your name?"

    Fu Han, befuddled, reached out her hand, "My name is Fu Han."

    Wang Yixuan lightly touched her hand and then immediately let go. His bright, shining eyes stared unwaveringly at Fu Han, "Why are you crying? Where is your boyfriend? Why isn¡¯t he with you?"

    He shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it. At his words, Fu Han¡¯s tears burst forth again, streaming down her face as she tried tough, "I¡¯m fine, just a little upset. Don¡¯t mind me; I¡¯ll be okay in a moment."

    Wang Yixuan nodded, sat down again, but less than a minuteter he got up, still leaning on the backrest of the chair, looking at Fu Han, "Here, this is for you." He was holding out a tissue.

    "Thank you." Fu Han really didn¡¯t want to deal with anyone at the moment, yet this Wang Yixuan seemedpletely oblivious, continuing to lean on the chair and watch her, his beautiful eyes full of curiosity and a bit of... pity.

    At the moment when Fu Han¡¯s tears seemed uncontroble, she had thought to just let it all out, to cry unrestrainedly for He Xing onest time. But now, with someone staring at her with wide eyes, she truly couldn¡¯t cry.

    In a huff, she wiped her tears fiercely, ring at him irritably, "This is my business, what does it have to do with you?"

    "It doesn¡¯t, really." Wang Yixuan¡¯s smile deepened, and he shrugged nonchntly, "I was just curious about the reason for your tears, maybe I could even write a song about it."

    Fu Han¡¯s slight fondness for him dissipated entirely. Her expression chilled as she said without any emotion, "Sorry, it¡¯s none of your business."

    "Tell me what happened," Wang Yixuan didn¡¯t give up, his clear voice ringing out, "That day your boyfriend had me y the Wedding March for you. Didn¡¯t he propose to you that day? Or is there a problem with your rtionship? It makes no sense; it¡¯s only been a few days."

    At the words "Wedding March," her heart felt as if struck by a thunderp, the pain making her feel as though her bones were about to fall apart.

    So that night, he had actually intended to... But why hadn¡¯t he said anything afterward? Was it because her attitude had been too poor?

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t figure it out. She couldn¡¯t force herself not to think about it and simply closed her eyes, refusing to look at Wang Yixuan any longer. She really didn¡¯t want to speak.

    ...

    The Huangpu family vi.

    Su Cheng returned home through the dark evening. The servant greeted him enthusiastically upon seeing him: "Young Master, are you back for dinner? The master and mistress will certainly be pleased if they knew. I¡¯ll go and inform them right now."

    "No need." Su Cheng stopped the servant with a nk expression, "Where are my parents? I¡¯ll just go find them myself."

    "The master and mistress should be in the kitchen right now." The servant didn¡¯t dare to say more upon seeing his unsmiling face, bowing his head and answering Su Cheng¡¯s question without daring to look at him again.

    Without saying another word, Su Cheng headed directly toward the study room upstairs. The second-floor corridor was deserted, and the door to the study room was tightly shut.

    Standing at the door hesitating whether to knock, he decided to try the doorknob, and to his surprise, it twisted open.

    Inside the study room, Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu were watching TV, and the screen was showing images of Yang Kaitai being taken away, their expressions somber.

    When they heard the knock, they looked back together. Upon seeing Su Cheng, both their expressions shifted. Mr. Huangpu¡¯s first reaction was to turn off the TV, while Mrs. Huangpu tried tough awkwardly as she stood up to greet Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, you¡¯re back? I¡¯ll have the chef prepare some of your favorite dishes."

    "What exactly have you done?" Su Cheng spoke out abruptly, his face showing anger, and a hint of concern that wasn¡¯t easily noticeable.

    "What do you mean?" Mrs. Huangpuughed, trying hard to seem joyful, but her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes, revealing their forced merriment.

    "How long are you going to keep up this act?" Su Cheng¡¯s face darkened as he coldly regarded his parents, "Do you really think I don¡¯t know anything? Others may not see it, but can¡¯t I recognize my own parents? In the photos of Yang Kaitai today, I saw both of you. Don¡¯t tell me you were just going to have tea with him."

    Theplexion of Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu changed drastically. They looked at each other, and Mrs. Huangpu was the one who spoke, "Su Cheng, besides you, who else knows about this?"

    "Who can I tell? I might not be the obedient son you have in mind, but at least I wouldn¡¯t push my own parents into the fire," Su Cheng said with an ashen face, looking at them, "For your own sake, I advise you to surrender yourselves before it¡¯s traced back to you!"

    "Surrender what? We haven¡¯t done anything illegal." Mr. Huangpu was furious, ring at Su Cheng, "In your eyes, is it that your mother and I can¡¯t distinguish right from wrong, driven only by profit?"

    Su Cheng fell silent, and the study room sank into silence as well.

    About two minutester, Su Cheng managed a slight smile, "Perhaps you aren¡¯t as driven by profit as I thought, but you¡¯re also not as honorable as you im to be. Otherwise, why would you use Fu Han to threaten me for the sake of the corporation?"

    "You still can¡¯t forget that woman, can you?" Mr. Huangpu burst out, his finger nearly jabbing Su Cheng¡¯s forehead, "Nan Qing told her parents that you two are in a rtionship now. The Nangong family is providing significant support to the Huangpu family right now. If you do anything to upset Nan Qing at this critical moment, I will not let you off!"

    "What did you say?" Su Cheng¡¯s pupils contracted sharply in surprise, his shock unhidden, "Nan Qing told her parents that?"

 Chapter 244: Benevolent Lies

    <h4>Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Benevolent Lies</h4><h4></h4>

    "What else could it be?" Lady Huangpu rolled her eyes at him. "It¡¯s true that our family has been on good terms with the Nangong Family, but the things you¡¯ve done have deeply hurt Nan Qing¡¯s heart. Wouldn¡¯t her parents feel distressed? If it weren¡¯t for Nan Qing¡¯s willingness to let bygones be bygones and continue being with you, would the Nangong Family keep coborating with us?"

    Su Cheng didn¡¯t hear a single word of what the Huangpu couple said afterward.

    Only when his parents finally stopped talking did Su Cheng manage to calm his emotions and said in as calm a voice as he could muster, "Mom and Dad, I don¡¯t care what you did in the past. Now, Yang Kaitai is probably beyond redemption. You¡¯d better prepare for what¡¯s toe, and deal with it ordingly. Continuing to dy will only make the situation worse."

    After saying that, Su Cheng didn¡¯t give his parents a chance to respond and went straight out, leaving the Huangpu family vi without looking back.

    ...

    In the ward of the senior Mr. He.

    He Xing had moved a chair to sit in front of the hospital bed, and at this moment, he was feeding the old man porridge, spoonful by spoonful. The soft and mushy millet porridge was all the elder Mr. He could eat now.

    When the porridge was almost finished, the elder Mr. He gestured that he was full by waving his hand.

    He Xing pulled out a tissue to wipe his grandfather¡¯s mouth. He smiled, praising him as if he was a child, "Grandpa, you¡¯ve made great progress today. Yesterday you could only eat half a bowl, but today you managed to eat so much."

    The elder Mr. He smiled. Although hisughter was somewhat interrupted, it was at least much better than before. He looked at He Xing with a smile and spoke slowly, but was able toplete a sentence smoothly, "Didn¡¯t you say you would bring Xiaohan to see me? Why hasn¡¯t shee yet?"

    Standing by the door, Liang Tao looked worriedly at He Xing, and at a nce, he saw that He Xing¡¯s back had straightened, and his entire demeanor had stiffened.

    After a moment¡¯s silence, He Xing struggled to conjure a smile, "Grandpa, Xiaohan¡¯s face needs treatment, so I¡¯ve sent her abroad for a while. She¡¯ll be back after some time."

    "I see." The elder Mr. He nodded, not thinking much of it, and looked around. "He Xing, is my surgery scheduled for tomorrow?"

    "Yes!" He Xing adjusted the pillows behind his grandfather while speaking, "The experts examined you in the morning and have alreadye up with a treatment n. To ensure a smooth surgery, you must not eat anything after this meal; you might feel hungry, and you¡¯ll need to endure it for a while."

    The elder Mr. Heboriously lifted his hand as if in slow motion like in a movie, and He Xing hurriedly extended his own arm over; the elder Mr. He squeezed his arm, "It¡¯s okay, I can endure it. The time when Grandpa isn¡¯t here, it has been hard on you, I know you¡¯ve done well."

    The grandfather and grandson had depended on each other for many years. Elder Mr. He always believed that filial pietyes from the rod. No matter what, if He Xing did well, it was expected; if He Xing did not, it was wrong.

    It was unheard of in the past for the elder Mr. He to praise He Xing so straightforwardly as he did today.

    There was a hint of sorrow in He Xing¡¯s eyes. He turned his head away, afraid that if he looked at his grandfather, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back his tears.

    In the quiet and spacious ward, there seemed to be a sigh, one stemming from Liang Tao¡¯s deep sympathy for his boss. Having worked by He Xing¡¯s side for over three years, He Xing was always impassive, buttely, Liang Tao had seen too many moments when He Xing was emotionally wounded.

    The ringing of a phone broke the silence in the ward. It was He Xing¡¯s phone.

    He looked at the number and excused himself from his grandfather before standing up to answer the call. Two minutester, he returned, looking apologetically at the elder Mr. He, "Grandpa, I have something urgent to attend to and must leave now. Rest well, and once I¡¯ve handled my matters, I wille back to see you."

    "Alright," the elder Mr. He said with a kind smile. "Go ahead with your tasks. Grandpa will rest well and save up energy for tomorrow¡¯s surgery."

    He Xing smiled, then turned and left the ward.

    Liang Tao hurriedly followed.

    The hospital was very quiet in the afternoon. Not many people were in the inpatient department. He Xing walked alone down the long corridor. The light shining through the windows at the end of the corridor cast his long shadow, making him look like a giant, only this giant was still too thin, his suit not as well-fitting as before.

    He Xing only noticed Liang Tao following him after passing the elevator. His brows furrowed, "There¡¯s no need for you to follow me. Just wait in the hospital."

    "Yes, President He," Liang Tao did not dare to say more and immediately halted in ce.

    ...

    In the cafe near the hospital, a beautiful girl sat by the window¡ªit was Xia Ning. She was checking her reflection in a palm-sized makeup mirror, fretting over every detail on her face.

    Though it was the afternoon and a weekday, not many people were in the cafe. A few people sat scattered about, some reading books, others rapidly typing onputers, or staring out the window, lost in thought.

    It had been three days since Fu Han left. During those days, Xia Ning tried numerous times to see He Xing, but he ruthlessly rejected her every time.

    If it had been before, she would have been very angry, but now it was different. With the troublesome Fu Han finally gone and Yang Kaitai unlikely toe out again, there was nothing standing between her and He Xing. She wasn¡¯t in a hurry; there was plenty of time.

    The reason she insisted on seeing He Xing today was simple: she had learned through internal sources that he nned to sign an earn-out agreement with the investors.

    If He Xing failed the bet, even if Xia Ning¡¯s wish to marry him came true, with the He Group¡¯s glory fading, there would be no one to envy her. Instead, there would be countless people snickering behind her back.

    Therefore, she had used some extreme measures today, forcing He Xing to meet her. It turned out to be effective as he was about to arrive.

    Thinking of this, the smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face deepened. She confirmed onest time that she looked beautiful today, then she put the makeup mirror back into her purse.

    In the distance, a silhouette appeared. It was just a blur, but Xia Ning¡¯s heart was pounding wildly. The person was He Xing.

    When He Xing approached, Xia Ning forgot all modesty expected of ady. She stood up and waved frantically at He Xing, afraid he wouldn¡¯t see her.

    He Xing entered the cafe without pausing and sat down directly opposite Xia Ning. With a gaze devoid of any expression, he looked at Xia Ning, "What exactly do you want?"

    It was the height of summer, and the air conditioning in the cafe was set high, creating afortable atmosphere inside; however, once He Xing arrived, the cafe instantly turned into a frigid Snond, and goosebumps appeared on Xia Ning¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 245: The Funding Issue is Resolved

    <h4>Chapter 245: Chapter 245: The Funding Issue is Resolved</h4><h4></h4>

    She bit her lips, the pain allowing her to barely maintainposure; she revealed a well-practiced adorable smile, "He Xing brother, the words I said on the phone were to deceive you, it¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t seen you for so long, I just wanted to meet you."

    He Xing looked at Xia Ning expressionlessly, his handsome eyes filled with tremendous anger; there were very few people in this world who dared to joke with He Xing.

    Immense pressure came at Xia Ning from all sides; thest trace of color had already vanished from her face, fine beads of sweat seeping out from her forehead. She hurriedly spoke in a low voice, "He Xing brother, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you on purpose. I had a different, important matter to discuss with you¡ªplease take a look at this first."

    She frantically pulled out a document from behind her and handed it to He Xing. He Xing opened the document with a puzzled look and after a while, his face underwent a drastic change, "Who told you to do this?"

    "I...I did it myself." Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed, not daring to look at He Xing; her two thumbs poked at each other while she said in a tiny voice, "I¡¯ve already transferred the amount, and yourpany¡¯s finance department has received it. You can¡¯t send it back to me now."

    "Ridiculous!" He Xing was furious. He mmed the document on the table, his eyes zing as he looked at Xia Ning: "You told me before about touching the money in Du Wanting¡¯s foundation, and I didn¡¯t agree. So why did you move that amount of money now? Do you realize that what you¡¯re doing is illegal?"

    "It¡¯s not." Although Xia Ning trembled with fear, she mustered her courage and said, "I¡¯ve asked awyer, and this is considered an investment. You can just calcte the return on investment for uster."

    Originally, Yang Kaitai had coborated with the Xia Group and otherpanies to jointly strike at He Group, using certain means to coerce banks into cutting off He Group¡¯s financial lifeline.

    Xia Ning had always been aware of this. Xia Guoxiong¡¯s exnation was to first beat He Xing helplessly and then He Xing would turn to seek help from Xia Group. At that time, they could smoothly make He Xing marry Xia Ning.

    At first, Xia Ning naively thought this was a good method, but gradually she found that things were getting more and more skewed, her father even went against her objections to engage her to Yang Kaitai.

    Last night she argued with her father, making it clear that Yang Kaitai was already reaping what he sowed and asking her father to help He Xing.

    Unexpectedly, her father said that Yang Kaitai had yed out his role and all the chess pieces had been set, now they were just waiting for He Xing to fall into the trap.

    Her father sternly warned Xia Ning not to cause any more trouble, or he would definitely not let her off lightly.

    Xia Ning would never forget the expression her father had when he warned her; it was definitely a presence more terrifying than childhood nightmares. But what scared her even more was that if Xia Group and He Group becameplete enemies, she and He Xing would have no chance whatsoever.

    So, early this morning, she had checked the funds under her authority as the chairperson of the Du Wanting Motherly Love Foundation and transferred all avable funds into He Group¡¯s ounts, marking it as venture investment for a settlement of interest in three months.

    "I cannot use the money from the Du Wanting Motherly Love Foundation." He Xing pulled out his phone and was searching for the finance department¡¯s number as he said, "I¡¯m calling them to transfer the money back to you right now, and don¡¯t ever do something like this again."

    "Don¡¯t!" Xia Ning was desperate and snatched He Xing¡¯s phone from him; she didn¡¯t know where she got the courage, as she wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing under normal circumstances even if you gave her a hundred and twenty guts.

    Her eyes were red and brimming, nearly crying out, "He Xing brother, don¡¯t be angry. Every year you donate millions to the Du Wanting Motherly Love Foundation. You¡¯re just using this money temporarily to tide over the difficulties, it¡¯s okay. If you don¡¯t take this money and He Group really copses, who will support the Du Wanting Motherly Love Foundation in the future?"

    The expression on He Xing¡¯s face changed; his starry, cold eyes visibly softened. No matter how much he disliked Xia Ning, these words were indeed true.

    Xia Ning saw his reaction and secretly rejoiced in her heart; it seems that getting a ghostwriter to draft the speech in advance was reasonable. Otherwise, with her head turning to mush in front of He Xing, wouldn¡¯t she be dispatched in just a few words?

    She pressed on with the words she had memorized, "He Xing brother, insiders all know that He Group has been sabotaged this time. Are you really willing to let He Group be tormented like this? Most of the money in my mother¡¯s foundation was donated by you. Many phnthropists donated to us because of your reputation. My doing this is also a long-term investment,ying out the long line to catch the big fish."

    Just then He Xing¡¯s phone began to ring; Xia Ning looked down to see an unknown number, and the phone indicated it was a scam call.

    As she was about to hang up, He Xing quickly snatched the phone from her and picked up the call.

    Even though He Xing walked away while talking, Xia Ning could still hear him speaking very politely to the other person.

    Her nose felt sour. He Xing, who had been proudly like a little sun since she was a child, was now answering a "scam" call, and with such polite tone.

    As He Xing hung up the phone and came back in, Xia Ning gulped down two mouthfuls of icy water, forcibly suppressing the tears welling up in her heart.

    Watching He Xing sit down again, she said with heartfelt sincerity, "He Xing brother, I dreamt of momst night, and I asked her why she saved you back then. She said you were a very good child, and she said that she would still save you if she had to do it over again. So I think if mom knew that I temporarily lent the foundation¡¯s money to you, she would definitely approve."

    He Xing appeared calm on the surface, but inside he was torn. These days, he contacted many investors, even loan sharks.

    But these people, having gotten wind of something, seemed convinced that He Group couldn¡¯t ovee the current crisis without their help. Their terms were harsh, outright taking advantage of a crisis to the extreme.

    He had just received a message from the finance department that the funds from the Du Wanting Motherly Love Foundation were received; as soon as He Xing approved, then He Group could ovee their most difficult obstacle.

    But...

    "He Xing brother..." Xia Ning had sat down beside He Xing without him realizing, her hands tightly hugging his arm, her head resting directly on his shoulder: "He Xing brother, please agree to it. If you won¡¯t, then I won¡¯t let go."

    He Xing exerted force, thinking he could pull his hand free just like before, but to his surprise, Xia Ning held on even tighter, refusing to let go.

 Chapter 246: Useful Trick

    <h4>Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Useful Trick</h4><h4></h4>

    Considering the cafe was crowded, He Xing restrained himself from causing a scene and could only maintain his distance from Xia Ning as best as he could, lowering his voice to say, "Fine, I agree, but the rate of return on the investment won¡¯t be calcted as per your document, the rate of return will increase by two percentage points."

    "Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you," Xia Ning looked up at He Xing, her beautiful face was covered with smiles. If she wasn¡¯t worried about upsetting He Xing, she really couldn¡¯t help but to lean in for a kiss.

    "All right, now go back to your seat. I¡¯ve already had someone bring over the contract. We¡¯ll sign the contract and then you can leave." Since he was taking her money, He Xing¡¯s tone was no longer as harsh as before, but his face was still not pleasant to look at.

    Anyway, she had already hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder today, so Xia Ning felt that she came out ahead in the grand scheme of things. She didn¡¯t dare push her luck and obediently returned to her seat across from him.

    The coffee and desserts were served one after another. Xia Ning ate the sweet treats with a delicate petal spoon, bite by bite, her eyes seemingly glued on He Xing, tantly sneaking nces at him.

    He Xing, on the other hand, acted as if he saw nothing, opening hisptop and continuously typing on the keyboard, not wasting a single minute.

    About twenty minutester, Liang Tao arrived, gasping for air, with two contracts in hand that were still warm from the printer, clearly freshly produced.

    After carefully reviewing the contracts, He Xing handed them over to Xia Ning only when he had confirmed there were no issues: "Check it out, if there¡¯s no problem, sign it."

    "Sure," Xia Ning, without even looking, briskly signed her name, then handed both copies of the contract to He Xing, hoping to receive his praise.

    Unfortunately, He Xing did not even lift his eyelids, signing his name just as quickly.

    The contract was in duplicate, effective upon the signatures and seals of both parties; one copy was kept by Xia Ning, and the other by He Xing.

    He Xing carelessly put the contract in his briefcase, slowly stood up, "Xia Ning, I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯m leaving now. Make yourselffortable."

    "Wait a second," Xia Ning followed He Xing in her high heels, "Brother He Xing, I heard that Grandpa He is having surgery tomorrow. Can Ie to the hospital tomorrow and wait outside the Operating Room for him?"

    "Do as you please." He Xing intended to refuse, knowing all too well that Xia Ning¡¯s purpose in going to the hospital was not really out of concern for grandfather, but to pester him; but he also understood that even if he refused now, Xia Ning would stille up with other excuses to get there, just like before.

    On the way back to the hospital, He Xing asked expressionlessly, "Still no news of Fu Han?"

    "That¡¯s right, President He." Large beads of sweat emerged on Liang Tao¡¯s forehead, though he dared not wipe them away as he spoke in a low voice, "Miss Fu got off the ne and our people followed her for a while, but then it was as if she vanished into thin air, and we couldn¡¯t find her anymore."

    "What about Bai Wei? When is sheing back from Nuan City?" He Xing radiated a chill from head to toe, as if he wished he could turn everyone within a hundred miles into blocks of ice.

    At that moment, Liang Tao was in agony, feeling as though he was being tormented by both fire and ice, end-over-end.

    Gathering courage with eyes shut, he said, "I¡¯ve contacted Lady Bai Wei. She¡¯s no longer in Nuan City. She said she wants to take advantage of her break to tour the great scenery of our homnd."

    Anyone with a brain could decode Bai Wei¡¯s intention, which was clearly to spend more time alone with Luo Qinghe, without caring about anyone else.

    It was indeed puzzling that Luo Qinghe, who had been scalded with sulfuric acid on his back, actually left the hospital in less than a week and took a flight to Nuan City with Bai Wei on the same day he was discharged, which just happened to be the same day Fu Han boarded a ne to go abroad. Thinking about it now, it was tough not to link all these events together.

    He Xing had one foot in the hospital when he suddenly stopped, turned back emotionlessly to look at Liang Tao, "I don¡¯t care what you have to do, but I need to see Bai Wei immediately. If she has no work, then throw some He Group¡¯s endorsements at her agent and have here back for the Spokesperson shoot. Or, you can also start with Luo Qinghe, have the hospital call Bai Wei, exaggerate Luo Qinghe¡¯s condition, and tell them toe back for a follow-up checkup, understood?"

    "Understood," Liang Tao responded very loudly, as if he were being called on by a teacher back in his school days.

    He Xing gave him another look, said nothing, and entered the hospital, heading straight for the elevator.

    Liang Tao wiped his sweaty face with his hand, and as the hospital¡¯s air conditioning hit him, he felt utterly wrecked.

    But it must be said, He Xing¡¯s methods, although somewhat harsh, were indeed very effective, sinister, and vicious, hitting fatally with every strike.

    ...

    In M Country, an unnamed small town.

    Fu Han had been here for over a week now, with her mood changing drastically in the past few days - from initial sadness to a calm that now allowed her to think of He Xing without breaking down into tears.

    Fu Xingbo, whether by his appearance or by any measure, was a sessful man. It wasn¡¯t until Fu Han actually arrived in M Country that she realized just how sessful he truly was.

    Besides hispany in M Country, the resort vige they were in now was built fromnd he had purchased, developed, promoted, eventually turning it into a bustling small town.

    Upon their arrival in M Country, they went directly to this secluded and picturesque small town, which felt like a utopian paradise.

    Fu Han was free to go wherever she wanted here; her only regret was that she did not have an M Country driver¡¯s license to drive herself, but Fu Xingbo hired a driver for her, which somewhat made up for it.

    The driver was an African-American, and although at first she was concerned aboutmunication barriers, she was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly she could converse with him. It seemed that even though she had amnesia, certain things were forever etched in her mind.

    For example, the three years she spent away from He Xing were in M Country, where she spoke thenguage of M Country. How much can three years change, and how much can it leave behind?

    Early this morning, Fu Han had a ss of pure milk and a sandwich, then took her SLR camera and decided to head out, thinking about it, she also took the sketchbook that Nan Qing had given her.

    Although her decision toe to M Country had beenst-minute, she still told Nan Qing and Su Cheng about it, the two people she hade to consider as good friends since she woke up.

    Last night, during their video call, Nan Qing had expressed regret for not being able to see Fu Han off at the airport. She said that she would visit Fu Han in M Country after the busy period at the gallery was over.

 Chapter 247: Moon Bay

    <h4>Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Moon Bay</h4><h4></h4>

    As for Su Cheng, he also kept in touch with Fu Han every day, yet they never video-called; it was just the same couple of sentences back and forth each day.

    After all, boys do not talk as much as girls.

    The clean and orderly Ond Road was nked on both sides by towering trees of unknown species that blocked out most of the sunlight, so even looking up at the sky wouldn¡¯t be dazzling.

    The ck-d driver flipped to a soothing music track, and life seemed to slow downpletely.

    Fu Han cracked the car window slightly, letting the wind rush in and mess up her hair. She pushed the strands that blocked her vision behind her head, her eyes unwavering as she gazed outside.

    This ce was very different from the bustling city; you could walk for half a day without seeing a soul. Apart from the local residents, most people in town were tourists here for a visit. From the Fu Family¡¯s resort house to this ce, they had seen so few people they could count them on two hands.

    About half an hour¡¯s driveter, they arrived at their destination.

    This ce was a bay, with a beautiful name: Moon Bay.

    The shape of Moon Bay was just like that of a moon, with waters inside bluer than the sky itself, like a piece of blue crystal.

    It was Bai Qian¡¯s aunt who had first brought Fu Han here, and afterward, Fu Han had made sure to spend at least half an hour here every day.

    It seemed that only here could her heart finally quiet down, without constantly thinking about those people and things back home...

    In fact, several times she couldn¡¯t help but want to inquire about the He Group¡¯s situation, but every time the words would reach her lips, she found herself unable to ask; in the end, she would beat around the bush, while her aunt and uncle saw right through her intentions and would smilingly provide her the answers she sought.

    So, a few days ago, she found out that Yang Kaitai had been formally arrested; she also learned that He Xing had been in contact with investment banks and high-interest loan providers these past few days.

    Such news was like torture to Fu Han, and yet each time Fu Xingbo mentioned unfortunate news about the He Group, she couldn¡¯t help but question whether leaving A City had been the right decision.

    But just this morning, at breakfast, she received some good news: the financial crisis of the He Group had been resolved, thanks to an injection of funds from the Du Wanting Motherly Love Fund. Fu Xingbo casually mentioned another piece of information¡ªthat Du Wanting was Xia Ning¡¯s mother.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart finally rxed. Whatever the case, Xia Ning had delivered on her word, and the He Group¡¯s issues were resolved. However, another problem weighed on her mind¡ªshe had received news that the senior Mr. He was undergoing surgery today.

    Neurosurgery was the most challenging, and even though Fu Xingbo said that the nation¡¯s top experts had all gone there, no surgery was a hundred percent certain.

    Feeling restless in the resort vi, she eventually decided to contact the driver ande to Moon Bay to stay for a while, to calm herself down.

    This spot was a renowned attraction within the Resort Vige, filled with many coconut trees, canopies, and lounge chairs for visitors to rest on.

    Fu Han chose the most secluded lounge chair, asking the driver to leave first. She set up her easel, preparing to draw. After picking up a charcoal pencil and sketching halfheartedly for a long while, inspirationpletely eluded her. In the end, she simply threw the pencil aside andy down on the lounge chair, covering her face with a sun hat to avoid the scorching sun.

    She couldn¡¯t help but think, wondering whether Grandpa He¡¯s surgery had finished yet. She wanted to make a call to ask, but since she had decided to leave He Xing, she couldn¡¯t change course halfway.

    Since arriving in M Country, she had cklisted all of He Xing¡¯s contact information, yet each day her inbox was still flooded with emails from him. She had read each one many times but never replied.

    Her mood at the moment was extremely distressing, like being in a frying pan, unbearable to the point of agony, yet, frustratingly, there was nothing she could do about it.

    Footsteps approached, but she didn¡¯t look up, figuring it was probably someone here to enjoy the scenery¡ªas happened every day, something she had grown ustomed to over thest few days.

    As her mind wandered, she totally failed to consider that her chosen spot was the furthest in, beyond which there were no more canopies, lounge chairs, or paths.

    A few minutes went by, then suddenlyughter broke through. The voice sounded familiar to Fu Han. She lifted her hat for a nce and in just that instant, she sat up clutching the hat, confronting the person less than a meter away from her with hostility, "Why is it you? What are you doing here?"

    Indeed, the man before her was the unwee guest from the ne. If she remembered correctly, his name was Wang Yixuan. On the flight from A City to M Country, a tripsting over ten hours, this man had spent at least half of it chatting with Fu Han.

    That day, Fu Han¡¯s mood had been terribly sour, not wishing to speak at all, so she had found this man particrly bothersome. He had been the most talkative person she had met since waking up, one that Nan Qing would call a chatterbox.

    She had spent the whole flight over ten thousand meters high, reminiscing about the events in A City and mentallyining about Wang Yixuan; the quiet man who had yed the piano was such a stark contrast to this endless talker.

    And now, Fu Han could not have dreamed she would encounter this man here, especially standing in front of her easel, fiddling with her charcoal pencil in his hand.

    Wang Yixuan, as if oblivious to Fu Han¡¯s bad mood, was grinning radiantly, his delicate face blossoming like a bud, "Miss Fu, what a coincidence, we meet again."

    "Is it really just a coincidence? Are you sure you didn¡¯te here deliberately?" Fu Han looked him up and down, noting the loose white shirt and baggy shorts that made his over one-eighty stature appear oddly diminutive. By his feety a case¡ªnot knowing whether it contained a cello or a guitar.

    "Are you suggesting that I followed you here on purpose?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s smile deepened, revealing eight pearly teeth and dimples, "But it doesn¡¯t matter what you think, I don¡¯t care."

    Put on the spot like this, Fu Han felt somewhat embarrassed. She had spoken impulsively out of anger without thinking, leading to that statement; on reflection, she had to admit that it was a rather preposterous idea.

    Her face tinged with red, she coughed awkwardly, speaking stiffly, "Alright, let¡¯s say I misunderstood you. But I¡¯m in a bad mood right now; please, keep your distance, so you don¡¯t get hurt by mistake."

    "Hurt by mistake?" Wang Yixuanughed heartily, so hard he couldn¡¯t straighten up, "With the little harm you can do? Didn¡¯t I survive unscathed on the ne? Don¡¯t puff yourself up here trying to look imposing."

    Being called out in public left Fu Han feeling somewhat embarrassed, and her cheeks flushed deeper, "Have you said enough? I barely know you, so please go do whatever you have to and stop affecting my mood."

 Chapter 248: Old Master Heâ€™s Surgery

    <h4>Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Old Master He¡¯s Surgery</h4><h4></h4>

    "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to share your love story? The moment I saw you, I really wanted to write a song. I feel like your story must be colorful and perfect for a song," Wang Yixuan still wouldn¡¯t give up, his handsome face beaming with a brilliant smile.

    Fu Han, having had enough, put on her sunsses and then unceremoniously rolled her eyes. Her upbringing told her that rolling one¡¯s eyes in front of others was impolite, so she could only use sunsses to cover it up.

    Instead of replying to Wang Yixuan, she immediately took out her phone and called her driver, telling him to pick her up as soon as possible.

    Considering her limited interactions with Wang Yixuan, she found him to be not only thick-skinned but also persistent; perhaps he would really never leave unless, as he said, Fu Han told her story.

    As she packed up her drawing board, she deluded herself into ignoring everything Wang Yixuan said, practicing selective hearing.

    Fortunately, although Wang Yixuan kept trying to dig out her story, he didn¡¯t stop her from leaving when she was ready to go. He just found an unupied lounge chair to sit down, then opened his guitar case and pulled out a guitar.

    Before Fu Han¡¯s car started, she heard the melodious sound of the guitar, and faintly, she could hear Wang Yixuan singing; to be precise, he was humming, as Fu Han couldn¡¯t make out a word of the lyrics.

    But she thought the singing was very beautiful, clear as the call of a phoenix, the melody spreading far and wide in ripples,yer uponyer, endlessly spreading. It was hard to imagine that such a noisy person could have such a captivating voice.

    Fu Han got back to the vi early, it wasn¡¯t even lunchtime yet, and the vast vi was empty.

    The Filipino maid was sunbathing downstairs and greeted Fu Han enthusiastically, "Lady, the gentleman and the madam went out shopping, they will be back soon."

    "Okay," Fu Han nodded, then turned around and went back to her room upstairs.

    Her room had the best natural light in the entire vi, with two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking out from the windows, she could see the distant sea.

    If she opened the windows, she could also hear the sound of the waves; if there was a breeze, she could feel the salty sea air, faintly bitter, just like her mood at the moment.

    Fu Han set up her drawing board again, wanting to finish the painting she hadn¡¯tpleted earlier, but when she opened the drawing board, she was stunned. What was on the board wasn¡¯t her iplete painting at all, but rather apletely finished piece.

    Although the drawing was simply in ck and white and the lines were minimalist, the few strokes vividly outlined the panorama of Moon Bay; it would be nearly impossible to aplish this without extensive expertise.

    Fu Han thought to herself, Nan Qing was very good at painting, but she specialized in oil painting, the kind with thick and heavy colors. Her paintings were impressive, oftenbining unexpected colors that looked particrly striking together.

    The painting before her, however, maximized the use of simplicity and rity and was also very attractive. At first nce, it appeared unremarkable, but the more one looked, the more one could see that every stroke was exquisitely crafted, surprisingly so.

    Fu Han thought to herself that this person must indeed be very talented, and if he wasn¡¯t so curious, she might not be so put off by him.

    ...

    In A City, outside the Operating Room.

    Old Master He had already been in surgery for nearly four hours, and in that time, a nurse had delivered blood bags twice; He Xing looked paler each time he saw this, and he was beginning to regret whether it had been the right decision to let his grandfather undergo surgery.

    Xia Ning had arrived early and had been waiting with He Xing for nearly four hours without eating or drinking; it was now lunchtime. She looked at He Xing and said softly, "Brother He Xing, you haven¡¯t eaten all morning. I¡¯ll order some takeout, you should eat a bit at noon."

    "You go eat yourself, I¡¯m not hungry." He Xing now couldn¡¯t even drink water, let alone anything else.

    Xia Ning bit her lip and moved closer to He Xing, coquettishly saying, "Brother He Xing, it breaks my heart to see you not eating. If you don¡¯t eat, I won¡¯t eat either."

    "Then don¡¯t eat," He Xing said without an ounce of pity; in fact, he was annoyed by Xia Ning¡¯s constant attempts to chat with him, finding it too noisy.

    There were other people waiting outside the Operating Room, and Xia Ning couldn¡¯t save her face any longer, nor could she continue to coax He Xing with thick skin, so she stifled her words.

    A few minutester, Liang Tao came over and leaned in to whisper something in He Xing¡¯s ear.

    He Xing, already looking upset, now appeared even more troubled. He quickly took out his phone, opened his email, and checked ¨C indeed, there was an email sent five minutes ago with the word "urgent" prefixed, indicating it needed immediate attention.

    The content of the email was simple, just a photo, and because it was shot from a distance, one couldn¡¯t make out the faces of the people in it at all.

    Nevertheless, He Xing instantly recognized the girl in the white cotton loose dress with disheveled hair and sunsses as Fu Han, but the man standing next to her was unfamiliar to him, although he seemed somewhat familiar.

    He Xing¡¯s face turned a shade of steely blue as hemanded, "This man beside her needs to be identified immediately, now."

    Liang Tao, a tall figure over one meter eighty, stood hunched before He Xing and said in a low voice, "Boss, I... we have already checked, but we couldn¡¯t find anything."

    "What?" He Xing¡¯s pupils shook, and his obsidian eyes shed with the energy to devastate the earth.

    "Boss..." Beads of sweat rolled down Liang Tao¡¯s forehead as he summoned the courage to continue, "When we got this photo, I had already asked people to check, but it¡¯s different over there, international influence is intertwined inplex ways, and it took tremendous effort for our people to even get this photo; when they tried to identify the person, they found nothing."

    Just as He Xing was about to say something, the door of the Operating Room was suddenly opened, and he quickly rushed to greet the emerging figure, "Doctor, how is my grandfather?"

    The surgery for Old Master He was unprecedented in scope; prior to the surgery, each expert had been assigned specific issues to address.

    One of the experts, his hair turning white, spoke, "President He, all we can say is that every step of the surgery went as nned. The only problem was that the bleeding exceeded our expectations. As for the oue of the surgery, if Old Master He wakes up within three days, it will be considered a sess."

    "And if he doesn¡¯t wake up within three days?" He Xing¡¯s question came with a slight tremble, indicating his worry, and he waspletely oblivious that Xia Ning had taken the opportunity to move closer to him.

    The expert sighed, his voice heavy as he said, "If he doesn¡¯t wake up, there¡¯s a possibility he might remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life, until the end of his days."

 Chapter 249: The Result of a Heavy Heart

    <h4>Chapter 249: Chapter 249: The Result of a Heavy Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s heart sank; this news was definitely not good.

    The expert continued, "The main issue is that Mr. He¡¯s advanced age has weakened his physical condition, so there are a lot of variables. Now it all depends on Mr. He¡¯s own willpower."

    He Xing politely thanked him and instructed Liang Tao to take good care of the experts, then followed them back to Mr. He¡¯s ward.

    The ward, which underwent rearrangement during the surgery, was originally spacious but now felt cramped with all the equipment.

    This ordinary ward was now set up like an ICU, but unlike ICU, He Xing was able to enter and exit without much trouble.

    Xia Ning stayed close to He Xing¡¯s side. He Xing had been in the ward for nearly the same amount of time his brother had been gone, while Xia Ning had been there for two hours.

    As the sun began to set, Xia Ning approached He Xing and whispered, "He Xing, shall I go buy you something to eat?"

    She had been prepared for another tug-of-war with He Xing and had even rehearsed her arguments for half an hour, but now they were of no use.

    Xia Ning was startled and it took her a full two minutes to react before she happily went out to buy food.

    He Xing¡¯s eyelids were heavy. He had worked until two o¡¯clock in the morning, and his sleep had been fitful. He couldn¡¯t quite settle, and when Mr. He awoke before six a.m., he did too.

    Gazing at Mr. He, who was covered in tubes, his vision blurred.

    Suddenly, the scene before him changed, and he found himself standing on an open grasnd. A red carpet was spread beneath his feet, surrounded by beautiful flowers. The wind carried an indistinguishable floral scent, but it was pleasant.

    Many people passed by him on the red carpet, and without exception, they all greeted him: "He Xing, congrattions, congrattions."

    He Xing was confused, unsure of what there was to congratte him for. His grandfather¡¯s life hung in the bnce, Fu Han had left for a distant ce, and his current state had nothing to do with happiness.

    As he pondered, someone suddenly pped him on the back. He turned instinctively and saw his grandfather.

    His grandfather looked very spirited today, dressed in a well-fitting suit with a wine-red bow tie on a white shirt. ck hair styled conservatively with hair gel, his full foreheadid bare, making him appear a decade younger than usual.

    "Grandfather!" He Xing eximed happily. "You¡¯re awake?"

    "Yes," Mr. He smiled affably, his creased eyes appearing so kind. He patted He Xing¡¯s shoulder, "The guests have arrived. What are you waiting for? Shall Xiaohan and I receive them? You¡¯re about to get married and yet you¡¯re behaving like this?"

    He Xing looked down at his suit, noting a red blossom on his chest with "Groom" written on the ribbon below.

    Looking at Mr. He with panic, he stammered, "Grandfather, who am I marrying?"

    "You silly boy..." Mr. He looked at He Xing with confusion, as if he didn¡¯t recognize him, "You¡¯ve liked Fu Han since you were young; don¡¯t I know that? Who else would you marry but her?"

    Realizing he was truly marrying Fu Han, He Xing¡¯s face broke into a goofy grin. He touched the flower on his chest and stood tall at the church entrance, beaming genuinely at every guest.

    Time seemed to stretch on until the sound of cheers rose up. Surrounded by people, He Xing made his way inside the church, where no emcee was present, only a priest in somber robes.

    Cheers erupted, cannons fired, and confetti filled the air. Amidst this dreamlike shower, a girl in a white wedding dress appeared.

    Her face, veiled in sheer fabric, was indistinct, but He Xing immediately recognized Fu Han from her silhouette, which was etched into his heart; even by sense alone, he would not mistake her.

    Fu Han, walking hand in hand with Mr. He, approached He Xing step by step. Her shoes sparkled with tiny diamonds, glistening under the lights as if lotus flowers bloomed with each step, pressing upon He Xing¡¯s heart.

    At that moment, He Xing¡¯s heart and breath stopped; he watched Fu Han without blinking, fearing she might disappear with a single misstep.

    Mr. He ced Fu Han¡¯s hand in He Xing¡¯s, speaking earnestly, "Even though you¡¯re my own grandson, Fu Han is my precious jewel. I agreed to let her marry you only after your endless pleading. If you dare mistreat her, I won¡¯t let you off lightly."

    "Grandfather, I swear on my life that, even in death, I would never harm Fu Han, not in the slightest." He Xing spoke with a rity that echoed; he wished he could bare his heart to prove his honesty.

    Mr. He smiled joyously, but his words still held a "threat" as he said, "He Xing, I¡¯ll remember what you¡¯ve said, and you¡¯d better keep your word."

    Before He Xing could reply, Fu Han took the initiative to grasp his hand, smiling at Mr. He, "Grandfather, I trust He Xing. In this lifetime, apart from him, I will marry no other."

    Thunderous apuse sounded, with audience members pping heartily and some shouting, "Kiss, kiss."

    The priest, dignified and solemn, looked up, and everyone fell silent immediately.

    "Mr. He Xing, do you take this woman, Lady Xia Ning, to be your wife, to love, honor, and protect her, just as you love yourself, until death do you part?"

    "I do," He Xing answered earnestly.

    "Lady Fu Han, do you take this man, Mr. He Xing, to be your husband, to love, honor, and support him, just as you love yourself, until death do you part?"

    Fu Han didn¡¯t answer the priest directly but turned to look at He Xing instead. Her bright eyes shone through the semi-translucent veil, and she tilted her head slightly as she studied He Xing intently.

    It felt like an eternity, even a second seems like years.

    He Xing¡¯s heart raced. He squeezed Fu Han¡¯s hand, barely containing his urgency.

    From nearby came a softughter, as refreshing as a breeze through mountain woods, stirring wind chimes by a window, uplifting the soul.

    But no sound was as enchanting as the three words Fu Han said next, "I do!"

    He Xing¡¯s heart seemed to burst forth from his chest, sprouting two pristine wings that fluttered, soaring upwards.

 Chapter 250: Dream Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Dream Wedding</h4><subtxt> He was ecstatic,pletely forgetting that they were in the midst of their wedding ceremony, and with a long reach, directly embraced Fu Han in his arms.

    The guests below erupted into roaringughter as Fu Han, her face flushed red, pushed He Xing away and said in a low voice with a seductive look, "What¡¯s the rush?"

    That single phrase nearly caused He Xing¡¯s nose to bleed, of course, this was also thanks to his realization of his ownpse in decorum.

    During the ring exchange, Ji Liangchuan and Nan Qing, as the maid of honor and best man, walked up with their rings. He Xing was so eager to use the ring to firmly secure Fu Han that he didn¡¯t even look at what the ring looked like.

    When it was Fu Han¡¯s turn, she gently lifted He Xing¡¯s right hand and slowly slid a ring on his finger.

    "Mr. He Xing, you may now kiss your bride!" the Priest¡¯s voice was solemn and reverent, yet also filled with joy.

    He Xing carefully lifted Fu Han¡¯s veil, and there she was, the face he had dreamed of, appearing before him. His gaze swept over Fu Han¡¯s face, inch by inch.

    In his heart, he marveled, describing Fu Han¡¯s face as beautiful was simply too vulgar; her face was the Creator¡¯s most perfect work, with cold eyes, a delicate nose, and sensual lips¡ªa beauty beyond words.

    He Xing held Fu Han¡¯s cheeks and kissed her deeply. He had kissed Fu Han many times before, but this kiss felt very different.

    The feeling... was like they could stand on a bustling street, under the ring sun, and kiss without any reservations, for they were now husband and wife in every sense of the word.

    The kisssted for a long time, amidst thunderous apuse from the audience, and it was Fu Han¡¯s hands on He Xing¡¯s chest that pushed him away.

    He Xing, looking at Fu Han¡¯s blushing face, felt his heart soften into a mush and wished he could embrace and kiss her all over again.

    The wedding banquet was held in the most upscale hotel owned by the He Group. He Xing led Fu Han from table to table offering toasts. Usually quite a drinker, today he only sipped a little each time, not wanting to spend his wedding night drunk.

    Finally, after seeing off thest guests, the old Mr. He took out a room card from his suit pocket and handed it to He Xing, "The best room in our hotel has been reserved for you two. Fu Han is waiting inside for you. Go on."

    "Thank you, Grandpa." He Xing took the card and ran towards the elevator in such a hurry he didn¡¯t even say goodbye to his grandfather.

    With a ¡¯ding¡¯, the door opened. He stood outside, adjusted his breathing, then stepped in with a spring in his step: "Wife, I¡¯m here!"

    But... damn it, he hadpletely forgotten about the bridal chamber pranks. Besides Fu Han, there were five other people in the room: Nan Qing, Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe, Su Cheng, and Ji Liangchuan.

    Thinking back on his just-shouted "Wife," He Xing felt somewhat embarrassed. He coughed, touched his nose, and in his usual aloof tone said, "It¡¯s gettingte. You¡¯ve all eaten and drunk, it¡¯s time to head out."

    Sitting on either side of Fu Han, Bai Wei and Nan Qing said in unison, "Impossible, we can¡¯t skip the bridal chamber pranks!"

    The three boys had already started preparing props, using a bamboo pole to dangle an apple for He Xing and Fu Han to eat face to face; the two girls took out a paper with several lipstick marks, challenging him to guess which one was Fu Han¡¯s.

    There were many simr games, all aiming to embarrass the newlyweds into blushing.

    Unfortunately for them, He Xing was no longer embarrassed about touching Fu Han in front of others. He now wished he could be with Fu Han all the time; it was Fu Han who still wasn¡¯t used to being so intimate in full view of everyone¡ªher face was red from beginning to end, as if it would bleed.

    The bridal pranksters were dissatisfied with He Xing¡¯s reaction, but there was nothing they could do. Once all the games ended, they could only leave dejectedly.

    He Xing followed them out, unceremoniously pushing Ji Liangchuan out the door, then closed the door, and carefully locked it to prevent further interruptions, better safe than sorry.

    He had already decided that even if the sky fell, he would definitely carry through with the important event.

    When He Xing returned to the room, Fu Han was sitting docilely on the edge of the bed, her massive wedding dress spread out like a blooming lily.

    His Adam¡¯s apple moved unconsciously, and suddenly he felt a wave of heat rising from his lower abdomen. He loosened his tie, tossing his jacket and bow tie casually onto a nearby chair, then wasted no step toward Fu Han.

    On the soft silk bedsheety heart-shaped rose petals, red as mes.

    He Xing sat beside Fu Han, one hand gently lifting her chin to look directly into her eyes: "Xiaohan, you have finally be my fianc¨¦e, finally!"

    "Yes," cradling her cheek in He Xing¡¯s palm, she whispered, "He Xing, I¡¯ve finally married you, we¡¯re finally together for life."

    Rain-like kisses fell, and with a heart full of shyness but clumsy response, Fu Han reciprocated He Xing¡¯s advances.

    The white wedding gown slipped from Fu Han¡¯s shoulders as He Xing gentlyid her down on the bed, the petals scattering around in a shower made just for Fu Han.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t wait to press down, but suddenly, a cutesy voice rang out: "Big brother He Xing, big brother He Xing!"

    Fu Han would never call him like that. He shuddered, nced at the person on the bed, and it was clearly Xia Ning, not Fu Han!

    He screamed in fright, and the warm bridal room vanished, reced by a sterile hospital ward dotted with various machines.

    And there was Xia Ning, leaning over with concern etched across her beautiful face.

    It had all been a dream, yet everything in it felt so real, as if it had truly happened.

    If possible, he would pay any price to make that dream a reality. In the dream, his grandfather¡¯sughter was heartier, a full decade younger than the grandfather lying on the hospital bed; Fu Han in the dream loved him so much, her biggest dream was to marry him.

    "Big brother He Xing, you are too tired. Have something to eat and go to sleep," Xia Ning tugged at He Xing¡¯s arm again, her voice soft and spoilt as always.

    "Got it." He Xing used getting up as an excuse to put some distance between him and Xia Ning. He walked over to the side table where about a dozen food containers were still steaming hot, all freshly bought by Xia Ning.

    He Xing randomly opened a container of rice and started eating rapidly, but elegantly. In just a few minutes, he had finished a bowl of rice: "Xia Ning, it¡¯ste. Have your meal and head back soon."</subtxt>

 Chapter 251: Art Teacher

    <h4>Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Art Teacher</h4><h4></h4>

    "Alright, I got it," Xia Ning acknowledged, aware that He Xing was not in a good mood. She didn¡¯t dare to act spoiled and refuse to leave; after all, Grandfather He wouldn¡¯t be discharged from the hospital anytime soon. It was enough for her toe here every day to keep He Xingpany.

    When Xia Ning finally left, He Xing turned on hisputer and entered an email address. This was an ount he had set up exclusively for Fu Han, an address known only to Fu Han herself.

    Yet the ount contained only sent emails, with not a single message in the inbox.

    He Xing was certain he had sent the emails, but he couldn¡¯t be sure that Fu Han had seen them. Or perhaps Fu Han had seen them but chose not to reply?

    Since the day Fu Han left, he had been investigating why she had gone, but up to now, he still had no clue. The only thing he knew for certain was that a few days before her departure, Fu Han had met with Xia Ning at a cafe.

    He had asked Xia Ning about it, and the response he got was: it was just a simple meeting, where Fu Han had sought to understand some past matters, and Xia Ning had rified some of Fu Han¡¯s queries.

    Despite his persistent questioning, Xia Ning merely indicated that she had spoken of some trivial details of the past, never uttering a word that would harm his rtionship with Fu Han.

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t fully trust Xia Ning¡¯s words. To get to the truth, he even went to the cafe to check the surveince footage, but without audio, the silent images revealed nothing.

    He still didn¡¯t understand why Fu Han would leave, a situation even more painful than it had been three years ago. At least back then, he knew Fu Han left because he had "neglected" her. He had changed since, always prioritizing Fu Han above all else. So why did Fu Han still choose to leave?

    ...

    In M Country, not far from Moon Bay, stood a vacation house.

    Dusk was upon them, and the orange sun steadily vanished beyond the horizon. For a few seconds after the sun had fully set, the sea surface remained bathed in orange glow, an incredibly beautiful sight.

    Fu Han had set up her camera half an hour prior, just to capture these brief moments. When the sea turned deep blue, she finally packed away her camera.

    She was about to open herptop to process the photos taken that day when a knock at the door interrupted her, followed by Bai Qian¡¯s voice: "Xiaohan, your uncle is back,e down for dinner."

    Dinner was the most borate meal of the day in this house, and since Fu Han wasn¡¯t ustomed to the food of M Country, the servant prepared Chinese food every evening. Though the servant was Filipino, her Chinese cooking was genuinely well-made.

    Through their time spent together, Fu Han could clearly feel that both Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian were sincerely kind to her. They were not like those distant rtives who feigned familiarity, nor did they impose tedious formalities on her daily.

    Instead, they made sure everything was well-prepared in advance for Fu Han, respecting her decisions in all matters. They carved out dedicated time each day to chat with her, yet without binding her to their presence from dawn till dusk.

    The love they offered Fu Han was the mostfortable kind of love.

    Fu Han knew that her own parents had passed away trying to save Grandfather He when she was very young. Perhaps she savored the affection from Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian so much because she had never had the opportunity to experience this kind of love before.

    She agreed crisply, put away the camera, locked herputer, and then left the room, taking Bai Qian¡¯s hand as they descended the stairs.

    Even before she reached the bottom, she could smell the delicious scent of the food. She had had lunch alone, and although the servant had prepared a variety of dishes, her appetite was nonexistent. Now, she was genuinely hungry.

    She first saw Fu Xingbo¡¯s silhouette, followed by the back of a man sitting next to him. Confused, she asked Bai Qian, "Auntie, do we have guests over tonight?"

    "Yes," Bai Qian replied, patting Fu Han¡¯s arm with a gentle smile. "Didn¡¯t you say the day before yesterday that you wanted to learn painting? Your uncle thought it¡¯d be too troublesome for you tomute to the training center every day, so he hired a painter toe stay with us and teach you personally."

    Moved, Fu Han recalled how she had casually mentioned her dissatisfaction with her own sketches. She hadn¡¯t expected they would take it to heart. She felt her nose tingle and said softly, "Auntie, you really don¡¯t have to do this for me... I¡¯m actually fine."

    "It¡¯s no trouble," Bai Qian replied, stroking Fu Han¡¯s head, the warmth from her palm seeping into Fu Han¡¯s heart. In aforting tone, she added, "This painter is quite famous, and he just happens to be traveling here. We¡¯ve merely invited him for some basic teaching. He¡¯ll leave in ten days to half a month."

    Fu Han nodded, not saying anything further.

    Photography was her profession, her cherished career, but there were times when she couldn¡¯t engage in it, like sleepless nights when, despite having her camera ready, she couldn¡¯t venture out for a shoot. Learning to paint was solely to pass the time on such nights, so she felt it rather fitting and appropriate that the arrangement was just for ten days to half a month.

    But as she and Bai Qian reached the dining room and Fu Xingbo and the so-called painter turned around, Fu Han felt as though a bolt of Heavenly Thunder had exploded right above her head.

    "Why is it you?" she pointed at the man sitting next to Fu Xingbo, her fair face showing surprise.

    "Xiaohan, how can you speak to your teacher like that? It¡¯s impolite," Bai Qian chided gently, touching Fu Han¡¯s hair. "I thought Mr. Wang Yixuan seemed interesting when we chatted on the ne, and it¡¯s such a coincidence that he¡¯se to our home to apply for the position of the painter."

    Fu Xingbo also rose, patting Fu Han indulgently. "You silly child, you aren¡¯t familiar with painting, so you don¡¯t know how impressive Teacher Wang Yixuan is. In everypetition he enters, he always takes first ce without fail."

    "Is he really that amazing?" With support behind her, Fu Han deliberately used a provocative gaze to look at Wang Yixuan. She had already made up her mind that she wouldn¡¯t let this noisy individual be her teacher.

    Wang Yixuan, however, sat unfazed: "Didn¡¯t I improve your painting this morning? Whether or not I¡¯m impressive, you can see for yourself."

    "What, you¡¯ve met today?" Bai Qian eximed, covering her mouth in pretend surprise, though her eyes clearly sparkled with delight.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Fu Han coaxed her uncle while pouting: "Uncle, I don¡¯t like this person. I don¡¯t want him to teach me. Please send him away."

    Before Fu Xingbo could respond, Wang Yixuan interjected: "It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want me to teach you. But I¡¯ve already epted the money, and it¡¯s non-refundable."

    With that, he got up, pretending to head out.

    "Wait!" Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but call out to him, confusion written all over her face, "Are you really only teaching me for ten days to eight months?"

    "Of course." Wang Yixuan smiled broadly, nonchnt as he said, "My goal is to travel the world. If not for running out of money, I would have stayed in this ce for a maximum of three days. Don¡¯t worry, if you don¡¯t ask me to leave when the time¡¯s up, I¡¯ll leave on my own."

 Chapter 252: Fireflyâ€™s Memory

    <h4>Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Firefly¡¯s Memory</h4><h4></h4>

    "Then just stay," Fu Han said after finishing the sentence, feeling her momentumpletely suppressed. Waving her fists again, she threatened, "If you can¡¯t teach well, refund the money."

    "Sure, no problem," Wang Yixuan strolled with his hands behind his back to his seat and settled down, grinning at Fu Han as he said, "But let¡¯s get one thing straight, I have my own ways of teaching, and all you have to do is unconditionally obey me."

    Under the teasing smiles of Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, Fu Han felt as though she was being roasted on a fire. With her chin held high and her face flushed, she said, "If you are teaching me to draw, of course I¡¯ll obey you one hundred percent, but if you ask me to do anything else, dream on!"

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s face softened withughter as he patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, shall we go have something to eat?"

    "Alright," Fu Han nced at Wang Yixuan¡¯s seat and ultimately chose to sit opposite Fu Xingbo, mainly because she was worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to eat if she sat across from Wang Yixuan.

    ...

    A City Airport.

    Bai Wei came out of the airport well covered with a duckbill hat, ck-rimmed sses, and a mask, not missing a beat to avoid being recognized. To avoid detection, she painfully and Luo Qinghe split up to leave through different exits, agreeing to meet upter to leave by car together.

    She got into the business car first, and thinking she was idle anyway, she decided to make a video call to Fu Han.

    After sending the video call, it suddenly urred to her about the time difference; it should be around five in the morning in M Country, which meant she waspletely disturbing someone¡¯s sweet dream by calling at this hour.

    Just as she was about to end the video call, Fu Han answered.

    Breathing heavily, Fu Han asked, "Bai Wei, is there a reason for your video call?"

    "Nothing much," Bai Wei curiously stared at the blurry face on the screen and asked, "Are you outside? Why are you up so early?"

    With a sigh, Fu Han said helplessly, "Your parents got me a teacher to learn painting. We¡¯re heading to the beach to paint the sunrise now."

    "The sunrises and sunsets at Moon Bay are quite famous," Bai Wei struggled to hold backughter, speaking in as calm a tone as possible, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Study your painting well, I look forward to receiving your artwork in the future."

    Fu Han knew Bai Wei was teasing her, but she really wasn¡¯t in the mood for banter with Bai Wei. She had worked on her projects for a long timest night, probably going to bed around one or two, and right now she was truly both sleepy and tired.

    Bai Weiughed again on the other end, "Fu Han, let me ask you, is the teacher my dad got for you male or female? Is he handsome?"

    "Not handsome, not at all," Fu Han said through gritted teeth, deeply feeling that no matter how handsome Wang Yixuan was, it didn¡¯t matter, as he was simply too annoying.

    It wasn¡¯t even light out, and she was sleeping soundly when this man started pounding on the door so loudly it seemed like he would break it down; after she opened the door, he dragged her out without a word, iming that the morning was the time when concentration was at its peak and the best time to learn painting.

    To avoid waking her aunt and uncle, she could do nothing but follow him out, burying her anger inside. The driver hadn¡¯t woken up yet, so they had to carry their painting supplies and walk to Moon Bay themselves.

    Wang Yixuan said there was a shortcut they could take, which would cut the journey in half; Fu Han dly agreed since taking the road by car would take an hour.

    But she had no idea that the so-called shortcut was actually a mountain hike. Initially, Fu Han managed to keep up with Wang Yixuan¡¯s pace, but as they went on, she found herself falling far behind without realizing it.

    That would have been fine, except she was sweating profusely from exhaustion; yet Wang Yixuan seemed refreshed as ever, his agile stride practically like walking on t ground.

    The painting tools on her back felt heavy, like a mountain pressing down on her, and she thought with Wang Yixuan¡¯s physique he could easily carry the easel for her, but he showed no intention of doing so.

    As Fu Han grumbled internally, Bai Wei¡¯s video call came through. Could she not be angry?

    With her mouth covered, Bai Wei started tough loudly, "You say that, he must be really handsome. Point the camera at him, I want to see who this person is to get you so riled up!"

    "Don¡¯t look, there¡¯s nothing worth seeing," Fu Han, feeling sullen, was about to end the video call when suddenly a clear voice rang in her ear, "Who wants to see me? Let me see if she¡¯s a beauty?"

    Fu Han looked up, confused. When she epted the video call, she was at least three meters away from Wang Yixuan, and she had deliberately lowered her voice when she spoke. How had hee over so quickly?

    Before she could react, her phone had been snatched by Wang Yixuan, who greeted her with a beaming smile, "Hello, beautiful, what¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Wang Yixuan. Shall we be friends?"

    Bai Weiughed behind her hand, "My name is Bai Wei, and sure, we can be ¡¯just friends¡¯ if you can guide Fu Han well."

    With that, she smiled, turned her head to nce at her right side, and continued, "Plus, I have a boyfriend, and I have no ns to change him for a lifetime."

    "Haha, you¡¯re quite something," Wang Yixuan moved the phone a bit away and squinted his eyes at the screen, then... spoke viciously, "Don¡¯t you think a little too highly of yourself, believing that if someone of the opposite sex asks for your name, they like you?"

    "You..." Bai Wei was so angry her mouth went lopsided, and through gritted teeth, she said, "You have such an irritating way of talking, I hope you stay single for life."

    Having said that, Bai Wei didn¡¯t wait for a reply and promptly ended the video call.

    Wang Yixuan casually threw the phone back into the arms of Fu Han, shrugging nonchntly, "Actually, that¡¯s a blessing for me. Women are such a hassle, who would want to bother with that?"

    Fu Han was a bit curious whether he was speaking truthfully or not. By now, the sky was starting to brighten up slightly, and she could just make out Wang Yixuan¡¯s face.

    Under his sharp facial contours, his face appeared angr and with an aggressive look, his dark eyes bright, reflecting light, giving his entire face a determined look.

    Strangely enough, Fu Han suddenly thought of He Xing. Images formed in her mind of a mountaintop with countless stars and fireflies; He Xing¡¯s face, chiseled and intensely handsome, captured her gaze in the flickering lights.

    He Xing looked down at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, look how beautiful the fireflies in the sky are!"

    But she couldn¡¯t remember ever having watched the stars and fireflies with He Xing. So... was this a memory from the past?

 Chapter 253: Drinking Red Wine Early in the Morning

    <h4>Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Drinking Red Wine Early in the Morning</h4><subtxt> As she was about to close her eyes to really soak in the feeling and try to remember more of the past, her head was suddenly struck from behind with considerable force.

    Fu Han looked up annoyed, ring furiously at theughing, trembling face of Wang Yixuan, who was very close by, "What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"

    "If you keep zoning out here, we can forget about seeing the sunrise," Wang Yixuan said, hitting someone yet showing no remorse, his words particrly irritating.

    Fu Han really wanted to argue, but looking at the long trail up the mountain, she ultimately decided to save her energy rather than engage in a war of words with Wang Yixuan.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t hold back from badmouthing him in her mind, thinking if Wang Yixuan hadn¡¯t been blessed with his decent-looking face, there¡¯s no way he could have lived sofortably with that irritating mouth of his.

    Although Fu Han was utterly dissatisfied with Wang Yixuan in her heart, she had to admit that he did save them a lot of time. After climbing over a mountain and crossing a river, Moon Bay was already in their sight.

    The Moon Bay at this moment was shrouded in mist, resembling a sapphire veiled by a semi-transparent ck cloth¡ªhazy, mysterious, indescribably mystical.

    Fu Han regretted not having brought her DSLR camera; otherwise, she could have captured the beautiful scenery before her eyes. While her phone could also take pictures, the resolution was limited after all.

    Meanwhile, Wang Yixuan had swiftly set up their two easels. Seeing that there was still time, he took out a bottle of red wine and two goblets from his backpack and poured a ss of red wine into one.

    With a teasing lift of his eyelid, he looked at Fu Han with a half-smile, "Care for a drink?"

    Fu Han was staring dumbfounded at Wang Yixuan¡¯s series of actions. With more interactions, she truly felt this guy was a weirdo¡ªclimbing a mountain with red wine in tow, drinking it in the early hours, and how did the goblets even survive such rough handling without breaking?

    Seeing her not moving, Wang Yixuan suddenly added, "Don¡¯t be shy, the wine came from your family¡¯s wine cab, after all."

    Fu Han was indeed a bit thirsty, so hearing this, she picked up the ss without hesitation and downed it in one gulp, then poured herself another ss, looking very much like a petnt child.

    Wang Yixuan chuckled, but this time he didn¡¯t speak. He casually found a lounge chair to sit down, the red wine in his hand swaying, shimmering like a ruby.

    At dawn in Moon Bay, apart from them, there was no one else; a breeze blew over the sea,cking the salty tang of the daytime sea air, wet and refreshing.

    As the first tint of orange rose in the horizon, Wang Yixuan set down his ss of red wine, stood up, and walked over to the easel.

    Fu Han hurriedly followed suit, getting up as well. Despite her numerousints about Wang Yixuan, her uncle had paid for this, and the man¡¯s painting skills were indeed impressive.

    With his charcoal pencil, Wang Yixuan sketched rapidly on the paper while giving pointers to Fu Han.

    And Fu Han listened attentively, while tantly letting her mind wander¡ªto admire the sunrise.

    The sun rose slowly, like a salted egg yolk, gradually emerging from the horizon. The sea surface was dyed red by the sun, a mix of orange, yellow, and light blue, appearing as if mes were burning on the sea.

    It was as if in a slow motion scene from a movie, as if an invisible hand was lifting the sun, slowly raising it. The mes on the sea became more intense until the whole sea seemed aze. When the sunpletely separated from the ocean, it slowly ascended into the sky.

    As this happened, the mes on the sea gradually disappeared.

    When the sky was fully bright, the ocean turned a jewel-blue, like a lost gem nestled there.

    By then, Wang Yixuan¡¯s work was alsoplete. Although it was a simple ck and white sketch, it had a strong visual impact; one nce and you could feel the urgency of the sun to break free and soar into the sky.

    Just as with the portrait of Fu Han he modified yesterday, his every stroke was essential, each carrying its own meaning. His painting skills were indeed... impressive.

    He casually tossed aside his charcoal pencil, crossed his arms, and watched Fu Han, "You¡¯ve just memorized the sunrise scene, now it¡¯s your turn to draw."

    Fu Han felt a headacheing on but had no choice but to brave it. She cleared her throat, weakly puffing up her courage, "Who¡¯s afraid," and then she started to draw.

    It turned out, painting was very different from photography. With photography, if you could precisely control colorbinations, and use environmental lighting to enhance the mood, you could capture the desired scene.

    But painting requires you to recreate what you see or imagine stroke by stroke with your brush, and it must look as beautiful as the image in your mind.

    Fu Han fussed and corrected her work for about two hours before she finally finished her drawing, which she wasn¡¯t very satisfied with, especially since a masterpiecey right beside her,pleted in less than ten minutes by someone else.

    But her sketch paper was nearly torn from all the changes and couldn¡¯t take any more revisions.

    While she was drawing, Wang Yixuan was wearing headphones, drinking red wine, listening to music, leisurely swinging his legs, andfortably watching the sea at Moon Bay, the epitome of contentment.

    When he saw that Fu Han had finally put down her pencil, he also set down his wine andzily walked over.

    And then... Fu Han found out just how poisonous his tongue could be.

    "Is this supposed to be a sunrise? You might as well have drawn an egg instead."

    "Think before you make a stroke. Do these lines flow smoothly? Even a primary school student could do better than you."

    "Sketching is about capturing the essence in one go. Look at what you¡¯ve drawn¡ªa round sun, smeared over and over. Are you regretting not bringing apass with you?"

    Fu Han felt the veins on her forehead throbbing, wishing she could seal Wang Yixuan¡¯s mouth with a needle, yet his biting criticism left her unable to retort.

    In the end, she could only reply feebly, "If I could paint so well, would I still need you to teach me?"

    Wang Yixuan gave her a look that said, "You¡¯re quite articte," before taking the pencil from her hand and making swift modifications to her unbearable drawing.

    This time, Wang Yixuan slowed down his painting, giving Fu Han reminders on how to hold the pencil, how topose the picture, and so on.

    Half an hourter, Fu Han watched as her own despised drawing was transformed into an attractive sunrise. She felt a mix of envy and defiance¡ªwhy could others do it and not her?

    She took her charcoal pencil back, "I¡¯ll draw another one."</subtxt>

 Chapter 254: They are All Thousand-Year Foxes

    <h4>Chapter 254: Chapter 254: They are All Thousand-Year Foxes</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han was always like that, the type who would be stubborn with herself, stand her ground, and be determined to follow through with her decisions, no matter how tough or exhausting it was, she would never give up.

    What was most bothersome was the tone Wang Yixuan used to critique her painting¡ªit was incredibly unsettling. No, from his demeanor to his actions, everything seemed to convey, "I knew it, a youngdy like you would be this way: not taking things seriously and giving up at the slightest obstacle."

    Then, she got the impression from him that he was only tutoring for a bit of extra cash for his travels, a matter of just over ten days. If everyone just cooperated, they would all be free once the time passed.

    This time, she didn¡¯t choose to paint the sunrise but instead went for realism, depicting Wang Yixuan wearing floral shorts and a ck shirt, leisurely sunbathing on a lounger.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyebrows twitched when he saw it, but finally, stroking his chin, hemented reasonably, "You¡¯ve made progress, keep it up."

    But Fu Han was far from pleased with herself. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t beautify Wang Yixuan in her painting. In fact, she had purposefully made him look uglier as a way to release the pent-up frustration within her.

    Bai Qian¡¯s call came, asking where Fu Han was and saying it was time for breakfast; only then did Fu Han realize she was truly hungry. Wine wasn¡¯t filling at all, less satisfying than if she¡¯d brought some dry bread with her.

    After going back and having breakfast, the sun had be very strong, and drowsiness overtook Fu Han. She decided to return to her room, pull the curtains shut, and have a nap.

    However, just as she was about to reach the second floor, Wang Yixuan unexpectedly threw ament at her retreating figure, "Fu Han, your assignment for today is to draw ten sketches of real objects before dinner."

    Fu Han heard the sound of her own teeth grinding and, turning back, she unsurprisingly saw Wang Yixuan¡¯s annoying smirk, making her so mad she wished she could hurl a shoe at him.

    ...

    In the ward of the elder He.

    Xia Ning arrived early in the morning with breakfast and, during the doctor¡¯s rounds, she inquired zealously, talking even more than He Xing¡ªit would be easy for someone uninformed to assume the man in the bed was her biological grandfather.

    When Bai Wei arrived, she saw Xia Ning and He Xing having breakfast on the couch. Bai Wei thought, ¡¯Fu Han is alone abroad, and here you two are, the lovebirds, enjoying yourselves?¡¯

    Her temper ring, Bai Wei kicked the door and leaned against the doorway with a meaningful stare, "Well, well, well, you two seem to have gotten quite close in just a few days, haven¡¯t you?"

    He Xing nced at Bai Wei with an expressionless face, "Keep babbling nonsense like that and see if I don¡¯t beat you."

    Bai Wei stuck out her tongue, clearly unfazed.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed shyly as she nced at He Xing and then at Bai Wei, "Bai Wei, don¡¯t say that. I do like Brother He Xing, but right now, I just hope that Grandpa He gets better soon; I mean nothing more."

    "Oh my gosh, that¡¯s so cheesy." Bai Wei exaggeratedly rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, looking disdainfully at Xia Ning, "We¡¯re all old foxes here; no point in pretending to be a kitten in front of others. If you didn¡¯t have designs on He Xing, why would you be here every day staying with the old man?"

    "I..." Xia Ning¡¯s eyes reddened, and she tugged at He Xing¡¯s sleeve, whispering, "Brother He Xing, see how nasty Bai Wei is speaking. Haven¡¯t I been helping out every day since Grandpa He fell ill, always buying you groceries and meals?"

    "Are you looking to im your rewards before Grandpa He is even better?" Bai Wei was famously sharp-tongued, and since she didn¡¯t care for Xia Ning¡¯s maniptive sweetness, her retort was especially merciless, "Maybe you should let us know in advance how you expect He Xing to thank you once Grandpa He recovers? Perhaps expecting something as good as a maritalmitment?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned thoroughly red; Bai Wei had hit a nerve, and in that moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say. Maybe she didn¡¯t want to talk at all, using this as a test to gauge He Xing¡¯s intentions, especially since he hadn¡¯t been stopping her these days froming to the hospital as before.

    For a while, therge ward grew silent, the beeping of the EKG machine seemed clearer; the sunlight streamed through the window, casting a square of light, just so, that seemed to envelope the elder He, making him appear almost otherworldly.

    It wasn¡¯t until He Xing¡¯s icy voice cut through, "Bai Wei, it seems you¡¯ve been resting too long; it¡¯s time your agency found you some work."

    Bai Wei¡¯s face changed color, and pointing at He Xing, she fumed, "You... you¡¯re really too much, always using low-handed tactics to drag me back."

    He Xing looked up at Bai Wei with eyes as cold as stars, devoid of emotion, "Since you know it¡¯s me who called you back, then hurry up and tell me her address."

    "Her?" Bai Weiughed slyly, her beautiful eyes sweeping over Xia Ning meaningfully, "Who are you referring to? I don¡¯t understand."

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows quirked up, and his handsome face showed a hint of embarrassment, "Who else could it be? Tell me, where did my aunt and her husband take Fu Han?"

    "Oh, so you¡¯re looking for information on Fu Han?" Bai Weiughed heartily as if she had heard an incredibly funny joke, herughter shaking her whole body, especially when Xia Ning¡¯s face looked particrly upset, making her enjoy it even more.

    He Xing¡¯s face darkened, but he continued to stare at Bai Wei impassively, his eyes seeming ready to burst into me.

    Honestly, Bai Wei wasn¡¯t afraid of her parents, but she did have a bit of fear of this cousin whom she didn¡¯t spend much time with. She coughed awkwardly and, despite reluctance, obediently began, "I don¡¯t know where they are."

    "You don¡¯t know?" He Xing¡¯s tone suddenly rose sharply, as if he might as well have written "I don¡¯t believe you" across his face, "They are your parents; how could you not know where they are?"

    "I really don¡¯t know," Bai Wei shrugged her shoulders, looking helpless, "My parents asked if I wanted to go on vacation with them to M Country. You know I was thinking about going to Nuan City with Luo Qinghe, so I didn¡¯t go with them, and of course, they didn¡¯t tell me where they were."

    He Xing tapped his fingers rhythmically on the ss coffee table, considering whether Bai Wei¡¯s words were true or not, and finally he pondered, "I don¡¯t care how you do it; you must find out Fu Han¡¯s location."

    "Now you¡¯re in a rush to find someone? Where were you earlier?" Bai Wei stuck out her tongue, clearly resentful, and she was more upset seeing He Xing and Xia Ning together, particrly since Xia Ning always acted like she and He Xing were so close.

    He Xing coughed, but ultimately said nothing. Fu Han had left suddenly, but if he had paid closer attention, perhaps he could have prevented all this.

 Chapter 255: Deliberate Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Deliberate Provocation</h4><h4></h4>

    While the two were speaking, Xia Ning had not interrupted, but herplexion was looking extremely ugly, anger zing through the ferocity in her eyes as if she wished she could directly devour Bai Wei alive.

    Seeing He Xing being rendered speechless, her anger surged even more. "Bai Wei, no matter what you say, He Xing is still your cousin. Can¡¯t you speak in a less offensive manner? If others heard this, they might again say youck manners."

    "What does my manners have to do with you?" Bai Wei became furious and didn¡¯t care about holding back anymore; she went straight up to Xia Ning and said coldly, "You have manners? If you really had manners, you wouldn¡¯t have had your assistant seduce my boyfriend."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face underwent several changes in an instant, and after a few seconds, she spoke with difficulty, "I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about."

    "No idea?" Bai Wei snorted coldly, her beautiful face like frost overtaking snow, "Qin Xiaonian went to prison first ming you for the things she did, then she changed her story, iming it had nothing to do with you, that she was just too fond of Luo Qinghe; I¡¯ve checked, not long after the premiere, Qin Xiaonian¡¯s personal ount received five million, transferred from a subsidiary of the Xia Group. And you still dare to say this has nothing to do with you?"

    Xia Ning¡¯splexion turned deathly pale in an instant; she violently turned her head to look at He Xing. "Cousin He Xing, listen to me, it¡¯s really not what you think, I... I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, I need to go check it out."

    "All right, then I will wait for the results of your investigation," He Xing¡¯splexion wasn¡¯t looking good either, and he said each word deliberately, "You¡¯d better not think about brushing me off on this."

    Xia Ning nodded frantically, too afraid to say another word, yet her mind was racing, considering how to resolve the situation.

    On the other side, He Xing returned his attention to Bai Wei. "And don¡¯t think about brushing me off either; contact your parents now, have them send you their location, the reason... just say you have something to mail to them."

    Fu Han had specifically instructed Bai Wei not to reveal her whereabouts to He Xing.

    Bai Wei blinked herrge eyes and said with a smile, "He Xing, considering you¡¯re my actual brother, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. Fu Han has someone pursuing her now, you should cherish what¡¯s before you, and live a good life with Xia Ning."

    "What did you say?" He Xing forced the words through his teeth, mes seemingly burning in his ck pupils.

    Bai Wei inly sensed an overwhelming coldnessing over her, but still, she said with calm, "The honest truth is, I had a video chat with Fu Hanst night, it was early morning there, and she was going to watch the sunrise with a guy who¡¯s even more handsome than you. Isn¡¯t it obvious there¡¯s something going on?"

    "What¡¯s the man¡¯s name, and what does he do?" He Xing immediately inquired, his handsome face really resembling an ice sculpture.

    Bai Wei spread her hands and shrugged, "To be frank, I¡¯d love to know too, but they didn¡¯t tell me. My advice to you is to let Fu Han go; she¡¯s forgotten you, let her live her own life."

    The words fell without stirring a ripple.

    If it weren¡¯t for the dropping temperature in the room, Bai Wei would have doubted whether He Xing was even listening to her.

    Whether it was Bai Wei or Xia Ning, they both knew He Xing was truly angry, and now even if they were offered a hundred times their courage, they wouldn¡¯t dare say another word.

    Bai Wei¡¯s phone vibrated; she took it out and saw a photo sent by Luo Qinghe, showing her where she was.

    She sneakily nced at He Xing and noticed that he was staring out the window in a daze, not paying attention to her; she took the chance to slip away while he was distracted.

    It wasn¡¯t until she got into the elevator that she finally breathed a sigh of relief, not realizing when her back had be damp with sweat.

    ...

    The movie theater.

    While eating popcorn, Bai Wei told Luo Qinghe about what had happened in the ward.

    On the huge screen, the male and female leads were experiencing a life-and-death separation, the woman¡¯s cries earth-shattering, the blood on her face so real that it made Luo Qinghe feel a bit ufortable physically.

    He turned his gaze slightly away from the screen to look at Bai Wei; her face was clear under the dim light, her features distinct, like a shining gem in the darkness.

    Luo Qinghe casually wrapped an arm around Bai Wei¡¯s waist andughed, "I saw them on the video chat yesterday too. I don¡¯t think Fu Han likes that guy. Why did you say that to He Xing?"

    "Of course, I had to make it sound serious." Bai Wei leaned her head against Luo Qinghe¡¯s shoulder and said proudly, "I just don¡¯t like the way He Xing acts, as if he has Fu Han wrapped around his finger. I know Fu Han likes him, and I don¡¯t know why she would go with my parents, but it must have been because he did something to hurt her, so she acted that way."

    "So, you purposely provoked He Xing?" Luo Qinghe chuckled, "You¡¯re quite the clever one. But with He Xing not knowing their address, how is he going to find Fu Han?"

    "I don¡¯t buy his act." Bai Wei stuck out her tongue and said with a look of disdain, "He Group might only be famous domestically, but if He Xing wants to investigate, he has many ways to do so. It just depends on how far he¡¯s willing to go for Fu Han."

    ...

    The ward of the He Family patriarch.

    By the time He Xing came to his senses, Bai Wei had already snuck away, leaving only Xia Ning looking worried, and he unceremoniously ordered her away to clear up the matter with Qin Xiaonian.

    Then He Xing took out his phone and sent a Whatsapp video message to Bai Qian.

    It rang for a long time before it was answered, unsurprisingly to darkness, but Bai Qian¡¯s voice, though clearly groggy, was nheless furious, "He Xing, you little bugger, do you even know what time it is? You start a video call without even checking the time?"

    He Xing waited for her to finishining before speaking, "Aunt, I need to see Fu Han immediately."

    "She¡¯s asleep," Bai Qian said from her bed, reluctant to move and rejecting him outright, "Call again in the daytime. Again..."

    "No, it has to be now, it¡¯s something really important," He Xing said in a rush, fearing Bai Qian would actually hang up, "It¡¯s rted to Grandfather."

    Knowing about the He Family patriarch¡¯s surgery, which was risky due to his age and the fact it was neurological, Bai Qian snapped awake, flung the covers off, and without even bothering to put on shoes, dashed barefoot toward Fu Han¡¯s room.

    "Fu Han, get up quick, Grandfather He is calling for you, hurry!"

    The next second the door to the room opened from the inside, and Fu Han, also barefoot, asked, "Aunt, where¡¯s Grandfather He? How is he?"

    "Video, he¡¯s in the video," Bai Qian said, thrusting the phone into Fu Han¡¯s trembling hand.

 Chapter 256: Startled in the Dead of Night

    <h4>Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Startled in the Dead of Night</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t care less that she was still wearing her silk camisole nightgown; she grabbed her phone, looking at the frantic He Xing on the screen, "What about Grandpa, how is he?"

    Since Fu Han had left, this was the first time He Xing had seen her up close. He Xing¡¯s hand touched the screen, tracing over her eyebrows, eyes, nose bridge, and finally resting on her lips.

    Even though she had been woken up in the middle of the night, Fu Han still looked radiant, like she was glowing, making it hard to look away.

    He looked at Fu Han foolishly, wishing he had some superpower to go through the screen and be by her side; he was so focused on looking at Fu Han that he didn¡¯t hear a word she was saying.

    Until Bai Qian, growing impatient, took the phone back, urging He Xing, "Hurry up and tell us, what exactly happened to your Grandpa?"

    The change in the video pulled He Xing back from his reverie.

    Seeing Fu Han¡¯s and Bai Qian¡¯s nearly crying faces on the other side of the phone, he felt guilty for using his Grandpa as leverage to threaten Bai Qian into letting him see Fu Han.

    If he hadn¡¯t used his Grandpa as an excuse, Bai Qian would have likelye up with some poor reason to keep him from seeing Fu Han, just as she had over the past few days.

    He Xing suppressed the guilt in his heart, his expression calm as he told a lie, "Xiaohan, Grandpa underwent surgery the day before yesterday and has been unconscious. Just now, he called out your name in his dreams; I think he must really miss you. Could youe back?"

    "Okay, I¡¯ll book the earliest flight back," Fu Han didn¡¯t hesitate for a second; in fact, she had already started packing.

    Bai Qian¡¯s gaze stayed fixed on the phone screen without speaking. After hanging up the video call, she told Fu Han not to rush packing as there were no flights at this hour, everything could wait until tomorrow.

    Fu Han was originally inplete disarray, but hearing this, she felt as if she had found her anchor and nodded hastily, praying in her heart incessantly that Grandpa He must be alright.

    She began to regret why she had left A City so early; no matter what, she should have waited until Grandpa He was well.

    Strangely, she was sure that her current memories didn¡¯t include anything about Grandpa He, but there was a voice in her heart repeatedly telling her that if something happened to Grandpa He and she wasn¡¯t by his side, she would never forgive herself for the rest of her life.

    Afterforting her for a while, Bai Qian forced Fu Han to lie back down in bed, then she turned off the light, closed the door, and left.

    The hallway was lit with a dim light, not ring, but bright enough to see the way and not be as blind as one with eyes open.

    Bai Qian stood at the top of the stairs for a moment, thinking. Eventually, she decided to go downstairs to the study room, and to be cautious, she closed the door of the study room behind her.

    Then, she took out her phone again and dialed He Xing¡¯s number, "He Xing, I¡¯ve been thinking about what you just said, and something feels off. Tell me honestly, what exactly is Grandpa He¡¯s condition?"

    There was a moment of silence on the other end, the ticking of the clock in the study marching on, each tick digging into Bai Qian¡¯s heart.

    After a while, He Xing finally spoke, "Auntie, no one can judge Grandpa¡¯s condition right now, we can only prepare for the worst. If something really happens to him, and Fu Han isn¡¯t by his side, wouldn¡¯t that be a regret for both Grandpa and Fu Han?"

    "I understand," Bai Qian¡¯s mood was no longer as agitated as when she first received He Xing¡¯s video call; she had calmed down significantly, "I will have someone book the earliest flight for tomorrow."

    "Okay," this time He Xing¡¯s response was quick.

    Bai Qian sighed, "I just hope you haven¡¯t lied to Fu Han, she can¡¯t withstand any deception right now."

    After finishing the sentence, she waited another minute. With no further response from He Xing on the line, Bai Qian clicked the phone off without waiting any longer.

    After booking the flight and setting the rm, Bai Qian went upstairs barefoot and returned to her own room.

    As soon as shey down in bed, Fu Xingbo rolled over and wrapped her waist in his arm, sleepily asking, "Wife, where did you go just now?"

    Bai Qian snuggled into Fu Xingbo¡¯s embrace, finding afortable position, "Thirsty, went to get some water."

    This night was bound to be aplex and sleepless one, Fu Han spent almost the whole night with her eyes open, and Bai Qian didn¡¯t fare much better.

    ...

    He Xing looked at the dark screen in his hand, his emotions veryplex, although what he told Bai Qian wasn¡¯tpletely false, he did deceive Fu Han.

    He could never forget Fu Han¡¯s pale face when she heard about Grandpa¡¯s condition, so devoid of color it seemed like she would copse at any moment; even across the screen, he was worried she might fall.

    But the huge temptation was in front of him; Fu Han had agreed toe back without any hesitation. How could he give that up? But what his aunt said could not be ignored. If Fu Han found out he had deceived her, would she be angry? What should he do then?

    He Xing rubbed his forehead painfully, feeling a terrible headacheing on. He frantically scratched at his head, his gaze inevitably fell back onto Elder He.

    Tomorrow would be the third day, and if grandpa still hadn¡¯t woken up, as the doctors said, he might never wake up; plus, today Grandpa had two abnormal heart rhythms, though they were stabilized afterward; his heart was like a roller coaster.

    But no matter what, Fu Han wasing back soon, even if once again he used Elder He as an excuse. But what did it matter? It was enough that she was returning. As for everything else, he would have to figure out a way.

    Suddenly his gaze sharpened¡ªElder He¡¯s hand moved slightly, a very subtle tremor; if he hadn¡¯t been staring, he might have missed the movement of his fingers.

    He Xing¡¯s breathing almost stopped in excitement, watching Elder He unblinkingly, afraid that his earlier observation was merely an illusion.

    A breeze slipped through the slightly open window, causing the curtains to sway gently, like butterflies dancing in sunlight; under the eyelids, He Xing¡¯s eyshes cast arge shadow, and in those deep ck pupils, there was a flickering light, like twinkling diamonds.

    After what seemed like an eternity, another of Elder He¡¯s fingers moved, and this time He Xing was one hundred percent sure he had not been mistaken.

    His heart soared, but he dared not make a sound, or even speak, scared any noise might startle Elder He. He could only use gestures to signal Old Zhou to call the doctor.

    In no time at all, therge ward was filled with people, mostly experts who operated on Elder He, as well as doctors and nurses who wanted to witness this historic moment.

    As time ticked by, Elder He progressed from being able only to move one finger to slowly moving both hands, until finally, after nearly half an hour, Elder He truly opened his eyes.

 Chapter 257: Successful Surgery

    <h4>Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Sessful Surgery</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing had originally wanted to be the first to step forward and speak to Grandpa He, but he was squeezed out of the circle by a group of doctors.

    It wasn¡¯t until three hourster that He Xing was allowed to speak with Grandpa He. During the past three hours, Grandpa He had undergone a full body examination, with every test He Xing could and couldn¡¯t think of being done.

    Finally, the consensus among the experts was that the surgery was unprecedentedly sessful. Grandpa He woke up after just over two days, and not only could he move his hands, he could even walk slowly while supporting himself against a wall and have smooth conversations with people.

    To think that before the surgery, Grandpa He¡¯s entire half body was unresponsive and his speech was slurred, making even self-care difficult for him.

    The sess of Grandpa¡¯s surgery was the only piece of good news He Xing had received in a long time, and it was also the news he most longed for in his heart.

    Lao Zhou brought in some warm water, and He Xing himself gently helped Grandpa He wash his face and hands, with movements as tender as if he were caring for a child.

    Grandpa He¡¯s somewhat cloudy eyes were full of bloodshot lines, and he appeared to be very unsettled as he patted the back of He Xing¡¯s hand. "You¡¯ve been through a lot these past days. When Grandpa is better, I¡¯ll return to work at thepany and give you a long vacation, how does that sound?"

    "No need, Grandpa," He Xing sniffed and his face beamed with a sincere smile. "As long as you¡¯re healthy, that¡¯s more important to me than anything."

    Murky tears slid from Grandpa He¡¯s eyes, but just then, He Xing turned his head away to wipe his own tears, so he didn¡¯t see them.

    Elite families may appear dazzling, but the bitterness within is often unbearable for ordinary people; He Xing¡¯s parents passed away early, and the three of them were involved in a highway collision. As the car was about to explode, Du Wanting desperately pulled He Xing from the vehicle, while his parents and Du Wanting perished in the explosion.

    Although He Xing was now 27 years old, that day still haunted him like a nightmare, causing him to wake up in cold sweats at midnight.

    He always remembered, he was sitting in the back seat the day his parents met with the ident, watching helplessly as the oing van rushed at them. The look in the van driver¡¯s eyes was cold and deliberate, nothing like that of a drunk driver, clearly indicating it was a targeted car crash.

    Everyone in A City¡¯s upper-ss society knew that car ident was intentionally aimed at the He Group, but the mastermind behind it was too cunning, and to this day, He Xing hadn¡¯t managed to find out who it was. Instead, the actual perpetrator had shown a good attitude by confessing and hadn¡¯t appealed.

    Since then, He Xing had gone from a happy little master doted on by his parents and grandparents, to living as an "orphan" dependent only on his grandfather.

    No, that¡¯s not right; there¡¯s another person just as important in his life, and that is Fu Han.

    After calming their emotions, Grandpa He was the first to speak up. "He Xing, where is Xiaohan? Where on earth is she? Is she angry with you?"

    He Xing¡¯s eyes brightened up. Since Grandpa had taken the initiative, it saved him a lot of trouble.

    The low voices of the grandfather and grandson started resonating in the quiet ward, leaving without a trace, just like a summer breeze passing through, without any evidence that it ever existed.

    &hellip;

    Nan Qing Gallery.

    This was the gallery Nan Qing opened with her parents¡¯ support after returning from M Country. The gallery only disyed and sold Nan Qing¡¯s own artworks.

    So, truth be told, this gallery might even run at a loss each month; but what did it matter, the Nangong Family¡¯s youngdy didn¡¯t care about such a trivial amount of money. What mattered most was experiencing life.

    Of course, asionally someone would rent this tranquil and elegant gallery designed by Nan Qing herself for a day or two to host a party, serving as extra ie.

    However, many times even if someone wanted to rent it, if Nan Qing didn¡¯t like the person, she wouldn¡¯t agree.

    Today, Nan Qing arrived at the gallery after 10 in the morning, nning to tidy up casually as usual, think about what to eat for lunch, have a nap, and then about wake up just in time to close up.

    But just as she was about to take out her keys to unlock the door, someone suddenly called her. She turned around in surprise and saw Su Cheng getting up from a bench not far away and walking towards her.

    Su Cheng and Nan Qing had returned from M Country one after the other. After returning, Su Cheng started his own business; unlike Nan Qing, all of his startup capital was earned by himself without using a penny from his family.

    After returning to the country, Su Cheng always donned white shirts and ck ties, with his hair neatlybed, looking like the city¡¯s most ubiquitous sessful person.

    But to Nan Qing, Su Cheng in a suit and tie seemed like when she used to secretly wear her mother¡¯s high heels as a child; clearly a child, yet dressed like an adult.

    Today, Su Cheng didn¡¯t wear his semi-permanent suit, instead, jeans washed to a light tone adorned his lower half, with two prominent holes at the knees; he wore a white short-sleeved shirt on his upper body and white sneakers on his feet.

    An incredibly simple outfit, somon among students.

    Yet, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t help staring. This was the Su Cheng she liked; though he wasn¡¯t standing under the sunshine, when you saw him, you¡¯d feel he was the sunshine itself, even his scent was special, like a nket that¡¯s been basking in the sun.

    Nan Qing obediently waited for Su Cheng to approach, and during his approach, the stars in her eyes multiplied until they almost overflowed.

    Su Cheng stopped a meter away from Nan Qing, his hands in his pockets, wearing a faint smile. "Why are youte for work again today? It made me wait for so long."

    "Well&hellip;" Nan Qing stuck out her tongue in embarrassment, "I¡¯m used to sleeping until I wake up naturally. Without Fu Han there¡¯s no one to call me, so I arrivedte. Have you been waiting long? Why didn¡¯t you call me?"

    Upon hearing "Fu Han", Su Cheng¡¯s expression momentarily faltered, but he quickly masked it and managed a small smile. "I guessed you were sleeping, so I didn¡¯t call. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t in a hurry."

    Nan Qing nodded, fished out her keys from her bag, and unlocked the door of the gallery. She made a weing gesture and Su Cheng smiled again, silently following her inside.

    "Coffee or tea?" Nan Qing put down her bag and began busying herself at the countertop.

    "Whatever you¡¯re having," Su Cheng replied while admiring a painting. He didn¡¯t want to trouble Nan Qing; he had always been that way.

    Nan Qing gave a quietugh without replying and got to work cleaning the coffee machine and grinding beans, wearing a mouth cover.

    Her life had always been full of style, not necessarily needing the best things, but surely things she liked; wasting time and such never bothered her.

 Chapter 258 Rehabilitation Failure

    <h4>Chapter 258: Chapter 258 Rehabilitation Failure</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng admired each painting, his mind preupied with worries, hesitating about how to broach the subject. So he was in no rush.

    One by one, the coffee beans were ground into fine powder, and then he began to brew coffee, with the aroma starting to spread until it was time for thette art.

    Latte art is definitely a skill, and in order to make her coffee look better, Nan Qing had even taken a special training ss.

    Finally, two cups of coffee were ready, and Nan Qing, looking very satisfied, took out her phone to snap a picture, liking it more and more, so she decided to post it to her social media.

    After finishing all this, she called out to Su Cheng, "Come over for coffee."

    On either side of the bar, there was a tall stool, the kind verymon in bars; they were ufortable to sit on, but they sure were pretty.

    Su Cheng looked down at the coffee cup Nan Qing ced in front of him. Thette art was a delicate four-leaf clover, which, apart from the color, looked almost real.

    He then looked at Nan Qing¡¯s cup of coffee, which had an irregr "heart" shape, looking simple and endearing, quite appealing.

    But a clover and a heart¡ªSu Cheng found it hard not to overthink it.

    A sense of irritation rose from his heart. He picked up a small spoon and stirred, and the lifelike four-leaf clover disappeared, turning Nan Qing¡¯s carefully crafted coffee into an ordinary cup.

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes blinked violently a few times, and by the time she looked up again, her expression had returned to normal, "Su Cheng, you haven¡¯t told me what you came to see me for."

    His hand holding the spoon trembled for a moment. He set the ornate petal spoon down, dirtying the base of the coffee cup with sshes of coffee.

    What was bound to happen had toe. He should have rified things with Nan Qing a few days ago. She had been ducking the issue for so long. Now that he was here, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to leave without saying anything.

    He cleared his throat, striving to speak in a calm tone, "I heard from my parents that you told yours... that we are together, so the cooperation between the Nangong and Huangpu families has be very close."

    "So that¡¯s why you¡¯re here?" Nan Qing shook the jade bracelet on her wrist with a blooming smile, "I¡¯ve epted such a valuable gift from your family, I can¡¯t just do nothing, right?"

    "This..." Su Cheng was immediately embarrassed, unable to say what he had prepared.

    The smile on Nan Qing¡¯s face grew even more pronounced. She batted her eyshes twice, her thick, longshes sweeping up and down like brushes, "Don¡¯t get me wrong, I just told my parents that we are trying out our rtionship for now, to see if we are suitable; it was just to pacify them. When the Huangpu Group no longer needs our help, I¡¯ll tell them we¡¯re not right for each other."

    One day, when Su Cheng was drunk, he unwittingly said something that made Nan Qing ponder deeply; she finally wrung some truth out of her mother. She knew Su Cheng didn¡¯t like her, but to watch him struggle with his parents, she really couldn¡¯t bear it.

    "You..." Su Cheng¡¯s face was animated, his body leaning forward involuntarily, "Is that really what you think?"

    Nan Qing¡¯s heart felt as if it was being pricked by tiny needles, but the smile on her face only grew brighter. She nodded vigorously, as if that made her less sad, "Of course, we are best friends. How could I stand by when you¡¯re in trouble?"

    "Thank you," Su Cheng said, his voice carrying only those two simple words, but his eyes were slightly burning.

    It wasn¡¯t until he got up to leave that Nan Qing noticed he was carrying arge backpack. Concerned, she hastily asked, "Are you going to see Fu Han?"

    "Yes." For some reason, Su Cheng felt a twinge of guilt as he said this, even though he had never hidden his feelings for Fu Han from Nan Qing¡ªin fact, she was the first to know about his interest in Fu Han.

    Lost in thought, Nan Qing had already slowly started to speak, "Fu Han¡¯s flight arrives in A City tonight. You can pick her up at the airport; there¡¯s no need to go to her."

    Nan Qing looked at the empty gallery, feeling deste. She could deceive everyone, including Su Cheng, but she could never fool herself. As long as Su Cheng appeared in front of her, all her efforts were in vain.

    ...

    The captain¡¯s announcement came over the speakers, indicating that the ne would soon bending in A City.

    Someone nudged Fu Han¡¯s arm, "Wake up, you¡¯ll soon see your lover."

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t really been asleep; she just didn¡¯t want to talk to the noisy man beside her, so she had closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. However, upon hearing this, she reluctantly opened her eyes, "Wang Yixuan, nobody would think you were mute if you stayed quiet."

    Indeed, the day after Fu Han received He Xing¡¯s video call, she woke up before dawn, and Bai Qian did the same. She told Fu Han that she had booked a flight back to A City for her.

    At the same time, Bai Qian apologized, saying that she and Fu Xingbo had a lot of things to take care of in M Country, so they couldn¡¯t apany Fu Han back. Instead... they¡¯d asked Fu Han¡¯s teacher, Wang Yixuan, to fill the role ofpanion.

    Fu Han was truly shocked when she heard the news. She tried very hard to refuse, but Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian would not listen, and Wang Yixuan looked more than willing to help.

    In the end, with Fu Han¡¯s objections overruled, she could only watch as Wang Yixuan boarded the ne with her, enduring his torment all the way to the present.

    It was indeed torment. On the flight, Wang Yixuan even remembered his teaching duties, forcing Fu Han to draw everything within sight.

    Although this long flight improved her drawing skills considerably, the cost was severe¡ªshe had umted less than four hours of sleep.

    Now that the ne had finallynded, Fu Han nned to get rid of Wang Yixuan once they disembarked, visit Grandfather He, and then find a hotel to sleep in until oblivion.

    Wang Yixuan probably hadn¡¯t rested well either and quickly agreed to Fu Han¡¯s n; he decided to go his own way once they left the airport.

    As Fu Han was half-heartedly responding to Wang Yixuan, she walked towards the exit when suddenly she heard someone call her name.

    She looked in the direction the voice came from and saw He Xing in the crowd, smiling and waving at her. Her heartbeat became erratic, and a blush uncontrobly crept up her face.

    And as if herpanion, Wang Yixuan, loved to add fuel to the fire, he teased, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, huh? Why don¡¯t you rush over for a hug, or even a kiss? I can take photos for you for free."

    Fu Han, unable to bear it any longer, stepped on Wang Yixuan¡¯s foot and then, maintaining herposure, waved her hand in acknowledgement. It was only as her gaze wandered that she noticed Nan Qing and Su Cheng had alsoe to pick her up.

 Chapter 259 Meeting After Returning Home

    <h4>Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Meeting After Returning Home</h4><h4></h4>

    For no apparent reason, Fu Han felt her face warm up as she approached the trio. She coughed awkwardly and said, "You all came to pick me up. Why didn¡¯t you send me a message in advance?"

    Among the three, only Nan Qing was a girl. She affectionately linked arms with Fu Han, smiling so brightly it was as if her face could glow, "I asked for your flight details, which obviously meant I woulde to pick you up. Do I still need to tell you that?"

    Fu Han smiled, feeling a warm sensation slowly spreading in her heart. It was true she had amnesia, but she could always feel Nan Qing¡¯s genuine affection for her.

    He Xing naturally took Fu Han¡¯s suitcase and backpack, speaking gently, "It¡¯s good that younded safely. Grandpa is waiting for you; I¡¯ll take you to see him."

    Fu Han nodded. Her main reason foring back was to visit Grandpa He, so naturally, she should head to the hospital first.

    Before they could leave, however, Wang Yixuan hobbled over to them and shed Fu Han a twelve-toothed smile, "See you tomorrow, Fu Han. Remember, you haven¡¯t finished today¡¯s homework. I¡¯ll check it tomorrow."

    Wang Yixuan, on the surface, appeared carefree, but in reality, he was very serious about his work. He assigned Fu Han a hefty amount of homework every day. If Fu Han didn¡¯tplete it, the amount would double the next day. If the work wasn¡¯t up to mark, she had to redo it.

    Today, Fu Han had not finished two of her sketch paintings. She had hoped to bluff her way through, but now it seemed impossible.

    Her face fell, and she pouted in displeasure, "You stubborn, obsolete old man, get lost. You annoy me just by being here."

    He Xing¡¯s expression had already soured at the sight of Wang Yixuan, and at Fu Han¡¯s words, his frown deepened even more. He had a stomach full of questions, but he refrained from speaking out impulsively, fearing it would upset Fu Han.

    Nan Qing, on the other hand, had no such reservations. She patted Fu Han¡¯s arm and asked directly, "Fu Han, who is this person? Why don¡¯t I recognize him, and what¡¯s your rtionship?"

    For the first time, He Xing felt a tiny bit of appreciation for Nan Qing, simply because she had voiced the question in his heart.

    Compared to their curiosity, Fu Han was quite calm. She nced at Wang Yixuan and said irritatedly, "He¡¯s a painting teacher hired by my uncle and aunt. They couldn¡¯te back this time and didn¡¯t feelfortable leaving me alone, so Mr. Wang is here to apany me."

    After Fu Han finished speaking, her gaze drifted intentionally or unintentionally across He Xing¡¯s face, which seemed to have lightened his expression. Her own heart felt inexplicably more at ease.

    "Oh, I see," Nan Qing said, her smile deepening. She reached out to shake hands with Wang Yixuan, "Hello, my name is Nan Qing, Fu Han¡¯s best friend. I also paint; perhaps we could exchange pointers sometime."

    "It would be my honor," Wang Yixuan replied, even bowing slightly, an utterly gentlemanly gesture.

    Fu Han was stunned. She could scarcely believe this was the same Wang Yixuan¡ªthe man known for his biting remarks and unpleasant speech¡ªnow standing before her.

    A faint blush appeared on Nan Qing¡¯s cheeks, her heart stirred. She examined Wang Yixuan more carefully.

    Su Cheng naturally had a dislike for any man who appeared close to Fu Han. Seeing Nan Qing blush only fueled his anger.

    Without regard for the fact that Nan Qing was still speaking with Wang Yixuan, Su Cheng grabbed her hand and pulled her back to his side, then coldly gazed at Wang Yixuan, "So you are the one Brother Qinghe mentioned, the one who wants to be friends with Bai Wei and pursue Fu Han?"

    With that, theplexions of the five individuals present changed, except for Wang Yixuan.

    He Xing got to know Wang Yixuan at the same time as Fu Han. He even had Wang Yixuan y the wedding march for Fu Han. He never expected that by the time he heard about Fu Han¡¯s whereabouts, this man would already be by her side; and now that she returned, he was still there. Any man would be hard-pressed not to be suspicious, especially someone like He Xing who was quick to jealousy.

    Nan Qing¡¯s face was burning, not because of Wang Yixuan but Su Cheng. Ever since she was a child with her round face and big grape-like eyes, she was popr; numerous boys pursued her, yet Su Cheng had never shown any jealousy. He would even advise Nan Qing not to be too picky, suggesting it was good enough to be liked.

    But just now, Nan Qing¡¯s mere handshake with Wang Yixuan had set Su Cheng ame¡ªa reaction unheard of in the past. So, how could Nan Qing not be delighted, not blush? She wanted to celebrate with fireworks.

    Fu Han blushed for a different reason: she had never expected Su Cheng, who usually wore an ever-present smile, to be so blunt with his words; it left her rather embarrassed.

    Amidst the bustling airport exit, where parting souls were reuniting with hugs andughter, imbuing the cold space with a sense of warmth, it seemed that all these emotions had nothing to do with Fu Han and herpanions; all eight eyes were fixed on Wang Yixuan, waiting for his response.

    A smile gradually appeared on Wang Yixuan¡¯s face as he surveyed each person, as if striving to read their minds.

    Finally, his gaze settled on Su Cheng, the inquirer, "Yeah, that¡¯s me, Wang Yixuan, the one who can¡¯t take his eyes off a beauty. What about it?"

    If Su Cheng¡¯s words were a bomb, then Wang Yixuan¡¯s were the fuse igniting it.

    He Xing was the first to react. He took a step forward, shielding Fu Han as though he were a mountain. He looked at Wang Yixuan with a deadly stare, "Don¡¯t me me for not warning you. If you dare have any improper thoughts about Fu Han, I will make your life a living hell."

    Wang Yixuan, hands in the pockets of his white sweatpants, looked nonchnt yet undeniably cool, and the frosty undertones were undeniable in his flirtatious eyes. "What if I don¡¯t listen to you?"

    In the past, Fu Han had only known about He Xing¡¯s formidable presence, but she had not anticipated Wang Yixuan¡¯s ability to stand his ground against He Xing so coolly. She was somewhat surprised, realizing she might have underestimated Wang Yixuan.

    The air seemed to solidify, making even breathing difficult.

    Fu Han knew that if she didn¡¯t speak up, the situation could spiral out of control, and nobody could predict what might happen.

    Looking up at He Xing, standing before her like a mountain, she reached out and gently touched his arm. She hadn¡¯t even spoken, yet the suffocating atmosphere dissipated as if it had never been.

 Chapter 260: One Person Provokes Everyoneâ€™s Dissatisfaction

    <h4>Chapter 260: Chapter 260: One Person Provokes Everyone¡¯s Dissatisfaction</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing immediately turned around, his face full of concern as he asked, "Xiaohan, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes suddenly felt a bit sour, and she sniffled, trying hard to muster a small smile: "It¡¯s nothing, I mean, Wang Yixuan is just like that, with a mouth that begs to be punched, but actually, he¡¯s a really good person, he¡¯s my..."

    After a moment of thought, Fu Han chose her words carefully before speaking again: "He¡¯s just a normal friend of mine, and he hasn¡¯t shown any intention of pursuing me, so don¡¯t think too much about it."

    "Really?" He Xing turned his head to look at Wang Yixuan. Thetter scoffed coldly without saying anything, which counted as neither a denial nor a confirmation.

    The tension in He Xing¡¯s back rxed instantly, and his heart felt like a stream flowing gently, the emotion of joy carried along by the waters.

    His happiness wasn¡¯t because Wang Yixuan wasn¡¯t pursuing Fu Han, but because Fu Han had exined this matter to him. He knew that girls only exin themselves to those they consider important; the reason he had been guarded against Wang Yixuan wasn¡¯t that he thought Wang Yixuan could take Fu Han away, but because Wang Yixuan had found Fu Han before him, which was enough to make He Xing pay attention.

    Su Cheng¡¯s mood, however, had not improved at all because, to his annoyance, Nan Qing had actually started chatting with Wang Yixuan. She had taken out her sketchbook, which she carried with her, and was eagerly discussing it with him.

    Seeing that Fu Han and He Xing had already walked ahead, Su Cheng¡¯s expression turned exceedingly ugly. He snatched the sketchbook from Nan Qing¡¯s hands with a very poor tone: "It¡¯s sote, why aren¡¯t you hurrying up?"

    Nan Qing ignored Su Cheng, giving Wang Yixuan an apologetic smile: "I have some things to take care of and need to leave first. We can exchange pointers another day."

    The white Audi raced through the night in City A, the neon lights and streets rapidly retreating, while the pedestrians on the road blurred like they were part of a special effect.

    The world outside the car was like a fast-forwarded movie, a blur where nothing was clear; yet the viewer of this movie appeared extraordinarily distinct, as if the pause button had been pressed.

    Su Cheng drove with an expressionless face, his eyes staring ahead as if harboring deep animosity.

    He had ncingly noticed from the corner of his eye that ever since Nan Qing got into the car, she had been staring at her phone, her slender fingers tapping swiftly on the keyboard, her lips always curved in a smile.

    Su Cheng finally, sadly came to the realization of a fact ¡ª that trying to make Nan Qing notice he was upset was almost an impossible task.

    He floored the gas pedal, and the car suddenly elerated.

    Nan Qing lurched forward due to inertia, her forehead meeting the dashboard in a close encounter; she clutched her forehead in pain: "Su Cheng, what kind of driving is this?"

    Finally forcing Nan Qing to speak up, Su Cheng¡¯s bottled-up anger seemed to find an outlet as he scoffed coldly: "You have the nerve to ask me? It¡¯s because you were ying with your phone in the car and not watching the road."

    "But I..." Nan Qing¡¯s face was full of helplessness: "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one driving, why can¡¯t I use my phone?"

    Thatment left Su Cheng speechless, and it took him a while before he finally managed toe up with a response: "It¡¯s easy to get distracted driving at night, and sitting in the passenger seat should mean helping me keep an eye out."

    "Well, I shouldn¡¯t," Nan Qing, still indignant about her forehead¡¯s collision with the dashboard, retorted angrily: "I¡¯ve always done whatever I wanted when you drove, and it¡¯s the same now. I¡¯m busy; just drive safely."

    Su Cheng was so angry he was fuming, yet he was helpless to do anything about it.

    As they were about to arrive home, Su Cheng could no longer contain himself and spoke again, his wordsced with sarcasm: "So, what is it that you¡¯re busy with? Who are you chatting with?"

    Anger covered Nan Qing¡¯s round face, and she turned her head to re at Su Cheng: "I¡¯m chatting with Wang Yixuan. What business is it of yours?"

    Su Cheng was about to explode with fury but found himself speechless.

    Indeed, what right did he have to interfere with Nan Qing? Not long ago, his greatest wish was for Nan Qing to get married quickly so their parents would stop trying to set them up, but why was he now so agitated?

    Moreover, Luo Qinghe had also liked Nan Qing before and at that time, Su Cheng hadn¡¯t been angry, so why did he now feel such enmity toward Wang Yixuan?

    The Audi stopped urately in front of Nan Qing¡¯s vi. Nan Qing got out of the car, said goodbye, and left, not even giving Su Cheng a second nce, her attitude extremely perfunctory.

    Su Cheng watched as Nan Qing entered her home before he started the car again and drove towards his own house nearby.

    The servant, seeing Su Cheng¡¯s return, excitedly rushed upstairs to inform Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu.

    Both, d in pajamas and slippers, were happy to see Su Cheng, although Mr. Huangpu quickly concealed his joy. Mrs. Huangpu was already trotting over: "Su Cheng, why didn¡¯t you tell mom and dad you wereing today? Have you had dinner? Shall I have someone make you ate-night snack?"

    Su Cheng turned his head to avoid his mother¡¯s touch, his expression growing colder: "I was just dropping Nan Qing off at her ce. I was toozy to drive back to the city, so I decided to stay the night and will leave in the morning."

    "Su Cheng, can¡¯t you move back in to live with us?" Mrs. Huangpu forcefully sat Su Cheng down, pleading earnestly: "You¡¯re our only child, do you really n to be angry with us forever and never bother with us again?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze softened a bit, and he sighed before speaking in a low voice: "I can¡¯t persuade you, so it¡¯s better not to see and not to be upset. You two can do whatever you like."

    Ever since Xia Ning¡¯s engagement day, today was the first time Su Cheng hade back, admittedly also to give Nan Qing a lift on his way, but deep down he was still worried about his parents and wanted to see them again.

    Mr. Huangpu had been taking measured steps downstairs but stopped when Mrs. Huangpu had reminded him before descending the stairs that their son had finallye home and urged him not to lose his temper.

    Yet hearing Su Cheng¡¯s words now, Mr. Huangpu¡¯s anger surged, and he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, grunting with irritation: "The business world is full ofplexities¡ªyou¡¯re just a kid, what do you know? Your mother and I have our own considerations, so don¡¯t worry yourself about it."

    "I shouldn¡¯t worry?" Su Cheng, like a little wolf dog whose tail had been stepped on, trembled with anger: "Do you have any idea that Yang Kaitai has been arrested? If he¡¯s been approved for arrest, it means he¡¯s definitely guilty. If he names you two, I¡¯d like to see what you¡¯ll do!"

    "Why start arguing again the minute you two see each other?" Mrs. Huangpu hurriedly pulled Mr. Huangpu back, preventing him from continuing.

    Then, with a smile stered on her face, she said to Su Cheng: "We appreciate your concern, but rest assured, Yang Kaitai won¡¯t turn us in."

    Hearing this news brought not a trace of joy to Su Cheng; instead, his brow furrowed deeply, and he said irritably: "What have you done to keep Yang Kaitai from turning you in? Resorted to violence?"

 Chapter 261: Fear of Familiar Places

    <h4>Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Fear of Familiar ces</h4><h4></h4>

    Lady Huangpu quickly spoke up before her husband could, "No, that¡¯s not it. Your dad had someone dig up dirt on Yang Group. We¡¯ve got something on them, so naturally, they wouldn¡¯t dare speak recklessly anymore."

    Su Cheng looked at the unmistakable pride on his parents¡¯ faces and felt a deste sadness in his heart. Yes, his parents hadn¡¯t resorted to violence, but was it really right for them to ckmail others with leverage like this?

    Lady Huangpu¡¯s gaze never left Su Cheng, and just one expression was enough for her to know what he was thinking.

    She told her husband to go upstairs to their room first and then pulled Su Cheng to sit down on the sofa with her. With a serious and heartfelt tone, she said, "Su Cheng, don¡¯t be angry with your dad and me. What you said the other day made a lot of sense. We know we were wrong."

    Su Cheng looked at her skeptically, as if he almost had ¡¯I don¡¯t believe it¡¯ written on his face.

    Seeing this, Lady Huangpu hurriedly continued, "Really, we even did one million in charity work a few days ago. Our cooperation with Yang Group has ended. Now you can rest assured, right?"

    Su Cheng stared at his mother for a long while, making sure she wasn¡¯t lying, before he finally rxed.

    ...

    He Family private hospital.

    He Xing drove his car into the underground parking lot, and after parking, he hurried out to help Fu Han open the door, but she had already gotten out of the car gracefully on her own.

    She looked around; this was a ce she had been to before. Back when she left with her uncle and aunt by ne, she had visited Grandpa He in the ward. But then, he had been asleep, and He Xing had gone to attend Xia Ning¡¯s engagement ceremony. No one knew, that¡¯s all.

    But it had been only a matter of days, and now that she was back, everything felt strangely unfamiliar.

    Fu Han sighed silently in her heart, praying fervently that Grandpa He¡¯s condition wouldn¡¯t worsen, please, let it not.

    Stepping out of the elevator, Fu Han stopped and looked at He Xing, her fear growing as she got closer to home, "He Xing, Grandpa... How is Grandpa doing, really?"

    He Xing felt a flicker of guilt cross his face, even though he had been prepared, but still, he said the words he had readied, "Grandpa... the doctor said his condition is very special. He has been overworking for years. This time, multiple illnesses red up at once, and his body couldn¡¯t hold up, that¡¯s why he copsed. I¡¯m afraid that... I¡¯m afraid that... "

    This was what Grandpa He had told him to say, but He Xing found himself unable to utter thest part, no matter how hard he tried; saying it made him feel full of remorse.

    Fu Han¡¯s already pale face turned even whiter, and even her cherry-like lips became extremely pale.

    Her body swayed, as if she was about to copse.

    He Xing quickly extended his hand to support Fu Han¡¯s arm, preventing her from falling, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s not certain that there¡¯s absolutely no chance of recovery. I will do everything I can to find someone to cure Grandpa."

    Fu Han¡¯s lips trembled. She clung to He Xing¡¯s arm like a lifeline, her watery eyes unblinkingly fixed on him, "Really? Grandpa will definitely get better?"

    "This..." He Xing¡¯s face showed hesitation. He wanted to tell Fu Han the truth, but the reality was that if Grandpa got better, Fu Han would leave. He decided to use a little trick to keep her here for now, "Xiaohan, all I can say is that I¡¯ll do my best, everything I can."

    "I know." Fu Han slowly stood upright, dodged He Xing¡¯s helping hand, and started walking step by step toward Grandpa He¡¯s ward on her own.

    She thought she had forgotten everything, but why was it that just the thought of Grandpa He leaving made her heartache to the point where she couldn¡¯t even breathe?

    He Xing trailed behind Fu Han by a meter, looking at her slender shoulders and her thin waist, his heart felt as though it was being scorched in a pan of oil.

    The lights in the ward were turned off, and Fu Han pushed the door open gently and stepped in. She didn¡¯t dare to turn on the light and could only rely on the dim light from the corridor.

    Having not seen him for a few days, Grandpa He¡¯s hair seemed to have whitened a lot, the wrinkles on his face had multiplied, and his cheeks were sunken. The hospital gown hung loosely on his frame.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt as if it was being gripped by a demon. She raised her hand to feel for Grandpa He¡¯s breath, but she was also afraid of waking him up.

    Suddenly, Grandpa He turned over, and his shoulder touched Fu Han¡¯s hand.

    Fu Han inwardly cursed her luck. Sure enough, Grandpa He turned his head back and had already opened his eyes.

    He looked around in surprise and said, "Xiaohan, you really came back?"

    Tears instantly slid down Fu Han¡¯s cheeks. She messily wiped them with her hand and tried to use the most cheerful voice she could muster, "Yes, Grandpa, I¡¯m back."

    "Turn on the light; I want to take a good look at Xiaohan." Grandpa He propped himself up with his elbow to sit up, and Fu Han hurried over to support him.

    With a click, He Xing had turned on the light, and the ward instantly lit up as bright as day.

    Old Zhou, who was staying the night, woke up and was very happy to see Fu Han. He took the thermos to go out, saying he would pour water for Fu Han to drink, and couldn¡¯t be stopped.

    He Xing moved a chair next to the bed for Fu Han to sit on; her mood was so heavy she didn¡¯t even say thank you.

    She and Grandpa He chatted for a long time, mostly about her childhood. It turned out that after her parents died, she had developed autism, and it was only with the help of Grandpa He and He Xing that she was able to recover.

    It was that special time that made her not just any granddaughter in Grandpa He¡¯s heart but more like his own.

    Fu Han just listened quietly, responding now and then, but no matter how entertaining the stories were, she couldn¡¯t smile. The man in front of her was alive now, but he could leave at any moment. How could her heart be at ease?

    Time ticked on, and soon it was the middle of the night, time for the nurses¡¯ rounds.

    Once again, Grandpa He urged Fu Han to go back to rest, telling her toe back tomorrow to see him.

    Fu Han walked away, looking back three times with each step. She rejected He Xing¡¯s offer to stay in the Fu Family vi and had already booked a hotel online that was close to the hospital, just a few minutes¡¯ walk away.

    After He Xing left her at the hotel, he left. The night was deep, and Fu Han¡¯s eyelids were heavy, but despite her weariness, she couldn¡¯t sleep. A great unrest surrounded her.

    ...

    Before Xia Ning even entered the ward, she heardughter and happy voices inside, and without looking, she could tell that among them were Fu Han and Bai Wei, all people she disliked.

    In fact, even before Fu Han had returned, Xia Ning had learned of her impending arrival. He Xing himself had told her.

    At that moment, Xia Ning was busy dealing with the mess Bai Wei had created for her¡ªQin Xiaonian had taken five million from the Xia Family, and the question was who gave it; there was also He Xing asking her what she had said to Fu Han in the cafe.

    She was frantically exining that Xia Cheng had taken a fancy to Bai Wei and had confessed only to be rejected, which was why he sought Qin Xiaonian to frame Luo Qinghe. And at the cafe, she was merely hoping that Fu Han would be nicer to He Xing.

 Chapter 262: Urgent Engagement

    <h4>Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Urgent Engagement</h4><h4></h4>

    Out of the blue, He Xing spoke up, "Thank you for your help. Fu Han will be back soon, and then you won¡¯t have to spend all day in the hospital taking care of Grandpa."

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t remember how she had reacted at the time, but her expression definitely wasn¡¯t a pleasant one. However, because she felt guilty, she didn¡¯t say anything.

    Hate? Of course, she hated.

    She had finally managed to willingly send Fu Han away, but before she and He Xing could make any progress, Fu Han hade back.

    But was she worried?

    A cruel smile appeared on the corner of Xia Ning¡¯s mouth. Since you are ruthless, don¡¯t me me for being unjust.

    By the time she walked into the ward, she had already put on the sweet smile she had practiced thousands of times: "Fu Han, you¡¯re back? Wee."

    The joyful atmosphere in the ward instantly evaporated. Bai Wei looked at him with scorn, Fu Han was somewhat guilt-ridden, but the old man remained calm with a smile on his face.

    He Xing¡¯s face turned very ugly. He said, without politeness, "Didn¡¯t I tell you to rest at home and not toe to the hospital?"

    "I¡¯m worried about Grandpa, so I have to see him to be at ease," Xia Ning pretended not to catch He Xing¡¯s implication and walked up to the elderly Mr. He with a glowing smile, bending over and said intimately, "Grandpa He, how are you feeling today?"

    Having taken care of him for so long, even though Mr. He always found Xia Ning to be too scheming for his liking, he still appreciated her care.

    Mr. He chuckled, "Thank you for the concern. I feel much better. There¡¯s a banquet at the He Family in a couple of days. You and your father and brother shoulde by. The invitation will arrive soon."

    "A banquet?" Xia Ning¡¯s smile grew even wider, and she yfully stuck out her tongue, saying, "Grandpa, is it a banquet to celebrate your discharge from the hospital? I must attend!"

    "No," Mr. He¡¯s smile deepened a little as he looked at Fu Han with indulgence: "It¡¯s Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s engagement party. Time is tight, and I can¡¯t be bothered to find another venue. We¡¯ll just have it at the He Family mansion. No need to invite too many people, just some close friends and family."

    "Engagement?" Xia Ning¡¯s smile froze on her face as she turned her head to look at He Xing as if seeking confirmation.

    He Xing¡¯s smile was undisguised as he ced his hand on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and said, "Yes, the engagement party for me and Fu Han. We really hope to have your blessing."

    "Blessing, of course, I bless you," Xia Ningughed heartily, herughter so exaggerated that she was almost in tears.

    Somehow, when Xia Ning had ckmailed Fu Han to leave, she felt no affection for Xia Ning and was even disgusted, but now, seeing Xia Ning crying, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Xia Ning.

    She turned her head away, unable to bear looking at Xia Ning any longer, and at the same time, she moved away from He Xing¡¯s hand to avoid his touch on her shoulder.

    The engagement, such sudden news because it was decided less than ten minutes ago.

    She came early in the morning to visit Mr. He and was the first to arrive in the ward. Then, He Xing and Bai Wei came one after the other. By then, the doctor had already made their rounds, and without saying much, they just advised Mr. He to take it easy.

    Afterward, Mr. He took Fu Han¡¯s hand, tears streaming down his face, saying the greatest regret of his life was not seeing Fu Han and He Xing get married. He even repeated to Fu Han the story of her 18th birthday when she personally asked to be engaged to He Xing.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t remember anything, but hearing this memory made her inexplicably sad; shouldn¡¯t she be happy for getting what she wanted?

    Then Mr. He asked Fu Han if she could fulfill his wish and marry He Xing so that He Xing could take care of her on his behalf, otherwise, he would never be at peace in his life.

    Fu Han and He Xing looked at each other for a full two minutes, clearly seeing hope and a humble plea on each other¡¯s faces. Simrly, she felt theplexity of her own feelings, with both joy and sorrow.

    At that moment, He Xing knelt on one knee, magically producing a ring, "Xiaohan, I know you have forgotten our past. I don¡¯t expect you to remember it. I will love only you in this life, please give me a chance to take care of you."

    Then, amidst Bai Wei¡¯s cheering and Mr. He¡¯s eager anticipation, Fu Han had no other choice but to extend her hand.

    Her parents had saved Mr. He, but Mr. He had also raised her for many years, and she owed him a debt of gratitude. Today, this was Mr. He¡¯s final wish, and since she herself had requested this marriage to begin with, what did it matter if she had amnesia? She was honor-bound toply.

    As to when to get engaged?

    She had already agreed to marry He Xing, did it matter whether it happened sooner orter?

    ...

    The news of He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s impending engagement spread like an explosion. The reason was simple¡ªthe He Group directly released the news and indicated that this was a private engagement party and that the He Group would release rted photos at the event.

    Nan Qing was idly flipping through social media in the gallery when she saw the news. After a moment of silence, she still ended up calling Su Cheng, and the two agreed to meet at four o¡¯clock in the afternoon at the bar they often frequented.

    She was someone who valued punctuality, disliking waiting for others or being waited on, so she arrived five minutes ahead of the scheduled time.

    But when she arrived, Su Cheng was already there, with several bottles of liquor haphazardly ced in front of him.

    The bar wasn¡¯t crowded at this hour. The bartender was leaning on the counter, lost in thought. The bar had fewer than ten people in it, and a strong scent of alcohol greeted her as she entered.

    She frowned and approached Su Cheng, "What are you doing? Trying to drink yourself to a stupor again? Didn¡¯t you foresee this oue long ago?"

    "What do you know!" Su Cheng pped away Nan Qing¡¯s hand, bing agitated and incoherent, "I thought... I thought after she lost her memory and became so close to me upon waking, if we started over, she would surely like me. But why? Why?"

    Nan Qing heaved a deep sigh, her face showing pity as she said, "This is just like you. When Fu Han had a good impression of you, you didn¡¯t seize the moment, and now that He Xing has beaten you to the punch, you are here wallowing in self-pity. Do you find that meaningful?"

    "Yes, it¡¯s meaningless, I know it is," Su Cheng said, downing another big gulp of liquor, pointing at Nan Qing and shouting, "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯vee to enjoy seeing my difort. I don¡¯t like you, and Fu Han doesn¡¯t like me either; you must be pleased."

    Nan Qing¡¯s heart felt as if it were pricked by something¡ªpainful, but not obvious. She turned her head away and stopped looking at Su Cheng, "Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this. You¡¯ve had too much to drink; I¡¯ll take you home."

 Chapter 263: The War of Two Men

    <h4>Chapter 263: Chapter 263: The War of Two Men</h4><h4></h4>

    "Who asked for your help?" Su Cheng pped away Nan Qing¡¯s hand with such force that her hand immediately turned red.

    "What kind of man are you?" Suddenly, someone grabbed Su Cheng and threw him forcefully onto the sofa; it was Wang Yixuan, pointing at Su Cheng, he said, "If you like Fu Han, go win her back. She¡¯s neither engaged nor married yet. But why are you taking out your anger on Nan Qing here?"

    Struggling to his feet with hands and feet, Su Cheng pushed against Wang Yixuan¡¯s shoulder, "And what kind of man are you? Flirting with every woman you see, you¡¯re scum, you know that?"

    Nan Qing saw Wang Yixuan¡¯s face darkenpletely, she hurriedly stopped him, "He¡¯s drunk, don¡¯t stoop to his level. I apologize on his behalf."

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s fist had already been lifted, but upon hearing this, he took a deep look at Nan Qing and ultimately lowered his fist, "I¡¯ll let you off just this once."

    "It¡¯s me who can¡¯t be bothered arguing with you." Su Cheng, slurring, waved his arms and shouted at Wang Yixuan, seemingly not ready to stop until a fight broke out.

    Yet, Wang Yixuan acted as if he saw nothing, walking straight to an armchair on the side and sitting down. He snapped his fingers confidently, and immediately a waiter brought over a drink.

    Feeling bored, Su Cheng waved his hand and shook off Nan Qing¡¯s supporting hand, staggering towards the door.

    "Where are you going?" Nan Qing quickly followed, very anxious.

    "To find Fu Han." Su Cheng red sideways at Nan Qing, "Don¡¯t you dare follow me!"

    He looked back every two steps, and finally, he hailed a taxi and left; Nan Qing was both angry and worried, but there was nothing she could do. Stamping her foot forcefully, she hesitated about whether or not to follow him.

    "Remember, you¡¯re his friend, not his mother." Wang Yixuan had emerged from the bar at some point, leaning nonchntly against the door frame with an effortless cool, "He¡¯s in a taxi, not drunk-driving; he¡¯s a boy, not a girl. So as long as he can speak clearly and has money in his pocket, the odds are he¡¯ll be fine."

    Nan Qing thought about it and felt he made sense. Recalling what Su Cheng had said earlier, she also felt a bit sad, as she had genuinely intended to console Su Cheng, but he thought she was there to mock him.

    Feeling disillusioned, she didn¡¯t say anything further and returned to the bar to pay the bill, before turning around and heading out.

    Her gallery wasn¡¯t far from here, about a half-hour walk away, passing through a historic park full of towering trees.

    Not wanting to call a taxi, she simply entered the park and chose a less-traveled shaded path to walk down.

    The summer sun was dazzling, and it pierced through the mottled tree shadows like scattered diamonds, quite beautiful.

    Nan Qing purposely stepped where the sunlight touched the ground, and when the sunlight fell on her feet, she felt as if she was wearing crystal shoes.

    Then a breeze came along, rustling the leaves against each other, producing a whispering sound like someone ying an unknown symphony, which was incredibly pleasant to hear.

    Under a towering tree ahead, there was a bench. Nan Qing walked over and sat down, squinting and leaning back, basking in the sunlight, the summer breeze, and the singing of the leaves.

    Footsteps approached her, and she slowly opened her eyes, greeting Wang Yixuan, who had already sat down beside her, with a smile as radiant as flowers, "Thank you for your kindness."

    Wang Yixuan smiled, "So you knew I was following."

    ...

    The He Family vi.

    Grandfather He was discharged from the hospital. Although it was called a discharge, it was almost like being in the hospital since all the possible machines needed were moved to his home. His ward at home was set up just like a hospital ward.

    Fu Han originally disagreed with Grandfather He being discharged, but after seeing how the ward was arranged, she felt relieved and personally helped him back to his room.

    A stay in the hospital had caused Grandfather He to lose a noticeable amount of weight, nearly skin and bones. He patted Fu Han¡¯s arm, "I¡¯d like to stay here on my own for a while; go and arrange your room."

    Under the servant¡¯s guidance, Fu Han came to her own room, which had excellent natural lighting with two windows¡ªone facing the garden downstairs, the other facing the observatory on the hilltop¡ªboasting a lovely view.

    She heard from the servant that this was her old room, cleaned daily with theyout unchanged. She walked around the room, feeling no sense of familiarity.

    In the end, Fu Han picked up a photo album and sat on the swing chair on the balcony to look through it slowly. Inside were many photos: her solo pictures, pictures of her with He Xing, pictures of her with Grandfather He, and He Xing¡¯s solo pictures. At the back of the album, she saw an old photo of a family of three.

    The years had faded it, but upon close examination, she felt that the young woman in the photo indeed looked a bit like Fu Xingbo, confirming they were indeed siblings¡ªafter all, what could be more convincing than a paternity test?

    "This is your father and mother," He Xing¡¯s gentle voice came from above her.

    Fu Han turned her head slightly to look at He Xing, the upward angle being especially challenging to his appearance, but even with such a harsh vantage point, He Xing remained impably handsome with his perfect jawline, straight nose, full forehead, and eyshes thick as if they were false.

    If one must nitpick, it might be his thin lips, which don¡¯t seem like much from the front, but from this angle, they give a slightly aloof impression.

    Her eyes traveled further down, noticing the top two buttons of He Xing¡¯s shirt were undone, his clear corbones faintly visible. The somewhatrge shirt made him look a bit slender.

    "What are you looking at?" He Xing¡¯s lips quirked upward, softening the stern expression on his handsome face, reducing the coldness implied by his lips.

    Realizing what she had been gazing at, Fu Han¡¯s face flushed slightly as she awkwardly turned away, "I... I was wondering if you¡¯ve lost weight?"

    "Yeah," He Xing admitted readily, smiling and frowning, "You left suddenly, without a word, and I couldn¡¯t find you. How could I not lose weight?"

    Fu Han looked at He Xing with herrge, grape-like eyes, unable to discern if his words were sincere, as his smile was too suggestive.

    He Xing slowly reached out, inching closer to Fu Han, fearful his brashness would cause her difort, but fortunately, when his hand touched the top of her head, she showed no sign of resistance, "Xiaohan, rest assured, I will not let you down."

    "Hmm, I know." Fu Han felt the warmth from He Xing¡¯s palm, touching the diamond ring on her finger, it seemed as though the ring, once cold, also started to feel warm.

    She told herself it was enough; even if her heart harbored faintly mixed emotions, the joy was real. That was enough.

 Chapter 264: Not Used to This

    <h4>Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Not Used to This</h4><h4></h4>

    Although it was just a simple four words, to He Xing, they sounded as melodious as a Buddhist chant; his heart softened into a mess, and without concern for anything else, he pulled Fu Han into his embrace.

    Fu Han quietly listened to the rhythm of He Xing¡¯s heartbeat, steady and strong. Just listening to his heartbeat seemed almost magical.

    Then there was his scent, with a hint of shower gel, reminiscent of a grassy field after a heavy rain, fresh and moist with a hint of coolness that seemed to cleanse one¡¯s spirit.

    Fu Han felt an unprecedented sense of tranquility in her soul.

    He Xing felt the same tranquility as his arms rested on Fu Han¡¯s shoulders. Her shoulders were so delicate that he dared not rest his entire arm on her, for fear of breaking them.

    Fu Han was nearly one meter seventy, but when He Xing held her in his arms, she seemed as small as a kitten, evoking a sense of tenderness.

    He Xing¡¯s heartbeat quickened, and without thinking, he lowered his head and kissed Fu Han¡¯s forehead. She did not pull away; encouraged, He Xing¡¯s lips began to move downward, bit by bit, like slow motion in a movie.

    But just as He Xing¡¯s lips touched Fu Han¡¯s, she pushed him away as if electrocuted.

    Caughtpletely off guard, He Xing staggered backward several steps, nearly falling over.

    Fu Han felt somewhat guilty and reached out to grab He Xing, but her arms were too short to reach him.

    Her face turned entirely red, and she stood up, saying awkwardly, "I¡¯m sorry, I... I don¡¯t like this."

    "It¡¯s okay, I was too hasty," said He Xing, who, before even straightening his clothes, first sought to relieve Fu Han¡¯s difort.

    Guilty feelings overwhelmed Fu Han. She didn¡¯t know why she pushed He Xing away, especially since they had once kissed by the riverside before she went abroad, a passionate and poignant kiss that remained a beautiful memory in her heart.

    She nodded, her hands sped, then released as she hesitated to say, "I... I hope you understand that our marriage is... because of Grandfather, we are... different from an ordinary couple."

    Something shattered on the floor with a snap, He Xing¡¯s heart.

    He looked at Fu Han, his face pale and his heart in agony, yet forced a small smile onto his bloodless face, "I know you don¡¯t want to marry me. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t force you to do anything you don¡¯t want after we¡¯re married."

    When Fu Han heard He Xing say "don¡¯t want to marry me," it felt as though a knife had stabbed her heart. Herplexion turned from red to white, but ultimately, she nodded, saying something even more cruel, "It¡¯s good that you know."

    The room fell silent as death in an instant. Although He Xing smiled at Fu Han, his eyes clearly conveyed unspeakable pain.

    He just kept looking at her, but to Fu Han, it felt like torture.

    Fu Han wanted to change the subject. It took a long time for her to blurt out, "You must be very busy these days, is it okay for you to be here?"

    "As long as you don¡¯t send me away, it¡¯s fine," replied He Xing without hesitation.

    Fu Han unexpectedly detected a hint of resentment in his words, which was so at odds with He Xing¡¯s character that she blushed with awkwardness, "Well... this is your home, you can be wherever you want."

    Although Fu Han¡¯s response was awkward, she didn¡¯t actually send He Xing away. He Xing¡¯s heart soared, and he didn¡¯t bother her further, instead he picked up a book from the shelf and moved a chair to sit not far from Fu Han.

    The room became quiet all of a sudden, and Fu Han felt somewhat ufortable. She looked around, noticed her backpack with the drawing board, and thought, with nothing better to do, she might as well continue practicing her drawing.

    It was quite funny that on the day she returned to the country, Wang Yixuan had clearly told her at the airport to maintain the density of ten sketches a day. But these past days, Fu Han hardly managed one or two sketches and even feared Wang Yixuan would scold her when sending him the scanned assignments.

    Thankfully, Wang Yixuan seemed to have his own concerns these days and did not show any dissatisfaction with Fu Han¡¯s tant ziness"; but actually, it wasn¡¯t that Fu Han wanted to bezy, she had been virtually inseparable from Old Master He, so where was the time for drawing?

    Now the repercussions of ziness" struck; Fu Han grasped the charcoal pencil but couldn¡¯t make a single mark. She chewed on the pencil unconsciously, tangled over what to draw.

    Her gaze wandered and inadvertently fell on He Xing.

    The evening sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on He Xing, his hair gelled to a shine as if touched by ayer of gold or sprinkled with crushed diamonds.

    His head was tilted slightly down, his neck as elegant as a swan¡¯s. His eyshes were especially long, casting massive shadows on his face from Fu Han¡¯s angle, obscuring his expression.

    Outside, the cicadas¡¯ chorus could be heard. Normally, Fu Han would find it incredibly annoying, but now, the earthly noise made a stark contrast with He Xing at that moment, one utterly boisterous, the other utterly serene.

    Suddenly inspired, Fu Han¡¯s charcoal pencil began to scratch against the sketching paper, strokes after strokes taking shape, gradually outlining a drawing.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t help but lift his gaze to Fu Han, who stood in front of the easel wearing a white T-shirt, ck pencil pants, and home slippers, her long hair haphazardly pinned up, revealing a segment of her fair neck, her face bare and natural.

    This was the simplest of outfits, but also the most difficult to pull off, yet Fu Han, dressed so inly, seemed to radiate light, not a blinding re but a warm light that illuminates the way forward in the dark.

    Actually, Fu Han¡¯s unhesitating push had left a small knot in He Xing¡¯s heart; but now, she herself had healed the knot in his heart.

    He didn¡¯t know what Fu Han was drawing and was curious, but he would not disturb her.

    She had said before that even if her work was exhausting, she would never want to be a housewife; He Xing had always remembered this and had reminded himself countless times not to step on this minefield again.

    One reading, the other drawing, Fu Han¡¯s room was a picture of peaceful, idyllic times, as splendid as a world inside a ss globe, a fairytale kingdom, exquisite and bright, without a hint of shadow.

    Until a scream shattered the room¡¯s tranquility.

 Chapter 265 Are Your Friends Trustworthy?

    <h4>Chapter 265: Chapter 265 Are Your Friends Trustworthy?</h4><h4></h4>

    By then, Fu Han¡¯s painting was in its final stages ofpletion, and it could be finished with just a few more adjustments.

    Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed as she followed the scream with her gaze towards the French window outside, just below was the garden she had just used for reference, and at the garden¡¯s entrance at this time stood a person, someone she recognized, but hadn¡¯t expected to see here.

    "Su Cheng?" Fu Han muttered softly, "What is he doing here?"

    He Xing had already closed the book in his hands and walked over to stand beside Fu Han, following her line of sight to look outside.

    Su Cheng was standing at the entrance of the He Family¡¯s vi, desperately trying to get in, forcefully shaking the gate with a servant standing inside talking to him, probably trying to persuade Su Cheng to leave.

    Su Cheng¡¯s hand reached through the gap in the iron gate, grabbing the servant¡¯s cor and shouting at him to open the door; the earlier scream was likely Su Cheng¡¯s outraged cry.

    Before Fu Han could speak, He Xing had already opened the window and said to the servant downstairs, "This gentleman is Lady Fu¡¯s friend, please let him in."

    The gate was immediately opened. Su Cheng pushed aside the servant who was blocking him and who hadn¡¯t managed to move away in time, shouting loudly, "Fu Han,e down. I have something to tell you."

    "Okay!" Fu Han replied from the window and turned to prepare to go downstairs.

    He Xing grabbed Fu Han¡¯s wrist in one swift motion, his deep voice resonating, "Xiaohan, do you need me toe down with you?"

    "No need." Fu Han turned to look at He Xing with a light and breezy smile, "It¡¯s okay, Su Cheng won¡¯t do anything to me, and anyway..."

    She paused for a moment, then smiled brightly, "Moreover, even if Su Cheng really did intend to do something, this is the He Family¡¯s property; he couldn¡¯t seed here."

    "Mm, you¡¯re right," He Xing slowly released Fu Han¡¯s hand, and after a pause, he calmly said, "Su Cheng is a friend who has offered you a lot of help, I trust him."

    Fu Han¡¯s expression finally changed, but it was only a shift in her eyes. She looked intently at He Xing for a moment, then walked towards the door.

    Ever since Fu Han had awakened, she felt as if everything about herself was arranged by He Xing, everything from cosmetic surgery to treatment ns was decided by him; just like this time with the discharge of the old He Family master from the hospital, as well as the engagement ceremony they were preparing for soon, He Xing was in charge of it all, always decisive.

    But she didn¡¯t expect that He Xing was not what she thought, domineering, selfish; it turns out He Xing could also find her friends reliable.

    When Fu Han went downstairs, Su Cheng was still shouting. She raised her voice slightly and called out, "Su Cheng."

    "Fu Han?" Su Cheng turned his head and saw Fu Han. He stumbled towards her but came to a stop one meter away from her. Covering his mouth, he said awkwardly, "I... Fu Han, sorry, I¡¯ve been drinking and might breathe on you, I should stay away from you."

    "It¡¯s fine." Fu Han guessed that something must have happened for Su Cheng to behave this way, so she took two steps towards him, "I don¡¯t mind. Sit here for a while; I¡¯ll make you some honey water."

    "Okay." The headstrong Su Cheng, after a few words from Fu Han, was soothed and obediently sat in his original spot, as if nothing had happened.

    He Xing was still standing in front of the French window of Fu Han¡¯s room. His view was much broader than that of those downstairs; he could see not only the vast garden but also Su Cheng¡¯s restless manner, the lush trees in the distance, and the empty observatory next to them.

    A few minutester, Fu Han came out, holding a cup of warm honey water in her hand.

    She smiled and handed the honey water to Su Cheng, "Drink a bit of this, it should make you feel a lot better."

    "Okay." Su Cheng looked up at Fu Han, smiling foolishly, and it wasn¡¯t until Fu Han reminded him again that he remembered to take the honey water.

    Gulp, gulp!

    Su Cheng finished the honey water in a few gulps, and after he emptied the ss, he held the empty cup out to Fu Han like a student awaiting instructions, "I¡¯ve finished."

    "Mmhmm." Fu Han nodded and smiled. She casually ced the cup on the marble table before sitting down opposite Su Cheng, looking at him with her big, sparkly eyes, "Did you want to talk to me about something?"

    Su Cheng grinned, simply staring at Fu Han, as if he¡¯d be a lovesick fool.

    Fu Han felt unnerved under his gaze, touched her forehead, and said somewhat annoyed, "Su Cheng, are you going to speak or not? If not, I¡¯m leaving."

    He Xing frightened Su Cheng with that remark. He hurriedly waved his hands to stop Fu Han, his wordsing out all muddled, "Fu Han, you... don¡¯t go, I have something very important to tell you."

    "Alright, then say it." Fu Han settled down again, but for some reason, she suddenly felt uneasy. Instinctively, she looked back and saw a blurry figure behind the window of her room; she knew it was He Xing.

    Suddenly, the unease in her heart vanished.

    Su Cheng looked tenderly at Fu Han, his brain now much clearer. He felt he would never want to love anyone else the way he loved Fu Han in this life.

    Remembering what Wang Yixuan had said, that Fu Han wasn¡¯t married yet and that he still had a chance, if he kept everything bottled up and never spoke, he would definitely regret it profoundlyter.

    At this thought, Su Cheng could no longer control himself. He stood up, settled next to Fu Han, and with his bright, unwavering eyes locked onto hers, he dered, "Fu Han, I like you. From the moment I saw you, I liked you. Could you please not marry He Xing? Could you consider me instead? I promise to treat you well for a lifetime."

    A blush crept onto Fu Han¡¯s cheeks. She hadn¡¯t expected Su Cheng to cause such amotion to say these words. Yet thinking again, his behavior today was very different from usual, so it wasn¡¯t strange for him to say this now.

    But how should she respond without hurting his feelings?

    Fu Han searched her thoughts but could only muster one sentence, "Well, Su Cheng, you... you¡¯re a good person, but we¡¯re not suitable for each other."

    "Why?" Su Cheng became excited, and he suddenly stood up, raising his voice, "You like photography, and so do I, ourpanies are doing really well right now; you like freedom, and so do I, I feel we are quitepatible."

    "It¡¯s not about that." Fu Han sighed deeply in her heart and then spoke with difficulty, "I have amnesia now. I don¡¯t remember a lot of things from the past. Everything I remember has been told to me by you all, right?"

    Su Cheng didn¡¯t understand why she would suddenly say this and after thinking for a while, he nodded, "Yes, we did tell you a lot about your past."

 Chapter 266: The Observatory in Memory

    <h4>Chapter 266: Chapter 266: The Observatory in Memory</h4><h4></h4>

    A breeze sifted through the camphor trees, rustling noisily; however, the high summer temperatures transformed it into waves of heat that made one involuntarily break out in sweat.

    The incessant cries of cicadas ovepped one another¡ªwhy did they suddenly be so noisy and unpredictable? How could such creatures exist in this world?

    Fu Han¡¯s heart became irritated.

    She tried to ask in a calm voice, "Su Cheng, may I ask you a few questions?"

    "Sure." Hope rekindled in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes, thinking this was Fu Han giving him a chance.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze fell upon the gardenias nearby. Their blossoms were so pure white that she always felt their scent was too intense, turning the gardenias vulgar.

    She took a deep breath and slowly began, "The real Fu Han knew you for only three years, but she knew He Xing for twenty years, is that correct?"

    "Correct." The light of hope in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly, but he still stubbornly added, "I think the length of time one knows a person is not a reliable indicator of their trustworthiness."

    "I agree with that," Fu Han responded readily, but her next words were less pleasant: "However, for someone with amnesia, I think it¡¯s better to have known someone for a longer time."

    Just as Su Cheng opened his mouth to speak again, Fu Han hastily interjected, "Second question, whether it¡¯s you, Nan Qing, or Bai Wei Luo Qinghe, you all say that before I lost my memory, I liked He Xing, right?"

    The light in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes fadedpletely, as if a fierce storm had snuffed out the candles on the windowsill.

    His lips trembled as he began weakly, "Yes, you used to like He Xing. But... but you returned to the country to get away from He Xing. And... and regardless of the past, ask yourself, do you really like He Xing now?"

    This question truly stumped Fu Han. Honestly, this had been troubling her for the past few days. No, ever since she woke up, this was the question that troubled her most.

    She remembered the terror she felt when she firstid eyes on He Xing, overwhelming as if she had seen something terrifying; yet everyone imed she liked He Xing.

    But is this what liking someone is like?

    When you like someone, shouldn¡¯t you be overjoyed when you see them? So why did she feel nothing but terror?

    Fu Han was perplexed, and even from the moment she woke up until now, she remained unclear on this.

    Yes, she wasn¡¯t afraid of He Xing now, but asionally, in her midnight dreams, she would return to the moment she woke up in the ward, Su Cheng¡¯s teary face, and He Xing¡¯s agitated expression. Each time, her back would be drenched in sweat.

    Su Cheng stared at Fu Han with eyes like obsidian stones, as if trying to convey his persistence through his gaze.

    Fu Han felt a surge of destion in her heart and could only reluctantly answer, "My memory is iplete now, I cannot answer that question. My engagement to He Xing was set when I was eighteen, and I sought it myself. I am duty-bound to fulfill it."

    "But..." Su Cheng¡¯s eyes reddened; his voice became fervent and disjointed, "Marriage is for a lifetime, how can you make such a hasty decision? Shouldn¡¯t you wait a while longer?"

    Wait? Fu Han inwardly smiled bitterly. She could wait, but the old Master He couldn¡¯t; at least her current decision to marry He Xing was entirely to fulfill the old master¡¯s wish. As for everything else, she could only set it aside for now.

    "No need, I have already decided and will not regret it." Fu Han turned her head away, intending to avoid Su Cheng¡¯s gaze, but inadvertently caught sight of the observatory on the mountaintop.

    Her heart trembled greatly; how could the observatory look exactly like the one she had seen in her mind? She was certain she had never been to the He family¡¯s home since waking up; this was her first time here, which meant she truly must have watched fireflies with He Xing before?

    Fu Han¡¯s emotions rollercoastered, so agitated that shepletely failed to hear what Su Cheng was saying.

    Over there, Su Cheng professed his feelings in a rush, but received no response. Thest bit of unwillingness in his heart finally vanished, and he got up disheartened and headed towards the door.

    Just as he was about to step out, Fu Han finally came to her senses. Recalling that Su Cheng was drunk, she quickly followed to ask, "Su Cheng, are you leaving? Did you drive here or how did you arrive?"

    Su Cheng stopped and turned, staring unblinkingly at Fu Han, "I... I took a taxi to the foot of the mountain and then climbed up from there."

    Upon hearing this, Fu Han noticed for the first time that his pant legs were ripped in several ces and that there were bloodstains on the back of his hand. A drunk man climbing up here must have endured no small hardship.

    She grabbed hold of Su Cheng, "Don¡¯t leave. I¡¯ll ask Uncle Zhou to arrange a car for you to take you home."

    "It¡¯s not necessary." Su Cheng brushed off Fu Han¡¯s hand, heartbroken; in countless midnight dreams, he had longed to hold that hand, but now they were worlds apart.

    "No," Fu Han blocked Su Cheng, her tone leaving no room for argument, "the roads here are difficult to navigate, I¡¯m not at ease with you going alone. What if something happens?"

    "Something happen?" Su Cheng gazed at Fu Han in shock, asking in disbelief, "Do you... do you really worry that something will happen to me?"

    "Of course," Fu Han sighed, continuing helplessly, "I only have a few friends, and each one is important to me. I wouldn¡¯t want any of you to get hurt."

    "Friend." Su Cheng murmured the word, then let out a self-deprecatingugh, "Friend, no matter how hard I try, am I just your friend?"

    He started with a low chuckle, which grew louder and louder until he was almost hysterical,ughing out loud.

    Several servants stood not far away, worry on their faces, probably fearing Su Cheng might harm Fu Han.

    Fu Han gestured with her eyes to stop them froming over, while she said as gently as possible, "Being a friend is also important to me. Friendshipsts a lifetime too. And thanks for liking me, I consider it an honor. But I think you should like Nan Qing more; you two are more suited for each other."

    "Spare me those words," Su Cheng snapped like a dog whose tail was stepped on, his response bitter, "You¡¯re not me, what right do you have to say who I¡¯m suited for? You don¡¯t like me, just say so. Don¡¯t treat me like an item to be casually handed off to someone else."

    Fu Han had not expected such a fierce response from Su Cheng; she took three steps back in fright. After a few seconds, she gathered her courage again and said, "I¡¯m not speaking without consideration nor treating you like an item to be passed along. Don¡¯t you realize that you and Nan Qingmunicate so smoothly? Often, you understand each other¡¯s thoughts without saying a word."

 Chapter 267: Originally Meant to Get Married

    <h4>Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Originally Meant to Get Married</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng was stunned, unable to utter the words that reached the tip of his tongue, because even amidst his current fury, he couldn¡¯t deny the truth in Fu Han¡¯s words.

    While he was lost in thought, Old Zhou had already arranged the car.

    Fu Han personally escorted Su Cheng to the car. She stood outside the gate, smiling at Su Cheng, waving goodbye to him.

    The winding mountain road led downward, with beautiful scenery on both sides, and vis nestled in the woods, giving off a sense of retreat from the world.

    Yet this ce was right in the city center. A mountain like this in the city center always felt somewhat out of ce, but when people talked about it, they mostly eximed over the exorbitant cost ofnd here.

    Leaning against the seatback, Su Cheng nkly watched the scenery receding on both sides, his emotions wereplex, as if he saw everything and yet saw nothing at all.

    As the drunkenness ebbed away like the tide, Su Cheng finally felt able to think clearly.

    He had always considered it ungentlemanly to confess to Fu Han while she had amnesia, yet the reality was that he had ultimately done the very thing he despised.

    But having done it was one thing; the fact that he had failed was what truly pained him.

    Su Cheng forcefully raked his fingers through his hair, feeling overwhelmed byplicated emotions.

    After the failed confession, he felt sad and somewhat unwilling to ept it, yet why did he also feel a sense of relief in his heart?

    He couldn¡¯t understand it, nor could he exin it.

    After the car descended the mountain, the driver in the front asked, "Mr. Su, where to?"

    After some thought, Su Cheng gave the name of a square where Nan Qing¡¯s gallery was located. He was eager to see Nan Qing right now.

    He recalled what he had said to Nan Qing and felt the need to apologize, but he didn¡¯t dare call her. Instead, he thought about visiting the gallery on the off chance that she might be there.

    ...

    Not until Su Cheng¡¯s car was out of sight did Fu Han finally turn around.

    As she turned, she saw He Xing standing under a grapevine trellis nearby. The lush grape leaves created a canopy so dense it seemed like countless hands were trying to swallow He Xing.

    She patted her chest andughed, "You¡¯re going to scare someone to death by standing there silently. It¡¯s really frightening."

    He Xing chuckled and reached out his hand to her, "Xiaohan,e here."

    For no apparent reason, Fu Han¡¯s heart began to race. Her face flushed as she looked at He Xing and, as if enchanted, she took small steps toward him.

    He Xing looked at the hand resting in his palm. The back was as white as jade, with a slight callus on the palm, a perfect contradiction softened on Fu Han¡¯s hand, making it wlessly exquisite.

    With a pull, he drew Fu Han into the depths of the grapevines and had her sit on a swing. He then stood behind it, pushing the swing irregrly.

    "Xiaohan, what did Su Cheng say just now?" He Xing finally spoke as he ced his hands on Fu Han¡¯s back again.

    Fu Han¡¯s lips turned up in a mischievous smile, "Are you really that interested in this question?"

    "Of course," He Xing admitted frankly, smiling, "I care about everything rted to you."

    Fu Han¡¯s mood inexplicably becameplex, unable to feel the pure joy or sadness she once could, although she kept a poker face, "Nothing special, Su Cheng said he liked me and hoped I wouldn¡¯t marry you."

    As the swing soared to its highest point, strands of Fu Han¡¯s hair fell around her temples, with a locknding on her lips, which she absentmindedly brushed away.

    He Xing¡¯s emotions were soplex that he forgot to keep pushing the swing, instead grabbing it, "So, how did you answer him?"

    Some things Fu Han may have forgotten, but He Xing hadn¡¯t. He had gone to great lengths for Fu Han to return after three years, only for her toe back and falsely im her feelings for Su Cheng, and even now, the inte was abuzz with talk of her and Su Cheng, with many people moring daily for their reunion.

    As the swing came to a stop, Fu Han tilted her head to look up at He Xing beside her. Seeing the evident displeasure and suppressed frustration on his face, her mood instantly lifted.

    She yfully kicked off the ground, sending the swing flying, higher than ever before. At the peak of the swing¡¯s flight, her silveryughter rang out, "I told him I was going to marry you, aren¡¯t I?"

    He Xing¡¯s heart had felt clenched and breathless in pain, but upon hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, it felt as if it had taken flight.

    Even when Fu Han added, "I only said that to make Su Cheng give up hope," it did nothing to dampen He Xing¡¯s spirits.

    ...

    Nan Qing¡¯s gallery.

    She wore an apron with specks of paint on it, which somehow didn¡¯t look untidy. In her hands, she held a palette full of colorful paints, and in front of her was a half-finished painting. Even only partially done, it was evident how beautiful the work was.

    Wang Yixuan stood beside her, offering suggestions from time to time, "You should use azure for this spot, cerulean for that ¨C and here, not bright red, better to go with orange-yellow."

    Nan Qing, uncharacteristically patient, followed Wang Yixuan¡¯s instructions. The results surprisingly surpassed her original design.

    As she carefully added color, she smiled, "Believe it or not, if I put up this painting, it would sell within a week."

    "If that happens, I¡¯ll take that as a good omen," Wang Yixuan replied with a smirk, his dimples shing, "How about you take three and I take seven?"

    "You¡¯re offering me such a big cut?" Nan Qingughed, her round cheeks endearingly cute, giving one the urge to pinch them, "Aren¡¯t you the one who goes traveling after earning money? Keep the money; I don¡¯t want a share."

    Wang Yixuan looked at Nan Qing with a touch of surprise, but his astonishmentsted no more than two seconds. He pinched her cheek, "You¡¯re just too adorable. If I ever decide to get married, I might look for a woman like you."

    Ever since she was young, everyone had described Nan Qing with the word "cute," yet that was the one term she had always resisted.

    Unapologetically, she pped away Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand, not caring whether the paint from her brush would stain his white tee, "Don¡¯t even try it. With a libertine like you, will there evere a day you¡¯d want to settle down?"

    "You never know," Wang Yixuan dodged the paintbrush and shamelessly grinned, "What I¡¯m doing now is sowing my wild oats. Perhaps one day, I¡¯ll have an epiphany and think settling down isn¡¯t so bad after all."

 Chapter 268: The Firefly is Here

    <h4>Chapter 268: Chapter 268: The Firefly is Here</h4><h4></h4>

    "Heh, if that day reallyes, I¡¯ll have to represent all the girls in the world setting off firecrackers for you," Nan Qing said with a face full of disdain. "Since we arrived here, you¡¯ve already taken four calls, each from a girl, each asking when you¡¯ll spend time with them. And now you¡¯re telling me that when you¡¯re looking for a ce to stay, you¡¯d choose me? Are you kidding me?"

    A blush climbed up Wang Yixuan¡¯s cheeks, and he coughed awkwardly, scratching his nose and chuckling sheepishly, "This... I just returned to the country, and those girls miss me so much that, well, business is indeed a bit busy, embarrassing, really embarrassing."

    Nan Qing pursed her lips, showing no interest in engaging with him.

    She turned to continue her unfinished painting, but from the corner of her eye, she saw someone standing at the doorway, someone she would never forget even in her dreams¡ªSu Cheng.

    "How did you get here? You... weren¡¯t you going to find Fu Han?" Nan Qing instinctively sidestepped away, widening the gap between herself and Wang Yixuan.

    Since they were discussing colors, Su Cheng had already arrived, and due to the distance, he couldn¡¯t hear their conversation clearly, but it wasn¡¯t hard to see the intimacy between them: pinching cheeks, heads bumping together ¡ª which couple doesn¡¯t engage in such close gestures?

    An inexplicable anger surged up within him,pounded by his recent failed confession. He was so furious, but he held his breath and stayed silent, just wanting to see when they would notice him.

    Now, hearing Nan Qing¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but sneer coldly, "I had no idea your rtionship had gotten this good. Should I be drinking to your happiness in a little while then?"

    Nan Qing¡¯s face reddened with embarrassment,pletely forgetting that just a minute earlier she had been secretly tallying Su Cheng¡¯s wrongs in her heart. Now, she was only frantically trying to exin, "No, it¡¯s not like that, don¡¯t¡ª"

    But she was cut off before she could finish, not by someone else¡¯s words, but because Wang Yixuan pulled Nan Qing into his embrace, while he provocatively looked at Su Cheng: "Yeah, congrattions on your urate guess. When Nan Qing and I set a date, we¡¯ll definitely notify you toe celebrate with us, okay?"

    "What did you say?" Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Don¡¯t talk, I¡¯m helping you!" Wang Yixuan whispered in Nan Qing¡¯s ear, his voice so low only the two of them could understand.

    Nan Qing felt moved. Although she didn¡¯t know what Wang Yixuan nned to do, she obediently shut her mouth. But her eyes looking toward Su Cheng were filled with undeniable worry.

    Su Cheng watched Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing in disbelief; the two of them were brazenly whispering to each other, a sight as shocking as Fu Han and He Xing kissing in public.

    Wait, he¡¯d never seen Fu Han and He Xing kiss in public before, and why was heparing Nan Qing with Fu Han?

    Su Cheng¡¯s heart was in turmoil, aplete mess.

    Suddenly, he felt utterly uninterested. Since he didn¡¯t like Nan Qing, she could be with whoever she wanted to be with¡ªit was her right.

    "If it¡¯s true, then congrattions," Su Cheng said slowly as he turned around, taking steps towards the door. Just before leaving the gallery, he suddenly looked back at Nan Qing: "You don¡¯t need to tell me when your big day is set. I won¡¯te to witness it, so as not to be a bother."

    The spacious gallery was left with only Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan. She recalled Su Cheng¡¯s departing silhouette, which felt like a heavy mountain on his shoulders, forcibly bending his back.

    Nan Qing¡¯s heart ached as though pierced by needles. She took several steps back to distance herself from Wang Yixuan: "Why... why did you say what you did just now? We clearly have nothing between us."

    "So, you want to exin things clearly to Su Cheng?" Wang Yixuan wasn¡¯t angered by the interrogation, in fact, he even began tough: "Then you can go exin now; he must not have gone far."

    Without hesitation, Nan Qing ran towards the door, but just as one foot crossed the threshold, Wang Yixuan suddenly spoke again: "It¡¯s just that if you exin now, you¡¯ll always live under Su Cheng¡¯s thumb for the rest of your life."

    With those words, Nan Qing¡¯s feet seemed to be nailed to the floor, and she could no longer lift them.

    Wang Yixuan smiled in anticipation and beckoned Nan Qing with his finger: "Come here, girl. Let this expert in love teach you. Your sweetheart obviously likes you, it¡¯s just that there seems to be a hurdle in his heart he can¡¯t get over. If you don¡¯t want to give up on him, then listen to mymand."

    "You?" Nan Qing¡¯s face was full of skepticism, but she stillplied and walked towards him, though not without issuing a threat: "If all you have are lousy ideas, don¡¯t me me for getting angry."

    ...

    The night on Lanwan Mountain is beautiful, one of the few ces in A City where you can see the stars.

    After dinner, Fu Han made the excuse of needing to digest and went out for a stroll, heading straight up to the Observatory at the mountain¡¯s peak.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d ever used a telescope before but after fiddling with it, she actually saw the vast expanse of twinkling stars, glittering like broken diamonds, exceptionally beautiful.

    Fu Han was so engrossed that shepletely failed to notice He Xing approaching her side.

    A breeze picked up, the night air far morefortable than the hot wind of the day, driving away the heat. It seemed to carry a faint fragrance, cool, distanced, yet familiar.

    She turned, puzzled, and her first glimpse was of someone standing silently beside her. She hadn¡¯t managed to see his face clearly before she let out a frightened yelp.

    "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s me." He Xing quickly caught her in his arms, holding her steadily.

    "You¡¯re so annoying, not making a sound when you walk," Fu Han said, pounding He Xing¡¯s chest forcefully, a look of residual fright on her small face.

    "Sorry, I won¡¯t do that again," He Xing apologized with his mouth, yet took the opportunity to catch Fu Han¡¯s hand, pressing it against his cheek. His deep voice in the night was exceptionally clear, as if with a magical power: "I saw you hadn¡¯t returned for a while and I was worried about you, so I came out to find you."

    Looking up at the night sky, the image of fireflies came to Fu Han¡¯s mind, and she murmured, "Where have all the fireflies here gone?"

    "What did you say?" He Xing became excited, grasping Fu Han¡¯s shoulders: "Xiaohan, did you remember something?"

    His eagerness for her to remember the past made Fu Han feel repulsed, and she pushed him away, saying emotionlessly, "I don¡¯t remember anything, I¡¯ve just heard that there are many fireflies here on summer nights."

    Visible disappointment washed over He Xing¡¯s face, but after a few seconds, he smiled again: "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be mad, I just remembered the times we watched the stars and the fireflies together."

    So there really was such a memory. Fu Han¡¯s emotions becameplicated.

    Looking around, for some reason, she felt the urge to flee the ce, but then she spotted a firefly that hadnded on He Xing¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 269: Fireflies In The Dream

    <h4>Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Fireflies In The Dream</h4><h4></h4>

    The small light of a firefly, resting upon He Xing¡¯s shoulder, illuminated an area norger than a fingernail, yet it was a sight so captivating that one couldn¡¯t look away.

    He Xing, however, didn¡¯t notice it at all. He walked towards Fu Han, "Xiaohan..."

    "Don¡¯t move!" Fu Han extended a finger to her lips and shushed him, "You have a firefly on your shoulder."

    He Xing tilted his head slightly to regard his shoulder where the yellow glow of the firefly exuded a warm power, lighting up his eyes. It was here, among the swarming fireflies, that they embraced and kissed, almost going so far as to taste the forbidden fruit.

    At this thought, his gaze softened. He looked at Fu Han with a foolish tenderness, the corners of his eyes and his brows filled with a thick, undissolvable affection.

    Fu Han was also looking at He Xing, but as she watched, she suddenly froze. Behind He Xing, countless fireflies began to rise, lighting up the night sky likenterns, one by one.

    In that moment, one thought filled her heart: how beautiful. It was one of the most stunning scenes she had ever witnessed.

    Countless fireflies surged from all directions, hovering above the observatory, swirling as if dancing around Fu Han and He Xing.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t realize when He Xing had embraced her, just like she didn¡¯t know when they had kissed.

    This kiss was sweet; yet it seemed to belong not to the moment but to a cherished memory, like a beautiful candy tucked away and suddenly rediscovered, a sweetness solely hers.

    Many images leaped into her mind: her younger self, running through the fields with a in pursuit of butterflies and dragonflies; and young He Xing, carrying a clear stic box filled with the butterflies she caught.

    In their youth, on summer nights, they¡¯dy a mat on the ground, using their hands as pillows, and count the stars in the sky.

    During the rare snowfalls in winter, the snow in City A would melt before hitting the ground. But on Lanwan Mountain, some traces would remain. Fu Han tried hard to build a snowman, while He Xing followed with a bucket, gathering the snow that hadn¡¯t melted yet.

    Thest memory she recalled was of herself, dressed in a down jacket, atop a mountain peak, having built arge, adorable-looking snowman that was truly beautiful.

    She knew she had remembered some things, but when she looked carefully through her recollections, it seemed that she only recalled memories rted to the observatory, while the rest remained nk.

    When she was discharged from the hospital, the doctor had said that the cause of Fu Han¡¯s amnesia was unexinable. After consultations with multiple experts, the final diagnosis was to let nature take its course.

    Because if they rashly used stimting methods to make Fu Han remember her past, the potential repercussions were unpredictable; whereas, often, letting nature take its course could let her suddenly remember past events in specific situations.

    Now, Fu Han felt that the doctor was very right.

    As she leaned on He Xing¡¯s chest and looked at the moon above, she wrestled with the decision of whether or not to tell He Xing about the memories that hade back to her.

    In the end, she decided not to mention it, for this was already a beautiful beginning. Maybe in time she would remember everything, and then she could share the news with He Xing¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be toote.

    Crucially, the most important thing was that through the fragments of memories she¡¯d recalled, she confirmed that she really liked He Xing; every memory was filled with genuine happiness.

    That was enough. Even if she was marrying He Xing now for the sake of his grandfather, she knew that in the time she had lost, she truly liked He Xing.

    ...

    The three days passed quickly, and today was Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s engagement day.

    Though it was only an engagement, He Xing took it very seriously. Despite the limited time, everything used in the engagement ceremony was of the highest quality.

    The roses, steaks, and red wines at the venue were all airlifted from F Country. The chefs either worked at state banquets or were from five-star hotels, and all the waitstaff at the engagement ceremony were transferred directly from the He Family¡¯s five-star hotel.

    Fu Han got up before dawn, not because she wanted to be up so early, but because He Xing had called her. His method of calling her was most extravagant.

    He knocked from outside, but Fu Han was too sleepy to respond, so He Xing actually climbed through the window. Then, like lifting a kitten, he picked Fu Han up.

    Fu Han had always thought that an engagement ceremony was no big deal and that a light makeup would suffice. However, when she saw her engagement gown, she quietly took back her words.

    There were two sets of engagement gowns: one Chinese-style and one Western-style. One was a Chinese gown in brilliant red, embroidered with a golden phoenix; the other was a pure white Western wedding dress, adorned with silver-threaded lilies, and its tremendous train was tiered with shimmering rhinestones, seemingly ready to glow with any movement.

    Fu Han resigned herself to sit in front of the dressing table, motionless as a wooden doll, letting the makeup artist fiddle with her face.

    As sunlight streamed through the windows, the spacious He Family vi buzzed with activity as staff hurried with the final arrangements.

    When He Xing came in with breakfast, the makeup artist was busy styling Fu Han¡¯s hair; he stood at the door and nced at her, bing so dazed that he stood rooted to the spot.

    The usual Fu Han was already untouchably beautiful, but today she seemed like a celestial maiden descended to earth, devoid of any mundane qualities.

    He Xing, looking at the steaming beef noodles in his hands, even felt a surreal notion¡ªdo celestial beings need to eat?

    Fu Han saw He Xing in the mirror, as well as the idiotic look on his face, and her cheeks flushed. With a cough to cover her unease, she said, "He Xing, how long are you nning on standing in the doorway?"

    "Ah?" He Xing immediately came to his senses, swallowed, and stepped inside hastily.

    The makeup artists and the stylist in the room couldn¡¯t help butugh at the sight.

    He Xing, who had not blushed before, now sported a bright red face. He hurriedly set down the breakfast, stammering, "You... There isn¡¯t much time left, today is going to be busy, I brought you breakfast."

    Fu Han also felt embarrassed. She coughed again and murmured, "Thank you... Have you... Have you eaten yet?"

    "I¡¯m going to eat now." After saying this, He Xing left as if fleeing the scene.

    The two makeup artists watched He Xing¡¯s retreating figure and couldn¡¯t stopughing: "Lady Fu, I heard Mr. He is quite a reserved person, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so... charming."

    The other chimed in right away, "Indeed, I also find Mr. He quite agreeable. He blushes at the slightest word."

 Chapter 270 â€™Zi Hanâ€™ Necklace

    <h4>Chapter 270: Chapter 270 ¡¯Zi Han¡¯ Ne</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s face became redder and redder as she busily lowered her head to eat, ignoring their teasing.

    Before breakfast was over, Bai Wei¡¯s family of three arrived. It turned out that Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo had rushed back from M Country as soon as they heard about her engagement, only arrivingst night.

    Bai Qian, caressing Fu Han¡¯s hair with many emotions, eventually took out a jewelry box from her purse and handed it to Fu Han, "Xiaohan, this is the ne I had custom-made for you after learning about your rtionship with Xingbo. I was thinking of giving it to you when you return to M Country, but it seems you¡¯ll only be going there for vacations now."

    "Thank you, Auntie." Fu Han affectionately leaned on Bai Qian¡¯s shoulder like a little girl, cooing, "Auntie, I¡¯ll definitely visit you often, I promise."

    "That¡¯s more like it," Bai Qian smiled, and without much enthusiasm, nced at Bai Wei, "You¡¯re much more thoughtful than Xiaowei. She said she¡¯s going to stay in the country for good and wants me and your uncle toe back too. It¡¯s not a problem for us to return, but what about the business overseas? We¡¯re striving for both of you sisters, to be your support."

    Bai Wei, who had been admiring Fu Han¡¯s dress, retorted upon hearing that, "Mom, Dad, you like to strive on your own, don¡¯t use me and Fu Han as excuses. We can support ourselves."

    "You can support yourself?" Bai Qian retorted dismissively, "What else have you done besides acting all these years? Your profession carries so many risks. What will you do if you stop acting? Tell me."

    Bai Wei found herself at a loss for words, wanting to argue but not knowing what to say. Eventually, she had no choice but to keep her mouth shut, though her lips could still hang an oil pot.

    Fu Xingbo shook his head as he listened from the side, then walked over to Fu Han and patted her shoulder, "Want to take a look at the ne Auntie gave you?"

    Only then did Fu Han remember that she hadn¡¯t opened her gift¡ªan oversight that felt rude. She smiled apologetically and quickly opened the jewelry box.

    Inside was a simple ne with a pendant set with a purple diamond the size of an adult¡¯s thumbprint, dazzling under the sunlight.

    It was immediately apparent the item was of great value.

    "This gift is too valuable..." Fu Han hesitated. She didn¡¯t like epting gifts that were too extravagant; if she couldn¡¯t return something of equal value, she would feel undeserving and ufortable.

    Before Fu Xingbo and his wife could respond, Bai Wei snatched the diamond ne and ced it on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, saying, "What¡¯s so valuable about this? Let me tell you, those two are filthy rich. That money will be split between the two of us eventually. This gift is nothingpared to their wealth."

    "You..." Fu Han was utterly embarrassed, "Aren¡¯t you being a bit too blunt?"

    Bai Wei justughed it off, not the least bit concerned.

    Then Bai Qianughed along, "Although Xiaowei is heartless, she¡¯s telling the truth. I bought this diamond at an auction a while ago and had it cut into a water drop shape. Its name is Zi Han¡ªafter the color of the diamond and your name."

    "Zi Han?" Fu Han repeated, finding the name pleasant to the ear. Feeling the cool touch of the ne, she smiled radiantly, "Thank you for the gift, Uncle and Auntie, I really like it."

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian exchanged a look and also started smiling; this was the first gift they¡¯d given Fu Han and they had chosen it with great care. Fu Han¡¯s liking it was afort to them.

    The makeup artist checked the time and reminded Fu Han that it was time to change clothes, and the Bai family of three tactfully left.

    ...

    Xia Cheng was driving, with Xia Guoxiong sitting in the passenger seat and Xia Ning in the back.

    Upon arriving at the He Family¡¯s vi, Xia Cheng hurried to the back to open the door for Xia Ning, not forgetting toin, "I mean, Xiaoning, it¡¯s He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s engagement today. Why are you wearing a wedding dress?"

    Xia Ning cautiously stepped out of the car, her feet in silver-white sandals encrusted with rhinestones, holding up her dress as sheined, "I¡¯ll wear whatever I want to wear. Why should others criticize me? And, for the record, this is an evening gown, not a wedding dress, so stop talking nonsense."

    "Uh... alright," Xia Cheng capitted reluctantly, his expression clearly skeptical.

    As this family of three entered, almost all eyes fell on them, with Xia Ning receiving the most attention.

    The upper-ss society in A City was a circle of limited fluidity, where most people knew each other. Xia Ning¡¯s fondness for He Xing was an open secret.

    The media had even leaked news about He Xing and Xia Ning checking into a hotel together, with the inte still abuzz with both real and spective gossip about the pair.

    Yet, who could have anticipated the sudden engagement between He Xing and Fu Han? Most of the attendees already knew of the prearranged marriage between Fu Han and He Xing, but their story was notorious for its vicissitudes, with many online doubting the union.

    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng were smoothly greeting everyone they met, their whole being seeming to say, "Look, our Xia Family¡¯s rtionship with the He Family is still close."

    Only Xia Ning appeared like a proud peacock, strutting forward with her head held high, as if she was the future mistress of the He Family.

    But everyone present was from the business circle and knew well that the rtionship between the He Family and the Xia Family was no longer as close as it used to be; the Xia Family had already signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Yang Family and initiated a profound partnership.

    Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. On the very day that the Xia and Yang Families were set to join through marriage, the sole heir of the Yang Family, Yang Kaitai, was detained by the police in public and is reportedly awaiting trial after being formally arrested.

    Because of this, many mocked the Xia Family behind their backs, and numerous former business partners even refused further cooperation with the Xia Family, uncertain whether the Yang Family¡¯s troubles would spill over to the Xia Family. If the Xia Family was implicated, any investment would be lost.

    Yet there were those who provided help in the time of need. It¡¯s said that many of the Xia Group¡¯s business partners actively sought cooperation with the He Group, only to be invariably declined. He Xing even suggested giving the Xia Group another chance.

    The Xia Group had once betrayed the He Group, but instead of seeking revenge at a time of weakness, the He Group offered support and extended a helping hand to the Xia Group.

    It could be said that without the He Group, the Xia Group might have been reduced to an empty shell by now; at least they could still maintain the appearance of prosperity.

    As people watched the Xia Family of three making their entrance, many looked down upon them but held back their ridicule out of respect for He Xing.

 Chapter 271: The Siblingsâ€™ Conspiracy

    <h4>Chapter 271: Chapter 271: The Siblings¡¯ Conspiracy</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Cheng found a secluded table to sit down, and immediately a waiter came with red wine and other items. He waved his hand to dismiss the waiter, then leaned in close to Xia Guoxiong and said, "Dad, you mentioned you wanted to meet with Grandpa He alone, should you take the opportunity to go now?"

    "Mhm." The look on Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face was extremely unsightly. After all, no one felt good when they have to ask others for help, but without doing so, Xia Group would really have to rely on betting to secure financing.

    Before getting up, he nced at Xia Ning with dissatisfaction: "He Xing¡¯s heart isn¡¯t set on you at all. I have important matters to handle today, so you better not cause me any trouble."

    "Got it." Xia Ning shrank her shoulders, obviously a bit scared of Xia Guoxiong.

    She had secretly used money from Du Wanting¡¯s Motherly Love Fund to resolve He Xing¡¯s urgent needs, resulting in the Xia Group facing financial issues when they could no longer directly transfer money from the fund as before.

    In fact, Xia Group¡¯s situation was worse than outsiders spected. Affected by Yang Group¡¯s troubles, several banks had publicly announced that they would not allow their branches to loan to Xia Group, and the interest on high-interest loans could directly drag Xia Group down.

    The only n for now was to shamelessly ask Elder Master He for help again. Considering the lifesaving favor they owed him, Elder Master He would probably be willing to help them again, putting past grudges aside.

    Xia Guoxiong weighed the embroidered box in his hand, which contained a very expensive millennium ginseng; it was his ticket to knocking on their door today.

    The arriving guests grew more numerous. The He Family¡¯s garden was asrge as half a ser field, yet it was crowded everywhere, showing that this engagement ceremony was more lively than others¡¯ weddings.

    Just thinking about her upleted engagement ceremony with Yang Kaitai made Xia Ning seethe. What was the best church in A Citypared to the He Family¡¯s vi? And the Yang Family¡¯spany, small as a sesame seed¡ªlet alone the guests she could invite couldn¡¯tpare with the He Family¡¯s in rank, even the numbers were less than half.

    What did that imply? It meant the He Family, He Xing, put great emphasis on this engagement ceremony. It meant He Xing wanted to give Fu Han a romantic, unforgettable engagement ceremony.

    The deeper she thought about it, the more Xia Ning felt a biting itch in her teeth from hatred.

    Finally, Xia Cheng, who couldn¡¯t bear watching anymore, said in a low voice, "Xiaoning, I¡¯ve warned you. If you mess up Dad¡¯s business again, he definitely won¡¯t let you off easily."

    "I know, no need for you to remind me," Xia Ning snapped back irritably, her face nearly written with discontent.

    Xia Cheng himself was filled with pent-up anger but with earnest concern, he advised, "Xiaoning, you made me take the me, admitting that I was the one secretly in love with Bai Wei and who instigated Qin Xiaonian to seduce Luo Qinghe; to not affect your rtionship with He Xing, I did as you asked. But no matter how I see it, you have no ce in He Xing¡¯s heart. You might as well not hang from that tree anymore, and..."

    "What are you trying to say?" Xia Ning exploded like a bomb ready to ignite, ring at Xia Cheng with wide eyes, "I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t like any of those yboys you introduced me to. He Xing is mine, and if I can¡¯t have him, no one else can."

    Despite it being a summer day, a chill ran down Xia Cheng¡¯s spine upon hearing this. He looked at Xia Ning in horror and asked, "What are you nning?"

    "I¡¯m not nning anything!" Xia Ning shed a sweet smile, but her pearly white teeth gleamed in the sunlight like a monstrous beast baring its fangs, ready to tear into a feast at any moment.

    For the first time, Xia Cheng broke out in a cold sweat in the presence of Xia Ning, noticing goosebumps forming on his own arm.

    He roughly rubbed his arms, waving his hand in irritation, "I don¡¯t care about how you n to get He Xing, but I remind you that the entire survival of Xia Group depends on the He Family. You must not offend He Xing."

    Xia Ning gave Xia Cheng a disdainful look, "Do you think I dare to offend He Xing?"

    The tense atmosphere between the siblings dissipated as they both let out a chuckle.

    Xia Cheng¡¯s heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled back down as he said pragmatically, "That¡¯s true."

    "However..." The smile that had just started to spread across Xia Ning¡¯s face vanished as she motioned Xia Cheng over with a hook of her finger and whispered, "But, I really can¡¯t stand that bitch Fu Han; if I don¡¯t teach her a lesson, I won¡¯t be able to swallow this anger. You have to help me!"

    "Help you how?" Xia Cheng stroked his chin, his face lecherous, and even drooled a little: "To be fair, Fu Han is indeed a rare beauty. If you¡¯re thinking of letting someone else benefit, it might as well be your brother."

    "Is there nothing else in your head besides all this messy crap? Can¡¯t you think of something useful?" Xia Ning spoke as if scolding a hopeless cause, "Do you dare touch Fu Han, aren¡¯t you afraid He Xing would turn you into a eunuch?"

    "Just kidding, just kidding." Xia Cheng hurriedly crossed his legs, not daring to harbor any more improper thoughts, grinning cheekily at Xia Ning, "Xiaoning, I... I was just joking. You mustn¡¯t take it seriously, and definitely don¡¯t tell He Xing."

    "I couldn¡¯t care less about your messy affairs," Xia Ning scoffed with disdain, "Just make sure you handle what I¡¯ve asked you to do. I don¡¯t have the spare time to deal with the rest."

    "Absolutely," Xia Cheng replied, knowing he was at Xia Ning¡¯s mercy and dared not say more, promptly agreeing to everything.

    ...

    Fu Han had already changed. She stood by the window of her room on the second floor, her beautiful eyes scanning therge garden below.

    Many people had arrived today, but she recognized almost none of them. Of course, there were exceptions, one of which was Xia Ning, seated in a quiet spot in the garden¡ªshe recognized her. And although they had met only a few times, she found the impression Xia Ning left to be particrly deep.

    Even though Xia Ning wasn¡¯t far from her, Fu Han could still clearly see what Xia Ning was wearing. Of course, it was Xia Ning¡¯s dress that first caught Fu Han¡¯s attention.

    It was a pure white mermaid dress, with snow-white satin inside and white transparentce outside. The strap design added a touch of sexiness to the pristine dress, which contrasted starkly with the exaggerated fishtail hem, yet blended perfectly with Xia Ning¡¯s figure.

    Frankly, Xia Ning looked beautiful today, but that wasn¡¯t why Fu Han noticed her. It was because Xia Ning¡¯s dress strongly resembled...

    Fu Han looked down at her own wedding dress and nodded internally. Yes, Xia Ning¡¯s outfit closely resembled a wedding dress, albeit in a different style from hers.

    "I knew Xia Ning wouldn¡¯te to your engagement ceremony willingly," Bai Wei¡¯s voice, unable to hide her anger, rose. Puffing up with rage, she said, "Look, even now, she still finds ways to needle you."

 Chapter 272 Engagement Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 272: Chapter 272 Engagement Ceremony</h4><h4></h4>

    After Fu Han changed her clothes, Bai Wei came in again, but this time she was there on her parents¡¯ orders to apany Fu Han in her room so that Fu Han wouldn¡¯t have to spend the time before the engagement ceremony alone.

    Hearing Bai Wei¡¯s words, Fu Han smiled faintly, "But if we really count the annoying things, who do you think caused trouble for whom, me for her or her for me?"

    "You¡¯re formidable," Bai Wei gave Fu Han a thumbs-up: "You see things more clearly. When I first saw Qin Xiaonian, she really got on my nerves, but actually, Qin Xiaonian must have been even more annoyed by me."

    "Qin Xiaonian also likes Luo Qinghe?" Fu Han sharply caught the key word, a yful smile appearing on her beautiful face as she looked at Bai Wei with deep meaning: "So, how did you deal with Qin Xiaonian in the end? And, howe I¡¯ve never seen Qin Xiaonian?"

    "Her?" Bai Wei casually tossed her hair behind her ears,ughing nonchntly: "She¡¯s in jail now, probably won¡¯t get out until she¡¯s old and haggard."

    "In jail?" Fu Han was a bit surprised and quickly asked: "What did she do to end up in there?"

    Bai Wei suddenly remembered Fu Han¡¯s amnesia, and she also suddenly recalled that, due to He Xing¡¯s deliberate concealment, Fu Han was unaware of Qin Xiaonian¡¯s sulfuric acid incident and didn¡¯t know about Luo Qinghe being injured by it.

    Realizing she had misspoken, Bai Wei stuck out her tongue and awkwardly changed the subject: "Ah, I¡¯m not too clear about it either, it has nothing to do with me anyway. It¡¯s gettingte, we should head down and wait, lest He Xinges up looking for you."

    Fu Han had indeed intended to press for details, but after hearing Bai Wei¡¯s words, her attention was immediately diverted. She lifted her dress and ran to the mirror to check her make-up, and seeing that there was nothing amiss, she smiled happily.

    The two girls went downstairs arm in arm, just as He Xing was about toe up to look for them.

    Without a word, He Xing and Fu Han exchanged nces, and somehow, both of their faces turned red.

    Bai Wei covered her mouth andughed from the side: "Today I¡¯ve witnessed what it means to blush before the words are spoken. The affection between you two, even if someone tried to cut it with a chainsaw, I doubt they would seed."

    He Xing naturally took hold of Fu Han¡¯s hand in his and looked up at Bai Wei with dissatisfaction, "If you can¡¯t say something nice, don¡¯t say anything at all. Be careful your wordse back to haunt you."

    "Spit, spit, spit, good luck and no taboos," Bai Wei showed no airs of a famous actress and quickly spit several times, fearing she might identally bring trouble upon herself and Fu Han.

    A staff member hurried up, saying anxiously: "Lady Bai Wei, it¡¯s almost time, you should take the stage soon."

    "What¡¯s the rush?" Bai Wei, on the other hand, calmed down, she adjusted her dress and touched her hair, then finally said with a grin: "I am the famous Bai Wei, this is my first time hosting, everyone can wait a bit, it¡¯s not a big deal."

    Yes, when Bai Wei learned of the engagement between He Xing and Fu Han, she volunteered to y a crucial role in the ceremony, and after some deliberation, she chose to be the host.

    Bai Wei¡¯s original words were: "I¡¯m dedicating my supporter debut to you guys. When you¡¯re old and gray, you¡¯ll definitely think this is a memorable experience."

    For this, Fu Han was genuinely grateful, but He Xing only had a lukewarm tease: "Just make sure it¡¯s not a traumatic memory, otherwise I¡¯ll definitely get back at you."

    Thinking back on that day¡¯s scene, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help butugh, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bai Wei pull a small slip of paper from her purse.

    She widened her eyes in confusion at Bai Wei, who immediatelyughed mischievously: "You know, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll forget my lines on stage, so I made a... cheat sheet. Don¡¯t worry, your engagement ceremony will definitely be perfect."

    Fu Han burst outughing, and afterughing enough, she patted Bai Wei on the shoulder and said gratefully, "Bai Wei, don¡¯t worry, no matter what happens I¡¯m really grateful, thankful that you take our engagement ceremony so seriously."

    Bai Wei looked deeply at Fu Han, then hugged her and walked away without looking back.

    Today, Bai Wei was dressed very "elegantly," in a figure-hugging light blue off-shoulder gown that entuated her perfect figure, leaving no unwanted curves; and the exposed shoulder and slender neck highlighted her elegant and noble temperament even more.

    She was undoubtedly beautiful, but her beauty today was restrained, like a jewel hidden in a box, notpeting for attention with the hostess.

    About two minutester Bai Wei¡¯s voice could be heard in the distance: "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I am Bai Wei, and I will be your host for He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s wedding ceremony."

    After finishing her introduction, she paused, waiting for the apuse to begin, then she continued with a smile, "Here, on behalf of the couple, I would like to thank everyone who has taken time out of their busy schedules to attend their engagement ceremony."

    This time the guests were more responsive, bursting into thunderous apuse immediately.

    Meanwhile, He Xing touched Fu Han¡¯s head: "Xiaohan, are you ready? It¡¯s our turn to go on stage."

    "Let¡¯s wee the couple, He Xing and Fu Han to the stage," Bai Wei¡¯s excited voice rang out, amplified by the speakers, sounding loud and clear.

    He Xing led Fu Han step by step forward, and the moment they stepped out of the vi doors, a thunderous apuse erupted.

    Fu Han was startled and involuntarily halted, and He Xing immediately stopped as well and looked back at her, his eyes inquiring what was wrong.

    "It¡¯s nothing," Fu Han smiled, and in He Xing¡¯s gaze, her heart suddenly settled.

    Standing on the stage, the sunlight fell on them, as if a ss case was covering them, separating the two of them from the rest of the world; they were like a pair with their own barrier, imprable by outsiders, in a world that belonged exclusively to them.

    Chairs were neatly arranged below the stage, with Grandfather He, Bai Qian, Fu Xingbo all sitting in the front row, and Su Cheng, Nan Qing, and Luo Qinghe were also present, everyone looking at Fu Han with smiling eyes.

    Bai Wei, holding the cheat sheet in her hand, tantly cheated: "Today¡¯s weather is splendid, even Heaven seems happy for them. The two have known each other since childhood, being childhood sweethearts, from childhoodpanions to today¡¯s lovers. They¡¯ve faced hardships and witnessed each other¡¯s growth, and now they¡¯re finally together in joy, from today on, they are no longer boyfriend and girlfriend, but an about-to-be-married husband and wife."

 Chapter 273: Gentle Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Gentle Kiss</h4><h4></h4>

    These words drew another thunderous round of apuse, even Old Master He had red-rimmed eyes.

    Fu Han turned her head to look at He Xing, only to find his eyes were not much better, with red veins faintly visible as if there were glistening tears. His white, obsidian-like eyeballspleted a pair of eyes that were shockingly memorable and moving.

    Strangely enough, after Fu Han regained some of her memories at the observatory, she felt a deeper sense of identification with marrying He Xing. She was also crystal clear that she now had a good impression of He Xing, one that had be no different from affection.

    Yet, when she actually stood on the stage, she suddenly became calm. The previous feeling of blood boiling violently throughout her body had disappeared.

    She felt that everything should be just like this, and even felt as if she had seen this scene in a dream before; now, she was merely reenacting the dream.

    Bai Wei¡¯s drafted speech was really a bit long. By the time her tear-jerking part ended, she finally realized her throat was parched.

    She cleared her throat and shed a sweet smile, "Nowes the most thrilling moment. Please, the two newlyweds, put the rings on each other. Once the ring is on, you can¡¯t escape for the rest of your lives."

    Amidst theughter of the guests, Nan Qing brought up the rings.

    One blue and one pink, the two diamond ringsy quietly in the ring box. The pink diamond was as big as a baby¡¯s thumb, while the blue diamond was somewhat smaller, as men¡¯s rings seldom have suchrge diamonds.

    Though neither diamond was exceptionallyrge, their quality was very good. They were rough diamonds bought by Old Master He at a high price.

    To get the rings ready before their engagement ceremony, Old Master He had spent a lot of money to summon all the well-known craftsmen in City A. A group of people worked in shifts, day and night, toplete the rings.

    He Xing picked up the pink diamond ring. Carefully, he cradled Fu Han¡¯s hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger, making the pink diamond even more sparkling against her fair skin.

    Fu Han stared dumbly at the ring on her hand, still finding it unbelievable. Such a small object had bound two people together forever. It was magical.

    "Ahem," coughed Nan Qing, reminding Fu Han to put the ring on He Xing.

    Bai Wei was more direct, shouting into the microphone, "Fu Han, stop admiring your diamond ring. He Xing is waiting for you."

    Her straightforward words turned Fu Han¡¯s face crimson, eliciting a heartyugh from the audience below.

    Theughter of the crowd pushed the atmosphere of the wedding banquet to its peak, with waves of excitement surpassing one another.

    Fu Han touched the blue diamond, picked it up, and He Xing extended his hand willingly. She smiled slightly, and slowly, bit by bit, she pushed the ring onto He Xing¡¯s middle finger; it fit perfectly, neither too tight nor too loose.

    "All right, I now announce, He Xing, you may kiss your bride!" Bai Wei shouted loudly.

    Nan Qing was anxiously reminding that she wasn¡¯t yet a bride, but her words, lost amongst the uproarious guests, went unheard without a microphone.

    Of course, He Xing wouldn¡¯t miss any opportunity to kiss Fu Han. He cupped her cheeks tenderly and kissed her deeply, his heart filled with infinite tenderness.

    It was a pity that at the time, Fu Han had no feeling of such sentiment. In her mind, there was only one thought, which was the warning He Xing gave to Bai Wei not to mess up their engagement banquet. It seemed to everyone that Bai Wei had not spoiled it, but Fu Han felt like she had been trapped by Bai Wei.

    But could she push He Xing away? Of course not. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, and during the joy of an engagement, a kiss was nothing unusual; especially since she had just caught Xia Ning looking upset with a skewed mouth, which inexplicably filled her with pride, and she even felt an urge to aggravate Xia Ning further.

    It was unknown how long itsted, but amidst thunderous apuse, the kiss that almost made Fu Han breathless finally ended. She no longer had any strength in her legs, and if not for He Xing holding her, she would have embarrassingly fallen to the ground.

    The noon engagement banquet had already been prepared, and the guests were led by waiters to their appointed seats, whereas Fu Han and He Xing went upstairs to change clothes.

    They had to toast each guest one by one, and their toast attire was Chinese-style, bright red and very festive¡ªso festive that Nan Qing jested they couldn¡¯t tell whether it was an engagement banquet or a wedding banquet.

    Fu Han looked at herself in the mirror, wearing an exquisite Chinese-style red dress, while the makeup artist was helping her undo her pinned up hair, preparing to give her a Chinese bridal hairstyle.

    The dressing table was covered with various hairpins and essories. The gold hairpins were adorned with red gemstones that sparkled and cast a reddish glow on her face.

    Her mind shed back to the kiss during the engagement ceremony. He Xing¡¯s approach was so gentle, as if he were handling the most precious treasure in the world, not daring to apply even a slightly stronger force.

    She was disconcerted by the kiss at the time, not giving it much thought, but now, upon reflection, she found the lingering effect of the kiss overwhelming. She even began to look forward to the sweet life with He Xing after their marriage.

    The hands of the two makeup artists were very nimble, and they worked together harmoniously. In no time at all, a hairstyle reminiscent of ancient brides seen only on television was skillfully pinned upon her head.

    The makeup artists didn¡¯t use any rubber bands or such; they fixed the incrediblyplex hairstyle firmly in ce just with those hairpins.

    Fu Han gracefully rose to her feet. Though the Chinese-style dress wasn¡¯t as form-fitting as Western gowns, wearing it gave her a sense of dignity and grandeur.

    At first nce, one might think the Chinese dress was too fancy, the colors too bright, but the longer one looked, the more attractive it became, and the more endeared one became to the patterns on the fabric.

    She decided then and there that she, too, must have a Chinese-style dress for her wedding day¡ªa proper celebration called for such attire.

    As she was changing her shoes, He Xing came in, already dressed in his Chinese-style attire.

    Both their outfits were a matching color; both resplendently red with golden embroidery.

    Fu Han had also once imagined what He Xing would look like in such clothes. Eventually, she believed it impossible to envision. He Xing mostly wore ck, white, and grey, with the rare addition of blue. He had never worn such bright clothes¡ªat least, not in Fu Han¡¯s current memories.

    But when He Xing stood before her in the splendid red attire, her mind stopped working. The only thought she had was that there indeed were men who could pull off such vibrant colors¡ªand he even exuded a masculine charm wearing it.

 Chapter 274: Putting Shoes on for You

    <h4>Chapter 274: Chapter 274: Putting Shoes on for You</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing looked at Fu Han with doting eyes. His pair of cold, star-like eyes seemed to be filled with starlight, contrasting starkly with his gentle, flowing voice, "Xiaohan, what are you thinking about?"

    "Nothing... nothing." Fu Han¡¯s face turnedpletely red, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into. She never imagined that one day she would absentmindedly stare at someone and zone out. She touched the corner of her mouth, relieved she hadn¡¯t drooled.

    He Xing was amused by her little gesture and chuckled. He didn¡¯t say anything else, but took the red patent leather high heels from the makeup artist beside him and bent down to help Fu Han put on her shoes.

    Although Fu Han was one hundred and seventy centimeters tall, she had a petite size thirty-seven foot, which was also very beautiful. Her feet were as white as mutton fat jade, with faint veins gracefully visible on the surface, adding a mysterious charm to her lovely feet.

    He Xing just nced at her feet a few more times, but in his mind, he had already imagined the scene of Fu Han ying in a stream. Her lively feet stirred the water, casting beautiful pearls into the air, which ultimately fell back into the stream.

    He exerted effort to control his thoughts and, after helping Fu Han with her shoes, hurriedly took her downstairs to toast the guests.

    Old Master He was the happiest person today. If it hadn¡¯t been for Fu Han stopping him, he would have insisted on drinking alcohol despite the doctor¡¯s objections. Unable to drink alcohol, he regretfully gulped down arge ss of juice in one go.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Wei were also hearty drinkers. Fu Xingbo tilted his head back and downed five liangs of white liquor, while Bai Wei apanied him with two sses of red wine. The couple wore bright smiles, clearly delighted.

    When they arrived at Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s table, He Xing said a few polite words as usual, ready to drink the "alcohol" he had prepared in advance. Unexpectedly, Luo Qinghe acted faster, grabbed He Xing¡¯s ss to sniff it, and then threw it on the ground, "He Xing, you¡¯re really disgusting. It¡¯s your big day, and you¡¯re actually drinking water instead of alcohol?"

    Fu Han immediately blushed. The idea to drink in water was Uncle Zhou¡¯s, who was worried that with so many guests, He Xing could get drunk, so he had prepared warm water in advance. She had not expected it to be exposed so quickly.

    He Xing, however, remained nonchnt and calm, though the words that came out were dramatic, "Alright, you¡¯re sabotaging me now, but when it¡¯s your turn, just make sure you don¡¯t cry."

    A chill arose from nowhere, and Luo Qinghe shook his arms, flicking away the goosebumps, "Alright, alright, at this point, we¡¯re all mud Buddhas crossing the river, barely able to save ourselves. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t expose you."

    After speaking, Luo Qinghe boldly finished an entire ss of red wine.

    Fu Han inadvertently made eye contact with Bai Wei, and both girls¡¯ cheeks flushed deeply red. Clearly, they were thinking the same thing at the moment.

    After visiting a few more tables, Fu Han finally arrived at Nan Qing and Su Cheng¡¯s table. These two, although sitting at the same table, were not sitting next to each other. Wang Yixuan was beside Nan Qing, while Su Cheng sat directly opposite her, silently eating with an expressionless, delicate face.

    Furthermore, Fu Han felt that Su Cheng¡¯s mood didn¡¯t seem very good. Following his gaze, when she saw Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing whispering to each other, a thought struck her, and she guessed the reason for Su Cheng¡¯s unhappy mood.

    The smile on her face deepened. Although no one had told her about the rtionship between Su Cheng and Nan Qing, she was not blind. Over time, she had noticed something. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have advised Su Cheng to consider Nan Qing that day.

    But now, it seemed that Su Cheng had seriously taken her advice about Nan Qing. However, Nan Qing might not necessarily still be waiting for him. And was Wang Yixuan a reliable person? Fu Han shook her head, uncertain, truly uncertain.

    Toasting was indeed a physically demanding task. The ceremony was not even halfway through when Fu Han started to feel tired, especially since she was wearing high heels, which she rarely put on.

    Yet, she couldn¡¯t skip this part of the event, so she numbly followed He Xing without realizing that their next stop would be near Xia Ning¡¯s family¡¯s table.

    He Xing began in his usual courteous manner, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending our engagement ceremony. I also hope you can take time out of your busy schedules to attend our wedding in two weeks."

    Before anyone else could respond, Xia Ning, holding a ss of red wine, stood up with a brilliantly radiant smile, "Big Brother He Xing, that¡¯s not something you should say. We will definitely attend your wedding. Just make sure you don¡¯t forget to invite me."

    "How could I? I¡¯ve always considered you like my own little sister," He Xing emphasized while uttering the words "own little sister" a bit louder.

    Even the upper-ss society could be nosy. Everyone was expecting a sh between Xia Ning and Fu Han, so when they gathered together, people¡¯s gazes naturally converged on them.

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile stiffened for a moment, but before she could say anything, Xia Guoxiong stood up,ughing heartily, "He Xing is right. Our Xia Cheng and Xia Ning have grown up with you. They still need your support in the future."

    Many responded with disdain to these words. Knowing that He Xing¡¯s polite words were actually meant to draw a clear boundary with Xia Ning, Xia Guoxiong shamelessly attempted to climb thedder, an act that truly disgusted people.

    What else could He Xing respond with but agreement?

    Therefore, He Xing¡¯s smile faded slightly, and with a touch of coldness, he said, "Uncle Xia, rest assured, if there¡¯s anything I can help with, I will certainly do my best to assist."

    Xia Guoxiong was eager for this response. He moved two steps closer to He Xing, "He Xing, speaking honestly, Uncle Xia is in a bit of trouble now and I need your help. I asked your grandfather, and he said this matter still needs your approval. What do you say, when will you have time for a good talk?"

    The area was quiet, but upon hearing this, many couldn¡¯t help but discuss among themselves. No one expected Xia Guoxiong to be so shameless, really putting He Xing in a difficult position.

    Although Fu Han didn¡¯t understand business matters, she also had a sharp intuition that something was not right. Worriedly, she looked at He Xing and indeed saw his expression turnpletely cold.

    But it was only for a moment, and in the next second He Xing¡¯s face disyed an almost splendid smile, "Certainly, Uncle Xia, I¡¯ll contact you once I arrange some time."

    Xia Guoxiong could not be satisfied with this answer. He was about to ask He Xing to make a public promise to deal with this issue, but before he could open his mouth...

    He Xing had already passed by him, moving on to the next table: "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you foring to..."

 Chapter 275: Immortal Couple

    <h4>Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Immortal Couple</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning looked at He Xing and Fu Han standing by the table next to hers, and even from their backs, they seemed so well-matched. Despite her intense jealousy, she couldn¡¯t deny that they looked very good together ¨C it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to describe them as a match made in heaven.

    What infuriated Xia Ning the most was that the fishtail wedding dress she was wearing had cost her a fortune to wrest from a newlywed couple. The tailor had rushed the work for several days, finally delivering the dress the previous evening.

    In order to outshine everyone today, she had started her skincare and makeup routine at three in the morning. The final result was indeed good; at least everyone thought she looked great in the dress, and many rich young masters had even approached her on their own initiative.

    She had thought she would definitely outdo Fu Han today. After all, though she acknowledged Fu Han¡¯s beauty, she never felt she fell short inparison ¨C not in terms of appearance.

    But that beautiful illusion shattered the moment she saw Fu Han. Not to mention anything else, just by Xia Cheng¡¯s drooling look when Fu Han made her entrance, she knew she had lost.

    Then, as Xia Ning had expected, many peoplepared her with Fu Han, and the one defeated utterly was Xia Ning, not Fu Han.

    Now Fu Han had changed into a bright red Chinese-style dress. Red is a tricky color to pull off, but Fu Han looked surprisingly stunning in it, like a regal peony. Even amidst a sea of flowers, she was the one that nobody could ignore.

    Next to Fu Han, Xia Ning felt like a pink rose ¨C not even a rose, just a pink china rose. Though equally beautiful, she was worlds apart from the peony.

    Xia Ning¡¯s teeth gritted audibly as she vehemently pulled Xia Cheng aside, "Have you remembered what I told you to do? You¡¯re only allowed to seed, not fail."

    Xia Cheng was staring transfixed at Fu Han¡¯s figure. At Xia Ning¡¯s words, he nced at her discontentedly and said with a sleazy stroke of his chin, "I know..." He paused before adding lecherously, "I never realized before how pretty little Fu Han has grown. He Xing is really lucky. If I had known, I might have pursued Fu Han myself. Maybe if I had married Fu Han, you could have easily wed He Xing."

    His words were like adding fuel to the fire. It was beyond Xia Ning¡¯s wildest imagination that Xia Cheng would brazenly covet Fu Han¡¯s beauty when he had always been the one to help Xia Ning deal with Fu Han.

    Seething, she pinched Xia Cheng hard on the shoulder, "Stop saying such useless things. No one likes hearing it; it¡¯s disgusting!"

    Xia Cheng rubbed his hurting arm, his face full of reluctance, but he knew Xia Ning was in a bad mood. He held back and didn¡¯t say another word.

    The toasting continued, and by the time Fu Han felt her legs were about to give out, they finally reached thest table ¨C a table with someone she knew, Ji Liangchuan.

    She remembered that he had known He Xing since childhood, and they had been good friends for many years. As she raised her ss filled with water to offer a toast, her smile deepened.

    Ji Liangchuan first downed the liquor in his ss, then poured another and approached Fu Han with a smile, "Fu Han, you look really beautiful today. Do you have a sister who looks a lot like you? If you do, introduce her to me."

    Before Fu Han could reply, He Xing spoke up with dissatisfaction, "Ji Liangchuan, what nonsense are you spouting here?"

    "Just a joke, just a joke," Ji Liangchuanughed sheepishly, taking another drink, "Consider this my apology, Fu Han. Don¡¯t take it to heart."

    Fu Han stared nkly at Ji Liangchuan, prompted by his words to ask, "Have you asked me that question before?"

    With her words, not only did Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face change, but He Xing too became so agitated. He gripped Fu Han¡¯s shoulders excitedly and asked, "Xiaohan, have you remembered something?"

    Fu Han frowned in pain. It seemed like there was indeed someone who asked her, "Have you ever seen someone who looks just like you?"

    But that person¡¯s face was extremely blurry, as if covered by a thick fog. Suddenly, a strong wind blew, the fog dispersed, and the face of that person looked exactly like Ji Liangchuan.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face was like a key that suddenly unlocked something ¨C like the sorrowful look Ji Liangchuan gave her every time he saw her, the expectation in the depths of his eyes when he asked that question, and the boundless despair when he received a negative answer.

    "My head hurts so much!" Fu Han clutched her head in agony, her body wavering as if unable to stand, and she crouched on the ground.

    "Fu Han, what¡¯s wrong with you?" That was Ji Liangchuan¡¯s scream.

    "Xiaohan, Xiaohan! Make way!" That was He Xing¡¯s voice as he scooped up Fu Han and dashed away.

    Luckily, their location was in a corner of the garden and hadn¡¯t attracted much attention; most of the guests didn¡¯t even know what had happened and were continuing with their dining and drinking.

    Only Ji Liangchuan followed He Xing as he ran into the vi.

    Because Mr. He¡¯s health hadn¡¯t fully recovered, He Xing had invited many experts to stay at the vi and had all the possible medical equipment brought over to care for Mr. He.

    Unexpectedly, the first time these doctors were called into action, it was because of Fu Han.

    Lying on her own pink bed in a dress as red as fresh blood, Fu Han¡¯s brows were furrowed into a "´¨" character, her eyes tightly shut, and her long eyshes trembling like butterflies caught in a storm, unable to find shelter. Her face was pale without a hint of color.

    The group of authoritative experts did all the tests they could, and after half a day of research, they only gave He Xing an open-ended result: "Miss Fu may have touched upon her past memories, but she hasn¡¯t fully remembered everything yet, which is why she¡¯s in so much pain. Mr. He, please don¡¯t worry. Give Miss Fu some more time, and perhaps she¡¯ll recover on her own."

    For the first time in his life, He Xing felt an urge to swear, and it was also the first time he thought that spending so much money to keep these experts around was aplete waste.

    But just when he was about to explode in anger, Fu Han suddenly opened her eyes and grabbed He Xing¡¯s wrist, her face contorted in pain as she said, "Tell them... send the doctors out, I... I don¡¯t want to see them."

    For Fu Han, who now was starting to remember, the hospital had always been the beginning of her memory. Every day upon waking, she had undergone countless examinations. Although she had never spoken of it, her ingrained aversion to hospitals ran deep.

    Now, her mind was bombarded with countless fragments beyond her control. In this state, to cooperate with the doctors¡¯ questions was truly too painful.

 Chapter 276: The Same Pain

    <h4>Chapter 276: Chapter 276: The Same Pain</h4><h4></h4>

    Her words were like a decree to He Xing, and he didn¡¯t bother to listen to the doctors prattle on. He sent everyone away, but just as he was about to close Fu Han¡¯s bedroom door, he noticed Ji Liangchuan standing at the doorway, not leaving. He hesitated but ultimately did not shut the door.

    After all, if it wasn¡¯t for Ji Liangchuan, those doctors wouldn¡¯t have arrived so quickly.

    Ji Liangchuan remained standing at the doorway the entire time, neither entering nor leaving. His eyes wereplex, as if waiting for something, yet also as if he was waiting for nothing at all.

    He Xing had no time to worry about Ji Liangchuan at that moment; he sat beside Fu Han¡¯s bed attempting to take her hand while asking with concern, "Xiaohan, how do you feel? If you¡¯re feeling unwell, you mustn¡¯t bear it silently."

    "I¡¯m fine; I feel much better." Fu Han moved imperceptibly, avoiding He Xing¡¯s grasp. She slightly tilted her head to look at He Xing, and although she was looking up at him, He Xing was still strikingly handsome, his charm now tinged with a touch of sadness.

    She knew part of his sorrow was because she didn¡¯t let him hold her hand, and another part was...

    After a moment of thought, Fu Han asked the question that she had been wanting to ask for a long time, "He Xing, do you really want me to recover my memory quickly?"

    This question caused He Xing¡¯s already pale face to be even more bloodless. He took a deep breath, and eventually managed a faint smile, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t overthink it. Whether or not you regain your memory, my love for you will not change."

    Actually, Fu Han¡¯s question also gued He Xing. Countless times he had woken up from nightmares in a cold sweat; in those dreams, Fu Han, with a face covered in blood, repeatedly asked He Xing, "He Xing, is this what you hoped for?"

    Of course, this wasn¡¯t what He Xing had hoped for, but the disfigurement and amnesia suffered by Fu Han were entirely his doing. If he hadn¡¯t lost his temper at Fu Han without fully understanding the situation, how could she have mistaken the elerator for the brake, resulting in the car ident?

    To this day, He Xing still couldn¡¯t figure out what he should do to obtain Fu Han¡¯s forgiveness if she remembered everything. Or, if Fu Han recovered all her memories, would she still be willing to stay with him?

    He Xing wasn¡¯t sure, so when he found out that Fu Han and Fu Xingbo had left without a word, his first suspicion was that Fu Han had regained her memory, harbored resentment towards him, and wanted to leave.

    It was only after confirming that Fu Han had not regained her memory that He Xing dared to take a risk and asked his grandfather for help, using marriage to bind Fu Han to his side.

    He knew his actions were despicable, but he would rather die himself than suffer the pain of losing Fu Han again. Heaven knows how he had spent those three years when Fu Han was abroad; those days were like hell, and he never wanted to experience them again.

    So now, with Fu Han asking him if he wished for her to regain her memory, He Xing truly didn¡¯t know how to answer, because even he didn¡¯t know what he truly wanted deep down.

    He and Fu Han had grown up together since childhood and shared many beautiful memories. Of course, he wanted Fu Han to remember them; yet, he had also hurt Fu Han many times. These were lifelong pains for both of them, and part of him didn¡¯t want Fu Han to remember.

    The wind blew through the window; the warm summer breeze mingled with a sigh and suddenly turned cool.

    Fu Han calmly shifted her gaze away from He Xing. She looked at the touching sight of the blue morning glories in the garden, countless blossoms unfolding one after another.

    These flowers were so ordinary, yet also so extraordinary; in her eyes, this sea of blue was far more attractive than any of the precious varieties in the Garden.

    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when she let out a faint sigh, then closed her eyes again, "I understand. I¡¯ll take good care of myself. There are many guests today; you should go entertain them."

    "But..." He Xing was reluctant to leave and opened his mouth as though to speak.

    Fu Han cut him off sternly, "If I need anything, I¡¯ll call you!"

    There was now a hint of impatience in her voice. He Xing felt a pang in his heart, deeply gazing at Fu Han before he finally agreed and slowly left.

    With a click, the door closed. Fu Han¡¯s eyes opened.

    She slowly got up, barefoot, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. To the left, the window revealed the beautiful scenery of Lanwan Mountain. To the right, the lively Garden, where guests were drinking merrily with countless empty wine bottles piled high. From the looks of it, this banquet seemed set to continue for several more hours.

    Although Fu Han had just been among those bustling guests moments ago, now, watching the banquet, it was as though it was another world, so unfamiliar.

    Of course, with so many people there, she couldn¡¯t count on both hands the number she knew.

    In the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling window, she could vaguely see herself in a bright red dress. At first, she thought the color of the dress was like tomato sauce, but now, the more she looked at it, the more it seemed to be dyed with blood. The sight of the dress became increasingly jarring to her.

    She felt as if needles were pricking her all over. She tried hard to avoid this feeling, but once the thought took root in her mind, it made her ufortable all over.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t just change out of her Chinese-style dress. She also took down her hair and removed all the makeup from her face until it was clean.

    Looking at herself in the mirror, with water still on her cheeks and her long hair clumsily pinned behind her head, her upper body draped in a loose white short-sleeve shirt¡ªit was very short and faintly revealed her slender waist. She wore gray lounge pants on the bottom.

    This casual outfit was what she now liked best. Comfortable, and it meant not having to wear a skirt and pretend to be ady or a beauty. She felt veryfortable.

    ...

    When He Xing walked out of Fu Han¡¯s room, Ji Liangchuan was still stationed outside. He looked at Ji Liangchuan, "Do you have something to say to me?"

    "Yes!" Ji Liangchuan replied without any waste of words, his answer crisp.

    Two minutester, in He Xing¡¯s Study Room, He Xing prepared two cups of warm water, handing one of them to Ji Liangchuan, "This is all I¡¯ve got in my study; make do with it."

    "I¡¯ve had too much to drink today; this is just what I needed." Ji Liangchuanughed, his smile returning him to that roguishly handsome young tycoon.

    He Xing smiled too, and after finishing half a cup of warm water, he looked at Ji Liangchuan, "Haven¡¯t you figured out how to start the conversation? If you haven¡¯t, I might need to leave for a moment to attend to the guests downstairs."

    "I..." Ji Liangchuan let out a deep sigh and looked directly at He Xing, saying, "Didn¡¯t you ask me why I came back? Do you still want to know?"

 Chapter 277: If she is happy, I bless her

    <h4>Chapter 277: Chapter 277: If she is happy, I bless her</h4><h4></h4>

    "If you want to talk, I can listen," He Xing said skillfully, neither expressing interest nor disinterest, deftly tossing the ball back into Ji Liangchuan¡¯s court.

    Before him, the ss Ji Liangchuan had been staring at hadn¡¯t been touched. Upon hearing He Xing¡¯s words, it was as if he¡¯d made up his mind about something momentous. He grabbed the ss and gulped down the water in two or three swigs, drinking it as though it were liquor.

    After a brief silence, Ji Liangchuan finally began to speak slowly, "The reason I didn¡¯t return from abroad for so many years was because of a woman; the reason I came back to the country and didn¡¯t leave again is also because of a woman. Her name was Taozi, and..."

    At this point, Ji Liangchuan sighed, his face showing a pained expression as he said, "Taozi and Fu Han looked exactly alike. The first time I saw Fu Han, I thought she was my Taozi."

    "The first time?" He Xing repeated these three words, his mind racing to recall when Ji Liangchuan and Fu Han had first met.

    "At my Liangtao Bar," Ji Liangchuan immediately gave the answer He Xing wanted to know, "That time, Fu Han had just returned to the country, wanting to annul the marriage arrangement with you. You were distressed and went to the bar to drink. You got drunk, and the only phone number in your phone was Fu Han¡¯s, so I took the liberty... thinking of helping you out, I called Fu Han toe pick you up and take you home."

    He Xing thought for a moment. He didn¡¯t know much about this incident; he only remembered that he was drunk and that it was Fu Han who had brought him home. He woke up in his bed the next morning, but beyond that, he remembered nothing else.

    A look of fond remembrance spread across Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face, "When I was in junior high, my parents left me behind abroad, saying they wanted me to be independent from a young age; but what does a twelve or thirteen-year-old child know about independence? I was short and couldn¡¯t speak English, often bullied by ssmates, and every time, it was Taozi who protected me..."

    He went on to talk about many things, all about him and Taozi - how they met when they were twelve or thirteen, started dating at seventeen or eighteen, and parted forever around twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

    Now, he was thirty-three and still hadn¡¯t moved on from the pain of leaving Taozi.

    During his storytelling, He Xing listened intently, not interrupting with a single word, but his heart was far from as calm as he appeared, even turbulent.

    He Xing had always known that Fu Han was charming; she received so many love letters each year that they could fill a sack. He even suspected that Ji Liangchuan had fallen for Fu Han, but he never imagined it would be such a story.

    When Ji Liangchuan finally stopped speaking, He Xing let out a sigh and directly asked, "So, the person you like now is Fu Han?"

    "I don¡¯t know," Ji Liangchuan said as he ran his fingers through his hair, his face bearing a pained look, "I know she¡¯s your girlfriend, and I shouldn¡¯t covet my friend¡¯s wife; but I have to admit, I pay quite a lot of attention to her."

    He Xing¡¯s heart was like a small boat in rough seas, struggling to stay afloat, never knowing if it might capsize the next second.

    Even so, he had to acknowledge that Ji Liangchuan remained the same person he knew, straightforward, speaking his mind without concealing his true feelings.

    After pondering for a moment, He Xing said earnestly, "I sympathize with what happened between you and your ex-girlfriend, but Fu Han isn¡¯t anyone¡¯s substitute. To me, she is irreceable, unique; without her, I will like no one else in this life. So, I hope you can keep your distance from Fu Han."

    "That¡¯s..." Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face was full of chagrin, "If Fu Han is happy with you, I will surely be happy for her, but if you treat her poorly, or if she is unhappy with you, I... I won¡¯t stand by and do nothing."

    He Xing looked at Ji Liangchuan expressionlessly, as if trying to discern the sincerity of his words, and finally nodded, "I¡¯m certain no one else can make Fu Han happy but me, so your well-wishing is all that¡¯s needed."

    "We will see," Ji Liangchuan said with a smile.

    Yet, his smile contained a hint of bitterness, but also sincere well wishes. The extreme contradiction somehow melded together perfectly¡ªit felt like watching the person you love most dress in a wedding gown for someone else.

    As firm as He Xing was, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a softening in his heart. He patted Ji Liangchuan on the shoulder, "Let the past be the past; there are plenty of good women in the world, you should get to know some when you have time."

    "No problem at all," Ji Liangchuan grinned widely, revealing a row of white teeth. He gave He Xing¡¯s shoulder a vigorous p, "My eye for women isn¡¯t good, so I¡¯ll wait for you and your wife to find me a good match."

    "I¡¯ll definitely keep an eye out for you, and if Ie across someone good, you¡¯ll be the first to know," He Xing promised brightly, his smile particrly radiant.

    But perhaps only the two of them knew just how radiant their smiles were on their faces, and how much bitternessy in their hearts.

    Yet in the world of adults, even if the heart aches, the pain often goes unspoken. Truths and lies intertwine, real and fake, sometimes even the speaker can¡¯t tell them apart.

    Arm in arm, the two descended the stairs and retook their seats, gracefully facing different people. They were young and adept at dealing; genteel in appearance, they masterfully handled drinking games; they appeared upright and principled, yet could also crack some moderately risqu¨¦ jokes.

    ...

    When the knock on the door came, Fu Han was nestled in a hanging chair with a book in her hands, her emotions settled back into calmness, no longer trying to piece together the fragmented memories that hade to mind.

    She nced at the door, thinking it must be He Xing worried anding to find her, and said, "Pleasee in."

    About half a minuteter, the door opened.

    Fu Han waited but heard no one speak. Confused, she turned her head toward the doorway, only to see the face of a man she had no recollection of¡ªa stranger.

    The man was rather handsome, dressed in a bold ck-and-white checked suit with a gemstone pin on his chest and shoes so polished they could serve as mirrors.

    "Who are you?" Fu Han got up cautiously, holding her book, which now served as her temporary weapon.

    The man leaned against the door frame at an angle, shing what he thought was a suave and debonair smile, "Hello, Miss Fu Han. I am Xia Ning¡¯s brother; we¡¯ve just met, during the drinking earlier."

    Reminded by him, Fu Han finally had a slight impression. At the time, she had been so focused on Xia Ning and Xia Guoxiong when she followed He Xing to toast at their table that she hadn¡¯t noticed the people beside them.

    Remembering this, she nodded, still looking wary, "So, it¡¯s Mr. Xia Cheng. Do you need something from me?"

 Chapter 278: The Space-Time Chain of the Swimming Pool

    <h4>Chapter 278: Chapter 278: The Space-Time Chain of the Swimming Pool</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Cheng was extremely proud that Fu Han had thought about himself. He stroked his chin and revealed what he thought was his most charming smile, "Miss Fu Han, the He Family and Xia Family have always had a very good rtionship. It could be said that we¡¯ve grown up together since we were young, making us friends for many years. If there¡¯s a chance, we could go out and have some fun."

    "There¡¯s no need, Mr. Xia Cheng. If there¡¯s nothing else, please leave," Fu Han said coldly, without a trace of warmth, rejecting him outright, "Moreover, I don¡¯t remember being friends with you, nor will I go out to y with you."

    Leaving aside the fact that Fu Han had amnesia now, just considering her rtionship as "year-long love rivals" with Xia Ning, it was practically impossible for her to be friends with Xia Cheng.

    Besides, most importantly, from the moment she saw Xia Cheng, she felt ufortable all over. Whether it was the affected tone of his voice or his affected nonchnce, even his every move made Fu Han feel uneasy.

    Her instincts told her to stay away from this man.

    Xia Cheng had not expected Fu Han to refuse so tly. He was usually adies¡¯ man and rarely faced rejection. Feeling somewhat discouraged, he was about to persist when he suddenly remembered what Xia Ning had entrusted him with.

    He quickly put away his yful demeanor and spoke very seriously, "Miss Fu Han, please take my earlier words as a joke between us. I came here on someone¡¯s request. If you want to know about your past, please go to the rooftop swimming pool. There you¡¯ll find the answers you¡¯re looking for."

    After saying that, Xia Cheng lingered with a longing look at Fu Han, itching to get closer, but in the end, he left quickly; this woman was indeed a beauty, but now was not the time for him to make a move.

    Fu Han stared at the empty doorway, hesitating and unsure whether to go or not.

    She had just asked He Xing if he wanted her to recover her memories. In fact, wasn¡¯t this question also one she was asking herself? Did she want to regain her memories? She had already touched the fragments of her memory several times, but in the quiet of the night, she hadn¡¯t made any special efforts to stimte those fragments.

    As time ticked by, Fu Han¡¯s heart felt as if it were being fried in oil. She had walked back and forth in her room at least a dozen times, undecided about going up.

    ...

    He Family vi, top floor.

    There was an open-air swimming pool here, where one could swim in the summer and, with a little cleanup, it could be turned into a perfect little sunbathing amusement park in the winter.

    He Xing and Fu Han both had OCD, and there were many guests today, so they had not opened the rooftop swimming pool. However, there was no explicit rule against people going up there.

    If any guests wished to take a look, the servants would politely dissuade them. Those with thin skin would naturally get the hint and leave; but there were always some thick-skinned people who pretended not to understand, like Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, who imed to have oftene here to y.

    The vast rooftop was upied by only these siblings. After the servants delivered fruits and wine, they were dismissed by them.

    Xia Ning had changed into a swimsuit at some point, which at first nce appeared conservative but was actually semi-transparent in almost all areas except the key parts, revealing her perfect figure without an ounce of extra flesh.

    Sitting next to her, Xia Cheng was still dressed in his high-end suit, his ss of wine swaying in hand, his mind filled with the sight of Fu Han¡¯s earlier turnaround.

    That unadorned face, the ck agate-like eyes, the pert nose, the crimson lips, and the snowy cheeks, beautiful like...

    Xia Cheng could find no words to describe her. In his heart, he was certain that among all the people he had seen, none was more beautiful than Fu Han.

    Suddenly, Xia Ning nudged Xia Cheng with her foot, "Hey, did you tell Fu Han or not? Why hasn¡¯t shee up yet?"

    "I told her, I did," Xia Cheng was savoring the memory when he was interrupted and, feeling irritated, his tone was not very pleasant.

    Xia Ning was taken aback by the rebuff. She was furious, and the fact that Fu Han still hadn¡¯te up made her even angrier. She thought to herself that Xia Cheng was aplete waste of space, unable to handle even such a simple task.

    Hands on hips, she was about to scold someone when out of the corner of her eye she saw someone at the door. Looking intently, who could it be if not Fu Han?

    "You¡¯re here? Come on in," Xia Ning quickly changed from anger to a smile, probably the most genuine smile she had ever given Fu Han in her life.

    Fu Han cautiously looked around. There was nobody on the rooftop except the siblings, and especially Xia Cheng¡¯s lecherous gaze made her even more uneasy.

    She no longer hesitated and sent out the text message that she had prepared on her phone. Then she stepped forward and walked in.

    Xia Ning approached Fu Han, affectionately taking her hand and leading her toward the swimming pool, "Fu Han, you used to love swimming. I heard brother He Xing say you haven¡¯t swum since you woke up. Do you want to go for a swim?"

    "No!" Fu Han pulled away forcefully, trying to shake off Xia Ning¡¯s hand, "I¡¯m not wearing a swimsuit, and I don¡¯t want to swim right now."

    She had used about eighty percent of her strength to shake off Xia Ning, thinking that would be enough, but Xia Ning had been prepared and held on to Fu Han¡¯s wrist with all her might, dragging her toward the swimming pool.

    In the blink of an eye, Fu Han found herself close to the pool, looking at the sunlight reflecting off the pool¡¯s surface, a sense of dread arising within her.

    "Let go of me, or I¡¯ll call for someone," Fu Han desperately tried to push Xia Ning away, her face growing paler.

    Just as it seemed Fu Han might seed, Xia Ning called out urgently to the side, "Brother, what are you waiting for?"

    A trace of reluctance shed in Xia Cheng¡¯s eyes, but he still stepped forward, lifted Fu Han up around her waist, and in a few steps, he was at the edge of the pool.

    "No, don¡¯t!" Fu Han pounded on Xia Cheng¡¯s back and screamed desperately.

    Xia Ning ignored her own wrist swollen from Fu Han¡¯s hits; she stepped forward and with all her might tipped her over, sending Fu Han tumbling into the swimming pool.

    With a ssh, Fu Han fell into the water, causing a huge spray that wet the clothes of both Xia Ning and Xia Cheng.

    But Xia Ning did not mind at all. She stood with her hands on her hips at the pool¡¯s edge, looking down at Fu Han, covering her mouth tough loudly, "Fu Han, guess who brother He Xing will save when he finds us in the water, you or me?"

    This sentence was like a torrent through time returning to Fu Han¡¯s side; a scene emerged in her mind, the same swimming pool, Xia Cheng pushing her into the water followed by Xia Ning jumping in after her.

    He Xing arrived, and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he dived in and saved Xia Ning; it was a servant who saved Fu Han. By the time she got up, He Xing had already taken Xia Ning to the hospital.

 Chapter 279: Are You Going to Die?

    <h4>Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Are You Going to Die?</h4><h4></h4>

    Memories, like floodwaters unleashed, surged violently through Fu Han¡¯s mind, threatening to blow it apart, a chaotic maelstrom of recollections.

    Xia Ning stood with hands on her hips beside the pool, gazing down at Fu Han with superiority, "Fu Han, didn¡¯t you want to remember the past? Have you remembered now? It was also in this swimming pool, He Xing¡¯s eyes had only me. I told you He Xing liked me, but you wouldn¡¯t believe it; do you remember now?"

    Every word she uttered pierced Fu Han¡¯s heart like needles, the final image seared in her mind being that of He Xing wrongfully using her of pushing Xia Ning into the water, after which, heartbroken and in despair, she left behind the engagement ring and parted ways.

    Xia Ning keenly observed the changes in Fu Han¡¯s expression, seeing her face pale, she knew her words had hit their mark.

    With renewed energy, she pushed forward, "Fu Han, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re despicable? Your parents saved Grandfather He, and you used that as a reason to marry He Xing; my mother died trying to save He Xing. Do you think, by that reasoning, I should be the one marrying him instead?"

    Under the sun, Fu Han thrashed desperately in the water, struggling to stay upright, feeling like she should say something. But they fell into the deep end, and with her mind in utter turmoil, she could only il aimlessly, achieving nothing, ultimately sumbing to the depths with reluctance, sinking deeper and deeper.

    Water invaded her mouth, nose, and ears from all directions, her limbs growing icy, and her heart colder still.

    She knew Xia Ning would never save her, nor did she want to call for help. The rooftop was seldom visited, especially today. Was this the end?

    Fu Han pondered this question seriously. As her strength waned, she closed her eyes, epting this supposed fate with resignation.

    In thest second before losing consciousness, she thought she heard someone running toward her, screaming her name with a voiceden with agony. She wanted to open her eyes, to see if someone did care that much, but her eyelids were too heavy to lift, no matter how hard she tried.

    ...

    The world was a sea of white: white walls, white bed sheets, a world devoid of color.

    It had been quiet, devoid of any sound, yet the trees outside the window were filled with the relentless noise of cicadas and birds, interrupting the otherwise pristine silence with a taste of human life.

    After a moment, the door opened from outside. A group of doctors and nurses in white coats entered, conducting their routine checks before jotting down notes on the chart and turning to leave.

    The man who had sat motionless by the bed, still as a statue, suddenly stood, "It¡¯s been three days already. You said she had no problems, so why hasn¡¯t she woken up?"

    "Mr. He..." The lead doctor turned to face He Xing, his calm expression tinged with sympathy and helplessness, "I understand how you feel, but we¡¯ve done many checks on Ms. Fu, and she truly doesn¡¯t have any issues. As to why she won¡¯t wake up, it might be that she¡¯s just too exhausted, in a forced slumber."

    "Too exhausted?" He Xing echoed, his heart sinking as if it were plummeting to the bottom of ake, weighed down by a massive stone, endlessly falling.

    When only he and Fu Han were left in the ward, he sat back down. Over the past three days, except for brief moments to use the washroom or to shower, He Xing hadn¡¯t left the chair; even when urgent work required his attention, he simply turned the chair around, using the small bedside table as a desk to work from.

    He sighed and once again took Fu Han¡¯s hand.

    The scene from three days ago reyed in his mind, filled with immense regret. Why, when Fu Han said she needed to be alone, hadn¡¯t he arranged for a servant to watch over her at the door?

    If he had been more attentive, even if Fu Han insisted on swimming alone, he could have known right away and he was sure he would have supported Fu Han.

    But as it happened, it was Bai Wei who received Fu Han¡¯s text and found it odd. She decided to check the rooftop and, along with Luo Qinghe, inadvertently saved Fu Han from drowning.

    As for He Xing, he only found out through Xia Cheng¡¯s call to summon an ambnce, aware of the incident at the rooftop pool only while he was drinking.

    Nobody could rify exactly what had happened at the time.

    Bai Wei said she heard Fu Han¡¯s cries for help while in the elevator. By the time she arrived, both Xia Ning and Fu Han were in the water, with Xia Cheng attempting to pull Xia Ning out, while Fu Hany motionless.

    Fortunately, Bai Wei had yed the role of a synchronized swimmer and had learned professional drowning resuscitation techniques. She and Luo Qinghe managed to pull Fu Han out, then began first aid.

    On the ambnce, several doctors remarked that without Bai Wei¡¯s first aid, Fu Han might have already "drunk the Spicy Soup" by the time they arrived.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t remember his reaction upon hearing this news. He only recalled the trip from the He Family vi to the hospital, where the medics in the ambnce didn¡¯t dare to look at him.

    What exactly had happened that day? Was it a reenactment of the incident from three years ago? Xia Cheng and Xia Ning conspiring against Fu Han?

    Upon confirming Fu Han was not in critical danger, He Xing checked the surveince footage from the rooftop immediately.

    In the beginning, it showed Xia Ning swimming alone in the pool. Soon after, Xia Cheng joined her, and they sat and chatted by the poolside. About ten minutester, Fu Han arrived.

    The surveince couldn¡¯t capture sound, but the images were clear. Xia Ning and Fu Han seemed to be discussing something unpleasant, their exchange growing heated as they tug each other¡¯s wrists a few times.

    Somehow, they ended up at the edge of the pool, Fu Han forcefully shaking off Xia Ning¡¯s hand, and as a result, sliding into the water.

    Although Xia Ning also drowned, it wasn¡¯t serious, and she was discharged after spending a night in the hospital.

    He Xing asked Xia Ning what exactly happened, and she admitted she still liked He Xing and didn¡¯t want to give up on him. This led to her bing agitated upon seeing Fu Han and saying that Fu Han was exploiting the life-saving debt to marry He Xing, which was entirely dishonorable.

    Honestly, throughout the growth of He Xing, Fu Han, and Xia Ning, thetter had said far harsher things in front of Fu Han. Not to mention after Fu Han turned eighteen and they got engaged; Xia Ning couldn¡¯t even finish counting the nasty things she said over several nights.

    He Xing of the past always overlooked such matters, automatically ignoring any less hurtfulments Xia Ning made to corner Fu Han. And for those particrly nasty remarks he did hear, he would reprimand Xia Ning, but it was limited to asking Xia Ning to watch her words, never being especially strict.

 Chapter 280: Three Days of Deep Sleep

    <h4>Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Three Days of Deep Sleep</h4><h4></h4>

    Three days is neither long nor short.

    In these three days, He Xing had analyzed himself countless times. He knew that he had indeed been too lenient with Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, the siblings of the Xia Family. He owed the Xia Family a life, but it was not Fu Han who was indebted, nor should Fu Han be bullied like this.

    He Xing was overwhelmed with guilt, wishing he could drown in it.

    He swore to himself over and over that as long as Fu Han woke up, he would never let her suffer any grievances again, even if others used him of being ungrateful and disloyal.

    Thinking of this, he slightly lowered his head to look at Fu Han, and even though she was asleep, just the fact that she was breathing was afort to He Xing.

    While looking down, he was caught off guard by a pair of ck and white eyes. He was stunned for a few seconds before he finally realized what had happened. Fu Han was awake; Fu Han had woken up.

    The immense joy came crashing down on He Xing, submerging him. He looked down slightly and spoke in as soft a voice as possible, for fear of frightening Fu Han, "Xiaohan... are you awake?"

    Fu Han had been staring at the snow-white ceiling overhead. Hearing He Xing¡¯s voice, she turned her head very slowly towards him. With her bright eyes fixed on He Xing, unmoving, it was as if she wanted to see right into the depths of his soul. After a long time, she finally spoke, "Yes."

    It was only one word, but it came out so dry, like scratching sand against frosted ss, somewhat grating on the ears.

    The joy in He Xing¡¯s heart diminished by more than half. He had a strange feeling that something was off with Fu Han since she woke up. But he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what it was; her voice just sounded different than before.

    He quickly concealed his own emotions, adopting a cautious expression, "Fu Han, how do you feel?"

    "Not bad." That same coarse voice replied, but it no longer sounded as unpleasant as before, at least not harsh to the ears.

    He Xing guessed that Fu Han¡¯s rough voice was probably due to not speaking for several days. He was anxious for a doctor to check on her, but he was also afraid the doctor might upset her, especially since she had clearly shown her dissatisfaction during thest examination when she had a headache.

    Gently patting Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, he said, "Xiaohan, you¡¯ve been unconscious for three days, but now you¡¯re finally awake, and I am very happy. Should I call the doctor to check on you?"

    Unexpectedly, this time Fu Han agreed readily, nodding without hesitation.

    The mood of He Xing immediately improved. He got up and walked briskly towards the ward door, but before leaving, he turned back for a nce.

    Fu Han was still in the same posture, staring at the ceiling, but her deep ck eyes seemed tock focus. Although she was looking at the ceiling, it didn¡¯t seem like she was actually seeing it.

    It seemed that from the moment she woke up until now, she hadn¡¯t even nced at He Xing once.

    Realizing this made He Xing¡¯s mood a bit heavy, but the next second he smiled again. It didn¡¯t matter; at least Fu Han was awake. She had finally woken up, and that was a wonderful start.

    Less than two minutester, Fu Han¡¯s room was filled with doctors. After she answered countless questions from the doctor, a series of tests were ordered.

    By the afternoon, all the test results were out, and He Xing personally delivered them to the doctor.

    In the end, the most miraculous part was that the doctor said there was no longer anything wrong with Fu Han¡¯s body; she could be discharged at any time.

    All the things Fu Han needed in the hospital had been prepared by He Xing, and it was still He Xing who packed her things for discharge.

    Since waking up in the morning until now, mid-afternoon, aside from mealtime when she lowered her head to look at the food, her eyes were either fixed outside the window or on the ceiling above.

    Of course, Fu Han had taken a bath in the meantime. She was always one to love cleanliness the most. After the bath, she didn¡¯t want to wear pajamas and put on a casual set of her own clothes: a striped short-sleeve shirt in goose yellow and white, paired with a pair of white ultra-short shorts.

    This outfit was very energetic, not only exposing her two straight and slender legs but seemed to improve herplexion quite a bit too.

    It was strange to say, Fu Han had onlyin in the ward for three days, yet those three days had turned herplexion so pale, she resembled the sunlight-deprived vampires from the movies.

    However, her insistence on wearing her own clothes in the ward wasn¡¯t entirely without merit; at least she wouldn¡¯t need to change clothes when she was discharged in the afternoon and could just walk out.

    The Lamborghini sped along the road, and He Xing was in a good mood. The faint musicing from the radio was cheerful, indeed fitting his current state of mind.

    At a red light, He Xing nced at Fu Han¡¯splexion¡ªfair, with just a hint of red on her lips¡ªbut at least it was much better than the ghastly pale within the confines of the ward.

    Fu Han was gazing out the window; following her line of sight, he looked toward the Central Park by the roadside, where on the Square, olddies were dancing, kids were ying hopscotch, and a little further away, an elderly gentleman was riding a bicycle with many balloons attached to the front. The balloons, shaped like various animals, looked particrly adorable.

    The twilight glow from the west shone on these people, as if gilding them in ayer of gold.

    He Xing felt moved, asking in a low voice, "Xiaohan, do you want to go down and walk around?"

    He had actually spoken quite a bit with Fu Han today, but each time her responses were cold, as if she was deliberately creating distance between them.

    When he asked that question, He Xing had already braced himself for rejection, but to his surprise, Fu Han nodded.

    Overwhelmed with joy, He Xing quickly found a ce to park the car.

    There were many parks in City A, and the one they went to was actually quite ordinary, just your typical park, but perhaps due to its age, this park hadrge and lush trees, making it a nice spot to seek shade and cool down in the summer.

    Fu Han sat on a stone bench under arge tree, with an expressionless face, looking ahead where some children were ying with beanbags.

    He Xing sat beside her and after thinking for a moment, he said in a low voice, "Wait for me here, I¡¯ll be back soon."

    Once Fu Han obediently agreed, He Xing then left at a trot and returned in less than five minutes, his hands full of balloons.

    He approached Fu Han and handed her all the balloons, "Xiaohan, I saw you liked these balloons, so I bought them all for you."

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze showed a momentary touch of emotion, but it was just for a moment. The next second, she was back to her nk expression, "Who would want these childish things? I don¡¯t."

    Fu Han had clearly observed these balloons for a while, and the Fu Han of the past would have been delighted by such things.

 Chapter 281: Eating at a Street Stall Together

    <h4>Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Eating at a Street Stall Together</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing refused to give up, clutching the balloons tightly, his face donning an even warmer smile, "Okay, then I¡¯ll take them home and put them in your room, is that okay?"

    A breeze came by, causing the balloons to sway; the little bunny, little turtle, and the pony with wings seemed to be y fighting, looking particrly adorable.

    Fu Han stared at the balloons in a trance for a while before she eventually gave a silent nod: "Okay, thank you."

    The simple word "okay" was enough to te He Xing, yet the "thank you" that followed cut his joy in half at least, but after today¡¯s trials, He Xing¡¯s resilience had considerably improved.

    The tempting aroma of food wafted over with the wind. Fu Han looked around, trying to locate where the food was being sold. She had only had some porridge for lunch and wasn¡¯t hungry now, but she couldn¡¯t resist the scent in the air.

    "Do you want to eat?" He Xing had never seen such a longing expression on Fu Han¡¯s face before.

    Fu Han turned to look at He Xing and hesitated before asking, "Can I? Didn¡¯t the doctor say not to just eat anything?"

    "But the doctor also said there¡¯s nothing wrong with your health," He Xing said as he tied the bundle of balloons to Fu Han¡¯s wrist. He stood up and walked towards a nearby stall: "Eat a little less, and have a couple more bowls of soup tonight to make up for it, and you¡¯ll be fine."

    Fu Han watched his retreating figure, her eyes once again bingplex.

    In fact, ever since she had woken up, every time He Xing wasn¡¯t looking at her, her gaze would turnplex, with strife and pain in the depths of her eyes that couldn¡¯t be articted.

    The doctor had said she had been unconscious for three days, but to Fu Han, it felt as though she had just experienced a very, very long dream. In that dream, she saw everything that Fu Han had been through before. To be precise, she remembered past events.

    She remembered the first time she met He Xing, and how Xia Ning and Xia Cheng had treated her. She also remembered how many people said she was overreaching, a servant¡¯s daughter foolishly wishing to be the mistress of He Group.

    Amnesia really turned out to be a blessing¡ªshe could forget all the humiliations of the past. If she hadn¡¯t lost her memory, how could she possibly have smiled politely at everyone during her and He Xing¡¯s engagement banquet just a few days ago, sincerely grateful for their attendance at her engagement ceremony?

    In that crowd were many who had ridiculed her, openly and covertly, suggesting a sparrow could never be a phoenix no matter how high it flew.

    If she hadn¡¯t lost her memory, she wouldn¡¯t have invited these people to her engagement party at all, because she was such a proud yet insecure person.

    Now, looking back on the engagement banquet, she felt as if she could see how they wereughing at her behind her back. To her, everyone¡¯s gaze was like a knife.

    He Xing knew exactly how they had made life difficult for her before, yet he still invited them.

    Why? Didn¡¯t He Xing know she was always a person who believed in an eye for an eye, a grievance for a grievance? If He Xing had just thought from her perspective, he should have known she would never reconcile with that verminous bunch.

    Didn¡¯t He Xing realize she would never settle her differences with those so-called gentlemen who unted their family wealth, mingling with Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, seizing every opportunity to mock Fu Han as a clown? She felt disgusted at the sight of them!

    From a distance, He Xing came running back, carrying two disposable boxes, one hand still holding a white disposable bag.

    Fu Han stopped her untimely daydreaming, thinking to adopt a poker face, only to see He Xing wiping sweat from his shoulder.

    It was a small gesture, yet one Fu Han had never seen He Xing make.

    From a young age, almost everyone described He Xing with phrases like ¡¯mature beyond his years¡¯. He was precise andposed in everything he did, never flustered.

    But now, He Xing, dressed in a tailored suit, had hurried to buy street food for her. He was so rushed to return that he was drenched in sweat.

    Even though Fu Han was in a bad mood, she could no longer remain indifferent.

    She took the initiative to help He Xing with the items, tied the unruly balloons to the backrest of a seat, and then pulled out a paper towel from her small bag to hand over to He Xing.

    He Xing hastily wiped the sweat from his face and neck, then presented the food to Fu Han as if unveiling treasures: "I¡¯ve already tried it¡ªthe stinky tofu from this stall is delicious, and they have barbeque too. I got a bit of everything, not too spicy, so give it a try."

    Fu Han looked at the somewhat deformed paper bowl crushed by He Xing¡¯s hands. Her eyes welled up, using the act of eating to push back the tears.

    At this moment, Fu Han had no idea that she would look back on this day for many years toe. She wouldn¡¯t remember what stinky tofu tasted like, only that it was the most delicious stinky tofu she ever ate; she wouldn¡¯t remember what kind of barbeque He Xing bought, but she would recall eating joyously, every bite greasy and delightfully messy.

    What they ate was just a simple street barbeque, and the vendor¡¯s skills were quite ordinary, but with their moods so different, they managed to make this cheap "barbeque" feel extraordinary.

    As the sun began to set, the Lamborghini roared to life again.

    He Xing tied the balloons to the car door handles, and they danced in the wind, attracting countless stares along the way.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t like such a showy disy, but it seemed a waste to discard so many balloons, and setting them free would pollute the environment. So she just closed her eyes tightly, pretending to sleep, acting as if she knew nothing.

    When the He Family patriarch heard Fu Han was discharged, he had instructed his servants to prepare dinner early. As they returned, the old man waited at the door with his cane, eagerly watching the winding road that led to Lanwan Mountain.

    From afar, Fu Han could see the patriarch¡¯s figure. Although he was tall, for some reason, he now seemed to be a man in need of careful protection.

    Fu Han thought about how she hadn¡¯t been there for the patriarch after her amnesia and when he had surgery and was hospitalized, and her heart was filled with regret.

    After she got out of the car, she quickly went to give him a big hug, even giving him a kiss on the cheek, just like she had when she was a little girl.

    He beamed with joy, repeatedly praising Fu Han.

    Although they were not rted by blood, they were closer than any grandparent-grandchild duo.

    Fu Han held one of the patriarch¡¯s hands while supporting him with his cane in the other, the two of them walking in talking andughing; He Xing, who hadgged behind to park the car, followed two meters behind.

    Watching the pair ahead, He Xing realized they were the two most important people in his life, the ones he would protect at any cost.

 Chapter 282: Remembered Everything

    <h4>Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Remembered Everything</h4><h4></h4>

    The evening wind roared fiercely, balloons danced with the breeze, resembling countless adorable little animals frolicking in the sky.

    He Xing, holding a handful of balloons, experienced an illusion for a moment, feeling as if the balloons in his palm were his happiness, that the more balloons he had, the more happiness he possessed.

    Now that his hands were full of balloons, did that mean he was brimming with happiness?

    He Xing ced all the balloons in Fu Han¡¯s room. Then he went back to his own room to take a shower. He had been running around, worried about Fu Han, and had sweated, feeling ufortable all over.

    By the time he had bathed and changed intofortable home clothes and came downstairs, the dining table wasden with delicious meals, their tempting aroma wafting through the air. He Xing¡¯s stomach growled with hunger, a hunger that made vocal demands.

    Yet, he had not long ago enjoyed street barbecue with Fu Han; it seems one gets hungry easily when happy, not without reason.

    Fu Han was gnawing on a Chicken Drumstick, her cheeks stuffed. Seeing He Xing, she paused, slightly embarrassed, "I said I¡¯d wait for you, but Grandpa insisted that I eat first."

    "Yes, I was the one who told her to eat," He Xing¡¯s grandfather nced at He Xing, his threat unspoken yet clear, "What, do you have a problem with that?"

    "How dare I have any problems?" He Xing, with a deadpan expression, managed a smile and sat next to Fu Han, casually cing another Chicken Drumstick into her bowl, "This one¡¯s for you too. From now on, all the drumsticks are yours."

    Even though the He Family had always lived well materially and could satisfy any craving, the old gentleman had kept a decades-old custom; if chicken soup was made at home, the drumsticks were always given to the most treasured child in the house.

    When Fu Han and He Xing were both children, they had often fought over the drumsticks. But their battles were different from those of others; there were only two options, either Fu Han would eat two drumsticks, or she and He Xing would each have one.

    As a general rule, He Xing only got to eat a drumstick if Fu Han didn¡¯t want them, as the old gentleman always unconditionally supported Fu Han, no matter what.

    Memories flooded back, and Fu Han¡¯s face involuntarily brightened with a smile. She looked at He Xing, "I¡¯m not a pig, I can¡¯t eat two drumsticks. You have it."

    A smile spread across He Xing¡¯s face as well. He chuckled, "You¡¯re quite generous this time," and then unceremoniously helped himself to the drumstick.

    Across the table, the smiling old man watched them. Although his face bore deeper wrinkles, he seemed much younger.

    Dinner was more than half done when the He Family patriarch, as if struck by a thought, looked affectionately at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, does that mean you remember everything now?"

    He Xing was eating an abalone when he heard this; he startled, almost swallowing the entire abalone.

    Facing the impactful gaze of both He Family men, Fu Han felt her stress double. She cleared her throat and confessed honestly, "Yes, I remember everything now."

    In fact, from the second Fu Han woke up that day, He Xing had wanted to ask the same question his grandfather had just posed numerous times, but he was too fearful that a single word might irritate Fu Han, so he had been holding back.

    Now, hearing her answer firsthand, he felt a great shock, indescribable in words, mixed, of course, with joy, though also with an undercurrent of worry.

    ...

    That night, the sounds of insects and birds had diminished considerably, and the lights of the entire vi had dimmed, leaving only the gentle glow of the corridor¡¯s night light.

    With a creak, a door at the end of the corridor was pushed open from the inside, Fu Han emerged first, with He Xing following close behind.

    The old gentleman had been peculiar today, insisting Fu Han stay until he fell asleep. He Xing was marginalized by his own grandfather yet another day. But to spend more time with Fu Han, he thickened his skin and followed her in.

    As Fu Han continued walking towards her room without stopping, He Xing hurried his pace to catch up, "Xiaohan, wait, I need to talk to you."

    To avoid waking the old gentleman, his voice was very low, sounding especially hoarse in the night, tinged with a hint of world-weariness.

    Fu Han had raised her foot to leave, but at his words, she stopped, though she did not turn back, asking with a touch of unease, "Do you have something else to say?"

    "I have a lot to say." He Xing closed the distance to Fu Han in just a few steps. In the quiet of the night, his footsteps were particrly clear, like a hammer striking stone.

    Fu Han instinctively nced towards the old gentleman¡¯s room. Frowning in displeasure, she said, "Are you trying to wake Grandpa deliberately?"

    "I... I¡¯m not," He Xing struggled to articte a convincing argument, even as a blush crept up his cheeks, his words tumbling out desperately, "I was just afraid you¡¯d ignore me. Let¡¯s walk slowly and talk on the balcony, okay?"

    Fu Han had anticipated that He Xing wouldn¡¯t let her go back to sleep just like that. She had prepared herself to refuse whatever excuse He Xing made because she didn¡¯t want to speak with He Xing at all.

    However, when she heard He Xing utter "okay?" in such a subservient tone, her heart softened all at once.

    By the time she came to her senses, He Xing was holding her hand, and she was obediently following behind him, heading to the open-air balcony they often visited in the past.

    As they stepped out from the ss door, a strong gust of wind hit, nearly knocking the unprepared Fu Han off her feet. Luckily, He Xing held her hand tightly, firmly bing her support.

    There was a liquor cab on the balcony, custom-made by He Xing who had asked someone to carve out a niche in the wall; Fu Han remembered criticizing him for his extreme hedonism, but now she found the idea of having a liquor cab there quite appealing.

    The ruby-red liquid swayed in the clear ss, the scent of wine diffusing into the air.

    Only after emptying a ss of wine did He Xing speak, "Fu Han, do... do you have anything you want to say to me?"

    "No!" Fu Han¡¯s response was crisp and decisive. After responding, though, she felt her words were too callous, adding, "Not at the moment."

    But her addition did nothing to improve He Xing¡¯s pallidplexion. His lips quivered, he murmured low, "Xiaohan, I really should apologize to you. If I hadn¡¯t lost my temper on the phone with you, you wouldn¡¯t have had that car ident, wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much, I¡¯m sorry, can you forgive me?"

    "I never med you," Fu Han tilted her head, a mischievous and endearing smile on her face, "If we¡¯re really to me, it¡¯s actually my fault. You instructed me to stop Bai Wei, and I failed to prevent her from hitting Qin Xiaonian."

 Chapter 283 Gentle Breeze, Mild Clouds

    <h4>Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Gentle Breeze, Mild Clouds</h4><h4></h4>

    The lighter she took forgiving herself, the more distressed He Xing became.

    In the past, Fu Han was like a hedgehog covered in spines, never the type to endure losing her teeth and swallowing the blood without retaliation.

    He Xing remembered that when Fu Han and Xia Ning¡¯s group would sh, their harsh words could infuriate Fu Han; but she was not one to be trifled with. Even if she couldn¡¯t retort at the time, she would take note, and when the time was right, she would get her revenge twofold.

    Therefore, if one were to truly keep score, although Xia Ning often deliberately provoked, Fu Han didn¡¯t suffer; in fact, if one were to tally up their skirmishes, Xia Ning ended up the loser more often, as Xia Ning¡¯s malice was overt and she wouldn¡¯t know how to hit back when fed a soft nail.

    If it were the old Fu Han who was wronged by He Xing like this, she would have created a storm for days and nights on end, rather than, as it is now, being not only forgiving but also feeling she was the one at fault.

    A gust of night wind blew, and He Xing felt a sourness in his eyes, raising a hand to rub them, suddenly unsure what to say; he had predicted Fu Han would get angry, he had even nned how to appease her, but s...

    In the hazy moonlight, Fu Han¡¯s profile was so gentle, as if ayer of glimmer had settled on her face from the moonlight, as though she herself was emitting light.

    The two sat opposite each other at a round table, each holding a small wine ss. The swaying red in the sses resembled the rolling waves atop the ocean, with some riding the tumultuous wind and waves, while others awaited the tide¡¯s retreat.

    In this world, everyone has their own choices, and everyone¡¯s choices are different; some choose to give up, and there will be others who choose to persist; some choose to evade, while others choose to confront.

    A bottle of red wine was nearly empty, and Fu Han slightly tilted her head back, drinking thest sip from the ss.

    Her long eyshes fluttered slightly, casting dense, fan-like shadows on her cheeks, giving the impression her face was shrouded in shadow, but her features were not obscured; in fact, they became even clearer.

    Seeing that Fu Han was about to stand up and leave, He Xing panicked, throwing caution to the wind, he blurted out, "Xiaohan, that day we got engaged, you fell into the water, what exactly happened?"

    Bending over to set down her wine ss, Fu Han looked towards He Xing with a grave gaze, "If I told you, would you believe me?"

    "I would, I¡¯ll believe anything you say," He Xing replied eagerly, as though afraid a moment¡¯s dy would rob him of another chance to speak.

    He looked up at Fu Han standing before him, the longing in his eyes, the passion on his face, and the unceasing hope... much like a soul trapped in hell yearning for heaven.

    Fu Han still kept her gaze lowered toward He Xing, a smile suddenly appearing at the corner of her lips, spreading in all directions until her entire face was smiling, "Since you believe what I say, then is there any need for me to say more?"

    This was another unexpected response. He Xing froze, processing Fu Han¡¯s answer while being captivated by her smile. After thinking it over, he spoke up again, "But Xiaohan, I really want to know what exactly happened that day."

    The moment he voiced this, He Xing regretted it, realizing that although Fu Han¡¯s face was all smiles, that mirth didn¡¯t reach her eyes. On the contrary, her eyes were as cold as icicles under the eaves in winter.

    As expected, the smile on Fu Han¡¯s face vanished in an instant, and she snorted, "If I tell you that Xia Ning called me despicable for leveraging my parents¡¯ life-saving grace to marry you, imed that she should marry you because her mother saved you, would you believe that?"

    "Really?" He Xing asked almost instinctively, which couldn¡¯t be med on him; even asposed as he was, Fu Han¡¯s words were beyond his wildest dreams.

    "See, I say nothing and you¡¯re all over me to get to the bottom of it, yet when I do speak, you don¡¯t believe it," Fu Han scoffed, not saying more, and turned to walk toward her own room, not pausing for a second.

    He Xing,ing back to his senses, chased after Fu Han frantically. A voice inside him warned that if he let Fu Han return to her room just like this, he would no longer have any chance to get close to her.

    He caught up to Fu Han at the door to her room; too anxious, he pulled her back and pushed her against the wall, "Xiaohan, listen to me, I don¡¯t disbelieve you, really."

    The dimly lit corridor was suddenly flooded with light as he began speaking, the sound-activated lights turning on and making it as bright as day.

    Fu Han looked up at He Xing, clearly seeing the urgency and ¡ª fear ¡ª in his eyes.

    But for some reason, she didn¡¯t relent this time; she even felt tired. She tried to push He Xing away, but his strength was too great, she exerted all her might, yet he didn¡¯t budge.

    Looking straight into He Xing¡¯s eyes, she said word by word, "Fine, I know you believe me, and I know your doubts are reasonable. What I said earlier was just nonsense, you shouldn¡¯t take it seriously. It¡¯ste, and I would like to go to sleep, may I?"

    He Xing¡¯s gaze dropped to Fu Han, her shining eyes and her lips, vivid as the most vibrant rose. He longed to kiss her, but...

    About a few minutester, He Xing finally gave in. He released Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, stepping back slightly, "Xiaohan, it¡¯ste, you should go to sleep."

    Fu Han gave He Xing one more look, but that was all it was, a brief nce, and the next second, she entered her room without looking back.

    Feeling insecure, even in the He Family household, she always made sure to lock her bedroom door, and not just with one lock, but two. But this time, she only closed the door without locking it, leaning against the wall next to it and waiting for a while, silently wishing that if He Xing made a bold move to enter, she would never again be cold or harsh to him.

    But she waited a while, only to hear the sound of He Xing¡¯s departing footsteps in the end.

    Thest line of defense in Fu Han¡¯s heart finally crumbled; her back pressed against the wall, she felt as though she had lost all strength and slid down slowly until she was sitting on the floor.

    Even Fu Han didn¡¯t understand what she was being so stubborn about. Recalling the past should have been a happy thing, yet she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to feel happy.

    Perhaps it was because after He Xing knew about her regained memory, his concern was to apologize for the disfiguring ident, but in the end, Fu Han didn¡¯t really care about her disfigurement from the car ident, since her face had healed.

    He Xing¡¯s indecision made her ufortable. Why did you never apologize for this when I had amnesia, but now that I remember, you do?

 Chapter 284: Do You Like Him?

    <h4>Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Do You Like Him?</h4><h4></h4>

    Over and over in her heart, she thought: If I never regain my memory, will you never apologize?

    Actually, Fu Han knew her thoughts were biased, but she just couldn¡¯t control herself from spiraling into those ces, her mind flooded with nothing but unpleasant memories; in such an atmosphere, she found it impossible to recall anything beautiful.

    If her return to the countryst year was meant to leave He Xing forever, now the thought of leaving him would only grow stronger, but could she do it?

    Time rewound to before He Xing came down for dinner.

    At that time, only she and Grandpa He were at the dining table. Grandpa He, as he did in her childhood, patted Fu Han¡¯s head and gently asked her, "Xiaohan, do you like He Xing?"

    Such a simple question, ck or white, but for Fu Han now, it was the mostplex question imaginable.

    She avoided Grandpa He¡¯s gaze, trying to dodge the question.

    Grandpa He sighed, "Xiaohan, has something happened between you and He Xing that I don¡¯t know about?"

    This was another question that left Fu Han at a loss for words; the entanglements between her and He Xing had already begun when they met, and their story, if told for three days and nights, might still not be clear.

    But she could share their story with anyone except Grandpa He; she didn¡¯t mind mentioning the sweet stuff, yet once she started talking, she couldn¡¯t control what she¡¯d say, and if she misspoke, wouldn¡¯t Grandpa He worry even more?

    In the end, she feigned a smile and clumsily changed the subject: "Grandpa, you know everything about the matter between He Xing and me. But hey hey hey, how is your health? Are you cooperating well with the doctor¡¯s treatment?"

    This was the question that Grandpa He didn¡¯t want to answer, taken by surprise, he began to cough violently, almost coughing out tears and mucus.

    Fu Han was frightened, almost calling for the Doctor, but Grandpa He desperately clutched at her, stopping her.

    Since Fu Han¡¯s return to the country, this was the first time she saw Grandpa He cough so severely; it was as if he was coughing up all his internal organs.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached terribly; every time she thought that Grandpa He¡¯s days were numbered, her heart felt as if it were being shed by swords, brutally and painfully, yet she was powerless to help.

    There, Grandpa He finally managed to stop his cough and didn¡¯t forget to hold Fu Han¡¯s hand, saying: "Xiaohan, if He Xing dares do something to wrong you, you must tell me, and I will teach him a lesson."

    Those words immediately triggered Fu Han¡¯s tears, but she quickly wiped them away and seamlessly switched to a smiling face: "Grandpa, He Xing treats me very well, don¡¯t worry, the two of us... are in a great rtionship."

    "Really?" Grandpa He smiled, evidently pleased but still uncertain: "Xiaohan, don¡¯t lie to me, no matter what happens, Grandpa is always on your side."

    "It¡¯s true." Under the warm lighting, Fu Han¡¯s smile grew even more dazzling as she affectionately clung to Grandpa He¡¯s arm and said, "Grandpa He, when have I ever lied to you, right?"

    "That¡¯s true, our Xiaohan is the sweetest, never deceives." Finally, Grandpa He burst into heartyughter, patting Fu Han¡¯s shoulder with a beaming expression: "So, does that mean your wedding will proceed as nned?"

    That question wiped the smile off Fu Han¡¯s face, and she stared at Grandpa He, wide-eyed; marriage and engagement were not the same, and since waking up, she hadn¡¯t thought about it at all.

    There, Grandpa He¡¯s smile also became strained, and with a cleared throat, he said in a low voice, "Well, if you don¡¯t want to marry so soon, it¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll have the wedding postponed."

    A jolt of excitement stirred in Fu Han¡¯s heart, but as her gaze briefly caught sight of the white hairs at Grandpa He¡¯s temples, it felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over her.

    She shook her head: "Grandpa He, it¡¯s not necessary, the wedding date has been set, and the invitations are prepared. Changing it now at thest minute wouldn¡¯t look good."

    "Do you truly want to marry He Xing?" Grandpa He¡¯s eyes brightened as he looked at her excitedly, as if receiving some grand news: "This is about your happiness for a lifetime; you need to think it through."

    Footsteps were heard from afar, too soft to distinguish clearly.

    Yet Fu Han was certain it was He Xing walking in the upstairs corridor; she didn¡¯t want to discuss this matter in front of He Xing, so she quickly nodded and firmly said, "I have thought it through."

    Indeed, within two minutes He Xing came down, dressed in casual clothes, glowing faintly under the warm light as he moved, his medium-length hair.

    She noticed and inwardly remarked, What good hair quality.

    That¡¯s where the memory ended.

    The coolness of the wooden floor seeped into her body; she slowly got up to shower and sleep in the restroom.

    The night had deepened, and the moon was hidden behind dark clouds, out of sight; only a few scattered stars hung in the sky, looking so lonely.

    Fu Han tossed and turned in bed but couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She and He Xing were supposed to take wedding photos tomorrow, but after waking up today, neither mentioned it.

    So whether the shoot would happen tomorrow, she didn¡¯t know.

    It was strange ¨C marriage was a matter for both of them, yet they avoided mentioning it as if by tacit agreement, unlike Grandpa He who kept bringing it up as if seeking confirmation.

    Yet, it seemed more reasonable this way; marrying He Xing was ultimately to make Grandpa He a bit happier.

    Fu Han closed her eyes and repeatedly told herself, since she had made up her mind, there was no need to hesitate or struggle; whatever the case, at least someone¡¯s wish would be fulfilled.

    And... more importantly, even with all her current distress, she had never thought of marrying anyone other than He Xing.

    If it was destined to be He Xing, or think of it as having never considered anyone else, then what difference did it make if she married him sooner orter?

    After all, hadn¡¯t He Xing promised her that he would never force her unless she was willing?

    ...

    The Xia Family vi.

    First thing in the morning, it was a scene of utter chaos; Xia Ning nearly smashed everything in her room. Her room, once as warm as a princess¡¯s chamber, was now aplete mess, almostparable to a junk pile.

    Living next door, Xia Cheng couldn¡¯t bear it any longer after half an hour and finally lost his patience. He hadn¡¯t even changed his clothes; he just put on a robe and came over,pletely unaware that not only was his robe on backward but also his slippers.

 Chapter 285: The Conspiracy of the Brother and Sister

    <h4>Chapter 285: Chapter 285: The Conspiracy of the Brother and Sister</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning¡¯s doorway was the ce where she threw things most frequently; it took Xia Cheng all his strength to finally push the door open.

    But before he could get a clear view of the room, a loud "Get out!" from Xia Ning rang out, apanied by a pink throw pillow.

    The pillow hit Xia Cheng squarely in the face. Though it wasn¡¯t painful, itpletely knocked the sleepiness out of him.

    He finally opened his eyespletely, looking at Xia Ning discontentedly, "I say, Xia Ning, were you nning on demolishing the house this early in the morning?"

    "What¡¯s it to you?" Xia Ning snapped back, turning her head to continue looking for something to throw. But everything throwable had already been thrown, leaving only her cellphone on the bedside table.

    Xia Cheng hurriedly ducked behind the door, fearing if the cellphone hit him, there would be a bloody disaster, and without an ambnce, this mess couldn¡¯t possibly end well.

    Xia Ning finally calmed down, tossing the cellphone carelessly onto the mattress and said wearily, "Where¡¯s dad, hasn¡¯t hee back yet?"

    "So you know dad hasn¡¯te back," Xia Cheng cautiously peeked around the ward door, sighing: "You going crazy early in the morning, if dad finds out, you¡¯re going to get scolded again."

    "Let him scold, I don¡¯t care." Xia Ning plopped down on the mattress, her cute pink pajamas crumpled into a ball, looking just like crinkled confetti.

    Ever since Xia Guoxiong found out about Xia Ning using Du Wanting Mother¡¯s Love Fund money to help He Xing through tough times, he would berate Xia Ning so frequently, it was almost more than three meals a day. His limited cultural refinement meant his reproaches were mostly restricted to Xia Ning¡¯s ingratitude, disobedience, and having eyes only for He Xing, not her father.

    Moreover, the fact that Xia Ning had manipted things behind the scenes to get Yang Kaitai sent to prison also infuriated Xia Guoxiong. His strategic deployment had been to coborate with the Yang Group, aiming for the Xia Group to rece the He Group in the business circle.

    Xia Ning had always been a bit afraid of Xia Guoxiong, and with these events, her fear only deepened. Now whenever she saw Xia Guoxiong, she felt like a mouse before a cat.

    It¡¯s true that many people thought highly of Xia Guoxiong for not remarrying after the mid-life loss of his wife, praising his deep affection for the deceased Du Wanting, which they found touching.

    However, only Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, the siblings, knew the true nature of Xia Guoxiong. Like Xia Cheng, he was lecherous, often led by his baser instincts.

    In addition to mistresses, he had numerous illicit affairs; Xia Guoxiong spending one or two days a week at home was already a rarity.

    His numerous affairs never came to light, and the reason was simple: much like Xia Cheng, he insisted on witnessing the women taking contraception afterward, or he couldn¡¯t rest easy.

    Xia Ning had once been puzzled why her father didn¡¯t remarry. Over time, she understood the reason.

    As long as Xia Guoxiong remained unmarried, the He Family¡¯s financial losses to the Xia Family would never truly settle.

    And as long as the He Group stood firm, the Xia Family could enjoy the shade of arge tree, never truly destitute.

    This was not only clear to Xia Ning; in truth, many understood this. Some even mocked the Xia Family behind their backs, saying they would milk the He Family for life.

    Towards such talk, the three members of the Xia Family had a surprisingly unified reaction. They saw nothing wrong with relying on the He Family for life. Particrly Xia Ning, who very much wished the Xia and He families could be one.

    One day, Xia Ning used the swimming pool drowning act to stimte Fu Han, intending to remind Fu Han of the past events and then find a way to drive her away.

    To her surprise, Fu Hanpsed into aa for three days, throwing Xia Ning¡¯s feelings into turmoil. She prayed that Fu Han would henceforth be a living dead, yet worried what to do if Fu Han still wouldn¡¯t leave He Xing upon waking.

    As she feared, Fu Han did wake up, and by the time Xia Ning received the news, she was already back at the He Family. Moreover, she was informed early today that Fu Han and He Xing had set off to take wedding photos at the beach as scheduled.

    Xia Ning had dreamt of going to the beach with He Xing to take wedding photos. How could she stand watching Fu Han and He Xing do it instead? She simply couldn¡¯t ept it.

    The rage in her heart was uncontroble, like a balloon on the verge of explosion; she had already thrown things around the room in circles.

    As Xia Cheng said, she indeed wished she could flip the house upside down; no, she wished she could destroy the world.

    Why, when she loved He Xing so much, and they were clearly a better match, did he prefer Fu Han? After all, it was her mother, not Fu Han¡¯s parents, who had saved He Xing.

    In reality, the more Xia Ning used the life-saving grace to justify her feelings, the more she cornered herself into a dead end.

    Her mother had saved He Xing, that¡¯s true, but that car ident was a nightmare He Xing had yet to ovee. Every time he saw Xia Ning¡¯s face, strikingly simr to his mother¡¯s, he felt as if he were back at the site of the nightmare.

    How could a person fall in love with their nightmare?

    So, based solely on the fact that Xia Ning could easily evoke He Xing¡¯s painful memories, he could never fall in love with her. His feelings toward Xia Ning were of never-ending guilt, the kind thates from owing a life debt that cannot be repaid.

    After listening to Xia Ning¡¯sints, Xia Cheng ran his hands through his hair in anguish, speaking with helplessness, "Xiaoning, why must you cling to one tree? With so many eligible bachelors in City A, can¡¯t you find someone else to like? He Xing really isn¡¯t interested in you."

    "No way!" Xia Ning¡¯s eyes widened angrily, hissing through her teeth, "I like He Xing. I must have him in this lifetime. If I can¡¯t have him... I¡¯ll kill him, then myself."

    Her words were indeed exaggerated, intended primarily to prevent Xia Cheng from attempting to persuade her any further. She wanted to make it clear to Xia Cheng that her affection for He Xing was unchangeable.

    Clearly, Xia Cheng¡¯s reaction was more exaggerated than she expected. Not only did he take her seriously, he even envisioned a dramatic TV soap opera scene, imagining Xia Ning murdering He Xing and then stabbing herself in the stomach, with both of them copsing in a pool of blood.

    Xia Cheng swallowed, his face turning pale before he finally managed to speak: "Alright, if you¡¯d really rather die than give up on He Xing, there might be something you can try."

    "What is it?" Xia Ning immediately lit up with excitement, her eyes wide as she looked at Xia Cheng as if he were a savior.

    Xia Cheng seemed to have thought of something; one corner of his mouth turned upwards in a sleazy smile. He gestured Xia Ning closer with a crooked finger and spoke with a suggestive grin, "Come here, I¡¯ll tell you all about it."

    "Okay." Xia Ning¡¯s face lit up with joy, and she navigated through the littered room to approach Xia Cheng eagerly. The siblings stood next to the pile of rubbish, discussing at length.

 Chapter 286: Taking Wedding Photos

    <h4>Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Taking Wedding Photos</h4><h4></h4>

    Taking wedding photos is an incredibly, extremely tiring affair.

    The worst part was, He Xing,pletely clueless, chose the super luxurious package, which altogether had six sets of clothes, and Fu Han even added two more sets.

    Luckily, He Xing paid special attention to the wedding photoshoot, and he paid extra to have the Studio assign more people to follow them, making it much easier for him and Fu Han.

    Their first set of clothes was a ssic wedding dress, which was shot indoors.

    The Photographer said that this set could be made into arge framed picture to hang in the bedroom, or they could print it on their invitations, as it was the dignified and grand type.

    For this reason, the Photographer didn¡¯t ask Fu Han and He Xing for overly intimate shots; they just needed to pose in various positions as directed by the Photographer.

    And because the two of them, the man handsome and the woman beautiful, as long as they didn¡¯t make overly exaggerated expressions, the pictures would definitely turn out good-looking.

    Thus, the first set of clothes was done with ease.

    But from the second set of clothes on, it really became Fu Han¡¯s nightmare.

    Not only did they have seaside exterior shots, but also forest and cruise ship exteriors, street scenes, and night scenes.

    Fu Han was a Photographer herself, and when she had just returned to the country, she not only took magazine shots for Artists but had also done wedding photos. The mere thought of so many exterior shots made her feel like she was going to lose her mind, and she almost wanted to beat a retreat.

    When they were shooting by the sea, He Xing¡¯s grandfather made a video call to ask how their shoot was going.

    Even though it was the end of summer, the sun was still dazzlingly bright, making it difficult for Fu Han to even keep her eyes open. Not wanting to let down He Xing¡¯s grandfather, she just said that the shoot was very fun and told him to look forward to the finished photos.

    The Photographer, listening by the side, shook his head constantly, and finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up after Fu Han hung up the video call: "Lady Fu, I¡¯m going to say something unpleasant, don¡¯t take offense, but are you and Mr. He really decided on getting married?"

    Fu Han didn¡¯t understand what he meant, so she asked quite earnestly, "What do you mean by that?"

    "Let me tell you the truth," the Photographer said, wiping the sweat off his forehead roughly and helplessly, "I think you and Mr. He are like enemies. If he touches you at all, you¡¯re quick to brush him off. If you keep this up, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be difficult to produce good wedding photos."

    The makeup artist couldn¡¯t help but chime in: "Exactly, if it weren¡¯t for how good-looking both of you are, none of these wedding photos would have turned out."

    Fu Han instinctively looked at He Xing, only for their eyes to meet unexpectedly, causing both of them to cough awkwardly and blush simultaneously.

    In the end, He Xing stroked his chin and didn¡¯t say a word, but the grievance in his eyes was impossible to hide. Yearster, Fu Han gave a rather fair assessment of He Xing at that moment: "A dejected little wife."

    Reflecting on her own "masterpiece" from that day, Fu Han also felt she had been a bit too much.

    But the main reason was, she hadn¡¯t slept wellst night, only getting up when it was nearly dawn; yet He Xing was unusually excited, and he woke Fu Han up as soon as it was light, saying that he had inquired about it and taking wedding photos was very time-consuming. If they arrivedte, they might not finish in one day.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t slept well, so naturally, her mood wasn¡¯t good, and He Xing hadn¡¯t managed to soothe herst night either, so her annoyance came surging, and she couldn¡¯t suppress it no matter what.

    As a result, during the photoshoot, whenever He Xing touched her, she would push him away with a strong reaction.

    In truth, she didn¡¯t actually detest He Xing¡¯s touch; her actions were more that of an angry young girlshing out at the person closest to her.

    But every time the Photographer asked them to get closer, Fu Han didn¡¯t resist, otherwise how could they have already finished two sets of clothes?

    She coughed awkwardly and quietly said, "Well, it¡¯s our first time doing this, we don¡¯t have any experience. Just tell us how to pose, and we will definitely... definitely cooperate."

    The Photographer and the makeup artist exchanged nces, both of their faces brimming with smiles.

    Fu Han suddenly had the feeling of being amb led to the ughter and began to regret why she said what she just had, pushing herself into the fire.

    The following photoshoot was very intense, with princess carries, sitting on shoulders, piggyback rides, and waist-hugging all being the norm; cheek-to-cheek, hugging, kissing even more frequent.

    The key was, the moment Fu Han showed the slightest resistance, He Xing would immediately retreat far beyond three steps, appearing contrite, willing to amend his ways, and hoping for Fu Han¡¯s forgiveness.

    That¡¯s when the Photographer and the makeup artist would start persuading, saying how they¡¯ve shot many wedding photos and indeed those shots tended to look better, urging Fu Han to definitely cooperate.

    Finally, when night fell, only thest set of clothes remained, and it would be over after the night scene was shot.

    While changing clothes, Fu Han felt as if her whole body was falling apart. It wasn¡¯t fully dark yet, and He Xing spent money to treat everyone to barbecue at the roadside BBQ shop.

    Sitting around in a group, Fu Han then realized that the follow-up crew actually consisted of six people. Usually, three were sufficient: a Photographer, a makeup artist, and an Assistant. They had doubled their numbers.

    But it wasn¡¯t without effect; at least their efficiency was indeed high.

    The Photographer personally said that many people had to split the six sets of clothes into two days of shooting, and no matter how much they rushed, they couldn¡¯t finish in one day.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t respond when she heard this, but in her heart, she was constantlyining. Most people wouldn¡¯t have a motorhome following them while shooting wedding photos.

    He Xing, on the other hand, hade out with Fu Han in the morning by driving a Lamborghini; this way they wouldn¡¯t have to return to the Studio to change clothes and do makeup after shooting each set. They just needed to change in the motorhome.

    With the driver heading to the next location in front, they changed and did makeup at the back, not wasting a single minute.

    But not wasting a single minute also meant that Fu Han didn¡¯t have a minute to rest, except for using the restroom and eating. Apart from receiving a video call from He Xing¡¯s grandfather, she didn¡¯t even take out her phone.

    During the night scene shoot, Fu Han was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, yet the shoot had just begun.

    The Photographer had Fu Han sit on the hood of He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini, while He Xing leaned against the car body.

    This position was held for a long time. Fu Han stared at the camera, staring until her eyelids became unbearably heavy, and she unconsciously closed her eyes.

    By the time He Xing realized Fu Han was sliding down, her ankle had already made intimate contact with the ground, the excruciating pain instantly driving away any trace of sleepiness.

    Fu Han¡¯s face scrunched up in pain as she sucked in a breath of cold air. For a moment, she felt like crying, but ultimately, she managed to hold back the tears.

 Chapter 287: Degenerating Together

    <h4>Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Degenerating Together</h4><h4></h4>

    The next second, He Xing had already swept Fu Han up in his arms and was running toward the nearby RV while instructing Liang Tao, who was ying with his phone, "Hurry up and find the medical kit."

    To shoot the night and street scenes, it was Liang Tao that had brought He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini over; but Fu Han felt sympathy for Liang Tao when she saw him drenched in sweat after getting out of the car. It really was a challenge for him to drive such a luxury car. What if he scratched it by ident? Who would be responsible then?

    Upon hearing his boss¡¯smand, Liang Tao ran reflexively toward the front, returning in less than a minute with a medical kit in his arms.

    Inside the RV, He Xing set Fu Han down on the sofa, then carefully removed her high heels to examine her ankles, blowing gently on her scraped ankle with a pained expression.

    That¡¯s how adults would blow gently when little children get hurt or stumble.

    From Fu Han¡¯s angle, all she could see was the top of He Xing¡¯s head. His hair was sprayed with gel, styled impressively, sprinkled with gold dust and golden stars and crescent moons that twinkled under the light, quite striking.

    Originally, her ankle truly hurt, but as He Xing kept blowing on it, Fu Han felt like the pain in her foot was subsiding.

    With the medical kit around, He Xing first disinfected Fu Han¡¯s wound with iodine, then applied anti-inmmatory medicine, and finally stuck an adhesive bandage on it.

    Seeing the photographer and the others still waiting outside from the corner of her eye, she spoke softly, "I¡¯m fine now, let¡¯s just hurry up and take the photos, so we don¡¯t dy everyone¡¯s time off work."

    "We¡¯re not shooting anymore," said He Xing, turning to Liang Tao, "You go and tell the photographer and the crew outside that today¡¯s shoot is over. Please ask them to go home."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, "But... didn¡¯t you say that the wedding photos are memories for a lifetime, hoping that when we¡¯re old and toothless we could sit on the sofa and reminisce about our youth?"

    "But..." He Xing brushed Fu Han¡¯s hair. Because of the upswept style, her hair was full of countless small clips. Caught off guard, it felt as though He Xing¡¯s palm was pricked, but his expression remained unchanged. Instead, he smiled even more happily, "Xiaohan, I hope you¡¯ll always remember one thing: you are the most important person in my heart."

    Fu Han remembered simr words from He Xing in her memories, and how moved she was at that time; but what exactly happened to make her no longer moved by such things now?

    Her nose felt a bit sour as she reached out to hold He Xing¡¯s hand. She didn¡¯t say a word, just hummed softly.

    Although He Xing was trying hard to stay calm, his heart was like a stormy sea. How long had it been since Fu Han had taken the initiative to hold his hand?

    Since Fu Han woke up from the car ident? No, it started more than three years ago when Fu Han and Xia Ning both fell into the water, and he chose to take Xia Ning to the hospital.

    Since then, even though Fu Han was by his side, he always had the illusion that she might leave him at any moment.

    He Xing sped Fu Han¡¯s hand in response, not with much strength, but the security it conveyed was overwhelming, giving Fu Han a sense of finally finding where she belonged.

    At that moment, the barriers between them finally disappeared, and the purest, clearest emotions that belonged to just the two of them were finally returned to them.

    They were acutely aware that they wanted to love each other.

    The kiss began unknowingly, it was unclear who initiated it, but it was lingering and filled with poignant romance.

    Liang Tao discreetly exited the RV, carefully closing the door behind him.

    He then drove the RV directly to the He family vi to drop them off, while he followed behind in He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini.

    Liang Tao could be considered one of the witnesses to their rtionship. Since Fu Han returnedst year, he had seen too many exceptions He Xing made, and the only person to whom He Xing made exceptions was Fu Han alone.

    ...

    That night, after taking a bath and about to dry her hair, Fu Han heard a knock on her door from the outside; the corners of her mouth involuntarily curved into a smile.

    Upon opening the door, there indeed stood He Xing.

    She didn¡¯t invite him in, but instead asked with a beaming smile, "What brings you here sote at night? You¡¯re not thinking of stepping over the threshold, are you?"

    He Xing threaded his hand through the gap in the door and tousled Fu Han¡¯s damp hair, "I heard you finished your bath, and I was wondering if I might have the honor of helping you dry your hair."

    Fu Han tilted her head, pretending to ponder, then stepped back and opened the door, "Your suggestion isn¡¯t bad. It¡¯s a freebor, why not use it."

    The hair dryer blew warm air as He Xing¡¯s fingers weaved through Fu Han¡¯s long hair, his touch gentle and loving.

    Through the mirror, Fu Han watched He Xing, his head slightly bowed, his gaze focused intently on her hair. His thick, curled eyshes made his face appear so tender.

    She thought to herself how wonderful it would be if time could just stand still at this moment.

    Two hourster, Fu Han got up to pull He Xing, who was lounging in the hanging chair, "Alright, you should go back to sleep, I¡¯m really tired and need to sleep."

    He Xing pulled her into his arms as she sat down, his arms encircled her waist, "I¡¯m tired too and don¡¯t feel like moving. Would you grant me the kindness of letting me stay the night?"

    As he spoke, the breath from his words tickled Fu Han¡¯s neck, causing her face to blush hotly. She struggled to break free while saying discontentedly, "Please, your room is less than twenty meters away from mine, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t even walk that distance."

    "I really can¡¯t move an inch," He Xing said with a smile, then the next second, his hot kissnded on Fu Han¡¯s neck.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t remember how many times He Xing had kissed her today, yet her face still med red, shyly wishing she could hide in his embrace and nevere out.

    As Fu Han was kissed into a daze, she suddenly felt He Xing¡¯s roaming hands slipping inside her clothes. His touch on her skin was like a slow electric current sapping away thest bit of her strength.

    Just surrender to it, let yourself fall.

    That¡¯s what a voice in her head suggested, but then a chill seemed to explode in her mind, and all the boiling blood cooled off at once.

    Somehow finding strength, Fu Han pushed He Xing away with a p. She fixed her disheveled clothes, her face still flushed as she said, "It¡¯ste. You should go sleep."

    "Alright," responded He Xing, also dazed. He headed toward the door without protest, but after a couple of steps, he suddenly came back to Fu Han, bent down to hug her, and left a light peck on her cheek, "Xiaohan, go to sleep early, sweet dreams!"

 Chapter 288: The Always Losing Game

    <h4>Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Always Losing Game</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han felt a warmth in her heart and replied, "You too."

    As shey in bed looking up, her room was filled with countless balloons, all floating beneath the ceiling. There were balloons with various animal patterns, brightly colored and somewhat tacky when mixed together.

    These were the balloons He Xing had bought for her from a park they passed by on the day she was discharged from the hospital. He escorted the trove of balloons all the way home and it was also he who ced them in Fu Han¡¯s room.

    A smile crept onto Fu Han¡¯s lips unbidden. Who said these balloons were tacky? They were so warm, just like the feeling he gave her, like the gentle sun on a winter afternoon, the mostforting presence.

    Unfortunately, after a couple of days, some balloons had deted. Perhaps in a few more days, they wouldn¡¯t be able to fly into the sky anymore, and they would be discarded as trash.

    This world is just like that, you are valued when you¡¯re useful, but when you aren¡¯t, you¡¯re ruthlessly abandoned.

    Realizing her thoughts were straying, Fu Han quickly interrupted her own whimsical musings, mainly because such thoughts brought her no good at the moment.

    If there was still the purest, most primitive love in this world, then hers and He Xing¡¯s rtionship must be it.

    The affection of youth, free from material desires, that love was like clear crystal, devoid of any impurities.

    ...

    Nan Qing¡¯s art gallery.

    It was already dusk, and the mall had be crowded, but normally, Nan Qing¡¯s gallery would be about to close at this time.

    She opened this gallery to experience life, and transactions werepletely up to her whim.

    Several times, burly men with gold chains wanted to buy paintings from her gallery, willing to pay any price, but without exception, Nan Qing would send them away, feeling that they were unworthy of her art.

    The gallery was as tranquil as usual today, with the asional visitor quietly browsing around. Whenever someone came in, Nan Qing would lift her head to nce, then lower it again to continue her work.

    That day, two easels were set up in the gallery, one was hers, and the other belonged to Wang Yixuan.

    For the past few days, she and Wang Yixuan had been spending hours in the gallery each day, each painting a picture and then exchanging them to add color.

    They belonged to different artistic schools. Nan Qing had focused solely on oil painting before, but now she was starting to learn the traditional Chinese painting style from Wang Yixuan. Conversely, Wang Yixuan had begun to dabble in oil painting, and they joked that each was the other¡¯s half-teacher.

    Nan Qing carefully made her final stroke, and then with a look of triumph, she threw her paintbrush into the jar and ced her hands on her hips, "I won, so you¡¯re treating today."

    Wang Yixuan, without lifting his head, was intently looking at the canvas before him. Today, he was painting a field of sunflowers, a countless number of them densely packed. But on closer inspection, you would realize that he had outlined the shape of each sunflower, and even just by looking at the painting, you could imagine the sunflowers swaying with the breeze in your mind.

    Nan Qing looked at thendscape painting she had made, a clear green river with a brownish tboat floating on it, and an old man in ck clothing with a bamboo hat rowing¡ªan aesthetically beautiful painting with a lovely metaphor.

    It was a concept she had thought hard about the night before, and she was very satisfied with the result. Yetpared to Wang Yixuan¡¯s work, she felt hers was too in, at a disadvantage.

    But yesterday, she painted a field ofvender under the sunlight, a vast expanse of purple; Wang Yixuan painted a cottage in the woods, very simple and elegant, and she still felt she had lost.

    So, it wasn¡¯t really about what was painted, but the skill of the artist.

    Clearly, even though Nan Qing was not willing to admit defeat, she still felt Wang Yixuan¡¯s work was better than hers.

    Under Nan Qing¡¯s watchful gaze, Wang Yixuan made his final touch. He tossed his paint-coated brush into the jar, instantly tinting the pale green water slightly yellow before the colors merged together.

    Wang Yixuan casually tapped Nan Qing on the head, "Treating you to a meal is no problem. You¡¯ve sold quite a few of my paintings these days, and the money from those is almost enough for me to go around the world again. I should be thanking you."

    His knock was a sturdy one, not just for show.

    Nan Qing¡¯s face twisted in pain; she wasn¡¯t one to suffer quietly. Without a second¡¯s pause, she grabbed the flesh on Wang Yixuan¡¯s arm, "Then treat me to the Michelin Restaurant. I haven¡¯t been there in a long time."

    Wang Yixuan inhaled sharply due to the pain, but even then, his face didn¡¯t change, still looking handsome. He tried to pull her "ws" away while saying, "What¡¯s so good about Michelin? It¡¯s expensive, and the servings are small. If you want to go, ask your parents to treat you. I don¡¯t have the spare cash to splurge there."

    "Didn¡¯t you say you used to work there part-time, ying the piano?" Nan Qing smirked with curiosity, asking, "Wang Yixuan, what exactly are you? I see you can paint and y the piano well. Your family must be well off, but howe I¡¯ve never heard of a wealthy Wang family?"

    While admiring his "masterpiece," Wang Yixuan casually replied, "You think you know everything? There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know. Besides, when did I ever say my family was well off?"

    Nan Qing rolled her eyes ungraciously. She disliked how he always turned serious questions into a joke and would never tell her anything.

    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to pry and casually asked, "How long do you n to stay in A City? Isn¡¯t your travel money enough? Why haven¡¯t you left yet?"

    "I¡¯m helping you out, aren¡¯t I? I can¡¯t just bail halfway," Wang Yixuan replied, his mouth lifting into a smile that revealed his dimples. "You mentioned Su Cheng has been looking for chats with youtely, haven¡¯t you? That just shows this little home-wrecker is somewhat useful."

    Hisughter from the conversation echoed through the quiet gallery, standing out sharply and making Nan Qing¡¯s scalp tingle with difort.

    She said helplessly, "Please, can you not y the role of a mistress every day? People who don¡¯t know better might think I¡¯m fickle."

    Wang Yixuan ignored her and started rummaging through the cab to find some frames, beginning to mount his painting.

    About ten minutester, his striking, lifelike sunflower painting had been mounted. He carried the painting around the gallery, looking for a prominent spot to hang it.

    Then he also framed Nan Qing¡¯s painting and hung it on the wall.

    Next, he walked to the wine cab, poured two sses of red wine, picked up one ss, and downed it in one gulp. After finishing the wine, he stared at the empty ss in front of him, as if pondering something. After a short while, he looked at Nan Qing, "Do you know what your painting is missing?"

 Chapter 289 Ugly Truth

    <h4>Chapter 289: Chapter 289 Ugly Truth</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing was feeling indignant that she always lost to Wang Yixuan. She tilted her head and asked, "What am Icking? All my teachers from childhood to adulthood have said I have a high talent for painting, and everyone praises my paintings. Where am I falling short?"

    "Your family is so rich, if I were teaching you to paint, I¡¯d say you have talent too," Wang Yixuan snorted coldly, almost tantly showing contempt on his face.

    Nan Qing¡¯s mouth twisted in anger, but the next second sheughed, "I get it, you¡¯re willing to teach Fu Han because her aunt and uncle give a lot of money, not because you think she has talent?"

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s face finally changed. He coughed awkwardly and said somewhat unnaturally, "Smart people leave room for discussion when they speak."

    "When you were attacking me, did you leave any room?" Nan Qing retorted childishly, gulping down a whole ss of wine in one breath.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression rxed considerably, and after leisurely sipping a ss of wine, he slowly began, "Artes from life. People like you who are always confined within the city, your paintingsck soul,ck vitality. How can you create good art then?"

    Nan Qing coughed awkwardly. Though she wanted to retort, she ended up saying weakly and unconvincingly, "I don¡¯t think your paintings are that soulful either."

    "But what I paint, they all are sceneries I¡¯ve personally witnessed," Wang Yixuan pointed at the sunflower painting on the wall, "This is what I sawst summer when I went out into the green fields. The real sunflower field was even bigger than this, with sunflowers really, reallyrge, even bigger than a person¡¯s face. When the wind blew, they swayed like weebles."

    The moment he started talking, Nan Qing knew he was about to ramble on and on. She painfully ruffled her hair, sighed, and poured herself another ss of wine.

    Helpless, her manners told her not to interrupt someone speaking, so she could only silently listen.

    As her eyes wandered, she caught a glimpse of a silhouette fleeting past the doorway; for some reason, her heartbeat began to race wildly.

    Nan Qing dashed out without a second thought and finally caught up with Su Cheng at the elevator. Panting, she asked, "What are you doing here? When did you get here? Why didn¡¯t youe in if you were here?"

    In fact, Su Cheng had already been standing outside the door for over half an hour, arriving even before their paintings were finished.

    He didn¡¯t know why he hade, and even less why he hadn¡¯t gone inside.

    Sensing the guilt in Nan Qing¡¯s eyes, Su Cheng felt a weight pressing on his heart, but he still managed to smile, "I was just passing by, nning to take a look and leave."

    "Oh..." Nan Qing felt somewhat disappointed. Despite wanting to let Su Cheng go, she found it hard to let him leave.

    "Su Cheng, how about joining us for a drink?" Wang Yixuan had approached unknowingly. He walked up to Nan Qing¡¯s side and casually put his hand on her shoulder.

    Nan Qing instinctively dodged back. Wang Yixuan was quicker, extending his arm to hold her firmly in his grasp and whispered, "Don¡¯t move!"

    As if she realized something, she obediently stood still without moving.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze was fixed on Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand on Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder. After about a minute, he smiled casually, "No need, I have other matters, you two drink."

    At this moment, the elevator doors opened again, and Su Cheng stepped inside. After a pause, he turned to wave at Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan, "Goodbye!"

    As soon as the doors closed, Nan Qing pped Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand away, "Stop touching me all the time, I don¡¯t like it."

    Wang Yixuan shrugged his shoulders indifferently, smiling, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in you. As long as you keep pretending to be close to me, your little boyfriend will break down sooner orter ande over to confess, he might even drop to one knee and propose."

    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, it¡¯s not that easy," Nan Qing said, but her face turned utterly red, looking like she was already fantasizing about her wedding with Su Cheng.

    The elevator dinged as the doors opened.

    Nan Qing ignored it and turned to head back to the gallery, since Su Cheng had already left.

    Who would have expected that they would be interrupted by a familiar voice, "What were you just talking about? Are you doing this deliberately to provoke me?"

    What¡¯s called a bolt from the blue, this was precisely it!

    Nan Qing turned around with a pale face, only to see Su Cheng return, now less than a meter away from her.

    Wang Yixuan showed no sign of embarrassment on his face; instead, he shrugged helplessly and asked Nan Qing, "Shall I exin, or will you?"

    The question might as well have not been asked; it only added fuel to the fire.

    Indeed, before Nan Qing could speak again, Su Cheng already began to sneer, "Nan Qing, I¡¯ve told you many times, you¡¯re like a sister to me, please stop doing these childish things to get my attention. It only deepens my aversion towards you."

    Words of apology were on the tip of Nan Qing¡¯s tongue, but upon hearing Su Cheng¡¯s words, not a single one could escape. Instead, her eyes filled with tears and looked as if they were about to fall.

    Su Cheng¡¯s anger burned like a balloon about to burst. Seeing Nan Qing¡¯s tears, he felt particrly irritated, turning his head away to say coldly, "I kepting to find you only because I heard that Wang Yixuan is a yboy, and I didn¡¯t want you to fall for his traps. From today on, who you like or who you want to be with, it has nothing to do with me."

    "Hey, you need to take responsibility for your words," Wang Yixuan finally couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, speaking with dissatisfaction, "Please be more precise with your words. What I have is an equal distribution of affection, and my rtionships with all my girlfriends end on good terms, we even remain friends afterwards."

    He went on and on, evidently intent on arguing it out with Su Cheng. However, Su Cheng didn¡¯t even nce at him and stepped into the elevator.

    As the elevator doors closed slowly, shutting off Nan Qing¡¯s view, she knew that this time Su Cheng was leaving her for good. She could no longer control her emotions and burst into loud crying.

    Every person who came in and out of the elevator couldn¡¯t help but stare at the crying Nan Qing, and then at Fu Han, their gaze shifting back and forth between the two.

    Wang Yixuan could not have felt more awkward. He said every nice and unpleasant thing he could think of, but Nan Qing was deaf to his words. Eventually, she simply sat down on the floor, crying as if she would never stop.

    With no other options left to him, he could only endure the risk of going deaf while watching Nan Qing cry. After all, since pulling her away wasn¡¯t working, he took out his phone and began filming her from every angle without a blind spot.

 Chapter 290: The Person in Front is the Love of My Heart

    <h4>Chapter 290: Chapter 290: The Person in Front is the Love of My Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han received a Whatsapp video sent by Wang Yixuan while she and He Xing were swinging in the yard. She opened Whatsapp to take a look, and then sent a message out, "Where are you all?"

    After receiving a reply, Fu Han immediately stood up.

    He Xing, quick as a sh, grabbed her, "Xiaohan, where are you going?"

    Fu Han sighed, "Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan pretended to be in love to provoke Su Cheng, but Su Cheng saw through it. Now, Nan Qing is terribly upset. I need to go andfort her."

    "I¡¯ll go with you," He Xing naturally wrapped his arms around Fu Han¡¯s waist and walked towards the vi with her, saying, "Uncle Zhou took grandfather for a walk. I don¡¯t feelfortable with you driving alone. I promise not to interfere while you¡¯re talking to Nan Qing, okay?"

    Fu Han looked at He Xing with some suspicion. Indeed, it had been a long time since she had driven, and why not make use of a free chauffeur when avable? That was certainly true.

    The two changed their clothes and drove out. While waiting for a red light, He Xing turned his head to look at Fu Han and smiled, "Xiaohan, something just urred to me. You said Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan got together to stimte Su Cheng. When you were with Su Cheng, was it to provoke me?"

    Taken aback by such a question, Fu Han froze. She really didn¡¯t want to answer, but He Xing was clearly determined to get to the bottom of it.

    After thinking for a moment, she smiled pleasingly with the corners of her mouth turned upward; "Well... My time with Su Cheng wasn¡¯t very long. You¡¯re not still jealous about that, are you?"

    The red light was already shing, He Xing reached over to pinch Fu Han¡¯s cheek, "Yes, I am jealous because you once said you liked Su Cheng. I¡¯ve been anxious about it all along."

    Fu Hanughed, though her smile was especially guilty, "Did I say that? I don¡¯t remember. Perhaps it was because I thought Su Cheng was a very good friend, so I liked him."

    "Just a friend?" The car started moving again, while He Xing¡¯s gaze was fixed on the road, his words, however, were thick with jealousy, "I remember you didn¡¯t emphasize that he was just a friend at that time."

    Fu Han gently touched He Xing¡¯s arm, her beautiful face wearing an obviously ingratiating smile, "Of course, just a friend. Who I like, others may not know, but don¡¯t you know?"

    He Xing¡¯s lips curved up noticeably, but he still pretended to maintain a stern face, "How would I know if you don¡¯t tell me?"

    A breeze blew in through the sunroof, stirring Fu Han¡¯s hair into a dance. Eventually, her long hair entangled with He Xing¡¯s.

    As she leaned over to fix her hair, she looked at He Xing and saw that his usually sharp facial lines had softened, the corners of his eyes and brows brimming withughter.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart meltedpletely. She leaned in and kissed He Xing¡¯s cheek, whispering softly, "The one before me is the one in my heart. Do you understand?"

    He Xing freed one hand to hold Fu Han¡¯s within his palm, speaking low and firmly, "The greatest wish of my life is to be with you forever and ever."

    "We will, we¡¯ll always be together, never parted." Fu Han answered, her eyes filled with an unshakable certainty, at this moment she had no doubts about their feelings for each other.

    The sky and earth seemed to soften as well. The bustling cars on the road no longer seemed as annoying as ants, and the morous loudspeakers from the street vendors weren¡¯t jarring anymore. All of this was the vibrant life that was an indispensable part of the world she and He Xing lived in.

    The Lamborghini drove forward, apanied by cheerful gazes all along the way, with nothing better than this.

    If Nan Qing and Su Cheng could also find their happiness, how wonderful would that be?

    He Xing parked the car in the underground parking lot, then the two took the elevator upstairs directly.

    At that moment, under Fu Han¡¯s stern reprimand, Wang Yixuan had already half-pulled, half-dragged Nan Qing back to her own art gallery.

    Seeing Fu Han arrive, Wang Yixuan was like seeing a savior, his most enthusiastic interaction with her to date. After briefly exining the situation, he slung his bag over his shoulder, ready to leave.

    Fu Han casually asked, "Where are you headed?"

    "Liangtao Bar." Wang Yixuan couldn¡¯t have looked happier, and he yfully winked at He Xing, "Your friend Ji Liangchuan is pretty loyal. He said if I go to his bar, all drinks are half price, and there are lots of pretty girls in his bar."

    Fu Han felt exasperated, having forgotten Ji Liangchuan was also a yboy, changing women as frequently as clothes¡ªor rather, he didn¡¯t have women, just one-night stands.

    She waved her hand in disgust, "If you¡¯re going, then go quickly, don¡¯t lead others astray."

    "Others?" Wang Yixuan was about to leave, but at her words, he suddenly paused. His attractive grape-like eyes shifted between Fu Han and He Xing ambiguously, "How do you know I¡¯ll lead He Xing astray? What if He Xing has always been a bad boy?"

    Fu Han was so frustrated she wished she could smack Wang Yixuan on the forehead. His mouth was the most uncontroble thing she¡¯d ever seen. Goodness, when she first met Wang Yixuan, he was dressed in a white suit, sitting quietly in front of a piano, looking so mncholic. It was all deception.

    Knowing he had really offended Fu Han this time, Wang Yixuan dared not dawdle. With a quick "Goodbye," he bolted.

    In the gallery, Nan Qing sat on a single sofa, with two wine sses and a bottle of red wine already more than half-empty on the coffee table in front of her.

    Fu Han and He Xing exchanged nces. He Xing left the gallery voluntarily, while Fu Han sat down on the sofa, "Nan Qing, I¡¯ve already heard from Wang Yixuan. You... why are you being so foolish?"

    Nan Qing reached for the wine bottle, but she identally knocked it over. Luckily, Fu Han¡¯s quick reflexes allowed her to catch it.

    "You want to drink? I¡¯ll join you." Fu Han stood up, grabbed another wine ss, and poured wine for both of them.

    She pushed Nan Qing¡¯s ss into her hand, and then, contrary to her usual self, downed her own ss in one gulp.

    Nan Qing was stunned as she looked at Fu Han with eyes misty with tears, "Fu Han, do you think I¡¯m like a gambler? I clearly know I¡¯m going to lose, but I can¡¯t help myself. I just have to fight Su Cheng to the end."

    The word "gambler" filled Fu Han with an inescapable sense of fate.

    Indeed, love was something you couldn¡¯t afford to dabble in; whoever got involved was bound to be a gambler. Nan Qing was like that, and wasn¡¯t she the same? She was already twenty-five, having spent much of her life gambling on her feelings for He Xing.

 Chapter 291: Preparing for Failure

    <h4>Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Preparing for Failure</h4><h4></h4>

    But now she was the one who needed to urge Nan Qing, and not just apany Nan Qing in discussing the gambler¡¯s problem. She forcibly calmed her heart and said in the gentlest voice possible, "Nan Qing, we can¡¯t always get what we want in life; we may chase after things we desire, but even as we do, we must be prepared for the possibility of failure."

    "No..." Nan Qing slurred, "Since I was little, whatever I wanted, I would have. I¡¯ve never failed." Seeing that Fu Han did not respond, she pointed at her and said, "You don¡¯t believe me, do you?"

    "I believe you," replied Fu Han, her voice tender as if someone were softly humming a song, or like a breeze passing over a waveless field, "Nan Qing, you are a princess held in the palm of your parents, and some things you would get even if you didn¡¯t want them, simply because your parents would go out of their way to make it happen. That¡¯s why the fall you took here in Su Cheng hurts so much."

    "You don¡¯t understand, Fu Han, you don¡¯t know," Nan Qing¡¯s fair face streaked with tears as she looked at Fu Han with sorrow, "The person I¡¯ve been desperately searching for is someone you disregard, and the person you love loves you back. How could you possibly understand?"

    That sentence was like a thorn plunging fiercely into Fu Han¡¯s heart, but she didn¡¯t feel much pain, because on the way here, He Xing had already analyzed the pros and cons of hering to console Nan Qing.

    In the end, He Xing concluded, "You and Nan Qing are best friends, but your rtionship ispletely unequal when ites to matters rted to Su Cheng. Comforting her might backfire."

    Fu Han agreed with what He Xing said, but she still insisted oning, because she didn¡¯t know who else couldfort Nan Qing, and it was clear that Nan Qing had been hit very hard.

    Seeing Nan Qing¡¯s tears pouring out non-stop, Fu Han felt very distressed.

    She sat up on the armrest of Nan Qing¡¯s sofa, wrapped her arms around Nan Qing¡¯s shoulders, and said in a low voice, "I¡¯m sorry, I know that part of the hurt you are enduring now is because of me. I don¡¯t want you to be so upset, truly, from the bottom of my heart, I hope you can be happy."

    Nan Qing held back for a long time, but finally couldn¡¯t help herself, hugging Fu Han¡¯s waist and bursting into sobs once again.

    Her tears fell like beads from a broken string, pattering down, probably the most heartbroken she had cried since she could remember.

    Actually, she knew that this had nothing to do with Fu Han, because even Su Cheng himself had told Nan Qing that Fu Han had never expressed liking for Su Cheng, and Fu Han had even tried multiple times to bring Su Cheng and Nan Qing together.

    But what use was that? Su Cheng only had eyes and heart for Fu Han, and even as she was approaching marriage, Su Cheng had never thought of giving up.

    When one thinks about it, Su Cheng and she were both pitiful, fixed on a hopeless love, knowing they should give up, yet always harboring thatst unspeakable hope.

    God knows how long passed, and when Fu Han¡¯s clothes were drenched in arge patch, Nan Qing finally stopped crying. She looked at Fu Han with swollen red eyes, "I want to go find Wang Yixuan, will youe with me?"

    Reason told Fu Han that she should not only refuse Nan Qing¡¯s request but also seriously warn her to stay away from Wang Yixuan in the future.

    That man was like a toxin; every woman who got close to him would be drawn in, and he only wanted to y for a one-night stand, never intending to be entangled for life.

    At first nce, Wang Yixuan seemed to share simrities with Ji Liangchuan, both flitting from one brief encounter to another, but there were differences after all.

    A few days earlier, He Xing shared reflectively with Fu Han that actually, Ji Liangchuan was a man of deepmitment, but because the woman he loved most in his life had died, he lost himself in hedonism.

    But to Fu Han, it felt like Wang Yixuan¡¯s most important things in life were only three: music, painting, and traveling. As for the rest, they held no significance to him.

    No woman could hold Wang Yixuan¡¯s attention; every woman in his life was just passing through, and not one left any significant mark on his life.

    Ji Liangchuan was heartbroken, whereas Wang Yixuan simplycked a heart.

    Yet, how could Fu Han bring herself to say no, seeing Nan Qing¡¯s imploring eyes before her?

    All she could do was force Nan Qing to wash her face and reapply her makeup, to somewhat conceal her eyes, now swollen as walnuts, before letting He Xing drive them to Liangtao Bar.

    On the road, the two girls sat in the back seat, holding hands like two drowning persons who knew they would sink, yet still clung to each other¡¯s hands, unwilling to let go.

    He Xing asionally nced at Fu Han through the rearview mirror, but Fu Han¡¯s eyes were either fixed on Nan Qing or staring out the window. During the twenty-minute journey, they didn¡¯t exchange a single nce.

    Somehow, He Xing¡¯s heart suddenly felt heavy. Even though Fu Han was sitting less than a meter behind him, he felt as if she was as far away as if she were in another world.

    Liangtao Bar was just one of the numerous unremarkable bars in A City, not especiallyrge or well-located; yet it had a certain reputation in the city.

    The reason for this, somewhat embarrassingly, was mainly because the owner, Ji Liangchuan, was an undeniable handsome man, and he was the type who could easily score with a girl if she was even slightly proactive.

    There was just one thing - he was never emotionally involved and never spent more than one night with the same girl, which earned him a moniker in A City: "The One-Night Stand Young Master."

    They say Ji Liangchuan was quite pleased with the nickname, feeling it hit the mark, and his parents were far from happy when they heard it, leading to several arguments.

    But their anger was futile; if Ji Liangchuan was willing to heed their advice, he¡¯d have been married by now, and wouldn¡¯t have such a bad reputation. No prominent family in A City would marry their daughters off to Ji Liangchuan.

    And for the girls of slightly lesser standing, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s affluent and influential parents disapproved, so despite their disdain for him, he surprisingly led a leisurely life unlike others constantly pressured by their parents into arranged meetings, which was a stroke of luck in disguise.

    It¡¯s rumored that Ji Liangchuan took pride in this. He often boasted about the matter, saying he didn¡¯t have to be troubled by marriage.

    A few days ago, He Xing told Fu Han that Wang Yixuan had frequently visited Liangtao Bar, bing close drinking buddies with Ji Liangchuan. Frankly, Fu Han had trouble epting this.

    But as she really arrived at Liangtao Bar today, and saw Ji Liangchuan teaching Wang Yixuan how to mix a cocktail, the two of them chatting andughing, with circles of girls clustering around them like satellites, she had no choice but to believe it.

 Chapter 292: Calmness in the Bar

    <h4>Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Calmness in the Bar</h4><h4></h4>

    As soon as she entered the bar, a piercing smell of smoke hit her face. The air inside the bar was a mix of alcohol, perfume, and body odor, an amalgamation of scents that almost made Fu Han throw up the drink she had just consumed.

    She noticed that Nan Qing¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed high, indicating her dislike of the ce, but He Xing remained expressionless. Could it be that he frequented this ce and that was why he appeared so calm?

    This thought made Fu Han very ufortable, especially when she recalled some past events¡ªthe times she had picked up a drunken He Xing from the bar, or the "intimate photos" of He Xing and Xia Ning drinking at a bar.

    In reality, she knew she shouldn¡¯t dwell on these things, as it was just torturing herself. After all, He Xing had exined himself; but some things are like that: understanding the logic is one thing, truly epting it is quite another.

    While she was zoning out, Nan Qing had already made her way toward the encirclement, pushing away anyone who blocked her path with rough movements.

    The girls who were pushed aside were very upset, but when they saw He Xing behind Nan Qing, the anger on their faces immediately turned into infatuated expressions.

    That did it, now it was Fu Han who was irritated. She couldn¡¯t help but think that sometimes having a face that was too striking wasn¡¯t a good thing; it attracted too much attention and was annoying.

    She demonstratively took He Xing¡¯s hand, almost as if she wanted to write "Taken" directly on her face.

    With Nan Qing leading the way, they easily made it to the bar counter.

    Nan Qing knocked on the bar and gestured to Wang Yixuan with a hook of her finger.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s handsome eyebrows were knitted in displeasure, but he still leaned in cooperatively, "What¡¯s up? Why are you here? Get lost, this is not a ce for you."

    Fu Han had initially been worried that Wang Yixuan might have some ill intentions towards Nan Qing. Surprisingly, not only did he not take the opportunity to move in closer, but he was also directly shooing people away, which made Fu Han reassess him positively.

    She silently thought that perhaps beneath his frivolous facade, he wasn¡¯t bad by nature; after all, her first impression of Wang Yixuan had been rather favorable.

    The music in the bar was deafening, as if it could shake the roof off. The round lights overhead spun, and the dazzling lights shined down, turning some faces blue, some red, and others green, a house full of grotesque figures at first nce.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t like such lighting. Just as she was about to find a corner to hide, He Xing moved and blocked all the lights for her, immediately making her eyes feel a lot morefortable.

    Over there, Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were shouting back and forth at each other; the words exchanged were void of substance, at the level of a petty schoolchildren¡¯s quarrel.

    Ji Liangchuan approached Fu Han and He Xing with a smile, his face, sporting light stubble, no less handsome, but the faint beard made him look even more manly.

    While his lips curled up, he said, "He Xing, Fu Han, it¡¯s rare for you toe here. Order whatever you want to drink, it¡¯s on me."

    Before Fu Han could speak, He Xing stepped in front of her, his tone somewhat cold, "No need, we¡¯re just apanying Nan Qing here. We¡¯ll leave as soon as she¡¯s done with her business."

    Ji Liangchuan smiled, snapped his fingers, and ordered the bartender with a nonchnt air, "Two fresh juices."

    After speaking, the smile on his face deepened, and he said with a grin, "Fu Han, I haven¡¯t visited you since you were discharged from the hospital. How are you recovering?"

    Fu Han poked her head out to reply, but He Xing unceremoniously pushed her head back behind him while he looked emotionlessly at Ji Liangchuan, "Thanks for your concern, my fianc¨¦e is fine."

    He deliberately raised his voice when he said "fianc¨¦e," as if it went without saying.

    Ji Liangchuanughed and patted He Xing on the shoulder, "He Xing, you should have more confidence in yourself. I¡¯ve said I won¡¯t make a move, you¡¯re being too paranoid."

    "I¡¯m very confident in myself," He Xing¡¯s response was still devoid of any warmth, and his indifferent gaze swept around the bar, "There are a lot of people here today. Shouldn¡¯t you be hosting them?"

    Ji Liangchuanughed again without furtherment, turned around, and retreated behind the bar to resume his cocktail-mixing performance, drawing more shrieks from the crowd.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing, still standing protectively in front of her, and she had an inkling that something about the dynamic between him and Ji Liangchuan had changed, but weren¡¯t they supposed to be the best of friends?

    But considering how He Xing had talked about Ji Liangchuan a few days ago, she thought the change might have happened gradually rather than overnight.

    Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing had disappeared somewhere, but Fu Han and He Xing couldn¡¯t just leave Nan Qing here all alone.

    He Xing led Fu Han forward, finding a quiet corner to sit in. Just then, the fresh juices were delivered. He handed one to Fu Han, "The juice here is very well made, smooth and fresh. Give it a try."

    The strange thoughts that Fu Han had managed to suppress earlier resurfaced. She struggled to hold back but eventually blurted out, "You seem quite familiar with this ce."

    He Xing took several moments to realize what she meant, and once he understood, he grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand, "Xiaohan, are you jealous?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed red. She wanted to retort but ended up snorting dismissively, "Yes, I am jealous. So what?"

    "Nothing at all," He Xingughed even more joyously, kissed the back of Fu Han¡¯s hand, and smiled extraordinarily wide, "Xiaohan, it¡¯s always been me being jealous over you. Now that I see you being jealous over me, I¡¯m truly very happy."

    "I¡¯ve never been jealous over you?" Fu Han was irked upon hearing this. She grew uppeting with Xia Ning, practically eating jealousy for breakfast, and He Xing dared to say she wasn¡¯t jealous. Was he tantly lying?

    At a nce, He Xing understood what was running through Fu Han¡¯s mind, and he chuckled, "Alright, alright, I admit it was my fault before, always thinking that you and Xia Ning were just two little girls squabbling over nothing, without giving it much thought."

    As he spoke, He Xing paused for a moment, right as the lighting hit his face, casting his features clearly in front of Fu Han. The smile disappeared from his face, reced by a deep regret that reached his bones.

    "Xiaohan, I need to sincerely apologize to you. We grew up together, I knew you liked me, and I liked you too, but I got used to your sacrifices for me. I always felt no matter what happened, you wouldn¡¯t leave me. During the three years you were gone, I regretted every day; why didn¡¯t I treasure you when you were by my side?"

 Chapter 293: Punish As You Will

    <h4>Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Punish As You Will</h4><h4></h4>

    Although she tried hard to restrain herself, Fu Han still couldn¡¯t help shedding tears. She punched He Xing forcefully, "You¡¯re really annoying, why would you say those things all of a sudden?"

    "I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault, I won¡¯t say it again," He Xing held Fu Han in his arms, gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, and kissed her forehead, "I won¡¯t ever make you cry again, okay?"

    "That¡¯s what you said," Fu Han turned her tears intoughter, looking slyly at He Xing, "Then promise me, what will you do if you make me cry in the future?"

    He Xing¡¯s face changed immediately, he tapped Fu Han¡¯s forehead lightly, "Spit spit spit, don¡¯t say things like that, you know that good things don¡¯t happen but bad ones do, right?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, a noisymotion came from within the bar, grating on the ears, but Fu Han¡¯s mood inexplicably improved, and her heart was lifted by the sounds of cheer.

    She blinked yfully, "After all, it was you who said you wouldn¡¯t make me cry again. Don¡¯t you have confidence in your own words?"

    "Of course I have confidence," He Xing became anxious, clutching Fu Han¡¯s hand tightly, afraid she would slip away like a fish, "Xiaohan, if I break my word, whatever you ask me to do, I will do it, okay?"

    "That¡¯s more like it," Fu Han smiled. At that moment, she felt as if she was back at the age of eighteen, vibrant and fresh, hence so irresistible.

    That was when she loved He Xing the most because back then she was certain they would be together for a lifetime, boldly asking for their marriage despite the shyness of a young girl.

    Of course, now Fu Han¡¯s love for He Xing had not diminished at all, but she was no longer that eighteen-year-old girl who would wait night and day for He Xing to tell her he loved her.

    Now, she had experienced some of society¡¯s harshness; she knew that love alone was not enough for a marriage. To sustain a marriage, many other things were necessary.

    She envied her eighteen-year-old self, who could see everything clearly, yet she did not wish to revert to the naivety of her younger days, where her only purpose was that one person.

    Perhaps it was He Xing¡¯s illusion, but he always felt that after Fu Han regained her memory, it was as if there was an invisible mist of light around her, always emanating a sense of sadness, and she always seemed as though she might disappear any moment.

    It was precisely because of this feeling that He Xing was even more eager to keep Fu Han by his side forever. Thus, when Old Master He suggested that He Xing should speak the truth and let Fu Han decide whether to marry or not; He Xing¡¯s choice was still to stake everything on it. He hoped to keep Fu Han by his side first, then gradually reveal the truth to her.

    Keeping Fu Han was, for He Xing, the most important thing.

    Therefore, he didn¡¯t hesitate and told Fu Han, "Okay, I¡¯ll do as you say. Whatever you want me to do, I¡¯ll do."

    Fu Han finally smiled happily, contentedly leaning on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, her beautiful eyes aimlessly searching around the bar,

    Suddenly, she felt like someone was staring at her from the corner. She looked in that direction and saw Nan Qing standing against the wall right across from her, her dark eyes fixated on her.

    Standing there expressionless, she managed to startle Fu Han.

    Fu Han, while adjusting her emotions, walked towards Nan Qing and finally spoke when she reached her, "Nan Qing, have you settled things with Wang Yixuan?"

    Previously, Nan Qing wanted to find Wang Yixuan, and after she came, she said she wanted to talk to him alone. So they went to Ji Liangchuan¡¯s private waiting room, and Fu Han and He Xing had been waiting until now.

    It took several seconds before Nan Qing finally responded, she looked up at Fu Han; "It¡¯s settled, let¡¯s go, I want to return to Huating No.1."

    Fu Han took a moment to realize which ce Nan Qing was referring to.

    Although Huating No.1 was a rented house, the time Fu Han spent there was wonderful, and this happiness was provided by Nan Qing, for which she was full of gratitude.

    After arriving at the 25th floor of Huating No.1, Fu Han said to He Xing, who was following behind them, "I¡¯ll stay here tonight, you go back. Drive safely."

    "Okay," He Xing nodded without surprise, "Then I¡¯ll stay in the next room, just call me if you need anything."

    "You¡¯re staying here too?" Fu Han¡¯s pretty eyebrows furrowed, she said helplessly, "If you stay here, won¡¯t Grandpa be lonely at home by himself?"

    "It¡¯s alright, he¡¯s used to it," He Xing silently patted Fu Han¡¯s head, then turned to make a call to Liang Tao, asking him to coordinate with the property management to deliver the keys.

    Fu Han followed Nan Qing into 2501, and Nan Qing, after two steps, suddenly turned back and closed the door with a snap.

    She looked at Fu Han with a calm expression, "The reason I live here is because I don¡¯t want to see my parents being affectionate in front of me, so I don¡¯t want to see you and He Xing being lovey-dovey in front of me either."

    Though the words were somewhat hurtful upon closer listening, Fu Han had always been conservative, never being overly intimate with He Xing in front of others. She told herself that Nan Qing was in a bad mood and needed to be amodated.

    She opened the living room window to let in some air. Then she went to the kitchen to boil water and cleaned the coffee machine before she started making coffee.

    Grinding coffee beans was aborious task, but if time allowed, she enjoyed it. She took pleasure in the process, doing something simple and monotonous with undivided attention.

    She made coffee and brought it out. Nan Qing was sitting in the hanging chair, staring into space, her hands around her knees, her chin resting on them, her look vacant as if her soul had left her body.

    Fu Han sighed softly, inscrutably, knowing howplicated and hurtful matters of the heart could be.

    "Have some coffee," Fu Han handed the coffee cup to Nan Qing, in the delicate white porcin cup was brown coffee, fragrant and tempting, but who knew it was a bitter coffee?

    Three or four years ago, Fu Han never drank coffee, especially bitter coffee. She couldn¡¯t understand why people liked such a bitter drink, it was like paying to suffer.

    But after going abroad, instead of disliking sweets, she fell in love with bitter coffee, the more bitter, the better; it turned out that in this respect, she and Nan Qing were allies. Now that they lived together, they never had to worry about what kind of coffee to make.

    Nan Qing held her coffee cup silently, her eyes barely moving, like a marite¡¯s fleeting reaction.

    Fu Han stared at Nan Qing¡¯s profile, startled to realize how much she had thinned down. Nan Qing used to have a round and somewhat chubby face, but now her eye sockets were sunken, her double eyelids almost turned into triple, and her chin was devoid of any flesh.

 Chapter 294: The Rival Gives a Sense of Security

    <h4>Chapter 294: Chapter 294: The Rival Gives a Sense of Security</h4><h4></h4>

    From the moment they got to know each other, the most troubling thing for Nan Qing was that although she was slim, her face was chubby, and it was the kind of chubby that wouldn¡¯t slim down no matter how much she dieted.

    But how long has it been? It¡¯s been less than two months since Fu Han lost her memory, and yet the flesh on her face has already disappeared, not to mention the flesh on her body.

    Love, it really is more exaggerated than a drug addiction, something you yearn to quit but can¡¯t, something you wish to forget but cannot.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached as if pricked by needles. She couldn¡¯t understand why a good person like Su Cheng could be so cruel towards Nan Qing.

    When they were abroad, Fu Han, Nan Qing, and Su Cheng were known as the Three Musketeers. They often went out to y together, to sketch, and to travel.

    Back then, Fu Han had been badly hurt by He Xing and Xia Ning, and had firmly resolved not to have anything to do with He Xing, so she wouldn¡¯t use a cent of the money he tried to send her by all means.

    Looking back now, that was one of the most painful times in her life. She had suffered a heartbreak, had no money, and couldn¡¯t get by mentally or physically. If it weren¡¯t for Nan Qing and Su Cheng, she was afraid she wouldn¡¯t have made it through.

    Fu Han patted Nan Qing on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "Wait here for me, I¡¯ll be right back."

    She had to find out and ask Su Cheng what he was really thinking. She always felt Su Cheng and Nan Qing were the most suitable for each other. She had seen the way Su Cheng looked at Nan Qing and she didn¡¯t believe Su Cheng didn¡¯t have any feelings.

    She was already at the door when Nan Qing suddenly looked up, "Fu Han, where are you going?"

    Fu Han stopped in her tracks, adjusted her emotions, and then turned back with a smile, "I just remembered something I haven¡¯t dealt with. I¡¯ll be back soon, don¡¯t worry."

    "You¡¯re going to find Su Cheng, aren¡¯t you?" Nan Qing smiled, but her smile was too bitter, without a hint of warmth, "Please don¡¯t. If you go see him again, I¡¯ll have no dignity left."

    "But..." Fu Han struggled to calm her rage, waving her fists excitedly, "But is it wrong to like someone? Is it wrong to try hard for love? What right does he have to say such horrible things?"

    The wind poured through the corridor, fluttering Fu Han¡¯s hair. The flying strands were so gentle, yet they adorned her finely sculpted face with an undeniable, resolute strength.

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes moistened once again, but this time with tears of being moved, "Fu Han, do you know what¡¯s kept me from giving up? It¡¯s my certainty that you wouldn¡¯t like Su Cheng. How sad is that, my sense of securityes from my rival in love."

    Her words hit Fu Han like a needle in the heart. She opened her mouth but, eventually, all she could muster was a soft, "Actually... I¡¯ve never thought about hurting you."

    The wind grew stronger and as the words fell, they were scattered by the wind, unsure if anyone heard them.

    Nan Qing tilted her head back slightly, herrge eyes closing then opening again. Finally, in a low voice, she said, "But I¡¯d rather you were really my rival in love, that you had truly hurt me, so I could condemn you with a guilty conscience. Yet, it turns out you are my best friend, never once thinking ofpeting with me for Su Cheng. Now, to even hate someone has be a luxury for me."

    Fu Han had a vague feeling that she might lose Nan Qing as a friend forever after this. The moment this thought crossed her mind, her heart lurched in pain that began spreading infinitely.

    She stood at the door, unable to go in or out.

    After an indeterminable length of time, Nan Qing suddenly turned her head to look at Fu Han, "Fu Han, are we still friends?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes lit up at once, and if you looked carefully, you could see the sparkling tears, "Of course, in my heart, you¡¯re my best friend, always and forever."

    Nan Qing rushed over and hugged Fu Han tightly, burying her head in the crook of Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, her eyes brimming with tears, "You are also my best friend, so please don¡¯t go. I¡¯ve already lost Su Cheng, I don¡¯t want to lose you too."

    The two girls hugged each other, burying their heads and crying their hearts out. Their tears dampened the clothes on each other¡¯s shoulders, but they didn¡¯t mind at all.

    After this, their bond would only grow stronger, with nothing capable of breaking it.

    That night, Fu Han and Nan Qing slept under the same nket, just like when Fu Han had first gone abroad. They talked a lot, about everything under the sun, yet tacitly avoided any mention of Su Cheng.

    When the moon hid behind the clouds and the only star left in the sky was Venus, Nan Qing finally fell asleep.

    Fu Han reached under her pillow for her phone. Whatsapp notifications showed dozens of unread messages. She opened them and as expected, most were from He Xing, nothing special, just asking what Fu Han was doing, if she had gone to sleep yet.

    After wishing He Xing goodnight, Fu Han opened Su Cheng¡¯s Whatsapp. Three hours earlier, he had sent a message to Fu Han, a simple one, inquiring about Nan Qing¡¯s condition.

    When Fu Han saw the message, her heart was filled with a myriad of emotions. When it came time to reply, however, she felt like there was nothing much to say.

    What could they talk about? How she found out about the things between Su Cheng and Nan Qing? Offer a few words of exnation for Nan Qing? Or, as before, urge Su Cheng to reconsider Nan Qing?

    Fu Han didn¡¯t want to say any of these things now. She even felt that if she really cared about Nan Qing¡¯s well-being, she shouldn¡¯t interfere with Nan Qing¡¯s rtionship with Su Cheng. Maybe it was better just to let it end.

    After all, love isn¡¯t like family or friendship; it¡¯s hard to foster without feeling. So, since a melon forcefully twisted off its vine isn¡¯t sweet, it¡¯s better to let it go.

    And frankly, Fu Han really thought Nan Qing was an excellent catch ¨C the sole heiress of the Nangong Family, one of the four majormercial giants of City A, beautiful and outstanding. She was sure to meet someone who would truly cherish her someday.

    After some thought, she typed out a message to Su Cheng word by word, "If you care about her, ask her yourself; if you don¡¯t care for her, don¡¯t contact her ever again."

    After sending the message, she ced her phone under her pillow and closed her eyes to sleep.

    ...

    The next morning, Fu Han was up early, busy with tasks like washing hair, bathing, tidying the house, cooking, and more.

    It was only when the sun was high in the sky that Nan Qing finally got up, her hair looking like a haystack as she saw Fu Han, "You slept sotest night, howe you¡¯re up so early today?"

    Meanwhile, Fu Han was sitting at the dining table for breakfast. She looked up and smiled helplessly, "I had no choice. When the rm went off, I realized today is the day Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents discuss the engagement."

    Nan Qing was still groggy, barely awake, but her eyes suddenly widened in astonishment, "Really? They¡¯ve progressed so quickly!"

 Chapter 295 Being too deliberate is not good

    <h4>Chapter 295: Chapter 295 Being too deliberate is not good</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yeah, I also think things are moving so fast." Nan Qingughed, her face showing a genuine smile, "This is really good news. Seeing others¡¯ rtionships going well makes me feel like the world is truly beautiful."

    "I feel the same," Fu Han nodded and then her face fell again, "But I don¡¯t know which outfit to wear. I¡¯m so torn!"

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Wei, the couple, insisted that Fu Han must attend the meeting between both parents, saying it was a family affair and no one could be absent.

    After pondering for a moment, Fu Han felt how hard it was for her to find her own maternal uncle¡¯s family in this world. Having finally ended her istion, she certainly wanted to witness her sister¡¯s happy day.

    On the other side, Nan Qing¡¯s gaze shifted to the sofa, piled with a bunch of clothes, obviously all Fu Han¡¯s options: "I think all of your clothes look great. You can just pick any of them."

    Fu Han sighed deeply, feeling utterly hopeless, "But I¡¯m going there as Bai Wei¡¯s older sister, shouldn¡¯t I dress more conservatively, a bit more mature?"

    Nan Qing was sessfully amused. She said bluntly, "Please, Miss Fu Han, you¡¯re her sister, not an olddy. Besides, everyone has seen you before. Just dress like you usually do; trying too hard is actually worse."

    "That makes sense." Fu Han got up to serve Nan Qing some beef noodles as she spoke, "An observer sees clearer. I¡¯m inexperienced and disorganizing myself. I might even embarrass Bai Wei."

    After this episode in the morning, Nan Qing¡¯s mood improved a lot. She ate more than half of the bowl of noodles.

    Originally, Fu Han wanted to invite Nan Qing to join the excitement, thinking it might lighten her mood; but Nan Qing declined outright: "Although there¡¯s nothing between me and Brother Qinghe, Bai Wei might still feel ufortable seeing me, so let¡¯s not give her more trouble."

    Upon hearing this, Fu Han was a bit worried that Nan Qing was overthinking again, but seeing Nan Qing¡¯s clear eyes, she knew she was sincere.

    Fu Han felt relieved and followed Nan Qing¡¯s advice, cheerfully changing into a new outfit and leaving.

    He Xing¡¯s car was already waiting downstairs. Even as Fu Han sat in his car and they set off, she still couldn¡¯t understand why He Xing was there.

    Originally, He Xing nned to take Fu Han to look at wedding dresses today. Hearing she had other ns, he promptly volunteered to be the driver. When Fu Han refused, he insisted with conviction that as Bai Wei¡¯s cousin, he had a duty to attend Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents¡¯ meeting.

    His reasoning was impable, and with Bai Wei¡¯s prior consent, Fu Han had no reason to refuse. She had to ept the presence of He Xing as the "driver."

    The lunch venue was a newly opened restaurant, famous for its authentic Chinese food.

    Upon arrival, Fu Han felt that although she hadn¡¯t tried the restaurant¡¯s food, just from its d¨¦cor she could tell it was indeed good.

    The spacious and tidy lobby, a huge crystal chandelier overhead, furniture and chairs all in natural wood color, paintings of courtdies on the walls, even the ss partitions looked antique.

    The Private Room they booked was roomy, overlooking a small garden through the window, filled with various flowers and nts. On the other side of the garden was the kitchen, also clean and tidy, with everything visible at a nce.

    When Fu Han and the others arrived, only Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were there. The Private Room, capable of seating twenty or thirty people, felt lonely and forlorn with just the two of them.

    Seeing them, Bai Wei acted like she saw a savior, pulling them into a corner for a detailed briefing: "If my parents and his start arguingter, you guys must help mediate."

    Fu Han looked at Bai Wei with innocent eyes: "Are you worrying over nothing? Uncle and auntie really like Qinghe, don¡¯t they?"

    "But..." Bai Wei sneaked a nce at Luo Qinghe before whispering, "Qinghe¡¯s dad has been infatuated with my mom for four years, and that has always been a thorn in his mom¡¯s heart."

    Fu Han guessed there was some entanglement but never imagined it to be such a significant one. It was truly a knot.

    With a hint of a smile on her face, she said rather sensibly, "After you get married, never live with your inws. Otherwise, you¡¯re asking for trouble."

    Bai Wei was stunned for a moment before catching on to Fu Han¡¯s meaning. Blushing, she pped Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "At a time like this, you¡¯re making snide remarks. I¡¯m already so nervous."

    "Serves you right!" He Xing, who had been silent since they arrived, swatted away Bai Wei¡¯s hand and spoke coldly, "Who told you to pick a mother-inw who despises your mom? You¡¯re just asking for it."

    Bai Wei was speechless for a moment and a bit fearful of He Xing, unsure of what to say with evident anxiety on her beautiful face.

    Fu Han felt somewhat sympathetic. Apparently, Luo Qinghe¡¯s family was eager for them to get engaged and married, iming Qinghe wasn¡¯t getting any younger. Bai Wei¡¯s agent was strongly against it, as marriage could impact an actor¡¯s career, and Bai Wei¡¯s position wasn¡¯t yet solid with plenty of room to rise.

    But the agent¡¯s opposition was futile. To put it bluntly, Bai Wei acted purely out of passion, and she could withdraw whenever she wanted. With her parents¡¯ support, nobody could do anything to her. In the end, the agentpromised, agreeing to a private engagement but no marriage in the short term.

    After some thought, Fu Han earnestly said, "I heard Qinghe¡¯s parents almost divorced once, and it was his mom who gave in. So his dad does hold some sway at home. You do have a backer and needn¡¯t worry too much."

    A smile finally appeared on Bai Wei¡¯s face, which hadn¡¯tsted long when it abruptly stopped. She leaned in to whisper something to Fu Han, but suddenly, a loud ringtone filled the Private Room.

    It was Luo Qinghe¡¯s phone ringing from another corner. In less than a minute, he ended the call, and from afar, he informed Bai Wei, "My parents are here."

    Before Bai Wei could speak, her phone also rang. She shrugged helplessly, "My parents are here too."

    Fu Han and He Xing waited in the Private Room for them to greet the arrivals. She beamed at He Xing, "With their families being so fated, if they don¡¯t end up together, it would truly be a case of ¡¯so near yet so far.¡¯

    He Xing tightened his arm around Fu Han¡¯s waist slightly and smiled brightly, "Exactly, so don¡¯t worry. Those meant to be together will always find their way."

 Chapter 296 Meeting of Both Parents

    <h4>Chapter 296: Chapter 296 Meeting of Both Parents</h4><h4></h4>

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents and Bai Wei¡¯s parents came in chatting andughing, and although Fu Han had mentally prepared herself in advance, she still found the scene quite repulsive when it actually unfolded before her eyes.

    Two people who were clearly not familiar with each other were smiling insincerely, a feeling that was even more ufortable than a forced, skin-deep smile.

    But clearly, Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei didn¡¯t feel the same; they seemed very happy to see their parents chatting away so harmoniously, even sporting foolish grins on their faces.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but reflect on how love indeed seemed to have a magical power, capable of turning two smart people into fools without them even realizing it.

    The meal had been served, and the red wine, specially brought by Li Huazhi from ¡¯82, seemed to make the party of six rtively happy¡ªof course, they might have been happier if Li Huazhi and his wife didn¡¯t asionally engage in conversation with He Xing and Fu Han.

    As the feast was drawing to a close, Fu Xingbo finished thest bit of red wine in his ss and, with a smile, said to Li Huazhi, "Mr. Li, how about we make an agreement regarding the wedding of Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe? They will not wed anyone else, they will form their own little family while still being a part of our big family. How about that?"

    Li Huazhi hadn¡¯t yet responded when Luo Qiluo jumped in. "Mr. Fu, I think your proposal is very good. I believe that a family doesn¡¯t necessarily need to live together. When they get married, our Li Family will buy them a vi, and let them live on their own."

    "That can be arranged," Bai Qian said, not wanting to be left behind, "Our Fu Family will also buy them a vi, and then it¡¯s up to them, they can live wherever they want."

    The previously pleasant atmosphere in the private room had vanished, reced by an ufortable tension. Fu Han tugged at He Xing¡¯s hand under the table, her meaning implicit.

    Seizing the chance, He Xing grabbed Fu Han¡¯s wrist and whispered in her ear, "Don¡¯t get excited. Let¡¯s wait and see how things unfold."

    His breath on Fu Han¡¯s neck instantly turned to a sweeping heat that zed across her face and neck, turning them red.

    She tugged hard, trying to free herself from He Xing¡¯s grasp, but he had clearlye better prepared and easily kept her under control.

    The verbal sparring continued, and Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe finally confirmed the adage: what you fear is what you will face.

    Both expressed that they didn¡¯t need their parents to buy them a vi; they had plenty of their own money and didn¡¯t need their parents to support them ¨C they were quite capable of looking after their own family.

    However, the next round of allocations had quietly begun. Li Huazhi suggested that after marriage, Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei should have several children, preferably at least one carrying the Li surname.

    Before Fu Xingbo could even speak, Bai Qian had already jumped in, stating there would be no problem; it would be best if the couple had four children with each child bearing a different surname: Li, Luo, Bai, and Fu.

    This proposal received unanimous approval from the four parents, with the sole objector being Bai Wei¡ªbecause Luo Qinghe, lost in his own thoughts, was too happily smiling along.

    The veins on Bai Wei¡¯s forehead bulged as her face lost its permanently affixed smile, "If you want kids, go have them yourselves; I never even thought about having children."

    Luo Qiluo grabbed this statement like an Imperial Sword, triumphantly telling Bai Qian, "Look at your daughter. She hasn¡¯t even married into our family and is already saying she won¡¯t have children. What daughter-inw doesn¡¯t bear children and carry on the family line?"

    Fu Han felt extremely ufortable hearing this; she was a girl about to marry as well, yet the talk had already turned to having children¡ªeven suggesting four. What were they after, a daughter-inw or a sow to birth a litter?

    Indeed, Bai Wei finally couldn¡¯t take anymore and stood up. She turned to Luo Qinghe, "Did you hear what your mom said? It¡¯s getting more and more outrageous. Are you going to do anything about this?"

    Luo Qinghe immediately turned to Luo Qiluo, "Mom, whether we get married and have children is between Bai Wei and me. Please don¡¯t interfere too much, alright?"

    His words were not harsh, but under the circumstances, it was difficult not to feel their prickly sting, especially with a suspected rival in love sitting opposite.

    Luo Qiluo immediately red up, pointing at Luo Qinghe¡¯s nose as she scolded, "I¡¯ve really raised an ingrate! You¡¯re already treating me like this before you¡¯re even married to her, what will be of us if you do tie the knot?"

    "You really are speaking too far," Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t back down a bit, and even the smile had vanished from his face, "Mom, who says one must have children upon getting married? I¡¯ve never thought of bing a father, so Bai Wei and I have chosen to be DINK (Double Ie, No Kids). If you want grandchildren, urge my older brother to marry and have children sooner."

    Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo exchanged a look, both clearly with something to say.

    Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, Fu Han quickly stood up, "Uncle and aunt, father and mother, may I say a word, please?"

    All eyes turned to Fu Han ¨C kind, malicious, grateful, annoyed, disdainful, and concerned.

    Fu Han took in all the looks and spoke calmly, "You can¡¯t expect to eat a whole fatty in one bite; we must take things slowly, right? They are the children you raised, and you know their yful and boisterous character. Now that they are following their parents¡¯ advice and are ready to marry, shouldn¡¯t we put the rest on hold for now? They are young; there¡¯s really no rush about having children."

    Her words struck a chord, not only with Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, who nodded continuously, but even Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo had nothing more to say.

    Theborious lunch finally ended, and Fu Han now understood why people say getting married is painful and why so many couples break up just when it¡¯s time to marry.

    Being in love is about two people, but marriage truly bes a matter of two families.

    Her situation with He Xing was peculiar; Grandpa He could be considered a senior to both the bride and groom, making many issues smoother to handle, but it was different for Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe.

    Just as the Lamborghini was about to start, Fu Han nced around the underground parking garage and inadvertently saw Luo Qinghe¡¯s Mercedes-Benz Unimog not too far away.

    Upon closer inspection, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe seemed to be talking about something. Although she couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying, their animated gestures and stern expressions suggested they were likely arguing.

    Fu Han hesitated whether she should go down and try to mediate. It was the right thing to mediate, but key issues remained, and she had no experience. What if her mediation made things worse, causing the couple to escte from Heavenly Thunder to fierce battle? How would that end for her, bing the viin in the scenario?

 Chapter 297: People Afraid of Tickling Fear Their Wife

    <h4>Chapter 297: Chapter 297: People Afraid of Tickling Fear Their Wife</h4><h4></h4>

    While she was in a dilemma, He Xing suddenly patted her shoulder and consoled her like a child, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry about their argument; that¡¯s just their way of being together. Besides, it¡¯s better if they talk it out themselves. If we get involved, things could escte, which wouldn¡¯t be good for them."

    Fu Han agreed wholeheartedly, feeling instantly enlightened. She gently shook He Xing¡¯s arm, "Alright, it¡¯s gettingte; let¡¯s get going."

    The wedding was a week away, and today their wedding dress was finally ready. They had to try it on to make sure it fit; if there were any issues, the Bridal Shop would have to make adjustments overnight.

    Ever since they took their wedding photos, Fu Han felt allergic to the words "wedding dress." She went to try on the dress with a lot of reluctance, not caring so much about how it looked; after all, He Xing was taking it seriously and had a lot of suggestions.

    While Fu Han was ying with her phone on the sofa, He Xing was stillmunicating with the designer about the details.

    Watching He Xing¡¯s earnest profile, Fu Han was filled with emotion. He Xing was such a person¡ªno matter what it was, he would always do it well, without any hint of superficiality.

    These days, He Xing was busy with wedding preparations, and on top of that, he had so much work to manage. An ordinary person would probably have copsed by now, but He Xing was still full of vigor, like an ever-energetic little sun.

    Fu Han was deeply moved. With He Xing by her side, she didn¡¯t have to worry; she could be a child who didn¡¯t need to care about anything.

    Just as she was about to take a photo of He Xing, her phone suddenly notified her of a message. It was from Bai Wei, with just five words, but they struck like thunder, "We¡¯ve broken up!"

    "What exactly happened?" Fu Han couldn¡¯t bother with He Xing and hurriedly replied, "Did you really break up over something as trivial as how many kids to have?"

    Bai Wei replied quickly, "It¡¯s nothing; I just feel it¡¯s not worth it to be so foolishly devoted. A woman should find someone who loves her."

    Fu Han was utterly confused and sent a genuine question, "But Luo Qinghe loves you, doesn¡¯t he? Tell me, what¡¯s upset you?"

    "But I love him more than he loves me," Bai Wei¡¯s anger was apparent even through the phone screen, "And it was me who pursued him; he always acts superior in front of me."

    Fu Han understood¡ªit was like squabbling at an elementary school level. She sighed and typed each letter carefully, "Love doesn¡¯t care who fell first or who gives more. Love is about feeling happy in the process of dating and both of you acknowledging the rtionship. If you really feel he¡¯s putting on airs in front of you, breaking up might indeed be a good choice."

    As expected, once the message was sent, there was no reply¡ªit was like dropping a stone into the ocean. Bai Wei didn¡¯t respond.

    Fu Han had intentionally crafted her response that way; first to persuade, then to agree with Bai Wei. She knew Bai Wei all too well¡ªif you resisted her, she would only be more difficult, but if you went along with her, things might actually turn out better.

    He Xing finally finishedmunicating and came over. He gently stroked Fu Han¡¯s hair with a tender and indulgent smile, "How are Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe now?"

    "How did you know..." Fu Han stopped mid-sentence, raising a slender finger and tapping He Xing¡¯s shoulder repeatedly, "Did you install something on my phone without me knowing?"

    He Xing responded by lightly flicking Fu Han¡¯s forehead, both amused and exasperated, "I really have to wonder if you suffer from paranoid delusions?"

    "Please, I call that being cautious," Fu Han sniffled indignantly, "Obviously, how did you know I got a message from Bai Wei?"

    "I know you too well," He Xing casually took Fu Han¡¯s purse, grinning, "I saw your serious expression while typing just now, so I guessed it had to be either Bai Wei or Nan Qing. It was a fifty-fifty chance, and I was lucky to guess right."

    Arm in arm with He Xing, Fu Han poked his waist when he wasn¡¯t paying attention. He Xing¡¯s reaction was swift as he dodged and quickly released her wrist, leaping away.

    Despite He Xing¡¯s typically stoic fa?ade, he had his weak spots¡ªhis waist was incredibly ticklish; a light poke could make him jump a yard high.

    Fu Han covered her mouth,ughing so hard she couldn¡¯t stand straight, thrilled by her sessful little trick and also sincerely finding He Xing¡¯s ticklishness utterly adorable, "How have you still not gotten over your ticklishness?"

    He Xing sighed, his eyes filled with boundless tenderness, then suddenly a mischievous glint appeared, and he leaned in close to Fu Han, "Did you know boys who are ticklish are usually afraid of their wives?"

    The word "wife" ignited Fu Han¡¯s face like wildfire, flushing her cheeks. She stepped on He Xing¡¯s foot, not too hard, and said helplessly, "You¡¯re too annoying, I¡¯m not talking to you."

    He Xing watched Fu Han walk away, items in hand, and followed with a smile.

    ...

    The bar.

    The night at the bar was lively, and... wild.

    In the dance floor, men and women twisted their bodies like crazy, illuminated by dazzling lights from above, making them look scarcely different from mythical beasts.

    Sitting in a quiet corner were two handsome men, both different in their looks but undeniably attractive. The table in front of them was a mess of bottles, yet they kept drinking one ss after another with no intention of stopping.

    The dancing lights asionally cast flickering shadows on their faces¡ªthough they looked different, they both possessed undeniable charm.

    Luo Qinghe sat in the corner, a light stubble around his lips adding a touch of weariness to his handsome appearance, conveying a sense of a down-on-his-luck nobleman.

    Since his arrival, several girls had taken the initiative to greet him, but s, they were all turned away.

    Sitting across from him was Su Cheng¡ªhis good lookspletely different, emanating the air of someone who grew up under the sun, nurtured by a refined education.

    In fact, looking at him could even make one feel guilty if any improper thoughts crossed their mind; his handsomeness was straightforward, the kind tanned by the sun.

    Some greeted Su Cheng as well, but the words were never as bold as those directed at Luo Qinghe; even the flirting seemed more subtle.

    Unfortunately, Su Cheng¡¯s face would stretch longer than Luo Qinghe¡¯s whenever someone tried to chat him up, often scaring the person off before they could even sit down.

    After another drink, Luo Qinghe nced at Su Cheng, "It¡¯s my heartbreak. Why do you look more upset than I do?"

 Chapter 298: The Pole Dancer is Her

    <h4>Chapter 298: Chapter 298: The Pole Dancer is Her</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng turned his head away from Luo Qinghe, downing another drink as he addressed Luo Qinghe, "What happened between you and Bai Wei? Did you break up again?"

    "Again?" Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up as if they could kill a fly, and with a p, he ced his ss on the table, "Can you even speak properly? If not, then don¡¯t talk. When have I always been breaking up with her?"

    Suddenly, a raucous noise arose,ing from the direction of the dance floor.

    Luo Qinghe looked towards the source of the sound, and everyone around the dance floor had stopped dancing, except for the pole dancer in the middle who continued her performance.

    The pole dancer was performing various moves on the pole, her body as flexible as a boneless snake.

    Luo Qinghe was a regr at various bars, and although he only enjoyed drinking at the bars and was fairly reserved in his dealings with the opposite sex, this did not conflict with his appreciation of watching beautiful women dance.

    He whistled loudly towards the dance floor, and even amidst the noisy bar, the whistle was not drowned out; instead, it rang out clearly like a phoenix crying, truly admirable for his lung capacity.

    Several people by the dance floor, hearing him, looked his way and some girls, seeing that the whistler was a handsome guy, immediately cheered.

    The pole dancer on the stage was also attracted by their attention and paused midair, turning her head to look in their direction.

    In just one nce, the faces of the pole dancer, Luo Qinghe, and Su Cheng all changed. That dancer, with her enchanting moves and serpent-like grace... if she wasn¡¯t Xia Ning, then who was she?

    Luo Qinghe rolled his eyes unceremoniously and then turned to Su Cheng, saying, "Oh man, unlucky times. We¡¯ve run into her. Now my eyes are probably going to get styes."

    That¡¯s the way he was, never learning the ways of the world, showing every emotion openly on his face. Whether he liked someone or not, you could tell at a nce.

    Being with such a person had its advantages, with the most direct one being that you didn¡¯t have to guess what he was thinking or worry about him being cunning in front of you.

    Su Cheng was also surprised to see Xia Ning here. He poured a drink for himself and another for Luo Qinghe, "Let¡¯s finish this drink and get out of here, find another ce to keep going."

    "Why should we?" Luo Qinghe was already in a foul mood, and hearing these words, he became even more irritated. He tilted his head back and finished his ss in one gulp, "This bar isn¡¯t owned by the Xia family. Ie if I want toe. If she feels ufortable seeing us here, then she should be the one to leave."

    Su Cheng wanted to say more, but someone suddenly appeared in front of them. He looked up and astonishingly, it was Xia Ning. He didn¡¯t know when she hade down from the dance floor, still wearing that fitted, ultra-short, silver sequined spaghetti strap dress.

    She crossed her arms and looked at Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe, "Did youe here specifically to watch me dance?"

    Luo Qinghe rolled his eyes, looking at Xia Ning with impatience, "You really think too highly of yourself. To tell you the truth, if we knew you were here, even if you invited us with a grand sedan, we wouldn¡¯te."

    Although Su Cheng thought Luo Qinghe¡¯s words were a bit too harsh, he had to admit there was sense in them, as that was what he also believed.

    However, Su Cheng¡¯s animosity towards Xia Ning stemmed entirely from the difficulties she posed for Fu Han.

    As for Luo Qinghe, his dislike for Xia Ning was because he always suspected that she had taken advantage of Qin Xiaonian¡¯s unrequited love for him and deliberately got Qin Xiaonian to deliver the tainted honey water to the Waiting Room. Then, she recorded the video of Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian out of control.

    No one knew what benefits Qin Xiaonian might have gained from her actions since she was now in prison. Luo Qinghe¡¯swyers had approached her several times, telling her that if she confessed the person behind the scenes, they would consider pleading for Qin Xiaonian. But she insisted it was all her doing.

    Meanwhile, the results of He Xing¡¯s investigation into the matter were intriguing. The Xia family had transferred five million to Qin Xiaonian. Xia Cheng imed it was him who made the transfer,pletely clearing Xia Ning of any involvement.

    Yet, the more Xia Ning was excluded from the matter, the more Luo Qinghe was convinced she had manipted the situation.

    The incident between Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian was arguably the biggest blemish of his life. Even now, many people cursed him online for sleeping with a girl and then sending her to prison in return.

    Xia Ning had also been ustomed to bar life from a young age, and what she enjoyed most was the attention she attracted wherever she went. Although she didn¡¯t dance at this bar every day, she frequented it. Thus, when she saw Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng, her first thought was they were deliberately following her, aiming to capture a video of her dancing.

    Hearing Luo Qinghe¡¯s words, she found them unpleasant but felt relieved, and gathered her waist-length hair, smiling sweetly and cutely, "That¡¯s for the best. We¡¯ll do our own things, and once we leave the bar, let¡¯s forget everything we¡¯ve seen here."

    Before the two men could respond, a man with a thick gold chain and exaggerated tattoos on his arms approached. He wrapped his arm around Xia Ning¡¯s neck, "Beauty, you were dancing so well, why did you stop?"

    Pointing at Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng, the man spoke, "Do you like pretty boys? What¡¯s there to like about them? Come with me, big daddy¡¯s got plenty of money."

    "Don¡¯t touch me!" Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed red. She pped the man¡¯s hand away, visibly angry and blushing all over, "Get away from me."

    The tattooed man also became enraged, grabbing Xia Ning¡¯s wrist and dragging her away while cursing, "You stinking bitch, who do you think you are to tell me to scram? I¡¯ll show you how I deal with you."

    As he spoke, he had already dragged Xia Ning away for four or five steps. Xia Ning struggled desperately, screaming at the top of her lungs, but the disparity in strength between the sexes meant her resistance was futile.

    Everything happened in an instant. Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe exchanged nces, both seeing disgust and confusion in each other¡¯s eyes¡ªthey both knew Xia Ning was from the Xia family who shouldn¡¯t go out without bodyguards, or could this be another one of Xia Ning¡¯s tricks?

    With his exceedingly poor impression of Xia Ning, Luo Qinghe warned Su Cheng, "Don¡¯t act rashly, be careful of a trap."

    But Xia Ning was being dragged into a secluded corridor, her supposed bodyguards were nowhere to be seen, and although many in the bar witnessed the scene, none stepped forward to intervene.

    Su Cheng could not restrain himself any longer, rising to chase after them.

    When he caught up, Su Cheng threw a punch, forcing the tattooed man to stagger back several steps. Xia Ning, identally involved, sat down on the floor with a thud, but at least she was free. She nced at Su Cheng and without a word, turned and ran towards where there were more people.

 Chapter 299: Not for Anyone, Only for Justice

    <h4>Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Not for Anyone, Only for Justice</h4><h4></h4>

    Tattooed Man had never suffered such a loss before. Ordinary people, intimidated by his fierce appearance, wouldn¡¯t dare to challenge him even if they didn¡¯t like him. But today, the seemingly weak pretty boy he saw dared to actually fight back.

    Enraged to the extreme, his iron fist swung towards Su Cheng, who refused to back down and clenched his fist to meet the punch head-on. With a collision of force against force, Su Cheng felt like the bones in his hand were about to shatter.

    Indeed, strength and size seemed to be directly proportional; he couldn¡¯t gain any advantage in power.

    As he was internally regretting his impulsive decision, the other¡¯s fist swung towards him again; Su Cheng was torn, wondering whether to block with his arm again or let his head share some of the pain.

    Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind him and firmly grasped the muscled brute¡¯s hand. It was none other than Luo Qinghe.

    With an expressionless face standing behind Su Cheng, Luo Qinghe said coolly, "If you don¡¯t want to go to the police station, then get lost now!"

    The tattooed man froze, his triangr eyes darting between Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe, probably realizing that these were two men he shouldn¡¯t mess with. Cursing under his breath, he eventually left reluctantly.

    Five minutester, the bar owner came over with a basket full of beer, bowing profusely, "Master Luo, Master Huangpu, I apologize for ourck of wee despite your esteemed presence. The incident just now was all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. Today, please feel free to eat, drink, and y as you like on the house."

    Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t even look at him, waving dismissively, "Go busy yourself, and if you bother me again while I¡¯m drinking, I really will make you regret it."

    The bar owner scuttled away as if his feet were oiled, not daring to say anything more.

    But it was Su Cheng who frowned, watching the owner¡¯s retreating figure, "How did he know who we are?"

    "In this day and age, those who dare to run bars, do you think they don¡¯t have some connections?" Luo Qinghe said nonchntly as he popped open the bottles one by one, "They have their own rules for survival. Maybe they knew who we were from the moment we stepped in. They probably think it¡¯s best to keep quiet and make money. He must have seen us fight and, not wanting to offend anyone, decided toe over with gifts."

    Su Cheng thought about it and found Luo Qinghe¡¯s exnation reasonable. After downing a big icy beer, he asked casually, "Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to intervene with Xia Ning? Why did you step in just now?"

    The dance floor was getting lively again, but the Pole Dancer had been switched out. Nobody knew where Xia Ning, who had been the star of the show earlier, had gone.

    Luo Qinghe drew back his gaze and spoke indifferently, "Although she¡¯s troublesome, she¡¯s still a girl after all. Thest thing I can stand is a man bullying a woman."

    Every word he said was with conviction.

    Su Cheng initially nodded in agreement, as that was what he also believed; but after a couple of seconds, a bright rity shed in his eyes, "Brother Qinghe, you talk a good game, but why are you bullying Bai Wei?"

    "Me, bullying her?" Luo Qinghe, full of resentment at the mention of Bai Wei, mmed his ss on the table, his face full of anger, "Do you know what she said? She told me to give up on the idea of having children, and if I want them, to find another woman, not her."

    The more Su Cheng listened, the more confused he became, his brows furrowing into a "´¨" character, "But if I¡¯m not mistaken, you two were discussing wedding ns today, right? Shouldn¡¯t you get married first before considering other things?"

    "Yes, exactly." Luo Qinghe said as if he had found someone who understood him, bing agitated, "That¡¯s what I said. No matter what our parents say, we shouldn¡¯t pay attention to them. We should get married first, then discuss the rest. But do you know what she said? She used men of being deceivers, saying that once we¡¯re married, they¡¯ll convince her to have children, one not being enough, perhaps even a whole ser team. Isn¡¯t that infuriating?"

    Su Cheng thought hard about Luo Qinghe¡¯s words and eventually concurred reasonably, "Well, I think what she said makes sense. Many people are like that."

    "But I don¡¯t think that way!" Luo Qinghe gritted his teeth in frustration, his handsome face unable to hide the rage, "I¡¯ve exined it to her many times, but she just won¡¯t listen."

    "Then let me ask you," Su Cheng said, feeling overwhelmed by Luo Qinghe¡¯s grievances and hastily cutting him off, "If Bai Wei doesn¡¯t want to have children, would you force her?"

    Luo Qinghe fell silent at the question. On the surface, he seemed carefree, but deep down, he was very traditional. If he were married, he too would yearn for the picture of having sons and daughters; it didn¡¯t matter whose surname they took.

    But... he truly hadn¡¯t considered what he would do if Bai Wei was unwilling.

    "See, you¡¯re getting angry at Bai Wei even though you don¡¯t fully understand what¡¯s really in her heart." As an observer, Su Cheng spoke with rity and authority about Luo Qinghe¡¯s problems, "I¡¯ve also heard your dad used to like her mom. The rtionship between your two families has always been unusual. I think the two of you shouldn¡¯t quarrel over trifles; otherwise, you might actually break up."

    Luo Qinghe felt his heart grow even heavier, looking deeply at Su Cheng before awkwardly conceding, "Thanks, I... I know what you¡¯re saying makes sense."

    For once, Su Cheng felt a sense of aplishment in getting through to Luo Qinghe and added with a smile, "Then talk it out with her properly, and don¡¯t throw around the idea of breaking up like it¡¯s nothing."

    The fog clouding Luo Qinghe¡¯s heart began to clear as he looked meaningfully at Su Cheng, "I¡¯ve been frank with you, shouldn¡¯t you also be open up about why you¡¯re in a bad mood?"

    Caught off guard, Su Cheng was at a loss. His face turned red as he awkwardly looked away, "There¡¯s... there¡¯s nothing, no issues at all."

    "Stop pretending. I practically watched you grow up; do you think you can fool me?" Luo Qinghe tapped the table leisurely, returning to his usually cavalier demeanor, "Is it because Fu Han upset you again, or was it because of Nan Qing?"

    "Who says my anger has to be rted to them?" Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed, nearly betraying his guilt.

    Luo Qinghe tapped the table rhythmically with his forefinger, his tone meaningful, "Su Cheng, I bet even you don¡¯t know who¡¯s more important in your heart, Fu Han or Nan Qing?"

    That very night, Su Cheng¡¯s mind kept reying Luo Qinghe¡¯s words.

    ...

    Bridal Shop.

    Nan Qing and Bai Wei upied a dressing room each. Today was the day they were to try on their bridesmaid dresses, and to avoid shing with the two trying on the best man suits, they deliberately came early.

    Fu Han and He Xing huddled on the bridal shop¡¯s sofa. In her hands, she held a thick booklet outlining their wedding process, designed by He Xing; while He Xing held a fruit te, feeding Fu Han pieces one by one.

 Chapter 300: Donâ€™t Want to Get Married Anymore

    <h4>Chapter 300: Chapter 300: Don¡¯t Want to Get Married Anymore</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s soplicated." Fu Han found afortable angle toy her head in He Xing¡¯s arms as she looked up at him, "Can¡¯t it be simpler? Having to do so much makes me not want to get married anymore."

    "Pish, pish, what are you saying?" He Xing tapped Fu Han¡¯s forehead, then smiled and persuaded her, "When has getting married ever been easy? But the harder it is on the wedding day, the more you¡¯ll look back and feel that the ceremony was hard-earned, and you will cherish it all the more."

    "Where did you read that toxic chicken soup?" Fu Han rubbed her forehead. In reality, the tap from He Xing didn¡¯t hurt at all, but she still pouted and pretended to be unhappy, "I just want a simple marriage, to make my grandpa happy. Don¡¯t make it so troublesome. It reminds me of the day Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe met the parents."

    It was no exaggeration to say that that day was a nightmare for Fu Han. Every time she thought of her uncle and aunt arguing with Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents, she felt that marriage was an incredibly terrifying thing.

    Before He Xing could speak up, Bai Wei¡¯s distinctive voice came from the fitting room, "If you¡¯re going to discuss marriage, discuss it amongst yourselves, don¡¯t drag me into it. I have nothing to do with their family."

    The two of them had been making a scene of their breakup for several days now, and it was said they were in a state of ¡¯you don¡¯t contact me, I won¡¯t contact you¡¯. While Fu Han watched anxiously, Bai Wei appeared to be putting on a show of indifference.

    But now, the mere mention of Luo Qinghe¡¯s name had be taboo for Bai Wei. No one could bring it up, as doing so would lead to explosions like the one just now.

    On the surface, Fu Han always supported Bai Wei¡¯s decision to break up. So as soon as Bai Wei spoke, Fu Han immediately echoed in the direction of the dressing room, "Yes, yes, I also think Luo Qinghe was too much for wanting a child between the two of you."

    Yes, that was indeed the reason Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe broke up. Bai Wei got herself tangled up in the idea, stubbornly insisting that Luo Qinghe only wanted to marry her for children, no matter how much you tried to convince her that they were the fruit of love, Bai Wei wouldn¡¯t hear of it.

    As soon as she finished speaking, whoosh, the curtains of the two fitting rooms were drawn back at the same time, and both Bai Wei and Nan Qing had finished trying on clothes at the same moment.

    Their bridesmaid dresses were custom-made by designers. Although both were of light pink gauze, the dresses¡¯ quality was exceptional, not any less than Fu Han¡¯s wedding gown.

    Nan Qing had a round face with big eyes, and her bridesmaid dress was a strapless mermaid-cut with an exaggerated pink silk bow at the waist, extremely cute.

    Bai Wei¡¯s aura was more of a fierce and sexy kind. Her bridesmaid dress featured an off-shoulder fish-tail cut that trailed on the floor. Though it looked simple at first nce, it showcased Bai Wei¡¯s unique charm perfectly.

    Both bridesmaids spun around gracefully and asked in unison, "Does it look good?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she sincerelymented, "It looks very good. I even feel nervous that you¡¯ll steal the spotlight at the wedding."

    "No way!"

    That statement came from He Xing, Bai Wei, and Nan Qing all at once.

    Bai Wei added, with a disdainful look on her face, "Didn¡¯t you forget that when we were shooting ¡¯Yearning for Return¡¯, and the media visited the set, they inadvertently took a photo of you, the photographer, and the headlines wrote, ¡¯She outshines the female lead¡¯?"

    "Yearning for Return", the movie had only finished shooting after the New Year, barely more than half a year ago. Yet, when Fu Han heard those three words again, she felt they were from another lifetime.

    On the other hand, Nan Qing added with augh, "And, I heard that the judging for the Movie Awards started, and ¡¯Yearning for Return¡¯ is nominated. Fu Han, you are up for the Best Photography Award too."

    Fu Han had received the email notification a few days before. That her first film shooting could be nominated for an award thrilled her inner-self, but she felt somewhat embarrassed having Nan Qing bring it up.

    She coughed awkwardly and humbly said, "I feel that being nominated is recognition enough for me. As for anything more, I really don¡¯t dare to think about it, so I haven¡¯t thought about actually winning."

    "Cut it out with the modesty," Nan Qing pped Fu Han heartily, "I¡¯ve watched your film several times. The scenes you shot are beautiful; any single frame could be a screensaver. Many experienced photographers don¡¯t have your skill."

    Fu Han smiled a shy smile, her face turning beet red. She was still not used to such praise and always felt undeserving of it.

    But Bai Wei was still teasing her, "Fu Han, I think it¡¯s time you start to think about what to say in your eptance speech."

    Fu Han buried her head in He Xing¡¯s chest, "He Xing, won¡¯t you take control of your sister? She always speaks without a filter, careful that others might hear and cause more trouble."

    "I think she¡¯s right; you truly have a great chance of winning," He Xing hugged Fu Han as if embracing the world¡¯s most precious jewel. He kissed her forehead, his eyes, cold as stars, looking out the window, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be mad, the person to deal with those two has arrived."

    All three girls turned their heads in unison at his words, and who else could it be walking in through the door but Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe?

    The expressions on Nan Qing and Bai Wei¡¯s faces changed. They blushed and turned their heads away in unison, with barely hidden mes of anger in their eyes, so in sync.

    Oddly enough, the expressions on the two men were also simr: a mix of surprise, guilt, and awkwardness...

    Fu Han¡¯s bright eyes flitted from one to the other with interest, clearly residing on He Xing¡¯s chest, eager to watch the show unfold.

    There¡¯s nothing more delightful than this. Normally, Fu Han was the one to be amused at, but now she was the spectator in this scene, and the feeling was really overbearing.

    Luo Qinghe was the first to speak. Seeing that no one was responding to him, he cleared his throat and said to Fu Han, "Fu Han, you sent a message asking us toe for a fitting, we... we..." He repeated "we" several times but ultimately failed to finish his sentence. Paired with hisical look, it was simply too funny.

    Fu Han nudged He Xing with the back of her head, the meaning self-evident.

    He Xing snapped his fingers with a ir, and immediately a server approached, "Mr. He, what can I do for you?"

    "Take these two gentlemen to try on clothes." He Xingmanded leisurely, his arms loosely wrapped around Fu Han, also turning a blind eye to Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng.

    The two looked at each other, sharing the feeling of being troubled brothers.

    And troubled brothers, they were indeed, one had impulsively broken up with the girl he liked, the other had on a whim said many unpleasant things to his "friend of many years"; both were feeling remorseful but didn¡¯t know what to say.

 Chapter 301 Trying on Bridesmaidâ€™s Dresses

    <h4>Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Trying on Bridesmaid¡¯s Dresses</h4><h4></h4>

    Taking advantage of them trying on clothes in the fitting room, Fu Han asked with a smile, "Ladies, how do you n on dealing with them? I can help!"

    Nan Qing snorted ufortably, "I have nothing to do with him, I don¡¯t want to deal with him at all."

    Bai Wei¡¯s reaction was already half a beat slow, and now, hearing Nan Qing¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t want to fall behind and hurriedly said, "Exactly, I have nothing to do with Luo Qinghe now. I¡¯m going to ask my agent to write a breakup announcementter."

    When she said the second half of her sentence, she deliberately raised her voice, it seemed she wanted Luo Qinghe to hear.

    Sure enough, Luo Qinghe¡¯s head peeked out from behind the curtain of the fitting room the next second, "Bai Wei, don¡¯t be impulsive, we can discuss whatever it is, don¡¯t just release an announcement."

    Bai Wei, feeling particrly pleased with herself for achieving the desired effect with her words, wore an expression of feigned innocence, "What else is there to discuss? The breakup was agreed upon by both of us, and as a public figure, of course I have to announce it to the public, to stop the media from saying they saw us and believed in love again every day on the inte. What¡¯s so good about being in a rtionship? Girls should focus on developing their careers and carve out their own ce in the world! I want them toe to their senses sooner rather thanter."

    Her words were forceful and eloquent, and Fu Han didn¡¯t hesitate to give her a big thumbs up, "Well said, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how you do."

    Bai Wei lifted her head with a proud smile, "You¡¯re too kind. If you ask me, you shouldn¡¯t rush into marriage with He Xing either. What if, once you¡¯re married, He Xing starts pressuring you to have kids? Then wouldn¡¯t your burgeoning career be cut short?"

    "Would you?" Fu Han turned her head to look at He Xing with a pouting cherry mouth, looking mischievous and adorable. At a nce, she really seemed to be swayed by Bai Wei¡¯s words.

    He Xing, feeling helpless, lightly pinched Fu Han¡¯s nose and then turned to look at Bai Wei with a face that cooled down, "Bai Wei, if you keep talking nonsense and stirring up trouble, do you believe I can really advance your career by two more steps?"

    No matter how you looked at it, his words were kind, but to Bai Wei, they felt different¡ªit was clear he was threatening her. If she continued to fan the mes, He Xing would overwhelm her schedule with work.

    Bai Wei¡¯s triumphant expression fell in an instant, and she red fiercely at He Xing but didn¡¯t dare say anything more, instead awkwardly changing the subject, "Fu Han, I saw your bridal gown; it¡¯s really beautiful, truly worthy of something created by twelve designers working in shifts around the clock for two weeks."

    Fu Han thought of her own bridal gown and smiled. It was indeed the most beautiful wedding dress she had seen, a custom-made piece that fit her perfectly.

    By then, Luo Qinghe had hurriedly changed and came out. He stood before Bai Wei, anxiously asking, "Are you really going to release a breakup announcement?"

    Bai Wei, opportune to retrieve the face she had lost in front of He Xing, lifted her head, and said to Luo Qinghe with conviction, "Yes, that¡¯s right. Let me tell you, there¡¯s a line of people wanting to date me from this end of the street to the other. I¡¯m not desperate for you; plenty of people are hoping I¡¯ll be single soon."

    And that was indeed true. Many of Bai Wei¡¯s fans did not want her to be in a rtionship. Some had even created a dedicated topic on social media called "Has Bai Wei broken up today?"

    Luo Qinghe, fuming, grabbed Bai Wei forcefully and dragged her away without exnation.

    The bridal shop was on the top floor of the mall. Aside from a movie theater and a skating rink, there wasn¡¯t much else around, and with today not being the weekend, it was even more deserted.

    Luo Qinghe dragged Bai Wei forward, her wrist almost breaking from his grip, her cries of protest useless against him.

    At the dark end of the corridory the stairwell. Luo Qinghe yanked the safety door open with force and pushed Bai Wei inside before swiftly following himself.

    Though it was daylight outside, the stairwell only had a small skylight below, and the sunlight filtering through cast the ce in a dim light somewhere between day and night.

    Bai Wei had never seen Luo Qinghe like this before; he was like a god of war, vastly different from his usual smiling demeanor¡ªas if he were two different people.

    She regretted saying those things to rile up Luo Qinghe and wanted to escape, but before she could even take two steps, Luo Qinghe had already overpowered her, pinning her against the wall.

    Then... a domineering and invasive kiss descended, overwhelming, full of conquest.

    At first, Bai Wei tried to resist, but in that moment, Luo Qinghe was the master of this world, irresistible to anyone; and Bai Wei, deep down, really liked him. Their breakup was more akin to two children throwing a tantrum after an argument. Honestly, she didn¡¯t truly want to break up, or else she would have released the statement long ago.

    She didn¡¯t know when her hands had wrapped around Luo Qinghe¡¯s neck; all she knew was that the kiss came to an end when Luo Qinghe tried to remove the bridesmaid dress she was wearing.

    Bai Wei, already dizzy from the kiss, snapped back to reality as she felt Luo Qinghe¡¯s roaming hands. She didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, but she pushed Luo Qinghe away with a p, "What are you doing? We agreed not to do that before marriage, didn¡¯t we?"

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s domineering air from seconds before evaporated, and he stepped back, coughing awkwardly, "Xiaowei, I¡¯m sorry, I... I lost control of myself this time."

    "Hmph!" Bai Wei turned her head away, refusing to look at Luo Qinghe any longer, her face flushed withyer uponyer of red, "When you fought with me, did you control yourself then?"

    Actually, Su Cheng¡¯s call that day already filled Luo Qinghe with regret, but it had always been Bai Wei who approached him first. Her submissive attitude made it hard for Luo Qinghe to lower his pride and initiate reconciliation, so he stayed aloof, waiting for Bai Wei toe to him.

    Unexpectedly, Bai Wei was equally stubborn this time. She hadn¡¯t sent a single message to Luo Qinghe for days. In truth, Luo Qinghe had been ready to make amends the moment she sent even a punctuation mark, but there was nothing.

    When he heard today that Bai Wei was going to have her agent release an announcement, Luo Qinghe couldn¡¯t control hisposure any longer and he disregarded the presence of others, dragging Bai Wei away.

    ...

    The inside of the bridal shop now only housed He Xing, Fu Han, Nan Qing, and Su Cheng; among them, He Xing and Fu Han sat together like conjoined twins, nestled in each other¡¯s embrace, one leaning against the other¡¯s chest, the other encircling the one¡¯s waist¡ªtheir intimacy was palpable.

    On the other side, Nan Qing and Su Cheng sat like foes, each upying a single armchair, seemingly stretching the distance between them to the maximum within the confined space.

 Chapter 302: From Defending to Blaming

    <h4>Chapter 302: Chapter 302: From Defending to ming</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han was also very upset with Su Cheng. She believed that Su Cheng¡¯s loss of Nan Qing was irrevocable, and that he would never meet a girl better than Nan Qing. In terms of loss, it must have been greater for Su Cheng.

    She had been looking forward to it, thinking that if Su Cheng could speak up first and say something out of line, there might have been a chance for a turnaround. But unexpectedly, although Su Cheng nced at Nan Qing from time to time, he had no intention of initiating a conversation.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t bear to see Nan Qing sitting there alone, so after thinking for a moment, she slowly began, "Nan Qing, how¡¯s the preparation for the art exhibition you and Wang Yixuan are organizing? Do you need my help?"

    "Art exhibition?" Su Cheng interjected first, his handsome face showing aplex expression.

    Seeing him like that, Fu Han was really irritated. Noticing that Nan Qing had no intention of rifying, she spoke up coolly, "Yes, the exhibition will be held in three days. All the works disyed will be from Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan, and all the ie from Nan Qing¡¯s works will be donated to the Charitable Organization."

    "What about Wang Yixuan¡¯s earnings?" Su Cheng asked, with disdain on his face, "He definitely won¡¯t donate it. He¡¯s going to use that money to chase girls."

    Nan Qing had maintained a neutral expression, but at those words, she red at Su Cheng in anger, "Those paintings were created by Wang Yixuan through hard work. Why should he donate his own money? Have you donated all yourpany¡¯s ie?"

    Her words clearly carried a tone of usation and defense, with Su Cheng being the one used and Wang Yixuan being defended.

    Fu Han looked at Su Cheng with some sympathy as his expression turned ugly. His usually bright eyes were fixed on Nan Qing as if he were looking at someone he had never known.

    Wasn¡¯t she indeed a stranger? When had Su Cheng ever seen this side of Nan Qing?

    They had grown up together since childhood, and because Nan Qing was one hour older than Su Cheng, she had always protected Su Cheng like a younger brother when she was still naive. Later, when she realized she had feelings for Su Cheng, she became even more protective of him.

    But now, the person Nan Qing was defending was Wang Yixuan. This huge emotional shift was too painful for Su Cheng, even more terrible than a lingering death by execution.

    The most painful thing in life isn¡¯t a broken heart, but when someone who has liked you for many years suddenly stops liking you. The person who always stood up for you no longer does so and even starts to use you instead.

    Su Cheng told himself not to be fooled. Perhaps this was another ruse by Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan, designed to hook him.

    But deep down, Su Cheng knew well that given Nan Qing¡¯s pride, she would never stoop to such a thing. And he was certain that she had truly been hurt by him thest time.

    Did he regret it? In truth, Su Cheng did feel regret, but what was the use? It was useless because even now, his resentment was real, and given another chance, he would make the same choice.

    However, facing Nan Qing¡¯s defense, the difort in his heart was also genuine, so real that for a moment, he wanted to turn around and walk away.

    But leaving now would be like losing face, so Su Cheng shifted ufortably and said, "Yes, he certainly has the right to decide how to use his money. Every year, ourpany also donates a portion of our ie to the Charitable Organization."

    His words sank like stones into the ocean, causing no ripple at all. Nan Qing didn¡¯t even bother to respond, let alone nce at Su Cheng.

    It was Fu Han who still showed some sympathy towards Su Cheng, changing the subject, "Su Cheng, thank you for being the best man. Do you think this outfit fits well? If it¡¯s not suitable, it can be altered."

    Su Cheng immediately shifted his focus from Nan Qing to Fu Han. He couldn¡¯t help but think of Luo Qinghe¡¯s words whenever he saw Fu Han, "Maybe you don¡¯t even know whether you like Fu Han or Nan Qing more?"

    He stared intently at Fu Han, trying hard to confirm whether he truly liked her.

    Fu Han¡¯s face was wlessly beautiful, just his type; her independent personality meant she wasn¡¯t delicate or dependent on anyone. She felt... much like his mother.

    Su Cheng could clearly feel his heartbeat speeding up. For the past four years, this feeling often surfaced wherever Fu Han was present, causing his heart to race uncontrobly.

    His mood, downcast for days, suddenly lifted. He knew he liked Fu Han. This meant his cold-hearted rejection of Nan Qing was justified. If you don¡¯t like someone, you shouldn¡¯t lead them on, right?

    The four made sporadic conversation, with Su Cheng being the "outsider." asionally, Fu Han would draw him into the conversation, pitying him for being so pitifully alone.

    Finally, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe returned one after the other, both with flushed faces¡ªespecially Bai Wei, whose neck had turned red as well.

    Fu Han shifted into a morefortable position nestled in He Xing¡¯s arms, remembering Bai Wei teasing her earlier. She looked at Bai Wei with a teasing smile, "Where did you two go just now? Why were you gone so long?"

    "We..." Bai Wei avoided Fu Han¡¯s gaze nervously and said uneasily, "We... went to talk about some things, it wasn¡¯t that long."

    She had always been fierce and assertive, unlike how she was behaving now.

    Fu Hanughed heartily and then patted her stomach, "You two must have gone to... make up, right?"

    "No... not at all." Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened as she tried to make her deterrent presence felt. She looked at Fu Han indignantly, "If you keep making things up, watch out, I might really get angry."

    "Alright, I won¡¯t make things up." Fu Han surprisinglyplied, yet a secondter, she smirked slyly, "Then could you exin what the lipstick near your cheek means? Howe it¡¯s smeared?"

    At that remark, not only did He Xingugh, but even the morose Nan Qing and Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    Bai Wei rushed to the mirror in a panic. In fact, her lipstick was smudged, and there were strawberry marks on her neck. Even her bridesmaid¡¯s dress was crumpled.

    She red at Luo Qinghe, "It¡¯s all your fault!"

    This time Luo Qinghe did not "talk back" but indulgentlyughed while taking out a tissue to help Bai Wei clean her lips, his smile showing both adoration and pride, "Yes, yes, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll be more careful next time, alright?"

    Calmly observing them, Fu Hanmented, "It looks like some people have made up, huh? I think you can change that breakup announcement to an engagement announcement now."

    "Who said I¡¯m getting engaged to him?" Bai Wei stamped her foot and her beautiful face flushed with annoyance, "It was just a kiss, we¡¯re both adults, it was consensual. I don¡¯t need him to take responsibility, we¡¯ve broken up and haven¡¯t made up, got it?"

 Chapter 303: Please Donâ€™t Fall for Me

    <h4>Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Please Don¡¯t Fall for Me</h4><h4></h4>

    "Alright, got it,"ughed Fu Han, smirking like a cute yet sly fox. "Yes, yes, yes, next time my uncle and aunt ask about it, I¡¯ll just tell them not to worry about it because you guys won¡¯t be getting married anytime soon."

    Bai Wei was so angry she was gritting her teeth, but she just couldn¡¯t win an argument with Fu Han, so she had no choice but to shut up, though it was obvious she was keeping a mental note of everything.

    Despite the currentplexity of everyone¡¯s rtionships, when Fu Han suggested they all have lunch together, surprisingly, everyone unanimously agreed.

    At the BBQ restaurant, an oval table with two grills at the center, six people could definitely have more than enough to eat.

    Fu Han and He Xing made no effort to hide how inseparable they were, even going to fetch things together as if fearing the other would disappear with a turn of the head.

    As for Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, although they imed they had not reconciled, their every word and action was nearly identical to that of a typical couple¡ªthe only difference being they didn¡¯t feed each other, which was hardly noteworthy considering they had just kissed.

    Nan Qing spent the whole time on her phone, messaging someone¡ªher face always bore a smile when she looked at her phone, which would vanish the moment she turned it off.

    Out of the six, Su Cheng was undoubtedly the most tortured¡ªhe was literally the third wheel, but his situation was more painful than the usual, as he had to watch the girl he liked being affectionate with another man, all the while choosing to be their best man.

    asionally, he would try to strike up a conversation with Nan Qing, who was coolly indifferent to him, keeping her replies brief and never saying more than necessary.

    This made Su Cheng extremely frustrated¡ªhe remembered how talkative Nan Qing used to be, never stopping once she started speaking; he used to find her annoying, but now that she had be quiet, the one who found it most difficult to adjust was Su Cheng himself.

    The meal took nearly three hours, and everyone seemed to enjoy it immensely, including Nan Qing; the only exception was Su Cheng, who not only ate the least but also had the mostplicated emotions.

    Numerous times he thought of leaving early to end this excruciating lunch, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it¡ªhe knew that in a couple of days, Fu Han would be someone else¡¯s bride, and they would no longer have any connection; he even wondered if they would ever have the chance to eat together again.

    After leaving the BBQ restaurant, Bai Wei said she needed to discuss something with her agent, and Luo Qinghe volunteered to apany her; she put on a reluctant expression but was actually thrilled inside.

    Fu Han and He Xing had to attend their wedding rehearsal, and if time permitted, Fu Han even needed to try on her bridal makeup, so she was in a hurry.

    This left only Nan Qing and Su Cheng without ns. Su Cheng took out his keys from his pocket and casually asked Nan Qing, "Where are you headed? I¡¯ll give you a lift."

    Nan Qing nced at Su Cheng, then replied indifferently, "Thanks, but there¡¯s no need, someone¡¯sing to pick me up."

    After the other four had left, Su Cheng stubbornly stood in ce, waiting¡ªunder the pretense that it wasn¡¯t safe for Nan Qing, a girl, to be left alone.

    Nan Qing rolled her eyes in irritation, please, it was broad daylight in the bustling city center with people constantlying and going¡ªhow could it not be safe?

    Yet in the end, she didn¡¯t say a word, merely standing by the curb ying with her phone, never ncing at Su Cheng again.

    Just as she had told Fu Han, maybe Su Cheng had feelings for her, but they were far from love. She had already wasted over a decade on him, was she supposed to continue waiting?

    The answer was no. She had already hit the south wall, already battered and bruised; there was no need to stake her life on Su Cheng as well.

    A few minutester, an extremely cool-looking sports motorbike stopped in front of them, and the rider, dressed in a racing suit, took off his helmet¡ªit was Wang Yixuan.

    Under the bright gaze, Wang Yixuan¡¯s medium-length hair was damp with sweat, streaks of perspiration rolling down his cheeks. Far from being greasy, he instead exuded the vibe of a sunny, boy-next-door type.

    From a distance, Wang Yixuan tossed another white helmet to Nan Qing with just two words, "Get on!"

    As Nan Qing put on the helmet, Su Cheng approached her and grabbed her hand, attempting to drag her away, "I know very well you¡¯re hanging out with Wang Yixuan just to tick me off. Stop hanging around with him from now on."

    "Hanging around?" Nan Qing was sessfully angered by these words, summoning who-knows-where strength to shake off Su Cheng¡¯s hand. "Su Cheng, I¡¯m twenty-six, almost twenty-seven. I¡¯m an adult, and I have the right to choose my friends. You are just a friend to me, please don¡¯t meddle in my affairs."

    Su Cheng¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Nan Qing. A painful sensation began to spread within him, until he watched Nan Qing with a nk expression, "If I asked you to choose between me and Wang Yixuan today, who would you pick?"

    For a moment, Nan Qing almost felt like Su Cheng was confessing to her, but she quickly realized it was just a dream that would nevere true.

    She quickly secured the helmet and said with a voice as calm as could be, "As a friend, of course, I¡¯ll choose Wang Yixuan. He¡¯s the most fun person I¡¯ve met, sings well, can paint, and even races cars."

    Continuing, Nan Qing shook her head with a particrly adorableugh, "Today is Wang Yixuan¡¯s motorcycle race day, I¡¯m going to cheer for him. He said if he wins the prize money, he¡¯ll treat me to a meal."

    The loud roar of the motorcycle engine filled the air, then slowly faded into the distance.

    Su Cheng¡¯s mind reyed the image of Nan Qing riding on Wang Yixuan¡¯s motorbike, her arms around his waist, her cheek against his back, and their contrasting helmets shining brightly.

    He turned around, dispirited, heading toward his white Audi, the car he bought with his first earnings, a vehicle he had always been proud of.

    But now, he suddenly regretted not learning how to ride a motorcycle and race.

    Above the roar of the motorbike, Wang Yixuan shouted, "Have you really decided to give up on Su Cheng?"

    Nan Qing watched Su Cheng¡¯s figure through the rearview mirror, shrinking and eventually disappearing. She was a bit sad yet resolute as she said, "Yes, love isn¡¯t aboutpatibility. Love is about both sides rushing towards each other. My liking him is useless if he doesn¡¯t like me, so it¡¯s better to give up."

    A moment of silence followed, as if the scenery on both sides was swiftly moving backward, and the pedestrians on the street seemed like insignificant NPCs in a movie that Nan Qing couldn¡¯t even begin to scrutinize before they vanished from sight.

    At a red light stop, the motorcycle slowed down, and Wang Yixuan¡¯s voice once again broke the silence, "Though I¡¯m more handsome and charming than Su Cheng, for your own good, make sure you don¡¯t fall for me."

 Chapter 304 Motorcycle Race

    <h4>Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Motorcycle Race</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing looked up at the sky; the sun was blinding, and she failed to roll her eyes as intended. A surge of anger rose within her, and she pinched Wang Yixuan¡¯s back hard.

    Caught off guard, Wang Yixuan winced in pain. His body swayed, and the motorcycle almost flipped. Fortunately, he quickly regained control, preventing them from being thrown off.

    Wang Yixuan couldn¡¯t help but bellow, "Nan Qing, have you lost your mind? Do you have a death wish? If you want to die, go do it on your own, but don¡¯t drag me into it."

    Nan Qing was scared too, realizing that if they had crashed at such high speed, it¡¯s likely both of their legs would have been crushed by the bike!

    But Wang Yixuan¡¯s words made her feel wronged. If it were up to her old temper, she would have immediately asked Wang Yixuan to stop the bike, and she would have walked away without dy.

    But today, for some reason, she didn¡¯t want to get off the bike. She just said with a hint of grievance, "Who asked you to speak so rudely!"

    Her voice wasn¡¯t quiet, and she made sure Wang Yixuan heard her, but he didn¡¯t respond and instead elerated the bike again, roaring toward the race track.

    Nan Qing was raised to be adylike heiress by her parents from childhood; extreme sports like racing were something she wouldn¡¯t even touch. However, she was the type of person who would envy others who were skilled at things like digital drawing.

    So, as she watched Wang Yixuan racing, she was filled with excitement, and even felt an urge to try it herself.

    Nan Qing waved her little g to cheer for Wang Yixuan, her throat raw from shouting. When she saw Wang Yixuan crossing the finish line first, she jumped three feet high in excitement.

    The result naturally was Wang Yixuan winning the prize money and taking Nan Qing to a dingy little eatery on his motorcycle.

    Having been ustomed to eating at fine hotels since she was young, Nan Qing was always happy eating at the hole-in-the-wall ces Wang Yixuan found, curious as to how he found so many delicious spots.

    In the past, when she went out with Wang Yixuan to look for food, she would take photos and note the location, considering taking Su Cheng there someday. But now she felt there was no need to do so, as she neither wanted to nor nned to expend any effort on Su Cheng¡¯s behalf anymore.

    As soon as the dishes were served, Nan Qing urged, "Hurry up, don¡¯t forget we still have a mission today!"

    Wang Yixuan, who had been leisurely sipping on a beer, replied nonchntly when he heard her, "What¡¯s the rush? At most, we¡¯re just spectators; there¡¯s no reason for the eunuch to be more anxious than the emperor."

    ...

    ording to Fu Han, getting married was not an easy task.

    After lunch, she went to the hotel for the rehearsal. To ensure they didn¡¯t forget the process, they practiced twice. Then it was time for the bridal makeup. He Xing had hired several famous makeup artists to do Fu Han¡¯s makeup. Trying one look after another, Fu Han felt like her face was going to turn into someone else¡¯s.

    Finally, when everything was done, Fu Han took off her wedding dress and changed into afortable casual outfit, ck bell-bottoms with a mint green short-sleeve top, her fluffy hair cascading behind her, looking exceptionally fresh.

    As she tried on her outfit, He Xing waited patiently by her side, checking his phone every few minutes. Considering his usually busy schedule, Fu Han thought he was working and didn¡¯t think much of it or ask any questions.

    By the time she called He Xing to leave, the sky outside the window hadpletely darkened.

    He Xing got up and straightened his clothes, tidied up the loose hair by Fu Han¡¯s temple, and asked with a smile, "Are you hungry? Should we eat something first?"

    "No need," Fu Han replied, clinging yfully to one of He Xing¡¯s fingers, "Grandfather said he¡¯s waiting for us to have dinner at home. After all, we¡¯ll be home soon."

    He Xing¡¯s mouth opened, then closed, as if he wanted to say something but refrained. Finally, he said with a smile, "Alright, I was a bit worried about traffic jams, so I wanted you to eat a little something to hold you over. But it¡¯s okay; it shouldn¡¯t take too long."

    Fu Han assumed he meant that even in a traffic jam, it wouldn¡¯t take too long. Without giving it much thought, she agreed and happily linked arms with He Xing, heading towards the hotel entrance.

    They chatted andughed all the way, so much so that Fu Han didn¡¯t notice anything amiss about the hotel. Although the hotel wasn¡¯t open for business during this time, it made no sense that the lobby waspletely empty.

    As they reached the door, there was a sudden loud "bang" sound. Fu Han thought there had been an explosion, causing her to dive into He Xing¡¯s arms in fright.

    He Xing patted Fu Han¡¯s back gently, hisugh as gentle as water, "Xiaohan, look at what that is?"

    There was only one "bang," and as Fu Han leaned into He Xing¡¯s embrace, she realized she had been startled over nothing. She straightened up from He Xing¡¯s arms, and what she saw next shocked her.

    On the vast square outside the hotel, candles were arranged to form a giant "heart." At the center of this "heart," a line of small letters was spelled out in roses: "I love you!"

    Fu Han looked at He Xing, utterly confused, "What¡¯s going on? Is someone proposing here today?"

    He Xing smiled and caressed Fu Han¡¯s cheek, "Perhaps. Just keep watching."

    Music started ying in the distance. Fu Han looked in the direction of the sound and saw a huge electronic screen slowly moving towards them.

    The screen was showing a wedding march she faintly recognized as the one He Xing had Wang Yixuan y in the Michelin Restaurant. And the photos on the screen looked somewhat familiar.

    As the screen drew closer, she realized it was indeed disying her photos, a chronology from her childhood onwards.

    There were also some words on the screen.

    "Xiaohan, the first time I saw you, I was five, and you were three. I really wanted to hold you, but mom and dad said I was too small and might make you fall. I thought you were the cutest baby I had ever seen."

    Fu Han tried to recall her first time meeting He Xing. She drew a nk - in her memory, He Xing had always been with her from her earliest days... So, she was already three when she came to the He Family.

    "Xiaohan, you started school at six, while I was in third grade. Your desk mate kept pulling your pigtails, making you cry ande looking for me. I was impatient, saying you always cried, but at lunch, I stopped him and warned if he bullied you again, I¡¯d beat him up."

    Fu Han had a vague memory of this event. Because of her association with the He Family, she attended an aristocratic school, but her status as the daughter of a servant meant she was a prime target for bullying.

    Especially her chubby ssmate, who took great pleasure in tormenting her daily; she relied heavily on He Xing back then, but He Xing, though small, always seemed so aloof. She was too timid to tell anyone she was being bullied.

 Chapter 305: Their Past

    <h4>Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Their Past</h4><h4></h4>

    Eventually, she was bullied so severely that she could only muster up the courage to tell He Xing about it.

    What He Xing said at the time, she did not know, but she was certain that from then on, no matter how grievously wronged she felt, she would never mention it to He Xing again.

    Now, seeing the words on the screen, she recalled that after that incident, her damn deskmate never bullied her again. At the time, she thought her deskmate hade to his senses, but it turned out He Xing had secretly taken care of it for her.

    The text on the screen changed, "Xiaohan, you were ten, and I went to the Junior High School Department. We couldn¡¯t go to and leave school together every day. Remember that one time you came to meet me early and told me someone wrote you a love letter? Do you remember how I responded?"

    A smile crept across Fu Han¡¯s face involuntarily. How could she forget? He Xing had snatched the love letter from her hand and tossed it into the trash can, his face full of disdain as he said, "It¡¯s just a love letter. I receive enough love letters every day to fill a backpack. Have I ever boasted about it?"

    At the time, those words made Fu Han especially uneasy¡ªnot because her love letter was discarded, but because it was the first time she directly learned from He Xing just how popr he was.

    The subtitles on the screen transformed again, "Xiaohan, in truth, I was incredibly jealous that day. I wanted to beat up the person who wrote you that love letter, but I didn¡¯t want you to know I was jealous."

    Seeing this, Fu Han yfully shook He Xing¡¯s arm and said teasingly, "So you were so prone to jealousy when you were young. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?"

    A blush tinted He Xing¡¯s cheeks. He coughed awkwardly and pointed towards the screen without saying a word.

    Indeed, the image and subtitles on the screen changed once more, "Xiaohan, you were twelve and had just started Junior High. We were finally in the same school again. One day during recess, you ran to find me, crying that you were going to die. I was scared out of my wits and carried you all the way to the infirmary, where we ended up beingughed at by the School Doctor. Do you remember?"

    This time, it was Fu Han¡¯s turn to blush. Having lost her parents early on, no one had exined to her the changes a girl¡¯s body would undergo as she grew up. That time when she found blood on her trousers, she thought she was dying. She bid He Xing a desperate farewell, which led to a big joke in the infirmary, and in the end, it was He Xing who, with a red face, went to buy her sanitary pads.

    "Fu Han, you were fifteen. As soon as you entered the Senior High School Department, you were voted a joke of the day, with your desk and backpack filled daily with all sorts of love letters. Even many students asked me to help deliver love letters, but I threw them all away!"

    Fu Han poked He Xing¡¯s side andughed heartily, "He Xing, I remember you received quite a few love letters yourself. Sometimes you evenpared with me to see who got more!"

    "Yeah, I really miss those days." He Xing smiled, his handsome face full of tenderness and his eyes reflecting fond memories of the past.

    "Xiaohan, in the blink of an eye, you turned eighteen. You wanted to attend the same university as me, but you fell short by two points. You wanted to retake the exams, but I disagreed and told you to choose a suitable school for yourself. You were angry at the time, but do you know why?"

    Leaning on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, Fu Han asked, "Why? Can you tell me now?"

    "Because..." He Xing wrapped his arm around Fu Han¡¯s waist, his smile tender and doting, "Because a year is precious, and the school I chose for you has the major you love the most."

    Fu Han thought about it and realized it was true. Although her university was not as prestigious as He Xing¡¯s, it did have the best program for her major.

    In the past, He Xing was the center of Fu Han¡¯s life. Everything in her mind and heart revolved around him alone. This was why, when she found out she couldn¡¯t attend the same university as He Xing, the determination to retake the exams was indeed very strong within her.

    But no matter how resolute she was, she could not withstand He Xing¡¯s indifference and mockery. In the end, she obediently filled out her college preferences and reported to the university that was a two-hour drive from He Xing¡¯s.

    At first, she felt aggrieved because they both lived on campus due to the distance, only seeing each other on weekends. She had hoped to be at the same university and see each other every day; of course, what she most yearned for was to start a beautiful romance with He Xing at university.

    But as a result, they couldn¡¯t be together during their four years of college, which depressed Fu Han for a long time. The end of her gloom came when He Xing started an internship in his junior year, at a location just ten minutes from Fu Han¡¯s campus by car.

    At that time, He Xing¡¯s grandfather directly purchased a vi not far from Fu Han¡¯s school. Fu Han and He Xing moved in together, returning to their old routine of being busy during the day anding home at night.

    Unfortunately, this did notst long before Fu Han went abroad with a broken heart, but that¡¯s a story for another time.

    The text on the electronic screen changed again: "Xiaohan, you may not know, but the happiest day of my life was your eighteenth birthday. Grandpa asked about your birthday wish, yet your wish was the same as mine."

    Fu Han would certainly never forget her eighteenth birthday wish. Heartbroken at the time for not getting into He Xing¡¯s university, and afraid other girls would pursue He Xing in her absence, she boldly dered her desire to marry He Xing.

    Those were just the impulsive words of an upset girl, yet to her surprise, He Xing¡¯s grandfather agreed without hesitation; as for He Xing, though wearing his usual impassive expression, he did not refuse.

    God knows how happy Fu Han was that day, but the happier she felt then, the more suffering she enduredter. If she had made a different request on her eighteenth birthday, would the oue be different now?

    Unfortunately, time cannot be rewound. She couldn¡¯t go back to that day when she was eighteen, nor could she verify if her life could have taken another path.

    The words on the electronic screen changed yet again: "Xiaohan, what I regret most in life was not being the first one to rescue you when you fell into the water three years ago. During the three years you were away from me, there was not a moment I didn¡¯t regret it. I assigned bodyguards to protect you, but I couldn¡¯t be by your side."

    The past three years unfolded again around Fu Han, and she finally understood the reasons for certain things.

    Many of her ssmatesined about the poor security abroad and the ease of harassment, warning her to be careful. Yet she never encountered such situations, at one point thinking her ssmates were overly worried, not knowing that someone was always watching over her from behind.

    There were other things too, like the part-time jobs she got were mostly the kind with easy work and decent pay; the clean neighborhoods she chose for renting, all at reasonable prices. Could those also have something to do with He Xing?

 Chapter 306: Romantic Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 306: Chapter 306: Romantic Proposal</h4><h4></h4>

    At that moment, He Xing leaned close to Fu Han and whispered, "Xiaohan, I knew every move you made abroad. I emailed you every day, but you never replied once. I was afraid that appearing suddenly would truly scare you away to a ce where I couldn¡¯t find you. So even though I went to see you every few months, I never showed myself to you."

    Tears appeared in Fu Han¡¯s eyes as she looked at He Xing with a wistful expression, feeling that her past self had really been too self-centered, always assuming she was the one who put the most into the rtionship,pletely oblivious to all the little things He Xing did in the background.

    He Xing extended his finger and carefully wiped away the tears on Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, saying with a pained heart, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m not telling you all this to make you cry."

    "I¡¯m not crying," Fu Han tried hard to blink back her tears, but the tears in her eyes refused to obey, and she couldn¡¯t control them no matter what.

    The text on the electronic screen changed again: "Xiaohan, when you were five years old, you lost your parents. I watched you cry helplessly, and I told myself in my heart that I would protect you for life, and that promise is forever."

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached unbearably. In fact, she didn¡¯t remember what she looked like when she cried back then, only that recalling her parents still caused her pain, even though in her heart they had be more of a symbol, their faces growing blurry.

    Through her blurred vision, she watched as He Xing took two steps forward. He knelt on one knee in front of her, producing a ring as if by magic: "Xiaohan, although we¡¯re about to get married, I¡¯ve never formally proposed to you. Now I¡¯m asking you very seriously, would you marry me?"

    As he spoke those words, a drone took off into the sky, assembling a line of text: "Fu Han, marry me!"

    Tears fell from Fu Han¡¯s eyes like beads from a broken string, one after another, sshing on the ground with a sound as crisp as pearls dropping onto a te.

    He Xing¡¯s voice continued, "Xiaohan, I used to take for granted that you would always be with me, not knowing how to cherish you. My indulgence has caused you too much harm. In the future, I will definitely protect you and make you the happiest person in the world. Please, give me that chance, will you?"

    "Marry him, marry him!"

    More and more people gathered around, among them Nan Qing, Bai Wei, Su Cheng, Luo Qinghe, Wang Yixuan, Ji Liangchuan, and others, each holding arge firework in their hands. Their eyes were filled with blessings for Fu Han, although Su Cheng¡¯s blessings were somewhat strained.

    Fu Han fiddled with her hair, speaking with a tearful voice, "If you were going to propose, couldn¡¯t you have told me earlier? Give me a hint, so I could at least put on some makeup and wear a dress."

    Herment made everyoneugh, including some strangers in the crowd who couldn¡¯t help but smile kindly.

    Nan Qing, who was closest to Fu Han,ughed heartily, "You don¡¯t need to dress up, you are so beautiful that even bup would look good on you."

    Immediately, many people agreed with what Nan Qing said!

    He Xing remained on one knee, still holding out the meticulously selected ring he had custom-made for Fu Han, the setting fashioned like a lotus flower, with a rare yellow diamond at the center and pink diamonds shaped like petals surrounding it.

    The ring was worth a fortune, the kind that you couldn¡¯t necessarily buy even with money.

    Fu Han stared absent-mindedly at the ring, feeling a strange sensation, as if she had seen this scene and that ring before; but she was clear that this was the first time He Xing had formally proposed.

    Then there was only one exnation¡ªshe had dreamed of He Xing proposing. This was highly likely since ever since her feelings had awoken, she had fantasized over a long period about how He Xing would propose to her.

    She raised her right hand, the smooth, fair back of her hand visible beneath the greenish veins softly prominent, her hand almost appeared to glow under the fuzzy light as if it was imbued with some sort of magic.

    Fu Han gazed deeply at He Xing, at the man kneeling before her. In that moment, she could clearly feel the depth of his love from his heart.

    Thus, she was certain that whatever happened, He Xing would always love her, the very love she had longed for in her dreams.

    There was no more need to think further. After all, Fu Han couldn¡¯t imagine marrying anyone in her life other than He Xing. She knew very well how much she loved him.

    She extended her hand to He Xing, who took out the ring and slid it onto her finger; the cool touch of the diamond calmed her boiling heart. She felt a sense of belonging, knowing that from then on, she wouldn¡¯t be alone in this world but would have someone to depend on entirely.

    "Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!"

    Once more, the people started to chant. This time, Fu Han could clearly see that the loudest cheerers were Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, the two who loved to watch the fun.

    Blushing, she had the intent to dodge, not used to kissing in front of so many people.

    But before she could take a step, she was caught in a warm embrace¡ªHe Xing¡¯s.

    "Xiaohan, where are you going?" He Xing¡¯s deep voice resonated, with a seductive power.

    It was just a simple question, but Fu Han felt as if her strength drained away like water. She looked dazedly at He Xing as his face drew closer and, instinctively, she closed her eyes.

    She knew what was about to happen, feeling both anticipation and nervousness¡ªeven though it was not their first kiss, she couldn¡¯t understand why she was nervous.

    When a pair of soft lips touched hers, Fu Han felt an electric current rush through her, turning her thoughts to mush.

    Luo Qinghe poked Bai Wei¡¯s waist and said, "I never thought He Xing, always so serious and stubborn, could be so romantic."

    "Hmph!" Bai Wei, although having mostly forgiven Luo Qinghe, still felt that his apologycked sincerity, so she hadn¡¯t made up with him outwardly. She puffed her cheeks and said ungraciously, "What does it have to do with you, touching me like this?"

    Luo Qinghe cheekily grinned, his hand resting on Bai Wei¡¯s waist as he smiled brilliantly, "Xiaowei, you don¡¯t have to be envious of Fu Han. He Xing is just what I have left over. Later, I¡¯ll organize an even more romantic proposal for you, alright?"

 Chapter 307: Donâ€™t Argue with a Madman

    <h4>Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Don¡¯t Argue with a Madman</h4><h4></h4>

    "You ying with leftovers?" Bai Wei¡¯s eyebrows raised quizzically as she looked at Luo Qinghe meaningfully, "Does this mean you¡¯ve proposed to someone else before? Who is it? When did you get married? Do you have any kids?"

    Luo Qinghe finally realized the BUG in his previous statement. His original intention was to say that he was more romantic than He Xing, but a slip of the tongue...

    He was anxious to exin himself, but before he could do so, Bai Wei had already walked over to He Xing and Fu Han, not giving him a chance to speak.

    In the end, Bai Wei shamelessly followed behind He Xing and Fu Han, dering that their wedding was the day after tomorrow and that she wanted to go help out at the He Family.

    This thwarted Luo Qinghe¡¯s ns to take someone to task, and all he could do was watch helplessly as Bai Wei left with Fu Han¡¯s arm in hers, eventually losing the opportunity to rify his verbal slip-up.

    After the crowd dispersed, only Nan Qing, Su Cheng, and Wang Yixuan were left.

    Su Cheng was in a particrly bad mood, starting from when he found out about He Xing¡¯s proposal today, his mood had just gotten worse. He could have chosen not toe here and be the witness for their proposal ceremony, but in the end, he decided to confront this moment that was bound to upset him.

    Now, watching Nan Qing chatting andughing with Wang Yixuan, his mood soured even more. He regretted not leaving earlier; staying here now felt somewhat humiliating.

    He cleared his throat and said to Nan Qing, "I¡¯m going back to my parents¡¯ house today. Do you want a lift home?"

    "No need, thank you," Nan Qing replied curtly, very formally, "I¡¯m currently staying at Huating No.1, I can just take a cab there."

    Nan Qing had her own car; it was just that she had been with Wang Yixuan to a motorcycle race that afternoon, and after they ate something, they came straight here, without her going back for her car.

    Upon hearing this, Wang Yixuan immediately said, "Since it¡¯s on my way, why don¡¯t I give you a lift?"

    "Sure!" Without giving Su Cheng a nce, Nan Qing immediately replied with a smile, "Although you¡¯re unreliable, it¡¯s still safer than taking a cab alone."

    "Who says I¡¯m unreliable? Would so many girls like me if I was unreliable?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s banter was, as usual, annoying, but undeniably true.

    Watching the two of them walk away jokingly, Su Cheng felt incredibly miserable.

    In fact, he had thought a lot recently. When he learned that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were so close they seemed like a couple, he felt extremely ufortable.

    He had someone investigate Wang Yixuan and discovered that the guy was essentially a yboy - and an irresponsible one at that - which angered him even more.

    Su Cheng had sent all the investigation results to Nan Qing, bluntly telling her to stay away from that man. Yet Nan Qing merely replied with three words: "Got it."

    Then, Nan Qing continued to hang out with Wang Yixuan as usual. Whenever someone joked about them, neither Nan Qing nor Wang Yixuan objected. In the end, many people started saying they were in a rtionship, and still, they brought no objections.

    Su Cheng even specifically asked Nan Qing whether the rumors were true. In reply, she only asked him, "Do you really care that much?"

    With one sentence, Su Cheng was effectively shut down. He didn¡¯t dare say anything else and left dejectedly.

    But in reality, he was very upset, and he knew it. He just wasn¡¯t willing to admit it.

    Also, there was that day when he was worried about Nan Qing and returned to the elevator only to overhear that she was with Wang Yixuan to provoke him.

    Enraged, he said many hurtful things. He knew they were hurtful and instantly regretted them afterward. Yet to this day, he still felt deceived by Nan Qing, and although it hurt, he never apologized for what happened.

    But watching Wang Yixuan take Nan Qing away in front of him for two days in a row was unbearable. He felt as though something was going to explode inside him.

    However, knowing that being upset was useless, he understood that best!

    Su Cheng nced one more time in the direction where Nan Qing and herpany had disappeared, where traffic was bustling, and myriad headlights were shining brightly as if it were daylight.

    The streetlights were also on, turning the ce back into a city that never slept. On both sides of the road, many people were walking, each wearing different expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, none pausing for anyone else.

    Su Cheng sighed deeply and walked off into the distance, where his car was parked.

    ...

    The night had deepened, and Fu Han was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, barely able to make out the unique moon-shaped chandelier above her head, let alone anything else.

    But she knew that beside this chandelier hung many balloons, some deted beyond recognition, struggling to stay afloat. He Xing had long said he wanted to throw these balloons away, but she couldn¡¯t bear to do so.

    In her mind, the memory of He Xing going to buy these balloons and the effort he put into bringing them back was precious. She wanted to hold onto every moment she could.

    She touched her finger once more, feeling the custom diamond ring He Xing had gotten her, the one he had knelt down to slip onto her finger.

    Thinking back to the events of the evening, Fu Han¡¯s mood became uncontrobly joyous. She whooped, jumped for joy, and felt an intense urge to talk to someone. But chatting with He Xing in the middle of the night was too risky, and Bai Wei was already too tired from the evening¡¯s events and had gone to her own room half an hour earlier.

    Fu Han closed her eyes and tried to force herself to sleep, but within a minute, her phone rang with iing messages.

    She didn¡¯t want to bother, regretting why she hadn¡¯t turned off her phone as usual.

    But the phone kept alerting her of new messages, making it impossible to ignore, so with a sigh of curiosity about who would be messaging her at this ungodly hour ¡ª suspecting it might be He Xing, who also couldn¡¯t sleep ¡ª she decided to check.

    It was, to her surprise, a series of messages from Xia Ning, who had already sent over a dozen in short order, disjointed in content but fortunately straightforward.

    "Fu Han, I heard Brother He Xing proposed. You must be happy, you must be feeling proud, right?"

    "Fu Han, Brother He Xing is mine. You have no right to marry him. If you dare marry him, I¡¯ll make sure you pay!"

    "Fu Han, I want to see you. I must see you tomorrow. It¡¯s a must!"

    "Fu Han, are you too scared to reply? You coward, don¡¯t think that just because you ignore me, I can¡¯t do anything about it!"

    The light from the phone screen cast a faint glow on Fu Han¡¯s face, giving her a saintly appearance reminiscent of a snow lotus atop an icy mountain.

    She didn¡¯t reply to Xia Ning. She saw no need to reason with a madman and simply turned off her phone to sleep.

 Chapter 308: The Day Before the Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 308: Chapter 308: The Day Before the Wedding</h4><h4></h4>

    The next day, Fu Han was awoken early by the chirping of birds outside the window. She was in a good mood as she pushed the window open, but just as she poked her head out, a lump of bird droppings fell down,nding squarely on the back of her hand.

    Staring at the streak of ck and white bird feces on her arm, she nearly vomited her dinner from the night before in disgust. She dashed to the restroom, washing her hand countless times, almost wishing to scrub off ayer of skin.

    By the time she finally came out from the restroom, she was no longer in the mood to enjoy the scenery. Lying in bed, her heart suddenly began to feel uneasy for some reason.

    The balloons on the ceiling, some of which had already fallen mid-air, were deted and not only lost their appeal from the time they were bought but looked rather terrifying.

    Even the most beautiful dream wille to an end one day, and Fu Han sighed as she tore all the balloons down. She bundled them all together, nning to take them downstairster to throw away.

    Tomorrow was the day she would marry He Xing, and although today was supposed to be busy, He Xing had said he wanted her to be the most beautiful bride tomorrow, so he didn¡¯t let her do anything today and told her to rest well.

    When Fu Han heard this, she felt extremely sweet inside, but now she felt that having something to do would also be a blessing. At least she wouldn¡¯t have to think about how to spend the entire day.

    Yes, spend!

    Fu Han had seen He Xing¡¯s schedule for the day, which was extremely packed, every minute and second ounted for. He had many wedding-rted details to confirm, and he also had to preside over a quarterly Shareholders Meeting at thepany.

    She had already typed out a message on her phone about her unlucky morning, but before she could hit send, she ultimately deleted the text. He was so busy, she decided it was better not to bother him.

    The vi was quiet, and as she walked down the hallway, she felt as if there was no one else around, as empty and deste as a ghost town.

    Fu Han first went to visit Grandfather He¡¯s room, only to find, to her surprise, that he was not at home either. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, could it be that Grandfather He also had things to do today?

    Just as Fu Han was about to leave, she happened upon the Cooking out of the dining room. The Cook greeted her with exceptional warmth, "Lady Fu Han, I was just about toe to call you for breakfast. Your meal is ready. The young master insisted that you finish it."

    Hearing about He Xing¡¯s concerns, Fu Han¡¯s mood slightly improved. She walked into the dining room and indeed smelled a seductive aroma. Her heart warmed as she sat down to eat but then suddenly remembered something and casually asked, "Where has Grandpa gone? Why isn¡¯t he in his room?"

    The Cook, busy tidying up the kitchen, poked her head out, "The master said today¡¯s Shareholders Meeting is very important, so he went with the young master. I reckon he¡¯ll be back before long."

    Fu Han nodded, "Yes, Grandpa should have his acupuncture in half an hour. I hope he doesn¡¯t miss it!"

    "Acupuncture?" The Cook, in her forties and always chatty, couldn¡¯t stop talking once she started. She smiled radiantly, "The master has not had acupuncture for some days now; he said it was too painful."

    "What?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened. The Doctor had said that Grandfather He¡¯s condition was irreversible and that modern medicine could no longer help. Only traditional Chinese medicine could potentially improve his condition and possibly prolong his life.

    The Cook blinked in confusion, clearly puzzled, "But..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, a stern rebuke interrupted her, "Why aren¡¯t you properly making meals instead of babbling nonsense over here?"

    Fu Han and the Cook both turned to see Butler Zhou standing at the door of the dining room, his presence unnoticed until then. He stood in the shadows, his bronze face livid, as if ring at a nemesis, even though the Cook and he had never had grievances before.

    "Sorry, Butler Zhou, I won¡¯t talk recklessly anymore," the Cook quickly apologized, lowering her head even though she didn¡¯t understand what she had said wrong. Her forehead was drenched in sweat that trickled down, making the back of her blouse damp from the breeze.

    Fu Han tilted her head, feeling that Butler Zhou was unusually angry today. She spoke up softly, "Uncle Zhou, it was I who engaged the Cook in conversation. It¡¯s not her fault."

    Butler Zhou¡¯s expression softened when facing Fu Han, and he even managed a slight smile, "Lady Fu Han, this has nothing to do with you. As per the He Family rules, servants are not to discuss the private matters of their employers. This has been the case for hundreds of years. When you be the mistress, you will understand."

    The term "mistress" reminded Fu Han that her wedding was tomorrow. Still an unmarried youngdy, her face flushed with embarrassment, forgetting to defend the Cook. She busied herself by looking down and eating her breakfast to cover her shyness.

    Butler Zhou, however, did not seem inclined to let the matter rest. He respectfully said to Fu Han, "Lady, the master and the young master asked me to remind you to rest well at home. The master was in a hurry to get to thepany today and didn¡¯t have time for acupuncture. His health is not great right now; he can¡¯t endure too much back and forth. I came back to fetch the Acupuncture Master and am about to leave."

    "Is Grandpa okay?" Fu Han asked anxiously, looking up at Butler Zhou, "How about I go to thepany with you? I¡¯m really worried about Grandpa."

    "The master is fine," Butler Zhou gave the Cook another meaningful look. Just as the Cook looked up, their gazes unintentionally met¡ªone cold, the other guiltily looking away.

    They heard Butler Zhou¡¯s deep voice again, "You know about the master¡¯s condition. Although... it won¡¯t happen so quickly, and with my care, you can rest assured. If anything happens to the master, I will report to you immediately."

    Fu Han knew that going to thepany would not change anything and might even, as the Doctor had said, remind Grandfather He of his condition and increase his mental burden.

    She nodded her head, "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Uncle Zhou. Call me if anything happens."

    In a blink of an eye, the dining room was left with only Fu Han and the Cook. Through a semi-transparent ss door, Fu Han saw the Cook busy in the kitchen, knowing she would no longer chat with her. Fu Han ate most of her Bird Nest Porridge and then left the dining room.

    In fact, she was still somewhat puzzled. The Cook said Grandfather He was unwilling to have acupuncture, while Butler Zhou implied that he had it every day. So, whom should she believe?

    If Fu Han had turned back as she left the dining room, she would have seen the Cook thoughtfully staring at her retreating figure. After a moment, the Cook took out her phone, dialed a number, and whispered into it with her hand covering her mouth.

 Chapter 309: Seeking Beautiful Scenery

    <h4>Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Seeking Beautiful Scenery</h4><h4></h4>

    Indeed, people shouldn¡¯t idle about; when they do, thoughts start swirling around. Fu Han forced a wry smile, shook her head, and headed upstairs, thinking that since there was nothing to do, she might as well keep herself busy with what she did best: photography.

    As long as she sought it out, thete summer and early autumn had plenty of beautiful scenery to offer.

    She took her DSLR and left the vi, intending to walk up the mountain to take some photos, but hardly had she taken two steps when she heard the sound of a car horn behind her.

    The He Family¡¯s vi was at the very top of Lanwan Mountain, just beneath the Observatory, and it was umon for anyone to drive any further up.

    Instinctively, she turned around and saw Xia Ning sitting in the passenger seat of the car that kept honking its horn.

    Fu Han immediately remembered how Xia Ning had bombarded her on Whatsapp the night before. She knew Xia Ning was here to pick a fight, her many years of obsession wasted like water because of Fu Han¡¯s marriage to He Xing.

    The two of them knew each other since childhood and had been at odds from the get-go.

    Once they both began to harbor feelings for He Xing, their antagonism escted a level. Unless they avoided each otherpletely, any encounter would inevitably result in explosive conflict.

    They had fought many times as children. As adults, they both aimed to behave like refineddies; no longer resorting to physical fights or curses, they learned instead how to insult each other with eloquence and not a single foul word.

    Now facing each other, years of grudges paraded in front of Fu Han. She tilted her head slightly upwards, looking at Xia Ning with the air of the victor, "What are you doing here? Tomorrow is the big day when I marry He Xing; feel free toe and have a few drinks."

    If she could have it her way, she would never invite Xia Ning to her wedding. But since the Xia Family had saved He Xing¡¯s life, she couldn¡¯t exclude them. Fu Hanforted herself with the thought that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let Xia Ning witness her marrying He Xing with a blissful smile on her face.

    As she spoke, Fu Han anticipated how Xia Ning would respond desperately, and then start another row with her.

    Unexpectedly, Xia Ning just calmly instructed the driver, "Find somewhere to park and wait. Lady Fu Han and I have matters to discuss alone."

    Fu Han looked at Xia Ning with some surprise but only briefly. She hadn¡¯t expected Xia Ning to have be much more mature than before, making Fu Han¡¯s earlier provocation seem somewhat childish.

    She told herself to stay calm. The more critical the moment of deciding victory or defeat, the more crucial it was not to lose one¡¯sposure. She acknowledged that an unscrupulous enemy like Xia Ning, even if Fu Han were married to He Xing and had children, would probably still try every way to tear them apart.

    Xia Ning took the lead and walked two steps towards the mountaintop. As she stood on higher ground, she slowly turned around and looked down at Fu Han with the same expression Fu Han had just used, "What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you dare exchange a few words with me? Are you afraid that what I say might waver your determination?"

    Fu Han heard the grinding sound of her teeth, angry at how Xia Ning had turned the tables on her, skillfully igniting her rage.

    Already wearing sneakers suitable for climbing, it took Fu Han just two steps to catch up with Xia Ning. On the wide mountain path, she deliberately bumped into Xia Ning, who faltered due to her high heels and ended up sitting on the ground.

    "Fu Han, you¡¯ve gone too far!" Xia Ning scrambled up, her face turning beet red.

    Fu Han stuck out her tongue, devoid of any fear, and feigned concern, "Oh my, Xia Ning, did you trip? Are you okay? You better get up quickly;ying there on the ground is so unbing, like a toad craving swan meat."

    She intentionally raised her voice with thest sentence, aiming to provoke Xia Ning.

    The mostmon insult Xia Ning hurled at Fu Han was that her aspiration to marry He Xing was akin to a toad lusting after swan meat. Xia Ning would mock Fu Han whenever He Xing wasn¡¯t around, causing her emotional pain.

    As expected, Xia Ning¡¯s face turned a shade of green with fury. To Fu Han¡¯s surprise, however, Xia Ning, much steadier today, did not rush at her for revenge as usual but straightened her clothes and continued walking towards the mountaintop without ncing back at Fu Han.

    There¡¯s a saying that one should not fear a wicked enemy, but should fear one who schemes behind one¡¯s back.

    Fu Han watched Xia Ning¡¯s receding figure and suddenly felt a bad omen; this Xia Ning was unlike any she had seen before. Could that mean this new Xia Ning was much more fearsome?

    She suddenly grew afraid to follow Xia Ning further up. She turned around to look at the He Family¡¯s calm and imposing vi, which, nestled among the trees, looked like a castle in the air. She had a strange feeling that with every step she took, she was distancing herself from the He Family.

    But to simply turn and run away, to flee in the face of Xia Ning?

    That was not Fu Han¡¯s style. Even if bullied, she had to bully back, no matter the cost.

    Xia Ning led the way while Fu Han followed, trailing five steps behind.

    Her heart pounding wildly, Fu Han thought countless times about turning back, but each time her ridiculous pride stopped her from doing so.

    Xia Ning stopped at the Observatory. The wind was strong at the mountaintop, and her waist-length hair whipped about like tendrils, reaching out from either side of her face towards Fu Han.

    In that moment, Fu Han envisioned a scene in her mind: Medusa in the desert, her head covered with countless little snakes, usually decorative but ready to attack their prey with menacing ferocity.

    Fu Han thought it was rather funny that even Xia Ning¡¯s hair seemed out for her blood, fitting for her indeed.

    Xia Ning meanwhile seemed to have lost the battle with her unruly hair, which she typically maintained. After rummaging through her bag, she finally secured it with a hair tie.

    Catching a glimpse of Fu Han¡¯s schadenfreude in the corner of her eye, Xia Ning sneered to herself and, like performing a magic trick, pulled out a tablet from her bag.

    After flipping through the tablet, Xia Ning lifted her chin toward Fu Han, "I know you think I¡¯m here to harass you again, but would you like to take a look at this first?"

    Already on high alert, Fu Han did not sit beside Xia Ning but stood two steps away, craning her neck to look at the tablet.

    Just one nce was enough to make her feel as if her heart was being pricked by needles. No, that wasn¡¯t urate¡ªher pain was like someone was carving into her heart with a sharp de.

    She looked at Xia Ning, her face pale, and stammered, "Where did you get this disgusting thing from? Don¡¯t try to fool me with it!"

 Chapter 310: Heartache to the Point of Being Unable to Breathe

    <h4>Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Heartache to the Point of Being Unable to Breathe</h4><h4></h4>

    "Whether you¡¯re lying to yourself, you know best!" Xia Ning¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smile as she slid her finger across the screen, and a sultry voice emanated from the tablet.

    The scene on the screen was particrly eye-piercing; two bare, naked bodies were embracing each other, writhing on the bed in a desperately intimate disy.

    The screen was almost filled with a blur of flesh, but because the angle of the shot was oblique, their profiles were still clearly visible.

    The woman below had her long hair spread out like seaweed on the stark white pillow, her face glistening with sweat and flushed red with exertion, yet her beauty was undeniable. It was Xia Ning, who else could it be, sitting right in front of Fu Han at this moment?

    And the man above, even just from the side, had cheeks even more delicate than Xia Ning¡¯s, a profile even deeper, and a straight nose bridge with eyebrows that nted into his temples, giving his exquisite face not a hint of femininity, the sort of man who was stunning to the extreme.

    This was the man that Fu Han had etched into her bones, the only man she had ever truly loved in her life, and the one she was supposed to marry tomorrow¡ªHe Xing.

    But now, the man she had treasured in her heart was frolicking in bed with another woman.

    Fu Han snatched the tablet, her eyes fixed on the man on the screen, trying to find even the slightest w that would prove it wasn¡¯t He Xing, but a substitute Xia Ning found to destroy her rtionship with him.

    Xia Ning let Fu Han clutch the tablet, the triumph barely contained in her eyes. She folded her arms and looked at Fu Han with pride, "Fu Han, I originally didn¡¯t want to show you these things, but since you¡¯re heartless, don¡¯t me me. When He Xing¡¯spany was in crisis, I agreed to save him. Do you remember the price you offered?"

    "Of course, I remember," Fu Han forced out each word through clenched teeth.

    "Hmph, you remember our deal, yet you still ran back to marry big brother He Xing?" Xia Ning red at Fu Han with eyes full of fire, and with her exaggerated expression, she resembled a terrifying demoness: "For big brother He Xing, I personally sent Yang Kaitai to jail, I took out all the money from my mother¡¯s fund to help big brother He Xing through the hardship, but what about you? You waited until all the crises were dealt with and then you came back to enjoy the sess. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed?"

    Faced with Xia Ning¡¯s usations, Fu Han for the first time felt speechless. Indeed, even though it happened during Fu Han¡¯s amnesia, it was an undeniable fact that she had made that deal with Xia Ning in all earnestness.

    Was she now supposed to tell Xia Ning that she had only agreed toe back because old Mr. He¡¯s days were numbered, and she wanted to fulfill the old man¡¯sst wish?

    That was indeed the reason she came back from M Country, but now, at least until the second before she saw the video Xia Ning held, Fu Han had genuinely wanted to marry He Xing, and she had truly epted his proposal yesterday.

    So, in the end, it was she who had broken her word.

    With this thought, Fu Han cleared her throat ufortably, "I know I didn¡¯t keep the promise, and I want to apologize to you for that."

    It was truly the first time that Fu Han was willing to apologize to Xia Ning, although she knew that her words wouldn¡¯t earn Xia Ning¡¯s forgiveness.

    As expected, Xia Ning was provoked by those three words. She flung Fu Han¡¯s hand away furiously, "What¡¯s the use of saying that to me? If you really had any honor, you should leave A City at once and nevere back."

    The wind at the mountaintop grew more intense, and Fu Han¡¯s high ponytail danced in the breeze like a rigid stick, causing a faint pain when it whipped across her neck.

    Leaves swirled in the wind, green, yellow, and brown, filling the air with beauty. But anyone looking at the half-bare branches might be reminded of a deste scene under the chilly autumn wind.

    Xia Ning ced the tablet on a stone bench, the video of her and He Xing¡¯s athletic performance ying over and over, so ring that Fu Han almost wished to be blind. Fortunately, the wind was so strong that the tablet¡¯s sound was muffled, sparing Fu Han¡¯s ears from being tormented repeatedly.

    Her eyes scanned the woods, but she couldn¡¯t spot a single bird, let alone butterflies flitting among the flowers. Of course, with autumn here and the flowers scarce, butterflies wouldn¡¯t be easily found.

    Finally, Fu Han¡¯s gazended back on Xia Ning, herplexion pale and bloodless, clearly etching the word ¡¯heartbroken¡¯ on her face; but the determination in her eyes was carved in stone: "Xia Ning, I know I breached the contract first, but I must marry He Xing."

    "What?" Xia Ning¡¯s eyes went wide in astonishment, her venomous gaze fixed on Fu Han as if looking at a sworn enemy: "Fu Han, I used to think although you were materialistic, you at least had some dignity. Now, I think aside from money, you care for nothing. You saw that He Xing and I had be husband and wife in all but name, and you still want to marry He Xing? Do you have no shame?"

    Fu Han thought after more than a decade of sparring with Xia Ning, she had be immune to her words, but hearing her now, Fu Han still felt her whole body shake with rage.

    All her strength was channelled to resist what Xia Ning was saying right then, her teeth almost shattered, but she spoke in a detached tone, "Regardless of what kind of person I am, that¡¯s my business, not yours; as for you and He Xing¡¯s affair..."

    Fu Han paused, her lips turning a bruised color, "Your affair with He Xing is none of my business. If you want someone to take responsibility, you should find him."

    Xia Ning never expected Fu Han to react this way. In the past, if Fu Han saw her getting a little too close to He Xing, she would explode with rage; today she actually...

    Realizing something, Xia Ning looked towards Fu Han, clearly seeing her hands uncontrobly shaking, a sign that the painstakingly crafted video wasn¡¯t entirely ineffective.

    With a disdainful snort, Xia Ning red at Fu Han: "You stole the ce that should¡¯ve been mine. Of course, I shoulde to you. Fu Han, I know you only married big brother He Xing for the money. Well, how about this? Give me a price. How much do you need to leave him?"

    Fu Han¡¯s lips were bitten till they bled, a sweet metallic taste swirling in her throat, rage simmering within yet her face remained frosty, "Then what do you think He Xing is worth?"

 Chapter 311: How Can I Leave Him?

    <h4>Chapter 311: Chapter 311: How Can I Leave Him?</h4><h4></h4>

    "I..." Xia Ning¡¯s face tightened, and she said with ack of confidence, "In my heart, He Xing is priceless, but...you...you name your price. What do I need to do for you to leave He Xing?"

    Unbeknownst to her, the wind had already stopped, leaving no trace behind. Only the fallen leaves on the ground remained, evidence that the wind had been there.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, and she could see the He Family¡¯s vi not far away. Nestled among the mountains and forests, the vi looked so insignificant, like a toy castle, so distant and out of ce, as if it were a projection from another world.

    She had never felt her intuition so urate before. Had it really be so difficult to reintegrate into that ce after leaving it?

    There seemed to be the melodious sound of piano ying in the distance, probably the young girl from the family not far from the He Family, practicing. It had been a few days since shest heard it, and it sounded much more pleasant now, barely recognizable as the piece being yed.

    The girl¡¯s piano room was behind her vi, which, spatially, was actually the closest to Fu Han¡¯s room. When the girl first started ying the piano, Fu Han really felt it was torturous, and at one point, she considered asking Uncle Zhou to go down and ask the child not to cause a disturbance anymore.

    Now, thinking about it, she was d she hadn¡¯t acted impulsively, or she might have destroyed someone else¡¯s dream.

    When the word "dream" appeared in Fu Han¡¯s mind, her previously frantic heart suddenly calmed down. She looked at her DSLR camera, which she had casually tossed onto the round table, lying there lonely, looking especially pitiable.

    Fu Han picked up the DSLR with affection and looked at Xia Ning, "If you have nothing else to say, then I¡¯ll be leaving first."

    By the time Xia Ning realized what Fu Han had said, all she could see was Fu Han¡¯s retreating back. Even at this point, she still had the mood to go to the back mountain to take pictures.

    Xia Ning looked at the screen that was still ying the "sports blockbuster" of her and He Xing, her eyes filled with disgust. She had thought the video in her hands was a surefire weapon, but it turned out not to be the case.

    Whenever she thought about the origin of this video, Xia Ning felt so nauseated she could barely stand it. Her finger tapped on the screen, hovering over the "delete" button, and she hesitated for a long time but eventually couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it.

    She spat viciously in the direction that Fu Han had left, "Even if you don¡¯t care, I¡¯ll make sure to disgust you to death."

    Finally, she sent the video to Fu Han and then left in her high heels.

    Fu Han, despite leaving with her DSLR, appeared to be going to take photos, but in reality, her heart was in extreme pain. She kept walking forward, all the way to the back of the mountain, to a corner where no one could see her, where her tightly wound spirit finally rxed.

    She didn¡¯t care if the ground was dirty or not, she just sat down, and the tears she had been holding back for far too long finally fell. She was so upset that she wished she could drag He Xing over and give him a good beating.

    Why, why did he have to treat her like this?

    Didn¡¯t He Xing proposest night, saying that he would only love Fu Han in this lifetime, that he had never loved anyone but Fu Han, and that she was the one he had fallen in love with at first sight?

    Fu Han had been so happyst night, but now she was equally distressed. Today¡¯s events were clearly saying that everything He Xing saidst night was a joke, just a joke.

    When she saw the video, Fu Han¡¯s first reaction was disbelief, but Xia Ning showed her the timestamp ¨C it was clearly the night Xia Ning and He Xing spent together at the hotel.

    It was just before the final of the Global Photography Contest, and it was on the day of the final that Xia Ning arrived at the scene, exposing the photos of the two of them going to the hotel on the spot.

    Even though it had been more than half a year, Fu Han still couldn¡¯t bear to recall her feelings that day - He Xing protected Xia Ning under the media¡¯s shing lights, while she unterally announced the cancetion of her engagement with He Xing under the scrutiny of the media.

    He Xing had tried to exin multiple times that nothing happened between him and Xia Ning, but today Xia Ning came to Fu Han with the video. How could she believe that nothing happened between them?

    She just couldn¡¯t, absolutely couldn¡¯t!

    Before Fu Han, there were clear streaks of water stains, and she didn¡¯t know when her tears had stopped. All she knew was that her heart was now full of wounds.

    She made up her mind; she couldn¡¯t marry He Xing in such an unclear and unfair manner. She couldn¡¯t wrong herself.

    Fu Han hastily wiped her tear-stained face and went back to the He Family vi. She washed her face and changed into a clean set of clothes, intending to go out and find He Xing, but she hadn¡¯t even left the house when she ran into Old Master He returning.

    Old Master He looked at Fu Han with a smile, "Xiaohan, you look in a hurry. Is there something the matter? Shall I have Old Zhou take you out?"

    Fu Han stood in front of Grandfather He, stunned for quite a while before she realized what he was saying. Looking at the white hair at his temples, each seemingly like a needle, pierced painfully into Fu Han¡¯s heart.

    She struggled to put on a slight smile and affectionately took Grandfather He¡¯s hand, "Grandfather, I... I was just bored by myself and wanted to go out for a walk. Now that you¡¯re back, I¡¯m not bored anymore."

    "Really? Nothing¡¯s wrong?" Grandfather He looked over Fu Han, his cloudy eyes bing increasingly bright. After a moment, he smiled, "Then would you apany me to bask in the sun in the garden?"

    "Of course, that¡¯s fine." Fu Han nodded and helped Grandfather He to the back garden.

    It was noon, and although it was windy and not hot, Fu Han still didn¡¯t want to "sunbath" in earnest. The sun at the end of summer was still strong, and the grape trellis in the back garden wasrge. With the canopy handwoven by gardeners out of bamboo, it was indeed a perfect spot for summer.

    No sooner had they sat down than the smiling cook, wearing an apron, brought out a fruit tter, "Old Master, Lady, have some fresh fruit to quench your thirst in the midday heat."

    Remembering what the cook had said this morning, Fu Han had a good impression of the normally inconspicuous cook. She nodded with a smile, "Thank you. You¡¯ve worked hard."

    The cook beamed with gratitude, her sun-tanned face full of thanks. Her gaze wandered, as if she had a special interest in this garden.

    The He Family was strict about the discipline of servants, not only stipting what to do when, but also which ces were off-limits. The rules were stringent.

    Fu Han knew the cook probably had to stay in the kitchen all day long since joining the He Family and likely never had the chance to stroll through the garden.

    Feeling some pity, Fu Han was about to say something when Old Master He, with an expressionless face, dismissed the cook, "You¡¯ve done your task. Go back to your kitchen."

 Chapter 312 Discourse of the Sanctioner

    <h4>Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Discourse of the Sanctioner</h4><h4></h4>

    The cook looked to Fu Han for help, sensing the severity in Grandfather¡¯s tone was too harsh. Fu Han¡¯s heart could hardly bear it and was just about to speak when the old master¡¯s face turned cold, and he gazed emotionlessly at the cook.

    "Master, Lady, please enjoy your meal. I will leave first." The cook did not dare to look at Fu Han again and, as if she had greased her feet, fled as if she had wings.

    Fu Han did not quite understand why the old master was so harsh to the cook today. The He Family had strict rules, and servants could not make the slightest mistake, but the He Family was also known far and wide for being good people. They wouldn¡¯t punish servants easily. Servants had a manageable workload and received sries higher than what many households¡¯ overworked servants earn.

    Therefore, once servants joined the He Family, they generally would not leave under normal circumstances. Most of the servants here had been working for a long time.

    Like the cook just now, Fu Han remembered that she came to the He Family after her own mother passed away.

    When she arrived, Fu Han was still young and remembered nothing. It was only as she grew older that she learned this cook managed to stay all because of her.

    Fu Han was five when she lost her parents. Her small self cried every day, and no one could approach her within three meters except for Grandfather and He Xing; this was one thing, but eating became a big problem. She would refuse food that didn¡¯t suit her taste and, with her stubborn temperament, could go hungry for a day and a night rather than eat.

    Grandfather was so anxious that he advertised everywhere for a cook, and the sole criterion was whether the food they made was to Fu Han¡¯s liking.

    ording to Old Zhou, many people applied to be the He Family¡¯s cook back then, but Fu Han did not even nce at the meals most of them made. Finally, this cook made a bowl of porridge that Fu Han finishedpletely.

    As a result, from the time Fu Han was five until now, at twenty-five, the cook had been working for the He Family for twenty years.

    Yet, because of her mother, the kitchen held significant meaning for Fu Han, and that so-called significance also became another kind of taboo. So for twenty years, she only knew that the cook¡¯s food suited her pte; regarding the cook¡¯s personal circumstances, what her name was, her family situation, she had no idea.

    As she mused absently, Grandfather suddenly spoke, "Xiaohan, did you think my actions just now were too impersonal?"

    Fu Han was always straightforward in front of Grandfather He, nodding truthfully upon hearing his question, "Auntie Cook didn¡¯t want to leave. She probably wanted to walk in the Garden. Why did you drive her away?"

    The wind rustled the grapevines, and countless tiny breezes filtered down through the gaps. It seemed like a strong wind outside, but when it hit Fu Han and the others, it was just a bit stronger than a breeze.

    The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the grapevines, casting mottled beams onto the stone pathway like shards of diamonds, beautiful and patchy.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze lingered long on a triangr shard of light, "Grandfather, I do think you were a bit stern, but I¡¯m sure you had your reasons."

    The old master looked approvingly at Fu Han. One reason he liked her was her sense of proportion, her capacity for tolerance and magnanimity. When she disagreed with something, she tried to understand it instead of outright rejecting it.

    His voice, tinged with traces of a hard life, mixed with the wind, "Xiaohan, actually, managing servants is the same as managing apany. Your rtionship with the servants is one of employment, a mary transaction. So, no matter what happens, you must not weigh the right and wrong of events with your emotions, you understand?"

    Fu Han pondered Grandfather He¡¯s words earnestly, confusion evident on her attractive face, "But Grandfather, it¡¯s precisely because I understand someone that I would be biased toward them."

    "That is the very taboo of employing people." The old master¡¯s face bore a kindly smile, but the words he spoke carried a chill, "Intimacy should not overshadow justice, and that applies only within a limited range. In fact, the best way to manage people is to treat everyone equally. Regardless of who makes a mistake, treat everyone the same without showing favoritism, and only then can you always stand on the side of the enforcer."

    "Enforcer?" This term was unfamiliar to Fu Han, or rather, she had never contemted bing acquainted with it.

    The old master pushed a fruit te towards Fu Han, "You will be the Family Head of the He Family one day. You can have your own career, and others will take care of the He Family¡¯s affairs, but you cannotck the authority of a Lady. Take just now, for instance; I could have let the cook stay, but what would the other servants think if they knew? Would they think they could wander in the garden whenever their masters are there?"

    "I understand what you mean." A bolt of lightning struck in Fu Han¡¯s mind, and she looked at Grandfather excitedly, "Grandfather, you mean to say, once you set a precedent, countless people will follow, and then the rules we set be mere decorations, and the He Family would be aughing stock in people¡¯s mouths."

    The old master looked approvingly at Fu Han. She was indeed very clever; she could infer other points from one, understanding many principles from a single exnation.

    But what Fu Han thought was even more than what the old master assumed. She looked at him anxiously, her heart couldn¡¯t stop worrying that these words from him were his way of making final arrangements.

    With these thoughts, her mood became restless. Even the summer breeze couldn¡¯t soothe the agitation in her heart. She watched the old master in silence, a belly full of questions, yet unable to voice a single one.

    The fruit te was nearly finished, but her worries grew heavier, and her mood worsened.

    Finally, after Old Zhou brought a cup of water and reminded the old master to take his medicine, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Grandfather, what is the actual situation with your illness? Can you tell me the truth? I... I am really scared."

    The old master¡¯s expression changed, but he quickly regained hisposure. He touched Fu Han¡¯s head, as indulgently as he did when she was a child, "Don¡¯t be scared, Xiaohan. Grandfather will try to stay with you for a few more years."

    This answer brought tears to Fu Han¡¯s eyes; she could no longer hold back, sobbing on the old master¡¯s knees, "Grandfather, please don¡¯t die. I don¡¯t want to let you die. Tell me what I can do to keep you with me always?"

    Unseen to her, the old master¡¯s face went pale, shaken for an instant as he almost revealed the truth. But the image of He Xing¡¯s pleading had not yet faded, leaving the old master caught between a rock and a hard ce.

    To speak the truth or to heed He Xing¡¯s advice ande clean only after everything settles down?

 Chapter 313: How Can You Not Love?

    <h4>Chapter 313: Chapter 313: How Can You Not Love?</h4><h4></h4>

    As he hesitated, unsure of what to say, Fu Han looked up at Grandfather He again, "Grandpa, how about I start studying medicine from tomorrow? If I can¡¯t be a doctor, I¡¯ll study nursing. Can I take care of you?"

    "No way!" Grandfather He tly refused, his anger shing as he looked at Fu Han: "If you talk such nonsense again, Grandpa... Grandpa will really get angry."

    Grandfather He and Fu Han had a special bond. Grandfather He had been very fond of Fu Han even before the death of her parents, and Fu Han used to cling to Grandfather He, insisting on being carried by him and refusing to be held by her own parents.

    For twenty years, Grandfather He had never spoken harshly to Fu Han, and his "I will get angry" truly counted as a serious rebuke.

    Fu Han¡¯splexion changed, and she looked up at Grandfather He.

    She couldn¡¯t remember how long it had been since she had looked closely at Grandfather He. In her memory, he had always been gentle and kind. She had no recollection of her biological grandfather, so Grandfather He was the best grandfather in her heart.

    Fu Han always thought of Grandfather He as the youngest grandfather, but now, this youthful grandfather¡¯s face was full of wrinkles, with many age spots on both cheeks, and more white hair at his temples than ck.

    For the first time, she clearly realized that Grandfather He was truly old, that one day he might fall asleep and never wake up. She had to ept the fact that Grandfather He might leave her at any moment.

    Fu Han reached out and touched Grandfather He¡¯s hair, using the coquettish tone she had used as a child, "Grandpa, when you¡¯re feeling a bit better, will you dye your hair so you look much younger?"

    "Sure." Grandfather He was as doting as ever, "Since our Xiaohan requested it, Grandpa must agree. How about Grandpa goes to dye his hair today, so I can be sprightly at your wedding tomorrow?"

    "Don¡¯t!" Fu Han hurriedly stopped him: "Your health is more important, please don¡¯t make unnecessary efforts. If..."

    At this point, Fu Han choked up, tears uncontrobly welling up: "If something happens to you, I¡¯ll be an orphan again."

    Thebel "orphan" was one Fu Han could never shed in her life, even though she had Grandfather He, her uncle and aunt, her cousin, and... He Xing. But fundamentally, she was indeed an orphan.

    Murky tears slid down from Grandfather He¡¯s eyes as he stroked Fu Han¡¯s hair: "Xiaohan, tell Grandpa the truth. If Grandpa hadn¡¯t fallen sick, would you still be willing to marry He Xing?"

    This was a question Fu Han had long pondered. If Grandfather He had asked thisst night, she would have unhesitatingly said she was willing; but now, as Grandfather He asked, the images of He Xing and Xia Ning passionately entwined yed in Fu Han¡¯s mind.

    Her heart bled, and she almost blurted out "I am unwilling," but ultimately she stifled the words and said, "Grandpa, I don¡¯t know."

    The wind suddenly grew fierce, howling toward them, swirling the fallen leaves on the ground, dancing at Fu Han¡¯s feet as if trying desperately to lift her off the ground.

    Grandfather He sighed deeply, and his eyes suddenly brightened, "Xiaohan, then I ask you, do you like He Xing? You must tell the truth."

    Fu Han stared at Grandfather He, knowing that lying was futile as he could easily discern her falsehoods. She smiled wistfully, "How could I not love him? Even if time rewound to my eighteenth birthday, I would still beg Grandpa to arrange our marriage."

    Grandfather He felt the tension in his heart loosen, and his mood soared from the abyss to the sky as he patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder forcefully; "In this vast sea of people, it¡¯s important to meet someone you both like, especially since you and He Xing grew up together, knowing each other inside out. I wouldn¡¯t be at ease if you married someone else, but He Xing... he will definitely treat you well."

    The warmer his words, the more they stung Fu Han¡¯s ears. She didn¡¯t know what to say and could only manage a forced smile that looked even uglier than crying.

    ...

    When the moon hung in the sky, He Xing¡¯s car finally appeared at the bottom of the winding mountain road.

    Fu Han had received a message from He Xing when he set off. She hadn¡¯t replied but had instead quietly stood behind the curtains, watching the direction of the winding road, waiting for He Xing toe.

    She watched the video Xia Ning had sent her on her phone several times, just to confirm that the man in the video was He Xing.

    She remembered there was a mole on He Xing¡¯s back and no other marks on his body; but the man in the video was covered with a brocade quilt, obscuring the view of his back.

    Yet that face, that profile, was indeed He Xing¡¯s ¡ª unless there was someone in the world who looked exactly like him, there was no other possibility.

    Several times Fu Han felt the impulse to send this video to He Xing in desperation, but she was well aware that once she did, the He Family would likely descend into chaos this evening, instead of the silence they now enjoyed.

    ording to Fu Han¡¯s own nature, infidelity was absolutely intolerable, not even hand-holding or hugging, let alone this full-blown affair.

    But she couldn¡¯t ignore Grandfather He, who had raised her single-handedly over the years. Now that she had the chance to repay him, when his days were numbered, his only wish was to see Fu Han marry He Xing ¡ª how could she not fulfill his wish?

    The lights of the Lamborghini shone from afar, and Fu Han slipped further behind the curtains in fear of being seen by He Xing.

    Fortunately, after He Xing entered the courtyard, he drove straight into the underground garage and then, ording to his habit, used the elevator toe up.

    As expected, it was less than five minutes before the elevator dinged, footsteps sounded, and she immediately recognized them as He Xing¡¯s.

    Each step seemed to tread upon Fu Han¡¯s heart, and her heartbeat involuntarily synced with He Xing¡¯s footsteps, beat after beat.

    Finally, the footsteps stopped. Fu Han knew that He Xing was now standing outside her door, just a door¡¯s width apart from her.

    Secondster, the screen of Fu Han¡¯s phone lit up, she knew it must be a message from He Xing. If she didn¡¯t reply in five minutes, He Xing would leave.

    Those brief five minutes felt like an eternity to Fu Han. When the footsteps outside the door started again, Fu Han knew that He Xing had left, and she copsed to the floor as if deted.

    Even though they were separated by an invisible door, Fu Han felt as if He Xing were standing right in front of her.

 Chapter 314: Chatting Without Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Chatting Without Meeting</h4><h4></h4>

    Finally, footsteps sounded outside the door, clearly those deliberately subdued to avoid disturbing Fu Han.

    Thest bit of strength keeping Fu Han from copsing finally ran out. She fell to the ground, like a drifting duckweed, vulnerable to being capsized by any wave or gust.

    Tears uncontrobly streamed down her face. Fu Han never knew she had so many tears, and it seemed she was growing fonder of crying; even the smallest things could make her weep like a spring.

    ...

    He Xing had been on his feet the whole day, so busy that he barely had time to eat or drink. Even his dinner had been hastily nibbled at, and now his stomach was unexpectedly growling with hunger.

    He rushed back, intending to take Fu Han out for ate-night snack. He thought it would be cool for a couple to do so on the eve of their wedding¡ªit could be a memorable moment for them in their old age.

    But Fu Han was asleep, and the anticipation in He Xing¡¯s heart was dashed. However, the thought that Fu Han would truly be his wife tomorrow made this unfulfilled expectation seem insignificant. Tomorrow¡¯s happiness was bound to be a memory he would savor for life.

    With this in mind, a smile unconsciously formed on He Xing¡¯s face, as if none of today¡¯s troubles had affected him negatively.

    In reality, He Xing¡¯s mood had been off all day. It was for this reason he had barely messaged Fu Han. He wondered if she would be angry?

    The sound of water rushed from the bathroom, and a blurry silhouette was barely visible through the frosted ss¡ªwell-built and straight like an unbending bamboo.

    He Xing looked up, the shower¡¯s water cascading down, sliding off his cheeks before disappearing down the drain.

    Today was the triannual Shareholders Meeting, and he knew it wouldn¡¯t be straightforward, but he had underestimated the meeting¡¯s difficulty.

    Almost all shareholders were firmly against him marrying Fu Han, citing that ever since the photos of He Xing and Xia Ning "entering a hotel room" afterst year¡¯s Ultimate Photography finals leaked, He Group¡¯s financial statements had been fluctuating erratically.

    Although He Group¡¯s stock prices had stabilized up to now, the loss over the past year was immeasurable.

    The shareholders believed that the stock price fluctuations were now tied to He Xing¡¯s personal affairs. Although he wasn¡¯t a celebrity, he had essentially be the spokesperson for He Group, its living billboard.

    Every incident involving him, Xia Ning, and Fu Han somewhat affected He Group¡¯s stock prices; for instance, the stocks fell when He Xing and Fu Han announced their engagement. Although He Xing eventually handled the situation, the decrease in stock value was a fact and irreversible.

    He Xing was practically fighting against all the shareholders alone, and despite his eloquence, he was gradually losing ground against their collective voice.

    Just when He Xing was about to explode with anger, the elder Mr. He arrived. He simply stated, "Stock market fluctuations are temporary. Whether He Xing marries Fu Han or Xia Ning, He Group¡¯s stock will fluctuate regardless. Plus, Fu Han is the only granddaughter-inw I recognize. Their marriage is set by me personally, and no one can change that."

    Although the elder Mr. He hadn¡¯t interfered with thepany¡¯s affairs for years, his authority remained. His words carried weight, and while many shareholders were still displeased, at least none opposed him openly.

    There were also overdue collections today and meetings with several partners, as if prearranged, one problem after another descended without a single issue going smoothly.

    But at least by the time He Xing left work, all the problems had been resolved, even if only temporarily.

    He Xing casually wrapped a bath towel around his body and stepped out of the bathroom.

    A chill breeze greeted him, catching him off guard with several sneezes. Autumn wasn¡¯t here yet, but the night breeze was already forceful.

    As he was about to close the windows, he noticed his phone screen was flickering. With a sense of urgency, he picked up the phone tossed onto the bed, and as he had suspected, there was a message from Fu Han.

    Opening it, he saw a heavy question from Fu Han: "He Xing, the most important thing between two people is to be honest with each other. I hope you will hide nothing from me!"

    Too impatient for texting, He Xing immediately pressed the call button, but the call was rejected. Another message from Fu Han followed, "Don¡¯t call me ore looking for me. Let¡¯s just talk like this."

    A bad premonition surfaced in his heart. He really wanted to see Fu Han, even desperately so, but since Fu Han was reluctant, he naturally wouldn¡¯t force her.

    After thinking it over, he wrote, word by word: "Xiaohan, ask me whatever you want. I promise I¡¯ll never lie to you."

    About ten minutester, a new message from Fu Han arrived: "What do you think counts as betrayal between two people? Holding hands, hugging, kissing, or sleeping together?"

    This confused He Xing. Butler Zhou had said Fu Han hadn¡¯t left the vi all day, except for a walk with her camera after breakfast. It didn¡¯t make sense for anything to have happened.

    A feeling of unrest in He Xing¡¯s heart swelled like an inting balloon. After staring at his phone for a long time, he finally decided to respond cautiously: "I think emotional betrayal is more unbearable than physical betrayal because sometimes the body is beyond one¡¯s control, but the mind is different."

    After another long ten minutes, Fu Han finally replied: "Okay, I understand what you mean now. It¡¯ste; go to sleep early. We have to get up early tomorrow."

    He Xing gazed at this line on his phone for a long time. He had much to say, but Fu Han clearly wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk. Not wanting to pressure her, he could only respond with "Good night!"

    When his phone turnedpletely ck, He Xing realized he was as cold as an ice lolly, the wind outside growing fiercer, not only drying his hair but also stripping away thest bit of warmth from his body.

    He Xing hurriedly closed the windows, for the first time scared that he might catch a cold. Tomorrow was his wedding day with Fu Han, and he couldn¡¯t afford to be ill.

    Just to be safe, He Xing went downstairs to the medicine cab and took a couple of cold tablets.

    Assured that he was okay, He Xing turned off the lights andy in bed, covering himself with the quilt, ready to sleep. It was nearly one o¡¯clock, and in less than five hours, he would have to wake up.

 Chapter 315: Sweet Dream? Nightmare?

    <h4>Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Sweet Dream? Nightmare?</h4><h4></h4>

    He told himself that tomorrow would be a beautiful day.

    The sound of insects outside the window had disappeared at some point, and the night became exceptionally quiet. He Xing closed his eyes and listened carefully, as if he could almost hear Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat.

    He turned over, and his handnded on a soft waist. Fu Han¡¯s waist was slender and supple, hardly a handful, and it felt really good.

    He Xing stretched out his long arm and pulled Fu Han into his embrace, feeling a heat rising from his abdomen and spreading to his limbs and bones.

    His lips fell on the back of Fu Han¡¯s neck, and his restless hands fanned the mes. The person in his arms woke up from her sleep with a low hum, turned to face him, and took the initiative to offer her cherry lips.

    He Xing was overjoyed, but his hands were efficient; in just a moment, he had removed Fu Han¡¯s silk nightgown, and he pressed himself tightly against her.

    The light of dawn shone in, and He Xing opened his eyes to the person in his arms as he whispered softly, "Xiaohan, it¡¯s time to get up."

    But as he looked down, he was startled; this wasn¡¯t Fu Han at all, but Xia Ning.

    He Xing pushed Xia Ning away and sat up abruptly, pointing at her and asking, "What are you doing here?"

    "Husband, what are you talking about?" The sunlight fell on Xia Ning¡¯s bare shoulders, reflecting like a mirror. She held the corner of the nket, her face blushing shyly as she looked at He Xing, "He Xing, didn¡¯t we just get married yesterday? Have you forgotten?"

    As she spoke, she reached out to touch He Xing¡¯s forehead but was met with a p to her hand, "Don¡¯t touch me, I want to marry Fu Han, not you."

    "Fu Han?" Xia Ning repeated, and a cold smile slowly crept across her cheeks. She looked at He Xing and said word by word, "Didn¡¯t you kill Fu Han yourself? What are you looking for Fu Han for?"

    He Xing¡¯s mind was in turmoil, and he stared at Xia Ning in shock, unable to utter a word.

    Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and He Xing turned his head sharply to look; the room was pitch ck, and Xia Ning was gone?

    It took He Xing a while to realize he was still lying in bed and it wasn¡¯t yet dawn. The scene just now had been a dream.

    The voice of Old Zhou came from outside, "Young master, it¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s time for you to get up."

    "Alright, I know." He Xing responded, never before so relieved that Old Zhou had woken him up and spared him from the terror of the dream.

    When he got out of bed, he realized he was drenched in cold sweat. He slipped into his slippers and went to the restroom to shower.

    He had had dreams before, but after waking up he would let them go. However, today¡¯s dream lingered in his heart, and Xia Ning¡¯s words - "You killed Fu Han" - reyed in his mind over and over again.

    The unease that He Xing had suppressed the previous night now surged a thousandfold. Unable to wait even a second, he hastily rinsed off and wrapped in a bath towel, he headed for Fu Han¡¯s room. He had to see Fu Han right away, could not wait a second longer.

    For the first time, he pounded on Fu Han¡¯s door with clenched fists. When he finally heard footsteps inside the room, a weight lifted from his heart.

    Fu Han was woken up by He Xing¡¯s noise and was bristling with annoyance. As she opened the door, she burst out angrily, "What on earth do you want in the middle of the night? My rm hasn¡¯t even gone off yet."

    He Xing didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit wrong about Fu Han¡¯s temper; in fact, he was exhrated to see such a vivid Fu Han. He pulled her into his embrace, "Xiaohan, seeing you is so good. I... I had a dream I lost you. I was so afraid, I had to see you immediately."

    Fu Han had sent He Xing a messagest night as a final chance, hoping He Xing would confess on his own. Sadly, He Xing had not done so but had deflected the conversation.

    Truthfully, Fu Han hadn¡¯t slept well all night, and she felt as if she¡¯d just fallen asleep when He Xing knocked.

    She was full of anger, but when He Xing embraced her without a care and admitted he came because of a nightmare, her heart softened¡ªutterly softened.

    Fu Han patted He Xing¡¯s back, "Alright, it¡¯s just a dream. Now you¡¯ve seen me, I¡¯m right here, perfectly fine. Hurry back and get dressed so you don¡¯t catch a cold."

    Only then did He Xing realize he was only wearing a towel, and he smiled sheepishly. Yet his hands remained wrapped around Fu Han¡¯s waist, refusing to let go. He kissed her forehead, "Xiaohan, you¡¯ll never leave me, right?"

    In Fu Han¡¯s dim room, only the faint corridor light offered any illumination. She looked up at He Xing but felt as though she couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, except for his eyes, which shone eerily bright, like mas drawing in all the light.

    Her heart softened, thinking that for Grandfather He¡¯s sake, she would marry He Xing today. Since that was the case, why should she insist on whether she would leave He Xing or not?

    Between the two of them, at least one person was happy, and that was enough.

    "Mm, I won¡¯t leave you," said Fu Han, though her heart was filled with boundless sadness.

    She knew very well how much she liked He Xing and how happy she was in his embrace, but she also knew some things that had happened could not be undone.

    He Xing, however, waspletely unaware of Fu Han¡¯splicated feelings because he had received the answer he longed for¡ªthat Fu Han would never leave him.

    His heart filled with joy, he rested his chin on top of Fu Han¡¯s head. Her hair was soft and tickled his chin, but this was the taste of happiness.

    He Xing¡¯s lips slowly moved down, firstnding on Fu Han¡¯s smooth forehead, then on her delicate nose, but just as his lips were about to touch Fu Han¡¯s, she pushed him away.

    Taken aback, He Xing nearly lost his bnce, almost falling backward. He looked at Fu Han in astonishment, not understanding why her attitude had changed so drastically.

    Because of He Xing¡¯s aggressive movement, the corridor light brightened, and his face finally became clear in front of Fu Han.

    Looking at He Xing¡¯s pale and hurt expression, Fu Han felt a pang of guilt, her face warming, "I mean, I... I haven¡¯t brushed my teeth yet."

 Chapter 316: The Definition of Love

    <h4>Chapter 316: Chapter 316: The Definition of Love</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing immediately let go of his worries, ruffling Fu Han¡¯s hair with an indulgent smile, "I was in such a hurrying out that I didn¡¯t brush my teeth, so I¡¯ll go back and do it properly. You should rest a bit more; you¡¯ll have to get up soon."

    "Got it," Fu Han nodded. She waved at He Xing and turned back to her room.

    When the door closed behind her, thest line of defense in Fu Han¡¯s heart finally crumbled. Shey sprawled on the bed, engaged in an internal struggle.

    She couldn¡¯t ept He Xing¡¯s belief that emotional infidelity was more frightening than physical infidelity. In her heart, love was sacred, pristine, imperishable, and impervious to corruption. Yet clearly, He Xing¡¯s behavior did not align with her definition of love.

    However, giving up on He Xing was also hard for her. The elder Mr. He was one factor, and she was well aware that she loved He Xing, to the degree that no matter what happened, her love for him would persist.

    Her entire life seemed to ovep with He Xing¡¯s; loving him had be her instinct. It was as simple as eating or drinking water, as routine as having three meals a day.

    But if she had a choice, she wouldn¡¯t marry He Xing today. She wanted more time to think things through. Perhaps with more time, she could gain a clearer understanding of everything, avoiding the current torment in her heart.

    The rm clock rang. Light seeped through the gaps in the curtains. Dawn was breaking, she knew.

    Fu Han sighed a lifetime¡¯s worth and headed to the restroom to freshen up.

    Just as she finished tidying up, there was another knock on the door. He Xing¡¯s voice was much gentler this time, "Xiaohan, are you ready? Breakfast is prepared. Have something to eat before you go get your makeup done."

    In Fu Han¡¯s memory, He Xing was never a careful person; in fact, he often chose to stay silent. But since Fu Han returned this time, He Xing talked more and took care of every aspect of her needs, fearing she would be upset.

    Fu Han knew it was because He Xing feared losing her again that he did things he never used to do.

    The breakfast was as simple as can be ¨C millet porridge, some appetizing side dishes, and a small bowl of Dumpling Soup for each person.

    Even the simplest breakfast was not simple when made by the cook; she had stewed arge bone the night before, got up early to prepare the bone broth, and used it to cook the porridge and Dumpling Soup. Not only did it taste good, but it was also nutritious.

    On their engagement day, Fu Han had gone hungry for most of the day. Today, she learned her lesson and forced herself to eat half a bowl of millet porridge and a small bowl of Dumpling Soup, even though she wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat.

    As they were almost finished eating, Bai Wei came downstairs, her eyes still sleepy, and looked at He Xing and Fu Han, "It¡¯s one thing for the bride and groom to get up early, but can¡¯t I, the bridesmaid, sleep a little longer?"

    He Xing¡¯s face wasn¡¯t so friendly when he was dealing with Bai Wei. He red at her impatiently, "You can go back and continue sleeping, but when you wake up, you¡¯ll have to figure out how to get to the hotel by yourself. We¡¯ll be very busy today and don¡¯t have time to pick you up."

    "No, no, no!" Bai Wei panicked, grabbed the millet porridge passed by the cook, quickly finished it, and then wolfed down a bowl of Dumpling Soup until there was nothing left. Only then did she contentedly wipe her mouth, "Thank you for the breakfast, auntie. It was delicious."

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze happened to meet that of the cook, and she smiled shyly, repeatedly saying "Lady, you are too kind."

    The Lamborghini was already revving. Bai Wei, sitting alone in the backseat dozing off, suddenly sat upright, "He Xing, you tricked me. I could have waited and gone to the hotel with Grandpa Heter; why did I have toe with you?"

    At the end, she added huffily, "I don¡¯t like being a third wheel."

    Fu Han¡¯s face felt hot, and she ignored Bai Wei¡¯s words.

    He Xing, on the other hand, said seriously, "No, you¡¯reing with us. When I¡¯m busy, you can keep Xiaohanpany."

    "You..." Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened in indignation as she looked at He Xing, but eventually, sheughed and said, "Alright, you make a good point."

    Misty heavily on the ground, the streemps not yet extinguished. The scenery on both sides remained unclear, only vague outlines visible.

    The car¡¯s headlights shone far ahead, yet they could only clearly illuminate a meter or two before them.

    Fu Han felt as though she had dreamt of all this before, their journey moving forward aimlessly, buzzing like headless flies, unable to reach the end, as if the road would never have a conclusion.

    She turned her head to look at He Xing. The road conditions were poor, and his expression had grown more serious, his stern profile a masterpiece of God, endlessly fascinating.

    Realizing Fu Han was looking at him, He Xing freed up one hand to ruffle the top of her head, "Don¡¯t worry, the heavier the fog in the morning, the better the weather will beter. Today... everything will go smoothly, it certainly will!"

    A warmth surged in Fu Han¡¯s heart, and she nodded vigorously, "Yes, everything will go smoothly!"

    Moved, He Xing grasped Fu Han¡¯s hand, and she squeezed his hand back before pulling away, "Focus on driving. I¡¯ll be right here with you."

    It was as if that statement held magic, or maybe it was just a coincidence, but since Fu Han spoke those words, the fog on the road thinned, sunshine broke through the clouds, and their journey became unusually smooth.

    Bai Wei sat alone in the backseat, looking with disdain at the two in front of her.

    But inside, she was filled with emotion. It was the same with getting married ¨C while she and Luo Qinghe had broken up over it, Fu Han and He Xing seemed to grow sweeter by the day.

    So what exactly went wrong ¨C did she and Luo Qingheck sufficient love, or did Fu Han and He Xing love each other too much?

    Bai Wei chewed on her fingernail, unable to reason it out. Just the other night, she shamelessly stayed at the He Family home; despite trying to resist, she ended up "fooling around" with Luo Qinghe for a day.

    She and Luo Qinghe interacted like any couple, but they were not in a genuine rtionship, at least not in Bai Wei¡¯s heart, as she considered them broken up.

    The day before yesterday, after Luo Qinghe dragged her to the stairwell and kissed her forcefully, he suggested they get back together, but Bai Wei refused; she felt Luo Qinghe should be more proactive, at least as much as she had been when courting him. But Luo Qinghe hadn¡¯t yet, at least not until now.

    Of course, Bai Wei wanted to reconcile. Her affection for Luo Qinghe had prated deep into her bones. The status of girlfriend was hard-earned, and she wouldn¡¯t give it up easily; but she also had her pride. This time it was clearly Luo Qinghe¡¯s fault, and she was undeniably not going to be the first to apologize.

    With these thoughts, Bai Wei leaned forward, tapping Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Fu Han, do you and He Xing ever fight? When you do, who usually apologizes first?"

 Chapter 317: I Never Get Mad at You

    <h4>Chapter 317: Chapter 317: I Never Get Mad at You</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han tilted her head thinking for a moment. Before she went abroad, she was always the one appeasing He Xing, but since her returnst year, it became He Xing appeasing her.

    "This..." Fu Han looked at He Xing and said earnestly, "Recently, it¡¯s always He Xing who mollifies me."

    "Even if you¡¯re wrong, He Xing is the one to mollify you?" Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as if she¡¯d heard some preposterous fairy tale.

    "Have I ever done anything wrong?" Fu Han tilted her head while looking at He Xing, her unpowdered face wearing a mischievous smile, like a flower glistening with dew in the morning light, so beautiful.

    He Xing was hopelessly softhearted, hurriedly saying, "Of course not, it¡¯s always me who angered you, I have never been angry with you."

    "Ah, I¡¯ve really brought this on myself." Bai Wei pped her forehead and leaned back into her chair, sighing deeply, "Why on earth did I get in this car? Is it to be tortured, or to watch you two unt your affection? My goodness, I¡¯d be better off blind."

    Stopped at another red light, He Xing took the opportunity to grab Fu Han¡¯s hand. He turned back to Bai Wei with a full smile, "Just being blind won¡¯t do, you might need to be deaf too, that way you won¡¯t be ¡¯blown away¡¯ by what you hear."

    "Fu Han, won¡¯t you control him?" Bai Wei cried out with a tug at her throat, her face the picture of agony.

    Fu Hanughed along: "How could I possibly control him?"

    "If you don¡¯t, who can?" Bai Wei was relentless, "You¡¯re going to be his wife, you must keep him in line, starting with curing his venomous tongue."

    He Xing burst into heartyughter, and Fu Han¡¯s face turned crimson red. She red fiercely at He Xing, but the intimidation in her gaze might as well have been zero.

    The Lamborghini surged through the fog, leaving behind a brilliant trail of light, as if it was soaring on clouds.

    They arrived at the wedding hotel just as dawn was breaking, and the makeup artist had already been waiting inside.

    Just the day before yesterday, Fu Han had rehearsed here, and it was also that day when He Xing prepared a grand proposal ceremony for her in the hotel. The proposal even got shared online, and it was said that many girls in City A were heartbroken.

    Once, someoneunched a poll online to vote for the single man that City A¡¯s single women most wanted to marry, and He Xing topped the chart by a huge marginpared to the second ce.

    A proposal, especially from someone you adore, brings joy, romance, and warmth to anyone¡¯s heart, and Fu Han was no exception.

    She looked around the hotel exterior, trying to ovep the scenes from this moment with those from the day before yesterday. Unfortunately, she failed, because today¡¯s wedding decoration hadpletely transformed the exterior of the hotel, leaving no trace of the proposal setup.

    He Xing escorted Fu Han to the Makeup Room. Although he needed makeup too, the groom¡¯s makeup was far lessplicated than the bride¡¯s¡ªa point proven by the fact that many makeup artists offerplimentary services for the groom.

    Fu Han sat obediently in the chair like a marite, allowing the makeup artist to work on her, while Bai Weiy on the sofa, engrossed in her phone, as if she wanted to crawl inside it.

    After a full three hours, Fu Han¡¯s makeup was finallyplete. By that time, Nan Qing had already arrived, and it was her turn to have her bridesmaid makeup done.

    Fu Han earnestly instructed the makeup artist: "Make sure they look really pretty and don¡¯t deliberately make them look ugly."

    The pristine white wedding dress hung in the room, a bespoke creation tailored specifically for Fu Han. It featured a wide V-neck with broad straps on the top, sexy but not revealing, and the bottom had an exaggerated skirt with a two-meter long train.

    The dress was adorned with morning glory flowers. Skilled craftsmanship brought each bloom to life in varied and vivid detail, making them seem almost real.

    Indeed, the designer had subtly advised against using morning glories as the pattern on the wedding dress, as the flower is known for blooming at dawn and wilting at dusk, and its short lifespan could be ominously reminiscent of fleeting moments.

    But Fu Han was particrly fond of the name "morning glory" and the flower itself, so she stayed silent when the suggestion came up.

    He Xing understood Fu Han¡¯s preference and told the designer expressionlessly at the time, "It¡¯s true that these flowers have a short individual blooming period, but a single nt can produce hundreds or thousands of blossoms. Calcting it out, the flower spans from early spring tote summer and early fall, there¡¯s no flower thatsts longer than that."

    Thus, the wedding dress before Fu Han came into being.

    Even the designer, afterpleting the dress, had to admit that a wedding dress with morning glories was indeed the most beautiful.

    The dress assistant came over to help Fu Han get dressed. She cooperated well, emotionless as a marite, until the wedding dress was fitted. Standing before the mirror, she looked at herself from all angles and suddenly began to look forward to the approaching wedding.

    Yes, the problem that had troubled her all day was finally resolved at this moment in front of the mirror. Since her marriage to He Xing was a necessity for Grandfather He and would be her only wedding in this lifetime, why shouldn¡¯t she enjoy it and be the most beautiful bride?

    When Bai Wei and Nan Qing saw the fully dressed Fu Han, they couldn¡¯t help but cheer despite having seen many beauties before, shouting, "Fu Han, you are unbelievably stunning, truly like a fairy descended from heaven."

    A blush crept onto Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, and she softly acknowledged before quickly changing the subject, "No way, I think you look great, too."

    Soon, He Xing came in, already changed and with his makeup done.

    Fu Han had intended only a casual nce at He Xing, but after one look, she found it impossible to look away. He Xing was incredibly handsome today, surpassing his usual handsomeness.

    He Xing¡¯s hair was curled, styled with gel into a cool do. It was clear his eyebrows had been groomed, the dark arches sharply defining his features, enhancing his manly allure. The perfect line from his nose to his chin was beyond measure.

    His lips were what really caught her off guard. Fu Han was sure he hadn¡¯t applied lipstick, for no shade existed that matched the natural sand and slight orange tint of his lips.

    Nan Qing and Bai Wei¡¯sughter brought Fu Han back from her reverie. She blushed and red at them, avoiding looking at He Xing.

    He Xing, unashamed, walked up to Fu Han. He looked her over thoroughly, nodding vigorously, "Xiaohan, you are the most beautiful girl I¡¯ve ever seen."

    Hisment once again prompted raucousughter. Not only Bai Wei and Nan Qingughed, but also the makeup artists, dress assistants, and the assistant in the room.

    But He Xing wasn¡¯t embarrassed at all and gently drew Fu Han into his arms, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯ll be with you in a bit."

 Chapter 318: Help and Support Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Help and Support Each Other</h4><h4></h4>

    Compared to Fu Han¡¯s engagement day, Xia Ning¡¯s outfit today was almost in, a light pink Cheongsam that, despite its simplicity, perfectly outlined her stunning figure.

    Her makeup today was as exquisite as ever, even more than before; to make her eyes look brighter, she had worn ck contact lenses; to give her nose a more defined look, she had highlighted it; and to give her lips a naturally tinted appearance, she had chosen a colored lipstick.

    However, for some reason, the pink Cheongsam on her somehow felt rather dowdy, perhaps because she seemed to be trying too hard. For example, the pearl ne on her neck was too eye-catching, making her look like a nouveau riche.

    Of course, no one could deny that Xia Ning looked beautiful today, and ever since her film "Yearn for Return" entered the Entertainment circle, her celebrity status had significantly risen.

    As soon as she entered the hotel, she attracted the attention of most people. In just a few minutes after she arrived, several people had already asked for her contact details. Even those conversing with Xia Cheng were trying to sneakily inquire about Xia Ning.

    On the outside, Xia Ning appeared carefree and detached from everything, but deep down, she relished the feeling of being the center of attention.

    When Fu Han got engaged, Xia Ning had provocatively worn a wedding dress, only to be defeated and mocked by many. That¡¯s why today she had chosen a Cheongsam¡ªdespite its expensive cost and the pain she felt when paying for it, she felt it was well worth it. Although the dress wasn¡¯t grand, she had to admit it was a better fit for her cute and refined appearance, as her face wasn¡¯t meant for grandeur.

    Thinking this way, Xia Ning¡¯s confidence surged. Her eyes swept around the hotel, burning with jealousy.

    The vast hotel lobby was transformed, predominately white with sshes of light purple, and touches of light pink and light green, evoking a sense of romance withoutpromising vibrancy.

    The ubiquitous blue hydrangeas elevated the ss of the ce, the striking contrast of the blue roses fiercely capturing guests¡¯ attention.

    All this was one thing, but the walls of the hall were stered with photographs of Fu Han and He Xing, each one apanied by captions.

    Xia Ning nced casually at two of them, which were filled with love letters written by He Xing to Fu Han.

    Many praised He Xing¡¯s thoughtfulness, but Xia Ning was fuming with anger. With her silver teeth nearly clenched to breaking point, had Fu Han been in front of her, Xia Ning might have done something even more dreadful.

    Feeling increasingly furious, she moved to Xia Cheng¡¯s side and whispered, "How¡¯s everything going with the matter? Any trouble?"

    "Of course not," Xia Cheng replied smugly, his delight seeping through. Even a fancy suit couldn¡¯t disguise his sleaziness from the inside out. He stroked his chin and licked his lips, "We¡¯ve made a deal, yeah? You¡¯ve got to deliver Fu Han to me for a taste. If not, Bai Wei would do."

    "I know, I know. Can¡¯t you stop nagging about this all day long?" Xia Ning frowned as if she could kill a mosquito with her re, her face clearly disying her disdain.

    Xia Cheng typically didn¡¯t care about the ridicule, but even he had times when he couldn¡¯t stand Xia Ning. He retorted defensively, "Like you¡¯re any better. Isn¡¯t your mind also preupied with He Xing all the time?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned beet red, but she couldn¡¯t argue because it was indeed true.

    Suddenly, the hall burst into activity. It was because the host had made an appearance, warming up the crowd for the wedding ceremony to begin.

    Lively music filled the air, and the crowd started to gather towards the central stage. Xia Ning got dragged by Xia Cheng, who pulled her vigorously to the front of the stage.

    ...

    Behind the stage curtain, Fu Han felt her palms sweat. She had thought she wouldn¡¯t be nervous, as this wedding was just to fulfill Grandpa He¡¯s wishes.

    But she was, after all, nervous. She turned to look at He Xing, who was also looking back at her.

    Under the dim lights back stage, He Xing smiled and said softly, "Sorry, my palms are sweaty."

    What shocked Fu Han even more than his words was the smile on He Xing¡¯s face; he actually looked quite bashful, a side she had never seen before from him.

    He Xing looked around and, finding no tissues or anything to wipe his hands on, hung his head low and looked at his sweaty palms, unsure of what to do.

    Fu Han was amused by his helpless expression and opened her own palms for him to see: "It¡¯s okay. My palms are sweaty too."

    "I have an idea." Without hesitation, He Xing grabbed Fu Han¡¯s palm, briskly wiping it on his suit sleeve, drying it instantly.

    Then, without any hesitation, he wiped the sweat off his own palms on his sleeve as well.

    Fu Han stared at He Xing, never having dreamed that one day He Xing would be so rough as to use his clothes to wipe sweat. She knew He Xing had OCD and would feel ufortable all over if his clothes got even slightly dirty, requiring an immediate change.

    "There we go," He Xing said looking down at Fu Han with a particrly bright smile, "We¡¯re both clean now. Anyway, I¡¯m only going to wear this suit once."

    All of a sudden, Fu Han felt a mischievous urge to tease He Xing. She smirked cunningly, "But I was nning to treasure your suit as a keepsake. With you doing this, how am I supposed to keep it?"

    "Ah?" He Xing furrowed his brows and leaned in close to whisper, "What if I get it dry cleaned for you?"

    Before Fu Han could respond, the host¡¯s voice rang out, "Let¡¯s wee the bridegroom, He Xing, and the bride, Fu Han, to the stage with a round of enthusiastic apuse!"

    Thunderous apuse erupted wave after wave.

    "Ready?" He Xing extended his hand in front of Fu Han, his handsome face exuding tenderness.

    "Yeah," Fu Han smiled in reply, cing her hand in his.

    Their fingers naturally interlocked, as if they were always meant to be entwined.

    They ascended the stairs together, step by step. Not sure whose palm was sweating again, Fu Han didn¡¯t find it disgusting. Instead, she suddenly thought of a romantic term, "to moisten with spittle."

    If their lives were destined to be spent together, wasn¡¯t "to moisten with spittle" rather nice too?

    When they stepped out from behind the curtain, there was a loud bang, and a shower of confetti burst into the air, a kaleidoscope of colors, as if they were inside a dreamy crystal ball world.

 Chapter 319 I Disagree

    <h4>Chapter 319: Chapter 319 I Disagree</h4><h4></h4>

    Her gaze gently shifted, looking at people beneath the stage, their faces brimming with smiles, everyone openly bearing the word "blessings" upon their faces.

    At that moment, Fu Han suddenly became acutely aware that she was really getting married. From now on, every minute and second of her life would be apanied by the man beside her. Thinking about it, it indeed was a romantic notion.

    Of course, the premise of her feeling it was romantic was that she had to ignore that barely perceptible needle in the depths of her heart.

    Suddenly, her gaze froze, not for any other reason, but because she inadvertently locked eyes with Xia Ning. Those were such malicious eyes, the dark pupils like opening a slit to the gates of hell, daunting to anyone who looked into them.

    Yes, daunting. It was the first time that Fu Han felt fear upon seeing Xia Ning.

    She broke out in a cold sweat on her back. She btedly realized something¡ªXia Ning had shown her that kind of video yesterday to stop the wedding, so she certainly wouldn¡¯t sit idly by today. She must have a contingency n.

    And what about Fu Han herself? She clearly knew that Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t just watch her marry He Xing without doing anything, yet she was utterly unprepared beforehand; although part of the reason was her heartbreak that left her disinterested, still...

    Feeling Fu Han¡¯s unease, He Xing tightened his grip on her hand and asked softly, "Xiaohan, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?"

    Fu Han forced a slight smile and whispered, "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry."

    Perhaps she hid it too well, or perhaps He Xing was too overjoyed, for he didn¡¯t even give Fu Han another nce, instead gripping her hand tightly as he watched the host.

    The host spoke eloquently, captivating He Xing¡¯s full emotional attention, but Fu Han couldn¡¯t take in a single word. For some reason, she kept finding her gaze inadvertently falling on Xia Ning, who seemed altogether unaffected, her face perpetually wearing a smile.

    Amidst a round of warm apuse, the priest was invited onto the stage.

    That was also Fu Han¡¯s wish. To her, marriage was a sacred matter. If her parents were alive, she would have wanted a pure Chinese-style wedding, like those portrayed in TV dramas, with the traditional order of first bowing to heaven and earth, then to the parental figures, followed by the couple bowing to each other.

    But now, with her parents gone and He Xing¡¯s parents also departed, a traditional Chinese wedding would be like sprinkling salt on wounds for both her and He Xing; what¡¯s most important was that Elder He would be reminded of the sorrow of sending off his children before himself.

    So, in the end, they chose a pure Western-style wedding. They invited a priest from thergest church in City A to preside over their wedding.

    The priest, dressed in solemn attire, ascended the stage, Bible in hand, and offered a dignified and solemn prayer for Fu Han and He Xing. Following the prayer, he turned to face them.

    Fu Han knew, those scenes often portrayed in idol dramas would reur. A quiet joy began to spread from the depths of her heart, silently and subtly encroaching upon her emotions, until it filled her entire heart.

    She looked up at He Xing, and as fate would have it, he was looking at her as well. In that moment, they were both utterly convinced of their love for each other, each only having the other in their hearts.

    "Mr. He Xing!" intoned the priest in his distinct, slow, drawn-out manner, his voice spreading throughout the lobby through the microphone, "Do you take this woman, Miss Fu Han, to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Will you love her,fort her, honor and keep her, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?"

    "I do," replied He Xing, each word spoken with a tenderness that felt like it could melt into water, his eyes fixed on Fu Han and never leaving her for a second.

    The priest¡¯s calm gaze shifted to Fu Han, "Miss Fu Han, do you take this man, Mr. He Xing, to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Will you love him,fort him, honor and keep him, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

    Somehow, when the priest¡¯s cold gaze fell upon her, she truly felt watched over by a divine presence. She knew she couldn¡¯t lie, for if she did, the deity would certainly hear it.

    She turned her head to look at He Xing, who was also watching her, then through his eyes, she saw her own expression at that moment, as if in the world, there were only the two of them.

    Fu Han did not directly answer the priest¡¯s question, but instead, with her bright ck eyes fixed on He Xing, she asked, "Would you deceive me?"

    For a moment, He Xing¡¯s face changed, but then he immediately returned to normal, nodding adamantly, "Xiaohan, I will not deceive you. I love you, and only you."

    The smile on Fu Han¡¯s face rippled out like a stone thrown into ake, eventually blossoming into an iparably beautiful one.

    "I do!"

    The three words were not said loudly by Fu Han, but they resonated powerfully, each one as if it could make a deep dent in the ground.

    Nan Qing and Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng, four people couldn¡¯t wait to step onto the stage, their hands filled with the rings, champagne, and sses that would soon be used.

    The solemn priest turned towards the guests below the stage, "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. He Xing and Miss Fu Han are about to be husband and wife. Is there anyone present who has cause to believe that this couple should not be joined in matrimony? If there is none, I now pronounce..."

    "I object!" a sharp, almost piercing voice rang out. Everyone turned their heads towards the direction of the voice; the speaker was Xia Ning.

    On the faces of all present was more or less a sense of eagerness for gossip. It was normal for Xia Ning to object to their marriage. It would have been strange if she had not.

    All those invited to He Xing¡¯s wedding were from the wealthy or noble ss, from the same upper-ss society of City A, where secrets were hard to keep within such an instic circle.

    Moreover, Xia Ning¡¯s affection for He Xing had never been a secret but rather a public open pursuit over the years.

    Thus, with He Xing getting married and Xia Ning not being the bride, many felt sympathy for her. After all,pared to Fu Han, the well-known servant¡¯s daughter, Xia Ning¡¯s image as the gentle, virtuous, and delicatelydylike Miss was still very well constructed and sessful.

    The priest¡¯s gaze also fell upon Xia Ning, his signature elongated tone arising, "Miss, may I ask why you object? Please state your reasons!"

    Fine beads of sweat surfaced on Fu Han¡¯s forehead, and somehow, her heartbeat elerated wildly, as though about to burst out.

    Actually, as soon as the priest posed that very question, Fu Han had a bad feeling, and sure enough, what she feared came to pass.

 Chapter 320: Donâ€™t be afraid, Iâ€™ve got everything under control!

    <h4>Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ve got everything under control!</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing gently shook Fu Han¡¯s wrist and whispered softly, "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ve got everything under control!"

    When Fu Han nodded, she felt the palm of her hand was sweaty, unsure whether it was her own sweat or He Xing¡¯s, and for some reason, maybe the angle, she thought she saw perspiration on He Xing¡¯s neck as well.

    On the contrary, Xia Ning was the picture of calm, even seemingly delighted by the fact that everyone¡¯s attention was focused on her, her smile growing more evident as she affected a delicate voice, "Excuse me, Priest, if someone is getting married not for love, but simply out of gratitude, would you still bless them?"

    "What?" An uproar filled the room as guests exchanged confused nces, not understanding what was happening.

    Bai Wei was livid, storming to the edge of the stage to yell at Xia Ning, "I invited you to attend the wedding, not to spout nonsense, and if you keep this up, I¡¯ll have security take you away."

    Yet Fu Han felt a chill run through her. She knew too well that what Xia Ning was saying was the truth. She felt a coldness inside her, puzzled as to how Xia Ning could know about this, when she had never told anyone.

    She turned to look at He Xing, seeking a sense of security, but found him not looking at her at all. Instead, he was ring at Xia Ning with a dark expression, "Xia Ning, if you dare to spout nonsense, I will make you pay."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face was pale, but she mustered all her courage to look at He Xing, her voice tinged with pleading, "Brother He Xing, my affection for you is far greater than Fu Han¡¯s. Fu Han doesn¡¯t truly want to marry you. Please don¡¯t marry her."

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned pale, the rouge unable to hide her pallor, making her lipstick-coated lips stand out as brightly as the most vivid rose in a garden.

    This rose, however, was thornless and would scatter with the slightest breeze.

    A grating sound emerged from the speakers, like a knife scraping against a steel te, painfully assaulting the ears, making many want to cover them.

    Suddenly, a clear voice came through, "He Xing, have you really thought this through?" Although the voice was altered by the speakers, everyone recognized it as old master He¡¯s voice.

    A few secondster, He Xing¡¯s voice could be heard, "Grandpa, Xiaohan has too many misunderstandings about me, I can¡¯t let her stay in M Country, I must have her by my side, please help me."

    After a long silence, the old master He sighed helplessly, "Fine, I know that you and Fu Han love each other. I will instruct the doctors and nurses not to reveal any ws in front of Fu Han."

    The audio ended there, and Xia Ning looked emotionless at Fu Han, her face filled with a defiant challenge.

    However, at this moment, Fu Han was in no mood to deal with Xia Ning. She turned again to He Xing and asked, each word deliberate, "What did you mean in that recording just now, talking with Grandpa?"

    He Xing¡¯s face was also grim as he tried to hold Fu Han¡¯s hand, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry about this for now, let¡¯splete the ceremony first, and I promise I¡¯ll exin everything to you afterwards."

    "Don¡¯t touch me!" Fu Han jerked her hand away as if electrocuted, then her gaze inadvertently drifted to the area below the stage¡ªGrandpa He stood in front, leaning on his cane, with Zhou standing not far behind. A wheelchair was ced by their side.

    Grandpa He¡¯s eyes were cloudy, highlighting his deep, gem-like pupils. His lips trembled slightly as he gripped the cane tightly, as though he might copse at any moment.

    He simply gazed at Fu Han, silent, but she felt as if he had spoken volumes, and her heart sank like a stone plunging to the bottom of the sea.

    Instinct told Fu Han that this matter was not simple. But could she really demand the truth here, in front of so many people? She was not sure, yet she knew that the He Family had raised her for so many years and she owed them gratitude.

    She turned to look at He Xing, her voice devoid of any warmth, "I am waiting for your exnation."

    He Xing¡¯s stiff back finally rxed as he signaled with his eyes. Immediately, Liang Tao with a few bodyguards started to move towards Xia Ning.

    Meanwhile, He Xing addressed the still dazed Priest, "It¡¯s okay now, we can continue the wedding."

    The emcee regained hisposure and the festivities resumed. Although the guests felt the story was unfinished and seemed eager for a full closure, the power of the He Family was not to be questioned, and none dared to interject.

    Xia Ning retreated step by step, shouting desperately, "Fu Han, have you forgotten the video I showed you yesterday? Are you so undesirable that you have to marry He Xing? Do you think he would fancy you, the daughter of a servant, if you weren¡¯t the lifesaver of Grandpa He?"

    Her voice was shrill and clear, carrying throughout the hall, audible to everyone present.

    The onlookers were keen to keep her there, hoping to see this already explosive situation blow wide open. Yet, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng made their entrance and swiftly pulled Xia Ning out of the fray.

    Xia Ning, like a crazed beast, charged forward, pointing at Fu Han and screaming, "Have you no self-respect at all? How could your deceased parents not feel ashamed seeing you so eager to marry into the He Family?"

    Her words hit Fu Han¡¯s sore spot, rendering her already pale facepletely bloodless.

    She didn¡¯t look at Xia Ning; instead, she turned again to He Xing and said, "There¡¯s no rush to get married. First exin to me what all this is about, otherwise I can¡¯t convince myself to marry you."

    Backstage, in Fu Han¡¯s makeup room.

    Despite the room¡¯s considerable size, it was crowded with solemn faces¡ªold master He, He Xing, Fu Xingbo, Bai Wei, Bai Qian, and Fu Han, along with Bai Wei who had audaciously made her way in.

    He Xing, like a child admitting wrong, exined in a low voice how he had persuaded his grandfather to deceive Fu Han intoing back and pressured her to agree to marry him.

    And even as he confessed, he looked at Fu Han resolutely and said, "Grandpa has always been against this. It was I who was too afraid to lose you. I forced him to help. If you¡¯re angry, be angry with me alone; Grandpa is innocent."

    Before Fu Han could speak, old master He took the lead, "Xiaohan, our He Family owes you an apology. In my heart, you are the only granddaughter-inw I acknowledge. If you do not wish to marry He Xing now, then wait until you do, and marry him then, alright?"

 Chapter 321 Grandfather He is an Accomplice

    <h4>Chapter 321: Chapter 321 Grandfather He is an Aplice</h4><h4></h4>

    Truthfully, when Fu Han found out she had been deceived, she was angry, especially since she had decided to marry He Xing after watching Xia Ning¡¯s video yesterday.

    She insisted on going through with the wedding today, telling herself it was for Grandfather He, but the most ridiculous thing was that only in the end did she realize the reason she had given herself was the mostughable one.

    But now, hearing Grandfather He¡¯s nearly pleading voice as he spoke to her, to say she wasn¡¯t distressed would be a lie, even to the point that she felt more upset now than when she had learned of He Xing¡¯s deceit.

    This was Grandfather He and He Xing¡ª they were so proud. It¡¯s likely that they have never in their lives resorted to such pleading with anyone; it was abject humility.

    She didn¡¯t want Grandfather He to be like this. In her memory, Grandfather He was kind but also strict, especially in business, where he always had the final say, and yet now here he was, pleading for He Xing¡¯s sake.

    Fu Han burst into tears in Grandfather He¡¯s embrace, drenching a huge patch of his suit with her tears. She cried profoundly, thest time she had been this heartbroken was when He Xing rushed Xia Ning, who had fallen into the water, to the hospital, ignoring her.

    Grandfather He patted Fu Han¡¯s back over and over, just as he had on every sleepless night after her parents passed away, the days and nights he had been there for her.

    At this moment, Bai Wei finally understood what had happened. While her parents weren¡¯t looking, she snuck up to He Xing and gave him a thumbs-up, whispering in a lowered voice, "You¡¯re really something, using any means necessary to marry Fu Han, even resorting to a sham wedding."

    He Xing wasn¡¯t as amenable when facing Bai Wei. His gaze chilled as he retorted without yielding an inch, "You don¡¯t have to smirk at my predicament. The things you did to get Luo Qinghe were even more outrageous. Did I say anything about that?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s face, which had been gleeful over someone else¡¯s misfortune, immediately fell. She red at He Xing and said no more, her gaze devoid of any intimidatory power.

    Eventually, Fu Han stopped crying and looked with swollen red eyes at everyone in the room, finally fixing her gaze on Fu Xingbo: "Uncle, what should I do?"

    In this room, there were only two people rted to Fu Han by blood: one was her uncle, confirmed by a paternity test, and the other was Bai Wei.

    At this time, deep in her heart, Fu Han very much longed for someone to give her advice or make a suggestion. Of course, she trusted Grandfather He as well, but he was He Xing¡¯s "aplice," and had always advocated for her to marry He Xing without dy; naturally, his words couldn¡¯t be considered impartial.

    Fu Xingbo gently tapped Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, his words as calm and empowering as his demeanor: "Xiaohan, there are many things that don¡¯t need an immediate decision. If you¡¯re not clear about it now, then don¡¯t think about it. When you have time to think about this matter, you can consider it then."

    His words cleared Fu Han¡¯s confusion. She turned to He Xing and Grandfather He, "Today¡¯s events are too sudden; I can¡¯t marry He Xing under these circumstances. I hope the wedding can be canceled, please understand."

    Thest shred of hope in He Xing¡¯s heart vanished, along with thest hint of color from his face. He stared nkly at Fu Han, a mixture of sadness, distress, self-reproach, and guilt entwining within him.

    Grandfather He, on the other hand, stroked Fu Han¡¯s hair lovingly, "There¡¯s nothing to forgive or not forgive. I¡¯ve lived so long, and right now, I just want you and He Xing to be well."

    Fu Han¡¯s tears were once again drawn out. She blinked them back forcefully before saying in as calm a voice as she could muster, "I need to change clothes. Please go out for a moment."

    He Xing looked deeply at Fu Han¡ªher white wedding dress adorned with lifelike, embossed, night-blooming cereus flowers made ofce. The most beautiful was the person wearing the dress, but her swollen red eyes were like a knife plunged deep into He Xing¡¯s heart.

    If nothing had gone wrong, by now they would be wearing their wedding rings, holding champagne to thank all their friends and family. They should have been going from table to table, toasting with joy despite the tiredness. s, there were no what-ifs.

    He Xing lifted his hand, wanting to wipe away the tears cornering Fu Han¡¯s eyes, but she instinctively dodged, causing a tremor in his heart, and he ultimately retracted his hand.

    With a bitter smile, he said, "Xiaohan, I¡¯ll go out and deal with the situation. You... you rest a bit. Call me if you need anything."

    Watching his back as he left without looking back, Fu Han finally realized the consequences of her "whim" to cancel the wedding. The guests outside were probablyughing at the He Family again; she wondered if it would affect the He Group¡¯s stock price.

    For a moment, she even thought about rushing after He Xing. She wanted to tell him that they could go on with the wedding, a fake one, but she felt as if she was nailed to the ground, unable to move.

    Fu Xingbo took Bai Qian¡¯s hand and came to Fu Han¡¯s side tofort her, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry, with your uncle here, He Xing won¡¯t have any trouble."

    Fu Han grasped onto Fu Xingbo like a lifeline, her voice urgent as she grabbed his sleeve, "Uncle, can you help the He Group?"

    "Okay!" Fu Xingbo said just one word before rushing out.

    Momentster, Bai Qian reminded Bai Wei to take good care of Fu Han before she too followed out.

    Soon, only Fu Han and Bai Wei were left in the Makeup Room, neither of them at ease. Eventually, Bai Wei spoke first, "Fu Han, let me help you take off the wedding dress."

    Fu Han nodded. The dress was beautiful but not easy to take off without assistance.

    After Bai Wei helped Fu Han out of her wedding dress, she also took off her bridesmaid dress, and both of them changed into casual clothes.

    Looking at the delicate updo, Fu Han found it irritating no matter how she looked at it. She decided to undo her hair, then removed her makeuppletely, finally feeling a bit more at ease.

    Bai Wei had the concerns of a female celebrity, always needing makeup outside of her room. She removed her false eyshes, toned down her exaggerated lipstick, unfurled her hair, and tied it into a ponytail, and that was it.

    Fu Han¡¯s Makeup Room was on the first floor; through the window, one could see a small part of the square outside. Finding the room a bit stuffy, Bai Wei walked over to open the window and suddenly eximed, "What are Xia Ning and Xia Cheng doing sneaking around?"

    "Let me see!" Fu Han immediately rushed over and indeed saw the siblings clutching something in their arms, heading toward the road while looking around as if afraid of being seen.

 Chapter 322: The Reckless Pursuit

    <h4>Chapter 322: Chapter 322: The Reckless Pursuit</h4><h4></h4>

    Today Xia Ning ruined Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s wedding. Although ultimately He Xing was the one who had done wrong, Xia Ning¡¯s despicable actions were truly unforgivable.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t say a word and rushed straight out, she indeed wanted to see what kind of trouble Xia Ning would stir up again.

    Bai Wei chased after her, calling out several times, but Fu Han didn¡¯t listen and even ran faster than before. With no other choice, Bai Wei had to follow her out.

    By the time they reached the entrance to the square, they could only see Xia Cheng¡¯s Land Rover disappearing into the distance.

    Fu Han hailed a car, and Bai Wei, without even a chance to catch her breath, quickly opened the door and got in with agility not even demonstrated during her movie shoots.

    "Driver, see that Land Rover up ahead? We must follow it," Fu Han urged urgently, her eyes already bloodshot and looking even redder now.

    "Sure, no problem," said the middle-aged driver. After ensuring that they were seated securely, he floored the elerator and they burst forward, speeding as if racing.

    Bai Wei felt uneasy. She tugged on Fu Han¡¯s wrist and said, "Fu Han, shouldn¡¯t we go back and tell He Xing and our parents first? Is it really safe for us to chase after them like this?"

    However, at this point, Fu Han¡¯s rage had finally found a ce to explode. All she wanted was to confront Xia Ning and give her a piece of her mind. There was no way she could heed Bai Wei¡¯s advice. "If you feel unsafe, then get out of the car. I¡¯m definitely going to find Xia Ning," she retorted.

    Bai Wei¡¯s prepared speech waspletely shut down by that remark. Helplessly, she stuck out her tongue and said, "Alright, we¡¯ll do it your way. I guess I¡¯m in this with you,e what may."

    The driver overheard and sensed there was a story, perhaps his heroplex reignited. In no more than two intersections, they were less than ten meters away from the Land Rover.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes were fixed intently on the Land Rover in front, while Bai Wei pulled out her phone to send a message, still feeling uneasy.

    Inside the Land Rover, Xia Ning, seeing the taxi tailing them, shed a brilliantly wicked smile. "Brother, you are quite reliable, using that old trick of ¡¯retreating in order to advance¡¯, luring them out on purpose."

    Xia Cheng¡¯s smile turned smug: "Did you really think your brother only knows how to pick up girls? I¡¯ll have you know, my skills in seducing girls are top-notch. The more secretive we act, the more curious they get. Especially since..."

    At this point, Xia Cheng chuckled creepily, looking extremely lewd: "Especially after you just ruined someone¡¯s wedding. You better be careful; Fu Han might have a knife and could stab you with it at any moment."

    The street views on both sides of the road were receding rapidly, and the buildings became fewer and fewer as they reached the suburbs of A City, where many factories from the early stages of development were located.

    As A City grew and started focusing on environmental issues, these factories were either relocated or shut down, leaving thend deserted.

    The Land Rover had an advantage on the rough terrain, and fueled by the thought of two beauties chasing after him, Xia Cheng was even more eager to show off his driving skills.

    The roaring noise of the elerating car was massive, as if to make sure the driver behind could not lose track of their location.

    Xia Ning almost got thrown out of the car several times. She clung tight to the handrail, fearing she would be flung out. She was utterly disgusted with her lecherous brother but had to bite her tongue in light of needing his help soon.

    Finally, the car stopped. The factory buildings appeared maze-like, and Xia Ning, having been spun around in all the twists and turns, was disoriented. She stepped out of the car and looked around, knowing that without someone to lead her, she wouldn¡¯t find her way out.

    Xia Cheng, however, sauntered up to a factory door as if he were in his own backyard, utterly calm. He fished a key out of his pocket and, within the blink of an eye, the door was open.

    He casually threw the chain lock on the ground and turned to Xia Ning with a smile, "Alright, everything¡¯s ready except for the east wind."

    Xia Ning¡¯s brows furrowed, and her beautiful eyes scanned the surroundings, "Howe you¡¯re so familiar with this ce? Have youe here often?"

    "Not too often," Xia Cheng was rummaging behind the door, making a ruckus. His voice sounded all the lewder, "Don¡¯t you think this ce has character? You could even have a wild romp here without anyone bothering you."

    Xia Ning really didn¡¯t want to acknowledge this man as her brother; his mind seemed to be filled only with women and intimate matters. He was always irresponsible, without any real ambition or aspirations.

    Impatiently, she asked, "What are you rummaging for in there? How exactly do you n to subdue them? We¡¯re only two people."

    "Here, take these," Xia Cheng found two wooden sticks after much searching. Considering his opponents were two beauties, he even took the care to check that the sticks were smooth and nail-free.

    Xia Ning sighed and obediently gripped the wooden stick, joining Xia Cheng in ambush behind the door, waiting for Fu Han and the others.

    ...

    The taxi was much lower than the Land Rover, and the factory area was overgrown with weeds that reached waist-high, causing them to nearly lose sight of the vehicle multiple times.

    Atst, they spotted the Land Rover stopped among the bushes. Fu Han excitedly urged the driver to hurry up. Bai Wei knew she could not dissuade her now and resolved to see the adventure through.

    The taxi stopped about five meters away. The driver looked around the deste area and hesitated before asking, "Ladies, what brings you out here? This ce is so secluded!"

    "We have something to handle!" Fu Han, not willing to borate, promptly got out of the car.

    Bai Wei, anxious as ever, could only leave the fare behind and hurry out after Fu Han.

    The driver shook his head with a sigh, "Young girls these days," before driving off.

    The area had been neglected for years, filled with weeds that reached waist high. Walking through it was a nerve-wracking experience¡ªa misstep could bring an unwee and possibly frightening encounter with local wildlife.

    Fu Han screamed when she spotted a toad squatting in the grass, which stared back at her with its enormous eyes, puffing its cheeks, and covered in warty bumps.

    Seeing the toad made Fu Han¡¯s skin crawl, and she felt particrly nauseated. The toad would rank high on her list of loathsome creatures¡ªa list that also included snakes, mice, and other detestable things.

    Surprisingly, Bai Wei wasn¡¯t scared of toads at all. Hearing Fu Han¡¯s scream, she pushed through the grass and, upon seeing the toad, didn¡¯t hesitate to kick it away, "Get lost, you disgusting thing."

 Chapter 323: View with New Respect

    <h4>Chapter 323: Chapter 323: View with New Respect</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han saw Bai Wei in a new light for the first time, never expecting such a delicate-looking young girl to have such a fierce side. It was truly eye-opening.

    On the contrary, Bai Wei was exceptionally calm, "Well... as a child, my favorite thing to do every day was catching little animals to keep as pets."

    "You kept toads as pets?" Fu Han¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Bai Wei like she was looking at an alien.

    "Not just toads. I¡¯ve also kept mice, snakes, earthworms, and such," Bai Wei said with an indifference as if discussing everyday meals.

    Fu Han felt the veins on her forehead throbbing, "So, did those little animals live long? Did you... keep them alive?"

    "Oh, let¡¯s not talk about that," Bai Wei said nonchntly, waving her hand dismissively as she continued to walk ahead, "I really took care of them with all my heart, but they seemed not to adapt to the wonderful life I arranged for them, and they all died. Later, my parents thought it wasn¡¯t right and strictly forbade me from catching little animals anymore."

    Listening to Bai Wei¡¯s tone, it seemed like she regretted not being able to catch "toads," "snakes," and "mice" anymore, but Fu Han felt her veins throb at the mention of these words, wishing she could keep her ears far from Bai Wei.

    When they finally crawled out of the underbrush, they were faced with a factory whose doors were wide open. Looking inside from the doors, perhaps due to the darkness, the interior was pitch ck, and nothing could be seen.

    Fu Han had originally charged forward with determination, but for some reason, she suddenly began to have cold feet. She kept feeling that something dangerous lurked in the depthless darkness, like a hidden monster waiting to pounce.

    She turned to Bai Wei, "Um, should we... should we go back?"

    Bai Wei, who was sending her location, didn¡¯t even lift her head as she replied irritably, "You realize now that rushing out recklessly was foolish? Feeling regret now?"

    Fu Han relentlessly teased Bai Wei, showing no sign of shutting up. She felt overwhelmed and as if she was being forced into a corner like a hero out of desperation, with no choice but to stake everything on a final stand.

    She shook off the cowardly look on her face and said angrily, "Who said I regret it? I¡¯m just worried that if something happens, you¡¯ll get dragged down by me. I don¡¯t regret anything. I wish I could give Xia Ning a good thrashing."

    "It¡¯s said that ¡¯It¡¯s better to demolish ten temples than to destroy one marriage,¡¯ but I also think that Xia Ning¡¯s actions are really too much." Perhaps influenced by the toad, Bai Wei showed no fear whatsoever, instead encouraging Fu Han, "You¡¯vee all this way through all sorts of hardships, and now you¡¯re at the doorstep, just when you can teach someone a lesson. How can you leave without aplishing anything?"

    Fu Han, despite feeling that Bai Wei¡¯s fervor was somewhat unreliable, still hadn¡¯t vented her own fury, filled with anger herself.

    "You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go settle the score with Xia Ning together." Fu Han hesitated no longer, taking the lead and heading toward the factory, shouting Xia Ning¡¯s name, "Xia Ning, I know you¡¯re here. Come out,e on out."

    She strode boldly into the factory entrance, heading inside, when suddenly Bai Wei¡¯s sharp voice rang out, "Watch out, dodge quickly!"

    Fu Han instinctively ducked, clearly feeling something like a stick brush past her scalp. At the same time, her calf was struck hard, causing her to cry out in pain, nearly bursting into tears.

    The next second, another gust of wind hit her, and this time Fu Han saw clearly. It was Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, the siblings hiding behind the door attempting a sneak attack.

    She knew she¡¯d likely fallen into a trap, but now wasn¡¯t the time to think about that. The immediate priority was how she and Bai Wei could make their escape.

    To avoid being hit by the sticks again, Fu Han rolled around on the ground in a most embarrassed manner. Although she sessfully dodged, her cream-colored hoodie had be filthy.

    Meanwhile, Bai Wei, having found a rusty iron rod from somewhere, charged forward, determined to protect Fu Han.

    Xia Cheng and Xia Ning had already failed twice, and they were desperate, knowing they had to seed today. Otherwise, if they let them escape, they themselves would be in big trouble.

    "Let¡¯s take care of Bai Wei first," Xia Cheng bellowed, feeling no qualms about a man hitting a woman or about being unfair by outnumbering their opponents. He took the lead, followed by Xia Ning, charging towards Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei had few practical chances to fight, after all, as the pampered only daughter in her family, she rarely had the opportunity to fight.

    The only experience she had was the guidance from the martial arts teacher during filming; regrettably, the teacher¡¯s guidance was ornamental but impractical. Moreover, she was holding an iron rod that had been decaying for years, weakened by wind and sun, its interior already rotten.

    After struggling through a couple of moves, her iron rod broke, not just snapped in half, but shattered into several pieces, leaving her without a chance to even show off a bit of staff-fighting ir.

    "Ah!"

    A cry of agony rang out as Xia Ning struck Bai Wei on the back with the stick, knocking her t to the ground and motionless.

    With thatst blow, Xia Ning had given it her all. Many thought she only resented Fu Han, but they did not know she also despised Bai Wei.

    If not for Bai Wei, she would have been the lead in "Yearn for Return." Unfortunately, there are no ifs in life. Although the film was a great sess, Xia Ning, who yed the vicious supporting character, was not well-received.

    Xia Ning watched as Bai Wei¡¯s career soared from this movie, with many good scriptsing her way, while she herself got hardly any desirable roles. The ones approaching her were all for the second female lead, each more malicious than thest. At this rate, she was going to be synonymous with the term vicious woman.

    Naturally, Xia Ning treated Bai Wei, who yed the leadingdy, as her enemy. This was why when Xia Cheng eyed Bai Wei, she was willing to help. If they could tarnish Bai Wei¡¯s reputation, Xia Ning would naturally have a chance to take her ce.

    As Bai Weiy on the ground, her fate uncertain, Xia Ning smiled. Clutching a piece of wood, she charged toward Fu Han.

    Fu Han watched helplessly as Bai Weiy there, not knowing whether she was alive or dead, her heart filled with sorrow and anger, but the excruciating pain in her feet left her unable to move, only able to watch as the Xia siblings approached.

    Her hand scraped the ground in desperation, and as they got closer, she swung her hand forcefully, throwing sand at the faces of Xia Ning and Xia Cheng.

    Taken by surprise, both had sand in their eyes, screaming in pain. Instinctively, they rubbed their eyes with the backs of their hands, but this only drove the sand deeper, inflicting even more damage.

 Chapter 324: Kidnapped

    <h4>Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Kidnapped</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han took the opportunity to pull Bai Wei, thinking of running away with her.

    But Bai Wei was now unconscious, and even though she was slim, she still weighed around ny pounds; how could Fu Han possibly drag her with her strength?

    However, the thought of leaving Bai Wei behind and escaping on her own was absolutely impossible. Just as she was preparing to carry Bai Wei and run, Xia Cheng finally recovered.

    The blow from Fu Han had thoroughly enraged Xia Cheng. His eyes, bloodshot and still weeping, fixed on Fu Han, and he swung his stick at her back, knocking Fu Han to the ground.

    Ten minutester, Fu Han struggled desperately, "Let go of me, hurry up and let go of me!"

    Indeed, not to mention that she was a woman and Xia Cheng was a man, let alone Xia Ning helping him, making it two against one; Fu Han was no match for them.

    In the end, Xia Cheng somehow found two bundles of rope and, unbelievably, tied her and Bai Wei each to a door panel.

    During this time, Fu Han struggled fiercely to no avail; in the end, she merely left a few footprints on Xia Cheng and Xia Ning¡¯s bodies, unable to change the oue.

    Now, Fu Han and Bai Wei were like fish on a chopping board,pletely at the mercy of others.

    Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, having exhausted the strength of nine bulls and two tigers, had finally managed to tie up Fu Han. Both were so tired that they had no energy left, and at this point, they didn¡¯t care about appearances. They grabbed a piece of wood to sit on, simply too exhausted; they had to rest.

    Fu Han knew that calling out to Xia Ning and the others was useless. She started desperately shouting for Bai Wei, though she knew that even if Bai Wei woke up, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact, but waking up was better than remaining unconscious. Besides, everything was too chaotic, and she didn¡¯t even know Bai Wei¡¯s current condition.

    But no matter how she shouted, Bai Wei didn¡¯t respond at all. Fu Han panicked, fearing that something truly bad had happened to Bai Wei. She couldn¡¯t care about anything else and shouted anxiously at Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, "Go see what¡¯s wrong with Bai Wei right now. If anything happens to her, you two will definitely suffer the consequences!"

    Xia Ning was indifferent, snorting coldly without even ncing at Fu Han.

    However, Xia Cheng, with his own dirty thoughts, got up with a lewd smile and went over to Bai Wei to check on her. Finally, he pinched Bai Wei¡¯s chin, looked her over, and then said to Fu Han, "Rx, she¡¯s fine, just passed out."

    Fu Han felt somewhat relieved. She yelled at Xia Cheng again, "Xia Cheng, Xia Ning has gone mad. Are you going to go crazy with her? If you indulge her like this, she¡¯ll get you killed one day!"

    Before Xia Cheng could reply, Xia Ning, infuriated by these words, leaped forward, and with a "smack", a sharp p echoed.

    A clear handprint appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face, her cheek burning with pain, and a trickle of blood slowly flowing from the corner of her mouth.

    She smiled bitterly inside, reasoning that she and Xia Ning could never live in peace for the rest of their lives. If it were her hitting Xia Ning, she would never show mercy.

    But it was impossible for Fu Han to admit defeat; she turned her head and spat blood from her throat with all her might at Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning never expected Fu Han to do something so crazy; not a single droplet of that bloody spit was wasted, hitting Xia Ning¡¯s facepletely.

    She screamed in shock, frantically wiping her cheeks, wishing she could rub off ayer of skin; although her face was already clean, she still felt unbearably ufortable.

    "You whore, still not being quiet at a time like this," Xia Ning trembled with rage, and a flurry of continuous ps sounded, "smack, smack, smack," leaving both of Fu Han¡¯s cheeks swollen.

    If Xia Cheng hadn¡¯t stopped her, Xia Ning might have actually beaten Fu Han to death.

    This time, Fu Han was burning with anger; although her cheeks burned with pain, she held it in, not making a sound, which was precisely what drove Xia Ning to such a rage, attacking her so fiercely.

    Xia Ning was dragged two meters away by Xia Cheng before she stopped, and she threw off his arm in a huff, "What are you doing? She¡¯s not your woman. Why protect her like this?"

    "Protecting her?" Xia Cheng¡¯s face turned red, his guilty voice betraying him, "Why do you say that? If you turn her into a monster, how can Iy a hand on her?"

    Xia Ningughed suggestively at his words, pping her hands as she gave Fu Han a meaningful look, "Big Brother, you should take good care of Fu Han for me. I¡¯ll keep watch outside the door for you, okay?"

    Fu Han had already anticipated Xia Cheng¡¯s intentions when she was being tied up; still, actually hearing Xia Ning say it scared her.

    She was extremely anxious, knowing that the only thing to do now was to stall for as much time as possible, in the hope that someone from the hotel might notice their absence ande looking for them.

    With this in mind, Fu Han didn¡¯t have time to be scared and tried to provoke Xia Ning again, "Xia Ning, you are the most disgusting person I¡¯ve ever seen. You actually conspire with your brother to do such things. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being despised once people find out?"

    Xia Ning was already near the door when she heard this. Without a second word, she charged back and kicked Fu Han in the stomach, "Fu Han, you¡¯re the whore. You would do anything to win over He Xing, do you think the people who curse you are in the minority?"

    Fu Hanughed sneeringly, the movement pulling at her stomach and nearly bringing tears to her eyes, "Haha, Xia Ning, no matter how unscrupulous I am, at least I seeded. He Xing kneeled before me begging for marriage, but what about you? Has He Xing ever cared for you? You¡¯re so unwanted, even offering yourself for free wouldn¡¯t do!"

    A gust of wind from the open Factory door blew, stirring Fu Han¡¯s hair into a frenzied tangle, partially obscuring her gaze, with strands sticking to the blood at the corner of her mouth, making her feel incredibly ufortable.

    But Fu Han didn¡¯t care about these things. She was defiant, deliberately using a challenging gaze to look at Xia Ning; in this moment, she was not afraid at all. The only thing she feared was that Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t take the bait.

    Fortunately, Xia Ning had always been easy to provoke by a mere word from Fu Han ever since they were little; today, Fu Han was at a disadvantage but still dared to provoke Xia Ning, and easily enraged her again.

    Xia Ning was so angry that she actually bit her own lip till it bled. She raised her hand and pped Fu Han¡¯s face, "If it weren¡¯t for you, that bitch, why wouldn¡¯t He Xing like me?"

    Pausing for a moment, Xia Ning seemed to suddenly have an epiphany, her eyes lighting up with excitement, "It¡¯s all because your face is too beautiful. I¡¯ll destroy your face, and when you be a monster, let¡¯s see if He Xing will still like you."

 Chapter 325: Crazy Siblings

    <h4>Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Crazy Siblings</h4><h4></h4>

    A chill rose from the soles of Fu Han¡¯s feet, eventually spreading to all her limbs and bones. There was only one thought in her heart: not only had she sessfully enraged Xia Ning, she had also driven Xia Ning mad.

    And you can never predict what a person might do when they are driven to madness.

    In the factory, Xia Ning was furiously rummaging around, apparently looking for some kind of weapon; although Fu Han was somewhat afraid, she thought that stalling for time was beneficial, so she feignedposure and even provoked Xia Ning with a few taunts from time to time.

    To Fu Han¡¯splete surprise, it didn¡¯t take more than a few minutes before Xia Ning actually found a rusted piece of metal and charged towards her with a grim face: "Fu Han, I¡¯ll destroy that disgusting face of yours."

    Fu Han remembered the doctor saying that she should avoid any further injuries to her face, as the consequences would be serious; no girl would be indifferent to her own face, especially a beautiful girl.

    She was scared, and for a moment, she couldn¡¯t utter a single word, only able to watch helplessly as the rusted metal got closer and closer to her cheek.

    Just when Fu Han felt all was lost, Xia Cheng suddenly reached out from the side and snatched the piece of metal from Xia Ning¡¯s hand, tossing it far away: "Xia Ning, have you had enough? If you actually ruin her face, that¡¯s intentional injury."

    Having calmed down, Xia Ning felt a scare thinking back on her actions, but she still stubbornly said, "Brother, don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of your feelings, you just can¡¯t bear to see Fu Han hurt. Let me tell you, she¡¯s out of your league."

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about my business," snapped Xia Cheng, pushed away by Xia Ning¡¯s sharp words, and he shoved Xia Ning out forcefully.

    Although Xia Ning was tough-talking, she knew that her brother was a madman in certain aspects, and if she really angered him, she would definitely not end well.

    She really wanted to take advantage of the situation and disfigure Fu Han, but it seemed that she could only wait until Xia Cheng had satisfied his lust.

    Xia Ning found a not-too-dirty rock to sit on outside the door. The wind grew stronger, and the tall reeds were blown down and then rose again. All she could hear was the whooshing of the wind and nothing else.

    Inside the factory, Xia Cheng looked at the two bound beauties tied to the door, rubbing his hands together in excitement. His lecherous reputation in A City was well known, and he often boasted about the many women he¡¯d bedded.

    But those women of his past were nothing but vulgar and coarsepared to Fu Han and Bai Wei.

    Xia Cheng nced at Fu Han, whose cheeks were still severely swollen, looking as if she had puffed-up cheeks, and he found himself not disgusted but instead thought she looked especially adorable.

    He smiled and walked towards Fu Han, attempting to touch her cheek with one hand, but just as his hand was about to touch Fu Han, she sharply turned her head and bit down on Xia Cheng¡¯s hand.

    Fu Han bit down with all her strength, determined to wound Xia Cheng, and indeed she seeded, eliciting a squeal like that of a ughtering pig from him as his hand bled profusely.

    He had already raised his hand to strike Fu Han, but for some reason, he lowered it again.

    "Hmph, if you don¡¯t cooperate, I have ways to make you," Xia Cheng said with a lecherous smile, turning his head towards Bai Wei.

    His uninjured hand roved shamelessly over Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks and neck, his mouth pressing directly against hers.

    "Bastard, let her go!" Fu Han screamed frantically, desperately trying to break free to no avail, growing more and more desperate and regretful.

    Xia Cheng was verypliant this time; as soon as Fu Han spoke, he stopped his actions. Stroking his chin, he looked at Fu Han with a smile: "There are only you two here, and I am definitely going to have one of you. It¡¯s your choice, either you or Bai Wei."

    Fu Han looked at Bai Wei, who still had her eyes tightly shut, her face still beautiful, only her eyebrows slightly furrowed as if troubled by something in a dream.

    Actually, thinking back, Bai Wei had consistently disapproved of Fu Han going after Xia Ning; it was Fu Han who had stubbornly insisted on her own way. She should bear the consequences of her mistakes.

    But Bai Wei was innocent; she was unconscious because she had protected Fu Han. If she was defiled by Xia Cheng, Fu Han would never forgive herself for the rest of her life.

    "Don¡¯t touch Bai Wei, I beg you," Fu Han closed her eyes in anguish.

    It was only a sentence, yet a warmth swept up Xia Cheng¡¯s abdomen, and heughed triumphantly, stepping closer and closer to Fu Han.

    The closer he got, the more intensely Fu Han could smell the rich scent of his perfume and the nauseating smell of betel nut, which was revolting.

    As his lips approached, Fu Han abruptly lowered her head and retched uncontrobly.

    Xia Cheng waspletely infuriated, punching Fu Han in the stomach. She turned pale with pain, yet she endured the pain without crying out.

    "You whore, if you dare to resist again, I¡¯ll immediately go to Bai Wei," Xia Cheng gripped Fu Han¡¯s chin, his face exceptionally sinister and horrifying.

    Fu Han¡¯s chin was forced upward, and as Xia Cheng¡¯s lips approached her neck, closer and closer, tears finally escaped uncontrobly from the corners of her eyes.

    ...

    In the hotel.

    Halfway through the wedding, He Xing, Fu Han, and the others went backstage to deal with the problems Xia Ning had caused.

    Su Cheng, Nan Qing, and Luo Qinghe stayed behind. Although He Xing hadn¡¯t given any special instructions, they still conscientiously tried to calm the guests, allowing the host to manage the situation.

    Finally, He Xing, the old master of the He Family, Fu Xingbo, and Bai Qian came out, but Fu Han and Bai Wei were nowhere to be seen.

    The four of them walked onto the stage, and the old master of the He Family took the microphone first: "Ladies and gentlemen, first I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and the He Group for taking the time to be here. But I¡¯m sorry to tell you that due to an unfortunate event, we have to call off the wedding."

    Although many had anticipated this oue when the wedding was halted, everyone was still surprised when they actually heard the words from the old master of the He Family.

    Not far from the stage, Su Cheng turned his head to look and saw that He Xing¡¯s face was very pale, with no trace of color, his fingers clenched tightly at his side, clearly very upset.

    Somewhat ashamed by the realization, Su Cheng stopped looking at He Xing as he felt an inexplicable sense of joy spreading in his heart.

    Amidst themotion, Fu Xingbo took over the microphone from the old master of the He Family and pushed his sses up on the bridge of his nose, his gaze calmly sweeping the hall: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Fu Han¡¯s uncle. I would like to thank you all foring on behalf of Fu Han. Fu Han and He Xing are still engaged, and once they sort out today¡¯s issues, the old master of the He Family and I will arrange another grand wedding for them. At that time, we wee you to join us again."

 Chapter 326: Difficult to Understand Intentions

    <h4>Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Difficult to Understand Intentions</h4><h4></h4>

    There was something oddly magical about Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice. It was neither too loud nor too soft, neither humble nor overbearing, but it somehow instilled an inexplicable sense of trust in anyone who heard him speak, no matter how preposterous his words were.

    Take Su Cheng, for example. Just a second ago, he felt guilty for being happy about the wedding cancetion; now, he was sinking into despair over the fact that Fu Han was still engaged to He Xing.

    Bai Qian and He Xing each said something on stage, but Su Cheng didn¡¯t catch a single word, his mind only filled with sorrow that Fu Han was still going to marry He Xing in the end.

    Suddenly, Luo Qinghe, standing next to him, nudged his arm and whispered, "Come outside with me. Fu Han and Bai Wei have gone after Xia Ning. I don¡¯t feel good about this."

    At those words, Su Cheng nced around and only then did he realize that Xia Ning had disappeared at some point.

    An uneasy feeling surfaced in Su Cheng¡¯s heart. Without a word, he followed Luo Qinghe out in such a hurry that hepletely failed to notice that Nan Qing had seen their movements.

    The Mercedes-Benz Unimog roared as it sped out of the underground parking lot. Su Cheng¡¯s eyes were glued to Luo Qinghe¡¯s phone, where messages from Bai Wei popped up intermittently. They followed the pictures Bai Wei had taken to identify road signs and eventually navigated a route.

    Halfway through, Luo Qinghe had Su Cheng call Bai Wei several times, but she rejected all the calls. Not only that, but she also sent messages saying they should join Fu Han in teaching Xia Ning a lesson.

    The scenery on both sides of the road grew more deste, and they had entered the suburbs of City A.

    Luo Qinghe grew increasingly restless and finally couldn¡¯t hold back his curses, "Fu Han has been angered by Xia Ning; doesn¡¯t Bai Wei have any brains? How can she just rush out recklessly? If something happens to her, she only has herself to me."

    In his heart, Su Cheng also had reservations about Bai Wei. It was understandable for Fu Han to be upset, but Bai Wei should have stayed calm. Why did she let Fu Han carry on without trying to stop her?

    Suddenly, Su Cheng¡¯s phone rang. It was Nan Qing calling him. Annoyed, he hung up directly. A few secondster, Nan Qing called again, and Su Cheng dismissed it once more. Soon, Nan Qing sent a message: "Answer the phone, He Xing is looking for you!"

    Feeling a nagging unease, Su Cheng still dialed Nan Qing¡¯s number.

    Once the call connected, He Xing¡¯s voice came through, "Do you know where Fu Han is?"

    His tone of entitlement ignited an unspeakable rage within Su Cheng. Irritably, he snapped, "I haven¡¯t installed a tracker on Fu Han. How would I know where she is?"

    He Xing paused briefly but spoke again, his tone noticeably softer this time, "Su Cheng, please, if you know where Fu Han is, tell me."

    It was the first time He Xing spoke to Su Cheng in such a manner. Su Cheng felt a sudden pang of heartache. He had always thought he was the one who loved Fu Han the most in this world, but at that moment, he had to admit that He Xing¡¯s love for Fu Han was no less than his own.

    He quickly adjusted his mood and replied as calmly as possible, "We don¡¯t know where Fu Han is. We¡¯re trying to find her based on the pictures Bai Wei sent. I¡¯ll share my location with you."

    After he hung up, Luo Qinghe, who was driving, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, "Su Cheng, honestly, sometimes I really want to crack open your head to see what¡¯s inside."

    "Why do you say that?" Su Cheng asked indifferently as he found He Xing on Whatsapp to share his location.

    "Because you¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve seen who¡¯s so nice to a love rival," Luo Qinghe said with augh, pressing hard on the elerator. "I brought you along to give you a chance to y the hero, but instead, you¡¯ve given away your advantage selflessly."

    His words were a bitter blow to Su Cheng. He looked at his phone, seeing that the location sharing was sessful. For a moment, he was tempted to turn it off.

    But in the end, he did not do so and instead said helplessly, "Fu Han¡¯s uncle said that she and He Xing are still engaged, and no one has the right to stop him from looking for her."

    "Yeah, we truly don¡¯t have the right to stop it." When a red light lit up at the entrance ahead, Luo Qinghe hit the brakes hard, causing a sharp screeching noise as the tires skidded against the road. He turned to Su Cheng, "But it¡¯s his business to find Fu Han, not yours. You have the right to withhold the information you have."

    Su Cheng looked out the window. All around were barren fields, with a few isted buildings in the distance¡ªself-built rural houses.

    He leaned back in his seat and sighed, "You could have said that earlier. Now, it¡¯s toote."

    Luo Qinghe looked at Su Cheng¡¯s phone, wanting to say more but ultimately chose to remain silent.

    As Su Cheng watched the numbers jump on the navigation and the deste surroundings, he grew more anxious, "Brother Qinghe, hurry up. Who knows what will happen if we¡¯rete. Look, we¡¯vee so far and only encountered one taxi."

    "Stop rushing me." Luo Qinghe¡¯s foot was already t on the gas pedal, as he said irritably, "You and Fu Han have nothing to do with each other. Bai Wei is going to be my wife. I¡¯m more anxious than you."

    Stung by the retort, Su Cheng couldn¡¯t hold back and snapped, "I heard it myself today. Bai Wei said she¡¯s broken up with you."

    Their verbal skirmish left both men worse for wear, with neither Luo Qinghe nor Su Cheng gaining any advantage from it.

    The concrete road hade to an end, but they had to keep going ording to thest address Bai Wei had sent. Bai Wei¡¯s phone had been unreachable for the past ten minutes.

    Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t hesitate to gun the engine, heading straight for the finish line. Unfortunately, the tall weeds on both sides of the road obstructed the view of the path ahead, and even from his elevated seat in the Mercedes-Benz Unimog, he couldn¡¯t see clearly.

    Immediately, Su Cheng stood up, sticking his head out the open sunroof to direct Luo Qinghe.

    After what seemed like a long time, Su Cheng saw a Land Rover parked in the distance. Although he didn¡¯t recognize the car, he had a hunch that it was rted either to Fu Han or Xia Ning.

    Excitedly, he urged Luo Qinghe to rush towards it. The wind was strong, and the roar of the car was no longer as jarring, their spoken words quickly scattered by the wind.

    The Land Rover was now close at hand. With his height advantage, Su Cheng had already spotted Xia Ning, who was ying with her phone at the entrance of the factory. He urgently told Luo Qinghe to stop the car, and the two of them dashed towards Xia Ning¡¯s location at full speed.

    It wasn¡¯t until they were right in front of her that Xia Ning finally realized something was wrong. Startled, she let out a loud cry of rm.

 Chapter 327: Hero Saves the Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Hero Saves the Beauty</h4><h4></h4>

    It was toote when she realized, both Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng had already rushed towards her.

    Neither Luo Qinghe nor Su Cheng had a favorable impression of Xia Ning, and especially under these circumstances, they had no intention of showing mercy.

    With deft movements, Luo Qinghe had already seized Xia Ning¡¯s wrist, preventing her from grabbing the wooden stick by her side.

    Su Cheng didn¡¯t pause for a second and charged directly into the factory, and with just one nce at the scene before him, he was so furious that smoke might as well have beening out of his ears.

    In the center of the factory stood two doors, with Fu Han and Bai Wei bound to them respectively.

    At this moment, Xia Cheng was standing in front of Fu Han, his head buried in the crook of her shoulder, his hand attempting to unbutton her clothes.

    "What are you doing?" Su Cheng bellowed, already charging towards them like an arrow released from its bow.

    Xia Cheng, lost in the allure of a soft and warm body, jumped at the sound; he fell to the ground with a thud, his face ghastly white, and immediately wilted away.

    Fu Han looked towards the source of the sound, and upon seeing Su Cheng, she smiled happily through her tear-streaked face: "Su Cheng, you¡¯re here, that¡¯s great."

    At this moment, Su Cheng was far from having the good feelings of a heroic rescue; he made his way over in three quick steps and began to punch and kick Xia Cheng vigorously.

    Although Xia Cheng was roughly the same height and build as Su Cheng and might not necessarily lose in a fight, he was like a punching bag under the present duress, not even daring to fight back.

    Luo Qinghe finally entered and immediately noticed Bai Wei, who was unconscious and bound to a wooden board. His eyes reddened and he sped over like a sprinter, untying Bai Wei and desperately shaking her: "Xiaowei, Xiaowei, how are you? Wake up, wake up, please."

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even tighter, her eyshes quivering until finally her eyes fluttered open. She first looked at Luo Qinghe, then around herself in confusion, and asked dazedly, "Qinghe, why are you here? Am I dreaming?"

    "You¡¯re not dreaming; I¡¯m here to save you," Luo Qinghe said, pulling Bai Wei into his embrace, his cheek pressed tightly against her forehead, as if afraid she¡¯d slip away if he wasn¡¯t careful.

    Bai Wei grimaced in pain: "You... loosen up a bit, it hurts."

    "I¡¯ll take you to the hospital." Luo Qinghe hurriedly scooped Bai Wei into his arms and sprinted towards his car. As he approached the door, he looked back and shouted at Su Cheng: "What are you dawdling for? Hurry and take them to the hospital."

    Su Cheng had already untied Fu Han and was now using the rope to tie up Xia Cheng. Hearing Luo Qinghe, he didn¡¯t dare dy any longer and bent down to pick up Fu Han.

    "No need, I can walk on my own," Fu Han said, pushing Su Cheng away. But after just a few steps, she doubled over in pain.

    Xia Cheng and Xia Ning were indeed siblings, both ruthless in their actions. With the slightest resistance from Fu Han, Xia Cheng would punch her stomach. Now she felt as though all her internal organs had shifted.

    "I¡¯ll carry you," Su Cheng said, his heart aching. This time, he picked up Fu Han without further discussion; and this time, she didn¡¯t resist.

    The Lamborghini sped through the tall grass, with Nan Qing sitting in the passenger seat, tensely watching ahead. She first saw Luo Qinghe and Xia Cheng¡¯s cars before noticing Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng themselves.

    Once they parked, He Xing stepped forward, intending to "snatch" Fu Han away, but Su Cheng deftly dodged.

    "Xiaohan, shall I take you back?" asked He Xing, his attempt to take Fu Han foiled and thus turning his attention to her.

    But Fu Han was in severe pain all over; she wanted nothing more than to rush to the hospital with Bai Wei for a checkup. She nced at Xia Ning struggling to get up nearby: "You¡¯d better handle the aftermath."

    When He Xing¡¯s gaze fell upon Xia Ning, the temperature around plummeted abruptly, as though everyone was instantaneously transported to a frozen Snond.

    Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng exchanged a nce, both tacitly understanding as they carried their partners to their cars, without giving He Xing another look.

    A momentter, the sound of engines revved. It was Luo Qinghe driving away with Fu Han and the others.

    Nan Qing walked up to He Xing, nudging her chin towards Xia Ning: "What about them? Should I call the police to take them away?"

    Xia Ning was so cold she was shivering, yet she broke out in a cold sweat. Luo Qinghe had hit her hard, and she slowly inched toward He Xing, pleading: "Big brother He Xing, I... I know I was wrong. Please don¡¯t send me to the police station, I won¡¯t do this ever again."

    A noise of something hitting the floor echoed within the factory, causing Xia Ning¡¯s eyes to widen in shock: "It¡¯s my brother, it¡¯s Xia Cheng who thought Fu Han and Bai Wei were pretty. He insisted I help him, I had no choice, really, big brother He Xing, if you have to me someone, me my brother."

    Nan Qing always knew Xia Ning was shameless, stopping at nothing to achieve her goals, but she was still astounded by Xia Ning¡¯s words, selling out even her own brother to an extent unheard and unseen before.

    "This is between you, Fu Han, and Bai Wei, it has nothing to do with me." He Xing snorted coldly, first entering the factory to drag Xia Cheng out, then stuffing Xia Ning into his car.

    The Lamborghini ignited once again, and the party of four set off on their return journey.

    The faces of the four were markedly different; He Xing¡¯s was icy with murderous intent, Xia Cheng¡¯s full of terror, and Xia Ning¡¯s eyes were restlessly darting about. In contrast, Nan Qing was the most rxed among them, concerned about Fu Han and Bai Wei, but also curious to see how He Xing would deal with Xia Cheng and Xia Ning.

    He Xing mmed on the brakes and turned to Nan Qing in the passenger seat: "Call and find out which hospital they went to."

    ...

    Upon reaching the hospital, He Xing and Su Cheng each carried one in their arms, sprinting towards the emergency room as ifpeting in a hundred-meter dash, shouting ahead, "Please make way, please make way!"

    By the time He Xing arrived at the hospital, Fu Han and Bai Wei were already inside the emergency room, with Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng standing guard outside.

    He approached Su Cheng and asked, "How is Fu Han doing?"

    Su Cheng nced at Xia Cheng and Xia Ning trailing behind He Xing. Though they looked a bit disheveled, the guilt and indifference on their facespletely enraged Su Cheng.

    Thinking of Fu Han¡¯s injuries and her face swollen like a steamed bun, he pointed at Xia Cheng and Xia Ning and challenged He Xing, "Don¡¯t you know the injuries Fu Han has were caused by them? Why don¡¯t you send them to the police station? Aren¡¯t you just trying to protect them again?"

 Chapter 328: The Father-Son Trioâ€™s Duet

    <h4>Chapter 328: Chapter 328: The Father-Son Trio¡¯s Duet</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s already unattractiveplexion turned paler, his lips tightened, but his response remained the same, "How is Fu Han doing?"

    Su Cheng saw that his words were ignored, fury ignited within him as he burst from his seat, throwing a punch at He Xing: "Are you even listening to me? Who matters more to you, Xia Ning or Fu Han?"

    "Have you lost your mind?" He Xing suppressed his rage, raising his arm to block Su Cheng¡¯s hand, his eyes without warmth as he stared at him: "I don¡¯t need to exin Fu Han¡¯s importance to me to any of you. I am only concerned about Fu Han¡¯s condition."

    "Concerned about her?" Su Cheng¡¯s anger was inexhaustible as he swung another punch at He Xing: "If it weren¡¯t for you, how could Fu Han have been hurt time and again? Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see what Xia Ning has been doing to Fu Han?"

    He Xing had already raised his arm, and with a slight adjustment, he could easily have blocked Su Cheng¡¯s punch.

    But Su Cheng¡¯s words weighed down like a mountain on his back, bending He Xing¡¯s spine, his shoulder taking the blow forcibly, pain splitting through his scap as if it were about to crack open.

    The force exerted is mutual; Su Cheng¡¯s backhand throbbed with piercing pain, like a needle touching a balloon, dissipating all the fury in his heart.

    He hadn¡¯t actually intended to hit He Xing, at least not this time. He had been ready for He Xing to dodge, considering that in their previous encounter his punch had been swifter, yet He Xing had evaded with ease.

    Knowing he wouldn¡¯t really hit He Xing, this punch was purely venting more forceful than thest, not expecting He Xing not to dodge.

    Su Cheng sheepishly retracted his hand, awkwardly saying, "I... I never intended to really hit you."

    No expression could be discerned on He Xing¡¯s handsome face, his gaze heavy as he looked at Su Cheng: "How is Fu Han doing?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Now without any reason to refuse, Su Cheng sighed and exined: "Fu Han has multiple external injuries, and it¡¯s said that the siblings Xia Cheng and Xia Ning repeatedly beat her. The doctor is currently examining and treating her wounds."

    The hospital was as bustling as a market, with peopleing and going outside the emergency room.

    Even though everyone lives ordinary lives, free from any significant ups and downs, why do ordinary people suffer from so many illnesses?

    The majority of the passersby moved in a hurried manner, few stopping for others¡¯ affairs, let alone caring for the joys and sorrows of strangers.

    He Xing shifted his gaze from Su Cheng, finally resting it on the faces of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, less than a meter away from him; his eyes narrowed slightly, his entire presence emanating a dangerous aura.

    Like they had agreed to do so, both Xia Cheng and Xia Ning shrunk their necks, hung her heads, eyes fixated on the ground, not daring to look at He Xing.

    Footsteps echoed from afar, the friction of heels striking the floor resounded through the narrow corridor, annoyingly repetitive and grating to the ear.

    Turning towards the direction of the sound, theer turned out to be the father of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, Xia Guoxiong.

    Dressed in his fine suit, though he had hurried over, not a single wrinkle marred his clothes, his shoes glossy, hair meticulously styled, unfazed by his swift pace, likely using at least half a bottle of hair gel in a day.

    Xia Guoxiong stood in front of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, his gaze on them freezing: "Do you realize the mess you¡¯ve created today?"

    The siblings hung their heads, unable to retaliate or even utter a word in their defense.

    "Good job, relying on He Xing¡¯s support behind you, you don¡¯t even take your own father seriously, do you? How many times have I told you to behave yourselves outside, yet you never listen," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s finger jabbing with such vehemence at Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, as if wishing to poke holes through them.

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, unable to hold back any longer: "Uncle Xia, I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. I¡¯ve never backed them up, if anyone¡¯s been supporting them, it¡¯s been you, hasn¡¯t it?"

    "That¡¯s not important," Xia Guoxiong waved his hand dismissively, with an obviously ingratiating expression, "He Xing, who doesn¡¯t know that the Xia Family has reached its current status thanks to the He Family¡¯s help?"

    This wasmon knowledge throughout the city and the country, but hearing it from Xia Guoxiong¡¯s mouth made it especially disagreeable.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze chilled even further as he aloofly replied, "Uncle Xia, let¡¯s not be modest. The Xia Group¡¯s sess today is the result of your years of struggle, day and night; it¡¯s your good fortune."

    In terms of linguistic artistry, this was a statement that seemed like praise at first nce but made Xia Guoxiong quite ufortable.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s smile stiffened momentarily; still, as a well-known old fox, his expression quickly returned to normal, the smile even deeper: "He Xing, you¡¯re being too formal. Although our families are distinct, who doesn¡¯t know how close our rtionship is? Without selling the He Family¡¯s face, who would have bothered with me when I started my business?"

    This time, what Xia Guoxiong said was much more sincere and, of course, because it was the truth.

    He Xing neither disputed nor agreed, but turned his attention to Xia Cheng and Xia Ning: "Uncle Xia, you¡¯re aware of what happened today. How do you think we should handle this?"

    "This..." Xia Guoxiong nced carefully at He Xing¡¯s expression, noticing that although his face was expressionless, his gaze was terrifying to the point that it would instinctively instill fear in others.

    On the other hand, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, thinking they had found a backer in Xia Guoxiong, no longer hung their heads like before, but instead looked at him with pleading eyes.

    p, p! Two sharp ps rang, and on both Xia Cheng¡¯s and Xia Ning¡¯s faces, a clear handprint appeared.

    "Dad!" they eximed in unison, clearly not understanding why Xia Guoxiong had acted this way, and feeling wronged over being struck.

    Xia Guoxiong scolded them with a cold face: "You have really bewless. This time you¡¯ve hurt Fu Han and Bai Wei; I cannot help you. You¡¯ll have to figure it out on your own."

    They were both at a loss, with no one expecting Xia Guoxiong to abandon them.

    What worried them most was that they had now calmed down enough to realize the gravity of their deeds and the consequences they faced. They broke into cold sweats, minds going nk, unable to utter a word.

    Xia Guoxiong, seeing his foolish children who didn¡¯t grasp his true intentions, was seething inside, yet he turned to He Xing and knelt on the ground with a thump: "He Xing, they are my only children; you must save them."

 Chapter 329: An Operation That Resets Oneâ€™s Worldview

    <h4>Chapter 329: Chapter 329: An Operation That Resets One¡¯s Worldview</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing hastily stepped aside, trying to pull Xia Guoxiong up as he said, "Uncle Xia, what are you doing? If you have something to say, let¡¯s talk it over. I¡¯m your junior; how can you kneel before me?"

    "I won¡¯t get up unless you forgive Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. It¡¯s all my fault. I was too busy to discipline them properly, and it made them grow up like wild children without parents."

    Themotion caused by Xia Guoxiong¡¯s kneeling was not small, and many spectators had already gathered around. Upon hearing his words, several onlookers whispered among themselves.

    Although no one knew the specifics, somemented that Xia Guoxiong only cared about making money and neglected his children, others said that Xia Cheng and Xia Ning were adults who did not need to be managed, and some wondered where their mother was.

    Someone in the crowd called out, "Isn¡¯t that the Chairman of the Xia Group? I heard that the wife of the Xia Group¡¯s Chairman died while saving Chairman He!"

    Thatment set the crowd abuzz, and their looks toward He Xing became even moreplex and indescribable.

    Some people even said outright, "This Chairman He is really something. The woman died trying to save him, yet he still has people kneeling before him."

    The remark resonated with many, as after all, a life-saving grace could never be repaid unless one gave their life in return.

    More and more people crowded around, with quite a few standing directly behind the three members of the Xia Family, as if they were showing their support through action.

    As for He Xing¡¯s side, there were only a few people at most, and among them, Luo Qinghe was only concerned with Bai Wei and ignored everything happening here, at least that¡¯s how he appeared.

    Su Cheng was also only concerned about Fu Han. Of course, he was angry about the situation before him, but he was also angry with He Xing, hence he just watched coldly and had no intention of speaking; Su Cheng had personally witnessed the person, who had highlighted the Xia Family¡¯s life-saving grace towards He Xing, uttering that statement before running off.

    Only Nan Qing felt some sympathy towards He Xing, mostly because she was Fu Han¡¯s best friend and had some understanding of the situation here. She disdained the Xia Family¡¯s moral posturing, which made her somewhat sympathetic towards He Xing.

    But like Su Cheng, Fu Han was her primary concern, and she was curious about what choice He Xing would make between the Xia Family and Fu Han.

    So in the end, despite the pointing and murmuring, not a single person came forward to utter even half a word in defense of He Xing.

    The color drained from He Xing¡¯s face as he looked at the stubborn Xia Guoxiong kneeling in front of him and said with a helpless expression, "Uncle Xia, it is Fu Han and Bai Wei who were hurt by Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. Even if you want to help them, you should go to Fu Han and Bai Wei."

    "Why should I go to them?" Xia Guoxiong, albeit kneeling and much shorter than He Xing,pletely overshadowed him with his aura. He argued righteously, "Fu Han is your fianc¨¦e, and Bai Wei is your cousin. If you are willing to plead for mercy on behalf of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, then they will certainly be fine."

    After rolling her eyes countless times, Nan Qing finally couldn¡¯t help herself. She thought the Xia Family of three could always lower her standards, and she said disdainfully to Xia Guoxiong, "Hey, I¡¯ve seen shameless people, but never as shameless as you."

    "Who are you?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression darkened when he faced Nan Qing, noticeably colder as he said with a threatening tone, "This is a matter between the Xia Family and the He Family; it¡¯s none of your business. You¡¯d better keep your mouth shut."

    The crowd of self-righteous onlookers, as if on cue, began pointing at Nan Qing, "Yeah, why interject in someone else¡¯s family matters? I think the Xia Family is really pitiable. They saved someone¡¯s life, but when they ask for help, they refuse. They¡¯re just unlucky to have encountered ungrateful people."

    "Really?" Nan Qing scoffed in anger, having originally only wanted to speak a word but was now thoroughly enraged. Her expression turned cold as she rebuked the surrounding crowd, "I ask you, how much do you know about the affairs between the He Family and the Xia Family? How do you know He Xing hasn¡¯t reciprocated the life-saving favor? And regarding today¡¯s incident, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning deliberately hurt someone, and the injured person is still in the Emergency Room, with their life in the bnce, yet they are here asking He Xing for forgiveness! What right does He Xing have to forgive on someone else¡¯s behalf?"

    She spoke with righteous indignation, her usually cute, round face serious, instilling a sense of fear in the onlookers.

    The self-proimed righteous spectators around them were unable to refute her words.

    Xia Guoxiong, who had previously refused to get up, also stood up. He detested this girl who stood up for He Xing, and he nearly poked Nan Qing¡¯s forehead with his finger, "Who¡¯s child are you, disying such ack of manners? What does the matter between me and He Xing have to do with you? Is it your ce to makements here?"

    Nan Qing stood tall, her beautiful eyes scornfully looking at Xia Guoxiong, "Since you asked, listen well: my name is Nangong Qing, and I am the sole heir to the Nangong Group. May I ask if I¡¯m qualified to speak now?"

    The ensuing scene was quite humorous as Xia Guoxiong vividly demonstrated what it meant to change his tune, his expression shifting countless times in just a few seconds, from initial anger to surprise, and then to panic after confirming the truth of Nan Qing¡¯s im from He Xing¡¯s expression.

    In the end, he vividly showed everyone what it meant to have a thick skin as he desperately tried to squeeze out a smile, although his grin looked utterly unconvincing, "So it turns out you are Lady Nangong, I have long admired your name. I apologize for any offense; please don¡¯t take it to heart."

    Nangong Qing shrugged her shoulders, not giving him the slightest bit of face as she said, "Save your polite words for my father. I don¡¯t like to hear them at all, and in fact, I find you utterly detestable."

    The onlookers also had a clear view of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s true colors and no longer supported him, with quite a few even whistling at him.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face alternated between red and white, and his clothes didn¡¯t seem as bright and shiny as before, even his meticulously styled hair had copsed, making him look particrly disheveled.

    Knowing that he would only make a fool of himself if he continued to argue with Nan Qing, he once again turned his gaze to He Xing, "He Xing, no matter what, you can¡¯t just do nothing about them. Look at Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, they¡¯ve been beaten into this state too. We can call it even, can¡¯t we?"

    He Xing¡¯s patience had already run out from the moment Xia Guoxiong knelt to force his hand, and now all his concerny with Fu Han¡¯s wellbeing. He had no mood left to debate with Xia Guoxiong.

    His face cold and expressionless, he said, "Uncle Xia, you¡¯d better take Xia Cheng and Xia Ning back quickly. How this matter is handled is not for me to say or decide; it¡¯s up to Fu Han and Bai Wei themselves to determine."

 Chapter 330: The Face Cannot be Repaired

    <h4>Chapter 330: Chapter 330: The Face Cannot be Repaired</h4><h4></h4>

    "Then we¡¯ll just... wait for your news," Xia Guoxiong said with an ingratiating smile, then took Xia Cheng and Xia Ning by the hand and left. "They both got injured too, I¡¯ll take them to get examined... treated, to tend to their wounds."

    No one paid any attention to them, including He Xing, as if by tacit agreement, as if nobody was aware they had left.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the door to the Emergency Room opened, and Fu Han and Bai Wei both came out. Fortunately, both were conscious, though they now had bandages wrapped around them here and there.

    The difference was that Bai Wei, although pale, didn¡¯t seem to be significantly affected, but Fu Han¡¯s face was wrapped in bandages, looking like a mummy¡¯s head, with only two eyes, a nose, and a mouth showing.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes reddened in an instant; he took three steps in two strides and rushed to the doctor, anxiously asking, "Doctor, how is Fu Han doing?"

    "Are you a family member of the patient?" the Doctor asked while taking off his gloves, his expression that distinct doctor¡¯s detachment that seemed to see through life and death.

    "I am her fianc¨¦," He Xing¡¯s voice trembled as he spoke, "How is Fu Han¡¯s face, really?"

    The Doctor sighed. "Her face had been injured before and hadn¡¯t fully recovered. Now that it¡¯s injured again, we can manage her wounds, but we can¡¯t restore her face. You should prepare yourselves mentally for this."

    This statement exploded like a muffled thunder in He Xing¡¯s heart, darkening his vision, nearly making him copse.

    Fu Han, on the other hand, spoke lightly as if the matter was trivial. "A face is just an appearance, it¡¯s not important to me whether it looks good or not. If it¡¯s ruined, then let it be ruined."

    Though her expression was hidden, her eyes could be seen by others: what kind of look was that? ck and empty, it made one feel as if there was no soul behind those eyes.

    He Xing truly wished Fu Han would break down in tears rather than remain like this.

    Soon, Fu Han and Bai Wei were both transferred to a Ward, where Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng had already secured a VIP Ward for them using their family connections before He Xing arrived.

    The spacious VIP Ward looked extraordinarily cozy, with wallpaper featuring small blue flowers, a crystal chandelier overhead, and d¨¦cor that resembled a high-end hotel, save for the additional medical equipment.

    The bed in Fu Han¡¯s Ward was covered in a duvet with a pale pink and white checkered pattern, the bedside table held a pink mushroom-shapedmp, and the coffee table bore fragrant fresh flowers. There were also two colorful oil paintings hanging on the wall.

    The room felt as warm andfortable as any ordinary little girl¡¯s bedroom.

    At this moment, however, no one cared how unlike a Ward the room looked, as they were more concerned about Fu Han¡¯s condition.

    He Xing and Su Cheng stood like two guardian statues on either side of the bed, their four eyes unwaveringly focused on Fu Han as if they wished they could engrave her image into their hearts.

    As for Nan Qing, she stood at the foot of the bed looking at Fu Han, tears glistening in her beautifulrge eyes.

    He Xing was the first to speak, carefully touching Fu Han¡¯s arm. "Xiaohan, what exactly happened? Can you tell us about it?"

    When he had arrived at the factory, Fu Han had already been rescued by Su Cheng, and he hadn¡¯t witnessed the absurd scene; moreover, Su Cheng hadn¡¯t told him anything beforehand.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes moved around, looking from He Xing¡¯s face to Nan Qing¡¯s, then finally to Su Cheng¡¯s. A momentter, she lowered her gaze and said, "I don¡¯t want to talk about it, please don¡¯t ask me anymore."

    Perhaps because she hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time, Fu Han¡¯s voice sounded ... a bit hoarse, raspy, as if something was stuck in her throat.

    "But..." He Xing opened his mouth as if to say something more.

    "If she doesn¡¯t want to talk, then don¡¯t force her, alright?" Su Cheng interrupted without hesitation, his delicate face filled with anger.

    He Xing abruptly turned to look at Su Cheng with the look one reserves for an enemy, marked by deep anger and an indescribable loathing, as if he might cast aside all restraint and attack him the next second.

    Nan Qing, who was watching, felt a chill down her back as if she were in a frozen snond. Oddly, she was a bit worried that He Xing and Su Cheng would start fighting again.

    She hurriedly stood up with her arms outstretched between the two men. "Enough, the injured one is Fu Han, and the doctor said she needs to rest properly. If you want to argue, take it outside, and don¡¯t disturb Fu Han."

    For a moment, the Ward became especially quiet, so much so that one could hear a pin drop.

    The two men looked at each other, neither saying another word.

    A breeze blew in from outside the window, stirring Fu Han¡¯s patient gown. The clothing was unusuallyrge, like a child sneakily wearing an adult¡¯s clothes, making her figure seem so frail, like a tboat slowly drifting with the waves on the sea.

    Fu Han stared nkly at the flowers on the coffee table, her eyes glistening as if reflecting light. Her gaze fell lightly on He Xing and Su Cheng. "I¡¯m tired, please leave," she murmured.

    The two men looked at each other, seemingly surprised to be both ejected by Fu Han at the same time.

    Nan Qing reacted quickly. She sat by Fu Han¡¯s bed and said softly, "Fu Han, I don¡¯t feel right leaving you alone, may I stay here with you?"

    This time He Xing and Su Cheng showed unprecedented cooperation. They echoed Nan Qing¡¯s words, full of hopeful anticipation that Fu Han would let Nan Qing stay.

    Fu Han tilted her head to look at Nan Qing. She had only nced at her for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to everyone else.

    Finally, she nodded slowly.

    He Xing and Su Cheng once again demonstrated their silent understanding. They conveyed their unspoken message to Nan Qing with their eyes before reluctantly leaving, ncing back three steps at a time.

    As He Xing prepared to close the door behind him, Fu Han suddenly spoke up, "Could one of you... check on Bai Wei, see if she is alright."

    "Certainly, I¡¯ll go check right now," said He Xing, as if receiving a great blessing, gratefully epting the task as if it were a sacred duty.

    When only Nan Qing and Fu Han were left in the Ward, Fu Han moved her neck slightly and spoke softly, "Nan Qing, could you fetch some water for me? I... I¡¯d like to freshen up."

    "Sure, I¡¯ll help with that," Nan Qing said, immediately grabbing a basin and towel from the restroom.

    The VIP Ward was not onlyfortable to stay in, but it also came fully equipped with all the things a patient might need: a clean basin, towels, toothbrush, slippers, water ss, and more, with no need to rush out to buy them.

    Nan Qing quickly filled a basin with water and, wringing out a towel, said to Fu Han, "Fu Han, shall I help you wash up?"

 Chapter 331: Canâ€™t Wash it Off

    <h4>Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Can¡¯t Wash it Off</h4><h4></h4>

    "Thank you, I¡¯ll do it myself," Fu Han said as she struggled to get out of bed.

    Her stomach still hurt terribly as if her internal organs had been disced, the pain piercing her heart. But she felt dirty and didn¡¯t want Nan Qing¡¯s hands to get dirty too.

    Although Nan Qing couldn¡¯t clearly see Fu Han¡¯s face, she could feel Fu Han¡¯s difort. She wanted to stop Fu Han but feared that any unintended movement could cause her secondary harm.

    Eventually, she went along with Fu Han¡¯s wishes, allowing her to wipe her own body while Nan Qing could only ce the basin on a chair to prevent Fu Han from bending too deeply.

    Fu Han was like a robot, mechanically wiping her neck and chest over and over again with a towel. Her movements vigorous, her neck was already reddened but she seemed oblivious to the pain.

    Nan Qing bit her lip hard, knowing that something must have happened to Fu Han. Fu Han wouldn¡¯t speak of it, so Nan Qing didn¡¯t ask.

    Suddenly, Nan Qing realized something was wrong;rge tears were falling from Fu Han¡¯s eyes, sshing into the washbasin, causing water to ssh around.

    Nan Qing could no longer control her emotions. She grabbed Fu Han¡¯s wrist and said with concern, "Fu Han, stop washing, your skin will break if you continue like this."

    "I must be clean, I have to be" Fu Han¡¯s voice was no longer as hoarse, but it was full of despair as she repeated, "I¡¯m so dirty, I¡¯m so dirty now, what should I do if I can¡¯t get clean."

    "Fu Han, calm down. I know you¡¯ve been bullied, and if you really want to take revenge, you should fight back instead of torturing yourself." Nan Qing snatched the towel out of Fu Han¡¯s hand and threw it into the water. The force was considerable, scattering water in all directions, some of itnding on Fu Han and Nan Qing¡¯s clothes, but most of it sshed onto the floor.

    The light gray floor, spattered with water, looked even more translucent, but the wet floor was so slippery that stepping on it could be dangerous.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Fu Han. I shouldn¡¯t have said those things. I¡¯ll go get you fresh water, and if you want to wash, I¡¯ll stay with you," said Nan Qing as she took some tissues and began wiping the floor dry before heading towards the restroom.

    Fu Han watched Nan Qing do all of this, tears constantly threatening to fall from her deep eyes.

    Just as Nan Qing reached the restroom, Fu Han suddenly spoke, "No need, Nan Qing, you don¡¯t have to fetch water."

    That one sentence was like enormous encouragement for Nan Qing, who dashed out excitedly, "Fu Han, you¡¯vee to your senses, you¡¯re going to take revenge, right?"

    Fu Han slowly nodded: "Right, you¡¯re right. Whoever hurt me, I should find that person." She paused and looked at Nan Qing, "Do you know where Xia Cheng and Xia Ning are?"

    "They came while you were in the emergency room; they should still be nearby the hospital. Do you need me to look for them?" Nan Qing felt extremely ufortable just thinking about the Xia family; although she didn¡¯t know what happened, the injuries sustained by Nan Qing and Bai Wei were real.

    Fu Han nodded and then shook her head. After thinking for a bit, she said to Nan Qing, "Can I borrow your phone? Xia Ning smashed mine."

    "Of course," Nan Qing said as she took out her phone from her bag and asked, "What do you need the phone for?"

    "To call the police!"

    ...

    Bai Wei¡¯s ward.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had secured the best vantage point; they had just inquired with the doctor and learned that Bai Wei¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t serious. She would recover after a few days of care in the hospital.

    Luo Qinghe, Su Cheng, and He Xing sat on the sofa, each with a different expression, but all looking grim.

    Bai Wei¡¯s voice filled the ward as she recounted the coincidence of discovering Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, the siblings, sneakily leaving.

    She also talked about how she apanied Fu Han to chase after them and how Xia Cheng and Xia Ning ambushed them in the factory. She was knocked unconscious by the siblings and didn¡¯t know what happened afterward.

    After listening, Fu Xingbo¡¯s face turned very grim. He turned to Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe: "Can you now tell me what you saw?"

    "I was fighting Xia Ning outside, Su Cheng went in first," Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t hide anything and spoke straightforwardly, "When I entered, Su Cheng was beating Xia Cheng, and Fu Han and Bai Wei were tied up. We had just released them when He Xing and Nan Qing arrived."

    All eyes turned to Su Cheng, who was the first one in and the only one who saw what actually happened.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face was ashen. His gaze swept over everyone before he coldly said, "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to tell you what I saw, but this is Fu Han¡¯s personal matter. Until I have her permission, I won¡¯t say a word."

    "You not speaking, how will we know how to deal with Xia Cheng and Xia Ning?" He Xing was furious, grabbing Su Cheng¡¯s shirt cor, his sculpted face aze with anger.

    With a raise of his arm, Su Cheng easily fended off He Xing¡¯s hand, looking emotionlessly at He Xing: "I¡¯ll say it again, if Fu Han doesn¡¯t allow it, I won¡¯t speak. Also, if there¡¯s any dealing to be done with Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, it¡¯s up to Bai Wei and Fu Han."

    The atmosphere in the ward instantly froze, with every eye on He Xing and Su Cheng. What Su Cheng said made sense, but everyone could understand He Xing¡¯s urgent desire to learn the truth.

    Just as it seemed the two men woulde to blows, Fu Xingbo suddenly stood up. He looked at He Xing with a calm expression: "Su Cheng is right. The ones hurt in this incident are Bai Wei and Fu Han. Whether to make it public or how to handle it should be up to Fu Han and Bai Wei, not us to pry into someone else¡¯s privacy."

    Fu Xingbo was the elder, Bai Wei¡¯s father, and the person with the closest blood rtion to Fu Han in this world. Even He Xing had to heed his words.

    After he finished speaking, the ward became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. No one spoke again, though their expressions remainedplex.

    Suddenly, a mor arose from outside the ward, the sound of someone in boots walking quickly on the tile floor, grating to the ears.

    This was the VIP Ward of the hospital, usually very quiet. Why would there suddenly be so many people?

    He Xing was the first to react, rushing out the door with Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe quickly following. The three men blocked the entrance to the ward.

    Along the corridor near the elevator, a group of police officers was heading their way, the footsteps earlier hade from them.

 Chapter 332: The Rarity is Precious

    <h4>Chapter 332: Chapter 332: The Rarity is Precious</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing had a foreboding feeling, and he hurried out the door towards Fu Han¡¯s ward. However, before he could reach the door to Fu Han¡¯s ward, the police had already knocked on it first.

    A few secondster, Nan Qing opened the door. Seeing the police, she greeted them with a polite smile, "Good day, officers. The person who called the police is Fu Han, and I am her friend. Pleasee in."

    He Xing followed the police and tried to enter as well, but Nan Qing spread her arms, blocking his way. "He Xing, Fu Han said she does not wish for anyone else toe in. Please wait outside."

    At this point, thest shred of rationality in He Xing¡¯s mindpletely vanished, and he looked at Nan Qing furiously. "What the hell are you up to?"

    Nan Qing scoffed, speaking bluntly, "He Xing, I hope you remember that you are not the only one who sincerely cares about Fu Han. We are sincere too. Unlike you, who cares for Fu Han on the condition that Xia Ning is not hurt, we don¡¯t consider Xia Ning at all."

    Initially, He Xing was prepared to barge in forcefully, but upon hearing Nan Qing¡¯s words, his feet felt as if they were leaden, unable to move a single step.

    Nan Qing looked at the ashen-faced He Xing in front of her, feeling not a whit of sympathy for him. On the contrary, she even thought that He Xing¡¯s current predicament was well deserved.

    At that moment, He Xing¡¯s mind reyed Nan Qing¡¯s words over and over. Undoubtedly, in his heart, Fu Han and his grandfather were the most important, and he never considered Xia Ning and Xia Cheng to be very important.

    But the debt of a life saved... unless he could return this life to the Xia Family, he would always feel indebted every time he saw someone from the Xia Family, and that was something that would never change.

    So, in fact, if he thought carefully, Nan Qing wasn¡¯t wrong. In situations where Fu Han¡¯s life wasn¡¯t in danger, he did indeed hope privately that Xia Cheng and Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t get hurt again.

    Just as Xia Guoxiong said, if it hadn¡¯t been to save him, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning would have had their biological mother¡¯s guidance and wouldn¡¯t have turned out the way they are today; therefore, he always felt indebted to the Xia Family.

    He Xing stood by the door of Fu Han¡¯s ward like a fool, onlying back to his senses when Fu Xingbo tapped him on the shoulder.

    "Do you have time to talk?" Fu Xingbo spoke as always, gentle, without any hard edges, yet filled with them. His words were like magic, making it hard for anyone to refuse.

    Just like He Xing at that moment, who nodded and headed towards the elevator first, "Uncle, let¡¯s go downstairs to talk; it¡¯s not convenient here."

    The two men rode the elevator in silence and then walked out of it, also in silence, finding a quiet, shady spot to sit under in the Inpatient Department.

    It was already autumn, and the sun shone brightly. The clear blue sky seemed to lift the mood of anyone whoid eyes upon it.

    Yet He Xing didn¡¯t look up at the sky but at the ground in front of him, where a small ant carried a grain of rice and moved forward very slowly; if you weren¡¯t continuously watching, you might believe the ant hadn¡¯t moved at all.

    A breeze came by, and the autumn wind was neither cold nor hot, feeling refreshing, as if carrying a whiff of osmanthus fragrance¡ªmild and just right.

    After what felt like a long time, Fu Xingbo spoke faintly, "He Xing, how do you see your rtionship with Fu Han?"

    He Xing straightened up like a student called upon by the teacher in a ssroom, and said seriously, "Uncle, I love Fu Han and won¡¯t marry anyone but her."

    Fu Xingbo continued to look at He Xing steadily, his gaze as calm as always, like an ancient well, without any ripples.

    Yet, for some reason, being stared at in such a manner, He Xing felt as if he had nowhere to hide, like his secrets wereid bare before Fu Xingbo, as clear as words on white paper!

    The two men locked eyes in silence, and He Xing felt an odd sensation¡ªif he looked away first, he might never win Fu Xingbo¡¯s approval for the rest of his life.

    The sound of the wind grew louder, howling and tousling He Xing¡¯s hair, several strands veiling his eyes, which was extremely ufortable, almost bringing tears to them.

    It¡¯s unclear how much time passed before Fu Xingbo finally looked away first. "Okay, I believe what you said. So, how do you n to deal with Xia Cheng and Xia Ning?"

    Again, Xia Ning. Nan Qing kept mentioning Xia Ning, Su Cheng kept mentioning her, and now Fu Xingbo was bringing her up.

    Inexplicably, irritation welled up in He Xing¡¯s heart. Still, he spoke as calmly as he could, "Uncle, what happens between me and Fu Han has nothing to do with Xia Ning."

    "Is that so?" Fu Xingbo smiled, a smile as warm as the spring breeze, cultured and graceful, yet with sharpness hidden within, almost unendurable to look at directly, "But why have I heard that Xia Ning, because she likes you, always makes things difficult for Fu Han? Am I mistaken?"

    He Xing¡¯s face turned pale and then red. For the first time in his life, he felt at a loss for words, whereas in the past, he would remainposed even facing the board of directors, eloquently countering multiple adversaries.

    The piercing wind suddenly softened, and Fu Xingboughed lightly, "What¡¯s the matter? Is this question difficult to answer?"

    The fragrance of osmanthus had faded quite a bit, almost imperceptible; in the distance, two yellow butterflies danced around an about-to-wilt morning glory.

    The blue and white morning glory was Fu Han¡¯s favorite; at the He Family¡¯s vi, there was a huge vine of morning glory, which He Xing had a gardener taking care of, blooming for half a year, still lush and leafy.

    Indeed, rarity adds to the charm; there are so few flowers in autumn that a wilting one managed to attract a couple of butterflies.

    He Xing sighed inwardly. He truly didn¡¯t want to answer Fu Xingbo¡¯s question, but it seemed impossible not to answer now.

    Adjusting his emotions, he tried to speak with as even a tone as possible, "Uncle, I know Xia Ning likes me, but I¡¯ve also told her many times that Fu Han is the only one in my heart."

    "So? Did that result in Xia Ning not giving up, to the point where she directly ruined your wedding today? I may not know about the injuries Fu Han suffered before, but today she was hurt like this; how do you n to handle this matter?" Fu Xingbo¡¯s smile deepened, dimples faint on his cheeks, his teeth shining white and even.

    But, somehow, as light skimmed over Fu Xingbo¡¯s sses, his eyes became like knives, painfully sharp, making He Xing feel utterly exposed.

    His mouth opened and closed, then closed and opened, and after a few attempts, he finally spoke with flushed cheeks, "Uncle, I know Fu Han was hurt, and I won¡¯t let Xia Cheng and Xia Ning off the hook, but... but how to handle them, I... I haven¡¯t figured it out yet."

 Chapter 333: You Are Not the Target

    <h4>Chapter 333: Chapter 333: You Are Not the Target</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and his crescent-moon shaped eyes did bear some resemnce to Fu Han¡¯s, but the gesture he made feltpletely different from hers.

    Every time Fu Han narrowed her eyes, she seemed like azy little fox, brimming with cleverness, extremely adorable; but Fu Xingbo... if one must find a simrity between him and a fox at this moment, it would definitely be that of a cunning, resolute leader within a pack of foxes, one who has everything under his control.

    "I heard that Xia Guoxiong came to the hospital to beg you, even going so far as to kneel down dramatically before you?" Fu Xingbo said with no small amount of sarcasm, "So you softened your heart, thinking about forgiving them?"

    His voice was extremely soft, as if it would disperse with a breath of wind, yet his enunciation was very clear, each wordnding crisply in He Xing¡¯s ears.

    He Xing instinctively retorted, "I didn¡¯t..." However, after uttering those three words, he paused, not knowing what to say next.

    Fu Xingbo slowly got up. He patted He Xing¡¯s shoulder, "If you haven¡¯t thought things through, it¡¯s better not to speak rashly. After all, no one in this world can truly understand another¡¯s suffering."

    They were originally under the shade of the trees, but in the blink of an eye, Fu Xingbo had already walked into the sunlight, while He Xing remained sitting in the same spot, opening his mouth anxiously, "Uncle, wait a moment..."

    "What is it you want to say?" Fu Xingbo stopped and turned around, his face pale and almost translucent in the sunlight, "Are you trying to say that Xia Ning and Xia Cheng aren¡¯t inherently bad? Yes, they never hurt you, and the knife never fell on you, so of course, you think they can be forgiven."

    He Xing was stunned, finding himself unable to voice the words that had reached the tip of his tongue.

    After saying all this, Fu Xingbo didn¡¯t linger and walked away. As the sunlight fell upon him, he seemed to glow, bright without a shadow to be seen.

    He Xing, on the other hand, lifted his head to look at the sky. But above him was only the intricateyering of leaves. Even if sunlight asionally filtered through, it was spotty and chaotic.

    At this moment, his mind was in turmoil. One moment he recalled Xia Guoxiong grovelling before him, another depicted Du Wanting covered in blood lying in front of him, and yet another showed Fu Han with her face swathed in bandages.

    He admitted that Fu Xingbo was right, but could he really ignore the Xia Family? He obviously had to repay the life-saving debt; as for Fu Han, he believed that treating her twice as well for the rest of his life could make up for the hurt caused by the Xia Family.

    But... why were there police officers in Fu Han¡¯s ward?

    He Xing, as if suddenly realizing something, abruptly stood up and ran towards the hospital, even faster than when he participated in a hundred-meter sprint at school.

    ...

    Inside Fu Han¡¯s ward, with her face wrapped in bandages, she recounted in detail the day¡¯s events to the police officers.

    When she spoke of Xia Ning being driven out by Xia Cheng, the tears that she had held back for so long finally ceased. She sobbed, looking at the police, as if she might faint at any moment.

    The recording officer, feelingpassion, spoke in a low voice, "Lady Fu, would you like to take a break?"

    A simple sentence was enough to coax Fu Han¡¯s tears to fall. Nan Qing, fearing that the tears would hurt Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, quickly drew out tissues and adeptly ced them beneath Fu Han¡¯s eyes, "Fu Han, don¡¯t cry, have you forgotten the doctor said you can¡¯t cry now?"

    Fu Han forcibly stopped her tears. She tried to speak calmly, "After Xia Ning left, Xia Cheng asked me if I wanted Bai Wei to be with him or if I wanted to be with him. I... I said I would; then he... he rushed over and kissed me crazily. I wanted to push him away, but I was tied up. I bit his ear, his neck, he got angry and kicked my stomach, hit my face, he..."

    Nan Qing, standing by, clenched her fists with anger, her not-so-slender nails digging into her flesh, the pain in her palms nothingpared to that in her heart.

    For Nan Qing, the only constion was that Su Cheng had acted early, preventing Xia Cheng from going all the way, preserving Fu Han¡¯s honor to a certain extent, in some sense.

    The police officers asked a few more questions, then advised Fu Han to rest well. They said they would call on her again if needed and then left.

    ording to Nan Qing, the police officers were probably going to ask the doctor for examination results and there might be more evidence to gatherter.

    However, Fu Han felt especially heavy at heart at this moment; there was no sense of relief from the police¡¯s involvement. Instead, she felt inexplicably guilty, perhaps because she knew of He Xing¡¯s rtionship with the Xia Family but still insisted on making Xia Ning and Xia Cheng face the consequences.

    The police had barely left before Fu Xingbo walked in.

    Without needing much exnation, he already understood why Fu Han had called the police. He touched Fu Han¡¯s hair, just like any other father in the world, "Xiaohan, I think you did the right thing. I¡¯ve already reported the incident to the police as Bai Wei¡¯s father. They are questioning Bai Wei now."

    Fu Han stared at Fu Xingbo, not understanding the intent behind his actions. Bai Wei was a famous actress; even a trivial matter could cause her negative publicity, let alone involving the police.

    Her original intention was for her to report the incident alone, without dragging Bai Wei into it.

    "Silly child." Without her having to say anything, Fu Xingbo understood Fu Han¡¯s meaning. He patted her shoulder, "Although it was you who insisted on following Xia Ning, we clearly instructed Bai Wei to take good care of you. She failed to protect you, hence she shares half the me for what happened today. Don¡¯t feel guilty."

    "Uncle." Fu Han added just two words before bursting into his arms, crying loudly. This time her tears were not out of sorrow, but joy. She hadn¡¯t expected Fu Xingbo to be so considerate of her, sparing her even the slightest emotional burden.

    "Silly child, don¡¯t cry, Uncle is looking forward to seeing your face healed," Fu Xingbo¡¯s eyes reddened, but his face showed a smile, "Once your injuries have somewhat healed, I n to take you back to M Country. The doctor who will operate on you is there. Nowadays, he¡¯s probably the only one who can restore your facepletely."

    "But..." Fu Han, with eyes still brimming with tears, looked at Fu Xingbo, and just as she was about to speak, she nced at He Xing standing at the door from the corner of her eye. The words she was about to utter were forcibly suppressed.

    He Xing slowly approached, his eyes filled with pain, as distinct as day from night. In a voice close to imploring, he asked, "Xiaohan, what exactly happened? Can you tell me?"

 Chapter 334: Dispirited and Depressed

    <h4>Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Dispirited and Depressed</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han stared nkly at He Xing. When the breeze blew, the tear that had not yet fallen from the corner of her eye had already dried, leaving her eyes ufortably unable to open or close.

    He Xing had once again approached Fu Han; he reached out, intending to stroke her hair, but his hand only brushed the soft gauze.

    But that soft and gentle gauze felt like thorns, harshly pricking his hand, and he quickly withdrew his hand in shock.

    The two of them, one seated cross-legged on the bed, the other standing silently by the bed; one looking up, the other down; one face unseen, the other filled with grief.

    Another wind passed, and Fu Han shivered. She finally spoke, "He Xing, if you want to know, you might as well ask Xia Ning and Xia Cheng first, lest what I say differs from theirs and you suspect me of ndering them again."

    He Xing¡¯s face turned instantly pale, devoid of any color, but his neck veins bulged, his hands clenched at his waist, and the sound of bones cracking could be faintly heard.

    Each word in her statement was like a needle, deeply piercing He Xing¡¯s heart, and what pained him most was the word "again"¡ªflimsily uttered from Fu Han¡¯s lips, yet urately reminding him of his past actions.

    Silence followed, like the quiet of death.

    No one spoke; the two just looked at each other, condemnation in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, and profound sorrow and guilt in He Xing¡¯s.

    After a long time, He Xing whispered, "Xiaohan, I know you¡¯re upset, and I am too. You¡¯ve already called the police, and if those two have indeed... broken thew, I will not stand in the way."

    Fu Han turned her head away from He Xing, and when she did, it seemed like there were tears sliding down her face.

    Nan Qing was so angered that her fury surged, "He Xing, don¡¯t you feel guilty saying that? By your logic, if they haven¡¯t broken thew, then you would stand up for them, right? Didn¡¯t you see how Fu Han and Bai Wei were tormented by them?"

    Her saying this only made Fu Han¡¯s tears flow even more uncontrobly, like a breached dam, though she stubbornly refused to let He Xing see her crying.

    In the midst of judging gazes from Fu Xingbo, Nan Qing, and Su Cheng, He Xing¡¯s face turned red with urgency as he hurriedly exined, "Xiaohan, I didn¡¯t mean that, I... I won¡¯t let anyone who hurt you get away, really!"

    But this failed to soften the expressions of those around him, and Su Cheng even started to mock, "Sure, you won¡¯t let anyone who hurt Fu Han get away, unless that person is from the Xia Family."

    In fact, He Xing had already regretted what he said as soon as the words slipped out, but what¡¯s said could not be unsaid.

    At that moment, he felt utterly indefensible. His heart ached for Fu Han, and he knew that she was hurt because of him, yet he had his own constraints.

    There was the chirping of birds from outside the window. He Xing turned to look; it was the most ordinary sparrow, hopping on the windowsill, looking exceptionally joyful.

    Actually, being an ordinary person could be quite nice, attending school when it¡¯s time to study, working when it¡¯s time to work, getting married when it¡¯s time to marry, everyday hustling for the necessities, yet also possessing a happiness full of life¡¯s vors.

    Instead of his current situation, possessing wealth he couldn¡¯t spend in several lifetimes, with a responsibility on his shoulders unimaginably heavy.

    He suddenly felt disheartened, thinking of his blunt rejection of Xia Cheng, and how he got no favor on Fu Han¡¯s side.

    "Fu Han, you should rest well. I have some matters to deal with, I¡¯lle see youter."

    After saying this, He Xing didn¡¯t wait for Fu Han to respond and turned to leave slowly, not looking back at her again.

    Everyone in the room had been harboringints against him, but somehow, now watching He Xing leave without saying a word in his defense, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of sympathy for him.

    Fu Xingbo would not say more, and even Nan Qing and Su Cheng, the most outraged, felt a bit of pity for He Xing. But this thought was fleeting, for who could be more pitiable than Fu Han?

    And if one looked closely, they could even see Fu Han trembling slightly; He Xing¡¯s pain, in her eyes, was amplified many times over.

    Fu Han excused herself, saying she was tired and wanted to rest, effectively "sending away" Fu Xingbo and Su Cheng.

    When only Nan Qing and Fu Han remained in the room, Fu Han, leaning back on the bed and gazing at the sky above, asked softly, "Nan Qing, do you think I¡¯m doing the right thing?"

    "Yes, of course you are," Nan Qing replied without hesitation. "Xia Ning and Xia Cheng have been bullying you since childhood, unting their mother¡¯s act of saving He Xing, and now... how they treat you, if you don¡¯t act, you¡¯d be a fool."

    "But..." Fu Han¡¯s heart was still full of hesitation, feeling as if there was a heavy stone pressing on her chest.

    "No buts!" Nan Qing held Fu Han¡¯s shoulders firmly, her eyes resolute. "The life-saving grace belongs to He Xing, not you. You don¡¯t have to repay He Xing¡¯s debt of gratitude. Don¡¯t forget, your parents are also lifesavers to the He Family. Why is there such a big difference between the two lifesavers?"

    Fu Han was silent; she truly did not know how to respond to Nan Qing¡¯s words ¨C should she say it was because she was a servant¡¯s daughter while Xia Ning was a youngdy?

    Many say all people are born equal, but is that really true? Is the life of a servant as valuable as that of a Chairman¡¯s wife? If the old Mr. He had given her a sum of money and arranged for someone to take care of her, who would say he was ungrateful?

    Faintly, the cheerful sound of music began to y, and Fu Han recognized it as familiar. Listening carefully, it sounded much like the square dance music that He Xing had yed when he bought her balloons and they ate at street stands not long ago.

    On that day, she actually felt a bit awkward about it, but looking back now, she found those days so beautiful, as they only had eyes for each other.

    The two girls listened quietly to the sounds from outside, finding a strange appreciation for the music they had once thought mundane.

    "Maybe when we grow old, we can go dancing in the square together," Nan Qing said out of the blue.

    The light of the sun enveloped her from where she stood, her face touched with a halo of yful light, golden and translucent, as if she might glow.

    Fu Han looked over Nan Qing earnestly, truly thinking she was beautiful. Nan Qing had a perfectly round face, a "palm-sized" one, withrge eyes and cherry lips. As time went by, such a face would appear young for its age.

 Chapter 335: Pre-planned Travel

    <h4>Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Pre-nned Travel</h4><h4></h4>

    Back when she was overseas, if Nan Qing dressed in a short-sleeved top with overalls, she would certainly be mistaken for a high-school student; even now, wearing a beautifully crafted bridesmaid dress, she always exudes a kind of naivete, as if she¡¯s just stepping into society.

    Fu Han felt that there was a rare, innate purity about Nan Qing, the kind thates from being well-protected by one¡¯s parents, having grown up in a privileged environment, untainted by worldly affairs.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t realized it before, but after what happened today, she found herself envying Nan Qing a bit.

    Feeling Fu Han¡¯s gaze, Nan Qing suddenly turned around, and their eyes met in space, prompting simultaneous smiles from both girls.

    Theirughter seemed to thaw something frozen, as if some connection had been reestablished.

    Nan Qing looked at Fu Han for two seconds, her smile apologetic, "Fu Han, you¡¯re not feeling well right now, I should be by your side, but... I had already made ns with Wang Yixuan a while ago, I want to travel, to see the world outside and further improve my painting skills."

    "That¡¯s wonderful," Fu Han felt not the slightest difort in her heart, smiling sincerely, "I would love to travel too, and maybe when I¡¯m discharged from the hospital, I¡¯lle find you, just hoping you won¡¯t find me a nuisance then."

    "A nuisance?" Nan Qing¡¯s face flushedpletely, and she hastily waved her hands in denial, "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, there¡¯s nothing going on between Wang Yixuan and me, it¡¯s just that we both happen to paint, and we both want to travel the world to see and paint, so we decided to apany each other."

    Fu Han smiled, but then remembered the bandages on her face and that Nan Qing couldn¡¯t see her smile.

    After thinking it over, she spoke seriously, "Nan Qing, maybe some of the things I said about Wang Yixuan before might have given you a biased impression of him, but actually, he¡¯s a very good person, loyal to his friends, never giving up on things he firmly believes in, opinionated and capable, if..."

    However, before she could finish, Nan Qing interrupted her, her face somewhat flushed but still mustering the courage to say, "Fu Han, my fixation on Su Cheng is like your fixation on He Xing, would it be alright if that person were not He Xing?"

    Had it been before today, Fu Han would have said it wasn¡¯t okay without hesitation.

    But so many things had happened today, her wedding was ruined, she herself almost vited, not that she wanted to me it all on He Xing, but Xia Ning¡¯s actions towards her were indeed connected to him.

    Today, she was hurt, her face may never heal again, but for her, the biggest change was that the beliefs she had always held in her heart, or the faith within her, had copsed. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that she even envied the courage with which Nan Qing had unhesitatingly spoken those words just now.

    She closed her eyes slightly, as if speaking to Nan Qing as well as to her own heart, "I don¡¯t know, Nan Qing, seeing something through to the bitter end is cool, but if we hit a wall, we could also consider turning back to look around."

    Nan Qing didn¡¯t respond to Fu Han¡¯s words, her gaze showing resistance, yet also being moved.

    If someone else had said what Fu Han said, she would have immediately retorted without hesitation, but it was Fu Han, and suddenly she found herself at a loss for words.

    Who knows how much time passed, when Fu Han spoke again, "Nan Qing, you¡¯re going out to travel, when do you leave?"

    "Tonight!" Nan Qing¡¯s voice still carried a sense of guilt, "I had originally asked Wang Yixuan to check for flights, but now it¡¯s the peak travel season, and no changes to the flight can be made."

    Fu Han nodded, "I know if it wasn¡¯t for my wedding, or perhaps what Su Cheng said to you, you would have already left. Thank you for staying with me until now."

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes filled with tears, she hugged Fu Han and sobbed as if her heart was breaking, "Fu Han, I¡¯m sorry, these days have been like years for me, I can¡¯t stay here any longer, everything here is painful. Fu Han, if anything happens, you must tell me, understand?"

    ...

    Xia Family vi.

    Xia Guoxiong sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, his face angry as he red at Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, "How could I have children as useless as you two? When people do bad things they don¡¯t leave evidence, but you, you seem to want the whole world to know your guilt."

    "Dad..." Xia Ning called softly in a low voice, pleading quietly, "My brother and I know we were wrong, you must help us, if even you don¡¯t take care of us, what will we do?"

    Xia Cheng hurriedly chimed in, "That¡¯s right, dad, I didn¡¯t mean to leave evidence, they just came too quickly, and we were unprepared."

    "What can I do? I¡¯ve already knelt down to He Xing, and they still went ahead and called the police, didn¡¯t they? You two just wait for prison," Xia Guoxiong was furious and threw his coffee cup to the ground. Amidst the ttering sounds, the brown coffee sttered on Xia Ning¡¯s pale pink Cheongsam, making it incredibly conspicuous and filthy.

    Xia Ning frowned, wanting toin, but Xia Cheng touched her arm and stopped her just in time.

    After stopping Xia Ning, Xia Cheng shamelessly moved closer to Xia Guoxiong, "Dad, you absolutely can¡¯t ignore me, if we really go to prison, what will we doter? Who will be there to take care of you in your old age?"

    "If I count on you for support, I might as well hang myself with a rope," Xia Guoxiong said, his face alternating between white and red, looking like a cooked pig liver.

    The Xia family¡¯s vast living room fell silent, with the outside already in darkness while inside was as bright as day.

    Suddenly, a cat¡¯s meow rang out. Xia Ning¡¯s cat strolled out from the kitchen at a leisurely pace, its long tail swaying behind, one of its front paws touching its mouth as it walked.

    This white cat had a pair of beautiful emerald green eyes, more exquisite than any fine jade, but when the cat fixed its gaze on you, you would feel there was something eerily... sinister about those eyes.

    On seeing Xia Ning, the cat gave a "meow" and trotted over to her.

    Strangely enough, most of the time, the cat didn¡¯t get along well with Xia Ning, but asionally, it would show affection to her, as it did just now.

    But at this moment, Xia Ning was extremely irritated, and when the cat approached, she kicked it away, "Get lost!"

    "Meow!" The cat rolled on the ground, then stood up with its back arched and tail raised, ready to attack Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning looked on, even more annoyed, and gave the cat another kick, this time with more force than before, sending it flying two meters and eliciting a piercing screech from the animal.

    After several seconds, the cat managed to stand up. It looked at Xia Ning and the others from a distance, not attempting to approach them again and instead turned and fled back to the kitchen.

 Chapter 336: Three People from the Xia Family

    <h4>Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Three People from the Xia Family</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Cheng¡¯s brows furrowed like caterpirs, "Xiaoning, this cat gives me the creeps; you should just give it away."

    "This cat was given to me by He Xing." Xia Ning also didn¡¯t like this cat very much, but she had asked He Xing for it as a gift, and it was a valuable breed. She had always felt that it represented her connection with He Xing, so she couldn¡¯t bear to get rid of it. In fact, she didn¡¯t care for it herself, but just left it to be taken care of by a servant.

    The mention of He Xing made the already somber and slightly eerie living room even quieter, pulling everyone¡¯s thoughts forcibly back to reality.

    Today the police had already summoned Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. It was Xiao Guoxiong who had pulled some strings to bail them out. Fu Han¡¯s usation against Xia Cheng was of rape, while against Xia Ning it was intentional assault.

    Xia Cheng knew the gravity of his charge well; he watched as Xia Guoxiong said nothing, sweating bullets in his anxiety. The night breeze chilled him to the bone, just like in the depths of winter.

    He touched Xia Guoxiong¡¯s arm and whispered, "Dad, think of something, please. I really know I was wrong. I¡¯ll never do it again."

    Xia Guoxiong was very annoyed. He was about to say something when suddenly his phone rang. He took it out and saw it was from an unknown number. He meant to hang up directly, but for some inexplicable reason, he answered it.

    Within less than ten seconds of answering the phone, his expression changed several times. In the end, he got up and went outside, taking the call in the garden.

    Through the floor-to-ceiling ss of the Xia Family¡¯s living room, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning could clearly see Xia Guoxiong¡¯s figure. He paced back and forth in the garden, pinching the phone with one hand and akimbo with the other, though his expression was not clear.

    As Xia Ning wiped coffee stains off her cream-colored high heels with a paper towel, she said, "Brother, who could be calling dad at this time?"

    "How would I know?" Xia Cheng had already slumped to the floor as soon as Xia Guoxiong had stepped out, casually crossing his legs and speaking in a carefree tone, "It¡¯s either about thepany or about us. When hees back, won¡¯t you know then?"

    While they were talking, Xia Guoxiong hurried back to the living room after hanging up the phone. Xia Cheng, with quick eyes, hastily stood up beside him, a face full of repentance, a masterss in the art of changing expressions.

    Xia Ning was not far behind. She swiftly threw the soiled paper towel in the trash can, but unfortunately missed. The crumpled paper towel rolled across the gilded ceramic floor and came to a stop right in front of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s feet.

    Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t even look down as he stepped over the trash paper and walked in. He looked expressionlessly at the Xia siblings, "You two stay at home, don¡¯t wander around. If I find out you don¡¯t obey, I¡¯ll personally send you in."

    The siblings hurried to agree, fearing half a step behind might earn them a scolding.

    However, the moment Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car left the yard, they all rxed. One went to the liquor cab to grab a drink, and the other pulled out a cigarette to feign addiction.

    ...

    When the first hint of sunlight appeared in the sky, He Xing opened his eyes. He felt as though his entire body was stiff, immovable.

    It was to be expected; a tall man, nearly 1.9 meters, had spent the night scrunched up on a "bed" made of three chairs put together¡ªa wonder his bones hadn¡¯t fallen apart.

    He stretched his legs with difficulty and as he turned, he noticed Su Cheng across the hall, also awake and seemingly not having had an easy night either.

    Last night, both of them had silently agreed not to offer to stay overnight; instead, they both quietly moved a chair to guard the outside of Fu Han¡¯s ward.

    Perhaps because they both found the situation so amusing, for the first time they looked at each other and smiled.

    After about ten minutes, they finally felt they could control their bodies. Each sat on his makeshift "bed" without speaking.

    A whileter, footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor: it was time for the doctor¡¯s rounds. They hurried to stand, ready to greet him, all the while their faces showing worry.

    The round was soon over. Fu Han¡¯s injuries looked severe but were actually superficial; however, her face had been badly beaten, and she¡¯d had stic surgery before, so now her face looked very odd, utterly asymmetrical on either side.

    During the dressing change, Su Cheng and He Xing both felt too queasy to watch. After the doctor finished and wrapped Fu Han¡¯s face with bandages, this time not as thick as yesterday, the cheeks were faintly visible.

    Su Cheng offered to buy breakfast, leaving He Xing to take care of Fu Han.

    Ironically, the two of them, who seemed at odds like fire and ice yesterday, now acted like old friends, no arguments or confrontations, and many things were handled with unspoken understanding.

    Fu Han watched and said nothing, though she was somewhat surprised and certainly pleased. After all, no one likes perpetual quarreling.

    The fact eventually proved, however, that rivals in love could not coexist peacefully. Upon Su Cheng¡¯s return with breakfast, a new issue arose: who would feed Fu Han.

    The two men in their twenties squabbled like young teens, red-faced and upromising, as if they were fighting for some honor.

    Fu Han was exasperated. Taking advantage of a lull in their battle, she said softly, "Are you guys forgetting something? My hands are fine. I can feed myself."

    He Xing and Su Cheng exchanged nces, their mutual embarrassment clear. They looked at each other, each following the principle of not letting the other take advantage of the situation and finally agreed to Fu Han¡¯s suggestion.

    Fu Han had thought through the night. Although many things were still unclear, she hade to at least one conclusion: her will to live, when Xia Cheng had bound her, was not fake.

    Surviving was more important than anything; only by living could she repay the shame heaped upon her.

    Emboldened by this realization, Fu Han managed to finish a small bowl of dumplings.

    Su Cheng and He Xing, who had prepared to persuade her to eat more, didn¡¯t need to say a word. It was an unexpected pleasure.

    After eating, it was time for an injection. Fu Han put on a movie to pass the time while Su Cheng and He Xing stood guard on either side of her, asionally exchanging hostile nces.

    The weather was still fabulous today¡ªclear autumn skies, white clouds, temperatures neither too hot nor too cold. Opening the windows was enough; no need for air conditioning.

    The fragrance of osmanthus wafted in from somewhere, light and intermittent¡ªa distance that Fu Han found delightful, just the right amount of presence.

 Chapter 337: Unexpected Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 337: Chapter 337: Unexpected Phone Call</h4><h4></h4>

    She didn¡¯t really want to watch a movie; she just felt that it would be very strange to do nothing while two people beside her stared with four eyes.

    She didn¡¯t know how long had passed when He Xing¡¯s cell phone rang. He took it out, nced at it, and said to Fu Han, "It¡¯s a call from Liang Tao; I¡¯m going out to take it," before leaving.

    About five minutester, He Xing came back in. His expression was no longer rxed as it had been when he left. With a hint of apology, he said, "Xiaohan, I need to step out for a bit... Will you be okay on your own?"

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted from her phone to He Xing¡¯s face. She looked at him calmly and said, "No problem."

    Hearing that He Xing was leaving made Su Cheng overjoyed. He patted his chest hastily and said, "You go ahead if you¡¯ve got something to do. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here."

    He Xing red at Su Cheng without amusement and eventually left, constantly looking back with every step.

    The moment he stepped out of the hospital, he saw Liang Tao parked by the roadside in a business car. He pulled open the rear door and got in. Inside the back seat was a briefcase with a spareputer He Xing kept at thepany.

    As He Xing rapidly booted up theputer, he asked, "What exactly happened?"

    With the car already fired up and starting to move, Liang Tao immediately began to exin, "Chairman He, we only got the news from the police station this morning. The Xia Family has spent a lot of money on awyer, iming they did not kidnap Fu Han and Bai Wei. They say it was Fu Han and Bai Wei who were following them, and that they mistook them for bad actors and idently injured them."

    "Shameless!" All sympathy He Xing might have had for the Xia Family quickly evaporated as he frowned at his emails and asked without looking up, "Have thewyers we hired arrived?"

    Caught at a red light, Liang Tao, who was always extra nervous when answering He Xing¡¯s questions, quickly hit the brakes, "Chairman He, Miss Fu... Miss Fu Han has entrusted Mr. Fu Xingbo to... to hire awyer for her, declining thewyer we rmended."

    Liang Tao spoke these simple words with a trembling heart. He nervously swallowed and, ncing through the rearview mirror, could see He Xing¡¯s exceedingly grim expression.

    Although he had more to say, He Xing¡¯s look had frightened him into silence.

    Lounging back in his seat, He Xing¡¯s ck eyes were stormy. The only thought on his mind was that Fu Han no longer trusted him; it must be so, otherwise why would Fu Han not use the expensivewyers he had hired and instead let Fu Xingbo handle the matter?

    On reflecting, it made sense. The Xia Family were the benefactors of He Xing, so how could he truly consign them to their downfall? Maybe Fu Han thought that He Xing¡¯s rushing around to hirewyers was just to save the Xia siblings with an inside-outside y; after all, Fu Han had called the police without informing He Xing beforehand.

    With these thoughts, He Xing¡¯s heart ached as if stabbed by needles.

    Fu Han seemed normal on the surface, but in reality...

    The light turned green. An elderly man with a cane walked leisurely across the zebra crossing, unruffled, as if the surrounding traffic did not exist to him.

    Liang Tao pressed down hard on the brakes, terrified that he might inadvertently hit the elerator. If he remotely scratched that old man, he would be done for, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn¡¯t cleanse him.

    He Xing unconsciously tapped the armrest of his seat. After a while, he slowly asked, "Do you know whichwyer Mr. Fu has hired?"

    "I don¡¯t know," answered Liang Tao promptly. Once the old man had moved on, he pressed the gas pedal to the floor and the car shot out like an arrow from a bow. "Chairman He, Mr. Fu¡¯s people are very good at keeping secrets; we couldn¡¯t find out anything."

    "Hmm," came He Xing¡¯s response as he closed his eyes, recalling his conversation with Fu Xingbo from the day before. It seemed that Fu Xingbo didn¡¯t trust him either or thought that he was confused.

    The morning in City A was bustling with private cars, buses, and rail cars zooming along the roads. The streets were spacious but often congested, especially during rush hour like now.

    However, the traffic didn¡¯t affect He Xing much as his eyes were glued to theputer screen, his hands constantly typing, his expression serious.

    About ten minutester, the traffic finally smoothed out.

    Having mustered up the courage, Liang Tao finally spoke again: "Chairman He, the current situation is that, based on Miss Fu¡¯s and Lady Bai Wei¡¯s usations against Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, the existing evidence isn¡¯t sufficient. However, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning went for a medical examination immediately and are now using the medical reports to use Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe."

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, his handsome face darkening with a sinister look that sent chills down Liang Tao¡¯s spine, causing his legs to shake involuntarily.

    The Xia Group building was now in sight. Liang Tao, gathering his courage, said, "Chairman He, we¡¯ve just learned that Yi Lixing met with Chairman Xiast night, talking for over two hours."

    The name "Yi Lixing" intensified the cold aura surrounding He Xing.

    This man, whom He Xing had personally promoted to oversee the He Group, had earned He Xing¡¯s full trust only to be bought off by Xia Guoxiong, leaking tender details to the Xia Family several times.

    After firing him, He Xing had continued to keep an eye on Yi Lixing. Seeing no further use for him, Xia Guoxiong parted ways with Yi Lixing, but then Yi Lixing got mixed up with Yang Kaitai, and the shady deeds Yang Kaitai had done couldn¡¯t have been without Yi Lixing¡¯s behind-the-scenes scheming.

    Unexpectedly, while Yang Kaitai ended up back in prison, Yi Lixing managed to extricate himself unscathed from the murky situation, now once again colluding with Xia Guoxiong.

    Initially, He Xing had shown leniency to Yi Lixing, partly to prevent the tender issue from blowing up and making the Xia Group aughingstock in the industry, but also in consideration of their past superior-subordinate rtionship. Who could have expected things to turn out this way?

    Indeed, one should sweep away the enemy like autumn leaves, leaving no mercy!

    He Xing and Liang Tao entered the Xia Group building. Although He Xing seldom came here, even the security guard at the entrance recognized him and greeted him with bows and nods. He proceeded unhindered to the door of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s office.

    However, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant was not as weing upon seeing He Xing. The assistant said that Xia Guoxiong was currently in a meeting and if He Xing was willing to wait, he could; otherwise, he could leave.

    Instantly fired up upon hearing this, Liang Tao moved forward to argue with Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, "Usually it¡¯s your Chairman Xia begging our Chairman He toe over. Now that our Chairman He is here, what kind of attitude is this?"

    Standing like a teapot, the assistant with a waist like a snake and a face like a vixen, had the air of owning the Xia Group: "Past is past, now is now. I¡¯ve said our Chairman Xia is in a meeting. You¡¯vee up without an appointment, and it¡¯s already polite not to have kicked you out immediately."

 Chapter 338: Bitten by a Dog

    <h4>Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Bitten by a Dog</h4><h4></h4>

    Liang Tao, red-faced with anger, rolled up his sleeves ready to rush in for a heated argument. However, He Xing raised his hand to stop him, "Liang Tao, let me ask you, if you were bitten by a dog, would you bite back? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting a mouthful of fur?"

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s beautiful assistant¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at He Xing¡¯s words. In her dreams, she hadn¡¯t imagined He Xing could speak so forcefully¡ªinsulting people without using a single obscenity, yet capable of angering one to the point of spitting blood.

    The assistant¡¯s pretty face turned white then red, one hand on her hip in a defiant stance reminiscent of a quarrelsome shrew, yet against He Xing, she ultimately didn¡¯t dare.

    Liang Tao, on the other hand, felt extremely satisfied. He chuckled as he rubbed his chin, seamlessly ying along with He Xing, "You¡¯re right, Boss He. I¡¯ve always disliked dogs myself, especially those that,cking any real ability, only yap incessantly, thinking they¡¯re so noble¡ªthose pet dogs."

    At this point, Liang Tao stuck his tongue out at the assistant, cruelly adding, "Some people think they¡¯re phoenixes just because they¡¯ve perched on a high branch, never considering their own weight and measure."

    "You fatso, who gave you permission to run your mouth?" The assistant¡¯s ire red up in Liang Tao¡¯s face. Her slender, delicate fingernails pointed at him, "You think you can cause trouble at Xia Group? Believe me, I can have you thrown out."

    "No need." He Xing interjected again, his cold gaze unflinching as he looked at the assistant impassively, "Please inform Chairman Xia that since this is his chosen method of handling matters, then let¡¯s proceed with this approach."

    After saying this, He Xing turned and walked away without further dy.

    Liang Tao red fiercely at Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant before hurriedly following He Xing toward the elevator¡ªassistants are indeed ranked differently, and someone like Liang Tao, who actually gets things done, truly despised Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, who was all looks but no substance, clearly intimate with the boss by any discerning eye.

    Just as He Xing and Liang Tao hadn¡¯t taken more than two steps, a click sounded from behind them: the door to the Chairman¡¯s office opened¡ªbefore this, the assistant had been insisting that Xia Guoxiong was in a meeting and not in his office.

    "He Xing, He Xing, Boss He, wait a moment please, there¡¯s room to negotiate," Xia Guoxiong called out while running after He Xing, which was enough to make any onlooker¡¯s stomach turn.

    He Xing slowly came to a halt and turned around, with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Chairman Xia, I heard you¡¯re in a meeting so I won¡¯t disturb you. Goodbye."

    "It was a video conference, and it¡¯s already over," Xia Guoxiong replied with an obsequious smile, "It¡¯s a great honor for Boss He to visit Xia Group, brightening our day. This assistant of mine is just too old-fashioned, not even reporting your arrival. Really now."

    "Chairman Xia!" The assistant was the first to act aggrieved, pouting as she looked at Xia Guoxiong, even daring to act spoiled in front of He Xing, "What did I do wrong, I..."

    "Enough, don¡¯t say more," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face finally darkened as he red fiercely at the assistant: "Why are you still standing here? Go make coffee for Boss He."

    The assistant stamped her foot in frustration, saying intively, "You know I can¡¯t make coffee."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned livid with anger, but because He Xing was present, he had to maintainposure; even so, his finger nearly poked the assistant in the forehead, "Are you a pig? If you can¡¯t make coffee, can¡¯t you ask someone else to do it?"

    Even if the assistant were any less smart, she¡¯d now understood Xia Guoxiong was truly angry. With tears in her eyes, she said "I understand" and turned to leave quietly, her retreating figure akin to a willow swaying in the wind.

    Upon Xia Guoxiong¡¯s repeated invitations, He Xing reluctantly made his way to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s office.

    This wasn¡¯t He Xing¡¯s first visit to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s office, but every visit made him ufortable; simply put, the office was cluttered with too many things that had nothing to do with work.

    There were items like a yoga mat and various fitness equipment, things Xia Guoxiong would never use as far as He Xing knew since Xia Guoxiong never exercised to begin with.

    The most exaggerated was the sofa in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s office¡ªextremelyrge andfortable to sit on, but so big it was practically a bed.

    Though Xia Guoxiong¡¯s office was spacious, the bulky sofa set made it feel a tad cramped.

    He Xing was about to sit on a single-seat sofa, but just as he was about to, he suddenly noticed something ck and fabric-like behind a cushion. Furrowing his brow deeply, in the end, he chose to sit on the long sofa instead.

    Xia Guoxiong, with sharp eyes, saw what was happening and quickly stuffed the "ck fabric" back into the crevice of the sofa and covered it with a cushion, then took a seat as well, "He Xing, did youe to see me about something?"

    "I heard you called the police?" He Xing¡¯s upbringing prompted him to use formalnguage with elders, though the expression on his face was anything but respectful.

    Xia Guoxiong rubbed his hands together, revealing a helpless smile, "He Xing, you know, Fu Han and Bai Wei called the police. They¡¯re trying to get our kids locked up. I can¡¯t just sit by idly. Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe were ruthless, and Xiaocheng and Xiaoning were no less harmed than Fu Han and the rest. They can¡¯t be injured and then sent to jail, can they?"

    This talk virtually overturned He Xing¡¯s principles; it was Xia Ning and Xia Cheng who initiated the violence, with Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe only seeking justice for Fu Han and others. Yet, in the end, Xia Ning and Xia Cheng became the victims.

    On the flip side, Xia Guoxiong continued unabated, "When I took them to treat their wounds yesterday, we also got a forensic assessment. All our demands are justified and well-supported."

    The temperature in the office seemed to plummet. Liang Tao visibly shivered, his arms covered with goosebumps. Worried, he nced toward He Xing, indeed noticing his expression turn stone cold.

    Just then, the office door opened, and the assistant came in holding a tray with two cups of coffee. Seeing Xia Guoxiong, she immediately grinned and cooed, "Chairman Xia, this is the Blue Mountain coffee you like, specially prepared for you."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s gaze shifted from frosty to suggestive. He stroked his chin, instructing the assistant to set the coffee down, "You¡¯ve done well. We don¡¯t need you here anymore, you can go."

    The assistant nodded obediently and left.

    He Xing looked at his coffee but didn¡¯t touch it. His gaze shifted back to Xia Guoxiong, "Chairman Xia, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. Was this idea given to you by Yi Lixing?"

    "True to your name, He Xing, you are well-informed," Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t argue, but insteadughed more joyously, "Yi Lixing is indeed talented. You let go of such a resource, which truly seems a pity."

 Chapter 339: Utilizing Any Means to Achieve Oneâ€™s Goal

    <h4>Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Utilizing Any Means to Achieve One¡¯s Goal</h4><h4></h4>

    "A pity?" He Xing sneered, his handsome eyes looking at Xia Guoxiong with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Uncle Xia, when you need to choose talents, do you think ability or character is more important?"

    Xia Guoxiong lifted his coffee and took a sip, counter-questioning without answering, "What do you think?"

    "Character," He Xing said without hesitation, "If a person has ability butcks character, I definitely would not employ them."

    "That is the difference between you and me," Xia Guoxiong set down his cup of coffee, his fingers drumming on the coffee table as he spoke in a pleasant tone, "Although He Group is bigger than Xia Group, you are just guarding a family business, while I built Xia Group from the ground up. We do differ somewhat. Sometimes being too high-minded isn¡¯t a good thing. Using some means to achieve an objective is necessary."

    He spoke fervently, and by the end, his saliva was flying all over, as if he was about to drown someone with his spit.

    He Xing¡¯s expression did not change at all, but there was a faint trace of pity hidden deep in his eyes, "Uncle Xia, I have no intention of meddling in your personal conduct. I just want to say, be careful. Yi Lixing can use shady means to help you, but he can also use them to take you down."

    After speaking these words, He Xing stood up and left, no longer attempting to continue the conversation with Xia Guoxiong.

    Unexpectedly, this made Xia Guoxiong panic first. He hastily stood up to ask, "He Xing, what about Xia Cheng and Xia Ning¡¯s situation? If Fu Han is willing to let them go, I will immediately drop all charges against Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng."

    He Xing¡¯s hand was already on the doorknob. Hearing this, he slowly turned around and said word by word, "The one who got hurt is Fu Han. I have no right to make any decisions on her behalf. I remember every single thing Xia Cheng and Xia Ning have done to Fu Han over the years. It¡¯s all because they didn¡¯t know to restrain themselves and went from bad to worse, that they¡¯ve ended up in this situation today."

    He Xing and Liang Tao had barely left when the Assistant came in right after.

    She carefully locked the door and then called out "Chairman" in a coquettish tone, swaying her hips as she walked towards Xia Guoxiong.

    Before she could reach Xia Guoxiong, he stretched out an arm, pulled her into his embrace, and his hands roamed restlessly over her body.

    The Assistant reached under the cushions of the couch behind Xia Guoxiong and took the piece of "ck cloth" He Xing had seen earlier into her hand. She nted a forceful kiss on Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face, "Director Xia, please wait for me, this is a new outfit I just bought, I¡¯ll change into it for you to see, okay?"

    "Sure!" Xia Guoxiong pped the Assistant¡¯s perky buttocks, hisugh full of ambiguous pleasure.

    The Assistant¡¯s face was still flushed, and she had not moved away when there came a knock on the door along with a young man¡¯s voice.

    "Who is it, so annoying," the Assistant stamped her foot hard, quivering with anger, and she pouted at Xia Guoxiong, "Chairman, let¡¯s go to your Waiting Room, don¡¯t pay any attention to them."

    However, Xia Guoxiong had already gotten up. He patted the Assistant¡¯s cheek with a smile, "The person outside can save my son and daughter, how can I not see them?"

    "Fine then." The Assistant stuffed the "ck cloth" back into the crevice of the couch and then swayed her hips to go open the door.

    Standing outside, indeed, was Yi Lixing, who didn¡¯t even nce at Xia Guoxiong¡¯s Assistant but came straight in and said to Xia Guoxiong, "Director Xia, how did your talk with He Xing go?"

    "Useless," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s square face fell, looking like a downtrodden old man who just couldn¡¯t hold his flesh up, "He Xing has no weak points; he only cares about Fu Han. He does not care about the life and death of Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe at all."

    "I know," Yi Lixing¡¯s face, which could barely be considered handsome, couldn¡¯t hide his hatred as he said through clenched teeth, "It doesn¡¯t matter if He Xing doesn¡¯t care, but Fu Han and Bai Wei will definitely care. As long as they find out about this, they won¡¯t be able to sit back and ignore it."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s eyes lit up, but they quickly fell again, "By doing this, won¡¯t we be offending the Li Family and the Huangpu Family? Is this really worth it?"

    In fact, Xia Guoxiong had only sent a message to He Xing and had not actually called the police on Su Cheng or Luo Qinghe. He intended to rescue his children without offending the Li Family and the Huangpu Family.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s face showed a ruthless expression, "Director Xia, if you always hedge your bets, you will never seed. Do you think that by not calling the police now, the Huangpu Family and the Li Family will be grateful to you? Let me tell you the truth; you¡¯ve been tied up too closely with the He Family over the years, and they¡¯ve already considered you an adversary."

    Xia Guoxiong clenched his teeth tightly, and he suddenly mmed his fist down on the coffee table, "Good, call the police!"

    ...

    The two-hour movie was nearing its end. A film that began as a tragedy ultimately had aedic ending. Everyone in the movie was overjoyed, and Fu Han¡¯s mood also slightly improved.

    Her IV drip was almost finished, and Su Cheng, not wanting to wait for the nurse to be dyed, had hurried off to the Nurse station early to find a nurse to remove the IV. Now the nurse was already waiting in the Ward.

    Fu Han was afraid of needles, and when it came time to remove the IV, she closed her eyes in pain.

    Seeing her like this, Su Cheng felt distressed and couldn¡¯t help but instruct the nurse, "Please be gentle with her."

    The nurse, while carefully removing the adhesive tape, smiled amicably, "Lady Fu is really lucky, not only to have such a loving fianc¨¦ but also to have such a considerate friend."

    The words "fianc¨¦" and "friend" carried fundamentally different meanings and implied different levels of intimacy.

    A flicker of pain crossed Su Cheng¡¯s face, but he still forced a smile, finding it difficult to speak, however.

    Thinking of how He Xing had also repeatedly instructed the nurse to be gentle during the morning¡¯s injection, Fu Han unwittingly smiled. Yet her smile was too faint, dissipating before it could even spread to the corner of her eyes.

    The nurse, holding the empty IV bottle, was about to leave when two policemen suddenly appeared at the door, startling the nurse so much that she staggered backward several steps.

    "May I ask who is Mr. Su Cheng?" one of the policemen asked politely, disying his badge, his words courteous but his sharp eyes locked onto Su Cheng.

    "I am Su Cheng. May I ask what you need me for?" Su Cheng was quite calm. His speech was steady as ever, neither hurried nor arrogant.

    "Someone reported that you intentionally injured someone. Pleasee with us," the policeman said, making a gesture of invitation.

    Fu Han became anxious upon hearing this. She slowly lifted the nket off and got out of bed, saying in a rush, "Officer, who did Su Cheng injure? Who made the report? Please tell us."

    However, nobody paid attention to her, and the two policemen were already escorting Su Cheng out, one on each side. In his haste, Su Cheng still did not forget to look back at Fu Han, "Fu Han, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon. Don¡¯t cry, you can¡¯t cry."

 Chapter 340: Unexpected Events Arise

    <h4>Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Unexpected Events Arise</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han had already been holding back tears, and had she not said that, she might have been fine. But with those words, her tears uncontrobly began to flow.

    She wiped her tears with a tissue while searching for her phone to call He Xing. As soon as it rang once, the call was picked up.

    He Xing¡¯s voice, always seeming a bit cold when transmitted through the phone, now carried a different tone that immediately soothed Fu Han¡¯s heart and stopped her tears.

    He had only said one sentence to Fu Han, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll be right there."

    After hanging up the phone, Fu Han saw two more police officers arrive, taking Luo Qinghe away.

    Bai Wei¡¯s wails piercingly echoed in the hospital corridor as she rushed out of the ward, calling for Luo Qinghe all along the way.

    Finally, Fu Han pulled her back in, "Bai Wei, stop shouting, hurry and call your parents toe over."

    Somehow, although Fu Han¡¯s heart was also in chaos, seeing Bai Wei sopletely distraught, she surprisingly found herself calm and even started directing Bai Wei on what to do.

    Luo Qinghe had insisted on staying overnight because after yesterday¡¯s events, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe had reconciled, resulting in Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian finding a hotel to stay inst night.

    Although they were very good to Fu Han and Bai Wei, they were typically hands-off. Up to this point today, they had only opened a video call with each of them and hadn¡¯te over yet because, it was said, they were dealing with yesterday¡¯s aftermath.

    Bai Wei, as if she had found her pir of strength, hurriedly ran out and less than a minuteter, she returned to Fu Han¡¯s ward with her phone in hand.

    Fu Han clearly saw that Bai Wei¡¯s hands were shaking as she made the call.

    After hanging up, Bai Wei repeated over and over, "Luo Qinghe must be alright. If anything happens to him, I won¡¯t want to live anymore."

    Fu Han looked at Bai Wei with some sympathy, still unable toprehend how loving someone could mean living for that person and dying for them as well?

    Life is one¡¯s own and should be cherished. No one in this world is worth sacrificing your life for¡ªthis was the phrase deeply ingrained in Fu Han¡¯s heart after her parents¡¯ death, as taught by Grandfather He.

    This was the maxim she lived by. But now, seeing Bai Wei so distraught, she wavered for the first time, thinking real love could indeed mean to live and die for it.

    It had been less than ten minutes since Luo Qinghe was taken away when He Xing returned. Upon seeing him, Bai Wei, clutching his clothes, became extremely agitated, "He Xing, you must save Luo Qinghe, you have to."

    It was Fu Han who remained rather calm, her clear, contrasting eyes fixed on He Xing. "Was it Xia Cheng and Xia Ning who caused this trouble?"

    He Xing nodded heavily. On the way here, he had already decided to tell Fu Han the truth, and now he did so without hesitation, "Xia Guoxiong was the one who called the police. I was just at Xia Group."

    Upon hearing this, both Fu Han and Bai Wei¡¯s eyes lit up. They asked in unison, "What¡¯s being done about it now?"

    They na?vely believed that since He Xing had said so, it meant he surely had a solution to the problem.

    He Xing turned his head away, unable to bear looking at Fu Han any longer, and murmured, "I haven¡¯t figured out what to do yet. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll sort this out."

    "Not worry?" Bai Wei reacted strongly, stomping around the room in anxiety: "He Xing, it¡¯s easy for you to say, but if it were Fu Han being taken away by the police, could you still be this calm?"

    Suddenly called out, Fu Han felt a bit embarrassed, yet she agreed with Bai Wei¡¯s words. He Xing¡¯s overly calm demeanor made it very hard for her to stayposed emotionally.

    Just then, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian entered. Despite their hasty arrival, they were neatly dressed, their hair meticulously styled, with a light scent of cologne, exuding a sense of propriety from head to toe.

    Theirposure immediately calmed the panicked Fu Han and Bai Wei. Both girls, with wide eyes, looked at them as if clinging to life-saving straws.

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s gaze casually swept over He Xing before addressing the two girls, "I¡¯ve already looked into the situation with Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng. I¡¯ll contactwyers to deal with it. You two focus on recovering and stop worrying unnecessarily."

    Bai Wei and Fu Han exchanged a nce, understanding that at this point, this was the only viable solution, and the words of Fu Xingbo always carried a convincing power that made listeners unconsciously believe they were the truth.

    Fu Xingbo instructed Bai Qian to take care of the girls while he prepared to leave and address these matters. He Xing volunteered to go with him.

    This time, Fu Xingbo did not refuse, only giving He Xing a deeply measured look before nodding his agreement.

    Before leaving, He Xing approached Fu Han, reaching out as if to touch her hair, "Don¡¯t overthink it; I¡¯ll take care of this."

    His fingertips had almost brushed Fu Han¡¯s hair, but she subtly tilted her head to dodge the contact.

    She leaned back slightly, looking up at He Xing with tranquil eyes, "Okay, I understand."

    He Xing awkwardly let his hand hang in mid-air, quickly masking the sorrow in his eyes and forcing a smile, "I¡¯m leaving now; call me if you need anything."

    He waited a few seconds for Fu Han to respond but couldn¡¯t tell if she even heard him, as she was already turning to look out the window.

    He Xing sighed silently to himself and quietly left.

    No sooner had he stepped out of the ward than Fu Han turned her gaze back towards the door, just in time to see the tail of his coat fluttering past. Her eyes filled with an even deeper sorrow.

    Bai Qian noticed her expression and sighed lowly, inaudible, without saying another word.

    There are things everyone understands in theory but find hard to apply in practice. Bai Qian could probably guess howplicated Fu Han¡¯s feelings were at that moment; only Fu Han could sort out her own emotions, while others¡¯ words might inadvertently be a burden to her.

    The vast ward became silent. Bai Wei and Bai Qian each sat on a single sofa, while Fu Han remained half-lying on the hospital bed. Their six eyes would asionally meet but then, with mutual understanding, would avert their gazes.

    The autumn wind was cool, carrying a hint of chill as it surged through the window. Fu Han¡¯s uncovered ankles grew cold, and goosebumps rose on her arms.

    Just one night of light rain, and today felt so cool. The saying "a single autumn rain brings the chill" was indeed true.

    The fragrance of osmanthus became intense, perhaps because it was in full bloom. Fu Han even thought the scent was so rich it was slightly suffocating. Lotus was to be admired from afar, while osmanthus could only be smelled from a distance¡ªtoo close, and it lost its charm.

 Chapter 341: Living with Transparency

    <h4>Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Living with Transparency</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han stared out the window, imagining the osmanthus and realized she had no heart to think about anything else. As soon as her attention drifted, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe were doing now.

    She knew full well that these two men were in this situation entirely because of her and Bai Wei. She also understood what He Xing¡¯s hesitant gaze meant before. If she and Bai Wei were willing to let Xia Cheng and Xia Ning go, they would let Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe off the hook as well.

    But when she thought about what Xia Cheng had done to her yesterday, Fu Han felt a terrible difort. Letting them go was not an option; the fury in her heart would never subside.

    Outside, the wind howled relentlessly. It had been sunny in the morning, but now it had turned overcast.

    Bai Qian stood up to close the window. With a gentle smile on her face, she turned and said, "Xiaohan, Xiaowei, would you like some water? I¡¯ll go get you some."

    "I want an iced milk tea," Bai Wei said petntly, watching Bai Qian. "Will you go buy it for us?"

    "Of course, why not?" Bai Qian showed no sign of discouragement. Instead, she put her phone in her small crossbody bag and prepared to really go out and buy it,ughing as she asked Fu Han, "Xiaohan, what vor of milk tea would you like?"

    Fu Han was momentarily taken aback, automatically responding, "Honey grapefruit tea."

    By the time she came to her senses, Bai Qian had already left the ward, leaving only Bai Wei and Fu Han in the room.

    Bai Wei sneaked over to the door, looking around furtively before settling down beside Fu Han. "Fu Han, what do you make of this situation?"

    Fu Han sighed, "You deliberately sent your aunt away because you have something to tell me, right?"

    A blush crossed Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks, and she coughed awkwardly before silently nodding. "Fu Han, you¡¯re really smart, but sometimes I think you¡¯re not that smart. Maybe I should say, you¡¯re a person who lives with rity."

    Fu Han smiled, and only after did she realize that Bai Wei couldn¡¯t see her expression. She cocked her head and spoke cheerfully, "Then I¡¯ll take it as apliment."

    "Of course, it¡¯s apliment." Bai Weiughed along, and when she did, she was quite charming, like a flower blooming in an instant, the most beautiful among a throng of blossoms.

    But after theughter, Bai Wei hung her head. "Fu Han, what I¡¯m about to say may be cruel. If it hurts you, I want to apologize first. Is that alright?"

    Fu Han¡¯s heart sank, but she quicklyposed herself, patting Bai Wei on the shoulder: "Actually, you don¡¯t need to tell me, I know what you want to say. You mean to say we should forgive Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, and then ask them to let Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng go, right?"

    "I..." Bai Wei¡¯s face turned thoroughly red as if her guilt and shame were almost written on her forehead. "Fu Han, I just asked my agent, and she said that if Xia Cheng and Xia Ning were beaten by us, that¡¯s self-defense; if beaten by Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng, then it¡¯s intentional assault."

    Fu Han, though not very clear on thew, understood the simple truth and nodded, her mind already made up.

    However, before she could speak, Bai Wei cut in again, "Fu Han, I know you were more hurt than I was yesterday, and I know Xia Cheng almost offended you. But I really can¡¯t just watch as Luo Qinghe is taken away by the police. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?"

    Fu Han nodded again and was about to speak.

    Just then, suddenly, a voice rang out¡ªno, the voices of two middle-aged women. One was calling Fu Han¡¯s name, the other Bai Wei¡¯s name.

    As they looked towards the door, the visitors turned out to be Luo Qiluo and the Madam of Huangpu Group, one being Luo Qinghe¡¯s mother, and the other Su Cheng¡¯s wife.

    "Hello, Aunt," said Fu Han and Bai Wei in unison, greeting the neers. They exchanged nces, both reading remorse in the other¡¯s eyes.

    The Madam of Huangpu Group strode in first, pointing an using finger at Fu Han: "Fu Han, you little bitch, haven¡¯t you caused my son enough trouble? To what extent do you intend to harm him? To see him jailed? No, you probably wish him dead!"

    Such harsh usations were too heavy for anyone to bear. Fu Han swayed slightly, nearly copsing.

    Luckily, Bai Wei supported her, facing down the Madam of Huangpu Group with a cold expression, "Aunt, that¡¯s not how you should talk. Fu Han never nned to harm Su Cheng, and today¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t caused by her. Please, don¡¯t spout nder."

    "nder?" The Madam of Huangpu Groupughed furiously, her hands on her hips as she towered over Fu Han, "Since we¡¯re on this topic, Fu Han, let me ask you this, if it weren¡¯t for you, would Su Cheng be with Nan Qing right now?"

    Fu Han had asked herself that question many times, especially when she witnessed Su Cheng repeatedly hurting Nan Qing.

    She met the Madam¡¯s eyes, unflinching: "Yes, I also believe that without me, they would be living happily together."

    "So, you knew all along!" The Madam¡¯s face turned livid, her finger nearly poking Fu Han¡¯s forehead. "Then tell me this, if not for you, wouldn¡¯t the Huangpu Group and Nangong Group have a close rtionship right now? Wouldn¡¯t Su Cheng be the likely sessor of both groups?"

    Fu Han had never considered this question. To her, love, friendship, and freedom were far more important than money. She hardly ever associated Su Cheng with the term "sessor" of the Huangpu Group.

    Besides, both Su Cheng and Nan Qing despised the term, resisting entering their family businesses. One opening a Media Company, and the other a gallery, proved as much.

    Disgusted by the question, Fu Han¡¯s tone grew less amiable: "Aunt, that¡¯s between the Huangpu and Nangong Groups. I do not know, nor have the right to think about who their sessor should be."

    The Madam¡¯s eyes bulged, taken aback at Fu Han¡¯s response. She had used the tone she reserved for disciplining subordinates on Fu Han, who had initially listened as obediently as her staff. But how quickly had she learned to resist?

    Without turning around, the Madam could almost feel Luo Qiluo¡¯s schadenfreude gaze.

    Yes, they had agreed toe together to find trouble for Fu Han and Bai Wei, but who said travelling in pairs meant they were allies?

    Excluding the dominant He Group, the other three top families of A City were at odds underneath the surface camaraderie.

    Judged on overall strength, the Nangong Group was the weakest of the top four families. Moreover, Mr. and Mrs. Nangong hadparatively mild temperaments, rendering them neutral in these affairs.

 Chapter 342: The Noble Ladyâ€™s Open and Secret Struggles

    <h4>Chapter 342: Chapter 342: The Noble Lady¡¯s Open and Secret Struggles</h4><h4></h4>

    As for the Li Family and the Huangpu Family, they were evenly matched, each having tried over the years to im the title of the second greatest family in A City, and in so doing, neither group had spared the other from their open and covert battles.

    In the end, they maintained a facade of amiability, but behind the scenes, they did not hesitate to trip each other up; fortunately, they both had a sense of measure, and the asional sparks between them generally amounted to the chairmen¡¯s wivespeting in beauty or the chairmen vying for the best seats at events, or at most, they would exchange a few barbed words face-to-face to give each other a silent loss.

    The Chairman¡¯s wife of the Huangpu Group, also the Finance Director, had always believed she was far superior to Luo Qiluo, who she perceived as pretending to be gentle or acting younger than her age every day; at least, she was not relying on a man.

    How could she tolerate Luo Qiluo enjoying the spectacle at this moment?

    "Fu Han, who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that?" the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife¡¯s face turned purple, resembling a boiled pig liver, and as she spoke, she pped Fu Han across the face.

    Fu Han watched helplessly as the palm swung toward her, not expecting the Chairman¡¯s wife of the Huangpu family to strike at the drop of a hat, a move utterly unbefitting her status, which caused her to freeze and forget to dodge.

    Luckily, Bai Wei had been on guard by Fu Han¡¯s side since they entered, and she had been keeping an eye on the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife¡¯s actions, and at that critical moment, she urately intercepted the hand, holding it tightly: "Auntie, talk is talk, but what do you mean by getting physical?"

    The Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife tried to retract her hand, but despite her efforts, she couldn¡¯t, which was surprising given that Bai Wei was an injured person.

    She looked at Bai Wei in shock and anger: "Aren¡¯t you going to let go? What are you nning to do, hit me?"

    Bai Wei scoffed disdainfully, "I wouldn¡¯t stoop to hitting anyone. Otherwise, if some malicious person made a fuss to the journalists, wouldn¡¯t I then be at a loss for words?"

    After saying this, Bai Wei shook off the hand, and before she could react, the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife stumbled backward several steps, nearly falling over. She stood up awkwardly, unable to bear it any longer, and yelled at the ever-graceful Luo Qiluo, "Luo Qiluo, have you had your fill of the show? Have you forgotten what you came here for?"

    Thesedies of the upper-ss society, despite their constant squabbles, were very exclusive, and they could show great solidarity during an external invasion, as was the case at this moment.

    Luo Qiluo, swaying her waist seductively toward Bai Wei, was as usual dressed in an elegant Cheongsam, her figure as lithe as ever, not conceding in any way even to women in their twenties.

    She sized up Bai Wei from head to toe, her scrutiny clearly etched on her face. After inspecting her, she spoke in a pinched voice, "Bai Wei, what bad luck has befallen my son to have met you, and now you¡¯ve evennded him in jail. To what extent do you n to harm him before you¡¯re satisfied?"

    Facing her future mother-inw, Bai Wei¡¯s confidence shrank in Luo Qiluo¡¯s presence, the color draining visibly from her face. She began to speak somewhat anxiously, "Auntie, please don¡¯t worry, we are already looking into this matter, just wait a little longer..."

    "Wait for what? You fix this immediately and get the police to release Luo Qinghe." Luo Qiluo was the typical type who wouldn¡¯t let go when she had the upper hand, especially since Bai Wei was not only the girlfriend of her son but also the daughter of her husband¡¯s dream lover. Regardless of either identity, Luo Qiluo was determined not to like Bai Wei.

    Fu Han watched coldly, feeling a rise of anger. Luo Qiluo was too much of a bully.

    Unable to tolerate it any longer, she stepped forward to shield Bai Wei and looked up slightly at Luo Qiluo, "Auntie, do you think Bai Wei isn¡¯t upset? Before you all arrived, she¡¯s been trying to find a solution, and we have already..."

    She originally wanted to say, "We have already figured out how to handle it," but Luo Qiluo couldn¡¯t bear being contradicted by Fu Han and rudely interrupted, "Upset? What¡¯s the use of being upset? Can your distress save Luo Qinghe?"

    Turning to Bai Wei, she said contemptuously, "Bai Wei, let me ask you, weren¡¯t you just pped a couple of times by Xia Ning and Xia Cheng? Luo Qinghe has already taken revenge for you, so why did you even bother calling the police? Are you deliberately trying to harm Luo Qinghe?"

    Not wanting to be outdone, the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife chimed in, "Exactly, if Luo Qinghe really does go to jail, will you wait for him to get out? You¡¯re a superstar with plenty of admirers, and if Luo Qinghe really ends up in prison, that would ruin his reputation. By then, you¡¯ll have destroyed his life."

    Bai Wei¡¯s teeth bit tightly into her lips, with clear teeth marks appearing, and blood almost seeping out, but she clenched her jaw and remained silent.

    Fu Han knew the reason Bai Wei refused to speak was that she and Bai Wei had note to a final decision before Luo Qiluo and the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife arrived.

    She knew Bai Wei would rather suffer herself than let Luo Qinghe be taken away by the police, but it was for Fu Han¡¯s sake that Bai Wei had been withstanding the pressure from Luo Qiluo.

    Fu Han gazed at the ceiling, where the pristine white surface bore a tiny red dot, small as a grain of rice, which from a distance, looked rather bright, even pretty.

    But upon closer inspection, Fu Han realized it was actually a bloodstain, whose it was, or when it had gotten there, she didn¡¯t know; it looked somewhat revolting.

    While the unpleasant words of Luo Qiluo and the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife poured out like buckets, a hint of Bai Wei¡¯s trembling could be felt. Upon closer observation, Bai Wei¡¯s fingernails could be seen pressing relentlessly into her palm, seemingly unmindful of the pain.

    Fu Han felt emotions churning tumultuously within her, at times wanting to ignore everything outside, at times considering just letting it all go, wondering why bother with all the entanglements.

    To her, stepping back would certainly not open up a vast new world, yet if she were to step back, it might solve many people¡¯s problems.

    Regardless of her reluctance, just the previous day, in a state of sorrow and anger and without allowing the police to collect evidence, she wiped the skin that Xia Cheng had touched countless times, and although his fingerprints were still on her clothes, the strength of her allegation had diminished considerably.

    The police had made it clear to Fu Han the previous day that all controls must be based on existing evidence; without it, her words could only serve as corroborative evidence.

    If that was the case, it might be better to just make things easier for others.

    Fu Han reached under the bed and grabbed her phone, dialing a number, "Hello, Officer, this is Fu Han..."

    The previously rowdy ward suddenly fell silent, with six eyes from the three individuals all fixed on Fu Han, each wearing a different expression.

    Bai Wei showed surprise and guilt; the Huangpu Chairman¡¯s wife disyed astonishment and delight; while Luo Qiluo¡¯s expression was the simplest, sheer happiness.

 Chapter 343: Indescribable Reluctance

    <h4>Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Indescribable Reluctance</h4><h4></h4>

    In less than five minutes, Fu Han hung up the phone. Her obsidian-like eyes looked at Luo Qiluo, "Aunt Luo, what I wanted to say is that Bai Wei and I were about to deal with this matter when you came in. We have always wanted to tell you, but you didn¡¯t give us a chance to speak."

    Luo Qiluo¡¯s face reddened slightly, and she gave an awkward cough, saying in a weak voice, "I didn¡¯t know. If you wanted to speak, do you think I would seal your mouths shut?"

    Thedy of Huangpu felt ignored by Fu Han. Believing her son had wholeheartedly sacrificed for Fu Han, she considered herself superior in Fu Han¡¯s presence. At this moment, she felt no guilt, but instead, her tone was even more aggressive, "My son hit someone to save you. You helping him now is only right."

    Bai Wei, burning with anger, had already stood up. However, before he could speak, Fu Han grabbed him, "Don¡¯t say anything more, let it be."

    "But..." Bai Wei clearly wasn¡¯t willing to let it go.

    However, just at that moment, Bai Qian appeared at the door with three cups of milk tea, looking somewhat surprised to see Luo Qiluo and thedy of Huangpu, "What brings you here?"

    "What else? Tell your darling daughter to stop harming my son." Meeting a "love rival," Luo Qiluo¡¯s jealousy towards Bai Qian seemed almost instinctive. Even if Bai Qian did nothing but simply stand there, Luo Qiluo felt likeunching an attack on her. Hence, her words were particrly sharp!

    Although Bai Qian was well protected by Fu Xingbo and usually alternated between gentleness and liveliness, she was not foolish. Seeing the stance of the two middle-aged women, she knew they were bullying Fu Han and Bai Wei.

    The protective mother in her surfaced, her face darkened, "I don¡¯t want to speak ill of your son in front of my daughter, not because I can¡¯t outtalk you, but because he¡¯s the man my daughter likes. To belittle Luo Qinghe is to belittle my own daughter."

    In other words, when Luo Qiluo spat venom at Bai Wei, wasn¡¯t she also demeaning Luo Qinghe in some convoluted way?

    All being savvy people, Luo Qiluo immediately caught the implied meaning in Bai Qian¡¯s words. Her face turned red with fury, and under the rage, she nearly rushed forward to fight Bai Qian.

    On the contrary, it was thedy of Huangpu who stopped her, speaking with exceptional calm, "Madam Li, we have settled our affairs, and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need for us to stay here any longer. Let¡¯s go."

    Luo Qiluo snorted, unwillingly red at Bai Wei, but was met with a fierce look from Bai Wei, like that of a young wolf¡ªabsolute hostility.

    Without doubt, Bai Wei was thoroughly infuriated. If Luo Qiluo dared to utter even half a word more, Bai Wei would attack like a rabid dog.

    The ward that was arranged to be warm and romantic suddenly became exceedingly oppressive, the kind of oppression that made it hard to breathe.

    Luo Qiluo did not want to stay a second longer. She and thedy of Huangpu walked out one after the other; once outside and cooled by the breeze, Luo Qiluo felt her sweat-soaked back cool down. Catching something in the corner of her eye, she saw thedy of Huangpu wiping sweat beads from her forehead with the back of her hand.

    This discovery brought a degree offort to Luo Qiluo, mocking words already on the tip of her tongue, yet ultimately, she swallowed them back down. It wasn¡¯t just thedy of Huangpu who was intimidated into a cold sweat by Fu Han and the others; Luo Qiluo hadn¡¯t fared much better herself.

    Being in the same boat, speaking out rashly would only harm both sides severely.

    ...

    In Fu Han¡¯s ward, Bai Qian handed them their respective milk teas and casually asked, "What did those twoe for? Surely not to ask you to save someone?"

    "You guessed it," said Bai Wei, guzzling arge mouthful with a hint of spite, "They came over to me Fu Han and me for their precious son being taken away by the police."

    "Seen through the lens of a certain bandit logic, there¡¯s some sense to that," Bai Qian said, sitting rxed on the sofa as if unaffected by the ¡¯ugly¡¯ expressions of Bai Wei and Fu Han.

    Today, Bai Qian was dressed sharply in a white cored shirt paired with a khaki zer, ck bell-bottom trousers below, and ck little leather shoes on her feet.

    The sunlight streaming through the window shone on Bai Qian, making her appear as if she were glowing, dazzlingly bright to the point of being hard to stare at directly.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted between Bai Qian and Bai Wei, and she couldn¡¯t help but assess them. Logically speaking, Bai Qian was Bai Wei¡¯s mother and had no advantage in age or height, but somehow, when they were together, people tended to notice Bai Qian first.

    The only exnation that seemed usible was a matter of presence, unrted to anything else.

    She was once again absent-minded during a time when she shouldn¡¯t have been, so much so that she didn¡¯t hear a word of Bai Qian and Bai Wei¡¯s conversation, and she didn¡¯t even notice they were waiting for her to speak.

    Bai Wei, unable to contain her impatience, nudged Fu Han with her elbow, "Fu Han, what really are you thinking? Are you truly content to let Xia Cheng and Xia Ning off the hook?"

    Her words yanked Fu Han back from a barely calmed state of mind into reality, and she sighed almost imperceptibly, "Some people are indeed lucky, while I always seem to draw short luck. We can¡¯t ignore Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe. As for Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, all I can say is, ¡¯evildoers will meet their karma.¡¯

    Guilt was even more apparent on Bai Wei¡¯s face as she spoke softly, "Fu Han, I¡¯ve wronged you."

    "No, you haven¡¯t," Fu Han replied, her teeth chattering as she took arge sip of the icy milk tea. Still, she forced a cheerful tone, "Even if you hadn¡¯t suggested it, I wouldn¡¯t have ignored them."

    Suddenly, the phone rang, the shrill sound jarring within the ward. Fu Han saw the caller was He Xing and didn¡¯t know what to say to him, that is, if she could even speak to him in a calm voice.

    She hung up the phone, quickly fabricating a lie, "It¡¯s a spam call."

    Secondster, the phone rang again. This time is was Fu Xingbo, and she couldn¡¯t ignore it. She picked up and said, "Uncle, do you need something?"

    "Xiaohan, why would you go to the police and say everything was a misunderstanding?" Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice carried noticeable anger, but more than that, his usual calm and restraint, "Haven¡¯t I told you that I would handle this matter?"

    A burst of wind carrying the rich scent of osmanthus swept by, causing Fu Han to sneeze sharply. Only then did she realize her hands and feet were already ice-cold. Speaking into the phone, she said, "Uncle, I don¡¯t want this matter to expand further. It would affect Bai Wei and my careers, it would affect Luo Qinghe¡¯s and Su Cheng¡¯s reputations; I believe I¡¯ve made the right decision."

    Whatever Fu Xingbo said afterward didn¡¯t register with Fu Han. At this moment, she somewhat wanted to go for a walk, perhaps the autumn chill could soothe the indescribable frustration in her heart.

 Chapter 344: Beauty Under the Osmanthus Tree

    <h4>Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Beauty Under the Osmanthus Tree</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing anxiously ran around the hospital, having returned to Fu Han¡¯s ward five minutes earlier, only to be informed that Fu Han had gone out to clear her mind, and she had requested not to be followed by anyone.

    He was immediately enraged, rudely saying to Bai Qian, "Fu Han¡¯s wounds haven¡¯t healed yet, how could you let her go out alone?"

    The result was Bai Qian¡¯s look ofplete surprise, "What¡¯s the matter with that? She¡¯s not a child, isn¡¯t it good for her to want some space of her own?"

    He Xing was at a loss for words, knowing very well that Fu Han was fully capable of independent action, but his concern made him frantic.

    Fu Xingbo, who hade back with him, also persuaded, "Give Fu Han some space, she needs to think things through. When she wants toe back, she will naturally return."

    However, He Xing still decided to go out and look for Fu Han. He searched for her floor by floor,bing through both the inpatient department and the outpatient building, eventually finding her in the garden behind the inpatient department.

    She was wearing a set of loose hospital garments, with a thin coat over the top half; when the wind blew, the baggy pants fluttered, making her legs look even more slender, like two sticks.

    Looking at her stirred a multitude of emotions in He Xing. He always knew Fu Han was thin, but he hadn¡¯t realized she was this thin; while she looked good, she was so lean it was heart-wrenching.

    She stood in a spot where the sunlight couldn¡¯t reach, slightly tilting her head back, looking at the Osmanthus tree in front of her.

    This was arge Osmanthus tree, as thick around as a water bucket. At first nce, the tree was lush with leaves. It required careful observation to spot the pale yellow Osmanthus flowers hidden like clouds among the branches.

    He Xing was directly downwind, and as the breeze blew, the rich aroma of Osmanthus wafted over, almost causing him to sneeze.

    If he could feel the Osmanthus¡¯ fragrance this strong from such a distance, what must it be like for Fu Han, who was standing so close?

    He Xing didn¡¯t linger and went straight towards Fu Han. The closer he got, the clearer he could see the bandages wrappedyer uponyer around Fu Han¡¯s forehead, making her appear so out of ce in this world, like someone from a different realm.

    He suddenly had a strange feeling, as if he was about to lose her.

    Once this feeling emerged, it clung to He Xing like an inseparable shadow; a chill filled his entire being. No, what he felt in his heart wasn¡¯t just coldness, but fear.

    He Xing had already walked to within a meter behind Fu Han, who continued to gaze dreamily at the Osmanthus tree, unaware of his presence.

    "Ahem..." He Xing cleared his throat. As Fu Han slightly moved, He Xing said softly, "Xiaohan, why are you here on your own? The wind is strong, be careful not to catch a cold."

    "I¡¯m fine." Fu Han showed little emotion, her eyes calm like Obsidian stones, "I¡¯m wearing a coat, and... I don¡¯t feel very cold."

    The already heavy weight on He Xing¡¯s heart grew heavier. Thinking over, he reached out to take Fu Han¡¯s hand, "Aunt said you wanted to go for a walk. How about I apany you?"

    With previous experiences in mind, He Xing was prepared for Fu Han to reject him, as he had guessed that Fu Han would probably not let him hold her hand.

    Yet, he met no resistance and effortlessly took Fu Han¡¯s hand into his palm. Although her hand felt as cold as ice and devoid of warmth, He Xing¡¯s heart was filled with joy.

    Simultaneously, Fu Han softly replied, "Okay!"

    The word was simple, but it gave He Xing¡¯s heart wings, ting him. Were it not for his restraint, he would have embraced Fu Han right there in front of everyone.

    In the recent times, a lot had happened, and He Xing had visited the hospital many times, yet he was not familiar with the hospital¡¯s surroundings at all.

    Hand in hand, they left through the hospital¡¯s back door, never expecting toe across a market outside.

    By now, it was almost noon, and there weren¡¯t many people left in the market. It wasn¡¯t crowded, but the distinctive, pungent smell of the market was still quite strong.

    Frowning deeply, He Xing said with some anxiety, "Xiaohan, should we go back? You¡¯ve always hated these strange smells the most."

    From childhood, Fu Han had severe OCD. If her clothing or shoes got even a little dirty, she had to immediately change into clean ones. The most extreme case was that if she couldn¡¯t change right away, she¡¯d undoubtedly develop a rash.

    Old Master He thought Fu Han was allergic to something and took her to many hospitals for checks, to no avail. In the end, it turned out to be a psychological disorder.

    Once Old Master He confirmed there was nothing wrong with Fu Han¡¯s health, he was relieved; if clothes got dirty and had to be changed immediately, then so be it ¨C just buy more clothes for Fu Han.

    In the end, Fu Han¡¯s wardrobe was twice the size of He Xing¡¯s, and every day when Fu Han went to school, the servants would specially prepare two sets of clothes for her to change into.

    Fu Han slightly shook her head, "No, let¡¯s just walk around like this. I¡¯ve never been to a market before, and it might be nice to look around."

    "Okay, then I¡¯ll apany you," He Xing said, before crouching down in front of Fu Han, rolling up her pant legs.

    He had already sensed that the pant legs of Fu Han¡¯s hospital clothes were a bit long, and with the market¡¯s muddy ground, without rolling them up, Fu Han might feel ufortable after taking just a few steps.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing, who had crouched down in front of her. His medium-length hairy soft atop his head, gleaming warmly in the sunlight, making it seem of great quality.

    She had never really noticed, but now that He Xing was crouching in front of her, she realized that despite being over six feet tall, he was actually very slim. The shoulder des on his back were quite pronounced, their stark appearance even carrying a bit of a sharp feeling.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart suddenly softened. Without thinking, she reached out to touch He Xing¡¯s hair. His hair was soft to the touch, very silky, and had a lot of volume, unlike the coarse hairmon among men.

    She didn¡¯t remember where she had read that boys with soft hair also have soft hearts and are kind-spirited.

    Previously, Fu Han had thought such notions were simply absurd, but now it seemed very reasonable to her. He Xing was grateful and thus had been forbearing with the Xia Family. He Xing was soft-hearted, so even after being betrayed by Yi Lixing, he had not beenpletely ruthless. He Xing donated to several charities every year, always helping many people within his means.

    A slight breeze blew, carrying the scent of Osmanthus, the pungency of the market, and the fragrance of He Xing¡¯s shampoo, all converging and rushing towards Fu Han.

    It was an odd mix of scents. Previously, the mere smell of the market¡¯s fishiness would make her want to vomit, but now she found this mix of aromas felt like the vor of life itself.

 Chapter 345: Walking the Muddy Road Together

    <h4>Chapter 345: Chapter 345: Walking the Muddy Road Together</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing finished rolling up Fu Han¡¯s pant legs and looked up at her with a slight smile, "Why are you touching my hair?"

    Although his smile wasn¡¯t the kind to light up the whole room, to Fu Han it was more dazzling than the sunlight above their heads. His smile was radiant, brilliant like a sunflower, capturing one¡¯s attention at first nce.

    A smile unconsciously crept onto Fu Han¡¯s face. She teased him yfully, "What, is your head so precious that others aren¡¯t allowed to touch it?"

    "That¡¯s right," He Xing¡¯s smile deepened as he took Fu Han¡¯s hand, helping her up, "Haven¡¯t you heard? A man¡¯s head and a woman¡¯s foot should only be seen, not touched."

    "Then why did you still roll up my pant legs just now?" Fu Han mumbled, feeling rather indignant.

    He Xing affectionately ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair, "Yes, your feet can only be touched by me, and my head can only be touched by you. Isn¡¯t that fair?"

    Scenes from period dramas she had watched shed through Fu Han¡¯s mind¡ªonce a man and a woman had physical contact, especially if a man saw a woman¡¯s feet, they were bound to fall for each other eventually.

    She also thought of yesterday¡¯s wedding and their current status as betrothed.

    Fu Han felt her face getting hotter and was grateful for the bandages covering it, so even if her cheeks blushed, no one would notice.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that to He Xing, he only needed to nce at her eyes to urately guess whether she was blushing or not.

    Perhaps even Fu Han didn¡¯t realize that when she blushed, her eyes became exceptionally tender, like an endless ocean, and He Xing was the man who could never escape this sea; of course, he never had the desire to flee.

    With a heart softened to a mush, he held her hand, and they strolled along the muddy path outside the market.

    The two, one impably dressed in formal attire and the other in a patient gown with a face wrapped in bandages, seemed mismatched no matter how one looked at them.

    As a result, almost everyone they passed turned to look at them, but they only had eyes for each other. Even when their gazes asionally met with those of passers-by, they simply looked away indifferently.

    If one could ignore the unpleasant smell of the market, the scenery here was actually quite nice. In the old urban area, the buildings were six stories high with brick-red exteriors, and windows draped with loads of clothing.

    A wall¡¯s thickness away in the hospital, an Osmanthus Tree was nted every few meters. Branches stretched out from within the hospital grounds, their crooked shapes adding a unique charm to the scene.

    The autumn breeze continued to blow gently. Some osmanthus flowers fell with the wind, and on the ground were small, delicate blossoms. It was a pity to see them lying in the mud.

    After walking for about twenty minutes, they reached Main Street which was much cleaner, though more crowded.

    The shops along the street were all open¡ªclothing stores, essory shops, fruit stalls, milk tea shops, cafes, restaurants¡ªyou name it.

    Music drifted out from the open doors of the stores: rxing tunes, passionate songs, sweet love bads, and even melodies tinged with sorrow. Simply by listening, one could taste the myriad vors of life.

    He Xing tightened his grip on the small hand in his palm, smiling at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, are you hungry?"

    She hadn¡¯t noticed until he asked, but once he did, Fu Han indeed felt hungry. Following his gaze, she realized they had stopped in front of a restaurant.

    Fu Han nodded, "Considering the time, it¡¯s about time for lunch. Let¡¯s eat before we go back."

    "Exactly my thought," He Xing¡¯s eyes and brows brimmed with smiles. To be precise, ever since Fu Han touched his hair, his smile hadn¡¯t faded.

    On their way, they had seen several restaurants, but the one they ended up at was thergest near the hospital.

    Last night, when He Xing had ordered food for Fu Han, it was from this restaurant. She had tried some and remarked that the vor was good, which he remembered.

    The two entered the restaurant hand-in-hand. An attendant promptly greeted them, and He Xing requested a Private Room. Skimming through the menu, he ordered all of Fu Han¡¯s favorite dishes.

    Fu Han walked upstairs. The restaurant seemed clean; the Lobby below was packed with customers, suggesting the ce was quite decent.

    Her eyes surveyed the area; although their Private Room wasn¡¯trge, it could easily amodate six people or more. For just the two of them, it was more than sufficient.

    The wallpaper inside the Private Room was spotless, adorned with an oil painting of ady holding flowers. The vibrant colors added vitality to the room.

    The window of their Private Room faced the street, offering a view of the diverse crowd passing by the restaurant, each person in a hurry. They were mere passers-by in each other¡¯s lives, with no one pausing for another.

    Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around Fu Han¡¯s waist. Without turning, she knew it was He Xing. She tilted her head back to rest perfectly against his shoulder.

    He Xing nuzzled her forehead with his cheek, "Xiaohan, what are you thinking? Can you tell me?"

    Fu Han let out an inaudible sigh, "I¡¯m thinking that although we say ¡¯together forever¡¯, people are independent beings, passers-by to others. In this world, nothing trulysts forever."

    For a moment, the smile vanished from He Xing¡¯s face, but it reappeared the next second. "Xiaohan, even though we are independent beings, we live inmunities. We have our own thoughts, make our own judgments. If we feel lonely, we can seekpanionship; if we want to share, there will always be someone willing to listen. Do you know that?"

    Fu Han tilted her head and smiled, "He Xing, what you really mean to say is, no matter what, you will always be by my side, right?"

    "My clever Xiaohan," He Xing smiled and tightened his hold around her waist.

    If He Xing knew that there was no smile on Fu Han¡¯s face at that moment, how would he have felt? Certainly, he wouldn¡¯t presume the issue to be so easily resolved.

    The dishes were served quickly. While notparable to five-star hotel fare, the food was quite good, akin to homemade cuisine, and it suited Fu Han¡¯s pte.

    She ate her meal at a leisurely pace, elegantly¡ªthe epitome of ady. In terms of etiquette, Master He had once arranged for both Fu Han and He Xing to receive formal instruction. Table manners were ingrained in their very bones,ing naturally, effortlessly.

    Anxious that Fu Han might not eat well, He Xing kept putting food onto her te, urging her to eat more with frequent gentle reminders.

 Chapter 346 I Want to Watch a Movie

    <h4>Chapter 346: Chapter 346 I Want to Watch a Movie</h4><h4></h4>

    But actually, He Xing¡¯s concern was somewhat unnecessary. Whether it was yesterday when she was admitted to the hospital or today, Fu Han had a small appetite, but she always made an effort to eat.

    Today at noon, although Fu Han hadn¡¯t eaten a single bite of rice, she ate quite a bit of vegetables and even drank a bowl of Pork Rib Corn Soup.

    Compared to her, He Xing¡¯s appetite was much bigger, even more than three times that of Fu Han¡¯s.

    When Fu Han watched He Xing eat, she thought he enjoyed his meal so much that it was quite appetizing to watch.

    After she had eaten her fill, she propped her chin on her hands and watched He Xing eat. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she considered her behavior too exaggerated, she even thought of taking out her phone to snap a photo.

    Finally, He Xing also put down his chopsticks, smiling as he looked at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m done eating, where do you want to go next?"

    Fu Han tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said very seriously, "I haven¡¯t watched a movie for a long time, I kind of want to go watch one."

    Thest time Fu Han went to watch a movie was right after she returned to the country, when she was determined to leave He Xing. The movie did not materialize; instead, someone tried to kill her in the restroom of the movie theater.

    At that time, He Xing said he would investigate the matter, but as of now, she still hadn¡¯t received any updates¡ªthe woman in ck who had hurt her seemed to have vanished into thin air; perhaps she hadn¡¯t disappeared, but too many things had happened one after another, and Fu Han never once asked He Xing about the progress.

    Upon hearing her request, He Xing immediately said, "Xiaohan, let¡¯s go watch a movie then. I¡¯ll book the tickets."

    "No!" Fu Han panicked, saying hastily, "Walking around with a face like this, do you think if I really went to the movie theater, people would be watching the movie or looking at me? And the doctor has advised us not to go too far."

    Although He Xing was very reluctant to admit it, he had to acknowledge that what Fu Han said was true. Even inside the hospital, people would give Fu Han a second look, and from the hospital to here, the rate of turning heads was absolutely one hundred percent.

    All along the way, even though Fu Han didn¡¯t say anything, He Xing felt particrly sad¡ªthe attention Fu Han used to attract was because of her natural beauty, but now, her face had...

    Because of the movie, the atmosphere on their way back was very tense, and although He Xing was still holding Fu Han¡¯s hand, the two walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

    In just the time it took to have a meal, the sky was already covered with dark clouds, and the weather felt oppressively muggy, as if it might rain at any moment.

    The wind was getting stronger, and Fu Han¡¯s thin jacket could no longer withstand the cold wind. Her pant legs fluttered loudly in the breeze, and the small section of exposed ankle felt as if soaked in ice water.

    Although it wasn¡¯t winter, the chill was indistinguishable from it.

    Ignoring Fu Han¡¯s refusal, He Xing took off his suit jacket and draped it over her. He then held her by the waist instead, and the two leaned on each other as they walked towards the hospital.

    Once inside the Inpatient Building, Fu Han felt a wave of warmth wash over her, and her entire body felt much morefortable. She struggled slightly and freed herself from He Xing¡¯s embrace, then took off the jacket on her shoulder and handed it back to him, "Thank you, here you go."

    There was a significant difference between the temperatures indoors and outdoors, and He Xing knew Fu Han no longer needed his jacket now that they were inside. He tucked the jacket under his arm and naturally reached out to take Fu Han¡¯s hand.

    Fu Han¡¯s first instinct was to pull away, but when she saw the sorrow in He Xing¡¯s eyes, she couldn¡¯t bear it and took the initiative to grasp his hand, "Alright, let¡¯s hurry upstairs."

    "Okay!" He Xing nced at Fu Han holding his hand, the immacte whiteness of her hand wless. His gaze softened, and he followed obediently behind Fu Han like a well-behaved student.

    When Fu Han had left her ward, Bai Qian and Bai Wei were there, but now it was empty and silent, which felt a bit lonely.

    He Xing found a caretaker to assist Fu Han while he himself had to go out for a bit.

    Fu Han intended to lie down on the bed to sleep, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the vase on the coffee table, filled with a few Osmanthus blossoms that had a certain natural beauty despite their disarray.

    Up close, however, the scent of the Osmanthus was a bit overpowering.

    Having alreadyin down, she got up and moved the vase to the shoe cab by the door, finding the room much morefortable afterward, with a light fragrance wafting through the air.

    Fu Han pulled a book from under her pillow¡ªa copy of thetest National Geographic magazine with many outstanding photographs to admire. It was her favorite magazine; she had subscribed to every issue for years without fail.

    He Xing had brought her the magazine the previous evening, along with several other books which he had ced in the cab.

    She casually flipped through the magazine and stumbled upon a travel guide to Nuan City with its perennial spring-like weather. Even at this time of year, it was blooming with flowers, captivating at first nce.

    Fu Han remembered how during the filming of "Yearning for Home," Bai Wei had once requested He Xing take advantage of his position to organize a crew trip to Nuan City after filming wasplete.

    But one thing led to another, and the trip never happened.

    However, Bai Wei¡¯s wish dide true; not only did she be Luo Qinghe¡¯s official girlfriend, but the two of them also went on a trip to Nuan City together, staying there for more than a week.

    Nuan City, a ce Fu Han had never been to, yet because of these events, it held a warm and affectionate ce in her memory, bing a beautiful regret.

    She caressed the pages of the magazine adorned with azaleas, longing evident in the depths of her eyes.

    Suddenly, a rush of footsteps at the door drew her attention. As she looked up, she saw Bai Wei in her patient outfiting out in slippers, "Fu Han, Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng were released, and they¡¯ll be back soon."

    Bai Wei¡¯s voice was filled with unrestrained joy, a kind of happiness radiating from within, contagious and even magical.

    "That¡¯s great." Fu Han smiled, shaking the magazine in her hand, "Then you go find him. I won¡¯t join you; I want to read."

    Bai Wei had not nned to have Fu Han join her anyway, so hearing the response, she happily scampered off, herughter chiming away and bringing a lively energy to the quiet ward.

    A few minutester, indeed, there were footsteps. Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe walked in ahead, hand in hand, followed by Su Cheng.

    In an instant, Fu Han¡¯s ward became lively. In truth, it was mostly due to Bai Wei¡¯s exuberance, as she incessantly chatted with Fu Han and Luo Qinghe, eventually bing so excited that her words ran together.

    As for Su Cheng, from the moment he entered, he had been sitting alone on the sofa, asionally casting apologetic nces at Fu Han.

 Chapter 347: Doing Everything for You

    <h4>Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Doing Everything for You</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s mood really wasn¡¯t good, and although she knew she should console Su Cheng with a few words, she found herself unable to speak. She didn¡¯t even know what to say.

    As for Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, they seemed to have reached a tacit agreement, as neither of them mentioned anything about Xia Cheng or Xia Ning. Everyone¡¯s behavior gave Fu Han the impression that the incident had never happened.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t like this deliberate concealment, this forced creation of harmony; it always felt like self-deception, a refusal to face reality.

    She preferred that no matter what happened, things could beid out openly because if many issues weren¡¯t rified, they would fester over time, growing into a cancerous tumor that eventually became incurable.

    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, perhaps a long while or maybe less than an hour, when He Xing appeared at the ward entrance.

    He stood at the door and said to those behind him, "This is the ce, hurry over and set it up."

    The four people in the ward, with eight puzzled eyes between them, soon had their questions answered. He Xing had actually bought a projector and was having it installed right there in the ward.

    Bai Wei pouted upon learning of He Xing¡¯s grand gesture, "He Xing, Fu Han just wanted to watch a movie, right? Watching it on a phone is the same. Not to be rude, but isn¡¯t this a bit too extravagant?"

    Before He Xing could reply, Luo Qinghe immediately chimed in, "Exactly, He Xing, this behavior of yours, if it had been in the old days, would¡¯ve matched the extravagance of Signal Fires y the Princes, earning the smile of a beauty amidst the worldly dust. You¡¯re really willing to do anything for ady."

    After both had spoken, not only did the others in the room notugh, but Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe themselves wereughing so hard they were leaning back and couldn¡¯t close their mouths.

    Only Su Cheng, with his heavy heart, watched the workers install the projector, his feelingsplex. A reluctant smile cracked his lips, but he did not actuallyugh.

    Unphased by the teasing, He Xing looked at Fu Han with a zing, passionate smile, "To me, there is nothing more important in this world than Fu Han. As long as she wants it, as long as I have it, I will offer it with both hands."

    To say she wasn¡¯t moved would be a lie; Fu Han¡¯s eyes were already brimming with tears, but she was trying hard to control herself and not let them fall.

    If she had a choice, she¡¯d rather He Xing not be so kind to her; perhaps then her heart would feel a bit better.

    There¡¯s nothing more painful than when you¡¯ve already made a decision, but reality always finds ways to pull you back and forth, making you waver over something you thought you had settled on.

    The projector was quickly installed and sessfully tested. With a few maniptions by He Xing, a movie began to y.

    Bai Wei, who had been snuggling in Luo Qinghe¡¯s arms waiting to see what trick He Xing would pull off, nced at the projector and almost stood up in surprise.

    Pointing at the projector with a face full of astonishment, she eximed, "This... this... isn¡¯t this the movie that just premiered yesterday? How did you get the resources?"

    In contrast to her, He Xing appeared remarkably calm. He pulled up a chair and sat it down beside Fu Han¡¯s hospital bed, nonchntly saying, "It¡¯s nothing much, I just pulled some strings and spent some money."

    Bai Wei was taken aback, taking two full minutes to recover before pointing a finger at He Xing, "Impressive, indeed money makes the world go round."

    Fu Han¡¯s previous dilemma had been whether it was necessary for He Xing to buy a projector that cost tens of thousands, but he dismissed that by saying he would have it dismantled and taken home once she was discharged.

    But in the face of a movie that had just premiered the day before, the tens of thousands spent on the projector seemed negligible, not even enough to fit between the gaps of teeth.

    The more Bai Wei thought about it, the more sour her teeth felt. She nudged Luo Qinghe with her shoulder, "Look at him, spending a fortune just to win a beauty¡¯s smile, and you, you just make me angry all day long."

    She hadn¡¯t kept her voice down as she spoke, and not only did Luo Qinghe hear her, but so did everyone else in the room.

    Fu Han felt Bai Wei¡¯s words were a bit over the top; she remembered Luo Qinghe as being hot-tempered and was somewhat worried that he might explode.

    Unexpectedly, Luo Qinghe actuallyughed after hearing her words, speaking with an especially serene expression, "Everyone¡¯s love is different, aren¡¯t you meeting me for the first time today? I¡¯m just not that kind of romantic person."

    Bai Wei had been frowning, but seeing Luo Qinghe¡¯s reaction, she unwittingly smiled. Her smile was as warm and bright as the winter sun beaming down from overhead.

    For some reason, as Fu Han watched them, she suddenly felt the world seemed very beautiful.

    A two-hour suspense movie ensued with a tight pace and interconnected plot; if you weren¡¯t careful, you might miss some crucial information.

    Everyone watched intently, hardly speaking, with only the asionalment rted to the plot.

    When you think about it, it was quite touching; Fu Han had offhandedly mentioned wanting to watch a movie three hours earlier, but at the time, she hadn¡¯t really decided what to watch, not even knowing what movies were currently in theaters. The film was picked by He Xing, but it turned out to be really good.

    Although the end of the movie was tragic, with death and injury abound, the side of justice ultimately prevailed, barely passing as a happy ending.

    But Fu Han felt that justice hade at too high a price; too many had sacrificed for it, and even though justice was achieved, it was a bittersweet victory.

    ...

    Nuan City.

    The sun overhead was so intense that it was hard to open one¡¯s eyes.

    Nan Qing wore an excessivelyrge-brimmed hat, and in front of her was an easel. Not far off, there stretched a field of sunflowers, a dense sea of them, boundless.

    The only pity was that the flowers had already fruited this season, with densely packed sunflower seeds filling their centers, more numerous than pieces of honeb coal.

    She unscrewed the lid of a mineral water bottle at her side and drank from it in a way that seemed to vent her frustration, as if she wished she could gulp down the entire bottle in one go.

    Under a sturdy tree with branches spread out like a wide-open umbre nearby, a pic nkety in the shade. On it rested a person, none other than Wang Yixuan, who hade out with Nan Qing for the day.

    Nan Qing realized she was tiring her eyes ring at Wang Yixuan, who showed no reaction. Frustrated, she turned her head unwillingly to check on her painting.

    A few minutester, she got up and clumsily carried the easel toward the tree.

    Upon reaching the tree, she kicked Wang Yixuan¡¯s thigh, "Move, get up quickly, let me rest for a while."

    Wang Yixuanid with his hands behind his head, sunsses covering his eyes. Nan Qing kicked him without eliciting any response.

    "Pretending to sleep again?" Nan Qing got angry, raised her foot once more, and kicked him harder. Her first kick had been more of a gesture, but this time she put her full strength into it, and though she wore sneakers, it was certainly not a gentle nudge.

 Chapter 348: Carrying the Messy Accounts

    <h4>Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Carrying the Messy ounts</h4><h4></h4>

    "You¡¯re addicted to kicking people, aren¡¯t you?" At the nick of time, Wang Yixuan rolled away, barely dodging the kick from Nan Qing that could have sent him to the hospital.

    "Who told you to have ears that don¡¯t work?" Nan Qing showed no signs of guilt as she deftly turned around and secured the center position on the pic mat with ease.

    Wang Yixuan struggled to his feet from the grass, rubbing his forehead, "Nan Qing, when I first met you, I thought you were ady. I didn¡¯t expect you to be a lunatic!"

    As he spoke, Nan Qing happened to open a can of beer, took a big gulp, and gave a very pertinent review, "You¡¯re right, the local draft beer is indeed good."

    "Since you didn¡¯t carry it here, of course, you think it¡¯s good." Wang Yixuan also opened a beer and didn¡¯t forget to roll his eyes at Nan Qing.

    After finishing a can of beer, Nan Qing returned the rolled eyes, "Isn¡¯t this your own doing? You said the sunflower fields here were beautiful, and this is what you brought me to see?"

    A sh of embarrassment crossed Wang Yixuan¡¯s face as he coughed unnaturally, "I... I got the time wrong, and besides, I think your paintings are not bad, the imagination... cough cough... is good."

    Nan Qing couldn¡¯t be bothered with him, her beautiful eyes looking around.

    Frankly, the scenery here was indeed lovely, with terraced fields, ins, and mountains. Most importantly, the climate was pleasant, neither cold nor hot. A thin jacket in the morning and evening and a sweatshirt or an autumn dress during the day were enough.

    For the pic today, Nan Qing wore ck pencil pants, a white short-sleeved shirt, and a khaki windbreaker, with mountaineering shoes on her feet.

    After the sun came out, she had taken off her coat, and the ssic ck and white ensemble, coupled with her dynamic high ponytail and her jade-white, rosy-cheeked face, made her look like a college student.

    Wang Yixuan was also sporting a casual look today, with ripped jeans, a gray short-sleeve, and a pair of red and white sports shoes, looking particrly energetic.

    Objectively speaking, Wang Yixuan was quite versatile in his aura. When he didn¡¯t style his hair, he just looked like a young man entering society, but as soon as hebed up his bangs, he immediately turned into a very stylish man.

    At this moment, the two sat there, one on the pic mat and the other on the grass, presenting a pleasant sight.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s gaze alternated between the scenery around him and Nan Qing. After a few minutes, he hesitantly spoke up, "Nan Qing, when are you going back to A City?"

    "Go back?" Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened innocently, "Why should I go back? Didn¡¯t we agree to travel the world together? This is just the first stop!"

    Wang Yixuan forcefully ruffled his hair, his voice filled with pain, "Traveling the world is great, but it also costs a lot of money. Let me be honest with you, I don¡¯t have enough money to travel the world."

    "I have money, I¡¯ll treat you," Nan Qing patting Wang Yixuan¡¯s shoulder, her beautiful face blooming with a cute smile, yful yet sincere.

    "No way!" Wang Yixuan immediately refused, "I have a principle. I never spend women¡¯s money, so don¡¯t think about it anymore."

    Nan Qing lowered her head, her long eyshes flickering as if they were a beautifulndscape, her gentle profile like the first rays of morning sunshine, and the fuzzy down on her face made her look even more tender.

    In that moment, Nan Qing was so beautiful it was hard to look away.

    Wang Yixuan found himself staring, only to quickly realize his stare had been caught when Nan Qing looked up. His face, which seldom blushed, turned red as he stumbled, "That... that, I... I..."

    Of course, Wang Yixuan hardly ever stammered, and his asional stutter was indeed surprising.

    Nan Qing chuckled, "Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something dirty on my face?"

    "No... no," Wang Yixuan felt his heartbeat racing uncontrobly despite his efforts to keep it in check. He had to awkwardly look away, feigning nonchnce, "I can¡¯t possibly use a woman¡¯s money. If you really want to travel the world, I might have to earn living expenses in each city we visit, which means our world tour would take longer."

    "Is that all?" The smile spread across Nan Qing¡¯s face, her eyes and brows filled with mirth, "No problem. When you perform on the streets, I can cheer and shout for you."

    "Okay then, I¡¯ll be counting on your support." Wang Yixuan no longer restrained his mood, smiling exceptionally brightly, his dimples faintly visible.

    ...

    At dusk, the ward became unusually quiet. Su Cheng left unwillingly after a series of urgent calls from his parents; Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei had already returned to her ward; He Xing had gone to buy dinner and, before leaving, had started aedy movie for Fu Han.

    Fu Han leaned back on the pillow watching the film, her beautiful face expressionless as if she wasn¡¯t watching aedy but a heavy drama.

    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Fu Han turned to see Fu Xingbo standing at the doorway with a smile, "What are you thinking about?"

    "Uncle, are you looking for me?" Fu Han smiled, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible, but inside she already guessed the reason for Fu Xingbo¡¯s visit.

    Sure enough, after Fu Xingbo came in and sat in the chair previously upied by He Xing, he spoke earnestly, "Xiaohan, have you thought about my proposal?"

    "I..." Fu Han¡¯s smile vanished instantly as she lowered her head and sighed, "I haven¡¯t decided yet. Could you give me some more time?"

    "Of course, you can." Fu Xingbo affectionately ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair and spoke softly, "But you know, the sooner you go there, the better. Your face can¡¯t wait."

    "I know." Fu Han kept her head down, but soon looked up at Fu Xingbo, "Uncle, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me. I really want to leave here and think about my future life. But when I see how good he is to me, I can¡¯t bear to leave him."

    "You love He Xing, I know that," sighed Fu Xingbo, his voice filled with gravity, "But Xiaohan, I¡¯ve talked to He Xing. He really loves you, but he and the Xia Family are a mess, a lifelong mess that can¡¯t be untangled. If you really marry He Xing, it means you¡¯ll be carrying this mess too. You¡¯ll have to be grateful to the Xia Family. Can you do that?"

    "I..." Fu Han was at a loss for words and after a long pause finally said in a low voice, "I am grateful that Xia Ning¡¯s mother saved He Xing."

 Chapter 349: Marriage Requires Careful Management

    <h4>Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Marriage Requires Careful Management</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Xingbo looked at Fu Han with a deep gaze and then started tough meaningfully, "Then do you feel grateful to Xia Ning, Xia Cheng, and the Xia Guoxiong family of three?"

    The already quiet ward became even quieter at his words, to the point where one could almost hear a pin drop.

    Time ticked by, and in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, there had been a cycle of sunrise and sunset. When the outside had turnedpletely to night, Fu Han parted her thin lips and finally spoke with difficulty, "I don¡¯t feel grateful to them; I hate them!"

    "Good girl," Fu Xingbo rubbed Fu Han¡¯s hair again, his smile tender and indulgent, "It was He Xing who was saved by Xia Ning¡¯s mother, not you. Remember, you never have to bear this kindness, understand?"

    "Mm, I understand," nodded Fu Han. The light shone on her eyes, which sparkled like the glinting surface of water.

    From afar, it seemed like the sound of the elevator doors opening could be heard. Fu Xingbo slowly stood up, "Xiaohan, then I will have my secretary book the ne tickets."

    Tears had already slid down Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, but as they fell, she turned to look out the window, murmuring almost inaudibly, "Mm, I understand."

    The wind outside blew in gust after gust, howling as it buffeted against the windowpanes with a patter. Although there was a hint of chill during the day, the sun was still out. But the night had turned cold like this.

    Fu Han tucked her feet into the nket, and as she looked up, she saw He Xinging in with his meal box. The room seemed to grow colder as he entered, his handsome face pale and devoid of any flush.

    He Xing first smiled at Fu Han, then greeted Fu Xingbo cheerfully, "Auntie¡¯s husband, you¡¯re here. Have you eaten? Do you want to join us?"

    "No need," Fu Xingbo immediately declined. His schrly face held a smile, "Xiaohan¡¯s aunt mentioned she saw a restaurant online with a good steak, and I¡¯ve made a reservation to go there tonight."

    "Another candlelit dinner?" The smile on He Xing¡¯s face deepened as he teased, "After so many years of marriage, you and my aunt are still so romantic, that¡¯s really rare."

    "A marriage needs care to be well managed, you¡¯ll understand in the future." After he spoke, he didn¡¯t linger any longer and turned to walk out of the ward. But just before he stepped out of the door, he turned back to look at Fu Han.

    Just then, Fu Han was also looking at him. Their eyes met, each filled with an indescribable depth of feeling. It was just unfortunate that He Xing was too busy taking out the food from the bag to notice.

    The night was deep, the nurses¡¯ rounds had ended, and it was time to sleep.

    He Xing became somewhat restless, pacing the ward as if he had something to say but didn¡¯t know where to start.

    The geography magazine in Fu Han¡¯s hands was flipped through haphazardly. She casually ced the magazine on the nightstand and happened to catch He Xing sneaking nces at her.

    "I..." He Xing averted his eyes guiltily, his words betraying his thoughts, "Xiaohan, I¡¯ll call the nursing aide to stay with you. I... I¡¯ll go out first."

    Suddenly soft-hearted, a smile appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face, "Where are you going? nning to spend another night on the bench?"

    "How do you know?" He Xing blurted out, instantly regretting it as he hurriedly exined, "Xiaohan, I don¡¯t sleep on the bench. Didn¡¯t you tell me to go home? I¡¯m heading right back."

    "Okay, you don¡¯t have to lie to me. I went outst night and saw. You and Su Cheng were guarding outside like door gods," Fu Han reached out to He Xing, who immediately sat down on Fu Han¡¯s bed and without ceremony, wrapped his arms around her waist.

    Fu Han twisted to escape but couldn¡¯t, she said helplessly, "He Xing, I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re getting too good at taking advantage of situations. Give you an inch, and you open a dye shop."

    "Isn¡¯t that how it goes when you¡¯re in a rtionship?" He Xing took the opportunity to kiss Fu Han¡¯s forehead, his smile beaming, "Xiaohan, I know you don¡¯t like me staying over in the ward, don¡¯t worry. It doesn¡¯t matter if I sleep in the hallway, I just can¡¯t rest easy without being by your side."

    Fu Han felt the sincerity in He Xing¡¯s words and when she leaned against his chest, she could automatically ignore the storm raging outside the window.

    At this moment, to her, the raging winds and dark clouds outside became nothing more than background music in a TV drama, inconsequential and even transforming into melodious tunes.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, Fu Han spoke softly, "Don¡¯t call the nursing aide tonight. Just sleep on that empty bed over there."

    "Really?" He Xing¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly as he grasped Fu Han¡¯s slender shoulders and stared intently at her, "Xiaohan, do you really agree to let me stay?"

    Fu Han felt her cheeks warming up, but luckily she had a thinyer of gauze wrapped around her face which concealed her blush, otherwise, she would have been mortified beyond words.

    She pushed He Xing away with both hands, her voice low, "It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s go to sleep."

    "Alright, let¡¯s sleep," He Xing replied, his handsome face radiant with happiness. If one looked closely, they could even see a grin of gratitude on his face, humble enough to tug at one¡¯s heartstrings.

    After tucking Fu Han in, He Xing went back to his own small bed to lie down.

    The storm outside had stopped, no more rain tapping against the window. Threads of moonlight peeked through the clouds, shining onto the tiled floor and glistening as if reflective.

    Fu Han then realized they hadn¡¯t drawn the curtains. As He Xing was about to get up to close them, Fu Han quickly stopped him.

    She thought the lighting was just right¡ªnot too bright nor too dim. She could vaguely make out He Xing¡¯s silhouette but couldn¡¯t see his features clearly, caught between a hazy glow and darkness, lending a mysterious allure.

    Fu Han rolled over to face He Xing¡¯s direction, trying hard to see his face clearly but could only see a blurry outline against the backlight.

    "Xiaohan, do you have something you want to tell me?" He Xing was the first to speak, his voice soft and low as if afraid to wake a sleeping fairy.

    The inevitable couldn¡¯t be avoided. Fu Han felt a bit of sorrow but still smiled as she spoke, "He Xing, I want to leave for a while."

    "Why?" He Xing propped himself up, ready to rise, his tone suddenly anxious, "Xiaohan, did I do something wrong? Tell me, I¡¯ll change, really."

    "Don¡¯te over here!" Fu Han panicked, her voice breaking as she turned away from He Xing, near incoherent, "If youe over, I won¡¯t know what to say."

    "Okay, okay, I won¡¯te over, I won¡¯t," He Xing truly stopped, even lying back down, facing Fu Han, he asked, "Xiaohan, what exactly happened?"

 Chapter 350: Late Night Heart-to-Heart

    <h4>Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Late Night Heart-to-Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han sniffled and pushed the tears back, then forced herself to speak with feigned calm, "You did nothing wrong; I just wanted to go out to clear my mind."

    "Then can I go with you, would that be okay?" He Xing immediately asked anxiously, and although his face wasn¡¯t clear, the words he spoke felt sincere.

    For some reason, that sour feeling in Fu Han¡¯s nose had vanished, and her heart, which had been tangled for so long, became exceptionally calm.

    In fact, when she heard He Xing speak to her in such an almost servile tone, she felt very sad, as if thousands of needles were simultaneously piercing her body. Does it hurt? Of course, but when the pain runs deep, you be numb to all feeling.

    In the watery night, Fu Han¡¯s clear voice was like a sprite dancing on piano strings, "He Xing, what I mean is, I want to stay somewhere else for a while, not just to travel."

    After these words, the room fell silent, quiet enough to hear a pin drop. If it weren¡¯t for the faint sound of each other¡¯s breathing, they might have thought they were alone in the room.

    The air started to feel oppressive, and Fu Han knew it wasn¡¯t the pressure emanating from He Xing, but the pressure she was putting on herself, as her own heartbeat began to elerate.

    After what seemed like an eternity, He Xing¡¯s voice finally sounded again, "Fu Han, do you not want me anymore?"

    Fu Han had been holding back sessfully until then, but at these words, her tears immediately fell. There was an instant when she had a strong urge to throw herself into He Xing¡¯s arms and tell him she wouldn¡¯t leave.

    But as she was about to get up, the words that Fu Xingbo had said once again surfaced in her heart, and she felt as if she were bound by an invisible cage to the bed, unable to move.

    Thinking it over, Fu Han said earnestly, "He Xing, I don¡¯t want to leave you, it¡¯s just that I..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but at thest moment, Fu Han bit back her initial intent and changed the subject, "Uncle said he is going to take me to see a doctor to treat my face."

    "I can find a doctor to treat you too, and in fact I¡¯ve already been in contact with one." Even without seeing He Xing¡¯s face, one could fully sense his urgency just from his voice.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes welled up again. She sniffled and put on a cheerful front, "But the doctor who¡¯s supposed to operate on me is busy and won¡¯t be able toe to the country for a while."

    "I..." He Xing¡¯s nose felt sour too, and he said with difficulty, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry, I will contact them again and try to get them toe over as soon as possible."

    "There¡¯s no need." Fu Han smiled, her sadness somewhat diluted. For some reason, the sorrow of parting seemed much lighter all of a sudden, "He Xing, uncle has contacted many people, and the final decision is that I go abroad for treatment. It¡¯s the most efficient way."

    Again, there was a deadly silence. He Xing couldn¡¯t utter a word, for he knew all too well that what Fu Han was saying was the truth. These past few days, he had been in contact with the experts who would operate on Fu Han; he knew all too well that what Fu Xingbo said was true.

    But knowing was one thing; actually epting the news that Fu Han was going abroad was another. During the three years that Fu Han was away, every day and night had been torture for him. Now, to ask him to casually let Fu Han leave, how could that be possible?

    Yet he couldn¡¯t stop Fu Han for his own sake, as everyone has the right to pursue beauty, especially Fu Han, who was naturally beautiful and found it even harder to ept bing less so.

    After an indefinite amount of time, when the moon hid behind the clouds and the ward became pitch ck, He Xing¡¯s deep and maic voice finally rang out, "Xiaohan, when are you leaving?"

    "I don¡¯t know yet." Fu Han¡¯s emotions wereplex at the moment. On one hand, she was d that He Xing agreed so easily; on the other hand, she was somewhat sad. She had thought that He Xing would strongly object, and that feeling of discrepancy was not something that could be easily expressed in words.

    "Then, once you¡¯ve decided on a date, you must tell me." He Xing¡¯s cool voice rang out, carrying a faint sadness and stubbornness, "I won¡¯t stop you, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll leave without a word, just like before."

    "Okay, as soon as the flight details are confirmed, I will tell you," Fu Han said, with unprecedented determination in her voice. She was overwhelmed with guilt, and at this moment, no matter how many demands He Xing made, Fu Han would agree without hesitation.

    They talked a lot that night, well into the wee hours. It was as if they had an unspoken understanding, recalling the past and discussing their views on certain things together. But as for the future, they never brought it up.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t mention it because she thought the future was too ethereal and filled with unknowns; while He Xing didn¡¯t mention it because in his mind, he was certain about being with Fu Han in the future. He remained silent simply to avoid pressuring her.

    That night, they didn¡¯t hold hands, hug, kiss, engage in physical touch, lock eyes, or make any extravagant promises, but yet it was unusually different. It seemed their rtionship had somehow grown closer.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know when she fell asleep; she only knew she had slept exceptionally well that night, a night without dreams. She couldn¡¯t remember thest time she had slept so peacefully.

    ...

    The Xia Family Vi.

    The night was deep, and the Xia Family vi¡¯s lights were still brightly lit.

    In the vast living room, Xia Ning and Xia Cheng, one smoking and the other applying a facial mask, seemed to enjoy their ownforts. The record yer was sting loud rock music, turning the luxuriously decorated living room into something resembling a bar, resulting in an incongruent atmosphere.

    Yet by the looks on their faces, they seemed to enjoy this feeling.

    With a "ding," Xia Ning¡¯s rm rang, signaling time to wash off the face mask. She got up, intending to head upstairs, but identally caught a glimpse of Xia Cheng¡¯s phone screen from the corner of her eye.

    Xia Ning had no qualms about looking at someone else¡¯s phone screen and would even move closer if she saw something interesting.

    At that moment, that was exactly what she did. Xia Cheng was watching a video of a beautiful woman dancing, and at first nce, Xia Ning thought the woman on the screen looked familiar. It was only when she moved closer that she realized who the woman was.

    "Brother, who are you watching?" Xia Ning suddenly spoke, her voice clear yet eerily startling, apanied by the white facial mask on her face that made her resemble a ghost.

    "What¡¯s it to you?" Xia Cheng quickly turned off his phone and red at Xia Ning discontentedly, "Just because you stare at He Xing¡¯s photos all day long in a daze, doesn¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t watch beautiful women, does it?"

 Chapter 351: In name only, an Assistant

    <h4>Chapter 351: Chapter 351: In name only, an Assistant</h4><h4></h4>

    "Of course, dealing with women is none of my business," Xia Ning crossed her arms and looked down at Xia Cheng with disdain, "I¡¯m just kindly reminding you, this person is dad¡¯s assistant. You can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what their rtionship is!"

    "So what," Xia Cheng said carelessly, "You also know how often our dad changes assistants; they¡¯re nominally assistants, but in reality, they¡¯re all mistresses. They don¡¯t really have to do anything¡ªjust keep the old man happy."

    What Xia Cheng said was the truth, and over the years, Xia Ning had been very dissatisfied with Xia Guoxiong¡¯s personal behavior. To be exact, she felt that Xia Guoxiong¡¯s actions were embarrassing for her, as reputation also mattered, right?

    But feeling embarrassed was one thing, and persuading him was another. Xia Ning never attempted to persuade Xia Guoxiong because she knew all too well it was pointless.

    As for Xia Cheng, the general manager of Xia Group, many people said he was a spineless loser, but in some respects, Xia Cheng could be considered to have outdone his father.

    For example, with women¡ªthough Xia Cheng was the son, he had been with even more women than his father, Xia Guoxiong. Moreover, women would constantlye to cause trouble for Xia Cheng, and from time to time, Xia Ning would have to step in and deal with them for her brother.

    Therefore, now that Xia Ning caught Xia Cheng watching a video of a beautiful woman, and she happened to be Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, she wasn¡¯t really surprised. The words she had just spoken were less of a warning and more like schadenfreude, or maybe she was just safeguarding her own exit strategy.

    After all, given her understanding of her brother, regarding Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, he either already had his hands on her, or he was resolute in not giving up until he did.

    With this in mind, Xia Ning¡¯s smile grew even broader, "Brother, I¡¯m just kindly reminding you, if you really anger Dad, you won¡¯t end up well."

    Having said this, Xia Ning didn¡¯t linger any longer. She swung her hips and walked towards the staircase.

    Xia Cheng turned and watched Xia Ning, contempt filling his narrow eyes, and his words were unkind, "Hmph, you just have He Xing on your mind. You can¡¯t get him, so you wish others ill fortune?"

    Of course, these words were only muttered in his heart. He grew up with Xia Ning and knew all too well that although she appeared as an innocent flower on the surface, she could be ruthlessly cunning, perhaps even his father had to keep his distance.

    Xia Cheng would always remember that in their youth, Xia Ning came up with countless schemes to deal with Fu Han, and he was always the sacrificial pawn upholding Xia Ning¡¯s self-image, without the chance to argue in his own defense.

    Thinking of this, rage bubbled up inside Xia Cheng. His gaze fell on the phone screen, thinking of the enchanting dance he had just watched, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel an itch that spread a warmth from the pit of his stomach.

    Xia Cheng scrolled through his Whatsapp contacts and found a name, sending out a message: "Nuannuan, are you free tonight? Let¡¯s meet at our usual ce."

    Nuannuan, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant Qin Nuan, had for many years been the only one who stayed with Xia Guoxiong for more than half a year; of course, Mr. Ji was the exception.

    Though Mr. Ji was nominally Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, everyone knew he was more than that. He had made significant contributions to Xia Group and even held shares in thepany¡ªa substantial amount, it was rumored.

    It took less than five minutes for Qin Nuan to reply: "Your dad¡¯s still here, but he¡¯s gone to take a shower. He¡¯ll probably leave in about half an hour, whether youe or not is up to you."

    The itch in Xia Cheng¡¯s heart grew even stronger, and he replied almost without hesitation: "Come,e, once the old man leaves, I¡¯ll head over!"

    After receiving the reply, Xia Cheng finallyughed, then hurriedly ran upstairs and back to his room to shower, afraid of even the slightest dy.

    After using nearly half a bottle of perfume and half a bottle of hair gel, Xia Cheng looked at himself in the mirror, feeling particrly satisfied, and hummed a tune as he took his keys and left the house.

    He had been somewhat worried about how to exin if he ran into Xia Ning, but fortunately, she hadn¡¯te out of her own room, saving him the trouble of exining.

    Xia Cheng hummed a tune all the way to Qin Nuan¡¯s apartmentplex, arriving in less than twenty minutes at great speed.

    The reason he could arrive so quickly was all thanks to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s selfishness, as Xia Guoxiong had rented an apartment for Qin Nuan in a high-endplex not far from the Xia Family mansion, just to have frequent dates with her. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be convenient for Xia Cheng.

    As Xia Cheng was about to park his car below Qin Nuan¡¯s building, out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car not far ahead.

    Inexplicably, sweat broke out on Xia Cheng¡¯s forehead. He hurriedly drove away, finding the most secluded spot possible to park in theplex, then sneaked back to the small grove next to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car to wait for him to leave before going upstairs.

    What was supposed to be a short wait turned into an hour. Although it was already autumn, the mosquitoes were particrly many and vicious. Xia Cheng¡¯s neck, hands, and ankles were covered in bites.

    What¡¯s worse, knowing his father was upstairs, he didn¡¯t dare to call Qin Nuan, for fear of being caught red-handed by his father.

    When the sounds from the small grove had died down quite a bit, two figures finally appeared at the gate. Qin Nuan, arm in arm with Xia Guoxiong, descended. They were so close together, like conjoined twins.

    Xia Guoxiong got into the car, and Qin Nuan even popped her head into the car window to give Xia Guoxiong a kiss, then stood in ce, watching as he drove away.

    Once Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car was out of sight, Qin Nuan turned and walked step by step toward the small grove where Xia Cheng was hiding. She stood at the edge of the grove, standing tall and straight, and spoke to the pitch-dark woods, "Aren¡¯t youing out?"

    Having waited so long, Xia Cheng was already fuming. Hearing this, he could no longer care about his numb legs and rushed to Qin Nuan, dragging her into the woods without a word.

    Soon enough, sounds of intimacy began to rise. Luckily, it waste at night, the moon hid behind the clouds, and even if they were to have a wild encounter, nobody would notice, and the light from the streetmps couldn¡¯t reach inside the woods.

    Minutester, the intimate sounds ceased, reced by the rustling of clothing.

    Once she was dressed, Qin Nuan was the first to emerge from the woods. She looked at Xia Cheng following her out and smiled radiantly, "Xia Cheng, even though you¡¯re younger than your father, I have to say, you simply don¡¯t measure up to him."

    Xia Cheng, already fiery with anger, grew even more irate at her words and threatened, "Keep talking nonsense, and see if I don¡¯t make you beg for mercy."

 Chapter 352 Donâ€™t Forget to Take Medicine

    <h4>Chapter 352: Chapter 352 Don¡¯t Forget to Take Medicine</h4><h4></h4>

    "Fine, fine, I was wrong," Qin Nuan said affectionately, holding Xia Cheng¡¯s hand. "Let¡¯s go upstairs, you should stay here tonight, don¡¯t go back."

    Once they were in Qin Nuan¡¯s house, Xia Cheng seemed to remember something and hastily reminded her, "Don¡¯t forget to take your medication!"

    Qin Nuan was by the liquor cab, getting red wine and wine sses. Upon hearing this, her smile grew brighter, "Just like you and your dad, always on about taking medication without protection. Aren¡¯t you afraid I might overdose and harm my health?"

    Xia Cheng was lighting a cigarette and without looking up, he replied, "How could that harm you? With medical expertise so advanced nowadays, just buy some good medicine. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t given you money."

    Standing by the liquor cab, Qin Nuan froze, her beautiful, fox-like eyes looking deeply at Xia Cheng. But he didn¡¯t spare her a nce, instead leaving her only with the view of his cold and merciless back.

    The light in Qin Nuan¡¯s eyes flickered and eventually, she took two sses of red wine and walked over to Xia Cheng, smiling beautifully as she nestled beside him, "Xia Cheng, haven¡¯t you ever thought about having a baby with me? You¡¯re so handsome, the baby would definitely be beautiful!"

    "Are you joking?" Xia Cheng pushed Qin Nuan away roughly. His action was so forceful, and Qin Nuan, caught off guard, nearly fell onto the sofa. The two sses of red wine she was holding smashed on the floor, scattering ss shards and sshes of wine, ringly conspicuous.

    Xia Cheng did not even look. He simply stared nkly at Qin Nuan, "I warn you, you better not have any crooked ideas. ying around with both me and my dad, do you think you could possibly marry me? If I actually married you, how would people mock me? They¡¯d say I married my father¡¯s mistress to y with."

    The harsh white light from the chandelier illuminated Qin Nuan¡¯s already pale face, making it appear even more ashen. She just sat on the sofa, looking up at Xia Cheng, seemingly unable to believe how quickly he had changed his demeanor, especially since just a few minutes ago they had been entwined under the trees downstairs.

    Xia Cheng picked up the suit jacket he had casually thrown onto the sofa, and while walking towards the door he said, "Qin Nuan, I warn you, better just take your medicine obediently. Don¡¯t think about using pregnancy to ckmail me. If you really got pregnant, I would make your life worse than death."

    After saying this, Xia Cheng opened the door and left without looking back.

    No wonder Xia Cheng reacted so strongly. As the saying goes, "A mistress is better than a wife, a fling is better than a mistress." To Xia Cheng, Qin Nuan was just that¡ªa mistress. The thrill he sought was directly tied to the excitement her status as Xia Guoxiong¡¯s mistress could provide for him.

    In the vast living room, only Qin Nuan remained. Her face was still filled with the expression of utter heartbreak when Xia Cheng left, but the next second it switched to one ofplete indifference.

    She didn¡¯t even nce at the wine and ss debris on the floor. Instead, she took out her phone and made a call.

    ...

    The next morning.

    The doctor, as usual, came for the ward rounds. Perhaps because He Xing and Fu Han had gone to sleep sotest night, they were still not awake when the doctor arrived.

    Fu Han lifted her head from under the covers, groggily greeting the doctor. It wasn¡¯t until she saw the ambiguous smiles on the doctors¡¯ and nurses¡¯ faces that she finally remembered He Xing was still in her ward.

    Sitting up in bed, she looked towards He Xing¡¯s bed and saw that he was still deep in slumber. Surprisingly, themotion hadn¡¯t awakened him, a sign of his extreme fatigue.

    Sunlight streamed in through the window, bathing He Xing¡¯s bed in its warmth. He looked like an angel born from the sunshine, pure radiance without a hint of shadow.

    But what was most striking was He Xing¡¯s face, fair like jade, with soft down that shimmered as if kissed by ayer of gold, making him seem as holy as an angel.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart meltedpletely. She put a finger to her lips and "shushed," "Please keep it down, don¡¯t wake him."

    The doctors smiled more deeply, but everyone cooperated and nodded.

    This was probably the quietest ward round Fu Han had ever seen. The doctors and nurses deliberately lowered their voices when asking questions or speaking, and they handled everything with extra care.

    On her third day of hospitalization, Fu Han¡¯s wounds had mostly healed, and the gauze on her face was ready to be removed. This would be the first time she would see her full face since the ident, her injured face.

    Her face indeed had been through a lot, beautifully so from childhood. She thought she would stay beautiful, but tragically, during the premiere of the eagerly anticipated movie, she had an ident, her face smashing into the steering wheel, disfigured.

    Then, He Xing brought in an expert to help her, her face was repaired, even more beautiful than before.

    But then, consumed by deep hatred, Xia Ning lured her out on her wedding day with He Xing and punched her repeatedly in the face, severely injuring her.

    Looking at herself in the mirror, Fu Han noted the bruises at the corners of her mouth and eyes that hadn¡¯t yet faded. Besides those, her face remained intact except that the left and right sides were clearly asymmetrical, as if misaligned.

    To say she wasn¡¯t upset would be a lie, for at the moment Xia Ning attacked her face, she had already anticipated this oue. She even guessed what provoking Xia Ning would lead to, but under those circumstances, she had to stall for time or Xia Cheng would assault her, which would be a fate worse than disfigurement.

    It was merely trading her beauty for her virtue. To this day, Fu Han still assured herself that it was the right choice.

    Under the sympathetic gazes of the medical staff, Fu Han forced a smile, "The ward round is over, right? Thank you, doctors and nurses, for your care. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine."

    In the blink of an eye, the doctors had all left the ward, leaving only Fu Han and He Xing alone again; the ward was quiet, with asional bird chirping outside the window, adding a touch of vitality to the room.

    Fu Han padded softly towards He Xing in her slippers, making every step gentle, fearing she might wake him.

    Up close, He Xing¡¯s face magnified in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, even his pores clearly visible.

    They say distance creates beauty, but this adage didn¡¯t apply to He Xing. The closer you looked, the more perfect his features appeared, a blend of instant stunning beauty and grace that grew on you, a visage you never tired of admiring.

    Fu Han touched her own cheek. Over the past few days, He Xing had repeated many times that even if she were truly disfigured, he would still like her. In fact, Fu Han herself had reassured herself countless times to trust He Xing. After all, their journey to this point had not been easy.

    But her rationale kept reminding her time and time again that the human heart is the least resilient to tests. Their difficult journey was precisely because their love was too fragile to withstand challenges.

 Chapter 353: Itâ€™s Alright, I Understand

    <h4>Chapter 353: Chapter 353: It¡¯s Alright, I Understand</h4><h4></h4>

    This was a rtionship fraught with adversity from the start, with so many issues wedged between them. How could she now believe that such a perfect man could fancy an ugly woman like herself?

    Even without self-loathing, she still felt sad.

    Today, Fu Han could choose to wear bandages on her face or not; the doctor said it was up to her.

    After much consideration, Fu Han decided not to wrap her face in bandages. Call her cynical if you will, but she wanted to test He Xing, to see his reaction when he saw her disfigured face.

    But she waited a good while and He Xing didn¡¯t wake up. Bored, she got up to grab a book from the cab near the door.

    Just as she was about to take a book, someone passed by the door. Seeing Fu Han, they eximed in surprise, "Fu Han, what... what happened to your face?"

    It was Bai Wei speaking, always blunt. Caught off guard, she hadn¡¯t thought to soften her words, and she immediately regretted her outburst, hurriedly exining, "Fu Han, I... I didn¡¯t mean that, I was just... I was just shocked."

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached, but she managed to stay calm, speaking as gently as she could, "It¡¯s okay, the doctor said it¡¯s normal."

    "But..." Bai Wei opened her mouth wanting to say more, but struggled to find the right words.

    Luckily, Fu Han wasn¡¯t expecting an answer from Bai Wei. She felt as if a sh of light passed behind her and suddenly sensed two pairs of eyes on her. She slowly turned around.

    As she¡¯d expected, He Xing had indeed woken up. Because she really wanted to catch his response to her face, she steadily observed He Xing, not missing any of his expressions.

    The moment Fu Han turned around, He Xing¡¯s pupils dted sharply, his face betraying an unstoppable shock. Secondster, his usual gentle smile returned, but despite his efforts to hide it, the profound sorrow in his eyes was unmistakable.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart sank bit by bit, as if into an abyss, plummeting endlessly to a bottom that seemed will never arrive.

    In her mind, she scoffed cynically at herself: In the end, it¡¯s because I have too much confidence in myself. How many people in this world truly don¡¯t care about appearances? Perhaps not even one.

    Meanwhile, Bai Wei had burst into the ward, berating He Xing, "He Xing, look at the mess Xia Ning has made! After they treated Fu Han like this, you still think of protecting them? Tell me, is this fair?"

    The already pale-faced He Xing turned even whiter, saying irritably, "I¡¯m not protecting them!"

    "You¡¯re not?" Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened, anger barely contained, "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know. You say nice things, but if we really take Xia Cheng and Xia Ning to court, would you side with us or them?"

    "I... of course I¡¯d side with you," He Xing replied promptly, but his words betrayed his uncertainty.

    Bai Weiughed scornfully, "He Xing, admit it, with that life-saving favor looming, you¡¯ll never truly stand against the Xia Family. It¡¯s not just me thinking so¡ªLuo Qinghe also feels Fu Han is too aggrieved by being with you."

    He Xing¡¯s face turned utterly cold, the temperature in the room seemed to drop with it, a fall day turning to deep midwinter.

    Although Fu Han knew the chill emitting from He Xing wasn¡¯t directed at her, she still felt goosebumps all over her arms.

    Bai Wei, the prime target of He Xing¡¯s overpowering presence, reacted more intensely. Her face, once red with rage, was now deathly pale, her lips void of any color.

    She stepped back repeatedly, stuttering, "He Xing, what are you going to do? What, are you angry because I¡¯m telling the truth and going to hit someone?"

    He Xing huffed and looked away, "I have no interest in hitting you, but if you don¡¯t leave quietly, I wouldn¡¯t mind throwing you out."

    "You..." Bai Wei pointed at He Xing, full of rage but helpless. She wasn¡¯t afraid of her own parents, yet she feared this brother a few years her senior; indeed, He Xing¡¯s authority was overwhelming.

    Bai Wei had already left the ward when she suddenly popped her head back in, looking at Fu Han, "Fu Han, if He Xing dares to do anything to you, make sure to shout. I¡¯lle running immediately."

    Fu Han was already in a foul mood, but thisment made her chuckle, "Alright, I got it. You go back first."

    He Xing used to love seeing Fu Hanugh; her smile would light up the entire sky. But now, her smile was nothing but agony for him.

    The asymmetry of Fu Han¡¯s face was subtle, with the left side merely one centimeter higher than the right. Usually, it could be overlooked if not scrutinized closely, but when she smiled, the asymmetry became stark, as if two mismatched halves were cobbled together, creating a particrly eerie visage.

    Realizing that he found Fu Han¡¯s appearance unsettling pained He Xing even more. He hurried over, arms outstretched, trying to envelop her in an embrace like he always did, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry..."

    But the moment his arm touched Fu Han, she dodged like she¡¯d been shocked, and walked away towards her own bed, seeking escape. Indeed, since witnessing He Xing¡¯s reaction, she was overwhelmed with shame and wished to bury herself in the ground.

    "Xiaohan, don¡¯t go," He Xing said, following her with urgency, "Xiaohan, are you ming me too? Do you also think I would side with Xia Cheng and Xia Ning?"

    Looking at He Xing blocking her path with open arms, Fu Han¡¯s expression chilled as she voiced the questions weighing on her heart, "Then let me ask you, if the Xia Family hadn¡¯t threatened us with Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe, would you have nned to help them?"

    "I wouldn¡¯t!" He Xing¡¯s eyes locked onto Fu Han¡¯s, clear despite the redness from bloodshot eyes. He gazed firmly at her, "Bai Wei may not trust me, but do you also distrust me?"

    "I don¡¯t know!" Fu Han turned to look out the window where there was nothing but blue sky and white clouds, as empty as her current mood, "Ever since we were kids, whatever happened, you always sided with Xia Ning. With such a big issue this time, of course, you¡¯d side with her again."

    As she said this, Fu Han inadvertently caught a glimpse of He Xing¡¯s face, a visage so full of heartbreak that it tore at her,pelling her to add softly, "I know her mother saved you, it¡¯s okay, I understand."

 Chapter 354 I Want Some Peace

    <h4>Chapter 354: Chapter 354 I Want Some Peace</h4><subtxt> "You don¡¯t understand!" He Xing¡¯s emotions suddenly burst forth, his face filled with rage as he looked at Fu Han like a cornered beast, "After all these years, you¡¯ve always thought that I liked Xia Ning. No matter what I did for Xia Ning, you were always hostile because of her. How many times have you been angry at me because of her? Will you only believe my sincerity if I cut ties with the Xia family?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she looked at He Xing, truly unexpected that her words would elicit such a strong reaction from him, especially since he was questioning her, something that would have been almost impossible in the past.

    Tears welled up in her eyes, and she took several steps back, forcefully suppressing the urge to cry. Then she looked at He Xing with as calm a voice as she could muster, "He Xing, I never wanted you to do anything. If you think my hostility toward Xia Ning is only because you are good to her, then there¡¯s nothing I can say."

    When He Xing spoke those words, his emotions were high, but in his heart, there was a voice that kept stopping him from saying these things out loud. However, he didn¡¯t understand why he had lost control and had to say them anyway.

    Seeing Fu Han like this, he felt more heartbroken than if he were killed.

    He took a step forward, wanting to hold her shoulders like he used to, but Fu Han reacted sharply, pping his hand away, "Don¡¯t touch me!"

    He Xing looked at the back of his hand, which turned red from Fu Han¡¯s forceful p, a piercing pain spreading through it, but the pain in his body couldn¡¯t mitigate the pain in his soul, not in the slightest.

    He raised his hands carefully, coaxing her, "Fu Han, I misspoke just now, sorry. Please don¡¯t be angry. Just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything, okay?"

    Fu Han, who hadn¡¯t shed a tear until now, suddenly broke down, tears falling like broken beads. She shook her head in utter heartbreak, "He Xing, you can say I¡¯m overly sensitive or you can say I¡¯m unreasonable, but do you know some words should never be spoken? Once said, they can¡¯t be taken back."

    Saying this, Fu Han wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her hospital gown, yet the tears were like floodgates opened, pouring out uncontrobly.

    "He Xing, we grew up together, and my rtionship with Xia Ning has always been strained. Ask yourself, how many times did I start trouble? You turned a blind eye to her bullying me, and if I fought back asionally, you¡¯d lecture me; Xia Cheng pushed me into the pool, and without even asking, you just carried Xia Ning away. It¡¯s been four years, and I really want to ask, when you carried Xia Ning away that day, weren¡¯t you afraid no one would save me, that I would be drowned alive?"

    "I..." He Xing¡¯s face turned paler than gardenias, his lips trembling, "Xiaohan, I knew you wouldn¡¯t be drowned. There were so many servants there, how could anything happen to you?"

    "Yes, how could anything happen to me with the servants there." Fu Han chuckled, a mournful smile on her beautiful face, "But have you ever thought, I hoped that the person saving me would be you?"

    The wind blew in through the window, making not only Fu Han¡¯s loose hospital gown rustle loudly but also her slender legs seemed like they couldn¡¯t support her, as if she might be blown away at any moment.

    At this moment, Fu Han was less than a meter away from He Xing, but he felt she was so far away, like a dandelion that might disappear with a puff of wind.

    Every word she said was a knife, stabbing deep into He Xing¡¯s heart. He was in excruciating pain, "Xiaohan, I know I was wrong, I won¡¯t do it again, alright?"

    Fu Han turned and walked towards the window, her slender figure enveloped in the hospital gown, but the outline of her shoulder des was strikingly clear, making her appear so frail that she was almost just skin and bones.

    He Xing stepped forward involuntarily, but before he could speak, Fu Han¡¯s voice carried over with the wind, "I need some quiet. Please leave, alright?"

    The wind outside grew stronger, and despite being d in pajamas, He Xing felt a chill. He said with concern, "Xiaohan, maybe you should put on a jacket?"

    "Would you please leave?" Fu Han¡¯s voice rose sharply, and although her face was not visible, her impatience was clear through her tone.

    He Xing sighed deeply and finally headed towards the door. Reaching the door, he suddenly remembered he was still in his pajamas, so he opened the closet to look for clothes.

    The sound of rustling behind him signaled Fu Han¡¯s growing impatience. She stamped her foot, still facing away from He Xing, "How many more times do you need me to say it before you will go?"

    He Xing felt like an annoying fly, despised to the bone. A nameless rage rose within him, confidence fueling a desire to speak, but reason told him the best thing to do now was to keep silent.

    Yet when he stepped out of the ward with clothes in hand, he happened to encounter several nurses walking by. Seeing him like this, they all smirked ambiguously, with the bolder ones even teasing, "Mr. He, did you have a fight with your fianc¨¦e?"

    He Xing¡¯sposure crumbled, his body trembling with anger, as hisst shreds of reason disappeared. He shouted at Fu Han¡¯s back, "Fu Han, I know you me me for always protecting Xia Ning, and you think that Xia Ning and Xia Cheng suffered no punishment because of me. But can¡¯t you be fair to me? I didn¡¯t do anything, and yet you me everything on me; isn¡¯t that a bit too much?"

    Fu Han¡¯s shoulders trembled, and she seemed on the verge of copse in the chilling wind. She hurriedly steadied herself against the windowpane, but even so, her legs couldn¡¯t stop shaking, thankfully hidden by the pant legs.

    Her teeth chattered, but she still managed to speak in as calm a voice as possible, without turning her head, "He Xing, I don¡¯t want to argue with you. You¡¯ll never change, and neither will I!"

    Watching Fu Han refuse to turn around, He Xing felt hisst spark of hope extinguished. He gave Fu Han one deep, long look before finally turning away and leaving.

    A few minutes after he had left, Fu Han turned back to find nothing but the empty doorway.

    The tears she had just managed to hold back overflowed disastrously again. The cozy ward was now as cold as a winter cer, even more chilling.

    If it weren¡¯t for Fu Han leaning against the windowsill, she likely would have fallen to the ground, utterly drained of strength.

    It was no longer sufficient to describe her state of mind as simply sad. Her heart had long been shattered, irreparable even by the most skilled craftsman ¨C a pain that couldn¡¯t be undone, a hurt that couldn¡¯t be reversed.

    Such is the world. The more you fear something, the more likely it is toe to pass. Everything she had worried about came true that day.</subtxt>

 Chapter 355: Revenge with Own Hands

    <h4>Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Revenge with Own Hands</h4><h4></h4>

    What she was most worried about was that her facial features could not be restored, and she and He Xing, with the unstable rtionship from the past, would live together day by day and eventually have their affection for each other worn awaypletely¡ªand He Xing¡¯s reaction to seeing her face had indirectly proven her concerns to be correct, He Xing would indeed do so.

    Moreover, Xia Ning forever remained an insurmountable barrier between Fu Han and He Xing, something Fu Han knew she could not conquer or surmount. Fu Han knew He Xing liked her, but his sense of responsibility towards Xia Ning could not be erased, and this was also an obstacle Fu Han could not ovee.

    Thinking of this, Fu Han heaved a deep sigh. Turning her head with the intention of catching up on sleep, her phone suddenly rang. Opening it, she saw a Whatsapp message from He Xing, stating that there was an emergency at thepany that needed to be dealt with, and he had to leave for a while.

    Fu Han casually tossed the phone onto the bed without replying to He Xing, the thing she hated the most about him was how they could have such an intense argument, and yet, He Xing could act as if nothing happened, speaking calmly to her as usual.

    But the cracks still remained, ah, how could the pain in her heart be ignored?

    What Fu Han hoped for was that after a conflict, everyone would sit down together, open their hearts and talk, preferably clearing up all the misunderstandings between them, so they couldst even longer as a couple.

    Because, if the knots in their hearts persisted, each time choosing to selectively ignore them, then certainly more and new problems would arise.

    She sat cross-legged on the bed, her vacant eyes staring out the window, her mind aimlessly filled with muddled thoughts as the idea of flight began to spread within her.

    As she was absent-mindedly dreaming, a knocking sound at the door brought her back to reality.

    There had been many peopleing to see Fu Han these past few days, but generally, they woulde straight in without knocking. A hint of doubt shed through Fu Han¡¯s mind, but without lifting her head, she nonchntly said, "Come in!"

    The crisp sound of high heels on the floor resounded, particrly harsh to Fu Han, who had spent thest few days in the hospital¡ªit was like suddenly being jerked back to the world outside, to the day of her wedding.

    That day, she too wore a pair of high heels, the silver footwear studded with rhinestones, creating clear, crisp sounds with each step, casting a faint halo of light onto the floor, and although not every step blossomed with lotuses, those shoes were really beautiful indeed.

    It was just a pity that in chasing after Xia Ning, she broke a heel during the scuffle and by the time she remembered them, her shoes were nowhere to be found.

    And it seemed everyone either overlooked or forgot this detail over the past few days, and no one had mentioned it again.

    When a pair of light pink high heels appeared in front of Fu Han, she slowly lifted her head, and her eyes were met with Xia Ning¡¯s beautiful face.

    The two young women silently faced each other, Xia Ning¡¯s expression undergoing subtle changes, from initial shock to eventual joy.

    It must be said that whenever Xia Ning faced Fu Han alone, she would drop all her pretenses and fully reveal her "demon" nature, just as she was doing at that moment.

    One corner of Xia Ning¡¯s mouth curled up in a particrly gleeful smile: "Fu Han, I heard you were disfigured, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be true."

    "What¡¯s it to you?" Because of the earlier quarrel with He Xing, Fu Han¡¯s loathing for Xia Ning had reached its peak. She wished Xia Ning would just disappear right there and then, so how could she possibly respond amicably?

    However, Xia Ning wasn¡¯t upset by Fu Han¡¯s tone. On the contrary, the smile on her face broadened even more: "Fu Han, truly, people should never get stic surgery, as it can backfire. Look at yourself; you¡¯re the best example, bing uglier and uglier."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes red fiercely at Xia Ning, and through gritted teeth, she enunciated each word: "What did you say? Repeat it if you have the guts!"

    "I..." Xia Ning¡¯s face turned paler as she staggered backward: "Fu... Han, don¡¯t think you can intimidate me, I... I¡¯m not afraid of you at all."

    "Is that so?" Fu Han smirked slightly, "Alright, then why don¡¯t we test that out? See who suffers more?"

    "You... you¡¯re crazy!" Xia Ning turned and began heading toward the door while casting fearful nces at Fu Han: "You... you¡¯re insane, He Xing Bro will definitely leave you, you madwoman."

    The words "madwoman" sessfully irritated Fu Han. Though she initially did not want to deal with Xia Ning, she now charged towards her in slippers.

    The two young women, one in towering high heels and the other in slippers, one panicked and the other enraged, one retreating and the other advancing¡ªthe ward was not very spacious, and naturally, Fu Han caught up with Xia Ning easily.

    She didn¡¯t know where the strength came from, but she grabbed Xia Ning¡¯s hair and yanked it hard, dragging Xia Ning into the ward amidst her screams of agony.

    Fu Han threw Xia Ning onto the floor with a thud. As Xia Ning tried to prop herself up on her elbows to rise, Fu Han quickly bent down to press Xia Ning¡¯s shoulders, pinning her back to the ground.

    "What are you doing?" Xia Ning panicked, suddenly realizing her resistance was futile against Fu Han, who appeared frightfully formidable at that moment.

    Fu Han let out a cold snort and pped Xia Ning across the face, leaving half of her cheek red and swollen: "What am I doing? I¡¯ll tell you, I am merely returning the favor from when you hit me back then."

    Xia Ning screamed in pain, like a pig being ughtered.

    The ward, usually silent, resonated with her cries, drawing a nurse rushing in to intervene, only to be stopped by Bai Wei, who appeared from nowhere: "This is their personal grudge, don¡¯t get involved."

    Bai Wei then whispered something to the group of nurses, and though Fu Han heard not a word, the result was that indeed many onlookers gathered at the door, noneing in to stop themotion.

    In the blink of an eye, Fu Han had pped Xia Ning several times, her cheeks swelling noticeably, and a trickle of blood beginning to flow from her lips.

    When Fu Han started feeling pain in her p-worn palm, she finally stopped. But she continued to pin Xia Ning, not allowing her to get up.

    Seeing her pause, Bai Wei, ever enthusiastic for drama, said: "Fu Han, keep hitting her, I¡¯ll stand the cost if anything breaks. Take out the grudge for me too."

    Fu Han narrowed her eyes at Xia Ning, having regained herposure. She kept Xia Ning pinned down as she hadn¡¯t yet decided how to deal with her.

    Upon hearing Bai Wei¡¯s words, images of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning beating Bai Wei with sticks shed before her. Her anger red and with a furious punch, she hit Xia Ning: "Xia Ning, you didn¡¯t expect a day like this, did you?"

 Chapter 356: Why Resort to Violence

    <h4>Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Why Resort to Violence</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning had managed to muster a few words at the beginning, a bit like a drowning duck refusing to admit defeat, but now she was truly terrified of Fu Han and had indeed been dumbfounded by Fu Han¡¯s assault.

    As another punch was about to descend, Xia Ning twisted her head in an attempt to dodge and began to plead, "Fu Han, stop hitting me, I¡¯m wrong, I know I¡¯m wrong."

    Fu Han¡¯s fist had already brushed the fluff on Xia Ning¡¯s face but then abruptly halted. From her dominant position, she looked down at Xia Ning: "You know you¡¯re wrong now? Let me ask you, will you ever do such despicable things again? Sneak attacks, ruining my face; you¡¯re truly disgusting."

    "Yes, yes, yes, I truly know I¡¯m wrong, and I won¡¯t ever do it again." Tears welled up in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, mixing with the blood on her face, making her look even more wretched.

    Fu Han was repulsed by the blood on Xia Ning¡¯s face; she felt extreme disgust and let go of the hand pressing on Xia Ning¡¯s shoulder, thinking to herself that she had already had her revenge so she might as well let it go.

    Just as she was about to stand up but had not yet done so, a cold voice suddenly rang out: "What are you doing?"

    The voice seemed to hold a certain magic, as the crowd that had been densely surrounding the doorway automatically parted ways, allowing He Xing to walk through.

    He Xing was shocked when he saw the scene inside the ward, and what struck his senses the most was Xia Ning¡¯s face, which was swollen like a pig¡¯s head, and the fresh blood on it.

    He Xing dashed forward in three strides, yanking Fu Han up before releasing her hand and bending over to help Xia Ning up.

    Perhaps it was because his actions were too abrupt or he was in too much of a hurry, but Fu Han almost didn¡¯t manage to stay on her feet and nearly toppled over.

    By the time she looked back, He Xing was wiping the tears and blood from Xia Ning¡¯s cheeks with a tissue.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt as though it was being pricked by countless tiny needles, so painful that she could hardly breathe, and the scene before her eyes was unbearably ring.

    Tears began to gather in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, and just as they were about to fall despite her best efforts to hold them back, Bai Wei finally couldn¡¯t restrain herself and burst out, pointing at He Xing and yelling, "He Xing, you¡¯ve gone too far, don¡¯t you realize you almost made Fu Han fall."

    Atst, He Xing turned to look at Fu Han, and when he saw the tears in her eyes, he froze, his gazeplex as the tissue in his hands fell to the ground.

    But before he could react, Bai Wei spoke out again, "He Xing, I¡¯m not saying you always favor Fu Han, but at least you could be a little fairer. Don¡¯t forget Fu Han is your fianc¨¦e. Where were you when Xia Ning hit her? Why didn¡¯t you fight back?"

    Fu Han already felt unbearably aggrieved. Hearing Bai Wei¡¯s words deepened her distress, and although she could no longer hold back her tears, she caught a glimpse of the smug look in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes and forced the tears back.

    By this time, He Xing had approached Fu Han, who looked back at him with eyes made especially bright by the washed away tears and said word for word, "Yes, it was me who beat up Xia Ning. If you want to take revenge for her, then do so. If she wants to call the police, let her. I don¡¯t care."

    "Xiaohan, I..." He Xing began to speak in pain, his face full of helplessness: "I didn¡¯t mean that. I just think we should be able to talk things through. Why did you have to resort to violence?"

    Bai Wei, already fuming, nearly exploded with anger at his words, saying tensely, "He Xing, that¡¯s easy for you to say. When Xia Ning was hitting Fu Han, where were you to defend justice?"

    He Xing¡¯s anger finally could not be suppressed any longer; he turned sharply to Bai Wei, his whole body radiating a chilling aura: "Bai Wei, are you only happy when you see me argue with Fu Han?"

    "I..." Bai Wei, stared down by He Xing, immediately deted, and coughing awkwardly while avoiding his gaze, she said unnaturally, "I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Anyone with eyes can see you¡¯re always protecting Xia Ning. Those who don¡¯t know any better might think Xia Ning is your fianc¨¦e."

    Ever since He Xing had appeared, Xia Ning had once again begun to y her best victim card. Initially pretending to be a startled fawn hiding behind He Xing, she now clung to He Xing¡¯s arm with her face splotched like one from a dye shop, disying her indignation.

    "Bai Wei, can¡¯t you have some conscience when you talk? Brother He Xing is fair in his dealings. He saw Fu Han beat me up like this, and he hadn¡¯t even criticized her yet when you started to verbally attack him. Is that fair?"

    "Who do you think you are to talk to me like this? I think you haven¡¯t been beaten enough!" Bai Wei said as she raised her palm and charged at Xia Ning.

    Realistically, with their distance, Xia Ning could have avoided it or let go of He Xing¡¯s hand to allow him to block for her, but she did neither. Instead, she closed her eyes and offered up half her face.

    The sound of the p rang out, exceptionally jarring.

    Following that p, the ward became exceptionally silent.

    He Xing¡¯s sharp eyes were moving from Fu Han, to Bai Wei, and then to Xia Ning¡¯s face. Finally, he grabbed Xia Ning¡¯s arm and walked her out, "Let¡¯s go and get that wound treated."

    The gathering of sympathetic doctors and nurses at the door cast ast nce at Fu Han before silently departing.

    Bai Wei looked at her palm in surprise; she genuinely hadn¡¯t expected her p to actually hit Xia Ning. The p didn¡¯t really hurt, at least Bai Wei¡¯s own palm didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    When she turned to Fu Han, she saw the other¡¯s face was paler than white paper, looking like a soulless marite.

    Bai Wei approached Fu Han, cautiously touching her shoulder, "Fu Han, are... are you okay? Did I... did I just make things worse for you?"

    Fu Han gave Bai Wei a smile, but it was uglier than crying: "No, of course not, I know you were trying to help me, and I¡¯m not angry."

    "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good." Bai Wei let out a sigh of relief, smiling at Fu Han: "Fu Han, hitting Xia Ning felt so satisfying, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen how formidable you are. If it was a fight, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to beat you!"

    Fu Han smiled again, but this time with self-ridicule: "I used to despise responding to a dog bite with a bite of my own. Now, I truly understand that I shouldn¡¯t retaliate. Not only did I get no advantage, but I also got a mouthful of fur."

    "What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand," Bai Wei scratched her head, her short hair, cut at ear length, sticking up in tufts from her scratching: "What¡¯s all this about a dog? Who¡¯s the dog?"

    Bai Wei had grown up overseas and her Mandarin was mostly acquired by osmosis from listening to Fu Xingbo¡¯s and Bai Qian¡¯s casual conversations, so she couldn¡¯t understand this kind of metaphor.

 Chapter 357: The Emergency Room Doctor that is Hard to Get Along With

    <h4>Chapter 357: Chapter 357: The Emergency Room Doctor that is Hard to Get Along With</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s nothing, you don¡¯t need to worry about it," Fu Han smiled, turning her head to look at Bai Wei. "Do you know where uncle is? I need to find him for something!"

    "What¡¯s up? I can message him for you," Bai Wei said, pulling out her phone from her hospital gown without even looking up. "Dad said he¡¯s taking you to M Country, and I should have been with you, but Qinghe said he wants to y in F Country, so I¡¯ll just go there first and then visit you in M Countryter. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m valuing my boyfriend over my friend, okay?"

    "Of course not," Fu Han smiled again, a smile that bloomed like a flower in a deste field, beautiful but deste, with a strange, discordant harmony.

    Bai Wei felt a strange sensation, as if the Fu Han standing before her was no longer the Fu Han she once knew. But if not Fu Han, then who?

    Even though Fu Han¡¯s cheeks were asymmetrical now, each side of her face was still dazzlingly beautiful on its own. Bai Wei admittedly was shocked the first time she saw Fu Han¡¯s changed face, but now it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal.

    She sent a barrage of messages to Fu Xingbo and finally got a response: "Got it, tell Xiaohan I¡¯ll be right there."

    ...

    In the emergency room on the first floor.

    The doctor was disinfecting Xia Ning¡¯s face wounds with an iodine-soaked cotton swab, causing her to cry out in pain. She clutched He Xing¡¯s arm with both hands, desperately afraid that he might slip away when she wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    Eventually, even the doctor couldn¡¯t stand it and feltpelled to speak: "Lady Xia, your facial wound just looks scary, it¡¯s not that severe, it will be better in a few days, so there¡¯s no need for this."

    Xia Ning, who had been overacting the pain to gain more sympathy from He Xing, became angry when the doctor exposed her ruse. She snapped at the doctor, "You say it doesn¡¯t hurt, so how about you try getting hit to see how it feels?"

    The middle-aged doctor paused in his actions, his indifferent gaze sharpening. He retorted unapologetically, "I¡¯m not the one obsessing over someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦ all day long, why would I get beaten?"

    Sadly for Xia Ning, the doctor¡¯s candidness was thanks to Bai Wei.

    When Fu Han was attacking Xia Ning, Bai Wei not only prevented medical staff from intervening, she also dramatically recounted how Xia Ning had pined for He Xing, disrupted Fu Han¡¯s wedding, and left Fu Han¡¯s face in its current state.

    Fu Han had been hospitalized for several days, and the medical staff were well aware of her case. At the time, some kind-hearted nurses even recorded a video and sent it to the emergency room doctors, informing them that someone with a facial wound wasing down and exining the reasons behind the injury.

    The saying goes it¡¯s better to destroy a temple than a marriage. Xia Ning not only ruined someone¡¯s wedding but also their face, which was condemnable behavior anywhere, especially since the doctors vividly remembered the tragic state in which Fu Han and Bai Wei were brought in.

    Xia Ning was caught off guard and scolded by the doctor, her face turning beet red in embarrassment as she looked to He Xing for help. "Brother He Xing, look how they¡¯re bullying me. I went to visit Fu Han with good intentions, and she just attacked me without a word. I¡¯ve been wronged."

    Before He Xing could say anything, the doctor sarcastically chimed in again: "You left her in such a terrible state, and you still say you visited her with good intentions? I think you went there to gloat about her misfortune."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face, already a spectacle as if it had gone through a dye shop, became even more colorful. Most notable were her eyes, which rolled around like a frightened mouse¡¯s, seemingly betraying her guilt.

    Her sidelong nce inadvertently met He Xing¡¯s, sending her deeper into a guilty panic.

    This eye contact made her heart beat frantically. Her intuition told her she mustn¡¯t admit to what the doctor had said. With this in mind, she red at the doctor, pleading, "Doctor, where did you hear all this? I didn¡¯t do anything; my brother is the one who hit Fu Han. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask him."

    "Why should I ask your brother?" the doctor was not ying by the book, sharply stating, "Bai Wei and Fu Han were brought here together, I was involved in their emergency care, how could I not know what happened? You and your brother are really something else."

    With that, the doctor opened up like a floodgate, turning his gaze towards He Xing with a hint of mockery. "What¡¯s even more outrageous is Fu Han¡¯s fianc¨¦, who isn¡¯t in the ward apanying his fianc¨¦e but is here with the woman who disrupted their wedding. In all my years, this is truly an eye-opener."

    He Xing had already looked ufortable the first time the doctor ridiculed Xia Ning, and now his face turned even darker.

    Despite this, He Xing remained utterly silent, standing to the side as though their conversation had nothing to do with him at all.

    Xia Ning received no response from He Xing and felt as though there was an insurmountably thick wall of ice separating her from him. Even if Xia Ning wanted to continue ying the victim or dragging Fu Han down in front of He Xing, she could not.

    The doctor finished treating her injuries quickly. He said that Xia Ning¡¯s wounds looked bad but were superficial, and even her teeth weren¡¯t damaged; it would all be better in a few days.

    Xia Ning was, of course, unsatisfied with this oue. She persistentlyined about her pain and imed that Fu Han¡¯s assault was unbearable. Eventually, the doctor, worn down by her relentless self-pity, still prescribed her a slew of medications.

    Upon leaving the emergency room, He Xing, with his hands in his suit pockets, looked emotionlessly at Xia Ning, "Your wound has been treated, if there¡¯s nothing else, you should head back first."

    There was no way Xia Ning would let He Xing leave like that. Ignoring the hustle and bustle of the corridor, she shamelessly clung to He Xing¡¯s arm. "Brother He Xing, my face really hurts. I didn¡¯t drive here; could you take me back?"

    "It¡¯s your face that hurts, not your feet, and you can still talk. You can just take a taxi if you didn¡¯t drive," He Xing said, swiftly pulling his hand away, his expression growing even colder.

    With her hands now empty, Xia Ning¡¯s heart was filled with resentment. She bit her lips so hard she almost drew blood, and a sh of viciousness passed through her eyes.

    She looked pitifully at He Xing, "Brother He Xing, if I go back all beaten up, Dad will surely scold me. He might even want to get a forensic examination done, and if Dad secretly files a police report without telling me, then I won¡¯t be able to help Fu Han..."

    He Xing¡¯s eyes, cold as frost, stared at Xia Ning without a trace of emotion. The icy re emanating from them seemed to lower the temperature around them and made anyone who saw him shudder.

 Chapter 358: No Longer Valued After Acquisition

    <h4>Chapter 358: Chapter 358: No Longer Valued After Acquisition</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning was so frightened that her whole body trembled, yet even so, she bit her teeth and mustered all her strength to look at He Xing, silently persevering.

    People bustled back and forth in the hallway. Perhaps it was Xia Ning¡¯s face that was overly colorful, or perhaps it was He Xing¡¯s face that was too captivating not to look at, for they attracted nearly a hundred percent rate of second nces.

    As if a century had gone by, He Xing finally averted his gaze. He turned and headed toward the hospital entrance, his voice cold as he said, "I¡¯ll take you back, but if you make a big fuss about this incident, I won¡¯t be afraid of you!"

    "Never, absolutely never." Xia Ning had to jog to keep up with He Xing¡¯s pace. Once outside the hospital, the cold wind blew, and she realized her back was already soaked with sweat. Thinking back to the encounter just now, she still felt a lingering fear in her heart.

    But the thought of He Xing being willing to take her home made Xia Ning feel that it was all worth it.

    The Lamborghini raced along the road, the sound of the tires friction against the asphalt loud enough to turn heads, with some even pulling out their phones to take pictures.

    Xia Ning was one of them. With He Xing¡¯s eyes fixed on the road ahead, driving with an expressionless face, she couldn¡¯t help but take her phone out and snap away at him.

    In fact, He Xing had noticed already, but he was toozy to stop her. His many years of experience had taught him that it was pointless to do so; Xia Ning would always seize any chance to take photos with him and pair each photo with some thought-provoking words before posting them to her social circle.

    At a red light, the Lamborghini came to a gradual stop. He Xing slowly turned his head to look at Xia Ning, who was still taking pictures. Seeing He Xing turn around, she hurriedly snapped a few more shots, then put her phone away with an embarrassed smile.

    There was a fleeting look of contempt in He Xing¡¯s eyes. His cold voice broke the silence, "You said you¡¯d exin about the recording at my wedding. Can you tell me now?"

    Xia Ning, who was still pleased about having taken a selfie with He Xing, abruptly felt her joy sour into sadness. Her heart pounded fiercely, her face squeezing out an awkward smile: "He Xing, brother, can you give me more time? I... I need to..."

    She stammered on and on, unable to articte her thoughts clearly.

    He Xing¡¯s scarce patience had run out, and by now the light had turned green. He pressed the elerator to the floor, and the car shot out like an arrow released from the bow.

    At the same time He Xing¡¯s emotionless voice rang out again: "Xia Ning, do you think I¡¯m a fool? Or do you believe that because your mother saved my life, no matter what the Xia Family does, I won¡¯t me you?"

    "I... I don¡¯t think that!" Xia Ning¡¯s face was ashen, practically broadcasting her guilt. She was clearly implying that she did believe He Xing wouldn¡¯t ignore her, given the favor of having his life saved.

    "Hmph!" He Xing scoffed. It was not a loud sound, but Xia Ning felt as though it was a thunderp exploding inside her head, leaving her shaking all over.

    Then He Xing¡¯s voice came once more: "Xia Ning, I¡¯ll tell you again, I only like Fu Han, and I will only marry Fu Han in this lifetime. You ruined my wedding with that recording; I will not forgive that. You and Xia Cheng hurt Fu Han so badly; I will not forgive that either."

    "He Xing, brother..." Xia Ning called out softly, her body already shaking. Her face was bloodless, and she looked as though she had lost her soul, an image of pitiable sorrow.

    Yet He Xing had no intention of showing her any pity. He kept his expressionless gaze fixed on the road ahead, as if the person sitting next to him was just air.

    The Xia Family vi was in a high-end vi area in the suburbs. The closer they got, the fewer cars there were on the road, until eventually they saw another car only every few minutes.

    He Xing¡¯s car came to a steady stop outside the vi area. His eyes peered out the window, his tone as icy as the marrow of his bones: "We¡¯re here, you can get out."

    Xia Ning had exerted all effort, even going so far as to shed her pretense to threaten He Xing, all to persuade him to give her a lift. Yet in the end, she had made no progress and had only been reprimanded by He Xing. How could she be content with that?

    With this in mind, Xia Ning wore the sweet smile that she had practiced a thousand times in front of the mirror and said in a coy voice, "He Xing, brother, you must be tired from the past few days. Why don¡¯t youe to my house and rest for a while? I¡¯ll have the cook make you something delicious."

    "No need, I won¡¯t go!" He Xing¡¯s icy gaze fell on Xia Ning, as if he was looking at a stranger: "You can ry a message to your father and brother for me. I¡¯m aware of the tactics you normally employ. I¡¯ve just been toozy to bother with them, but Fu Han is my limit. I¡¯ll remember all that you¡¯ve done to her; I¡¯ll also remember the life-saving favor from Aunt Du Wanting. But from now on, unless it¡¯s a matter of life and death for the Xia Family and Xia Group, I will not get involved again."

    After he finished speaking, He Xing did not linger for even a second. He reversed and drove off along the road he hade from.

    In the mirror, Xia Ning¡¯s figure grew smaller and smaller until it became a speck, which He Xing did not nce at even once the whole time.

    ...

    Fu Xingbo knocked on the door, and Bai Wei and Fu Han both looked up.

    "Dad, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here." Bai Wei ran up to Fu Xingbo in a run, puffing her cheeks and acting like a young daughter, a rare disy of cute petnce.

    Fu Xingbo ruffled Bai Wei¡¯s hair and whispered softly, "Go back to your own ward. Mom brought you your favorite milk tea."

    "Trying to get rid of me again." Bai Wei stamped her foot, and while she obediently headed towards the door, she murmured discontentedly, "I really don¡¯t know what secrets you both have that I can¡¯t know about."

    Fu Xingboughed heartily but said nothing, watching as Bai Wei left and then closing the ward door behind her.

    Fu Han watched their warm father-daughter interaction, and the natural affection between them made her envious. If her parents were still alive, surely they would dote on Fu Han like a princess.

    "What are you thinking about?" Fu Xingbo walked over to where Fu Han was standing and they both looked out of the window together.

    The autumn sky, with its bright blue and white clouds, was a bit ring, but the view felt good, except for the dry air that made the throat itch.

    Fu Han coughed dryly: "I was thinking about what Moon Bay looks like now. It must be even more beautiful than when we left."

    "That ce really is beautiful," Fu Xingbo smiled, his voice as gentle as his manner: "But the scenery doesn¡¯t change with the seasons, so after a while, you might feel it¡¯s nothing special after all."

    "Yes," Fu Han sighed deeply, her voice filled with emotion: "No matter how wonderful things are, once we possess them, we stop valuing them. That¡¯s human nature."

 Chapter 359: The Sooner, The Better

    <h4>Chapter 359: Chapter 359: The Sooner, The Better</h4><h4></h4>

    Suddenly, Fu Xingbo gave her a flick on the forehead, and Fu Han cried out in pain, "Uncle, what are you doing?"

    Fu Xingboughed like a gentle breeze under a clear moon, "You¡¯re just a child, always thinking about where to y, yet here you are reflecting on life? What on earth is filling your head?"

    Strangely, the wind outside the window became much gentler, gently blowing Fu Han¡¯s hair, softly brushing her cheeks, and her heart instantly softened.

    Fu Han rested her head on Fu Xingbo¡¯s shoulder as she used to and whispered, "Uncle, I want to leave early, the sooner the better. Is that okay?"

    "Why?" Fu Xingbo didn¡¯t answer but asked in return. He wrapped his arm around Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, and his gentle voice arose, "Because of what just happened?"

    Fu Han¡¯s heart wasplicated. She knew she didn¡¯t want to leave solely because of what had just happened, but what should she say? She didn¡¯t know, nor did she know how to start.

    Meanwhile, Fu Xingbo thought he had struck a chord with Fu Han. He patted her shoulder and said, "Although hitting someone is wrong, when I saw you hit Xia Ning, I felt reassured. You were fighting back tooth for nail, and you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but..."

    At this point, Fu Xingbo¡¯s tone shifted, and a light chuckle came, "Still, I think you better not do this in the future. What if you get hurt yourself? That would be counterproductive."

    Fu Han moved slightly and broke free from Fu Xingbo¡¯s embrace. She spoke with a sense of grievance, "But I can¡¯t have thew judge her, and yet shees before me unting her power. I really can¡¯t stand it."

    "I know, I know." The smile on Fu Xingbo¡¯s face grew even brighter, and heughed while patting her shoulder, "You¡¯re standing up for justice for yourself, which I think is very brave. But there are many ways to fight for justice, and neither He Xing nor I have given up on dealing with this matter. Did you know that?"

    "What?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Fu Xingbo. She honestly said, "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing, and no one has told me."

    The wind outside suddenly became sharp, whipping Fu Han¡¯s hair in all directions. Some strands pped against her cheeks, stinging with numbness.

    Fu Xingbo chuckled, his smile always magical, like the sun in the midst of winter, radiating warmth.

    What also warmed Fu Han was Fu Xingbo¡¯s words, "That day, He Xing and I were consulting awyer about how to handle this matter when we received a call stating that you had already contacted the police saying that you and Xia Ning would settle the matter privately. I was right beside He Xing at the time, and it was obvious his mood was very bad, but thewyer said he still consulted on this matter afterward."

    Fu Han went over Fu Xingbo¡¯s words word by word. To be fair, her mood did improve a bit from before, but those words couldn¡¯t trulyfort her.

    She suddenly felt a strong desire to pour out her heart, something she would never do with an elder before, as it would make them worry.

    But today was different, and at this moment, Fu Xingbo was the only one who could listen to her plight, calm and serene. Perhaps it was because of their blood rtionship that Fu Han trusted Fu Xingbo only slightly less than He Xing.

    Fu Han¡¯s hand absent-mindedly clicked against the window frame as she said softly, "Uncle, do you remember what happened at my wedding with He Xing?"

    "Of course I remember." Fu Xingbo immediately said, "Just as you were about to exchange rings, a recording came out. It was like Grandpa He and He Xing discussing how to exaggerate his illness to make you marry He Xing, right?"

    Even though Fu Xingbo spoke calmly, Fu Han¡¯s heart still ached, as if it had been pricked by a needle. It seemed as though her and He Xing¡¯s fate was always fraught with hardships, invariably encountering various problems.

    In a low voice, she said, "Yes, perhaps you know that I¡¯ve liked He Xing since I was young. My wish on my eighteenth birthday was to marry He Xing."

    "I¡¯ve heard about that," Fu Xingbo said as if recalling something, his eyes softening. Smiling, he added, "Bai Qian is He Xing¡¯s aunt. I knew about this even before I met you."

    The world is vast, so big that many people whom we bid "goodbye" may never see each other again. And yet the world is also small, small enough that two people who you would think have nothing inmon would have already met in the currents of time in all sorts of ways.

    Fu Han only knew He Xing¡¯s aunt lived in M Country but never imagined that He Xing¡¯s cousin was also her cousin.

    Suddenly, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, enveloping Fu Han in its glow.

    She raised her hand to create a shade over her eyes, "Uncle, now I feel that if time could reverse, I wouldn¡¯t have made that wish on my eighteenth birthday."

    "Why?" Fu Xingbo looked surprised, sunshine falling on his face, yet his eyes were shielded by his long eyshes, obscuring the view within.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes narrowed, holding back tears, leaving only her sweet, tinkling voice, "Liking someone is too exhausting, especially when the one who likes more is destined to be wronged, destined to swallow all the bitterness. Now that I think about it, finding someone who truly likes me isn¡¯t bad."

    "The one you like, who likes you, who suits you." Fu Xingbo gazed into the distance, his eyes clearcut beneath, filled with reminiscence, "In rtionships, we only encounter these few types. Everyone hopes to find a mutual love, but even if two people love each other, once together, they must still consider whether their values and personalities arepatible. Love is between two people, but marriage is between two families. So you were very sweet when dating, but you¡¯re in pain now that you¡¯re married."

    "But..." Fu Han struggled to speak, "Even when we were dating, I never felt very happy."

    This sentiment was buried deep in Fu Han¡¯s heart, it was her most unspoken truth. She had loved He Xing for so many years; although there were joyful moments, there was also much pain. So whenever she reminisced about their rtionship, she found the pain overshadowed the joy.

    The warmth of the sun declined, and threads of coolness seeped through the tiles to her legs, finally reaching every limb of her body.

    Fu Xingbo sighed, "I know, because of Xia Ning, right? Love is between two people, yet a third is involved, creating a crowded and painful situation. This is also why I disagree with you continuing to be with He Xing."

    "You..." This was the first time someone had inly told Fu Han that they disagreed with her being with He Xing, and this person was her own uncle, which shocked her so greatly that she couldn¡¯t close her mouth in surprise, "Why? Uncle, why don¡¯t you agree?"

 Chapter 360: Baptism by Ambrosia

    <h4>Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Baptism by Ambrosia</h4><h4></h4>

    "Because..." Fu Xingbo smiled, and one couldn¡¯t help but notice that when he smiled, his eyes were identical to Fu Han¡¯s, sparkly and bright, "because from my observation of Xia Ning, even if you really married He Xing and had children, she still wouldn¡¯t give up on him. So, if you¡¯re with He Xing, you¡¯ll have to be on guard against Xia Ning for the rest of your life. Such a life is terrifying."

    Although she was reluctant to admit it, Fu Han had to acknowledge that Fu Xingbo was right; what was more important was that his words struck her like a thunderp. Although painful, isn¡¯t it true that good medicine tastes bitter?

    There was a long silence in the ward, and it was uncertain how much time had passed when Fu Han¡¯s voice finally broke the quiet. But it was so soft that if one didn¡¯t listen carefully, they might not even hear what she was saying.

    "Actually, I know that He Xing lied to me about grandfather being gravely ill to get me to marry him, and I¡¯m very angry. How could he curse his own grandfather? Also, he clearly knew that it was Xia Ning who yed the recording at the wedding, yet he didn¡¯t me her afterwards. Today, I hit Xia Ning in a moment of impulse, but he has always been defending her so vehemently, is he right in doing that? Moreover, whether it¡¯s the matter of grandfather faking his illness or the wedding recording, he hasn¡¯t offered me an exnation to this day."

    "Xiaohan, calm down," Fu Xingbo soothed as he ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair, looking at her very earnestly, "The matters you¡¯re talking about are all based on your own subjective spections. Although I don¡¯t really approve of your rtionship with He Xing, I still have to admit that he genuinely likes you, and you¡¯re the only one in his heart."

    Unfortunately, Fu Han wasn¡¯t listening to a word anymore. She was immersed in her painful memories, desperately wanting to flee this ce, to get far away from this city that had caused her so much heartache.

    She grabbed Fu Xingbo¡¯s sleeve and said urgently, "Uncle, I want to leave today, is that okay? Please, I can¡¯t stand to stay here for even one more second."

    "Then, when do you n to return?" Fu Xingbo countered, not answering her question. Behind his sses, his eyes held a faint, indistinct gleam.

    Fu Han shook her head, "I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s something for the future, it¡¯s too far away. I don¡¯t want to think about it now."

    "If you can¡¯t be sure of your return, I suggest that you leave as originally nned. One reason is that your injuries still require more healing, and secondly, since Grandpa He raised you, even if he deceived you, he did it with good intentions. Shouldn¡¯t you say goodbye to him properly before you leave?"

    "Grandpa He?" Fu Han was stunned. She had been preupied with her own affairs these past few days and had not thought about Grandpa He at all. Realizing this, she indeed felt very unfilial.

    "Alright, then I¡¯ll leave on the originally scheduled day. After all, it¡¯ll only be two dayster."

    ...

    Ward of Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei had finished her bubble tea. With a perfect arc, the cup was tossed by her into the trash bin. She looked at Bai Qian sitting opposite her, "Mom, I want fried chicken, will you go buy some for me?"

    "No," Bai Qian, who was engrossed in thetest TV series, didn¡¯t look up as she replied, "Didn¡¯t you say Luo Qinghe ising soon? You can ask him to bring some."

    "Right, why didn¡¯t I think of that?" Bai Wei beamed with joy and made a phone call. After hanging up, she moved to sit beside Bai Qian with a sycophantic smile, "Mom, could you please go out for a while when hees?"

    Finally tearing her gaze from her phone, Bai Qian looked Bai Wei up and down with a mother¡¯s critical eye, "Your infatuation with your boyfriend is so outrageous you even want to kick out your own mother?"

    "This..." Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed, but her smile grew, "Mom, think about it, how many times have you and Dadined I was a third wheel during my childhood? Did I ever say anything?"

    This time, it was Bai Qian¡¯s turn to blush. She red at Bai Wei and got to her feet, gathering her phone, "Fine, I¡¯ll leave then, but you and Luo Qinghe, be careful. Don¡¯t do anything excessive. If you get pregnant before marriage, I will break your legs!"

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned beet red, both angry and embarrassed, "Mom, what are you saying? We are... we are innocent. Don¡¯t look at me like that!"

    "It better be," Bai Qian said with augh, feeling triumphant as if she had won a battle.

    Bai Wei btedly realized she had been tricked and, though furious, knew she stood no chance in an argument with Bai Qian. She turned away, refusing to look at her mother.

    Before Bai Qian had even left, Luo Qinghe,den with bags, appeared at the door. With his arrival, a delectable aroma of food filled the air.

    Seeing Bai Qian, Luo Qinghe greeted her at once, "Auntie, where are you headed? I brought some food, let¡¯s eat together?"

    Putting her phone in her purse, Bai Qian smiled suggestively, "I won¡¯t be a third wheel now, lest someone holds it against me."

    "Third wheel?" Luo Qinghe nced at Bai Qian and then at Bai Wei, understanding her implication.

    Even though Luo Qinghe was almost thirty, he felt embarrassed in front of his potential mother-inw and coughed awkwardly, handing a bag to Bai Qian, "Then please help me take this to Fu Han¡¯s ward, thank you."

    After Bai Qian had left, Bai Wei didn¡¯t bother chatting with Luo Qinghe. Instead, she sprang up like a rabbit, dashed to the door, and closed it. She even locked it for good measure.

    Having secured the door, she breathed a sigh of relief. Turning back, she found him already upon her, pushing her against the door, his kisses falling like raindrops.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s style was always punk, a perpetual stubble lining his lips. It looked cool normally, but it was quite different when kissing.

    Bai Wei¡¯s face was pricked painfully and ticklishly by his stubble. And with his hands fanning the mes, Bai Wei surrendered almost without a fight.

    The loose hospital gown fell to the ground, and Bai Wei¡¯s pale, almost exposed body gleamed like jade.

    Indecipherable noises filled the ward. Bai Wei¡¯s mind was already a mess, barelyprehending what was about to happen.

    Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door. They weren¡¯t loud; it was the footsteps of a nurse walking in t shoes. The echo from the empty corridor made the sound louder.

    As the footsteps drew closer, Bai Wei heard the nurses outside chuckle, "Luo Qinghe must have arrived."

 Chapter 361: The Passing Nurse

    <h4>Chapter 361: Chapter 361: The Passing Nurse</h4><h4></h4>

    A nurse immediately followed up with a question, "Why do you say that?"

    The nurse who had spoken beforeughed, "Every time Luo Qinghe arrives, Bai Wei always closes the door. Who knows what they do inside?"

    Laughter spread among them, the kind that suggested the girls understood each other perfectly well without having to spell it out.

    From a distance, another nurse could be vaguely heard saying, "We shouldn¡¯t gossip about others. After all, they are celebrities. Being cautious and keeping the door closed is nothing odd. It might not be as filthy as you think."

    The sound of footsteps faded away, and Bai Wei could no longer hear what was said behind her.

    As soon as she had heard the footsteps, she instinctively pushed Luo Qinghe away. Now, Luo Qinghe stood less than a meter from Bai Wei, looking at her with a woeful expression, as if he had suffered some great injustice.

    Bai Wei only nced at him briefly before hastily covering her eyes and screaming in shock, "Ah, put on your clothes quickly."

    "What¡¯s there to be shy about?" Luo Qinghe looked down at himself, noticing he was down to just his underwear. He obediently began to put on a sweatshirt while teasing relentlessly, "Xiaowei, you might not like the sight now, but once we¡¯re married and you see it every day, you¡¯ll definitely get used to it."

    Bai Wei was in no mood for banter with Luo Qinghe. Her clothes had long been stripped away by him, and now she quickly grabbed at the patient clothes on the floor, no longer caring about propriety, and dashed toward the restroom.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the sound of running water came from the restroom. Bai Wei was taking a shower.

    Luo Qinghe couldn¡¯t help butugh. He went through Bai Wei¡¯s wardrobe and picked out a set of clothes he deemed passable, then waited at the restroom door. When the sound of water stopped, he knocked on the door, "Don¡¯t wear that set. I¡¯ve picked out one for you."

    The blush on Bai Wei¡¯s face hadn¡¯t receded, and now it grew even brighter. However, her heart warmed even more, both for Luo Qinghe¡¯s attentiveness and his intentions.

    A few minutester, Bai Wei finally came out of the restroom. Droplets of water dripped from the tips of her short hair, her lovely face blushing beneath fair skin, eyes brimming with deep affection. What was most seductive was her cherry lips - they were reddened and slightly swollen, a masterpiece of Luo Qinghe¡¯s making, even without lipstick.

    Bai Wei sat in a flurry of modesty, her face red as she dared not meet Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze. Although it was already autumn, she felt extraordinarily hot inside her ward, as if she were inside a steaming basket.

    She hurried to open the window, letting the breeze in. Feeling much morefortable, her heart finally calmed down.

    Bai Wei sneaked a nce at Luo Qinghe, who was also looking at her. In the instant their eyes met, it was as if sparks flew between them.

    Luo Qinghe was dressed casually today: a ck printed sweatshirt on top and silver sports pants below. The striking colorbination alone was eye-catching, and with his medium-length hair and strikingly handsome face, even with a hint of stubble, he had a bright, youthful charm.

    She could distinctly hear her heart pounding. She turned her gaze away as if she¡¯d been electrocuted.

    Yet Luo Qingheughed and stepped closer to Bai Wei. As he got near, he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace, "Why won¡¯t you look at me?"

    "No reason. I... I just lost interest after seeing it so much," Bai Wei stammered nervously. The fierce autumn wind blew in, but it could not cool the heat from her body.

    Luo Qinghe lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to look at him. "Do you realize my health will suffer if this continues?"

    Bai Wei looked at Luo Qinghe, bewildered, truly not understanding the meaning of his words.

    "Don¡¯t understand?" Luo Qinghe smiled, hugged her tighter, and whispered something in her ear.

    The blush began at Bai Wei¡¯s earlobes and rapidly spread, sweeping over her until both her face and neck were flushed.

    Bai Wei, who knows where she got the strength, pushed Luo Qinghe away, "My mom told me that I shouldn¡¯t get pregnant before marriage. Until we¡¯re married, don¡¯t even think about it!"

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face fell immediately, and he bit Bai Wei¡¯s lip in retaliation.

    Bai Wei pushed him away and hurried to sit by the coffee table, brightly smiling as she opened the fried chicken, "I¡¯m so hungry. Let¡¯s eat the fried chicken."

    "I¡¯ve got to marry you as soon as possible." Luo Qinghe muttered through clenched teeth.

    ...

    After He Xing dropped Xia Ning off, Fu Han, Bai Qian, and Fu Xingbo were eating fried chicken and barbecue, filling the entire ward with their aroma.

    He frowned slightly, "Xiaohan, the doctor said you need to eat lighter foods right now. You should eat less of this kind of stuff."

    Fu Han was about to bite into a mouth-watering piece of fried chicken. Upon hearing this, she reluctantly frowned, "I¡¯m not eating this as my main meal three times a day."

    As soon as the words left his mouth, He Xing realized he shouldn¡¯t have said them. Fu Han was surely still angry with him, and here he was, nagging as soon as he arrived. Anyone would find it annoying.

    He immediately put on a smile, "Alright, I understand. A little bit should be fine."

    Fu Han had no intention whatsoever of replying to him. After hearing his words, she simply lowered her head and continued eating her fried chicken, treating He Xing as if he were invisible.

    Bai Qian felt a little sorry for her own nephew and beckoned He Xing over, "Come and join us. It wasn¡¯t Xiaohan who wanted this; Bai Wei asked Luo Qinghe to buy it. He bought too much, so we thought it would be a waste not to eat it, and called Xiaohan to have some."

    He Xing pretended not to notice the loophole in her statement and immediatelyughed, "I see. Xiaohan, my apologies for misunderstanding you."

    With a single statement, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian exchanged knowing nces, much like elders who see their painstakingly raised pig finally learning to root for cabbage.

    "Hmph!" Fu Han snorted, her face showing a hint of a blush, but her eyes were full of anger, "Is that the only thing you misunderstood about me?"

    "Of course not." He Xing was thin-skinned after all. He looked around; both Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian were present, making it hard for him to say anything too submissive. But he feared missing this opportunity to exin, so he hurriedly added, "Xiaohan, I don¡¯t think you were wrong to hit Xia Ning, honestly. I think she deserved it."

    Fu Han finally turned her gaze back to He Xing. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to confirm the truth in He Xing¡¯s words. He Xing didn¡¯t avert his gaze, staring back intently, as if to prove his innocence.

 Chapter 362: Eternal Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Eternal Enemy</h4><h4></h4>

    Finally, Fu Han turned away her gaze, not looking at He Xing any longer, but the color on her face did not turn as unsightly as before.

    After finishing thest sip of beer, Fu Xingbo slowly put the bottle down and said to He Xing, "Fu Han is leaving for M Country the day after tomorrow. I was thinking about having dinner with Grandpa He and you tomorrow night. I don¡¯t have Grandpa He¡¯s number, so could you ask if he is avable?"

    "The day after tomorrow? So soon?" He Xing looked at Fu Han as if he had heard a bolt from the blue, even though he had found out about this newsst night. But right now, his heart still couldn¡¯t ept it.

    Feeling his gaze, Fu Han raised her head to look at He Xing and said word by word, "Yes, a ticket for early the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll leave after I see Grandpa."

    Thest trace of color drained from He Xing¡¯s face, and he stubbornly stared at Fu Han, as if he wanted to force her to retract her statement with his gaze alone.

    Unfortunately for him, Fu Han had already lowered her head again. Although she didn¡¯t continue eating the fried chicken and did nothing else, she just refused to look at He Xing again.

    Bai Qian, unable to bear it, spoke up again, "He Xing, we¡¯ve consulted with the doctors. The longer Xiaohan dys her surgery, the greater the risks she will face. So it can¡¯t be put off any longer."

    He Xing knew this as well. The He Group couldn¡¯t do without him at the moment, so he had been trying tomunicate with the doctors, hoping they coulde to the domestic and perform the surgery on Fu Han again. Unfortunately, the doctors were much less amenable this time and their stance was much firmer; even offering money hadn¡¯t helped.

    He Xing sighed, "Mm, I understand. Uncle-inw, please send me the time and address. I¡¯ll be there with Grandpa on time tomorrow evening."

    At the mention of "Grandpa," Fu Han¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she held back and didn¡¯t lift her head to look at He Xing.

    Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo tantly exchanged looks before Bai Qian finally spoke, "Xiaohan, your uncle and I just remembered we have something to deal with, so we¡¯ll be leaving first. Call us if you need anything."

    After saying this, without waiting for Fu Han to respond, they turned and left, moving briskly, not like people nearly fifty years old but more like young people in their twenties or thirties.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t even had a chance to say anything before they had already made it to the ward¡¯s door. She knew that calling out to them would be pointless, so when Fu Xingbo turned back with a look of schadenfreude, she just rolled her eyes at him.

    In the blink of an eye, only He Xing and Fu Han remained in the ward. They looked at each other, their expressionsplex, as if measuring how to start a conversation.

    The sun shone through the window, and the nearly noon sun was always extra warm. Even though today¡¯s autumn wind was still strong, it gave a sense offort like basking in the sun¡¯s warmth.

    The caretaker started to clean up the fried chicken and other things from the table. Fu Han felt the ward had be somewhat awkward. She wanted to pick up a book to pass the awkward moment, but under He Xing¡¯s gaze, she felt ufortable even making the smallest move, let alone standing up and looking for a book in the cupboard.

    Finally, after cleaning up the tea table, the caretaker poured a cup of warm water for Fu Han and brewed a cup of tea for He Xing before finally leaving.

    Amidst the faint aroma of tea, He Xing¡¯s features began to blur, but his eyes remained exceptionally striking, like the bright moon that cannot be obscured by night clouds,pelling one to stop and gaze.

    Aware that those eyes were on her, Fu Han¡¯s face grew hot. She was annoyed at her restlessness, when she should be angry.

    Seeing her turn away, He Xing quickly got up and sat beside Fu Han, "Xiaohan, are you still angry with me?"

    The mention of anger made Fu Han even more upset. She made a move to get up, "Keep your distance from me, or else get out."

    "Okay, okay, I won¡¯te near you," He Xing said, pressing down on Fu Han while shifting about five centimeters to the side, "Is this okay?"

    Somehow, seeing He Xing looking sopliant made Fu Han think he was quite adorable. But she still put on an angry facade, "Move over a bit more."

    Without a word, He Xing moved another five centimeters to the side and then looked at Fu Han with a particrly aggrieved expression, "I really can¡¯t move any further, or I¡¯ll fall off."

    "Well... okay then." Fu Han pretended to ponder for a moment before reluctantly saying to He Xing, "Speak up if you have something to say. If you have nothing to say, then leave quickly. I still need to take a nap."

    Her words were half true. It was true she hadn¡¯t slept wellst night, and truly intended to have a nap today, but she had no sleepiness now and couldn¡¯t sleep, which was also true.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes blinked intensely, and turning his head to look at Fu Han, he gazed at her with those irresistible eyes, "Xiaohan, are you still angry with me?"

    "Angry?" Fu Han widened her eyes at He Xing, her toneced with barely concealed sarcasm, "What kind of rtionship do I have with you? Why should I be angry with you?"

    "We¡¯re..." He Xing, unsure of what Fu Han really meant, yet unable to say that they had no rtionship, cleared his throat and whispered, "Of course we have a fianc¨¦-fianc¨¦e rtionship. When youe back, I¡¯ll make sure to give you a grand wedding."

    "Wedding?" As soon as she heard those two words, a surge of anger rose in Fu Han¡¯s heart. She snorted coldly, "It¡¯s true we¡¯re engaged, but you know better than anyone why we got engaged. Now that Grandpa¡¯s health is no issue, our engagement should no longer count."

    "How can that be?" He Xingpletely forgot the boundaries Fu Han had just set and plopped down beside her, "Xiaohan, we did have a formal engagement ceremony. You can¡¯t just deny it."

    The wind seemed to soften, and Fu Han¡¯s hair swayed gently, as if sprites were dancing upon it, an allure that one couldn¡¯t look away from.

    Fu Han smiled, her smile devoid of any warmth, "You almost made me forget. On the day of my engagement, Xia Ning was dressed more like the bride than me. She and Xia Cheng pushed me into the swimming pool. Have you dealt with that?"

    "Ah..." He Xing stuttered abruptly, fumbling, "I... they received their punishment, and I think... you should be even, right?"

    "Even with them?" Fu Han scoffed coldly, her entire being like a sh of cold light, "He Xing, I¡¯m telling you, the Xia family and I will never reconcile in this lifetime. You¡¯ve tried to mediate for so many years and failed. Xia Ning and I are born enemies, no matter how many years go by, that will never change, never!"

 Chapter 363: I am Love, She is Responsibility

    <h4>Chapter 363: Chapter 363: I am Love, She is Responsibility</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s smile on his face turned stiff, as if he were wearing an incredibly fake human skin mask, stirring a wave of heartache in anyone who saw it.

    What was even more heartbreaking were the words he uttered, "Xiaohan, I understand what you mean. You might always feel that I am helping the Xia Family, and Xia Ning and her family always think I¡¯m helping you. Being caught in the middle, I really... feel so troubled."

    Thest three words he spoke were in a low voice,ced with undeniable frustration and helplessness.

    But at that moment, Fu Han had no mood to empathize with He Xing¡¯s feelings because his words were like a ticking time bomb, and moreover, one that had already been ignited.

    "Good, very good," Fu Han nodded while sneering coldly, "You¡¯re caught in a dilemma, which means you¡¯ve ced me and Xia Ning on the same level. He Xing, what a clever n you¡¯ve made, wanting to have both the Goddess Chang¡¯e and the Heroine Queen is it?"

    "Don¡¯t misunderstand me," He Xing¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Fu Han, not knowing what he had said wrong, he could only try to exin again: "You and Grandpa are the most important people to me, but the Xia Family saved my life. Unless I give this life back to them, I will never be able to repay this debt in my entire life. As long as I have not repaid this debt, I cannot cut ties with the Xia Family, do you understand?"

    "In the end, it¡¯s just an excuse to protect Xia Ning," Fu Han¡¯s emotions were on the brink of exploding, and her voice involuntarily rose, "He Xing, because of a life-saving grace, you are blind to the humiliation Xia Ning has thrown at me for years; you know Xia Ning brought a recording to ruin our wedding yet you remained indifferent, and now that Xia Ning has ruined my face, you can¡¯t even bear it when I p her a few times?"

    As she spoke, Fu Han¡¯s tears could no longer be contained, they streamed down profusely, and with a gambler¡¯s anger, she fiercely wiped them away: "He Xing, since you¡¯re so protective of Xia Ning, then I¡¯ll make it easy for you, I¡¯ll back out, how about that?"

    "Xiaohan, can you not say such things every time you¡¯re unhappy?" He Xing¡¯s face was almost livid with anger, his rage stemming both from having made Fu Han cry and from being furious that no matter what happened, she would always talk about breaking up.

    "I can¡¯t!" Fu Han¡¯s emotions were on the edge of copse, but her tears stopped. She looked at He Xing with a heart nearly in pieces, "Is it so hard for you to admit that you have always been protecting Xia Ning all these years?"

    Fire surged in He Xing¡¯s heart, but he still tried to keep his voice as calm as possible: "Fu Han, be fair, have I only ever protected Xia Ning and never you?"

    The autumn wind outside the window suddenly became much fiercer, howling as it burst through the open window, charging around like a beast intent on annihting everything in the world.

    Fu Han¡¯s waist-length hair was lifted by the wind, covering her face partially, masking the asymmetry of her cheeks, leaving only her beautiful eyes more striking against the cover of her dark hair, like a rainbow after the storm.

    But the narrowed eyes were no longer those of azy cat. Instead, they resembled a wild beast on the verge of eruption, as powerful in their impact as the words she had just spoken.

    "You still say you haven¡¯t put me and Xia Ning at the same position? Face it, He Xing, you just pay lip service to how important I am to you, but your every word and deed are clearly about bncing the rtionship between me and Xia Ning. The key is, you still don¡¯t realize there¡¯s anything wrong with your behavior!"

    "Wrong?" The stars in He Xing¡¯s eyes were flickering with ck squalls, like the deep sea at night, bringing the tides and waves that could destroy heaven and earth: "Fu Han, Aunt Du Wanting traded her life for mine. Xia Ning looks exactly like her. Is there something wrong with treating Xia Ning a bit better?"

    Each word he spoke struck with force, especially that ending phrase, "Is there something wrong with treating Xia Ning a bit better?" Each word was a hammer, pounding hole after hole into Fu Han¡¯s already battered heart, making it ache even more.

    Strangely, however, the more aggrieved Fu Han¡¯s heart became, the calmer her face grew: "So that¡¯s it. Xia Ning has the face of my life-saving benefactor. No wonder you indulge her so. It seems that on my eighteenth birthday, I was presumptuous, causing trouble for Grandpa and forcing your hand. Fortunately, it¡¯s not toote to remedy the situation."

    She extended her slender fingers to smooth her wind-tossed hair and carelessly tied it with a rubber band, strands of loose hair framing her now even smaller face, making her delicate features even more prominent.

    But as her face grew smaller, its asymmetry became more apparent.

    The raging fire in He Xing¡¯s heart was about to explode, but upon seeing Fu Han¡¯s face, the fury in his eyes dispersed like heavy rain, leaving not even a spark behind.

    He coaxed her like a child: "Okay, Xiaohan, let¡¯s not talk like this anymore. Haven¡¯t I told you many times that I only like you, and for me, it¡¯s you or no one else?"

    He Xing had spoken simr words before, and they would have moved Fu Han, but now they were nothing but a joke to her, and she was the punchline.

    As she spoke, a sneer curved her lips into a mocking smile: "Mm-hm, I get what you mean now. You like me, but you have a lifelong responsibility to Xia Ning, right?"

    The first instinct of He Xing was to refute her words, but when he opened his mouth, he found himself at a loss for a rebuttal. He was certain that wasn¡¯t what he had in mind, but purely from the literal sense, he couldn¡¯t find any point to argue; she had said something wrong, clearly.

    The wind kept howling, and the temperature in the ward dropped little by little until it felt as cold as Snond itself.

    Fu Han felt as though her legscked any warmth, her arms covered in a fineyer of goosebumps, yet she stubbornly wanted to keep looking at He Xing, secretly hoping he would contradict her words.

    The seconds ticked away, and although Fu Han felt as if a long time had passed, it also seemed like no time had passed at all. Her heart grew colder with each second, until it waspletely frozen.

    It was unclear how much time went by before He Xing¡¯s lips finally moved.

    But at this moment, an infinite fear spread through Fu Han¡¯s heart. She was suddenly terrified of what He Xing might say, and she spoke first: "Alright, I know what¡¯s on your mind. There¡¯s no need to say more; I don¡¯t want to hear it. I¡¯m going to take a nap now, please leave."

    "Xiaohan..."

    "If you don¡¯t leave, I will call the nurse," Fu Han¡¯s disposition to drive him away was exceedingly intense, her amber-colored eyes glowing fiercely with anger and fear.

 Chapter 364: Unfair Treatment

    <h4>Chapter 364: Chapter 364: Unfair Treatment</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing stared at Fu Han for a long time. Frustration was clearly written all over her face, and finally, thest shred of his rationality vanished. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

    It was only after the sound of footsteps had faded away for quite some time that Fu Han turned around. In the blink of an eye, she was the only one left in the ward, which now felt so empty and hollow.

    Tears began to gather in her eyes, but she still forced herself to shut the ward door before covering herself with the nket and crying her heart out.

    She didn¡¯t understand how things had gotten this way, why the situation kept getting worse. All she knew was that she was overwhelmed with a vast and endless sense of injustice. If she didn¡¯t let it out, she felt she would break down.

    But she wasn¡¯t wrong. Before she left four years ago, Xia Ning was always finding ways to trouble her. He Xing turned a blind eye to the harm done to her but would reprimand Fu Han at the slightest hint of retaliation, especially if Xia Ningined.

    This time, upon her return, He Xing had improved a lot and was much more distant from Xia Ning than before. Yet Xia Ning¡¯s ws were still reaching far, transitioning from minor nuisances to actual physical harm towards Fu Han.

    Yes, He Xing did reprimand Xia Ning, but did Xia Ning change? It seemed every time Xia Ning simply shrugged off He Xing¡¯s mild criticism and went back to doing whatever she pleased afterward.

    The more Fu Han thought about it, the more she felt He Xing was unfair. He was supposed to stand up for his fianc¨¦e, yet she always felt he was still protecting Xia Ning the most.

    The pillow was already soaked with Fu Han¡¯s tears, but her heart echoed one thought: "It is easy to change rivers and mountains, but hard to alter one¡¯s nature."

    All the faultsy in her thinking that He Xing would change after her return to the countryst year. Reality proved that he had to change, and Xia Ning would forever be the responsibility he couldn¡¯t shake off.

    How could he possibly shake her off?

    It was only today that Fu Han learned Xia Ning and her mother looked exactly alike. Just because of that face, He Xing couldn¡¯t bring himself to do anything truly ruthless.

    ...

    Liangtao Bar.

    Those whoe for drinks at a bar generally prefer the night ¨C more people, more warmth, a better atmosphere.

    Therefore, most bars don¡¯t open until dusk, and Liangtao Bar was no exception.

    Ji Liangchuan was a well-known yboy in City A. Couple his good looks with his charm, and he had countless girls throwing themselves at him every day, but his principle was simple: if he liked what he saw, he wouldn¡¯t refuse.

    However, like a flower, he would only pluck once, never revisiting past conquests. Hence, he personified one-night stands.

    When he received a call from He Xing, he was still in a hotel bed, an unpainteddy nestled in his arms; the first time the phone rang, he hung up directly. The second time, he opened his eyes and saw it was He Xing calling, and answered, "Good lord, are you trying to haunt me with your calls this early in the morning?"

    "Come over, I want to go to your bar to drink!" He Xing spoke these words and hung up.

    As Ji Liangchuan got up, the woman in the bed clung to him, refusing to let go, cooing and whining sweetly.

    That earned her a response from Ji Liangchuan, "I¡¯ve booked the hotel for two days. Stay as you like, and the money is on the bedside table."

    The woman in bed opened her eyes, nced at the bedside table, seemed satisfied, and closed her eyes again, "Alright, see you next time."

    Ji Liangchuan gave a coldugh, said nothing more, got out of bed to take a shower in the restroom, put on a clean set of clothes, and left the room. It was almost funny ¨C Ji Liangchuan was a VIP customer at many major hotels; they would wash the clothes he left behind so they were clean for the next time he visited.

    Today was no exception. The clothes he had worn the previous night were casually thrown on a sofa, and when he left, he wore an all-in-one ck work suit, which matched perfectly with his exaggeratedlyrge peach blossom eyes and looked very handsome.

    By the time he arrived at Liangtao Bar, He Xing was squatting at the entrance, his eyes fixed on the bustling traffic ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

    Many wealthy people boast about making or losing millions in minutes, but that¡¯s usually just bluster, amusing to those who listen.

    But the saying was quite fitting for He Xing. As the sole heir to thergest enterprise in City A, the He Group, every minute of his life was precious, and not a second could be wasted.

    Yet at this moment, He Xing had been waiting at Liangtao Bar for an hour. He looked like a stray cat, and the words of mockery that Ji Liangchuan wanted to say got stuck in his throat.

    Ji Liangchuan walked over and fished a set of keys out of a flowerpot not far from He Xing. As he unlocked the door, he said, "Next time you want to drink, the key is here. Just open it yourself."

    The flowerpot was less than thirty centimeters away from He Xing, who raised an eyebrow, "Aren¡¯t you afraid someone will discover it and use the key to sneak in?"

    "Afraid of what? There are cameras all over my bar. If someone dares to sneak in and mess around, I¡¯ll make sure they pay through the nose," Ji Liangchuan led the way as he went inside.

    Although it was still not dark outside, the bar was already pitch ck. He fumbled on the wall for a switch, turned on the dim lights, and headed towards the bar, "What do you want to drink? Should I pour for you, or do you want to help yourself?"

    He Xing picked the closest table to the bar and sat down. The leather sofa was soft, and he sank into it, "Anything, just get some drinks to start with."

    Ji Liangchuan rummaged through the bar counter, eventually opening a bottle of Brandy, took out two sses, poured ice cubes from the fridge into them, and came over.

    He Xing had downed three sses before finally setting his ss down, but from the look of him, he intended to keep drinking.

    "Spill it, how did Fu Han tick you off this time?" Ji Liangchuan hadn¡¯t finished his first drink when his beautiful peach blossom eyes roved over He Xing. His eyes seemed bright at first nce, but a light shed through their depths, especially when he mentioned "Fu Han."

    At the mention of "Fu Han," He Xing¡¯s eyes widened with a surge of hostile intent directed at Ji Liangchuan, "What are you thinking? Even if Fu Han and I had a fight, it¡¯s none of your business. You better not harbor any crooked thoughts about Fu Han."

    The bar was already empty except for the two of them, making He Xing¡¯s voice sound exceptionally loud and somewhat piercing.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s expression changed several times before he rolled his eyes, "You know I have designs on Fu Han, yet youe here to drown your sorrows in my bar?"

    This retort drove He Xing to down three more fierce sses, each one stronger than thest. He coughed violently, his face flushed red, nearly coughing tears from his eyes.

 Chapter 365 Objective Listener

    <h4>Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Objective Listener</h4><h4></h4>

    Ji Liangchuan pushed the peanuts on the table towards He Xing, "It¡¯s too early, and the kitchen only has these ready. Make do with them for now, consider it a snack to apany your drink."

    The coldness in He Xing¡¯s eyes lessened slightly. He looked at Ji Liangchuan with a heavy gaze and finally put down the ss, leaning back on the sofa chair before beginning to recount everything that had happened recently.

    Under normal circumstances, He Xing, even if he were to hold back to death, would never discuss his and Fu Han¡¯s matters with a third person, especially not when this third person had unclear and indistinct feelings for Fu Han.

    But at this moment, he felt as if his emotions were like a balloon on the verge of bursting. If he didn¡¯t find someone to talk to, he really thought he would suffocate.

    So even though Ji Liangchuan wasn¡¯t the best listener in his heart, because he couldn¡¯t find a better one, he could only talk to Ji Liangchuan.

    After he had finished exining everything, He Xing poured another ss of Brandy, his handsome face full of helplessness, "Tell me the truth, who is wrong in this matter, me or Fu Han?"

    Ji Liangchuan grabbed the ss in front of him, tilted his head, and finished the drink in one go.

    He set the ss down on the table with a "snap," producing a crisp sound on the ss tabletop that was jarringly loud in the empty bar.

    A few secondster, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s cold voice spoke up, "He Xing, I am not you two. I cannot judge who is right or wrong between you. All I can say is, from your perspective, you¡¯ve given all your love to Fu Han, but considering Xia Ning¡¯s mother saved you, you can¡¯t just stand by and ignore Xia Ning¡¯s matters; yet from Fu Han¡¯s perspective, her boyfriend, fianc¨¦, and even future husband will forever be entwined with another woman. If you were her, could you really stay calm about this issue?"

    Anger surged in He Xing¡¯s heart, his handsome face filled with fury, "How could it be a lifetime? Once Fu Han and I are married, in a few years Xia Ning will also marry, and then won¡¯t all the problems solve themselves?"

    "You have a point there," Ji Liangchuanughed, his exaggerated peach-blossom eyes forming into crescents, softening the raffish charisma about him, "But I¡¯ve been observing from the sidelines for a long time, and I don¡¯t think Xia Ning will give up on you after you¡¯re married. Maybe even after you have children, she still won¡¯t let go."

    He Xing wanted to counter Ji Liangchuan¡¯s words, but he found himself unable to utter a single word.

    Ji Liangchuan saw the expression on his face and spoke without any courtesy, "See, even you think it¡¯s a likely scenario."

    A sense of irritation rose from within He Xing, and he drank another big gulp of alcohol, "I don¡¯t care what Xia Ning thinks, but Fu Han is the only one in my heart. Why can¡¯t Fu Han just trust me?"

    "How do you know Fu Han doesn¡¯t trust you?" Ji Liangchuan smiled as he watched He Xing, his words carrying a deeper meaning, "You have concocted a marriage deception, yet she simply postponed the wedding and still remains your fianc¨¦e. Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s already considering you enough?"

    This statement struck He Xing like an awakening, dispelling the dark clouds that had been over his head for days.

    Before this, all he could think about was why Fu Han insisted on canceling the wedding. If she really loved him, she should be with him no matter what obstacles stood in the way.

    But now, he suddenly had an epiphany. Putting himself in Fu Han¡¯s shoes, if he realized in front of everyone that he had been tricked into marriage, could he really continue the wedding calmly?

    That would be absolutely impossible. He might even cancel the engagement in a fit of anger, yet Fu Han did not do so.

    This thought burst He Xing¡¯s anger like a punctured balloon, deting swiftly silently.

    He set his ss down on the tabletop and made to leave.

    However, just as he was about to get up, Ji Liangchuan spoke again, "Are you going to look for Fu Han now?"

    "Is there a problem with that?" He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, his expression filled with undisguised hostility. It was clear from his look that if Ji Liangchuan dared to stop him, he would erupt in anger.

    But Ji Liangchuan appeared unaffected, leaning back slightly with squinted eyes, "I can say with certainty that if you go to Fu Han now, the two of you will end up arguing."

    "What did you say?" He Xing¡¯s forehead throbbed with visible veins, as if he¡¯d throw a punch at Ji Liangchuan any moment.

    Far from showing fear, Ji Liangchuan onlyughed more heartily, "With issues unresolved, do you think it¡¯s possible not to fight?"

    Ji Liangchuan paused, then added indifferently, "Based on my experience with rtionships, going to her now would only add fuel to the fire. I think it¡¯s better for both of you to take some time and cool down, to think things over and decide what to do next. That¡¯s what¡¯s truly important."

    The angry look in He Xing¡¯s eyes diminished considerably, and he silently regarded Ji Liangchuan, as if pondering the truth of his words.

    Eventually, He Xing stood up and headed towards the door, his exit resolute.

    A fleeting panic crossed Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes, unhidden as he hurriedly got up to ask, "He Xing, where are you going?"

    "To thepany." He Xing paused, turning his head slightly but not looking at Ji Liangchuan, "I¡¯m not as leisurely as you are every day, I¡¯ve got a pile of business to deal with."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s tense heart finally rxed. He sat down again, his face taking on its usual roguish grin, "Life is too precious to waste like this, I haven¡¯t had enough fun yet."

    He Xing swung his car keys but didn¡¯t speak, already at the door.

    Something struck Ji Liangchuan, and he shouted after him, "You¡¯ve been drinking, don¡¯t drive. Either find a designated driver or take a taxi!"

    "Understood."

    In a blink, only Ji Liangchuan was left in the bar. He looked at the table in front of him, with several snack dishes untouched, and a bottle of Brandy emptied. Out of the entire bottle, he only had two sses, the rest was all drunk by He Xing.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes becameplex, as if he were deep in thought, yet also as if his mind was empty. He put a piece of ice in his mouth, which held a faint taste of alcohol, but soon turned tasteless like in water.

    It was just a piece of ice that had soaked in the liquor for a while, it would never turn into real alcohol. Instead, it had almost frozen his mouth numb.

    He spit out forcefully, "Pah," ejecting the ice cube. It hit the floor and rolled away, getting farther and farther, until finally disappearing into some unnoticed corner.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze followed the ice cube¡¯s path as his hand rhythmically tapped on the coffee table, his peach-blossom eyes shimmering with unfathomable light.

 Chapter 366: It Really Needs to Be Understood

    <h4>Chapter 366: Chapter 366: It Really Needs to Be Understood</h4><h4></h4>

    Suddenly, a captivating light shot from his eyes, He Xing rose to his feet and rummaged through the bar for his car keys before striding purposefully toward the exit.

    Soon, a luxurious car ignited its engine and shot off like lightning, leaving a long trail of tire friction on the ground, along with a faint smell of gasoline.

    By the time the car came to a stop, it had arrived at the hospital entrance, Ji Liangchuan stepped out, ready to head towards the Inpatient Department, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he walked out of the hospital instead.

    A few minutester, he returned, one hand holding a bouquet of lilies, the other carrying an exquisite fruit basket, no longer hesitant, he made his way to the Inpatient Department, inquired about Fu Han¡¯s ward, and walked straight to it.

    The high-end ward was very quiet, with not a single person in the hallway. In addition to the faint scent of disinfectant, there was also the light fragrance of Osmanthus wafting over on the breeze.

    Somehow, as Ji Liangchuan walked, he found his steps slowing involuntarily, as if the closer he got to that person, the calmer his heart became.

    Memories unfolded before his eyes, the white walls on either side of the corridor turned into screens for a movie projector, disying scenes of his time with Taozi, a girl who had the exact same face as Fu Han.

    In a foreignnd, on unfamiliar streets full of charm, he walked hand in hand with Taozi, enveloping her with his coat as they kissed beneath a sky full of snowkes.

    The beauty of the memories was directly proportional to the pain he felt when Taozi left.

    Even though several years had passed, Ji Liangchuan still felt an acute sense of pain when he revisited those memories, as if the agony of losing a loved one had urred just yesterday.

    For years, if he was alone at night, he would be unable to sleep, forcing him to seek thepany of one woman after another, yet none of them managed to leave even a vague impression in his mind.

    The more one-night stands he had, the more he yearned for the girl who had smiled up at him amidst the snowstorm, her eyes brimming with unabashed, pure love, a love he doubted he would ever encounter again in his lifetime.

    With these thoughts, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes began to moisten, with tears swirling at the brink of falling.

    Suddenly, footsteps sounded from behind him, and a gentle voice spoke up: "Sir, may I ask who you¡¯re looking for?"

    A nurse¡¯s uniform brushed past Ji Liangchuan as he blinked forcefully, pushing back the tears welling in his heart, and replied in as calm a voice as he could muster, "I¡¯m looking for Fu Han."

    "Miss Fu Han is in this ward." The nurse¡¯s voice was as gentle as ever, filled with faint goodwill, reminiscent of the drifting scent of Osmanthus.

    "Thank you." Under the nurse¡¯s attentive gaze, Ji Liangchuan made his way to Fu Han¡¯s bedside. He didn¡¯t see her at first nce and knocked on the door out of politeness.

    Two secondster, a slit opened in the bed covers, and Fu Han¡¯s face peeked out, half obscured by disheveled hair, making it difficult to discern her expression, but her eyes shone brightly, like the sky after a torrential rain.

    Although Ji Liangchuan had braced himself for this moment, gazing into those clear spring-like eyes made his heart race uncontrobly.

    He gazed greedily into Fu Han¡¯s eyes, although he had seen them on her wedding day, yet now it felt as if it had been a long, long time since he hadst seen them.

    Once Fu Han realized the visitor was Ji Liangchuan, she propped herself up to sit, her mood far from cheerful. She asked indifferently, "Mr. Ji, what brings you here?"

    Since He Xing¡¯s departure, except for the routine nurse check-ups, Fu Han had been cocooned in her nkets. At first, she had cried, but when the tears wouldn¡¯te anymore, she tried to sleep but found it impossible, until the moment Ji Liangchuan arrived.

    Ji Liangchuan averted his gaze awkwardly, a faint blush on his fair face matching the blue printed shirt he wore. He resembled a boy in his school days, bashful and sincere, upon encountering his muse.

    He coughed twice awkwardly and said, "I... I heard you had an argument with He Xing, and I wanted... wanted to check on you."

    "Heard?" Fu Han¡¯s mouth curved into a faint smile, "It must have been He Xing who told you. Since when can he not bear even a slight grievance, hurrying to tell others about it?"

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face changed several times with helplessness and a hidden joy as he sighed and said, "Don¡¯t be angry with him. He Xing is only human, he can¡¯t keep everything bottled up inside. And moreover..."

    Pausing, Ji Liangchuan sneakily observed Fu Han¡¯s expression before continuing, "And it wasn¡¯t He Xing who brought it up. He came to drink with me, and only after I asked, did he tell me."

    Fu Han¡¯s expression softened slightly, and she asked unnaturally, "Did He Xing get drunk?"

    "No, no, he didn¡¯t get drunk," Ji Liangchuan replied in a hurry. "I watched over him; there was no way I would let him drink too much. He¡¯s already headed to thepany, which is why I came to see you."

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted from Ji Liangchuan to the window, and after a long silence, she murmured softly, "Thank you."

    Ji Liangchuan also fell into silence, his eyes fixed on the lilies he had bought, yet his peripheral vision remained on Fu Han.

    For a moment, the ward was exceptionally quiet, only the breeze from the window carrying in strands of cool air, dispersing the inexplicable anxiety in Fu Han¡¯s heart.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Ji Liangchuan was the first to break the silence: "Fu Han, your face... it upsets me. I know some people with great medical skill. Do you need my help?"

    "Thank you, but there¡¯s no need." Fu Han¡¯s voice was harsher than she intended, and she coughed awkwardly before adding unnaturally, "My uncle has already arranged for a doctor from M Country. I will fly back to M Country the day after tomorrow."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s expressions went through several changes, as if the news was too shocking. It took him quite a few seconds topose himself before he spoke again, his eyes reflecting aplexity of emotions, "Then... will He Xing be going with you?"

    For some reason, Fu Han felt that Ji Liangchuan was behaving strangely today, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on what exactly was off. She frowned but decided to speak the truth, "He won¡¯t be going."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s tense back rxed all at once, even his overlyrge, almost exaggerated peach blossom eyes seemed to narrow slightly, as if hinting at a barely perceptible smile, "That makes sense, He Xing is so busy with work; he really can¡¯t get away. You... you should try to understand."

    "Understand?" Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitterugh, the anger she had been suppressing ring up once more, "Indeed, I really should understand."

 Chapter 367: The Same Face

    <h4>Chapter 367: Chapter 367: The Same Face</h4><h4></h4>

    There was a brief spark of light in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes, but he quickly masked it. With a helpless smile, he said, "You youngdies are really too adorable. The matter between you and He Xing is a case of ¡¯the pot calling the kettle ck¡¯, and I can¡¯t really say who¡¯s right and who¡¯s wrong."

    This statement was somewhat fair, and though Fu Han was still seething with anger inside, she couldn¡¯t rebut and could only agree that it was indeed the case. She didn¡¯t speak, but turned her head to look out the window again.

    It was only a matter of minutes. One second, the scene outside the window was shrouded with the gloomy pre-rain greyness, and in the next, it was suddenly bathed in brilliant sunlight, which at first nce was almost blinding.

    But what good was the bright sunshine if dusk was fast approaching? Eventually, the sun would set and darkness would descend once again.

    The ward was very quiet, but for Ji Liangchuan it was an awkward kind of silence. He hade to see Fu Han, not just to see her, but he didn¡¯t know what to say.

    In fact, ever since Ji Liangchuan first saw Fu Han, he had been paying close attention to her. If he remembered correctly, their first encounter was when He Xing got drunk. At that time, Ji Liangchuan knew about Fu Han, just not what she looked like.

    He Xing was drunk, and though Ji Liangchuan could have taken He Xing home himself, he knew He Xing¡¯s drunkenness was because of Fu Han. Thinking it an opportunity to reconcile He Xing and Fu Han, Ji Liangchuan took the cellphone from He Xing and called her.

    Now recalling that day, Ji Liangchuan still clearly remembered a girl walking in through the door with a casual attire and an indifferent face.

    That day, the bar was bustling, lights flickering¡ªan all toomon and ordinary day for Ji Liangchuan. He sat next to He Xing, a cigarette hanging from his hand, his eyes casually wandering.

    Then he saw Fu Han. His first nce fell upon her exquisitely delicate face, so pale against her ck hair, like an angel fallen to earth.

    For a moment, Ji Liangchuan felt as if Taozi hade back. He stared at Fu Han in a daze, watching as she walked straight towards him, watching as she bent her head and frowned as she looked at He Xing.

    When he learned that Fu Han was the fianc¨¦e He Xing had been unable to forget for three years, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s feelings were extremelyplicated. So much so that for a while, he found himself intensely jealous of He Xing. No, not just for a while, he still was, even now.

    That night, several girls invited him to spend the night, but Ji Liangchuan refused them all. His entire night was consumed by thoughts of Taozi, of Fu Han.

    God knows how much self-control he had to muster that first day he saw Fu Han, just to stop himself from rushing up and pulling her tightly into his arms.

    At this thought, Ji Liangchuan felt his eyes growing sore once again. He blinked hard several times, pretending to be calm as he looked at Fu Han, "Fu Han, I¡¯ve known He Xing for many years, and I know he only has you in his heart. You... can¡¯t you forgive him just this once?"

    Fu Han pulled her gaze from the window, turned her head, and looked at Ji Liangchuan with a coldugh, "Just once? Ji Liangchuan, I admit that an outsider sees more clearly, but you¡¯ve never been through what I¡¯ve endured. You¡¯re asking me to forgive He Xing, saying it¡¯s only once. Are you protecting him too much?"

    As she spoke, Fu Hanughed coldly again, "That¡¯s right, he¡¯s your friend, and it¡¯s natural for you to stand by him. But your help has nothing to do with me. Please, don¡¯t interfere with my life."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s head dropped, but then he lifted it again, looking at Fu Han with sincerity, "I¡¯m sorry. I know I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I won¡¯t mention it again. Please don¡¯t be angry."

    In truth, Fu Han was still quite angry, but after all, she and Ji Liangchuan were not even regr friends. She really had no reason to be angry with him.

    She waved her hand, "It¡¯s okay, it has nothing to do with you."

    Just as Ji Liangchuan opened his mouth to say something more, Fu Han had already turned her head away with a cold tone, issuing a dismissal, "Thank you foring to see me. If there¡¯s nothing else, please leave."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s expression grew gloomy in an instant. He was about to stand up when something urred to him and he turned back, cautiously looking at Fu Han, "Fu Han, what time is your flight the day after tomorrow? Let me see you off."

    "Why?" Fu Han turned back, puzzled as she looked at Ji Liangchuan, "We are not close enough to warrant you seeing me off, are we?"

    This time, Ji Liangchuan was prepared. With a warm smile, he replied, "Even though we¡¯re not close friends, we¡¯ve known each other for so long. I don¡¯t know how long it will be before you return, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with me seeing you off."

    "There¡¯s no need." Fu Han¡¯s refusal was as crisp and clear as ever. Since the moment Ji Liangchuan arrived, it was the first time Fu Han really looked at him intensely, but no matter how she looked, Ji Liangchuan had a smile on his face, without a single w revealing itself.

    On the other side, Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t insist further. He slowly stood up, appearing ready to leave. But after a few steps, he suddenly turned around, his eyes overflowing with a teasing smile, "Fu Han, I might go to M Country in a while. If I wanted to see you, you wouldn¡¯t mind, right?"

    Fu Han was ready to refuse; she instinctively resisted anything or anyone rted to He Xing.

    However, before she could speak, Ji Liangchuan cut in, "Fu Han, did I ever tell you? You resemble a friend of mine... a friend who has passed away. She... she was very important to me, and seeing you is like seeing her again..."

    Fu Han kept her eyes locked on Ji Liangchuan, not missing even the slightest expression on his face. She saw the depth of his pain and intuitively knew he wasn¡¯t lying.

    Most women are soft-hearted, and besides, Ji Liangchuan hade with flowers and a fruit basket, with good intentions, so it was impossible for her to say no.

    Fu Han nodded, then after a moment¡¯s thought, she added, "Since we¡¯ve met, if the timing works out, of course, we can meet. I¡¯m sorry to hear about your misfortune."

    "Thank you forforting me," Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes reddened. At that moment, even he was unsure if his words stemmed from genuine feelings or if they were part of a premeditated n. He sniffed, "Although she left me several years ago, there hasn¡¯t been a moment when I have forgotten her."

    His words struck a hidden wound in Fu Han¡¯s heart. Four years ago, she left He Xing in a state of heartbreak. During the three years abroad, she kept hypnotizing herself to move on from He Xing, but not for a moment could she manage to do it.

    Returning to the countryst year, she repeatedly told herself to leave He Xing, even if she couldn¡¯t forget him, still, she had to leave. Three years of self-hypnosis had some effect, yet self-hypnosis couldn¡¯t stop her from loving He Xing.

 Chapter 368: The Heroism of Ordinary People

    <h4>Chapter 368: Chapter 368: The Heroism of Ordinary People</h4><h4></h4>

    Even at this moment, as heartbroken as she was, she still couldn¡¯t deny that she was still in love with He Xing.

    Unexpectedly, Fu Han began to feel some sympathy for Ji Liangchuan in front of her; she gathered the loose hair hanging by her ear and casually tied it up with the hairband on her wrist.

    Then she looked at Ji Liangchuan sincerely, "If you don¡¯t mind how ugly I look now, you can take a good look. You have to believe that the very important friend you remember, she remembers you just the same."

    Ji Liangchuan had long known that Fu Han¡¯s face was disfigured, but he hadn¡¯t expected that Fu Han¡¯s face was already disfigured to such an extent.

    Before, her face was partially hidden by her hair, so it was unclear, but now her entire face was exposed in front of Ji Liangchuan, and despite being mentally prepared, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp in shock.

    In fact, Fu Han¡¯s face was still as clear and wless as white jade; either side of her face looked perfect on its own, and even just one cheek was very beautiful. It¡¯s just that the two sides of her face were asymmetrical, with a nearly one-centimeter difference in height between them.

    If it were any other time, you might think one centimeter isn¡¯t much, but for a face that is only as big as the palm of a hand, it¡¯s indeed an unignorable gap.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s emotions wereplicated, with disappointment, sadness, but more so anger; after Taozi left, he thought he would never see such a face again. Heaven have mercy, he was allowed to see Fu Han, but why did Fu Han always get hurt on her face?

    He was well aware that if Fu Han didn¡¯t have this face, he would definitely not pay as much attention to Fu Han as he does now. But the irony was that Fu Han did have such a face.

    Ji Liangchuan suddenly rose and walked towards the door, his silhouette from behind looked as if there were special effects, a fierce raging fire burning behind him.

    Fu Han was clueless, "What... what are you going to do?"

    "To teach Xia Ning a lesson!" Ji Liangchuan said without turning his head, "Whatever she did to hurt you, I will repay it twice over."

    Fu Han was stunned, her feelings at that moment incrediblyplex. Ever since she was disfigured, she had dreamt that He Xing would say such words. To her utter surprise, the person who uttered them turned out to be Ji Liangchuan, someone whom she did not even consider a friend in her heart.

    As Ji Liangchuan was about to walk out of the ward, Fu Han called out in panic, "What are you doing? Do you think the Xia Family¡¯s people are pushovers? If you go to settle scores with her, aren¡¯t you afraid her family¡¯s bodyguards will beat you half to death?"

    "Then I¡¯ll take a few more people with me," Ji Liangchuan said, still seething with rage, anger zing in his attractive peach blossom eyes.

    Seeing him so resolute, as if not even nine bulls could pull him back, Fu Han almost burst into tears, "Okay, say you really do take revenge for me, and Xia Guoxiong calls the cops and gets you arrested, do you think that would make me feel any better?"

    His steps were heavy as if lead had been poured into his feet. He looked dazedly at Fu Han and murmured, "But even if I do get arrested, I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you being bullied like this."

    Fu Han¡¯s feelings were indescribablyplex. The thing He Xing hadn¡¯t done for her was what this man before her was going to do; she could see that Ji Liangchuan sincerely wanted to take revenge for her, and he wasn¡¯t just talking.

    The ward fell into prolonged silence, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze moving from Fu Han¡¯s face to the window, then back to her face again, filled with boundless sorrow.

    His gaze was so intense that Fu Han unconsciously averted her eyes.

    She had a strange feeling in her heart, always feeling that when Ji Liangchuan looked at her, it was as if he was looking at her yet not really seeing her. It was a sensation beyond words.

    After an indeterminate time, Ji Liangchuan finally withdrew his gaze. He wouldn¡¯t look at Fu Han anymore, instead saying in a low voice with his head slightly bowed, "Fu Han, He Xing does love you. What he feels for Xia Ning is just a debt. Please don¡¯t misunderstand."

    "Stop talking about this," Fu Han turned away, anger clearly evident on her face.

    Ji Liangchuan let out an almost imperceptible sigh, "Rest well. I¡¯m leaving."

    He turned and left the ward without lingering. The moment he stepped out, his facial expression changed slightly, looking pleased, yet not entirely happy, with a trace of guilt on his face.

    ...

    As thest ray of sunset vanished from the sky, someone knocked on the door of Fu Han¡¯s ward.

    Her gaze shifted from the book in her hands to the door, surprised yet not surprised to see He Xing; surprised because she hadn¡¯t expected He Xing toe so soon, and unsurprised because a voice inside her had been continuously telling her that He Xing would definitelye,te but sure.

    Eyes meeting, both theirplexions changed, the air seeming to crackle with sparks as if something had changed, yet also as if nothing had changed at all.

    He Xing was the first to speak, his smile forced, "Xiaohan, you only had some fried chicken for lunch; I was worried you might be hungry, so... so I brought you dinner early."

    Only then did Fu Han notice the bags in each of He Xing¡¯s hands, and the fragrance of food already permeating the room, winding through the ward, dispelling the faint scent of osmanthus.

    Without his mentioning it, Fu Han hadn¡¯t realized she was actually quite hungry, but that didn¡¯t mean she could just make up with He Xing. She kept a straight face and nodded, "Okay, thank you. Please leave the food and go if there¡¯s nothing else."

    He Xing¡¯s expression stiffened, his cheeks flushing as he spoke softly, "Xiaohan, I... I haven¡¯t eaten either. How about I eat first before I leave?"

    For someone as proud as He Xing, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, it had always been others who fawned over him. When had he ever needed to speak to anyone in such a humbled tone?

    Fu Han¡¯s heart softenedpletely, yet even if her heart crumbled to pieces at that moment, the incident from the morning lingered unabated in her mind.

    Her face turned cold as she spoke with unquestionable firmness, "You may have your dinner, but then you must leave immediately. I¡¯ve already informed the caregiver, she¡¯ll stay with me tonight."

    He Xing hesitated and finally nodded.

    From when Fu Han met He Xing at the age of three to now, twenty-two years had passed. They had shared countless meals over the years, but none were as heavy-hearted as tonight¡¯s.

    They sat on separate single-seater sofas, a coffee table with a dozen dishes set between them.

    Indeed, as He Xing said, each dish was one of Fu Han¡¯s favorites.

    Speaking of this made Fu Han¡¯s feelingsplicated. Four years ago, she knew He Xing¡¯s preferences better than her own, but now four years had gone by, and she had actually forgotten what He Xing liked to eat.

 Chapter 369: Having Dinner Together

    <h4>Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Having Dinner Together</h4><h4></h4>

    Despite the table full of dishes, Fu Han only ate the ones closer to her, barely giving the others a nce. Throughout the meal, He Xing repeatedly encouraged her to eat more, and even tried to serve her some dishes at one point, but Fu Han stopped her with just a look.

    The food was truly delicious, Fu Han was hungry, and she knew she should eat more¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t. She chewed without tasting anything, and perhaps that was her most genuine feeling at the moment.

    In the end, Fu Han forced herself to finish half a bowl of rice.

    As she set her chopsticks down, He Xing immediately stood up and filled a bowl with freshly simmered fish soup for her. "Xiaohan, this is just made. It¡¯s very fresh. Have a taste," she said, "The Doctor said it is good for your health."

    Fu Han stared at the milky-white fish soup in front of her. After a moment of silence, she obediently took it from He Xing.

    As He Xing had said, the fish soup was indeed delicious. One couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they managed to preserve the sweet fragrance of the fish while eliminating any fishy odor¡ªtruly exceptional.

    In the end, He Xing is a man. Even if he didn¡¯t find today¡¯s meal as delicious as usual, he still ate a bowl of rice and two bowls of fish soup.

    Seeing that He Xing had put down his chopsticks, Fu Han quickly dismissed him, "The meal is over now. If you have nothing else, you should leave immediately."

    "You..." He Xing looked at Fu Han with bright and earnest eyes. "Do you really want me to go that much?"

    Fu Han nodded decisively: "Yes, I really don¡¯t want to see you right now."

    A sh of anger crossed He Xing¡¯s eyes. He looked at Fu Han in silence, as if pondering a very serious matter.

    Ever since they were children, whenever He Xing wore that expression, Fu Han always felt like he was trying to find fault in her. She did not like this feeling at all and simply turned her head away, refusing to look at He Xing.

    From He Xing¡¯s angle, he could only see Fu Han¡¯s chin. It was a delicate chin, yet at that moment, it seemed as stern as a cold, sharp knife.

    The anger in He Xing¡¯s heart red. He stood up, tidied up the leftover dishes on the coffee table, said "I¡¯m leaving," and walked towards the door.

    Unable to resist, he turned to look back as he reached the door, but Fu Han¡¯s chin rested on the back of the sofa, paying no attention to He Xing.

    A nameless rage surged within him, and without further hesitation, he left.

    But actually, he only stepped outside the ward and called a nurse. After giving her several low-voiced instructions in the hallway, he finally left the hospital.

    The Lamborghini sped along the spacious road, its surroundings swiftly receding. Streetlights cast elongated shadows on the pavement.

    Behind the wheel, He Xing¡¯s face appeared intermittently under the shifting patterns of light and shadow, making his eyes sparkle like the morning star one moment, then appear as a lurking beast the next.

    Since Fu Han had been hospitalized, He Xing hadn¡¯t returned home. He only phoned He Family¡¯s patriarch every morning and evening, and Old Zhou, like clockwork, reported the day¡¯s events each night.

    This wasn¡¯t to monitor the He Family patriarch, but rather because a doctor had advised that, given the patriarch¡¯s advanced age and previous stroke, it was best to keep a detailed record of what he ate and did every day. This way, if something went wrong, it would be easier to trace the cause.

    Following the doctor¡¯s advice, He Xing simply asked Old Zhou to email him a daily report, keeping him informed of the patriarch¡¯s activities.

    Last night, Old Zhou reported that the patriarch had only had some vegetables and a bowl of soup. Today, he ate even less, and for dinner, he directly stated he wasn¡¯t hungry.

    ording to He Xing¡¯s original n, he should have stayed by Fu Han after delivering her meal today, but he couldn¡¯t neglect his grandfather¡¯s situation. Therefore, when Fu Han gave him the hint to leave, he didn¡¯t say much and epted her request readily.

    But if He Xing knew that one of the reasons Fu Han was increasingly irritated was because he hadn¡¯t insisted on staying, one wonders what he would think.

    The winding road up Lanwan Mountain truly tests a driver¡¯s skills. Though He Xing was not yet 28, he had gotten his driver¡¯s license right after his 18th birthday ¡ª the He Family patriarch took him to buy a car the same day he passed his driving test.

    All in all, He Xing had nearly nine and a half years of driving experience. He drove daily, so he truly qualified as a seasoned driver.

    Even if the street lights were out, the route through Lanwan Mountain was etched in his memory, never forgotten; one could say he knew the way up the mountain even with his eyes closed.

    The He Family¡¯s mansion at the top of the hill was now visible, brilliantly lit like a castle inside a crystal ball.

    He Xing remembered that Fu Han used to love fairy tales as a child. After learning about Cindere, she would always say she was Cindere and He Xing was the prince.

    Eventually, for some reason, Fu Han stopped mentioning the story. Instead, Xia Ning often used it to provoke Fu Han, calling her delusional for aspiring to something so out of reach.

    He Xing never saw himself as a prince, nor did he see Fu Han as Cindere. He seldom interfered with Xia Ning¡¯s behavior, despite disapproving of it internally.

    But now, He Xing realized that Fu Han was probably sensitive inside and must have hoped he would defend her against Xia Ning. Regrettably, He Xing had never taken girls¡¯ words too seriously, treating Fu Han no differently than Xia Ning ¡ª it wasn¡¯t favoritism.

    Old Zhou came out of the vi upon hearing footsteps. Seeing He Xing, he moved closer and whispered, "The patriarch seems to be in a sour mood these days. He asionally visits the suite prepared for you and Lady Fu Han, staring nkly at your wedding photo."

    He Xing felt a heaviness in his heart, yet his demeanor remained calm: "I got it. Have the kitchen heat up the food. I¡¯ll go see Grandfather."

    All vis in Lanwan Mountain have a three-story design. The top floor includes a swimming pool and a 360-degree, all-around ss room that allows you to enjoy the view of Lanwan Mountain whether it¡¯s a sunny day or a rainy one.

    He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s new residence was situated on the third floor with the best natural lighting, a suite long prepared by the He Family patriarch. Even He Xing only learned of its existence when they were about to get married.

    The suite was simply furnished with four rooms: a master bedroom, a study room, a reception room, and a children¡¯s room.

    Fu Han blushed when she first saw the suite, teasing the patriarch for being eager to have great-grandchildren. How lovely that moment was.

    With that thought, He Xing stepped forward and saw the He Family patriarch standing in front of theirrge wedding photograph in the living room, his wrinkled face looking worn and aged.

 Chapter 370: The Hard-earned Begging

    <h4>Chapter 370: Chapter 370: The Hard-earned Begging</h4><h4></h4>

    A feeling called guilt emerged in He Xing¡¯s heart, finally filling it to the brim with overwhelming force.

    "Grandpa, what are you looking at?" He Xing squeezed out a smile on his face, pretending to know nothing.

    "I¡¯m looking at your wedding photos." Grandpa He didn¡¯t turn around, his cloudy eyes still fixed on the huge wedding photo on the living room wall.

    He Xing walked over and stood beside Grandpa He, also turning his gaze to the erged wedding photo. In fact, the content of this photo was very simple¡ªit was just Fu Han in a white wedding dress and He Xing in a white suit standing together, with a simple backdrop of clustered fake pink flowers behind them.

    When shooting this set of indoor photos, Fu Han had onceined that the backdrop was too cheap, somewhat reluctant to take the photos.

    But the Photographer said that sometimes the most vulgar backgrounds could make the most beautiful photos.

    Ultimately, the Photographer was proven right. Amidst the cluster of flowers, Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s faces looked exceptionally handsome and vibrant.

    The one they had erged showed He Xing slightly looking down at Fu Han, his eyes and brows filled with adoration, while Fu Han looked up at him with a yful smile on her face.

    The most remarkable thing was that the dimples on both of their faces were identical, like they were copy-pasted.

    They had been called a perfect match too many times, but when you saw this photo, beyond such tritepliments, you wouldn¡¯t think of anything particrly novel to say.

    Actually, the day they took their wedding photos didn¡¯t go smoothly at all. There were too many outfits, so they hadn¡¯t finished shooting by evening, and in the end, Fu Han even sprained her ankle. He Xing didn¡¯t continue with thest outfit either.

    But now, as He Xing recalled it, he felt the day of the shoot was incredibly beautiful, a memory worth savoring.

    The more beautiful the memory, the crueler the reality.

    He Xing felt uneasy in his heart. He touched Grandpa¡¯s arm and said to him in the tone one uses with children, "Grandpa, I heard from Uncle Zhou that you didn¡¯t eat much today. I haven¡¯t eaten either this evening. Come with me to have something, will you?"

    "You haven¡¯t eaten?" Grandpa He finally turned to look at He Xing, reprimanding him, "Don¡¯t tell me Xiaohan hasn¡¯t had dinner either?"

    He Xing never expected that after saying he hadn¡¯t eaten, Grandpa He¡¯s first concern would be whether Fu Han had anything to eat. He felt particrly helpless, but not surprised¡ªin so many years, what Grandpa He cared about the most was always Fu Han. He had long been ustomed to it.

    To avoid Grandpa¡¯s worry, he quickly said, "Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. Before I came back, I had already sent Xiaohan¡¯s dinner to her, and I watched her finish eating before leaving."

    Grandpa He then nodded, but his tone was still not pleasant, "You need to be nicer to Xiaohan, put more effort into it, and don¡¯t let her suffer any grievances."

    "I know, Grandpa. Even if you didn¡¯t say it, I would treat her well." He Xing, while patting Grandpa He¡¯s shoulder and leading him towards the door, said helplessly, "Grandpa, I¡¯m really hungry. Eating alone isn¡¯t enjoyable; please,e eat with me."

    "Alright, seeing as your behavior has been somewhat decent, I¡¯ll apany you for a bite," Grandpa Heughed, the murkiness in his eyes diminishing somewhat.

    They ran into Old Zhou at the stairwell; he said the cook had already warmed up the food and was about toe upstairs to call them down for dinner.

    The spacious dining room, with a round table that could seat about ten people, was full of steaming dishes, their color, fragrance, and vor wafting through the air¡ªthe taste He Xing had known for twenty years, and so had Fu Han.

    He Xing had actually already eaten dinner and was not a bit hungry. But, to y his part, he still slowly ate from a bowl, clearly understanding that if he didn¡¯t finish, Grandpa He would realize he had lied.

    The cook, who was initially tidying up in the kitchen, peeked half of her head from behind the ss door, round face grinning until her eyes were nearly slits: "Young Master, why have youe back at thiste hour? Is Miss Fu alright by herself in the hospital?"

    He Xing, who was in the midst of picking up food, paused momentarily; the very next second, his expression returned to normal: "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve arranged for someone to protect her."

    "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good." The cook nodded, wiping her hands on her apron, her smile exceptionally open-hearted, "I haven¡¯t seen Miss Xiaohan for several days now, I kind of miss her."

    Grandpa He, who was eating his meal unhurriedly, raised his head and looked expressionless at the cook: "Aside from cooking, you have no other responsibilities. If you miss Xiaohan, you can go see her."

    The smile on the cook¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, but the next second she quickly adopted an embarrassed one, "Well... It would be so embarrassing for Miss Fu if I went to see her looking like this, I... I better not go. I will just prepare some more delicious food for her once she¡¯s discharged from the hospital."

    After saying this and getting no response, with Grandpa He already returning to eating, she could only manage a sheepish smile.

    He Xing mmed the porcin bowl onto the table with a "snap," his expressionless gazending on the cook. In a cold voice, he said, "Auntie, it seems you don¡¯t understand Fu Han well. She would never be embarrassed by your visit."

    In the quiet dining room, He Xing¡¯s voice was particrly loud, each word resounding with emphasis, as though poundingrge holes in the ground.

    "Yes, yes, yes." The cook quickly agreed, skulking back to the kitchen, no longer speaking. Soon after, the sound of running water could again be heard issuing from within.

    Seeing that He Xing had put down his chopsticks, Grandpa He frowned, "He Xing, when did you start eating so little?"

    Under the bright lights, He Xing¡¯s handsome face showed helplessness, but the next second, he quickly adopted aposed smile, "Grandpa, I had a dessert this afternoon, so I¡¯m not very hungry now. You... You should eat more."

    About that previous bowl, he had really struggled to eat it, mainly because he had already been full from eating with Fu Han.

    Grandpa He had nearly finished his bowl, and Old Zhou immediately came over to serve him soup, "Young Master, this old hen soup is very nutritious. Have a bowl too."

    As He Xing waved his hands to decline, Grandpa He had already calmly spoken. "Pour a bowl for He Xing too. If you¡¯re going to act, you might as well do it properly. How can a grown man be full after just one bowl of rice?"

    "Grandpa..." He Xing¡¯s eyes widened, thinking his performance was wless. Had he still underestimated Grandpa?

    Grandpa He looked at He Xing with an almost smiling expression, "I have eaten more salt in my life than you have had rice. What are your little tricks to me? You im to be hungry but eat as if it¡¯s a chore?"

 Chapter 371: The Older the Ginger, the Spicier it is

    <h4>Chapter 371: Chapter 371: The Older the Ginger, the Spicier it is</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing sighed, thinking to himself that indeed, experiencees with age.

    A heartyugh resonated, as Elder Master He sipped his soup and teased He Xing with a nce, "When you deliver food to Fu Han, aren¡¯t you supposed to eat with her? Do you really think your grandfather is a fool?"

    "Grandpa, you¡¯re formidable. I¡¯m convinced," He Xing said, his face a bitter smile.

    Elder Master Heughed proudly, "Of course. Did you think your grandpa has lived all these years in vain?"

    The long-lostughter filled the dining room, spreading to the living room and eventually filling the entire vi.

    They could no longer recall thest time they hadughed like this. It must have been four years ago before Fu Han left, or perhaps even longer.

    Elder Master He always used to find the vi too quiet. But then Fu Han arrived, and as a child, she was particrly lively, running around everywhere, hopping and bouncing, and whenever she saw Elder Master He, she would plunge into his arms and cling to his neck, coquettishly.

    To be fair, even if Fu Han¡¯s parents hadn¡¯t left because of Elder Master He, he would have still adored Fu Han.

    Many people are like this: the moment you first see them, you already know whether you¡¯ll like them or not. It¡¯s about the connection at first sight, and it was there between Elder Master He and Fu Han.

    Learning that Fu Han was going abroad for treatment the day after tomorrow, Elder Master He remained calm. He knew that He Xing wouldn¡¯t be able to bring the experts back on such short notice. Hence, Fu Han¡¯s going abroad for treatment was indeed the best option.

    These days, Elder Master He had also wanted to visit Fu Han, but the family doctor mentioned Elder Master He¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t in the best condition, likely from the wedding-day shock. Hence, it was rmended he recuperate on Lanwan Mountain, so he only called Fu Han daily.

    Now that Elder Master He knew that Fu Xingbo was inviting him for a meal the next evening, he promptly agreed, thinking that he must give a good reminder to Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian to take good care of Fu Han.

    The grandfather and grandson chatted in the dining room for a long time,pletely forgetting that the cook had note out of the kitchen, where sounds of water had long stopped ¨C evidently, the cook had not been cleaning.

    ...

    The hospital became exceptionally quiet at night, starkly different from the daytime hustle and bustle.

    Below the inpatient building, a man stood beside a streemp, his tall silhouette slightly tilted back, and it was unclear which ward he was watching.

    asionally, passing doctors and nurses could be heard whispering, "Who is that man? Why does he keep standing here every day for most of the night? It¡¯s quite eerie."

    Immediately, someone answered, "Judging by his demeanor, it must be because someone he cares about is hospitalized, and he can¡¯t visit them, so he¡¯s waiting out here."

    "You know, when you think about it, it¡¯s quite touching."

    The conversation faded into the distance. Su Cheng slightly tilted his head, feeling a bit of stiffness in his neck.

    He had been standing here for nearly an hour and would leave in two more hours when the lights in Fu Han¡¯s ward were turned off. Ever since Fu Han stopped allowing him to stay in the corridor overnight, he had been doing this every evening, even though Fu Han knew nothing of it.

    But it didn¡¯t matter if she knew or not. Su Cheng was clear about it; liking Fu Han was his own business. It had nothing to do with anyone else, not even Fu Han.

    He had thought about letting go of Fu Han, even forcing himself to attend her wedding in the role of a groomsman, in an attempt to move on.

    Before attending the wedding, he told himself it was a farewell, that from then on, he would never speak of his love in front of Fu Han again.

    But what was the oue? The wedding proved to be a painful disaster for Fu Han, turning her into aughingstock.

    Su Cheng could never forget the look in the eyes of the guests when Xia Ning yed the recording, nor could he erase the memory of the loud chatter among the guests after He Xing and Fu Han went backstage.

    Those impably dressed guests, who prided themselves on being part of the upper-ss society, spoke such venomous words about Fu Han.

    If Luo Qinghe hadn¡¯t held him back, Su Cheng would have definitely burst out to confront them. What did they mean by saying they didn¡¯t expect even Cindere to be duped in marriage?

    Then came the incident where Fu Han was deceived by Xia Cheng and Xia Ning and almost vited by Xia Cheng; even after several days, Su Cheng couldn¡¯t bear to think what would have happened if he had arrived even a few minutester.

    Su Cheng had countless moments of impulse to beat up Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, but he knew all too well that if he lost his temper again, the Xin siblings¡¯ affair might lead to even more outrageous actions.

    To this day, Su Cheng¡¯s biggest regret was that in a moment of passion, he had struck Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, but failed to cover up the evidence and was tricked by Xia Cheng¡¯swyer into confessing.

    About the disguise of Xia Cheng¡¯swyer, that remained an unspeakable embarrassment for Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe; they were taken to the police station by someone pretending to be Huangpu¡¯s couple¡¯s hiredwyer to get Su Cheng out. They hadn¡¯t anticipated the visitor was there to probe for information.

    Aftering out of the police station, Su Cheng was too ashamed to keep showing up in Fu Han¡¯s ward all day. He still visited Fu Han two or three times a day, but he spent most of his time downstairs from her ward, asionally being lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Fu Han¡¯s blurry silhouette by the bed.

    The autumn nights were quite cool, and mosquitoes still lingered. Su Cheng¡¯s neck was already dotted with several bites. He checked the time; Fu Han would be turning off the lights and going to sleep in less than half an hour.

    Feeling the pain of looking up for a long time and the soreness from standing, Su Cheng thought it best to find a ce to sit and rest for a while.

    While his eyes scanned for a suitable spot, he suddenly caught a glimpse of someone dressed in ck swiftly entering the inpatient building.

    The inpatient and emergency buildings at night were considered the "busiest" parts of the hospital. Although it waste, there were still peopleing and going, either to buy snacks or to get some necessities.

    What drew his attention to that person was firstly their all-ck attire, which allowed them to blend into the twilight but stood out under the lights.

    And also, who visits the inpatient department in the middle of the night without carrying anything? Surely they weren¡¯t just out for a walk before returning to the night watch. The inpatient department had designated smoking areas.

    Shaking his head with a chuckle, Su Cheng thought, what did it matter to him? He found a clean spot under arge tree to sit down, perfectly aligned with the view of Fu Han¡¯s ward. As he raised his head, he saw that the light in Fu Han¡¯s ward was already out.

    He looked at his watch; ording to Fu Han¡¯s usual habits, she still had fifteen minutes before turning off the light. Why had she done so early today? He wondered if perhaps Fu Han was more tired today.

    With that thought, a faint smile on his lips, he decided to leave earlier, nning to sleep soon so he could pick Fu Han up from the hospital in the morning. For the rest of his life, he hoped Fu Han would never have to visit the hospital again.

 Chapter 372: The Sudden Blackout in the Ward

    <h4>Chapter 372: Chapter 372: The Sudden ckout in the Ward</h4><h4></h4>

    But just as he was about to turn around, Su Cheng suddenly noticed that the light in Fu Han¡¯s ward flickered once, just once, and then it went pitch ck again.

    If Su Cheng hadn¡¯t remembered the location of Fu Han¡¯s ward so clearly, he might have thought it was the light in someone else¡¯s ward flickering.

    "Probably a broken light," Su Cheng chuckled and walked toward the Inpatient Department, worried about what Fu Han would do if the light broke in the middle of the night, thinking it was best to go up and check on her.

    ...

    Fu Han had taken a bath and changed into clean hospital attire, ready to go to sleep¡ªshe had a habit of bathing before bed.

    During her bath, the attendant had already changed her bedding. The hospital changed the bedding every day, and Fu Han hoped to get a good night¡¯s sleep, so she had changed the bedding time from morning to evening.

    She leaned against the pillow, holding her cellphone, about to check messages before going to sleep.

    The first thing she saw were several messages from He Xing, asking if she had gone to sleep yet.

    Just as Fu Han was about to reply, the lights in the ward went out. In the hurried nce she took, it seemed as though a shadow had slipped in through the doorway from the darkness.

    Her scream was on the tip of her tongue, but it suddenly got stuck because she heard very light footsteps in the ward, like the sound of a cat walking on the ground.

    Fu Han did not know if the person who entered was an attendant. A breeze blew in from the wide-open door, and her nose suddenly caught an unfamiliar scent of a strange man, mixed with faint smells of sweat and tobo.

    The attendant was ady in her forties; He Xing hired her to take care of Fu Han because she was very clean, and Fu Han had never smelled any smoke on the attendant.

    Her heart pounded, knowing that the person who had entered the ward in the dark was likely someone she did not know.

    The footsteps were louder than before, with no time to think further, Fu Han pressed the call button and, without care for exposing herself, rolled off the bed.

    Her decision proved correct¡ªnext, a cold light shed, followed by the sound of a sharp de tearing through the bedding.

    Fu Han hid on the other side of the bed, trying to see where the intruder was, but in pitch darkness, she saw nothing. She gripped a book she had just found tightly; it was now herst resort.

    Footsteps sounded in the hallway, getting closer and closer to the ward. Fu Han¡¯s heart jolted and she yelled for help!

    "Lady Fu Han, why did you turn off the lights?" The attendant¡¯s voice sounded, and the next second, the lights in the ward came on.

    The attendant, looking bewildered at the intruder in ck: "Who are you?"

    Quick to act, the intruder in ck rushed towards the attendant, knife in hand, the de casting a chilling glow.

    Fu Han knew all too well that the attendant was no match for the intruder in ck, she urgently shouted at the attendant, "Go get help!"

    Indeed, the attendant was not about to risk her life for Fu Han, and after seeing the knife in the intruder¡¯s hand, she turned and ran.

    By then, the intruder had reached the doorway, one foot nearly stepping out, but the next second, he suddenly turned back, his sinister eyes fixing on Fu Han, confirming her location before the lights went out again.

    Feeling those eyes on her, Fu Han¡¯s body chilled as if she were in the cold harshness of Snond.

    The rapid footsteps sounded again; using her hearing to judge, Fu Han threw her book towards the intruder with all her might.

    With a ¡¯thud,¡¯ she knew she had hit her target. The footsteps paused for a moment, but then someone grabbed Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and growled, "Little girl, you still want to run?"

    The man¡¯s rough and grating voice was like a spat scraping nothing but a bare iron pan, painfully piercing the ears.

    "Who are you? Why are you looking for me?" Fu Han struggled fiercely as she asked. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t the first time she had found herself in such a situation. Facing danger and stalling for time had be her instinct.

    "You don¡¯t need to know who sent me. You just need to know that I dispense misfortune for those who pay," the man said, his voice rising again as he adjusted the angle of his dagger, aiming for a fatal blow.

    At that moment, Fu Han felt like a hapless chick, entirely at another¡¯s mercy; heart filled with despair, she thought, was it really going to end like this? She wasn¡¯t ready to give up, not at all.

    p!

    The lights in the ward suddenly turned on, blinding the intruder, and the next second, a flicker of white crossed her vision, and Fu Han was out of the intruder¡¯s grasp.

    "He Xing?" Fu Han eximed joyfully, but once her eyes adjusted to the light, she realized there was no He Xing, the person shielding her was Su Cheng.

    It was just that Su Cheng was wearing a white sweatshirt, simr to one He Xing had, causing her to mistake him when the blinding light made it impossible to see clearly.

    While Su Cheng kept a vignt eye on the intruder, he didn¡¯t forget tofort Fu Han, "Fu Han, don¡¯t be afraid, I will protect you."

    The masked intruder, with spiteful triangr eyes, red at Su Cheng and, after spitting out "looking for death," hurled himself with a dagger at Fu Han.

    Su Cheng lifted his foot and aimed a kick at the intruder¡¯s torso, a sure strike that the intruder narrowly dodged with a sway.

    Somehow, the intruder pounced from Fu Han¡¯s side, his cold, gleaming de aimed straight for her neck.

    From this move, it was clear that the intruder was hell-bent on ending Fu Han¡¯s life. With nowhere to hide and nothing in her hands to shield herself, she braced to block with her arm¡ªbetter the arm than the neck, if it were wounded, it could still heal; a wounded neck spelled doom.

    As she steeled herself, suddenly, a terrible scream sounded, almost beside her.

    Fu Han opened her eyes to see Su Cheng gripping the dagger with his hand, blood oozing from his palm and falling with a shocking st on the floor.

    The intruder seemed as astonished as Fu Han by this turn of events. Staring at Su Cheng, eyes filled with rage, he didn¡¯t let go, determined to see his attack through to the end.

    Right then, a mor erupted from outside the door, led by Fu Han¡¯s forty-something attendant: "Hurry, someone¡¯s trying to hurt Lady Fu Han!"

    The intruder¡¯s eyes rolled wildly, and with a strong tug, he pulled out the dagger and dashed out the door. Chaos ensued in the hallway, people shouting: "Catch him,e catch him!"

    Fu Han knew that this life-threatening crisis had finally passed. Her tense heart rxed, and then tensed again, as she shouted to the people at the door, "Hurry and help Su Cheng with his wound!"

 Chapter 373: The Ward Separated by a Wall

    <h4>Chapter 373: Chapter 373: The Ward Separated by a Wall</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng¡¯s palm was bleeding profusely, and a small pool of blood had already formed on the floor. Hisplexion was as pale as a piece of paper, even his lips had turned ck and blue.

    An experienced doctor nced at him and eximed, "Quickly take him to the emergency room, the dagger is poisoned, we must deal with it immediately."

    A quick-thinking nurse found a wheelchair, and several people together hurried Su Cheng away. Fu Han, ignoring the janitor¡¯s obstruction, followed them.

    An hourter, Su Cheng finally came out of the emergency room, pale-faced. The ck-d assant¡¯s dagger had been coated with pesticide, which entered his body directly through the wound in his palm. Fortunately, they acted in time, and his life was not in danger, but he would need some time to recover.

    As for the wound on his palm, although it looked terrifying, it was merely a superficial skin injury and had not damaged his tendons or bones, and would heal over time.

    Fu Han waspletely relieved. After a few days in the hospital and several days of IV treatments, he was once again the lively Su Cheng.

    It was somewhat humorous that the hospital ward assigned to Su Cheng was right next to Fu Han¡¯s, separated only by a wall.

    The night was deep, and Su Cheng hadn¡¯t finished his IV drip yet. He asked Fu Han to stop keeping vigil and to go back, but Fu Han firmly disagreed, insisting on staying by his side.

    Her thoughts were simple: Su Cheng was injured because he tried to save her, and though she couldn¡¯t do much, she could at least stay by his side while he received the IV, fetching water whenever necessary.

    With only half a bottle left to go for the IV, Fu Han had flipped through her book for entertainment several times. Feeling sleepy, she rested her chin in her hands and gazed out the window at the vast night sky, lost in thought.

    The nurse had wanted to call He Xing to exin the night¡¯s events, but Fu Han strongly objected. She knew that He Xing was staying at the He family vi that day, and if He Xing found out, it meant that Grandfather He would know too. The old man was already in poor spirits, and another disturbance might mean he wouldn¡¯t sleep tonight.

    Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached from afar. The cking of high heels on the floor echoed through the night hallway, grating on the ears.

    A bad premonition surfaced as Fu Han instinctively looked toward the door. Mr. and Mrs. Huangpu entered with an ashen-faced fury.

    Upon seeing Fu Han, Mrs. Huangpu, pointing at her nose with a face full of disgust, said, "Fu Han, I told you that you¡¯re a disaster, yet you didn¡¯t believe me. Look how unlucky my son has been since he¡¯s been with you..."

    She was about to go on, but Su Cheng cut her off, "Mom, have you forgotten what I said?"

    It was a cryptic statement that left Fu Han utterly confused, but to her surprise, Mrs. Huangpu mped her mouth shut without another word.

    However, judging by her expression of unresolved resentment, it was anyone¡¯s guess what she might be muttering about Fu Han in her heart.

    For a while, the ward fell into an awkward silence, to the point where Fu Han felt ufortable. After a moment, she stood up and said to Su Cheng, "You should rest well. I¡¯ll be going now. If anything... No, never mind. Goodbye."

    She had intended to say "call me if anything happens," but with Su Cheng¡¯s parents there, even if something did happen, it wouldn¡¯t be her ce to deal with it. She ended up holding back all that she wanted to say.

    In the deep of the night, Fu Hany in bed, restless. The breathing of the nearby nurse was even, but she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

    The events of the evening reyed in her mind: the ck-d intruder had made it clear he was paid to take Fu Han¡¯s life. Yet, in her memory, she couldn¡¯t recall a hatred so deep that someone would seek to take her life.

    But that wasn¡¯t the scariest part. It wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened. There had been a previous attempt in a cinema bathroom, and that incident remained unresolved.

    Fu Han had tried to put it behind her, but now she had to reconsider. Were these two incidents rted? If they were, who could be so adamant about wanting her dead? If not, then she had two enemies out to get her, both of whom she was unaware of.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it, and the more she thought about it, the more her head hurt.

    ording to the hospital security guard who gave chase, the ck-d figure who had fled the ward that night was extremely cunning. He seemed to have nned his escape, leaping over the hospital wall after dashing through the stairwell and then vanishing into the darkness.

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t surprised by this result. With no leads on the assant from the cinema, it wasn¡¯t strange that this person disappeared on the spot. They must havee prepared to carry out their n.

    In the ward next door, Su Cheng wasn¡¯t sleeping either¡ªnot because he didn¡¯t want to, but because his parents¡¯ non-stop lectures made it impossible to rest.

    Their repetitive talk boiled down to the same old themes: urging Su Cheng to stay away from Fu Han, calling her a jinx whosepany brought misfortune. They pressed him to reconsider Nan Qing, citing their childhood friendship as a perfect match. Then, the Huangpusmented the difficulties faced by the Huangpu Family, saying they were on a downward trajectory.

    After nearly an hour of their monotonous ramblings, Su Cheng¡¯s ears were weary.

    He seized a moment between their lectures to interject, "Dad, Mom, I¡¯ve said it many times: I¡¯m not interested in the family businesses. My ownpany is growing, and I¡¯m satisfied with it. Also, Fu Han is the only girl I care about. If you continue to speak ill of her, I will never return home."

    The Huangpu couple exchanged a look and read the same resignation on each other¡¯s faces. They sighed and finally fell silent.

    With his parents quieted, Su Cheng finally found some peace. When the nurse came to remove his IV, he took the opportunity to send them away, "Dad, Mom, it¡¯ste, and I need to sleep. You should go home and rest, too."

    When the ward was left with Su Cheng alone, he turned to face the direction of Fu Han¡¯s bed, knowing there was only a wall between them. He felt an extraordinary contentment¡ªthis was the closest they¡¯d ever been.

    Su Cheng thought if he could be just a wall away from Fu Han every day, he would willingly live in the hospital for the rest of his life.

    But this thoughtsted only a second in Su Cheng¡¯s mind; the next second he shook his head in disapproval. It didn¡¯t matter to him, but Fu Han couldn¡¯t stay in the hospital indefinitely; she had to be healthy and, preferably, happy every day.

    Thinking of something, Su Cheng felt a surge in his heart and took out his phone from beneath the pillow to make a call, "Hello, I¡¯d like to book a flight to M Country for the day after tomorrow morning. Are there still seats avable... only economy ss left? That¡¯s fine too, please book it for me."

 Chapter 374: The ClichÃ© Pregnancy Incident

    <h4>Chapter 374: Chapter 374: The Clich¨¦ Pregnancy Incident</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Family vi.

    Xia Ning¡¯s voice was exceptionally loud in the vi, even to the point of being piercing, "What? Failed? I gave you so much money, there was only her in the ward, the caregiver was held up, even the nurse was distracted by someone we arranged, and you¡¯re telling me you failed?"

    Less than a minuteter, Xia Ning¡¯s voice, which could almost shatter ss, rang out again, "A man suddenly appeared? Who? What did he look like? Is it the man in the photo I sent you?"

    After a brief silence, by the time Xia Ning¡¯s voice rose again, it was much calmer, or rather, it contained a hint of relief, but even more ring were the threats, "You should be thankful that you didn¡¯t hurt the man in the photo, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t give you a penny. But since you failed the mission, you¡¯ll only get a third of the agreed-upon payment."

    There was a cacophony of noiseing from the phone, and if Fu Han were here, she would certainly recognize the voice as eerily familiar, a rough man¡¯s voice that was exceptionally grating.

    Xia Ning frowned deeply, scoffed coldly, and then hung up the phone after dropping a "can¡¯t be bothered to continue talking to you."

    There was silence in the Xia Family vi for a few minutes until the sound of a car horn suddenly came from outside. Without looking back, Xia Ning knew someone hade home, signaling the servant to open the door with the horn.

    It was uncertain whether the returnee was Xia Cheng or Xia Guoxiong; those two had beening hometer andter, even spending entire nights away from home.

    Xia Ning was in no mood to deal with people, so she got up and headed upstairs. But before she had even been in her room for five minutes, there was a knock on her door.

    The door opened to reveal a servant standing outside, her face flushed with panic: "Lady, you¡¯d better go downstairs and see. The master and the young master are fighting, the master said he¡¯s going to kill the young master!"

    "What on earth happened?" For some reason, Xia Ning¡¯s heart started pounding violently, and she red so fiercely at the servant¡¯s eyes, wishing she could drill holes through her.

    The servant¡¯s face turned bright red as she stammered, "Lady, I don¡¯t know what exactly happened, but the master is very angry, saying that the young master actually dared to touch his people!"

    Xia Ning was confused. She really did not want to intervene in the messy affairs between her father and brother. She didn¡¯t care if Xia Cheng got beaten up; after all, Xia Guoxiong wouldn¡¯t really kill him.

    But if she let them continue causing a scene at home, all the servants in the Xia Family would surely gossip about it by tomorrow. Then these bbermouths would spread the family scandal to the neighbors. Before long, it would snowball from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and the Xia Family would once again be infamous because of a scandal!

    With that in mind, she turned to the servant and ordered, "Inform everyone that no matter what happens, no one is allowed toe out. If I hear anyone discussing tonight¡¯s affairs tomorrow, I will dock their wages."

    The servant¡¯s eyes, which had been gleefully rolling around, drooped instantly upon hearing the threat of wage deduction.

    As Xia Ning walked toward the staircase, she casually looked back at the servant, "If you handle today¡¯s situation well, I¡¯ll double your sry next month."

    Money talks; the servant¡¯s face lit up with joy as she happily went off to carry out Xia Ning¡¯smand.

    Before Xia Ning could descend the staircase, a ttering racket erupted in the living room. She sighed; Xia Guoxiong just wouldn¡¯t change his habits of decades, always throwing and breaking things when he was angry. If he felt like hitting someone, he¡¯d hit someone. Why all this thunderous noise yet raindrops so small?

    Sure enough, when Xia Ning came down, she saw Xia Cheng standing beside the sofa, hunched like a kid who had done something wrong, surrounded by shards of broken cups and tes. Yet, there wasn¡¯t a single mark on him.

    Xia Ning wiped the impatience from her eyes, recing it with an expression of surprise, "Daddy, what happened? Why are you so angry?"

    "What happened?" Xia Guoxiong was red in the face, almost frothing at the mouth as he pointed at Xia Cheng, "You go ask him! See if he has the guts to tell you."

    Facing Xia Ning¡¯s curious look, Xia Cheng¡¯s face flushed, and he coughed unnaturally, "Well, Qin Nuan is pregnant."

    "Qin Nuan?" Xia Ning took a few seconds to realize who Xia Cheng was talking about. Her face turned extremelyplex, alternating between wanting tough yet not daring to. However, she found the situation utterly absurd. Struggling to hold back, she couldn¡¯t help asking Xia Cheng, "Whose is it? Yours or Dad¡¯s?"

    Xia Cheng¡¯s face turned the color of liver. After a series of violent coughs, he said unnaturally, "That, I... I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s best to... have a blood test. Otherwise... otherwise..."

    He trailed off for a long time without finishing, eventually just pleading with Xia Ning with his eyes.

    Unfortunately, Xia Ning wasn¡¯t looking at Xia Cheng; instead, she turned to Xia Guoxiong for help. This was too absurd, a father and son sharing a woman, and now that woman was pregnant, they didn¡¯t know whose child it was.

    In front of Xia Ning, Xia Guoxiong felt somewhat embarrassed. He coughed awkwardly, saying with difort, "I... I think we can¡¯t keep the child, just get rid of it."

    Xia Ning looked at her father in surprise. There was a life in Qin Nuan¡¯s belly, which could either be Xia Guoxiong¡¯s child or his grandchild. Yet, he didn¡¯t hesitate at all, directly ordering the abortion. It was the first time Xia Ning witnessed her father¡¯s ruthlessness from such close quarters.

    But what really challenged her worldview came next. Xia Cheng quickly agreed, "Dad¡¯s right. I think the same; just end it, pay her off, and have her leave far away."

    At the mention of Qin Nuan, the rage in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s heart red again. He was holding a porcin teacup and aimed it at Xia Cheng, "Tell me, have you done something like this before?"

    Xia Cheng, the picture of awkwardness, once again tantly sought Xia Ning¡¯s help, but to no avail; she was busy kicking broken porcin pieces aside, having found afortable spot on a single sofa to sit and watch the drama unfold,pletely detached.

    With no way out, Xia Cheng carefully watched Xia Guoxiong, "Dad, if I tell you the truth, will you not be angry?"

    Upon hearing this, Xia Ning really wanted to pry open Xia Cheng¡¯s head to see what was inside, probably nothing but crap. How could he utter such a self-incriminating statement, akin to admitting guilt? He was practically sending himself to the chopping block.

    As expected, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s already purple face turned a shade of green, the very image of having someone else¡¯s green hat on his own head. Without any hesitation, he hurled the porcin cup directly at Xia Cheng.

 Chapter 375: Fool Rushing into the Gunpoint

    <h4>Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Fool Rushing into the Gunpoint</h4><h4></h4>

    A piercing scream rang out as Xia Cheng clutched his head, fresh blood streaming through his fingers and spilling onto the creamy cashmere carpet, reminiscent of red plum blossoms diffusing on white paper ¨C a startling yet captivating sight.

    It all happened in the blink of an eye. Xia Ning, who was slow to realize what had happened, looked towards Xia Guoxiong to see the porcin bowl he¡¯d been holding was now gone, likely the same one now shattered at Xia Cheng¡¯s feet, still spinning pieces around him.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s anger had been intense prior to this, wrecking quite a few things, but he had never attacked Xia Cheng¡¯s head. It was obvious how furious Xia Cheng must have made Xia Guoxiong to provoke such an act.

    As Xia Ning made the call for an ambnce, she cursed in her mind at Xia Cheng¡¯s stupidity. He knew that the affair with Qin Nuan had already incensed Xia Guoxiong ¨C yet, inexplicably, he had admitted to also fooling around with one of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s former assistants without being pressed.

    She truly thought ¡¯foolish¡¯ was the only way to describe Xia Cheng. Xia Guoxiong had already taken care of his former assistants, paying off some with money, others with housing. Xia Cheng could have just denied the allegations and been fine ¨C instead, he was like a moth to a me.

    In the end, Xia Cheng being his only beloved son, Xia Guoxiong held his peace upon seeing him injured. He just sat huffing on the sofa, wordless, and when the ambnce arrived, he followed onto it too.

    ...

    Early the next morning.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t yet woken up. It was just getting light outside when her ward¡¯s door started being knocked on with such force it felt like an earthquake.

    She had spent the night restless with heavy thoughts, tossing and turning unable to sleep, unsure what time she had finally drifted off. Now, with someone knocking, she was so sleepy she could barely open her eyes, let alone muster the strength to ask who was at the door.

    The knocking paused for a moment, and just a few secondster Bai Wei¡¯s voice came through from outside, "Fu Han, I have some big news for you. You bettere open the door quick or I¡¯m going to knock it down."

    Fu Han wondered where Bai Wei had learned her relentless tenacity. She had thought of it as a merit when Bai Wei was pursuing Luo Qinghe, but now it seemed more like a w.

    Not wanting her ward to be the center of unwanted attention, Fu Han shuffled to the door still with her eyes closed, opened it, and then went straight back to bed to continue sleeping.

    Bai Wei didn¡¯t seem to care whether Fu Han was asleep or not. She sat on the edge of Fu Han¡¯s bed, excitedly spilling all the gossip she had heard that morning like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

    At the exciting parts, she would push Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and say, "Hey, are you listening to me?"

    Fu Han would just grunt in acknowledgment, but the truth was that much of what Bai Wei said went in one ear and out the other.

    God knows how long it took before Bai Wei finally finished recounting the gossip.

    She smacked her lips with a sense of unfinished business, then concluded, "Fu Han, just look at the Xia family¡¯s mess. The dad¡¯s assistant is pregnant, and no one knows if the child¡¯s father is the dad or the son. Then the son gets beaten up by his father andnds in the hospital... Tsk tsk tsk, I heard the Xia family¡¯s stock fell a few points too!"

    Fu Han had been in a daze, but at those words, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at Bai Wei, "What did you say? Who¡¯s pregnant? Whose stocks are falling?"

    "Didn¡¯t you hear me just now?" Bai Wei looked at Fu Han, who innocently shook her head, her clear ck and white eyes deer-like in their innocence.

    Bai Wei wasn¡¯t annoyed, in fact, she was rather thrilled to have the opportunity to repeat the gossip, which she did with even more excitement and a bit of embellishment to make the story sound even more scandalous ¨C as if it rivaled the prime time melodramatic family soap operas.

    Even though Fu Han believed it was improper to delve into someone else¡¯s gossip, her standpoint shifted when that ¡¯someone¡¯ became Xia Ning ¨C especially after Xia Ning hade to her ward to provoke her just the day before.

    Fu Han felt a wave of satisfaction, but then confusion struck her, "But this scandal involves the Xia family, they wouldn¡¯t tell anyone else, right? How do you know about it?"

    Bai Wei immediately became animated, "Luo Qinghe finally did something that pleases me. He has a friend who lives in the same vi area as Xia Ning. Last night, when the ambnce came to take away Xia Cheng, everyone in theirmunity saw it, and a little enquiry revealed everything."

    Fu Han nodded, understanding the situation was indeed usible.

    For wealthy families, having servants who talk too much is quite a hassle, as many stories thate from their lips carry a high degree of credibility.

    But the more she thought about it, the more melodramatic the situation seemed: The female assistant was pregnant without knowing the father¡¯s identity, with both the father and son as potential suspects. There surely couldn¡¯t be anything more tumultuous than that.

    While Bai Wei was in full gossip flow, her phone chimed. She quickly checked to find a message that lit up her already beautiful face with joy, as if she had won five million in a lottery.

    Waving her phone with excitement, she said, "Fu Han, guess what Luo Qinghe told me."

    In stark contrast to Bai Wei¡¯s tion, Fu Han was much moreposed. She nced sideways at Bai Wei with an air of indifference, as if saying she didn¡¯t care whether Bai Wei shared the news or not.

    Feeling as though doused with cold water, Bai Wei sighed resignantly, and then revealed softly, "Xia Guoxiong wants the assistant to have an abortion, but she refuses; Xia Cheng wants to get a paternity test, but she won¡¯t agree; she¡¯s saying she wants to marry Xia Guoxiong and be Mrs. Xia."

    If Fu Han had been drinking water at the moment, she would have surely spit it out. The situation couldn¡¯t get more melodramatic, truly taking melodrama to new levels.

    She rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Are you for real? Since when is Luo Qinghe such a gossip?"

    "Of course it¡¯s real," Bai Wei boasted, her smile almost splitting her face, "I told him to find out everything. I wanted to share this great news with you. I knew you¡¯d like to hear it."

    Fu Han was about to criticize their idle actions, but at Bai Wei¡¯sst remark, she was left speechless. They had done this for her sake.

    She felt touched, thinking perhaps she was lucky after all. Whether it was Nan Qing or Bai Wei, they both considered her a close friend. Friendship was an indispensable part of life.

    Bai Wei¡¯s early morning visit was entirely because she had learned about the Xia family¡¯s affair and wished to share it with Fu Han at the earliest. She knewst night¡¯s confrontation with Xia Ning was not yet over for Fu Han, who would still be upset by it.

    Meanwhile, Bai Wei continued indignantly, "Xia Ning seriously overestimates herself, thinking every day about how to snatch He Xing away from you. As if she¡¯s even worthy with the way she is!"

 Chapter 376: The Girl Talks about Gossip

    <h4>Chapter 376: Chapter 376: The Girl Talks about Gossip</h4><h4></h4>

    This time, Fu Han didn¡¯t brush off Bai Wei but talked to her seriously; in this moment, they were like two schoolgirls hiding in a secluded corner, discussing school gossip without any malice.

    Today was the day of Fu Han¡¯s discharge from the hospital, and it was also Bai Wei¡¯s discharge day. Bai Wei could have been discharged yesterday, but she thought it would be pitiful for Fu Han to be in the hospital alone, so she postponed her discharge by a day.

    The first to arrive was Su Cheng. It was only after Bai Wei saw the bandages on Su Cheng¡¯s hands and his pale face that she learned what had happenedst night.

    Last night, Bai Wei had already fallen asleep when the person in ck came. Moreover, because this was a high-ss ward with excellent soundproofing, you could hardly hear anything from the next room once the doors and windows were closed.

    After learning about the existence of the man in ck, Bai Wei stroked her chin thoughtfully, "Who exactly wants to take your life? The Xia Family was in total chaos yesterday; it couldn¡¯t be them. But who else could it be aside from them? Fu Han, think about it, which family have you offended?"

    "Cough cough..." Fu Han coughed awkwardly and said helplessly, "I¡¯ve thought about this question for a long time and can¡¯t figure it out. I feel like I¡¯m pretty low-key in what I do, and I haven¡¯t deliberately offended anyone."

    As the two of them were discussing, Luo Qinghe, who was ying with his phone, looked up at Su Cheng with a meaningful nce, "Su Cheng, do you think there¡¯s anyone else who might look at Fu Han unfavorably?"

    The color drained from Su Cheng¡¯s fair face as he hurriedly said to Fu Han, "Fu Han, I asked my parents about itst night, and they said they have nothing to do with it... I... I promise you here, my parents would never do such a thing to you. If it was them... I... may lightning strike me."

    He was so agitated that he stuttered as he spoke.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe exchanged a nce. Everyone saw the same suspicion in each other¡¯s eyes, just as they had instinctively thought of Su Cheng¡¯s parents moments ago.

    Somehow, the atmosphere in the room became especially awkward, an awkwardness not even the autumn breeze of early morning could dispel.

    Fu Han was the first to react. She looked at Su Cheng with a sincere face, "Su Cheng, I believe this matter has nothing to do with your parents. If that person was sent by them, how could he possibly harm you?"

    Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Luo Qinghe, Fu Han had never thought thatst night¡¯s incident could be connected to Su Cheng. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that, if it weren¡¯t for Su Cheng, she really would have had no chance to survivest night.

    A fleeting tear sparkled in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes, but he forced it back down.

    Just as he opened his mouth to say something, a noisymotion came from the entrance. Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had arrived, apanied by He Xing.

    He Xing shook the discharge papers in his hand and smiled brilliantly at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, congrattions, you¡¯re discharged. Let¡¯s go."

    Fu Han nced at Su Cheng. She was nning to buy breakfast for him before leaving, but she didn¡¯t want He Xing and Fu Xingbo to know about what had happenedst night.

    As she was pondering how to broach the subject, Bai Wei beat her to it, "He Xing, you¡¯re quite the actor, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you know Fu Han almost diedst night?"

    He Xing¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. His eyes widened as he looked at Fu Han, asking word by word, "What happenedst night?"

    Truthfully, Fu Han had harbored some resentment toward He Xing. Seeing his reaction at this moment, she unexpectedly felt a softening in her heart, and the words on her lips couldn¡¯te out.

    In that pause, Fu Xingbo also asked about the events. Su Cheng looked at the equally pale-faced Fu Han, understanding that she probably couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak. He briefly described what had happened the previous night.

    The three who had juste in looked at each other in bewilderment. None of them hade to the hospitalst night. They all thought that today Fu Han and Bai Wei would be discharged, never expecting that something would happen so suddenly when the previous nights had been uneventful.

    He Xing handed the discharge papers to Fu Xingbo and after saying he was going to investigate, he turned and walked towards the outside of the ward.

    Everything happened in an instant, and by the time everyone reacted, Fu Han had already chased after him.

    She stopped He Xing in front of the head nurse, grabbed his arm with both hands, and dragged him toward the elevator room, "Come with me, let¡¯s clear things up first."

    Without Fu Han in the ward, no one felt more awkward than Su Cheng.

    After Fu Xingbo came to his senses, he walked over to Su Cheng to express his concern, finally whispering, "Su Cheng, thank you for saving Fu Hanst night. From now on, you¡¯re not only Fu Han¡¯s lifesaver but also the lifesaver of the Fu Family. If you need any help in the future, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me."

    Bai Qian and Bai Wei also nodded vigorously, indicating their agreement with what Fu Xingbo had said.

    Tears flickered again in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes as he said seriously, "Uncle, thank you for your words, but I didn¡¯t save Fu Han expecting gratitude. For Fu Han, I¡¯m willing to risk my life willingly."

    Every word he spoke was resolute, and the looks in the four other people¡¯s eyes in the ward changed. They were shocked, relieved, and envious. What kind of intense emotion does it take to pledge one¡¯s life for someone?

    This time it wasn¡¯t only Su Cheng whose eyes were bloodshot; the usuallyposed Fu Xingbo was no exception.

    He sniffed and gave Su Cheng a firm pat on the shoulder, "I¡¯ve seen everything you¡¯ve been through, and matters of the heart cannot be forced. Fu Han¡¯s affection for He Xing is something that cannot be changed. Otherwise, I would have really liked you, a clean young man like you."

    If it had been anyone else who said these words to Su Cheng, he would have just listened and let it go, but this was Fu Xingbo, Fu Han¡¯s uncle, the person with the deepest blood ties to Fu Han in this world.

    Emotion surged through Su Cheng, blood boiling with an unknown courage. He stared straight at Fu Xingbo, "Uncle, love is voluntary. My feelings for Fu Han are my own, and whom Fu Han likes is her business. On the day Fu Han got married, I thought about giving up. But the oue has proven that Fu Han and He Xing being together only leads to suffering. So, I am unwilling to give up. I will pursue Fu Han with all my sincerity, and even if things don¡¯t turn out the way I hope, I will never me fate or others."

    By the end, tears were welling up in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes again, just like the day he had watched helplessly as Fu Han and He Xing professed their love for each other on stage, his heart aching too much to breathe.

    Another silence ensued. All eight eyes in the ward remained on Su Cheng, their expressions incrediblyplex. It seemed no one had expected Su Cheng¡¯s feelings for Fu Han to run so deep.

    A barely audible sigh filled the room. Bai Qian asked gently, "Su Cheng, if Fu Han¡¯s face remains as it is now, will you still like her like this?"

 Chapter 377: The Hasty Conclusion of the Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 377: Chapter 377: The Hasty Conclusion of the Conversation</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yes, I will always like her," Su Cheng nodded forcefully, as if he was speaking to his own heart rather than answering Bai Qian¡¯s question, "I remember the good side of Fu Han, and I don¡¯t think she looks bad now."

    "Well said!" Bai Wei patted Su Cheng on the shoulder vigorously, speaking with great fervor, "Su Cheng, for those words, I support you. You must try hard. While Fu Han and He Xing are having a conflict, take advantage of the situation to win her over."

    At first, Luo Qinghe was nodding along, but as he listened further, he frowned. What was this all about?

    He couldn¡¯t make any moves in front of Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, so he could only lean in close to Bai Wei and kindly remind her, "Xiaowei, taking advantage of someone¡¯s vulnerability is not a nice phrase, maybe you could describe it as ¡¯giving help during snowy times¡¯ instead?"

    Bai Wei was nodding when Bai Qian clearly saw this as an excellent opportunity to educate Bai Wei on understanding Chinese, speaking with a slight teacherly air, "It¡¯s Su Cheng who is pursuing Fu Han, so using ¡¯giving help during snowy times¡¯ isn¡¯t quite urate either. I think it¡¯s better to say that Su Cheng should give it his all."

    After this exchange, the conversation with Bai Qian, Bai Wei, and Luo Qinghepletely diverged, turning into Bai Qian and Luo Qinghe giving a cultural lesson to Bai Wei.

    Fu Xingbo sighed deeply and patted Su Cheng on the shoulder again. This time he didn¡¯t say anything else, just four words: "Take care of yourself."

    ...

    The rooftop of the Inpatient Department.

    This was just an ordinary rooftop. Perhaps because of leaks, irregr patches of ck tar were visible everywhere, making the straw-yellow rooftop look even more dpidated, like a small boat amidst a storm, already riddled with countless holes and yet still on the verge ofing apart at any minute.

    The sun was bright on the rooftop, where someone had rigged a simple frame with bamboo poles to dry clothes. The wind was strong, causing the clothes to sway, as if they might be blown away at any moment.

    Fu Han and He Xing stood side by side on the rooftop. Under He Xing¡¯s persistent questioning, Fu Han told him everything that had happened the night before.

    After listening, He Xing¡¯s face was full of anger, "It must have been Xia Ning who sought revenge for the beating you gave her yesterday morning by sending someone at night!"

    That was the most logical exnation, and also the biggest possibility Fu Han hade up with after thinking it over all night long, but unfortunately, this theory was overturned early this morning by Bai Wei.

    She brushed her hair from her cheeks behind her ears, her delicate eyebrows furrowing, "Xia Ning¡¯s family was in total chaosst night, and now Xia Cheng is still in the hospital. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know."

    "The Xia Family? What happened?" He Xing¡¯s sharp brows furrowed, his starry eyes full of confusion.

    Fu Han could tell he wasn¡¯t lying, so she ryed the gossip that Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe had brought, clean and clear.

    The rooftop¡¯s wind had lessened greatly, but the sunlight had be even more intense.

    Fu Han squinted in the harsh sunlight, shielding her eyes with her hand as she scrutinized He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯s brow was deeply furrowed, showing neither the anger Fu Han had imagined nor theck of it. His eyes gazed into the distance.

    ording to Fu Han¡¯s understanding of him, this was an expression he had only when deep in thought.

    Minutes passed before He Xing finally turned to look at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I need to leave for a bit. Stay with your auntie¡¯s husband and the others, call me if anything happens."

    Without waiting for Fu Han¡¯s response, He Xing hurried away, not looking back.

    The wind grew stronger, gusting in waves. Fu Han¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, but she forced them back by tilting her head back.

    Afterposing herself, she followed the trail He Xing had taken and left step by step. The wind howled behind her, as if it might blow her away at any moment, her frail body stirring in its wake.

    When Fu Han returned to the ward, she found everyone still there, having not left. She managed a faint smile, "Uncle, Auntie, we can go now."

    It was just as Luo Qinghe said, Bai Wei¡¯s mouth was indeed the most uncontroble. She blurted out, "What about He Xing? Didn¡¯t he go out with you? Why hasn¡¯t hee back?"

    It was a question that tasted of bitterness. Fu Han didn¡¯t know how to answer and could only say in as calm a voice as possible, "He had somethinge up suddenly and had to leave for a bit. We don¡¯t need to worry about him."

    Bai Wei¡¯s anger red instantly. She asked Fu Han, "Was it after you talked about the Xia Family issues that he said he had to leave?"

    Lying under the gaze of the whole room was too difficult. Fu Han gave a bitter smile, unable to resist joking, "Bai Wei, this is the first time I realized you were so smart!"

    "Is this a time to be making jokes?" Bai Wei¡¯s finger nearly poked Fu Han in the forehead as she spoke with frustration, "Yesterday, you avenged yourself, and He Xing defended Xia Ning and scolded you; today, because of Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng¡¯s damn troubles, He Xing left you behind again, and you¡¯re really not angry at all?"

    "Okay, Xiaowei, hold your tongue," Bai Qian reprimanded, looking at Bai Wei, "Xiaohan is already very upset. You keep talking like this; isn¡¯t it just making her more upset?"

    Bai Wei was almost ready to explode with fury. How could she listen to Bai Qian¡¯s words? She retorted fiercely, "Mom, He Xing is your dear nephew, so of course, you side with him. But I stand for what¡¯s right, not for kin. He Xing was quite nice to Fu Han when there were no issues with the Xia Family; but as soon as the Xia Family has a problem, he immediately ditches Fu Han."

    Even though Fu Han¡¯s heart ached like it was being stirred with a knife, she had to admit that Bai Wei¡¯s words were, indeed, true. It seemed like He Xing liked her alright, but the Xia Family was his Achilles¡¯ heel, something untouchable.

    A quiet voice inside Fu Han whispered, what¡¯s the point? Since she had already decided to go abroad, why bother with who mattered more in He Xing¡¯s heart?

    But, while it was fine not to obsess over it, it was essential to remember He Xing¡¯s actions and not repeatedly make the same mistakes of forgetting past pains, something she had done too often before.

    As Bai Wei sessfully rendered Bai Qian speechless, she swelled with pride, feeling particrly smug. She patted Fu Han on the shoulder, pointing at Su Cheng, "Fu Han, take a good look. Su Cheng, who cares about nothing else for your sake, is someone who truly loves you. Think about it, Su Cheng is a great guy. To use a domestic saying, He Xing is central heating, radiating warmth to everyone; while Su Cheng¡¯s warmth is reserved just for you, that¡¯s even more precious."

    Under Fu Han¡¯s gaze, Su Cheng¡¯s face turned bright red, and he looked away, unable to face her.

 Chapter 378: Fooling Around is Bad for Her

    <h4>Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Fooling Around is Bad for Her</h4><subtxt> Fu Han also felt somewhat embarrassed, but her heart held nothing more than friendship for Su Cheng. If she blushed now, it would only lead Su Cheng to fantasize. She resolutely suppressed the urge to blush with her strong willpower.

    "Bai Wei, Su Cheng and I are just simple friends, so you shouldn¡¯t joke about us anymore."

    This statement sessfully dissipated the flush on Su Cheng¡¯s face. Even though he was prepared, it still pained him, but he quickly concealed his emotions and even echoed in agreement, "Yes, Bai Wei. Don¡¯t joke about it anymore in the future. It¡¯s fine for me as a boy, but it¡¯s not good for Fu Han."

    Bai Wei initially wanted to say more, but she ultimately swallowed her words in the face of Su Cheng¡¯s pleading gaze.

    ...

    First Hospital in A City.

    The Lamborghini roared in, snatching thest parking space with grandeur.

    He Xing opened the door, took off his sunsses, got out, shut the door¡ªa series of movements as smooth as flowing water¡ªdrawing gasps from the surrounding crowd. A luxury car and a handsome man were always the focal point of attention.

    Unfortunately, Liang Tao, sitting in the passenger seat, wasn¡¯t so lucky. As he got out, he failed to notice and identally stepped in some mud, staining the limited edition sneakers he had just bought with his month¡¯s sry.

    He winced at the noticeable ck mark on his white sneakers, tempted to crouch and wipe it. But He Xing had already walked to the hospital entrance, and if he didn¡¯t catch up, he might have to call to find out where He Xing was¡ªan audacious act he wouldn¡¯t daremit.

    By the time Liang Tao entered, He Xing was already standing in front of the main service desk. By the time he jogged over, He Xing had already made his way through the crowd and was heading deeper into the hospital.

    The hospital in daylight was as bustling as the market in the morning, so crowded it could be described as packed like sardines.

    He Xing wove through the crowd like a nimble fish. However, fortunate for Liang Tao, despite falling further behind, he never lost sight of the right direction.

    They passed the outpatient building, the administrative building, the first inpatient building... Finally, He Xing stopped at the ground floor Inpatient Department.

    Liang Tao, naturally overweight, had chased for a distance and beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead. Fortunately, he squeezed into the elevator with He Xing just before the doors closed.

    The elevator was crowded, with He Xing standing at the back and Liang Tao near the door; if the elevator were a can of sardines, he would be the one right on the edge, ready to burst out as soon as the can was opened.

    Sometimes, one really couldn¡¯t help but admit that there were many paradoxes about He Xing, which somehow seemed perfectly natural on him.

    He Xing was squashed against the wall by the crowd, yet there was no trace of panic or even difort on him. Standing there, he seemed as calm andposed as he did when he stood beside the projector during his weekly meetings, unruffled and undisturbed; he appeared to belong to a different world than the other people in the elevator.

    The elevator doors opened and closed until only Liang Tao and He Xing were left inside.

    Liang Tao stood a meter away from He Xing, took a covert nce at him, and said in a low voice, "President He, don¡¯t think I¡¯m speaking out of turn, but the Xia Family affair is a mess that brings bad luck to anyone who gets involved. Others avoid it like the gue, so why do you insist on getting involved?"

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and his eyes, cold as stars, bore into Liang Tao with no hint of warmth, "Who said I¡¯m going to meddle in the Xia Family¡¯s mess?"

    "You..." Liang Tao swallowed, carefully looking at He Xing. "You¡¯re rushing over here in such a hurry; isn¡¯t it to deal with the crisis at Xia Group?"

    He Xing gave Liang Tao another icy re. However, before he could speak, the elevator doors opened and He Xing strode out first.

    Liang Tao watched his back, which against the light looked like the silhouetted form of a noble orchid under the hazy moonlight¡ªtall and straight, as if nothing in this world could bend his spine.

    Xia Cheng¡¯s premium ward was right beside the elevator. He Xing stood by the door, ncing sideways at Liang Tao, who immediately got the hint and stepped forward to knock on the door.

    After a few seconds, a faint "Come in" was heard from inside. Liang Tao hurriedly pushed the door open and, extending an arm, bowed respectfully, "President He, please."

    He Xing walked in with an unaffected gaze, epting the attention of those present with stoic indifference.

    In fact, saying "those present" wasn¡¯t quite urate; there were only four people in the room, including Xia Cheng on the hospital bed, but the focused gazes of these eight eyes were more intense than those of another eight peoplebined.

    It was mainly because the four individuals in the room were not to be trifled with; their united gaze on He Xing created a stark contrast.

    Aside from Xia Cheng with bandages wrapped around his head, there was Xia Ning on the sofa holding a cellphone, and Xia Guoxiong with his assistant, each seated on either side of the hospital bed.

    Liang Tao had seen the assistant once and had a deep negative impression¡ªshe was a sharp-tongued, venomous beauty. He suspected she was the one who had stirred up the rtionship between Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng into such a mess.

    He was surprised to see that at this stage, these three could coexist peacefully. Liang Tao couldn¡¯t help but nce at He Xing, who, despite his usual expressionless facade, revealed barely contained inner turmoil through the throbbing vein at his temple.

    "Big Brother He Xing, you¡¯re here..."

    Xia Ning stood up in surprise, throwing herself at He Xing as if seeking the embrace of a long-lost love.

    Only to be thwarted as He Xing deftly sidestepped, causing her to miss her mark; and the words she was about to speak were interrupted by Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, Qin Nuan.

    "Oh, isn¡¯t this President He? What kind of wind has blown such an esteemed person over here? I¡¯m truly ttered," Qin Nuan spoke with an irritating tone, intentionally provocative, sarcastic, and seemingly eager to stir trouble.

    Although Liang Tao had braced himself for even the most melodramatic issues in the Xia Family not affecting him, seeing Qin Nuan address He Xing with such disrespect and in the manner of a hostess, he felt a surge of anger rising within him.

    Yet He Xing remained as nonchnt as ever, merely giving Qin Nuan a cursory nce, which immediately wiped the smug expression off her face.

    He Xing¡¯s eyelids lifted slightly, directing his attention to Xia Guoxiong, his voice still unblended, "What, does President Xia not wee me?"

    Before Xia Guoxiong could respond, Xia Ning was up in the air again, bounding towards He Xing, but this time she learned to stop gracefully before him, "Wee, Big Brother He Xing. We are very d you¡¯vee to visit my brother."</subtxt>

 Chapter 379: Pitiful Self-Esteem

    <h4>Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Pitiful Self-Esteem</h4><h4></h4>

    Liang Tao had always looked down on Xia Ning from the bottom of his heart, feeling that every word and deed of hers oozed a very deliberate attempt to ingratiate herself, which made people feel particrly ufortable.

    How to describe the impression Xia Ning used to give to Liang Tao? She always seemed to be doing things that she thought were clever, always appearing wherever He Xing was.

    Liang Tao onceined that if it wouldn¡¯t affect her beauty, Xia Ning would probably carve a few words on her face: "I like He Xing!"

    But at this moment, Liang Tao felt that Xia Ning was not as noisy as before; at least at this moment, her sycophantic behavior protected He Xing from being at a disadvantage in front of another mad dog.

    As soon as Xia Guoxiong saw He Xing, his expression became veryplicated; he had done many excessive things to He Xing, and he was certain He Xing couldn¡¯t be kept in the dark aboutst night¡¯s events. But looking at He Xing now, he didn¡¯t seem to havee to gloat.

    Thinking of this, Xia Guoxiong revealed a smile that was more a grimace than anything genuine. "He Xing, have youe to visit Xia Cheng?" After receiving an affirmative response, his smile deepened, "Thank you for visiting Xia Cheng; he¡¯s fine and will recover in a few days."

    He Xing shot Liang Tao a sideways nce; thetter immediately set the flowers and fruit on the coffee table, "Young Master Xia, these were personally picked by President He for you, wishing you a speedy recovery."

    Although the Xia Family were originally He Xing¡¯s lifesavers, over the years, they have always regarded He Xing as a life-saving straw and a cash cow, their ttery towards He Xing is etched into their very bones.

    Upon hearing Liang Tao¡¯s words, Xia Cheng immediately showed a face full of gratitude, "He Xing, thank you foring to see me; after a few days when I¡¯m well, let¡¯s go out and sing together."

    "We¡¯ll see," said He Xing indifferently, neither agreeing nor refusing. His gaze fell unintentionally or otherwise onto Qin Nuan, asking meaningfully, "Who is thisdy?"

    With just those three words, the faces of both father and son¡ªXia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng¡ªchanged. Should they tell him Qin Nuan was Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant, or say she was his mistress? Or tell the truth about her "love triangle" with Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng?

    As the father and son were struggling with what to say, Xia Ning urately seized the opportunity to please He Xing, hurriedly saying, "He Xing, you don¡¯t know this, but this Qin Nuan is really terrible. First, she seduced my father, then my brother, and now she¡¯s using the child in her belly to ckmail my father."

    "Xiaoning!" Both father and son, Xia Cheng and Xia Guoxiong, cried out in unison, their faces showing unmasked dissatisfaction¡ªobviously, neither agreed with Xia Ning airing out this dirtyundry. Perhaps because they didn¡¯t trust He Xing enough, or maybe because of that pitiful andughable male pride.

    Xia Ning shrugged nonchntly, "What¡¯s the big deal? Brother He Xing isn¡¯t a stranger, and he¡¯s obviously here to help us solve our problems, right, Brother He Xing?"

    However, before He Xing could speak, Qin Nuan red up. She patted her stomach and snorted coldly, "Let me tell you, don¡¯t think we mother and child are easy to bully. If you really provoke me, I¡¯ll go to the media and ruin the Xia Family¡¯s reputation."

    After her deration, the atmosphere in the ward turned significantly tenser, and the animosity between the father and son, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng, towards He Xing also lessened significantly.

    Xia Ning tugged at He Xing¡¯s sleeve, using her characteristic coquettish voice, "Brother He Xing, you see what kind of person she is, she even wants to be our stepmother¡ªI¡¯ll never agree to that..."

    "Xiaoning, what nonsense are you spouting!" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned ashen with anger. He mmed his hand on the bedside table, pointing at Xia Ning with unrestrained fury, "If you keep talking nonsense, you won¡¯t get a penny for your allowance next month."

    "I..." Xia Ning pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t speak at all. Money isn¡¯t everything, but without money, nothing is possible.

    Think about the two most important things in Xia Ning¡¯s life: one is chasing after He Xing, and the other is going shopping. Her favorite activity was to invite a group of girls to sweep through luxury stores and buy all the clothes she liked¡ªnearly ny percent of her monthly allowance was spent this way.

    Now that Xia Guoxiong was threatening her with her allowance, it was quite like hitting a snake right in its vital spot. No matter how reluctant Xia Ning was, she could only shut up.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept over the remaining three individuals, looking meaningfully at Qin Nuan, "Miss Qin¡¯s well-thought-out schemes¡ªif you marry Xia Cheng, by the time the money is in hand you¡¯d be past your prime and it¡¯d be toote to enjoy life, but marrying Uncle Xia, you could eventually inherit the estate as a spouse and your child would be a legitimate heir. All things considered, of course, thetter is more profitable."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face turned red and then white, white and then red again. She looked anxiously at Xia Guoxiong across from her, trying to exin, "It¡¯s not like that, President Xia, my heart only has you, Xia Cheng forced me, of course, I¡¯d only be willing to marry you."

    "It¡¯s hrious, you want to marry my father simply because as our stepmother, you¡¯ll get much more money than a daughter-inw," Xia Ning said with a bitterugh, forgetting Xia Guoxiong¡¯s threat and oblivious to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s livid face.

    Liang Tao, who stood by, looked at Xia Ning with surprise. He truly had not expected Xia Ning toe out with such insightfulments, since she usually acted cute and innocent in various princess dresses.

    Perhaps Liang Tao¡¯s gaze was overly "enthusiastic," as Xia Ning, even in such circumstances, turned to look back at him. Liang Tao¡¯s look of approval was too slow to hide, which added a touch of smugness to Xia Ning¡¯s face.

    "Is what they¡¯re saying true?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face looked as ugly as it could get.

    While the unsavory rtionship between Qin Nuan and Xia Cheng was a source of shame for Xia Guoxiong, under the unfortunate and pathetic shield of male pride, he actually felt that Qin Nuan¡¯s request to marry him meant she preferred him, that his charm was greater than that of his son, Xia Cheng.

    So-called father-son affection is just pretty talk that doesn¡¯t get sliced up by the knife. When it¡¯s their turn, human selfishness still prevails, making them think of themselves first.

    At this moment, Xia Guoxiong was a joke in and of himself¡ªhe fancied himself charming, when in reality it was the money that followed him that enticed Qin Nuan.

    Some rejoice while othersment; Xia Cheng was the one who had been depressed for an hour but was now extremely delighted.

    With the same male pride, on one hand, he saw Qin Nuan as a big problem and was eager to get rid of her; on the other, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought that she preferred his father over him. But now, his self-negation was gone, and he believed that in a fairpetition, Qin Nuan would surely choose him.

    In the midst of these extremelyplex emotions, the disdain Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng father and son felt towards Qin Nuan lessened quite a bit. They were desperate to prove their charm in Qin Nuan¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 380: Unforeseen Events

    <h4>Chapter 380: Chapter 380: Unforeseen Events</h4><h4></h4>

    Being young and impulsive, Xia Cheng couldn¡¯t keep his cool and blurted out first, "Dad, what else is there to ask? Of course, it¡¯s for that reason. No one is stupid enough to pass up on a young person and go after an old man instead."

    Xia Ning had been contemting how to defuse the awkward tension, but to her surprise, Xia Cheng had just dug his own grave. She could onlyment for Xia Cheng in her heart for a second¡ªokay, even if He Xing wasn¡¯t here, she definitely wouldn¡¯t bother with Xia Cheng, but with He Xing present, she felt embarrassed by the dog-eat-dog behavior of her father and brother.

    Meanwhile, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s chest heaved violently with anger, his face changing colors like a performance of Bian Lian¡ªturning bright red one moment, then purple, then pale blue, and finally, stark white.

    Pointing at Xia Cheng, he was so furious that he couldn¡¯t even utter aplete sentence, "You... you ungrateful scoundrel, my... my money... you won¡¯t get a cent of... of my money... don¡¯t even think about..."

    Before he could finish his words, his head slumped to the side, and he slid off the chair, unconscious.

    Xia Cheng, who had been steeling himself against Xia Guoxiong¡¯s pressure, had intended to retort that all Xia Guoxiong knew was to use money to threaten him, but before he could speak out, Xia Guoxiong had already copsed to the floor.

    The ward erupted into chaos. Xia Cheng and Xia Ning rushed toward Xia Guoxiong, frantically calling his name, but nobody remembered to seek a doctor.

    The scene took Qin Nuan by surprise as well, her face turning deathly pale as she sat frozen in her chair, unable to even cry out.

    On the contrary, He Xing was the first to rush out. In less than a minute, several doctors and nurses entered the room.

    "Back away, quickly move back, crowding around the patient will affect his breathing," the doctor ordered as he pressed on Xia Guoxiong¡¯s chest and shouted at the siblings, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, urging them to step backward.

    He Xing hurried to open the door and the windows, letting the autumn wind blow in immediately.

    After several rounds of pressing, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s breathing finally stabilized, although he remained unconscious. At that moment, nurses came in with a stretcher and took Xia Guoxiong away.

    In the blink of an eye, only He Xing, Xia Ning, Xia Cheng, and Qin Nuan were left in the ward. He Xing instructed Liang Tao to follow Xia Guoxiong and to call immediately with any news.

    Xia Ning slumped onto the floor like a heap of y. Usually so fastidious about cleanliness, she was now oblivious to how dirty the ground was and how many people had walked over it with their shoes on.

    Herrge eyes, devoid of any sparkle, aimlessly wandered before finally fixating on He Xing like grasping at a lifeline, "He Xing, brother, Dad... Dad will be okay, won¡¯t he? Won¡¯t he?"

    He Xing looked at the now tear-streaked Xia Ning, who had cried off her makeup, and for the first time, he deemed her beautiful, alive with flesh and blood and emotions¡ªnot the porcin doll confined within a ss cab.

    Time seemed to fold in on itself as he saw Du Wanting lying in a pool of blood, her eyes closed, while little Xiaoning knelt in front of her, sobbing uncontrobly, her shoulders heaving.

    This was not He Xing¡¯s imagination; it was a real event from the past.

    The day Du Wanting saved his life, when the police came to process the scene, Xia Guoxiong had brought the siblings, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, who knew they had lost their mother and cried with heartbreaking sadness.

    Little He Xing stood not far away, watching their tears. He wanted to cry too, but he knew that Du Wanting died saving him, so he couldn¡¯t cry. He resolved silently to protect Xia Cheng and Xia Ning in ce of their mother in the future.

    A life-saving favor could only truly be repaid with a life itself. How else could one possibly pay it back?

    So, over the years, whether it was various dealings within the Xia Group or the wanton behavior of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, He Xing had turned a blind eye as much as he could.

    Now, however, He Xing suddenly felt he hadn¡¯t done enough. Living with the life owed to Du Wanting, he should bear responsibility for what Xia Cheng and Xia Ning had be¡ªfor not properly guiding them as Du Wanting would have. If only he had invested more of himself in them, maybe things would be different now.

    He Xing walked over to Xia Ning, crouching down to meet her at eye level, and firmly grasped her shoulders, assuring her with a determined gaze, "Xiaoning, don¡¯t worry, Uncle Xia will definitely be fine."

    "Really?" Xia Ning¡¯s tears ceased, but herrge eyes were still brimming with them, "He Xing, brother, are you telling the truth?"

    He Xing¡¯s own nose turned sour, and he nodded vigorously, as if to reassure Xia Ning, and himself as well, "I promise you, I will do everything I can, and I absolutely won¡¯t let hime to harm."

    With a loud sob, Xia Ning threw herself into He Xing¡¯s arms, crying her heart out, her tears and snot smearing her face, a far cry from her usual wlessposure. At this moment, she had dropped all pretense.

    This might have been the first time He Xing did not push Xia Ning away. Instead, he held her close¡ªtruly treating her like a sister, as his responsibility, with no romantic feelings involved, only duty.

    Their embrace was interrupted by Liang Tao¡¯s call. The doctors wanted to discuss Xia Guoxiong¡¯s treatment n. Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, who rarely had a firm opinion, were now utterly distraught.

    Both of them cast hopeful looks toward He Xing, and eventually, the siblings entrusted him with the decision-making authority, allowing him tomunicate with the doctors.

    After He Xing left, Xia Ning finally realized her makeup was ruined. She hurriedly took out her makeup bag to reapply it. Sitting on the hospital bed, Xia Cheng smiled and waved her over, "Xiaoning,e here, I¡¯ve got something good to show you."

    "What is it?" Xia Ning walked over impatiently, but froze the moment she saw Xia Cheng¡¯s phone.

    After watching the video, an agitated Xia Ning reached out to snatch the phone, "How did you get this? Send it to me now."

    But Xia Cheng had anticipated her move and quickly grabbed the phone back, coolly stating, "Could you at least show some respect for someone else¡¯s hard work? It¡¯s not nice to just grab things from people. Does that seem fair to you?"

    "You call this hard work? This is voyeurism," Xia Ning scoffed, but the content of the video was too tempting, and she couldn¡¯t give up. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Tell me what you want to do to give me the video."

    What Xia Cheng had shown her was none other than the video of Xia Ning crying in He Xing¡¯s arms. She had been genuinely heartbroken at the time, not thinking about anything else, and had no idea Xia Cheng had recorded it. Xia Ning sincerely thought to herself, "Well done!"

    Xia Cheng held the phone tightly, his face¡ªwhich was barely considered handsome¡ªfull of cunning, "Xia Ning, what I have here is valuable. If you want it, you¡¯ll have to pay for it. I¡¯m a bit tight on cash recently, and Dad isn¡¯t going to give me any more. You wouldn¡¯t just leave me high and dry, would you?"

    "You¡¯re despicable," Xia Ning cursed, but despite the curse, she still grudgingly took out her own phone. A minuteter, she told Xia Cheng, "I¡¯ve always spent what I had without saving. This is all the money I have left in my ount. Not a penny more."

 Chapter 381: Expensive Video

    <h4>Chapter 381: Chapter 381: Expensive Video</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Cheng opened his phone and looked at it, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "That¡¯s enough, enough to keep me going for a while. I¡¯ll send you the video, how about that? Your brother can be pretty reliable sometimes, right? Didn¡¯t forget to record a video for you when needed."

    To this, Xia Ning had nothing to say. If she had to say something, she could only credit it all to herself. Since learning that Fu Han had designs on He Xing, she had started asking Xia Cheng and all friends who might encounter her and He Xing to capture their daily interactions.

    Over the years, although He Xing rejected Xia Ning countless times, Fu Han had always considered Xia Ning as a significant rival. Not for any other reason but because Xia Ning continuously had various videos of her and He Xing in intimate behaviors.

    She found a Photoshop expert to edit these videos before sending them to Fu Han, making it difficult for Fu Han topletely trust He Xing¡¯s sincerity.

    To encourage her friends to help her film He Xing, every time they sent her a video, she would reply with a generous Red Envelope.

    As for where the Red Envelope money came from? That was simple. Xia Guoxiong could only dream of having Xia Ning marry He Xing, so as long as the need for money was rted to He Xing, Xia Guoxiong was especially happy to give it.

    Xia Ning watched the video five times in one breath, concluding in the end that no matter how He Xing was filmed, he always looked good, whereas she cried so uglily that her mouth was as wide as a gori¡¯s. She immediately sent the video to a Photoshop expert, asking them to make a big fuss over it.

    After all, it was a hug, a hug, and even more, it was He Xing who initiated the embrace.

    The siblings yed with their phones for a while longer. It had to be said that their hearts were really quite broad; neither of them even remembered that their father was still in life-and-death uncertainty.

    It wasn¡¯t until Xia Ning had dealt with everything on her hands, that she looked around the ward and, with a dyed realization, asked, "Brother, where did Qin Nuan go?"

    Xia Cheng also remembered Qin Nuan just then; his eyes swept around the ward indifferently. "Such a woman, if she¡¯s gone, she¡¯s gone. What¡¯s there to worry about?"

    "What on Earth do you have in your head all day long, brother?" Xia Ning really wanted to poke though Xia Cheng¡¯s head with her fingers to see what was inside: "You don¡¯t even know whose child Qin Nuan has in her belly, and you can still say such things. Do you even care about the Xia Family¡¯s face at all?"

    "How can I not?" Xia Cheng nonchntly tapped on his phone screen and replied absently, "Didn¡¯t you hear me constantly advising her to abort the child? But she just won¡¯t listen. What can I do?"

    Xia Ning sighed and said helplessly in the end, "Alright, got it, let¡¯s leave it at that." The conversation had alreadye to an end, but thinking about it again, she couldn¡¯t let it go and added resentfully, "Be more careful in the future, will you? Frogs with three legs are hard to find, but aren¡¯t there plenty of women with two? If you want a woman, go find one somewhere else, stop always eyeing Dad¡¯s Assistant."

    "Do you think I want to?" Xia Cheng rolled his eyes, replying irritably, "It¡¯s her who keepsing to chat with me for no reason. You can¡¯t expect me to just sit there and watch, that¡¯s not satisfying, is it?"

    Xia Ning was about to retort, but when the words came to her lips, she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say back. How could she counter? To argue that Qin Nuan wasn¡¯t that kind of person?

    Let alone the fact that she wasn¡¯t at all familiar with Qin Nuan, she had seen too many people like her; those who think they can seduce left and right just because they¡¯re somewhat attractive. Once pregnant, they act as if they have acquired the Imperial Sword. This was exactly what Xia Ning disliked, no, looked down upon.

    ...

    The Qian Nuan who was repeatedly criticized by siblings Xia Cheng and Xia Ning did not leave the hospital as they thought. She had followed He Xing when he came out because she did have a degree of concern for Xia Guoxiong¡¯s condition.

    He Xing discussed with the Doctor for roughly a few minutes. After the Doctor went in, He Xing¡¯s tense back rxed; he looked around for a ce to sit and continue waiting. Resuscitation wasn¡¯t a matter of minutes.

    Unexpectedly, his gaze swept towards Qin Nuan, whose beautiful yet scheming eyes stared back at him, her ill intentions written all over her face.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked coldly, "Lady Qin Nuan, following me here, do you have something you want to say?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face flushed red, and with an unnatural cough she said, "Uh, Mr. He, this isn¡¯t a good ce to talk. May I have a word with you in private?"

    "Liang Tao, call me immediately if there¡¯s any update. I¡¯ll be in the stairwell down the corridor." He Xing did not respond directly to Qin Nuan. Instead, after instructing Liang Tao, he confidently walked towards the end of the corridor.

    The ce he chose to talk was the Smoking Area. Normally, there are many people in a hospital¡¯s smoking area, but the one near the Emergency Room was scarcely popted; nobody could be calm enough to smoke there while a loved one was in resuscitation.

    He Xing first looked back at Liang Tao, ensuring that he could see the direction of the Emergency Room at a nce from where he was. Only then did he turn to face Qin Nuan: "Now there¡¯s no one here, you can talk, can¡¯t you?"

    His words, as if imbued with magic, poured over her like a bucket of cold water. Qin Nuan shivered instinctively, swallowed, and summoned her courage to say, "Mr. He... what are your ns for me? How are you intending to deal with my... my situation?"

    There was not a hint of surprise on He Xing¡¯s face, his expression unchanged. "Since Miss Qin has brought it up, I¡¯d like to know what are your thoughts? Or do you really intend to marry Xia Guoxiong?"

    "I..." Qin Nuan turned pale, her mouth opening and then closing again. She wanted to hide her true thoughts, but looking into He Xing¡¯s eyes, she felt her little schemes were utterly transparent before him.

    She bit her lip, unwilling to concede: "Initially that was indeed what I nned. Xia Cheng and Xia Guoxiong treat me like an object, and I won¡¯t let them y me. Since they disgust me, I¡¯ll disgust them in return; but Xia Guoxiong¡¯s health is too bad. If I married him now, wouldn¡¯t he die in a few years? I... I..."

    "But now you think marrying an old man is too much of a loss," He Xing interrupted with a cold snort when she couldn¡¯t continue, "Could it be that you¡¯ve changed your mind, wanting to marry Xia Cheng?"

    "I..." Qin Nuan¡¯s face flushed, looking down, she asked, "Would that be possible? What I mean is, would you oppose it? I... I promise I¡¯d never make a mess again after marrying Xia Cheng."

    He Xingughed derisively, looking at Qin Nuan with a cold gaze as he questioned back word by word, "What do you think?"

 Chapter 382: Just This

    <h4>Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Just This</h4><h4></h4>

    Qin Nuan¡¯s teeth clutched tightly onto her lips, leaving a clear row of bite marks on the crimson beneath, as she touched her belly and hesitated, saying, "But I think the child in my belly is Xia Cheng¡¯s."

    The autumn wind blew in through the high windows, and though winter was not yet upon them, a chill was already in the air, cold enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine.

    It took only a few breaths for He Xing to regain his impassive expression. He looked out through that small window at the sky outside, blue and cloud-streaked, just like the sky he¡¯d seen with Fu Han that morning.

    Only when he was with Fu Han, he felt the world vast and infinite, but at this moment the expansive sky seemed to have shrunk to the size of a palm, shaped and defined.

    The words that He Xing spoke were as chilling as the autumn breeze, "Miss Qin, I don¡¯t care what game you¡¯re ying, nor whose child you¡¯re carrying, and I won¡¯t bother about who you¡¯re going to marry. The reason I¡¯m here today is solely because someone from the Xia Family was hurt, nothing more."

    After finishing his sentence, He Xing did not linger any longer; he turned and walked straight towards the Emergency Room. His handsome face was frosty, the light in his piercing eyes as sharp as the sun shining on ice.

    Behind him, the look of humility and pleading that had been on Qin Nuan¡¯s face turned cold as soon as He Xing turned away, making it hard for anyone to associate her with that charming Assistant.

    ...

    The nights of autumn were always pitch-ck, Fu Han stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows looking outside, where the roads were bustling with traffic, and asionally there were jams.

    During rush hours in the morning and evening, traffic jams had be a norm in City A, and it was a surprise when there were none.

    When Fu Han first returned to the country, she worked a nine-to-five schedule, always choosing the subway to avoid traffic, but sometimes the shooting locations were far from Subway Stations, so she would take the bus instead.

    But buses got stuck in traffic too. During those times, she would stand packed betweenmuters on the bus, watching the hectic vehicles on the road, her mood restlessly irritable.

    Now, however, perhaps due to her detachment, as she watched the streams of cars below, she began to miss the days when she and Nan Qing rented a ce at Huating No.1, rushing to avoid beingte for work and running past thepound walls each morning.

    It was autumn back then too, osmanthus flowers were everywhere. asionally, there were leaves that the sanitation workers hadn¡¯t yet swept, the withered yellow foliage creating a picturesque scene on the gray stone pavement, tempting her to risk beingte just to take photos with her SLR camera.

    Such beautiful times, as pure as an old photograph¡ªthough slightly yellowed, they were so simple and clear; back then, Fu Han too was pure, aware she couldn¡¯t forget He Xing but also resolute in knowing she should leave him.

    The traffic light in the distance turned red, and cars started to move forward slowly.

    A bitter smile crept onto Fu Han¡¯s lips. If she could, how much she wished time could rewind to that momentst year, after which she would never have returned from her trip to Antarctica.

    What was the point ofing back? She went to Antarctica to see sights she¡¯d never seen before, sure, but more so because the hurt she suffered from the Rowing the World photographypetition was too great, she wanted to escape.

    But after managing to escape, whye back?

    Fu Han tilted her head, lost in thought for a long while. As thest glow of twilight brushed across her cheek, and finally fell beyond the mountains, she came to a realization.

    The reason she chose to return to City A, a ce full of heartbreaking memories, was not something else, but because she was influenced by the atmosphere between Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe during the trip to Antarctica.

    Back then, Bai Wei fell in love with Luo Qinghe at first sight, shamelessly tagging along with them¡ªindeed, Fu Han already knew that Bai Wei followed them because of He Xing¡¯s instructions, but she still chose to believe it was because of Luo Qinghe.

    Love, such a beautiful word, so romantic she could swoon just by thinking about it; yet it was the very word that caused her the most pain.

    If... if time could turn back to when they first met.

    If, the first time she saw He Xing, Old Master He hadn¡¯t joked about her marrying He Xing, would she have simply regarded him as her brother.

    If...

    If only time could flow backward, wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?

    Fu Han¡¯s thoughts drifted back to two hours earlier when, encouraged by Fu Xingbo, she had finally agreed to take a nap. She had just begun to feel drowsy when her phone rang.

    She lit up her phone and saw it was a message from Xia Ning, and instinctively, she didn¡¯t want to look. Oddly enough, despite their longstanding animosity, they had never blocked each other¡¯s phone number or Whatsapp or any other social media ounts¡ªperhaps because the score between them couldn¡¯t simply be settled by blocking.

    Intuition warned Fu Han not to open the message, yet her fingers uncontrobly tapped it open. Xia Ning had sent a video, less than a minute long.

    In the video, Xia Ning cried pitifully in He Xing¡¯s arms, and he held her tightly. With He Xing¡¯s cheek pressed against Xia Ning¡¯s forehead, anyone could see the intimacy between them was palpable from any angle.

    Fu Han had seen this video countless times and was sure it was shot today.

    Although she hadn¡¯te across Xia Ning today, she had seen He Xing; he was wearing exactly these clothes when he left her in the morning, and she was absolutely certain she wasn¡¯t mistaken.

    So it meant, after learning about the Xia Family¡¯s situation in the morning, he had recklessly left her and then been with Xia Ning.

    Since seeing that video, Fu Han kept asking herself over and over why He Xing was holding Xia Ning so tightly. Sure, it might be because Xia Cheng was seriously ill, but even if he was, there was no need for them to sob and hold each other like that.

    In doing this, where did He Xing leave her, his fianc¨¦e?

    Tears, bright like dewdrops, fell from Fu Han¡¯s eyes, heartbreaking in their beauty.

    She reached out with slender fingers to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, murmuring softly, "That¡¯s right, when has he ever cared about me as his fianc¨¦e? If he loved me as much as he ims, he wouldn¡¯t have only saved Xia Ning and disregarded me when they both fell in the water four years ago; he wouldn¡¯t have berated me yesterday for Xia Ning¡¯s sake, and today, he wouldn¡¯t have abandoned me over the Xia Family¡¯s matter."

    One by one, each incident was of He Xing¡¯s own doing. Bystanders like Bai Wei couldn¡¯t bear to watch, let alone Fu Han who was directly involved? The de was cutting her flesh, how excruciating must that be?

 Chapter 383 Blue Roses Pink Roses

    <h4>Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Blue Roses Pink Roses</h4><h4></h4>

    The knock on the door came abruptly, booming and resonant, kicking Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat up several notches. Her train of thought was interrupted, but it was difficult for her to extricate herself from the depths of sorrow.

    Bai Wei¡¯s voice came from outside, "Fu Han, Dad and Mom sent me to call you. Are we ready to leave?"

    Tonight, Fu Xingbo was hosting a dinner for Grandpa He and He Xing. An hour ago, Bai Wei hade to find Fu Han, urging her to get ready and dress up.

    But it wasn¡¯t until that moment that Fu Han btedly realized she was still in her pajamas, with a bare, pallid face and slightly swollen eyes. Going out at night with this appearance, no one would believe she wasn¡¯t trying to scare people on purpose.

    "Could you please wait another ten minutes? I¡¯ll be ready in no time."

    After she dropped that line, Fu Han rifled through her suitcase. She had been brought to this five-star hotel by Fu Xingbo after being discharged from the hospital that morning, and had not yet unpacked her luggage.

    Fortunately, there were a few outfits in the suitcase, although some of the finer garments would look cheap if not ironed before wearing.

    In the end, Fu Han chose a sky-blue dress with white stripes,plete with an exaggerated navy-style cor. The cor, cuffs, and hem were trimmed with delicate whitece, adding an air of intellectual chic to the sweet garment.

    Although it was autumn and the nights were a bit chilly, she wore a pair of flesh-colored stockings under a white woolen coat that reached her ankles.

    Fu Han parted her long hair into two sections, pinning the top half with arge bow hair clip that matched the color of her dress, while the lower half cascaded over her shoulders. She let a few stray strands frame her cheeks, making the asymmetry of her face less pronounced.

    She looked at herself in the mirror from all angles and couldn¡¯t help but sigh¡ªwhether it was from crying too muchtely or not sleeping well, she could faintly see bags under her eyes.

    Fu Han applied a thinyer of concealer under her eyes and, feeling herplexion was a bit pale, added a touch of lipstick to brighten her skin tone.

    In less than ten minutes, Fu Han opened the door.

    The Fu family of three had been chatting by the door of their own adjoining room, but when they saw Fu Han, all three of them were spellbound.

    Bai Wei was especially effusive, walking up to Fu Han and taking her in from head to toe before eximing sincerely, "Fu Han, you look absolutely stunning tonight."

    Everyone craves to be praised for their beauty, especially a girl who was used to suchpliments. Faced with the long-missed praise, Fu Han blushed. She nced over Bai Wei and returned thepliment, "You¡¯re looking very beautiful today too, like a rosebud about to bloom."

    Her words were not an exaggeration. Bai Wei was dressed in a pink satin sheath dress that outlined her poised and refined demeanor while highlighting her unique charm. The ck woolen coat over it made her look like a sword poised to strike, perfectly embodying the metaphor of a budding rose.

    Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful face flushed with gentle joy. She pursed her lips, smiling with demure confidence, truly befitting of someone gracing the big screen, with every smile brimming with allure.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian trailed a few steps behind, watching the two women walking side by side ahead of them¡ªone a blue rose, the other a pink rose, resembling twin blossoms.

    Somewhat unexpectedly, Bai Qian felt a twinge of sourness. She sniffled and said unnaturally, "Honey, if only their rtionship could stay this good forever, how wonderful that would be."

    Fu Xingbo wrapped his arm around Bai Qian¡¯s shoulders and said in a low but firm voice, "Don¡¯t worry, they will certainly remain close for a lifetime."

    After a pause, Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice grew even deeper, as if the words wereing from the pit of his stomach, "You suffered so much giving birth to Bai Wei, and I couldn¡¯t bear to see you go through that pain again, which is why I¡¯ve always been against having a second child. This has worried you for many years, that Bai Wei wouldck support when we¡¯re gone. You don¡¯t have to worry now, do you?"

    With a ding, the elevator doors opened, and Bai Wei and Fu Han stepped in first, grinning and waving at the others, "Come on in, quick! The elevator doors are closing."

    Fu Xingbo put one foot in the elevator first, waiting for Bai Qian to enter before he fully stepped in.

    The hotel elevator was spacious and often crowded, but today it only contained the four of them.

    As Bai Qian looked over at Bai Wei, who was whispering with Fu Han, she tiptoed and murmured into Fu Xingbo¡¯s ear, "I want another child because we agreed that the second one would take your surname. I want someone in this world to not only carry on your bloodline but also your family name."

    Behind his sses, Fu Xingbo¡¯s eyes seemed to flicker with a tear as he coughed softly, trying to keep his voice as low as possible, "You know I don¡¯t care much about these things, besides, we have Fu Han now, don¡¯t we?"

    Before Bai Qian could respond, a crisp little noise rang out. Bai Wei pointed at the two and said to Fu Han, "See what I mean? I¡¯ve been third-wheeling like this for years. If you go to M Country, and you see them attached at the hip, whispering to each other every day, you¡¯ll just get used to it."

    Fu Han covered her mouth,ughing, "Although I haven¡¯t lived in M Country for long, I¡¯m used to it too."

    "You two are pretty bold, making fun of us,"ughed Bai Qian, her voice clear but unable to mask the blush on her cheeks.

    Bai Wei yfully stuck out her tongue, continuing to gossip with Fu Han.

    Fu Xingbo patted Bai Qian¡¯s shoulder, his face filled with affection.

    The drive from the hotel to the restaurant reserved by Fu Xingbo was only about ten minutes.

    Fu Han sat in the back seat, watching the streetlights flicker by her window, appearing and disappearing, over and over again.

    Her eyes were at times bright, at times dim.

    Soon she would see He Xing, and she asked herself over and over in her heart, should she throw out the video and confront him publicly, demanding a clear exnation?

    Fu Han¡¯s mind was a tangled mess, unable to think clearly; some things give you a headache when you can¡¯t figure them out, and heartache when you do, and right now, both her head and heart were in pain.

    Outside the car window, the scenery grew livelier. The bustling city center was always a hive of activity in the sleepless city of A.

    Fu Xingbo parked the car and patted the steering wheel before turning to Fu Han with a smile, "Okay, we can get out now."

    After agreeing, Fu Han pushed open the car door, and her cream-colored patent leather shoes emerged, stepping onto Ond Road, as starkly contrasting as if they were opposing sides.

 Chapter 384: Child, Youâ€™ve Suffered

    <h4>Chapter 384: Chapter 384: Child, You¡¯ve Suffered</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei nced at Fu Han, a hint of worry hidden in her eyes¡ªor perhaps it would be more urate to say that she had been worried about Fu Han since the day of her wedding.

    How to put it, everything that was happening now, one thing after another, seemed to be headed in a bad direction, as if an invisible hand was behind it all, orchestrating events, but she felt powerless to stop it.

    The hotel was resplendent in gold and bright lights, and the security guard at the entrance stood ramrod straight. As they approached from a distance, the weing staff came up to greet them, "Do you have a reservation?"

    Fu Xingbo, holding Bai Qian¡¯s hand, walked forward. Fu Han, trailing a few steps behind them, followed, and Bai Weigged even further behind, her eyes heavy with thoughts as she gazed at Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure.

    The old Mr. He had already arrived in the private room, and upon seeing Fu Han, he looked her up and down before his eyes reddened and, after a long sigh, said only, "Child, you¡¯ve suffered."

    If it had not been for Fu Han¡¯s preparation, she likely would have burst into tears right then and there.

    This was her first encounter with old Mr. He since the wedding, and though she had imagined numerous times what he might say, she never expected these words.

    Fu Han sat next to old Mr. He, and they talked as if they had an endless amount of things to say to each other, their rtionship not blood-rted but seemingly closer than that of genuine grandparents and grandchildren.

    In just a few short days, Fu Han felt old Mr. He had aged a lot more than before, his hair at the templespletely white, like frost; on his cheeks, several rice grain-sized age spots had appeared.

    For the first time, Fu Han acutely felt that old Mr. He had aged, truly aged; the thought that before long he might go through the universal cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death made her nose tingle, but fortunately, she managed to control herself and her tears did not show.

    The four people in the room chatted for a while, and Fu Xingbo, looking at the time, asked softly, "Why hasn¡¯t He Xing arrived yet? Has he not finished dealing with things?"

    Old Mr. He¡¯s expression changed at once. He looked at Fu Han, guilt washing over his kindly face, "Xia Ning¡¯s father is having surgery, and those two kids bothck backbone. He phoned me earlier to say the surgery was over, and he wouldn¡¯t bete."

    As he spoke, he turned to old Zhou, who stood behind him, "Old Zhou, call He Xing again and ask, if he can¡¯t make it, then let¡¯s forget it. We¡¯re hungry and won¡¯t wait."

    Old Zhou agreed and was about to go out to make the call when the figure of He Xing appeared at the door.

    "Sorry, there was a bit of a traffic jam," He Xing apologized as soon as he entered, but his expressionless face and terse manner somehow made it seem less like an apology and more like someone owed him money.

    When Fu Han looked up, her eyes met He Xing¡¯s, and in the air between them, it seemed as if something exploded. In that brief spark, something changed, yet it also felt as if nothing had changed at all.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze shifted, and with no space left beside Fu Han, he could only sit at the only avable seat, next to old Mr. He.

    With He Xing¡¯s arrival, the atmosphere in the private room suddenly became awkward, but it was Fu Xingbo who broke the ice first. He said to He Xing, "The dishes have been ordered; go tell the waiter they can serve the food."

    Once He Xing had left, Fu Xingbo said to Fu Han, "All right, He Xing rushed over. You should be a bit nicer to himter. We¡¯re heading to M Country tomorrow."

    Fu Han¡¯s expression stiffened momentarily but was quickly reined in. She nodded and whispered, "I understand."

    Truthfully, she knew that she was leaving tomorrow, uncertain when she would be back. Deep down, she was reluctant to part with He Xing, but to act as if nothing had happened, she simply couldn¡¯t manage that.

    Dinner finally began, and although therge round table was piled with a variety of aromatic dishes, Fu Han had no appetite at all, even though she had hardly eaten anything that day.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze kept falling on Fu Han, intentionally or unintentionally, but to his dismay, Fu Han seemed determined not to look at him even once.

    This led to several moments where He Xing opened his mouth to speak, yet he uttered not a word.

    The liveliest people during this dinner had to be Fu Xingbo and old Mr. He, and yet it was discernible that they were straining to keep the conversation going to avoid an awkward silence.

    Old Mr. He¡¯s most frequent statement was that Fu Han was his darling treasure, and now that he had entrusted her to Fu Xingbo¡¯s care, he made it clear that Fu Xingbo must protect her and ensure she came to no harm.

    Not only Fu Xingbo, but Bai Qian also repeatedly promised to take good care of Fu Han and not let her suffer any wrongs.

    When dessert time came, Fu Han got up to go to the bathroom; she couldn¡¯t eat, and Bai Wei had forced her to finish two bowls of soup, leaving her stomach swollen.

    He Xing looked around the room and cleared his throat awkwardly, "I, um... I need to use the bathroom too."

    Bai Qian smiled understandingly, "We get it, why don¡¯t you hurry up; she¡¯ll be back soon."

    A flush spread across He Xing¡¯s face, resembling the faint pink on the edges of peach blossoms, slowly creeping up his cheeks. He stomped his foot and finally, without a word, turned and strode out.

    Bai Wei curled her lip and muttered dissatisfiedly, "Who is he trying to look lovestruck for in here? If he truly loves Fu Han, why not hold her close instead of acting like a central air conditioner?"

    "Xiaowei, Grandpa He is here, so ease up," Bai Qian reprimanded, not at all politely, her beautiful face showing undisguised displeasure.

    Unfortunately for her, Bai Wei didn¡¯t care in the slightest. She stuck out her tongue, "I¡¯m just telling the truth, why stop me?"

    Old Mr. He chuckled, his eyes filled with kindness as he looked at Bai Wei, "Xiaowei, let¡¯s hear it, what exactly happened? Why aren¡¯t you trying to bring He Xing and Fu Han together like before?"

    "It¡¯s nothing, just some trivial squabbles between the kids," Bai Qian said while holding Bai Wei¡¯s arm, smiling at old Mr. He, "You shouldn¡¯t worry about them; kids get over these spats in a day or two."

    Unfortunately, old Mr. He seemed very curious, gesturing for Bai Wei to speak her mind, and Bai Wei, who had grievances against He Xing, didn¡¯t hold back and spilled all the recent events like a bamboo tube pouring out beans.

    After Bai Wei finished, old Mr. He had veins throbbing on his forehead. He tapped the table with his bark-like hand, his hoarse voice finally breaking the silence, "You¡¯re saying Xiaohan hit Xia Ning, and He Xing scolded Xiaohan? And He Xing didn¡¯t go pick up Xiaohan from the hospital today?"

    Bai Qian hurriedly intercepted, smiling, "He Xing dide today but left afterward, and it seems like it was because of the Xia Family¡¯s affairs."

 Chapter 385 The Smell of Disinfectant Water

    <h4>Chapter 385: Chapter 385 The Smell of Disinfectant Water</h4><h4></h4>

    "But that¡¯s no excuse to treat Xiaohan like that," Mr. He¡¯s volume suddenly rose; his somewhat cloudy eyes stared at Bai Wei, "No wonder you have such a big issue with your brother, I also have my own seriousints about him."

    "Grandpa He, I knew you would always see things clearly," Bai Wei, as if armed with an Imperial Sword, gave Bai Qian a fierce re, who only responded with a helpless smile.

    ...

    Fu Han exited the women¡¯s restroom and nearly collided with someone. She braked abruptly but before she could steady herself, she was enveloped in a warm embrace.

    This was an embrace she could never forget even in her dreams, yet now there was a scent she wasn¡¯t familiar with, a faint smell of disinfectant, along with the chill of the night air.

    "Let me go!" Fu Han struggled desperately. The thought of where He Xing¡¯s scent of disinfectant came from infuriated her.

    "No!" He Xing¡¯s arms were like ropes, tightly imprisoning Fu Han; his cheek rested against the top of her head, "If I let go, are you going to run away the moment I do?"

    Before Fu Han could speak, the voice of an unfamiliar girl rang out, "Excuse me, please let me through."

    Only then did she realize that they had been blocking the door of the women¡¯s restroom, preventing others from entering or leaving.

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. She coughed awkwardly a couple of times and looked up at He Xing, "Aren¡¯t you going to let go now?"

    Contrary to her blushing face, He Xing, as a man, didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit embarrassed. Instead, he chuckled, took hold of Fu Han¡¯s hand, and led her away.

    As Fu Han watched He Xing¡¯s figure half a step ahead of her, her feelings were indescribablyplex. She could have pulled her hand away from He Xing¡¯s grasp while she had the chance. She knew she could do it. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to, at least not at that moment.

    While letting He Xing pull her along, she muttered to herself, "It¡¯s all because He Xing¡¯sugh just now was so charming; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been dazzled!"

    After walking for some time, He Xing finally stopped. They reached a sofa area provided for guests by the hotel. He Xing sped Fu Han¡¯s shoulders and "pressed" her to sit down on the sofa, then crouched in front of her.

    He Xing looked up at Fu Han, his eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky, "Xiaohan, are you angry with me?"

    "Hmph!" Fu Han snorted coldly, turned her head away, and refused to look at He Xing. Yet the expression on her face underwent a drastic change, as if a frozen river had cracked open after an entire winter.

    On the surface, it was just a crack, but beneath the surface, unseen, the ice had already formed countless fine cracks. One solid strike and it could all melt away.

    Unfortunately, from He Xing¡¯s point of view, all he could see was Fu Han¡¯s exquisite chin and her half-exposed cheek devoid of any emotion.

    "Xiaohan, I... I have never neglected you. If you and Xia Ning were both in trouble, I would definitely look after you first. It¡¯s true. At the engagement, I picked you up first," He Xing said, frantic. He tried to grab Fu Han¡¯s hand, but she was prepared and swiftly flicked his hand away.

    Actually, there were many details of that day that weren¡¯t clear to Fu Han, as she had been recalling her memories at that exact time. She had passed out for three days; her past and the subsequent events all merged together in that time.

    Fu Han looked aside; there was a vase on the coffee table in front of them, filled with water and a bunch of pink roses that looked quite lovely.

    But that was all they were - pretty to look at. No matter how lifelike the roses, the fakes would never turn real andcked the vitality of true flowers.

    It¡¯s like the hotel was trying to deceive itself; adding water to the vase to make the fake flowers appear real, yet never changing the water. The murky water in the vase could never nourish beautiful blooms.

    Fu Han suddenly turned to He Xing and said in a low voice, "Maybe you¡¯re not aware, but I have regained my memory."

    As she spoke, Fu Han stared unblinkingly at He Xing, not wanting to miss any expression on his face. He Xing froze for a few seconds, then uncontrobly grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand and eximed excitedly, "Xiaohan, you remembered everything? That¡¯s wonderful, truly fantastic."

    Fu Han had expected He Xing to have mixed feelings; after all, her recollection of their past meant that she knew how fiercely He Xing had once protected Xia Ning. But to her surprise, He Xing was purely ted at the news.

    That left Fu Han feeling all the more confused. She tried to pull her hand back, but He Xing held it even more tightly.

    In that moment, Fu Han could clearly sense He Xing¡¯s feelings for her, but then a breeze brought the faint scent of disinfectant from his body.

    Anger red up in Fu Han, and with strength she didn¡¯t know she had, she shook off He Xing¡¯s hand and said furiously, "But have you ever considered, He Xing, that if I remember everything, it means I also remember how you treated me in the past?"

    He Xing looked down at his empty hands, then at Fu Han¡¯s iling arms and her pursed lips.

    In that moment, He Xing was like a slow-motion scene from a silent film, every detail stretched out long by light and shadow.

    When he looked up at Fu Han again, his face was once again adorned with a smile, "Xiaohan, I know I did a lot of things in the past that upset you, but that was because I always thought you would never leave me. I felt you were the most important person in my life. I felt we didn¡¯t need to be so clear-cut with each other, which is why I always wanted to settle my debts with the Xia Family as quickly as possible."

    The fake roses swayed stiffly under the light breeze,cking any graceful movement.

    Yet Fu Han¡¯s heart swayed along with them. She let out a soft sigh, but said nothing, stubbornly turning her head away, refusing to look at He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯sposure finally shattered. He wanted to lift his hand and grasp Fu Han¡¯s shoulder but ultimately retracted his hand, speaking in a voiceced with sorrow, "Xiaohan, shouldn¡¯t everyone have the chance to be forgiven when they make a mistake? You¡¯ve already punished me by leaving for three years; please don¡¯t be angry with me over the past anymore. If I did something wrong, tell me, and I will change."

    This was a side of He Xing that Fu Han had never seen. She clearly heard the sound of her heart breaking.

    She stared at He Xing, shocked. Was this man with clear features before her the same He Xing who rarely smiled in her memories? She suddenly felt as though she didn¡¯t know He Xing at all.

 Chapter 386: Turns Out Heâ€™s Changed

    <h4>Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Turns Out He¡¯s Changed</h4><h4></h4>

    Who turned He Xing into this? Who made He Xing¡¯s usually straight back bend?

    She knew she was one of the culprits, but she didn¡¯t feel she was the one with the greatest guilt, yet no matter how you put it, she wasn¡¯t innocent, right?

    Xiaohan lowered her head to look at He Xing, and almost blurted out, "Okay!"

    But what could she say besides "okay"? While she was thinking, her phone rang. She had never hated the new message notification feature as much as she did at this moment.

    She had intended to ignore the message, but as her gaze swept over, she saw a change in He Xing¡¯s expression. It was his mostmonly shown look, indifferent, as if he did not belong to this world¡ª that kind of detachment.

    "You should check your message first," his voice was also indifferent, like a cold wind scraping across the surface of a frozenke, bringing an unmistakable chill.

    Suddenly, Xiaohan felt like she was being overly sensitive. She took out her phone and saw another message from Xia Ning; only this time it wasn¡¯t a video. It was a photo of her with He Xing, faces pressed close together, still from today¡¯s shoot.

    A surge of anger rose from her heart. If it weren¡¯t for her upbringing that didn¡¯t allow it, she really wanted to call Xia Ning and scold her harshly, asking her what she was really up to, doing things like this over and over¡ª who was she trying to disgust?

    Out of the corner of her eye, Xiaohan vaguely saw a flicker of worry in He Xing¡¯s eyes. A thought struck her, and from a position of authority, she looked down at He Xing: "Did you hold Xia Ning today?"

    "Yes..." He Xing paused, then hurriedly began to exin: "But it¡¯s because Xia..."

    "I don¡¯t care why." Xiaohan¡¯s anger erupted like a volcanic eruption. The humiliation from the video she saw in the afternoon and the rage from the current photo intertwined, and she felt she had to vent somewhere, otherwise she would really go insane.

    She red at He Xing fiercely: "Are you trying to tell me that Xia Guoxiong is sick, Xia Ning is sad, so you held her tofort her, right?"

    "Right, I justforted her a bit. I didn¡¯t expect anyone to catch it on camera." He Xing hurried to exin, his handsome face showing an undeniable anxiety.

    "Hmph..." Xiaohan snorted disdainfully: "So if I hadn¡¯t seen this video, you wouldn¡¯t have told me about it, right?"

    "I..." He Xing¡¯s tongue suddenly tied itself in knots: "Xiaohan, I thought it wasn¡¯t necessary to tell you, as it would make you angry."

    "Not necessary?" Xiaohanughed out of sheer rage. She nodded her head, "He Xing, you really do care for me. Knowing that I would be unhappy knowing these things, you considerately chose not to tell me. Did you ever think that if you didn¡¯t go around holding other women, I might be a little happier?"

    "Holding other women?" He Xing frowned, and pushed himself off the ground to stand up, suppressing his anger as he said, "Xiaohan, stop being unreasonable. I didn¡¯t hold another woman; I was justforting Xia Ning."

    "Who is being unreasonable?" Xiaohan was incensed as well. They stood face to face, with her forehead only reaching up to his nose, a significant height difference that didn¡¯t quite embolden her but instead intensified her anger: "ording to your logic, you¡¯re right tofort Xia Ning by holding her, and the mistake is mine for knowing about it?"

    "I didn¡¯t say that." He Xing¡¯s first impulse was to contradict her. But what to say next, he suddenly didn¡¯t know. From Xiaohan¡¯s perspective, it seemed she wasn¡¯t wrong.

    Stepping backward, Xiaohan said disappointingly to He Xing; "He Xing, every time I argue with you about Xia Ning, it always seems to end up looking like I¡¯m being irrational. But if one day I¡¯m found holding a male friend forfort, I hope you can remain as calm as now and say it¡¯s alright for me to hold someone else, as long as you don¡¯t know about it."

    "How could Xia Ning and your male friends be the same?" He Xing¡¯s face flushed red, as he hastily exined: "I feel responsible for Du Wanting Auntie¡¯s death, I should fulfill her duties, take care of the Xia Family, take care of the people of the Xia Family."

    Seeing that He Xing still had more to say, Xiaohan¡¯sst bit of patience vanished. With a pale face and disappointment, she said, "He Xing, I don¡¯t want to discuss anything rted to Xia Ning with you anymore. After all, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow. Then it will truly be ¡¯out of sight, out of mind¡¯, no need to suffer like this."

    "Xiaohan, don¡¯t..."

    He Xing stepped forward, raising his arms wanting to embrace Xiaohan but just at this moment, Bai Wei¡¯s crisp voice called out: "Xiaohan, the dessert is ready, your parents are asking for you."

    "Okay, I¡¯ll be right there." Xiaohan skirted around He Xing and without looking back, walked towards Bai Wei.

    He Xing watched Xiaohan¡¯s retreating figure, his face alternating between white and red, eventually bing paler than paper. His eyes, like cold stars, grew firmer. He quickened his pace toward Xiaohan, resolved that even if it meant speaking in front of the elders, he had to clear up the misunderstanding.

    He had just stepped into the private room, his gaze finally meeting Xiaohan¡¯s, but just at that moment, a cell phone rang. It was his.

    He Xing took out his phone, intending to hang up, but when he saw the call was from Xia Cheng, he answered: "What¡¯s up... Okay... I¡¯ll be there right away."

    After hanging up, he looked at Xiaohan, who was resting her cheeks in her hands, staring at him with contempt in her eyes.

    He Xing blushed and said in the direction of Xiaohan: "It was Xia Cheng on the phone. His father¡¯s heart suddenly stopped, and he¡¯s been taken back to the Emergency Room."

    "Then you should hurry over and see," said Xiaohan, clearly surprised. ording to Elder He, the surgery had ended at five in the afternoon, and now, before eight, it was happening again. It seemed the situation was more serious than she had imagined.

    She had no good feelings, even an aversion, toward Xia Ning and the whole Xia Family. But even if she truly despised them, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch others in trouble.

    He Xing left with a "Take care of yourself, I¡¯ll call you if anything happens," without looking back.

    The private room fell quiet for a moment; no one had expected things to take such a turn, and they all felt sympathy for Xiaohan yet didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Eventually, dinner ended hastily, and Elder He, before leaving, stuffed a bank card into Xiaohan¡¯s hand, saying it was an unlimited card, usable worldwide.

    Xiaohan initially refused, but Elder He was too insistent, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject it verbally, ultimately epting the card. She knew it was Elder He¡¯s way of showing his affection for her.

 Chapter 387 Chairmanâ€™s Office

    <h4>Chapter 387: Chapter 387 Chairman¡¯s Office</h4><h4></h4>

    Huangpu Group.

    As dusk fell upon the earth, neon lights, streetmps, and various electronic screens lit up, transforming A City, the city that never sleeps, into a ce even more beautiful than in daylight.

    A white Audi stopped in the square in front of the Huangpu Group headquarters. Su Cheng got out, looking up and trying hard to see if the lights were on in the CEO¡¯s office or the Finance Director¡¯s office at the top floor, but he couldn¡¯t make them out clearly.

    He had originally gone home first, but the servant told him that the master and mistress hadn¡¯t returned yet. He didn¡¯t want to call his parents. After some thought, he decided to check thepany.

    In the end, Su Cheng headed toward the main entrance. Since he was here, he thought he might as well up and take a look.

    During the day, the Huangpu building was bustling with activity, but at night, it was as quiet as could be, with only the indicator lights on. The building seemed as if it was deserted.

    But it wasn¡¯tpletely deserted¡ªat least not now, for inside the Chairman¡¯s office, three people were present. The Huang family couple each sat on a single sofa, while an uninvited guest¡ªYi Lixing¡ªsat on the long sofa.

    The conversation had been going on for almost an hour, and it wasn¡¯t near the end yet. To be precise, they didn¡¯t know when it would end.

    At this moment, the Chairman¡¯s office was unusually quiet. Mr. and Mrs. Huang exchanged nces, both filled with suspicion and uncertainty. With over a decade of tacit understanding, they both felt this method was too risky.

    The couple sat to the left and right of Yi Lixing, cornering him, but Yi Lixing seemed utterly calm, as if nothing was happening at all. Between his two fingers, he held a coffee cup, sipping it bit by bit.

    To the uninformed, it might look like a particrly tasty cup of coffee but in reality, it was the simplest kind, and it had long since gone cold. At this moment, the coffee was both bitter and astringent.

    After exchanging nces, Mrs. Huang was the first to speak, "Mr. Yi, why should we trust you? If you betray us, won¡¯t we end up losing both thedy and the troops?"

    "How could that be possible?" Yi Lixingughed, his features fairly distinguished, and his smile carried a certain schrly charm typical of middle-aged men. However, even while smiling, his eyes shed with a gloomy light that made it difficult for anyone to feel the slightest bit of affection.

    His low voice echoed in the empty office, eerie as a ghost, "Mrs. Huang, we¡¯ve been ssmates for many years, and you know what kind of person I am among our peers. We may not say we are close friends, but with my character, do you really think I would do something as treacherous as crossing the river and demolishing the bridge?"

    Mrs. Huang and Yi Lixing were university ssmates. Back in their college days, they were both exemry students, well-known in the school and holding an equal reputation.

    If they had followed a normal life trajectory, the disparity between them might not have been significant. After graduation, they would work for a decentpany, one specializing in public rtions, the other in finance. Thanks to their hard work in university, yearster, one would be the head of the Public Rtions Department, and the other, the Finance Director.

    At first, Yi Lixing did follow this trajectory. The peak of his life was the moment he officially became the head of the Public Rtions Department at He Group. Had he continued to excel in his position, He Xing would have rewarded him, but there were no ifs in life, and greed overpowering contentment leads to disaster.

    Before he became the director of the Public Rtions Department, Yi Lixing advanced quickly, with promotions and pay raises clearly visible. However, in the two years after attaining the position of director, apart from the biannual raises, he saw no further promotional opportunities.

    That¡¯s when Xia Guoxiong appeared. If Xia Guoxiong was an omnipresent fly, then Yi Lixing was an egg with a crack, neither of them innocent.

    Once Pandora¡¯s box was opened, there was no way to close it again.

    After Yi Lixing sold He Group¡¯s sealed bid specifications to Xia Guoxiong for the first time, taking advantage of his position, it was destined to happen a second time, a third time...

    Even today, Yi Lixing had to admit that He Xing had hinted to him many times, both overtly and covertly, but the Yi Lixing of that time was more enamored with the constantly rising numbers in his bank ount¡ªhow could he have clearly heard He Xing¡¯s warnings?

    As for his ssmate, Mrs. Huang, after graduating from university, she found an opportunity to work for the Huangpu Group. During a chance encounter, she met Mr. Huang, who was then the heir apparent of the Huangpu Group.

    It was said that Mr. Huang fell in love with Mrs. Huang at first sight, and not long after meeting her, they married. A few monthster, Su Cheng was born.

    Before Yi Lixing left He Group, at the asional ss reunion, everyone was in awe of Mrs. Huang, envious and resentful, with only Yi Lixing able to hold his own against her.

    Unfortunately, after Yi Lixing left He Group, his reputation in the industry waspletely destroyed, and nopany was willing to hire someone who would betraypany secrets.

    As for Xia Guoxiong, in order to maintain a superficial peace with He Group, he was unwilling to include Yi Lixing in Xia Group. Instead, he introduced Yi Lixing to Yang Kaitai.

    After experiencing the dark side of society, thest shred of conscience in Yi Lixing¡¯s heart disappeared. Thebination of him and Yang Kaitai could only be described as birds of a feather flock together.

    One must never assume that Yi Lixing and Yang Kaitai held each other in high regard. Throughout their coboration, they were wary of each other. Unfortunately for Kaitai, who had Xia Ning as his weakness¡ªan advantage for a man not concerned about losing anything¡ªLixing ultimately had the upper hand.

    As Yang Kaitai looked at the skylight in his prison cell daily, one wonders if he realized that his downfall wasrgely his own doing; after all, the person who dealt him the fatal blow was none other than himself. If not for his assistance, how could Xia Ning have managed to have Yang Kaitai taken away at his engagement ceremony?

    If Yi Lixing were still with He Group, given the prestige of those four words, Mrs. Huang¡¯s coboration with him would have been unproblematic. But the unfortunate reality was that Yi Lixing¡¯s reputation was too tarnished now, making a partnership with him highly risky.

    Since Yi Lixing walked in, Mr. Huang¡¯s furrowed brows had never rxed, an indication of his profound wariness of Yi Lixing.

    Yi Lixing, of course, noticed their expressions and, after waiting a while without getting an answer, doubled down on sincerity, "I know you¡¯re worried, but my time at He Group wasn¡¯t for nothing. If I weren¡¯t confident, I wouldn¡¯t havee to you."

    With that, he turned his head toward Mrs. Huang, and said something seemingly out of nowhere, "Do you know why I¡¯m still unmarried to this day?"

    A hint of red flushed Mrs. Huang¡¯s cheeks. She nced at Mr. Huang before whispering to Yi Lixing, "Please give us half an hour to discuss."

 Chapter 388: Uninvited Guest at the Door

    <h4>Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Uninvited Guest at the Door</h4><h4></h4>

    "Understood," Yi Lixing smiled and stood up, walking towards the door. "If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll take a half-hour stroll around yourpany. I¡¯lle back in half an hour."

    "No need," Mr. Huangpu quickly interjected. "Just sit here; we¡¯ll go out and talk for a bit, and that¡¯ll be enough."

    Yi Lixing made a ¡¯please¡¯ gesture, then left with a politely restrained smile.

    The couple walked towards the door. With the sound of a door opening, they were about to step out but both froze in ce. Mrs. Huangpu, who was a step behind, had a drastic change inplexion and anxiously began, "Su Cheng, why did youe here?"

    Yi Lixing, who was sitting on the sofa, turned his head towards the door at these words. Through the light casting from the doorway, he could indeed see someone standing outside, quite tall and thin, but due to the angle, the face wasn¡¯t clear.

    A flicker of cold light passed through his eyes, but in the next second, his expression returned to being emotionless, as if nothing had happened.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze moved from his mother¡¯s face to his father¡¯s, his disappointment undisguised. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"

    Mr. Huangpu was the first to collect himself, clearing his throat and responding in a neutral tone, "Nothing, why aren¡¯t you going home to rest sote at night instead ofing here?"

    "Of course, I came here to find you," Su Cheng said with a smile, though his eyes seemed to glimmer with moisture, quickly concealed. Pointing at Yi Lixing, he asked his parents, "What are you doing with him?"

    The Huangpu couple turned around and saw the detached attitude on Yi Lixing¡¯s face, which made them feel somewhat embarrassed.

    This time Mrs. Huangpu was the one to speak first, "Su Cheng, your father and I need to talk to Uncle Yi about something. If you don¡¯t have any other matters, you should go back first."

    "Uncle Yi?" Su Cheng scoffed. Speaking expressionlessly, he said, "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re discussing. I heard everything you said."

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s already pale face turned even paler as she stared at Su Cheng, "What... what do you n to do after hearing that?"

    Lowering his head, Su Cheng let out a mockingugh. When he raised his head again, his face was emotionless. "What do you think I¡¯m going to do? I¡¯ve told you before not to associate with Yang Kaitai, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. Now, I have no choice but to do as I said."

    After finishing his words, he didn¡¯t linger and turned around to leave directly.

    The Huangpu couple stood still, stunned; the first to react was still Mr. Huangpu, who pushed Mrs. Huangpu. "What are you thinking about? Go after him quickly."

    The sound of high heels was especially harsh in the empty hallway, apanied by Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s slightly trembling cry, "Su Cheng, Su Cheng, wait for Mom," which indeed had the feeling of a midnight horror movie.

    Mr. Huangpu turned back with an ugly expression and saw the mockingly smiling face of Yi Lixing.

    He cleared his throat, about to speak, but Yi Lixing patted his knees, slowly standing up, "Mr. Huangpu, it seems you have many things to sort out at home. I need to reconsider our partnership as well."

    Without waiting for Mr. Huangpu to respond, he waved his hand and left without looking back, no longer disying the earnest demeanor he¡¯d shown before.

    In the blink of an eye, Mr. Huangpu was the only one left in therge office. No longer concealing his anger, after kicking over two chairs, he grabbed his car keys and left.

    Mrs. Huangpu caught up with Su Cheng on the roadside, getting into the car just as it was about to start.

    Su Cheng drove at a high speed, staring straight ahead, "Don¡¯t follow me. Following me won¡¯t change my mind."

    The neon lights of the night shone beautifully and dazzlingly, but no matter how beautiful the scenery, once tainted by human involvement, it hardly leaves asting impression.

    The myriad lights cast on Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face¡ªred, blue, green¡ªmade her face seem like it was changing, at times spectral, at times fearful, at times flickering uncertainly.

    She turned to Su Cheng, her beautiful face, as if bestowed with the gift of time, unmarred by any trace, "Su Cheng, what do you want? To report your parents? To truly ¡¯destroy the kin¡¯ for justice¡¯s sake?"

    Suddenly, Su Cheng mmed on the brakes. He looked at Mrs. Huangpu, "Then tell me, are the things you did illegal or not?"

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face didn¡¯t change much; she just looked at Su Cheng with a more determined gaze, "Rest assured, your parents will never do anything to let you down."

    "Of course, I know you won¡¯t do anything to let me down, but what I¡¯m saying is that I don¡¯t want you doing anything illegal or disorderly," Su Cheng¡¯s expression was that of a trapped animal trying to escape the cage that bound him but unable to break free.

    He was in pain, he was desperate, but as he spoke, he still carried a glimmer of hope¡ªthe kind of despair one feels just before death.

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s beautiful eyes stared directly into Su Cheng¡¯s, clearly seeing thatst hint of hope in his eyes. However, she ultimately turned her head away and said, in a low but not quite firm voice, "I understand, don¡¯t worry. We know our limits."

    The glow of the neon lights shone into Su Cheng¡¯s eyes, those usually clear and distinctively ck and white eyes seemed unfathomable now, blurry to the sight.

    This was not the answer Su Cheng hoped for, nor was it the worst response he had expected. It was just Mrs. Huangpu using tactics meant for subordinates on Su Cheng. If Su Cheng wished, he could interpret this open-ended answer to find the response he wanted.

    As for Mrs. Huangpu, should any problems arise in the future, she also left herself a way out because she could interpret these words to find her own desired answer too.

    At a red light, Su Cheng looked deeply at his mother, "Mom, mypanynded a big contract. I¡¯ll be traveling abroad tomorrow."

    For a child born with a silver spoon like Su Cheng, traveling abroad was asmon as going shopping. Mrs. Huangpu didn¡¯t overthink it and even felt relieved that Su Cheng had easily shifted the topic and let him off for the day.

    She nodded absentmindedly and asked, "That¡¯s good to hear. When will you be back? Also, how are your hand and the poison in your body? "

    "So, you still remember that I¡¯m injured," Su Cheng said with self-mockingughter. Meeting Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s guilty eyes, his heart softened and he spoke again, "The doctor said I should get one more day of injections tomorrow, then I can just take medication. You... don¡¯t have to worry."

 Chapter 389 Morning in the Dense Fog

    <h4>Chapter 389: Chapter 389 Morning in the Dense Fog</h4><h4></h4>

    "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good." Mrs. Huangpu repeated the sentence twice, her voice growing lower and lower.

    The carriage fell into an awkward silence, and neither mother nor son spoke for a moment, which made the ce exceptionally quiet¡ªthe kind of absolute, awkward silence.

    The light turned red, and Su Cheng floored the gas pedal, sending the car flying off like an arrow released from a bow.

    At the same time, Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s phone rang. It was Mr. Huangpu calling to ask where they were.

    Mrs. Huangpu hesitated, looking at Su Cheng, but said nothing.

    Su Cheng caught a glimpse of Mrs. Huangpu from the corner of his eye. Without much hesitation, after a brief silence, he pulled the car over to the side of the road: "Mom, get off here and wait for Dad. I don¡¯t want to talk too much with him."

    Speaking of which, the rtionship between Su Cheng and Mr. Huangpu had always been strained. Their personalities were worlds apart¡ªone always striving and never rxing, the other naturally indifferent and quite philosophical.

    Every time they met, the father and son would invariably sh over one topic: Mr. Huangpu would criticize Su Cheng from head to toe, from his hobbies to his business, from his friends to the people he liked.

    Gradually, Su Cheng felt the distance between him and his father growing further apart, even though Mrs. Huangpu repeatedly said how much Su Cheng liked his father. Nheless, Su Cheng and his father could hardly exchange three sentences without arguing.

    Mrs. Huangpu was deeply concerned about the rtionship between father and son, but she was helpless; just as now, she wanted to get Mr. Huangpu and Su Cheng to talk, but there was nothing she could do.

    As she prepared to get out of the car, she asked, "What time is your flight tomorrow? Let me see if I have time to send you off."

    "No need, I can manage on my own." Su Cheng said this, and a sudden resentment rose in his heart. His memory reverted to the year he turned eleven, when he had to go abroad to study on his own. Though he didn¡¯t say it, he had hoped his parents would see him off. Unfortunately, they both imed to be too busy with work, and in the end, it was Nan Qing¡¯s parents who had dropped him off at the airport while seeing her off.

    Just before Mrs. Huangpu closed the car door, Su Cheng added coldly, "Anyway, you¡¯re both very busy every day. You don¡¯t have time to see me off."

    The white Audi slowly drove away. Through the rearview mirror, one could still see Mrs. Huangpu standing in ce.

    The night wind tangled her meticulously arranged hair, making Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s already indistinct face even more blurred, obscuring it from view.

    Su Cheng suddenly regretted hisst remark; as parents, Mrs. Huangpu was significantly more qualified than Mr. Huangpu. At least when he was in the country, she never missed any of his school meetings, and she even flew abroad specifically to attend his Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

    The night wind gusted in through the sunroof, causing Su Cheng¡¯s eyes to sting. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was caused by the wind or the surge of bitterness welling up in his heart.

    At an intersection, Su Cheng suddenly felt lost. A City wasrge, but he couldn¡¯t find a ce to settle down. After pondering for a moment, he eventually headed towards the hospital.

    As for Mrs. Huangpu left behind, she hadn¡¯t yet emerged from her sorrow when Mr. Huangpu arrived, furious. After inquiring about what Su Cheng had said, his rage intensified, and he looked ready to give Su Cheng a stern lesson.

    Mrs. Huangpu, seeing she couldn¡¯t stop him, quickly changed the subject: "How did it go with Yi Lixing after we left?"

    How do you divert a workaholic¡¯s attention? By talking to him about his favorite subject¡ªwork. And that¡¯s what Mrs. Huangpu did at that moment.

    True to form, Mr. Huangpu immediately continued, "Right after you left, Yi Lixing left as well. He said he needed to reconsider whether to coborate with us or not. It seems he¡¯s worried about Su Cheng bing a backstabber."

    Hearing the name "Su Cheng," Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s mind drifted momentarily, but she quickly regained herposure: "Let him reconsider. We haven¡¯t decided on the coboration yet. Su Cheng... our son said Yi Lixing isn¡¯t very trustworthy."

    "A businessman is always shrewd. There¡¯s no business without cunning," Mr. Huangpu held an entirely opposite view, particrly after hearing Su Cheng¡¯s disapproval of the partnership. His anger red up even more: "I had my doubts about Yi Lixing¡¯s reliability, but the fact that he turned and left immediately shows that we¡¯re not the only ones who want to work with him. If we miss this opportunity, we won¡¯t find another one like it."

    Minutester, Yi Lixing was drinking in a lively bar with a voluptuous woman in his arms. They were ying a game that involved nibbling on each other¡¯s ears when Yi Lixing¡¯s phone pinged with a text message.

    Yi Lixing nced at it, and a smile began creeping across his mercurial face, spreading gradually until it blossomed.

    The woman in his arms looked up curiously: "Mr. Yi, who texted you? Why are you smiling so happily? You¡¯re not nning on leaving, are you? Didn¡¯t you say you were going to spend the night with me?"

    "I¡¯m not going anywhere." Yi Lixing pinched the woman¡¯s waist hard andughed lewdly.

    ...

    When the rm sounded, Fu Han had already opened her eyes. To be precise, it was still dim outside when she woke up. She was leaving A City today, and it was difficult for her to remain calm.

    She had woken up many timesst night, and though she tried her best to stay tranquil, in her heart she knew she was waiting for a message from He Xing.

    She couldn¡¯t remember how many times she had awakened when finally a message from He Xing arrived: "Xiaohan, Uncle Xia¡¯s surgery is over, but he¡¯s not out of danger yet. He¡¯s now in ICU. Are you asleep?"

    Fu Han had seen the message just a few minutes after it was sent, and she couldn¡¯t describe how she felt or how to respond, so she remained silent.

    Knowing she would wake up in the morning, He Xing didn¡¯t send her any more messages.

    Fu Han¡¯s emotions were incrediblyplex. It was a lie to say she wasn¡¯t sad, but there was also a faint sense of relief in her heart, feeling that ending things this way wasn¡¯t so bad. He didn¡¯t give her any hope, which somehow made it easier for her to move on, just like four years ago.

    By the time Fu Han was ready, having packed all her things, someone knocked on her door¡ªit was Bai Qianing to wake her up.

    Fu Han dragged out her words, pretending to be still half-asleep, not wanting Bai Qian to notice anything amiss. Thinking it was about time, she carried her suitcase to find Fu Xingbo and the others.

    The luxury minivan moved through the early morning fog of A City. The fog was thick, reducing visibility, and the vehicle had to keep a moderate speed to avoid danger.

    Fu Xingbo sat in the passenger seat, with Bai Qian and Bai Wei in the second row. Fu Han sat alone in the back row, looking out at the foggy world outside. She reached out her fair hand, wiped the window, and cleared her view somewhat. Some cool moisture remained on her palm.

 Chapter 390: No One to Send Off

    <h4>Chapter 390: Chapter 390: No One to Send Off</h4><h4></h4>

    She silently said goodbye to City A in her heart, hoping that the next time she saw it, everything would be as before.

    The airport was deste in the early morning, with only a scattering of people seated in the waiting area. Each person, whether on their phone, reading a book, or engrossed in their own affairs, seemed detached, adding to the emptiness of the space and allowing a vast loneliness to creep in.

    Fu Han followed behind Fu Xingbo and the others as they entered. She nced around the waiting area, her eyes reflecting an even more evident solitude.

    After waiting for nearly half an hour, Bai Wei put away her phone, settled beside Fu Han and asked in a low voice, "Why hasn¡¯t He Xinge yet? Does he not know when the ne takes off?"

    Bai Wei had spoken so dismissively of He Xing the day before, but today, she was speaking with such caution that it made Fu Han¡¯s feelings even moreplex.

    She would have preferred Bai Wei to speak as she had before. At least then, Bai Wei was simply indignant on her behalf, but now, Bai Wei was more sympathetic, even pitying.

    And Fu Han, she didn¡¯t want this pity.

    Fu Han turned her head slightly, revealing a faint smile: "There are only two flights a day from the international airport of City A to M Country, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. What do you think, does he know?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes flickered several times before she finally patted Fu Han on the shoulder and said softly, "You... Fu Han, don¡¯t overthink it. Maybe there¡¯s some situation with Xia Ning¡¯s dad, and that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯te to see you off."

    No sooner had she finished speaking than the announcement came through the speakers: "Dear passengers, the flight to M Country is about to depart. Please prepare for boarding."

    Bai Wei stood up first. She hugged Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo, then took Fu Han¡¯s suitcase, and the group of four headed toward the boarding gate.

    Both Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian looked at Fu Han with aplexity in their eyes, but neither said anything.

    Although Fu Han kept telling herself not to appear weak, after passing through security, she couldn¡¯t help but look back.

    The waiting area, already sparsely popted, became even emptier after their flight began boarding, almost countable on one hand.

    A bitter smile yed across Fu Han¡¯s face. So, her departure was to be in such bleak solitude, without a single person to see her off.

    Feeling a sting in her eyes, Fu Han didn¡¯t dare to look any longer and strode ahead. This time, she truly left without looking back.

    Bai Wei, watching her resolute figure retreat, felt a bitter sweetness in her heart and managed to tell Bai Qian, "Mom, dad, you must take good care of Fu Han. Give her more guidance."

    Fu Han heard her words but didn¡¯t turn around.

    It wasn¡¯t until the three of them were out of sight that Bai Wei turned and headed for the exit. She hadn¡¯t taken two steps before she heard someone shouting, "Excuse me, please make way."

    The voice was familiar. Bai Wei looked in the direction it came from and indeed saw He Xing.

    Her gaze turned cold, but she turned her head and pretended not to see He Xing, choosing a longer route to the door instead.

    Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t gone far before she was blocked by someone. He Xing, out of breath, asked, "Where¡¯s Fu Han? Bai Wei, where is she?"

    Bai Wei couldn¡¯t contain her anger any longer and looked coldly at He Xing. "Now you remember Fu Han? She¡¯s already on the ne."

    "On the ne?" He Xing¡¯s face turned pale in an instant, even his lips losing all color.

    Bai Wei felt a pang of pity when she saw this, but when she thought of Fu Han¡¯s eyes, filled with unhidden disappointment, her anger won out. "Yes, on the ne. The ne has already left. If you want to see her, you¡¯ll have to fly to M Country yourself."

    After saying this, Bai Wei didn¡¯t nce at He Xing again and walked past him, not looking back.

    He Xing swept the waiting area with his eyes three times. He heard the boarding announcement and knew, just as Bai Wei had said, that Fu Han had indeed left.

    Thest glimmer of hope in his eyes extinguished, he turned a ghastly pale and started walking towards the door, each step leaving a trail of blood behind.

    Right where he had been standing, there was a small pool of blood, strikingly visible against the white tiled floor, a red so vivid it was shocking.

    With each step he took towards the door, drops of blood marked his path.

    Just as he reached the door, he couldn¡¯t stand any longer and fell forward involuntarily.

    At that moment, a group of flight attendants approached, and someone yelled, "Someone¡¯s fainted up ahead!" The crowd surged forward, and shouts rang out, "There¡¯s so much blood, call an ambnce!"

    As Bai Wei drove past the airport entrance, she saw themotion and thought it was probably another passenger upset over a flight dy, amon sight at airports. She couldn¡¯t bear to look at it any longer, and with a press of the elerator, she sped away.

    ...

    Time rewound to an hour earlier. He Xing¡¯s rm clock went off. He had only been asleep for three hours, but the sound of the rm made him instinctively leap up and start getting dressed to leave.

    Xia Ning was also awakened by the rm. She opened her eyes on the bench across from He Xing and asked groggily, "He Xing, where are you going so early?"

    As they spoke, the dim lighting overhead brightened, the sound-activated incandescent bulbs harsh on the eyes and making it even harder to keep them open.

    This was a hospital, where Xia Guoxiong had been taken for emergency treatment after passing out in Xia Cheng¡¯s ward from anger the day before. He had only just made it through surgery in the afternoon, and less than four hours outside the operating room, he faced another crisis and was sent directly to the ICU.

    At two in the morning, the doctor came out and told them he was temporarily out of danger, but when he could be moved out of the ICU was still uncertain.

    Worried about her father facing moreplications, Xia Ning decided to wait outside the ICU. Since Xia Cheng, with his head injury, was still hospitalized, He Xing was the only one who could stay by her side.

    Before going to sleep, He Xing had set an rm to go to the airport to see Fu Han off. He had given himself plenty of time. Under normal circumstances, he could have waited for Fu Han right outside the waiting area, with ample time to speak his heart to her.

    Upon hearing Xia Ning¡¯s question, He Xing said while fixing his clothes, "Fu Han is flying to M Country today. I¡¯m going to see her off."

    After a moment¡¯s thought, he added, "If anything happens with Uncle Xia, just give me a call. I... I¡¯ll try toe back as early as possible."

    Xia Ning had more to say, but thinking of Fu Han soon leaving City A, she couldn¡¯t hide her happiness. She nodded obediently, "Okay, He Xing, I got it. Be careful driving."

 Chapter 391: Dense Fog Car Accident

    <h4>Chapter 391: Chapter 391: Dense Fog Car ident</h4><h4></h4>

    The city of A at five in the morning is the quietest time of the day in this never-sleeping city, but even a city that never sleeps has its resting hours, and from three to five in the morning is the only time when this city, which has been noisy all day, is quiet.

    The electronic screens on the skyscrapers have already gone dark, and the colorful lights are no more¡ªthe only light in the cityes from the streemps on either side of the road.

    But under the cover of thick fog, the light from the streemps bes particrly faint; from a distance, they look like the eyes of monsters hidden behind the fog, indifferent, bloodthirsty...

    He Xing turned on the high beams, but could only barely make out the area three meters ahead.

    The hands of the clock tic-tocked forward, and He Xing knew he had to slow down, but as soon as he did, he felt his eyelids start to fight each other.

    To avoid falling asleep, he turned on the radio, but the soft, soothing Jiangnan ent of the radio host not only failed to help him sleep, it made his drowsiness even more pronounced.

    He chugged a bottle of mineral water, but since it was room temperature, it didn¡¯t help keep him awake at all; he used to smoke a cigarette when he got drowsy while driving, but Fu Han didn¡¯t like it when he smoked and he had quit long ago. He rummaged around in the car with one hand, and couldn¡¯t even find a lighter, let alone a cigarette.

    As he drove farther from the city center, the area became more deste, and there was no sign of the sky lightening up. Instead, as he got further from the city, the distance between streemps grew even greater, the sky even darker, and the visibility dropped to less than two meters.

    He Xing nced at the time and realized he was already past the time he was supposed to arrive at the airport. He began to worry that if this kept up, he might not make it to the airport before Fu Han.

    Thinking this, he pressed harder on the gas pedal, and the car shot out like an arrow off its string, the fog parting before the vehicle and closing back behind it.

    When he elerated, there was a bit of a gamble to it, thinking it was still early, with not many cars on the road, and that as long as he followed the navigation, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues.

    Nobody knew when the ident happened; as one of the individuals involved, He Xing¡¯s most vivid sensation was the car suddenly jolting, the pain erupting in countless spots throughout his body.

    And at that moment, his first thought was that he had finally woken from his drowsiness, no longer needing to worry about driving while fatigued.

    He tried hard to restart the car, but the vehicle seemed to have slipped into a deepa, unresponsive to his efforts, refusing to stir no matter how hard he tried.

    Until a second before a traffic officer opened the car door and pulled him out, his foot was still pressing on the steering wheel.

    The preliminary assessment was that the person driving in the opposite direction was drunk, and their vehicle had strayed from itsne and collided with He Xing¡¯s car; the other party was at full fault.

    Ambnces had already arrived at the scene, and were insisting on taking He Xing to the hospital immediately, but he refused, saying he had to get to the airport to see someone very important, that he had to go.

    One traffic officer was moved and offered to drive He Xing, with two doctors following in the car, who took a medical kit and roughly treated He Xing¡¯s wounds.

    He Xing, who could barely stand, somehow found the strength to shrug off the doctors when they helped him out of the car; ignoring the shouts of the doctors and traffic officers behind him, he desperately ran towards the terminal.

    There were very few people in the terminal. He had scanned the area upon entering and saw no one he recognized, apart from Bai Wei.

    Although he had a vague idea of the oue, he still couldn¡¯t help but want confirmation, until finally Bai Wei gave him the answer he least wanted to hear.

    Despite the intense pain in his body, he felt that physical suffering couldn¡¯tpare to even a fraction of the pain in his soul.

    Upon finding out he still hadn¡¯t managed to see Fu Han despite giving everything he had, his heart turned to ash, and he even felt it would have been better to just pass out, possibly sparing him the anguish he felt now.

    He Xing staggered out of the airport like a walking corpse, each step apanied by the dripping of his blood. He could even clearly hear the sound of his blood tic-tocking on the floor, as cold and indifferent as the moving hands of a clock.

    The moment he stepped out of the terminal, the cold morning breeze blew and the thick fog cleared slightly, but his head felt unbearably heavy, and he copsed to the ground in darkness.

    ...

    High above at an altitude of twenty-five thousand miles, Fu Han looked out the airne window.

    High above the clouds, where the fog couldn¡¯t reach, the sky was exceptionally bright. The clouds looked like pristine cotton candy, and there was a glimmer in the distance¡ªlikely the rising sun.

    Fu Han thought to herself that from different heights, you see different sceneries.

    She remembered on her way to the airport, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had mentioned several times how lucky they were to have left early. Otherwise, with such thick fog, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to speed up and might not have caught the ne on time.

    Less than five kilometers from the airport, their car had briefly stopped due to an ident beside them, where a drunk driver had collided head-on with a speeding car.

    At that time, Fu Han had thought to herself that He Xing had one very good habit¡ªhe never drank when he drove and never drove when he drank, so she never had to worry about him drunk driving.

    Thinking this, Fu Han pulled out her phone and checked it. There was no signal on the ne, and her phone had already lost inte connection, so naturally, there were no messages.

    She put her phone back into her purse and covered her face with a nket. The only way to prevent her mind from wandering was to sleep, to not think too much.

    But she hadn¡¯t even managed to settle in for sleep when suddenly someone pulled the nket away.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, and Fu Han guessed that the person must have mistaken her for someone else. Normally, she would just pull the nket back over her head and continue to sleep, but today, with her mood already sour, she had no patience for such indifference.

    She looked up angrily, only to see a familiar face that she would never have expected to see there. Her mouth formed an "O" of surprise, "Ji Liangchuan, what are you doing here?"

    Ji Liangchuan casually took a seat beside her and said with a lightugh, "Didn¡¯t I tell you before that I was going to M Country? It turned out when I asked my assistant to buy me a ticket, he said that all the tickets for the next few days were sold out, only today had any left?"

    Fu Han frowned at Ji Liangchuan, unceremoniously exposing the lie, "But my uncle said that tickets to M Country have been easy to get recently, and they¡¯re even discounted."

    "Ah, they are... easy to get," Ji Liangchuan¡¯s fairplexion turned a shade of red, and he rubbed his hair with an embarrassed smile, "What I mean... I mean the first-ss tickets are hard to get, I... I¡¯m not used to flying economy ss."

 Chapter 392: Even Elders Love Gossip

    <h4>Chapter 392: Chapter 392: Even Elders Love Gossip</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han revealed a knowing smile that said she understood more than she let on; she looked at Ji Liangchuan meaningfully and nced at the seat beside her, "So, you changed seats to sit next to me?"

    "Yeah." Ji Liangchuan¡¯s shamelessness was on full disy; he grinned at Fu Han, his exaggerated peach blossom eyes shining particrly brightly, "After all, over twenty hours¡ªeven though we¡¯re not that familiar¡ªit¡¯s still better than aplete stranger, right? If you want to talk, I can keep youpany."

    Fu Han scoffed, pulling up the nket to cover her cheekspletely, leaving only a crisp and pleasant voice to filter out from beneath, "Do as you please, I¡¯m going to sleep¡ªdon¡¯t disturb me."

    Outside the nket, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hand, which had been in mid-air, paused at her words; he smiled, quietly lowered his hand, and said quite cheerfully, "Got it, but if you want to chat, feel free to wake me. I¡¯m on call 24/7."

    He felt a flush rising to his face as he spoke; he cleared his throat and added, "Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªit¡¯s just so boring on the ne."

    Under the nket, Fu Han didn¡¯t change her expression and simply closed her eyes without a word.

    If all this was just a coincidence, it was too far-fetched, more exaggerated than a melodramatic soap opera; but if it wasn¡¯t a coincidence, the conclusion drawn was not what she hoped for, so she thought that responding to changes with constancy was better.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, seated in the row behind them, hadn¡¯t stopped whispering to each other, their gazes asionally falling onto Fu Han and Ji Liangchuan with significant expressions.

    The nket gave the impression that Fu Han was sleeping, but whether she was actually asleep was left to individual interpretation.

    With her eyes closed, Fu Han¡¯s hearing became more sensitive; although Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian¡¯s voices were quite low, she could still catch most of their conversation.

    She heard Bai Qian¡¯s voice, deliberately lowered yet tinged with amusement, "Honey, Xiaohan is more charming than Xiaowei. I think she has more boys chasing after her than Xiaowei does."

    Then came Fu Xingbo¡¯s muted voice, "I feel the same way, and I think the guys who are after Xiaohan aren¡¯t half bad."

    The couple then continued their discussion about He Xing, Su Cheng, Luo Qinghe, and Ji Liangchuan.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t expected even the serious-looking adults could be so gossipy, and that when they do gossip, they do it with even more enthusiasm than others¡ªas the saying goes, silence is golden until you strike a chord.

    Their chatter resulted in Fu Han, who had initially nned to pretend to sleep for a little while, ending up not lifting the nket off her head and falling asleep out of sheer boredom.

    ...

    After sending off her parents and Fu Han, Bai Wei drove straight to Luo Qinghe¡¯s apartment. She parked the car with familiar ease and then crossed the street to buy Luo Qinghe¡¯s favorite Crab Dumplings.

    At Luo Qinghe¡¯s doorstep, Bai Wei knocked three times. After waiting about ten seconds without hearing footsteps inside, she pursed her lips, lifted the doormat, deftly retrieved the key from beneath, and opened the door.

    Even though she was prepared, the smell that greeted her upon entering still took Bai Wei by surprise; she wrinkled her nose, surveying the room with discontent.

    Half-eaten instant noodle containers on the coffee table; ashtray filled with cigarette butts; garbage can full of barbecue skewers; and her gaze lingered on a corner¡ªwhere she spied something resembling a cockroach skittering about.

    This apartment was the messiest Bai Wei had ever seen¡ªno exceptions.

    Shoes were strewn haphazardly near the shoe rack, which itself was empty. She couldn¡¯t understand the point of a rack if it wasn¡¯t used for shoes.

    Inside the wardrobe were clothes, wrinkled and jumbled like pickles; plenty of hangers were above, but not a single one held clothes.

    It was hard to imagine how Luo Qinghe managed to look so dapper when he stepped out each day¡ªperhaps credit was due to his frequently used steamer.

    Bai Wei had never seen another man¡¯s room; she didn¡¯t know if they were all like this. She always became irate visiting Luo Qinghe¡¯s ce¡ªit was akin to a dump.

    Yet every time shemented on the mess, Luo Qinghe would start to tidy up, promising it wouldn¡¯t happen again.

    Had things improved? Somewhat¡ªhis room would be a lot better if she told him in advance of her visit. If she told him a few days ahead, his room might even be as neat as the day he moved in.

    Suppressing disgust, Bai Wei cleared a "clean" area on the coffee table for the breakfast, then turned and headed towards Luo Qinghe¡¯s bedroom.

    Fortunately, the state of his bedroom was a bit better than she expected: it wasn¡¯t aplete disaster, though a thick scent lingered¡ªa mix of masculine aroma and unidentifiable cologne.

    Standing by the bed, Bai Wei beheld Luo Qinghe. Dawn was breaking, and his curtains didn¡¯tpletely shield against the light, allowing her to clearly see his face.

    Thick, curled eyshes rested upon his eyelids, casting a long shadow beneath, entuating his arched brows and lofty nose bridge.

    Bai Wei found his chin the most alluring, encircled by faint stubble that added not a hint of slovenliness but rather a preternaturally youthful, world-weary allure.

    After staring at his face for over ten seconds, she decided it was the most handsome she¡¯d ever seen, dwarfing any displeasure caused by the disarray of Luo Qinghe¡¯s room.

    What was a bit of mess? They wouldn¡¯t be cleaning themselves after marrying anyway; she¡¯d just get the house cleaner toe more often. It was no big deal.

    Bai Wei settled by the bed, gently caressed his cheek, relishing the feel; smooth where shaven, prickly where stubbled¡ªa contrastingly tactile experience that thrilled her.

    Speaking softly, almost like coddling a child, she said, "It¡¯s gettingte, time to wake up."

    Luo Qinghe rubbed his cheek in her palm, his voice nasal, "Let me sleep a bit more; I stayed upte working on the drawingsst night."

    This was another reason Bai Wei adored Luo Qinghe. When he signed on for the movie "Yearning for Homing," he made it clear he wouldn¡¯t enter the entertainment circle, and he had kept to his word.

 Chapter 393: The Distance of Vicissitudes of Life

    <h4>Chapter 393: Chapter 393: The Distance of Vicissitudes of Life</h4><h4></h4>

    Ever since the movie, Luo Qinghe gained countless new fans, but afterwards he still defined himself as a Photographer, and his studio continued to focus on his original profession.

    Although he seemed like a carefree young master, he was extremely serious when it came to work, which is why his career was doing well. Even without Luo Qiluo¡¯s monthly support, he could livefortably.

    It could be said that Bai Wei¡¯s fondness for Luo Qinghe started with his good looks, stayed for his character, and deepened due to his talent.

    Bai Wei pinched Luo Qinghe¡¯s cheek gently and whispered, "But I bought you soup dumplings, and they¡¯ll be cold soon. Are you really not going to eat them?"

    Luo Qinghe shut his eyes in agony, and when he opened them again, he propped himself up on the bed with his elbow, sat up, and pulled Bai Wei into his embrace, murmuring, "Give me one more minute, then I¡¯ll get up."

    The early morning light streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a golden edge over Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, warming one¡¯s heart directly.

    Bai Wei never thought she had anything to do with maternal love, but whenever Luo Qinghe leaned quietly on her shoulder, she felt her heart be indescribably soft.

    She patted Luo Qinghe¡¯s back like she would soothe a child, herughter especially sweet, "Alright, your minute is up. Time to get up and brush your teeth, wash your face, and eat."

    Luo Qinghe kissed her cheek and indeed obediently got up.

    There was also something about him that Bai Wei was very satisfied with: he would never kiss her without brushing his teeth first. Well, that was quite different from the mess that his house usually was, but it was precisely this contrast that made Bai Wei unable to resist him.

    While Luo Qinghe went to brush his teeth, Bai Wei fully opened the curtains. She opened the window and a cool breeze blew in, messing up her hair.

    But the morning breeze also cleared the unpleasant smell that Bai Wei didn¡¯t like from the room.

    She was about to tidy up the bed for Luo Qinghe when suddenly her phone rang. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t rise until the sun was high in the sky, so it wasn¡¯t typical for anyone to call her this early.

    Bai Wei took out her phone to see that it was a call from Liang Tao. Even though she had a bone to pick with He Xing, she still picked up the call.

    Two minutester, she was striding out the door, her face pale as death.

    Luo Qinghe, hearing themotion, stuck half his head out from the restroom, toothpaste foam still on his lips, asking anxiously, "Xiaowei, where are you going? Weren¡¯t we going to eat together?"

    "He Xing had an ident. I need to go to the hospital right now," Bai Wei said, irritation shing across her face. She couldn¡¯t help butin, "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with He Xing, he¡¯s unreliable at crucial times, always involved in too many things."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression changed, and after holding back, he couldn¡¯t help saying, "Xiaowei, I think you¡¯re being a bit too harsh on He Xing. No matter what, he is your cousin. If he¡¯s going to the hospital, it must be serious."

    By that time, Bai Wei had reached the door, bending down to change her shoes. At his words, she replied discontentedly, "You weren¡¯t there to see how upset Fu Han was when she left today. Honestly, even an outsider like me felt like crying, let alone Fu Han. But what about He Xing? He only arrived after the ne had already taken off. If he wanted to send someone off, couldn¡¯t he have left earlier?"

    Luo Qinghe hesitated for a moment but ultimately spoke up again, "But I think there must be a reason He Xing didn¡¯t make it. Before you have the full picture, I think it¡¯s better not to make such hasty judgments."

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned stormy, and she red at Luo Qinghe fiercely, "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you men are thinking. You always try to make excuses for your mistakes, never considering the hurt your actions might cause others!"

    As her words spilled out, the wind outside seemed to grow fiercer. The wind, strong at the tail end of autumn and beginning of winter, had not felt noticeable before, but now it seemed particrly intense, chilling to the bone.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, one standing at the door, the other inside the room, were only a few meters apart. Yet there seemed to be an insurmountable gulf between them, as vast as the sea.

    It¡¯s not clear how much time passed, but Luo Qinghe was the first to look away, "Bai Wei, can I then say that women are best at overgeneralizing, damning everyone with a single usation?"

    If there was any emotion in Bai Wei¡¯s eyes before he spoke, there was none left after. Her face bore no trace of weakness.

    She nodded repeatedly, "Good, very good, I know what you mean."

    After saying that, she didn¡¯t linger any longer, opened the door, and left without looking back.

    Luo Qinghe stared at the tightly shut door, his gaze shifting multiple times before he went back to the restroom. The sound of running water soon followed. A few minutester, the room door opened, and Luo Qinghe, with his hair still dripping, didn¡¯t bother to dry it. Instead, he hastily opened the door and left.

    The soup dumplings on the coffee table, which Bai Wei had waited for half an hour to buy, were still steaming. But in the cold wind, the steam dwindled, and over time the soup dumplings became rigid, as cold as the ss coffee table.

    ...

    First Hospital in City A.

    Since He Xing had left, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t fall back asleep. She wrapped herself in a thin nket, sitting on the bench, staring at the wall clock not far away, as the second hand ticked away the time.

    As time ticked on, she silently counted down in her heart. He Xing said he¡¯d be back in two hours, and she watched two hours pass by, her sense of unease growing ever more intense.

    An hour prior, a Doctor hade out of the ICU with good news, Xia Guoxiong had gotten through the most critical period. He needed to stay in the ICU for another twenty-four hours; if his condition didn¡¯t worsen, he could be moved to the general ward.

    Xia Ning had wanted to tell He Xing the good news immediately but was afraid that calling would annoy him, so she refrained.

    After all, she had just confirmed that Fu Han had boarded her flight, and the ne had already taken off; He Xing didn¡¯t manage to get ast-minute ticket.

    Thus, Fu Han had now left City A, while He Xing was still here.

    She understood He Xing must be feeling terrible, but since the person was gone, she could be magnanimous. She was confident that with time, she could definitely pull He Xing back to her side.

    Three hours had passed, and the defenses Xia Ning had built up in her heartpletely crumbled. She could no longer bear it and pulled out her phone to dial He Xing¡¯s number, "He Xing, where are you?"

 Chapter 394: Heart-Wrenching Pain

    <h4>Chapter 394: Chapter 394: Heart-Wrenching Pain</h4><h4></h4>

    A few secondster, a voice came through from the other end of the phone, a voice that was neither familiar nor unfamiliar to Xia Ning, it was Liang Tao¡¯s voice.

    Xia Ning¡¯s meticulously sculpted eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to suppress her impatience and asked, "Where¡¯s He Xing, brother? Where is he, please let him take the call."

    Liang Tao¡¯s characteristically husky voice came through, "Miss Xia, I¡¯m afraid He Xing can¡¯t take your call right now, he¡¯s in the Emergency Room."

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t hear a word Liang Tao said after that, all she could think about was that He Xing was in the Emergency Room.

    Previously, Xia Ning had only heard the phrase "the sky is falling," but she never knew what it felt like. Now, she understood¡ªit was as if nothing was weighing you down, yet your legs felt weak, making even standing up difficult.

    Xia Ning hastily called Xia Cheng, asking him to stay with their father, while she herself rushed to the hospital where He Xing was.

    ...

    On the airne.

    Fu Han was deep in sleep when she suddenly felt a heart-piercing pain that she couldn¡¯t ignore, an unbearable pain that made breathing difficult.

    She pressed hard against her chest, but still felt as though a knife was twisting inside, a feeling of a blunt knife cutting through flesh.

    The immense pain made Fu Han curl up involuntarily, despite her desperate attempts to control herself, she still let out a low cry of pain, like that of a trapped beast.

    "Fu Han, what¡¯s wrong with you?" Ji Liangchuan noticed something was off with Fu Han, he pulled away the nket over her head and saw Fu Han¡¯s asymmetric yet stunning face contorted in pain, with sweat the size of soybeans on her forehead, and her face paler than paper.

    Hearing themotion, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian from the back seat got up to check, Fu Xingbo¡¯s face changed immediately, and without a word, he pressed the call button.

    While waiting for the flight attendant to arrive, Fu Han¡¯s piercing pain grew even stronger. She struggled to breathe, and her face turned from pale to a purplish hue, as if an invisible hand covered her mouth, rendering her breathless.

    Bai Qian and Ji Liangchuan stayed by Fu Han¡¯s side, constantly talking to her, but Fu Han seemed not to hear their words and didn¡¯t even open her eyes.

    Crew members arrived with a medical kit, and with the help of several people, they listened to Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat, checked her eyelids, and eventually forced her to inhale a few breaths of oxygen.

    Minutester, Fu Han¡¯splexion finally improved, and her eyes eventually opened.

    The moment she opened her eyes, she looked around vaguely before fixating on Fu Xingbo as if grasping a lifeline, "Uncle, I...I just had a terrible dream. I dreamed that He Xing was covered in blood, lying in front of me. Can you check on him and see how he¡¯s doing, please?"

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s eyes were filled with tenderness, he rubbed Fu Han¡¯s hair,forting her like a child, "Xiaohan, be good, I will inquire about him as soon as we get off the ne, okay?"

    "No, I must know now." Fu Han, abandoning her usual good-girl image, began to insist. She stubbornly looked at Fu Xingbo, "Uncle, I saw the reason He Xing didn¡¯te to see me off in my dream. He had a car ident, he got hurt and couldn¡¯te. Really, please check for me, I have to know what happened to him."

    No matter how capable you are, you can¡¯t ess outside information on a ne¡ªit is a giant information cocoon, enclosing you in a chrysalis for a time.

    Fu Xingbo loved his only niece as much as his own daughter, and perhaps due to guilt, he was even more indulgent with her. Yet at this moment, he truly felt powerless; however, it was impossible for him to deny Fu Han¡¯s plea, especially since she had never begged like this before.

    Feeling Fu Xingbo¡¯s helpless gaze, Bai Qian patted Fu Han¡¯s arm and said with a determined look, "Fu Han, you must have had a nightmare. You probably dreamed of He Xing¡¯s childhood car ident scene¡ªthe one where Xia Ning¡¯s mother saved him."

    Fu Han, like a drowning person clutching at thest straw, widened her eyes at Bai Qian, "Aunt, are you serious?"

    For a moment, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Bai Qian, each with a different expression¡ªsome worried, some deep in thought, and some with deep pity in their eyes.

    There was a split second where Bai Qian averted her gaze, but the next second when she returned her gaze, all the emotions were hidden, leaving only firmness, "Yes, Xiaohan, He Xing was in such a car ident once. I don¡¯t think his luck would be so bad as to have another serious ident like that."

    Fu Han nodded vigorously, "Right, right, you are right, aunt. I also think that He Xing wouldn¡¯t be so unlucky. Right, uncle?"

    In that moment, Fu Xingbo, who had left school decades ago, suddenly felt as if he was being called upon by a teacher during ss. He nodded hurriedly, "Yes, I¡¯ve met so many people, and I think that the young man He Xing looks quite good, he seems to have good fortune."

    After long silence, Ji Liangchuan couldn¡¯t help but speak up, "Fu Han, I sent a message to He Xing before boarding the ne. He¡¯s fine, really, you can rest assured."

    Fu Han¡¯s grip on Fu Xingbo¡¯s sleeve loosened abruptly. She let out a sigh of relief, but the next second her bright eyes were filled with sorrow, "It seems he really did it on purpose, noting to see me off."

    What she didn¡¯t say was that she had thought, even if she had an unpleasant conversation with He Xingst night, he should still havee to send her off today as she was going abroad.

    Now, it seemed either He Xing was particrly upset aboutst night¡¯s argument, or she had overestimated her importance in his heart.

    Ji Liangchuan, who was sitting beside her, took in her expression. He hesitated for a moment, ultimately choosing not to speak, his deep eyes filled with an indescribableplexity of emotions.

    When themotion ended, it was already night outside the window.

    At an altitude of 25,000 feet, Fu Han wanted to see the stars, but could see nothing. Instead, the dark clouds seemed especially close, as if ready to rush over and obliterate everything.

    By now, Fu Han¡¯s chest no longer hurt, but the previous sensation of painful breathlessness had vanished, and even the doctor on the ne couldn¡¯t exin why her chest ached, suggesting it might have been due to airsickness¡ªeven though Fu Han had never experienced this on flights before.

    Fu Han recalled her dream; she remembered clearly that He Xing looked like an adult, but after Bai Qian¡¯s words, she started to think that perhaps she had remembered it wrong.

 Chapter 395: The Slap That Hasnâ€™t Fallen Yet

    <h4>Chapter 395: Chapter 395: The p That Hasn¡¯t Fallen Yet</h4><h4></h4>

    She didn¡¯t continue to press for answers not because she epted Bai Qian¡¯s exnation, but because she was now fully awake and knew that no matter how much she pushed Fu Xingbo, he wouldn¡¯t be able to immediately contact He Xing.

    The only hope now was for the ne tond quickly so she could confirm He Xing¡¯s condition.

    ...

    The hospital near City A¡¯s airport.

    When Xia Ning rushed over, there were quite a few people outside the emergency room: Grandfather He, Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe, and old week Liang Tao were all there. She hurriedly greeted Grandfather He and then rushed over to Liang Tao, anxiously asking, "What exactly happened to Brother He Xing? How did he end up in the hospital all of a sudden?"

    Liang Tao first nced at Grandfather He and Bai Wei, and upon seeing that they had noment, he began to speak quietly, "When we received the news, President He was already in the ambnce. It¡¯s said that this morning on the way to the airport, there was heavy fog, and his speed was a bit fast. A car that was driving under the influence of alcohol smashed head-on into his."

    At this point, Liang Tao paused, sneaking a nce at Bai Wei before continuing under Xia Ning¡¯s urging, "Initially, President He¡¯s injuries might not have been so severe, but he was in a hurry to see Miss Fu Han off, so he refused toe to the hospital and asked the traffic police to send him to the airport instead."

    Hearing this, Xia Ning was furious; her beautiful face filled with anger. "Don¡¯t tell me the traffic police agreed?"

    Liang Tao swallowed hard, speaking helplessly, "Lady Xia, as you know, if President He wants to, there¡¯s nothing in this world he can¡¯t do."

    The moment Xia Ning asked that question, she already knew the answer, but now, hearing Liang Tao¡¯s words, the most secretive corner of her heart felt as if it had been struck hard by something, shattering all that was within and exposing her unspoken, hidden hopes to the sunlight, sessfully turning Xia Ning into a hopping shrimp.

    She red at Liang Tao fiercely, usingly saying, "What kind of assistant are you? Knowing that Brother He Xing was going to the airport today, why didn¡¯t you drive him?"

    Liang Tao was exceptionally aggrieved but couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    Bai Wei, who had no intention of getting involved, finally couldn¡¯t stand it and spoke irritably, "It¡¯s true Liang Tao is an assistant, but he¡¯s not a robot; he needs rest too."

    Before Xia Ning could speak, Grandfather He also slowly began, "Xia Ning, this isn¡¯t Liang Tao¡¯s fault. He Xing was at the hospital watching over your father until nearly two o¡¯clockst night. It¡¯s indeed dangerous to drive without having woken up properly."

    Although there was a fundamental difference between Grandfather He and Bai Wei, despite Xia Ning praying countless times in her heart for Grandfather He to suddenly pass away to another world, as long as Grandfather He was alive for a day, she needed his approval if she wanted to marry into the He Family.

    Upon hearing Grandfather He¡¯s words, the fury on Xia Ning¡¯s face vanished, reced by a mix of genuine and feigned guilt, "Grandfather He, you... you¡¯re right. If my father hadn¡¯t suddenly fallen ill, Brother He Xing wouldn¡¯t have had a bad night¡¯s sleep. It¡¯s all the Xia Family¡¯s fault; I... If possible, I would rather it be me lying in there."

    Grandfather He¡¯s expression softened slightly, and he turned to look at the still-illuminated emergency room, saying indifferently, "This isn¡¯t your fault. Taking care of the Xia Family is He Xing¡¯s responsibility after all."

    Upon hearing these words, the breath Xia Ning had been holding in her chest finally rxed. She unconsciously let out a sigh of relief and felt extremely pleased inside, yet she didn¡¯t show off; instead, she repeatedly downyed Grandfather He¡¯s words, saying his praise was too exaggerated and that the He Family had already given the Xia Family too much help.

    Despite Xia Ning¡¯s nice words, Bai Wei clearly saw the pride that Xia Ning could not hide in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. Bai Wei¡¯s disdain for Xia Ning grew stronger.

    She turned her head unintentionally and saw Luo Qinghe¡¯s deep eyes moving between Xia Ning and Grandfather He. What made Bai Wei most ufortable was that Luo Qinghe used to show contempt whenever he saw Xia Ning, but now, there was no trace of such contempt on his face.

    Bai Wei could no longer control her emotions. She rushed up to Xia Ning and pped her across the face, "Xia Ning, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. Aren¡¯t you just hoping to take advantage of Fu Han¡¯s absence to steal He Xing back, right?"

    "I..." A sh of harshness crossed Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, but the next second, she managed to suppress it. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she spoke in a pitiful voice, "Bai Wei, I don¡¯t know what I did to make you so angry, but right now, I just want Brother He Xing to get better quickly. As long as he recovers, I¡¯m willing to do anything."

    "Hmph, you¡¯re all ancient foxes. What are you pretending for in front of me?" Bai Wei continued to sneer, her other hand already raised high.

    Xia Ning watched the ping towards her with eyes wide open, yet she didn¡¯t dodge or avoid. The only thing she did was to make the pitiful expression on her face even more convincing.

    Unfortunately for Bai Wei, this forceful p did notnd on Xia Ning¡¯s face as expected. Just as her hand was about toe down, someone grabbed it.

    The person who grabbed her hand was none other than her boyfriend, Luo Qinghe.

    Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful face flushed red with anger as she looked at Luo Qinghe, "What are you doing?"

    Before Luo Qinghe could reply, Xia Ning had already taken the opportunity to fully disy her ability to seize the moment. Without anyone noticing her move, she swiftly hid behind Luo Qinghe and spoke in her signature coquettish voice, "Mr. Luo, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, my... my face would have been ruined."

    Luo Qinghe frowned as he looked at Xia Ning, and it seemed like he was about to step away.

    However, Bai Wei had no interest in observing what Luo Qinghe was about to do; her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at him, "You... you¡¯re actually helping this woman, you... you¡¯ve gone too far."

    Guilty was written all over Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes as he tried to grab Bai Wei¡¯s hand. "Xiaowei, no, I just don¡¯t want you to do something you¡¯ll regret."

    "Not scolding her is what I¡¯ll regret." Bai Wei pointed at Xia Ning, unable to contain her anger, while at that moment, Xia Ning was hiding behind Luo Qinghe, shing Bai Wei a radiant smile.

    Anger boiled in Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes as he pped Bai Wei¡¯s hand away, "Enough, can¡¯t you stop ming others every time something happens? If you had been a bit nicer to He Xing this morning, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t now be in critical condition due to excessive blood loss."

    "What?" Xia Ning eximed in surprise, peeking out from behind Luo Qinghe, "Bai Wei, you have some nerve ming me when it turns out you were the one who caused Brother He Xing¡¯s condition. Let me tell you, if anything happens to Brother He Xing, I will never forgive you."

 Chapter 396: Enemy Not Friend

    <h4>Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Enemy Not Friend</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful face was filled with rage, like a little dinosaur on the verge of explosion. Just as she was about to speak, Luo Qinghe cut in first, "Xia Ning, I need to remind you now, please speak politely to my girlfriend. Nobody wanted He Xing to be in an ident, but his fatigued driving wasn¡¯t caused by Bai Wei. It was because of someone who took care of your fatherst night. Bai Wei just didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with He Xing this morning. How is it her fault?"

    His words fell with a weight that further quieted the already silent area outside the Emergency Room. Xia Ning¡¯s face turned the ugliest shade among them. Her eyes darted around, seeking an ally, but unfortunately, no one even gave her an encouraging nce.

    So much so that when Xia Ning wanted to retort to Luo Qinghe, she had no idea how, and she dared not do so.

    Moreover, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t understand why Luo Qinghe, who clearly had been defending her just moments before, was now defending Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei, equally puzzled, however, was far from grateful for being defended. She huffed angrily with increasing fury, "Luo Qinghe, what are you trying to do now? y both sides? I don¡¯t know if others appreciate it, but I certainly do not."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face tensed, and he said coldly, "I don¡¯t care whether you appreciate it or not. I am only doing what I think should be done."

    Bai Wei had initially thought Luo Qinghe was defending her because of an impulsive outburst, a fit of anger from treating her like a spoiled little daughter, secretly hoping he would coax her again. But to her disappointment, he didn¡¯t; he still spoke to Bai Wei with that expression as if the whole world owed him millions.

    Holding back her rage was no longer an option for her as she nodded sharply, "Fine, very well, Luo Qinghe, that¡¯s just great. From today on, whatever you do has nothing to do with me, and whatever I do has nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t try to dictate terms to me anymore."

    Everyone knew that this was merely a lovers¡¯ quarrel. They also knew that this situation didn¡¯t require mediation; trying to calm them would only make them argue more fiercely.

    But there was Xia Ning, who never missed a chance to stir the pot. She stood by Luo Qinghe like a dependent little bird, siding with Bai Wei one second and urging Luo Qinghe to give in to Bai Wei the next. Yet every word she uttered only fanned the mes, escting the fight between Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei.

    Old Mr. He had beenmunicating with Mr. Zhou and hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Bai Wei¡¯s situation. As the argument grew fiercer, Old Mr. He eventually couldn¡¯t help but speak up, "What are you two quarreling about? What¡¯s there to quarrel over? Don¡¯t you know ¡¯A family¡¯s joy is a foe¡¯s joy¡¯?"

    These few words were like a brilliant stroke, not only sessfully stopping Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s quarrel but also diverting their attention to Xia Ning.

    Under theplex gazes of the others, the blush on Xia Ning¡¯s face grew more intense. She coughed awkwardly, unnaturally saying, "I... I also think you shouldn¡¯t quarrel, you... you..."

    She stammered on endlessly, with nobody paying attention to what she said.

    However, Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei nced at each other, their faces reddening. They didn¡¯t say much more, clearly indicating that much of the distance between them had vanished.

    Old Mr. He¡¯s eyes, though cloudy but still sharp, rested on Xia Ning, saying meaningfully, "I believe those who truly wish well for He Xing are now hoping that he recovers quickly. As for whose fault the car ident was, in my view, it¡¯s his own fault. Knowing he hadn¡¯t slept well, he should have gotten a driver. I don¡¯t me anyone."

    This was as good as a p in Xia Ning¡¯s face, herplexion turning from red to purple and finally a pale white.

    Just as she was about to respond, Liang Tao¡¯s voice rang out, "The surgery is over!"

    When Xia Ning turned to look, Bai Wei and Old Mr. He were already heading towards the Operating Room¡¯s door, and no matter how fast she ran, she was always one step behind.

    The Doctor, standing at the doorway while removing his mask, asked, "Who is the patient¡¯s family member?"

    Bai Wei, quick to respond like a primary school student, raised her hand, "Me, I am the patient¡¯s cousin." Pointing at Old Mr. He, she added, "And this is the patient¡¯s grandfather."

    "Mm-hmm, you twoe with me, the rest wait outside." The Doctor nodded, then turned back towards the Emergency Room.

    Bai Wei hurriedly supported Old Mr. He to follow, and despite the rush, she didn¡¯t forget to turn back and sh Xia Ning a victorious smile.

    In the blink of an eye, only Xia Ning, Luo Qinghe, Liang Tao, and Mr. Zhou remained outside the Operating Room.

    Xia Ning, unable to see He Xing at first, felt embarrassed and indignant. In her heart, she believed her rtionship with He Xing to be much closer than Bai Wei¡¯s. Now Bai Wei could brazenly go inside, while she was left standing at the door, how could she not be angry?

    Her gaze swept over the three men in front of her, eventually settling on Luo Qinghe. After all, deep down, she felt that Mr. Zhou, the servant, and Liang Tao, the assistant, weren¡¯t worth considering.

    "Mr. Luo, don¡¯t you think the doctors nowadays are so disappointing? They don¡¯t say a word, at least they should tell us how the surgery went, right?"

    "Why should they tell a non-rtive like you?" Luo Qinghe was blunt in his reply, not even ncing at Xia Ning. He said this and turned to sit down on a bench nearby, adopting a stance of disinterest.

    Of course, this was not the answer Xia Ning wanted. She had hoped to stoke the fire again, preferably making Luo Qinghe very displeased with Bai Wei, but given Luo Qinghe¡¯s attitude, it was unlikely that Xia Ning¡¯s intention would be fulfilled.

    ...

    In M Country, the nended at the scheduled time, the journey having been as smooth as it possibly could be, without a single hitch.

    Fu Han¡¯s sudden angina had not reurred, but following her heart pain, in the ensuing hours, she didn¡¯t close her eyes for a moment. Every time she did, she would see He Xing covered in blood running towards her.

    From disembarking the ne to leaving the airport, Fu Han waspletely preupied, unaware that Ji Liangchuan had been following her the whole time.

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s driver had been waiting outside early, and as they approached the business van, Fu Xingbo politely said, "Mr. Ji, may I ask where you are staying? If you have time, we cane to visit."

    Ji Liangchuan nced at the distracted Fu Han, his smile deepening, his peach blossom eyes all the more striking, "Uncle, I must confess, I am ustomed to living free of restraints, just going wherever my luggage takes me. I haven¡¯t booked a hotel yet, any rmendations?"

 Chapter 397: The So-Called Deception

    <h4>Chapter 397: Chapter 397: The So-Called Deception</h4><h4></h4>

    The temperature in M Country was even colder than back home. Bai Qian made Fu Han wear a cream-colored wool coat before getting off the ne, insisting rather forcefully.

    Outside the airport, along the roadside, the cold wind howled. Fu Han wrapped the white wool coat tightly around her and looked around with a pair of beautiful eyes. It was her second visit here, yet she felt no familiarity with the ce at all. Instead, she felt as if the pitch-ck night was a monster lying in wait, ready to swallow her whole when she least expected it.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian shifted their gaze away from Fu Han and exchanged a look, reading deep meanings in each other¡¯s eyes. Finally, it was Fu Xingbo who spoke first, "Mr. Ji, if you don¡¯t mind, you could take our car. There¡¯s a nice resort hotel not far from our vi, a popr choice among travelers."

    "That would be really great, thank you." Ji Liangchuan smiled, a good-looking man with exaggerated, peach-shaped eyes that gave him an appearance of innocence under the fuzzy night lights, as if he were a fresh-faced student just out of school.

    The luxury business van sped off into the night, with Fu Han sitting alone in the passenger seat and Bai Qian along with three others in the back. As soon as Fu Xingbo got into the car, he made a phone call. He was calling Bai Wei, and everyone in the car kept a tacit silence, not speaking a word.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t say anything, but she was trying hard to pick up bits of information she wanted to know from the fragments of Fu Xingbo¡¯s conversation.

    The streetlights here were spaced much farther apart than back home, where one would only appear every several meters. Perhaps due to the location being in the suburbs, the area felt deste. The limited reach of the streetlights failed to reveal what structuresy beyond.

    The van¡¯s high beams tore through the night as it raced on, but the darkness would close back in behind it, as if the vehicle had never pierced through the dark curtains at all.

    About ten minutester, Fu Xingbo finally ended the call. After a few seconds of silence during which he didn¡¯t speak, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but turned around and ask, "Uncle, what... what did Bai Wei tell you?"

    When Fu Xingbo looked up at Fu Han, his eyes were unfathomably deep, aplexity shimmering within that was indescribable.

    His voice, low and resonant, filled the quiet cabin like the rustling leaves stirred by the wind in the stillness of the night,nguid yet with a touch of chill.

    "Fu Han, Bai Wei said that He Xing really had an ident." As soon as these words left his mouth, Fu Xingbo saw Fu Han¡¯splexion turn pale. He paused for a moment before continuing immediately, "Xiaohan, He Xing actually wanted to go to the airport to send you off yesterday, but there was an ident on the way. However, you needn¡¯t worry too much. He only suffered some minor external injuries and has now passed the critical period."

    "Really?" Fu Han clung to his words like a drowning person grasping at thest straw, her wide, shining eyes looking at Fu Xingbo with an expression that was both careful and pleading, as if she feared he would say something she didn¡¯t want to hear.

    Luckily, Fu Xingbo nodded vigorously, almost without any hesitation, saying, "Of course it¡¯s true. Why would your uncle lie to you about something like this?"

    Seeing Fu Han¡¯s disbelief, Fu Xingbo coughed and pretended to be stern as he said, "Xiaohan, think about it, when has your uncle ever lied to you before?"

    "Didn¡¯t you all say on the ne that He Xing would be alright?" As Fu Han spoke, her murmuring grew quieter, until atst she was merely muttering to herself, "But now He Xing really had an ident, and I really don¡¯t know if I should..."

    The words "trust you" were on the tip of her tongue, but after some thought, she held them back. After all, she was the younger one, and no matter how worried she was about He Xing, she couldn¡¯t voice such a sentiment.

    Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo exchanged nces, and after a couple of forced chuckles filled with a sense of guilt, Bai Qian spoke, "Xiaohan, sorry, it was your auntie who lied to you on the ne. But I have known your uncle for nearly thirty years, and he has never been one to spout nonsense. If he says that He Xing is out of danger, then He Xing must really be through the worst."

    These words echoed over and over in Fu Han¡¯s head until she had to admit that what Bai Qian said was true; the person who promised He Xing would be okay on the ne was indeed Bai Qian, and now she could also see that Fu Xingbo was speaking the truth.

    It¡¯s just that...

    The nighttime scene outside the window felt like an all-pervasive fear, slowly eroding away thest traces of warmth in one¡¯s heart.

    Even now, she was well aware of how much He Xing meant to her heart; she truly couldn¡¯t afford to be hopeful anymore.

    Then Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice sounded again, "Xiaohan, if you¡¯re really worried about He Xing, your uncle can immediately buy ne tickets and apany you back to check on him, how does that sound?"

    His words were like a sword thatpletely shattered thest defense in Fu Han¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t help thinking that if Fu Xingbo were really deceiving her, he would never make such an offer.

    The bnce in Fu Han¡¯s heart tipped, tilting toward what she hoped for.

    Ji Liangchuan, who had been glued to his phone all this time, suddenly lifted it, the blue glow from the screen faintly illuminating his face, casting a soft blue hue. "Fu Han, here¡¯s my recent chat with Liang Tao. You can have a look. He Xing is no longer in danger for his life now," he said.

    While it was very impolite to look at someone else¡¯s phone, at that moment, Fu Han couldn¡¯t care about such niceties. She apologized before taking Ji Liangchuan¡¯s phone.

    Just as Ji Liangchuan had said, Liang Tao mentioned the car ident involving He Xing in the conversation but quickly noted that He Xing had ovee the critical phase and wouldn¡¯t take long to recover.

    Fu Han was reassuredpletely. She handed the phone back to Ji Liangchuan with both hands and sincerely said, "Thank you."

    The car continued on forward, relentlessly breaking through the night toward a brighter road ahead.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze drifted involuntarily towards Fu Han; it was so dark in the cabin that he couldn¡¯t see her expression, but his eyes softened as if he were gazing upon the world¡¯s most precious jewel.

    On the other end of the phone, across the vast ocean, Liang Tao¡¯s phone wasn¡¯t in his own hands, but held in the long, slender hands of He Xing.

    Just as He Xing, under the guise of Liang Tao, had messaged Ji Liangchuan, the car ident had only caused him minor external injuries. The reason he had spent so long in the Emergency Room wasn¡¯t due to the severity of his injuries but because he had missed the optimal window for treatment.

    Liang Tao looked cautiously at He Xing, who was all bandaged up like a mummy, "President He, why don¡¯t you just tell Mr. Ji the truth?"

 Chapter 398: Let Him Recover Properly

    <h4>Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Let Him Recover Properly</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s eyelids fluttered slightly. It was a very nd look, yet it made Liang Tao¡¯splexion drastically change, and he hurriedly turned his head away, not daring to look at He Xing any longer.

    Only then did He Xing¡¯s voice, cold and devoid of any warmth, begin to sound, "Ji Liangchuan is definitely with Fu Han right now. If I speak to him, wouldn¡¯t that be the same as telling Xiaohan?"

    Liang Tao endured, but still couldn¡¯t help whispering softly, "Chairman He, although Mr. Ji has gone to M Country, it¡¯s not certain that he¡¯s with Miss Fu Han."

    In fact, Liang Tao already regretted his words before he finished speaking, but once spoken, words cannot be taken back.

    To his great relief, He Xing merely turned a colder countenance and did not say much, only giving Liang Tao a chilly nce.

    Despite just a frigid look, Liang Tao still felt the sensation of sitting on pins and needles, clearly feeling cold sweat forming on the back of his head, and when the chill wind blew, an additionalyer of cold sweat emerged on his back.

    A few secondster, Liang Tao¡¯s phone began ringing, sounding especially jarring in the quiet ward.

    Startled, he fumbled with his phone while watching He Xing¡¯s reaction. The other party said indifferently, "Go out to answer the call."

    Liang Tao, as if granted an amnesty, walked towards the outside. When he reached the door, he couldn¡¯t resist looking back at He Xing, who had already closed his eyes. Even just a profile view was still impable, a perfect visage that the hands of even the most skilled artist could not carve.

    Only now, that face was somewhat pale, with lips a very light shade of red, like the pistil of a pear blossom.

    Liang Tao couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. After all, He Xing had hovered at Ghost Gate for five hours, and it had only been twelve hours since he came out of the Operating Room. The fact that he wasn¡¯t disying an extremely weakened state was already quite fortunate.

    The phone¡¯s vibration grew increasingly intense. Liang Tao quickened his pace and ran out, not pressing the answer button until he reached the end of the corridor.

    A few minutester, he hung up the phone with a heavy look on his face. Just as he was about to turn back to the ward, he saw the old Mr. He standing about five steps away from him, with Old Zhou ghost-like behind him.

    Liang Tao jumped with fright, but quickly greeted them, "Chairman, you... you¡¯re here. Why... why did youe so early today?"

    Old Mr. He scrutinized Liang Tao from head to toe and instead of answering, he asked, "What were you just saying on the phone?"

    "Saying..." Strangely enough, though Mr. He had not been involved in the affairs of Huangpu Group for many years, every time Liang Tao saw Mr. He, he felt as nervous as a student facing a head teacher, so nervous that he could hardly speak clearly.

    The empty corridor was deserted, and a cold breeze blew down from the high skylight, causing Liang Tao to shiver uncontrobly.

    Realizing he had yet to answer Mr. He¡¯s question, he hurriedly said, "Chairman, I just received a call from the Public Rtions Department, saying... saying that the Group¡¯s bid failed today, and it was intercepted by Huangpu Group."

    "That three billion project?" Mr. He¡¯s eyelids moved slightly. His face remained expressionless as he looked at Liang Tao up and down: "Are you nning to tell He Xing this news?"

    "Yes..." Liang Tao paused, then cautiously asked, "Chairman, do you think I shouldn¡¯t tell Chairman He?"

    "Of course not," Old Zhou interjected, his face dark as he looked at Liang Tao. "Don¡¯t you know the young master¡¯s condition? The doctor said he is very weak now and must get some proper rest. If he finds out about this, do you think he can still lie down and rest like he is now?"

    "Then... what about the project?" Liang Tao anxiously asked, "This bid was supposed to be a sure win for us. The other side had said that this bid was just a formality. We have already started the rted project on our end, and the initial funds have been invested. Now... Now..."

    Liang Tao didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but even if he didn¡¯t speak, Mr. He and Old Zhou knew what he would say.

    The corridor once again fell into silence, with the wind howling above the skylight, sounding like a monster¡¯s roar.

    Just when Liang Tao felt like he was about to be suffocated by the oppressive atmosphere, old Mr. He slowly spoke up, "I¡¯ll handle this matter. You just need to take good care of He Xing."

    Liang Tao watched Mr. He and Old Zhou enter the elevator. His bewildered expression finally eased, and it was only then that he finally remembered what Mr. He had said.

    Mr. He had told him not to mention to He Xing that he had been here, and not to speak a word about thepany¡¯s affairs...

    He steadied his emotions in the corridor for a moment before turning around and heading back to the ward. His figure appeared at the doorway, locking eyes with He Xing.

    Liang Tao felt like he had just climbed out of hell, only to inadvertently fall into a frying pan. An inner voice screamed out a warning. Not knowing how his ownplexion looked, he could only put on a brave face and greet, "Chairman He... Mr. He, do you... do you need anything?"

    He Xing looked at him emotionlessly, "Who was on the phone just now?"

    "Ah? Nothing... nothing important." Liang Tao¡¯s face reddened instantly as he hurriedly said, "It was my mom. She was asking me... when I would go home."

    "I see." He Xing nodded and turned his attractive eyes back to the ceiling, slightly squinting as he asked in a low voice after a while, "When is she having her surgery?"

    "She?" Liang Tao was still recovering from his narrow escape, befuddled by the question until finally realizing, "Chairman He, you mean Miss Fu Han, right? Likest time, as soon as Miss Fu Han arrived in M Country, we lost all contact with her; I don¡¯t know what happened."

    Liang Tao wasn¡¯t lying. Although He Xing had not yet awakened at that time, Liang Tao knew of He Xing¡¯s concern for Fu Han, which was beyond ordinary. Hence, he had notified people over there before she had evennded. Yet, to date, all they had received was news of Fu Han disembarking the ne, and nothing more.

    He knew He Xing would inquire about Fu Han, just not this quickly.

    The already spacious ward felt oppressively quiet, and Liang Tao was prepared to confront the storm of rage.

    Time ticked away, only a few minutes had passed, but it seemed as long as a century. Finally, He Xing spoke, "Keep an eye on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s whereabouts, and also, have Bai Weie see me."

    "Lady Bai Wei?" Liang Tao cleared his throat and said in a low voice, "Well, Lady Bai Wei took care of youst night, and she left to go back only after you woke up. She might still be catching up on sleep."

    Though He Xing¡¯s surgery was sessful, he hadn¡¯tpletely escaped danger due to substantial blood loss. The doctors had instructed to have a family member constantly by his side, ensuring that any issues would be immediately reported to the medical staff.

 Chapter 399: Surgery with a Low Success Rate

    <h4>Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Surgery with a Low Sess Rate</h4><h4></h4>

    Considering the age and health of Old Master He, this heavy burden naturally fell on Bai Wei, since the caretaker hired for He Xing couldn¡¯t rece a family member.

    She had kept vigil by He Xing¡¯s side for almost ten hours until He Xing woke up and all his vital signs stabilized. Only then did she hand He Xing over to Liang Tao.

    Upon hearing this, the expression in He Xing¡¯s eyes softened a bit. He turned his head to look at Liang Tao, "Send Bai Wei a message. Once she has rested, ask her toe see me immediately."

    Liang Tao hurriedly agreed, feeling a significant portion of that suffocating pressure on him lifted. He could finally breathe freely. Inferring from one thing to another, he said, "Mr. He, rest assured, if there are any updates regarding Miss Fu Han or Master Ji, I will inform you immediately."

    He Xing didn¡¯t speak, but Liang Tao felt the temperature in the ward rise a notch, sensing that his words had hit the mark.

    Just as Liang Tao was about to say something else¡ªactually, he wanted to inquire about that project. Although he couldn¡¯t tell He Xing about the failed bid, he could still ask for He Xing¡¯s opinion on the project, which would undoubtedly be beneficial and harmless for Old Master He to clean up the mess.

    But unfortunately, before Liang Tao had the chance to speak up, Xia Ning had arrived.

    As soon as Xia Ning saw He Xing, she was all tears and snot. If not for Liang Tao¡¯s intervention, she probably would have cried nonstop on He Xing¡¯s body to express her concern for him.

    Seeing Xia Ning¡¯s as-if-the-sky-were-falling appearance, Liang Tao felt truly distressed. After getting permission from He Xing, he went outside. With two nurses present, there was no way Xia Ning could do anything to Liang Tao.

    ...

    CEO Office of Huangpu Group.

    After Mr. Huangpu finished a phone call, Lady Huangpu coincidentally pushed the door open and entered.

    She looked at her husband and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Honey, is there any news from Su Cheng?"

    "Him? He¡¯s already in M Country. By now, he should be with Fu Han. You don¡¯t need to worry," Mr. Huangpu said, returning his gaze to theputer screen in front of him.

    He was very close to theputer, and the light from the screen reflected off his face, casting a blue-white light that made hisplexion appear pale and a bit ghastly.

    Lady Huangpu stared at her husband from in front of theputer desk for a while, feeling the person before her both familiar and strange. She never had this feeling before, but now it was bing more and more intense.

    When they took over Huangpu Group, thepany seemed very morous, one of the four big families of A City. But in reality, the Huangpu Group was like a dead but unyielding worm.

    During their decades of struggle, the progress of Huangpu Group had been evident. It had already surpassed the Li Family to be the secondrgest family.

    Actually, Lady Huangpu thought the current state of Huangpu Group was very good, but Mr. Huangpu didn¡¯t think so. He wanted to make Huangpu Group the number one family of A City during his tenure.

    A few years ago, Mr. Huangpu¡¯s strategy was to avoid direct conflict with He Group; thus, the business scope of Huangpu Group did not significantly ovep with that of He Group. But now...

    At this thought, a worried look crossed Lady Huangpu¡¯s face. She coughed to draw Mr. Huangpu¡¯s attention, "Husband, how did your coboration talks with Lixing go?"

    "The status quo is a win-win cooperation." Mr. Huangpu smiled, his smile lightening the somber coldness on his face, making him seem a bit more humane, "Today, we sessfullynded a project that He Group was bent on getting¡ªa project worth several billion. Snatching it right from the jaws of a tiger, it feels very good."

    "I¡¯ve looked into that project," Lady Huangpu¡¯s face showed an unmistakable worry, "but we have never undertaken a simr project before. This project is too big, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t handle it."

    "Lixing has already thought this through for us. Xia Group has extensive experience in this area. We can give them a share of the profits based on their technical contribution," Mr. Huangpu said,ughing especially heartily, although his smile had an indescribable, slightly smug vor.

    ...

    Expert clinic of a hospital in M Country.

    The doctor held a thick stack of medical reports in his hands, examining them with utmost care, as if fearing he might miss any detail.

    Almost twenty minutes had passed, and aside from the asional question from the doctor, no one else had spoken a word.

    Fu Xingbo, Bai Qian, and Fu Han, each of them held their breath as they watched the doctor, their faces showing undeniable concern.

    Finally, the doctor put the thick stack of reports on the table and after thoroughly examining Fu Han¡¯s face, he said with a serious tone, "Miss Fu Han, I have never encountered a situation like yours before. I only have a thirty percent chance of restoring you to your original state with surgery."

    "What if we don¡¯t do the surgery?" Fu Xingbo asked anxiously, only now realizing that his forehead was already beaded with sweat.

    "Not do the surgery?" The doctor¡¯s fingers unconsciously tapped on the desk, his tone extraordinarily slow, "Without surgery, at best you can maintain the status quo. At worst, the asymmetry between the left and right sides of your face will get more and more pronounced."

    The examination room fell into an intense silence. They looked at each other, and finally, Fu Xingbo patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Xiaohan, I think no matter what, this is your life. You need to make your own choice. But regardless of what you decide, I will always be your strong supporter."

    Fu Han picked up a small mirror from the doctor¡¯s desk and looked at her own face. Even though she wore her hair down today to lessen the disharmony of her cheeks, the asymmetry was still obvious.

    She asked herself, could she really look at her face every day like this? The answer was no.

    "I¡¯ll have the surgery," Fu Han heard her own voice, echoing as if from an empty valley, repetitively like a loop machine, "No matter the oue, I can bear it. Please do your best, Doctor."

    "Good, Miss Fu Han, I admire your courage," said the doctor as he began to operate theputer, "I¡¯m going to arrange your hospital admission now. Your surgery is scheduled for two days from now."

    Until Fu Han sat in her hospital gown on the hospital bed, she still felt like she was in a dream. It had been less than twenty-four hours since her nended, and yet her surgery was already scheduled?

    Well, a high efficiency was a good thing as she did not have time to think about all sorts of things, nor did she have time to consider various messy matters.

 Chapter 400: The Pervasive Fog

    <h4>Chapter 400: Chapter 400: The Pervasive Fog</h4><h4></h4>

    The phone beneath her pillow vibrated with a sound that stirred Fu Han awake. As she fished it out, the screen revealed a message from Bai Wei. The moment she realized it wasn¡¯t from He Xing, her eyes dimmed with disappointment.

    Still, she unlocked her phone and read the brief message. "Fu Han," Bai Wei wrote, "I heard from mom that you¡¯re having surgery soon. Hang in there! I have unfinished business back home, so I won¡¯t be able toe abroad to be with you. Don¡¯t be mad."

    When Fu Han had left for overseas, Bai Wei had promised to be there for her surgery, to cheer her on. Fu Han had been moved by the sentiment, but she hadn¡¯t taken Bai Wei¡¯s words to heart, knowing that Bai Wei obviously preferred staying with Luo Qinghe toing abroad.

    So now, receiving Bai Wei¡¯s message, Fu Han didn¡¯t need to think twice to guess that Bai Wei¡¯s "unfinished business" must be rted to Luo Qinghe.

    With a slight smile, Fu Han texted back, "It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t need toe all the way here; I¡¯ll be fine."

    After sending the message, Fu Han gazed out at the sky. It seemed foggy, as if a semi-transparent veil loomed before her, obstructing her clear view of the world.

    In this country, the fog was a constant, an environmental symptom, so Fu Xingbo had exined.

    The city¡¯s most notable trait was how, in the foggy mornings, one could easily mistake it for still being dark, and at dusk, it felt as though night had already fallen.

    Yawning dramatically, Fu Han realized her jetg hadn¡¯t quite worn off; she found herself unable to sleep at night, yet sleepy during the day.

    She felt she should find something to do. Her hand habitually fumbled on the nightstand for something, but came up empty¡ªa stark reminder that He Xing wasn¡¯t there, and nobody had provided a book for her hospital stay.

    Another fierce yawn escaped her, but this time, from somewhere unknown, tears slipped down her cheeks and dropped with a pat onto the white sheets.

    A deep voice echoed from afar: "Xiaohan... Xiaohan..."

    It was He Xing¡¯s voice. Fu Han turned toward the sound only to see nothing but pervasive fog, thick and hazy, masking a shadowy figure.

    Her heart plummeted off a cliff, her body descending ceaselessly. She tensed, wanting to scream, but no sound came.

    Terror spread through her, and a voice within her deepest self spoke, repeating that she must hurry to find He Xing. If she couldn¡¯t, she would never see him again.

    Desperate, Fu Han threw off the covers and clumsily put on her shoes, racing toward where He Xing had vanished.

    The streets drowned in fog, the outlines of buildings faint on either side.

    It resembled an ancient alleyway, paved with blue bricks, with uniform two-story buildings lining it, as if from a historical drama. Under some eaves, mythical beasts were carved, and quaint wind chimes tinkled in the breeze.

    On a normal day, Fu Han would have lingered to take more photos, but today her only thought was to find He Xing, faster and faster.

    He Xing¡¯s name was at her throat, on her tongue, yet her lips seemed magically sealed, unable to utter his name.

    All she knew was to run forward, to keep running.

    The obscured path didn¡¯t matter, nor did stumbling. Watching her bloodied, scraped feet, Fu Han felt no pain¡ªthose legs seemed to belong to someone else.

    Finally, the vague shadow appeared before her, less than a meter away.

    It was a silhouette d in ck wool, and Fu Han was certain it was He Xing. She summoned all her strength and called out his name.

    As if in slow motion from a movie, the figure paused and turned around gradually.

    It felt like an eternity before He Xing¡¯s familiar face appeared before her. Who else could it be?

    An immense joy filled her heart. At this moment, there was only one thought in her mind: she had finally found He Xing, and she no longer had to worry about never seeing him again.

    With a smile blossoming across her face, she appeared untouched by the world, as ethereal as the first lotus blooming in an early summer pond, and she whispered dreamily as she approached him, "He Xing, I¡¯ve finally found you."

    Yet the closer she got to He Xing, the more something felt amiss. What exactly was wrong, she couldn¡¯t tell.

    It wasn¡¯t until she was less than three steps from He Xing that she realized what was off.

    He was looking at her with a wooden expression, his eyes bright yet seemingly bottomless pits, captivating but void of spirit.

    A chill climbed up Fu Han¡¯s spine as she heard her own voice tremble, "He Xing, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    "Nothing much." It was He Xing¡¯s first uttered word since their meeting.

    Fu Han wished he hadn¡¯t spoken, as his toneless words sounded like they were from a robot, the elongated intonation scratching like stones across frosted ss, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine.

    Looking down, Fu Han noticed the goosebumps prickling over her arms. She finally understood what was different about He Xing today.

    He was like a robot, his face frozen and impassive, and even his walk was odd, stiff and mechanical.

    Overwhelmed by a great agony, Fu Han reached out and tugged on He Xing¡¯s sleeve. "He Xing, what has happened to you?"

    With a snap, Fu Han looked down at her hand in disbelief. Without much force, He Xing¡¯s arm hade off in her grasp.

    For a moment, Fu Han stared dumbfounded at He Xing¡¯s severed limb in her hand¡ªthis wasn¡¯t an arm, but merely a bone, the skeletal remains of an arm.

    She couldn¡¯t hold back a scream. He Xing copsed like a puppet with no strings, a lump of mud fallen to the ground.

 Chapter 401: Terrifying Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Terrifying Nightmare</h4><h4></h4>

    But just at that moment, He Xing, who was on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes. His lips parted and moved, still emitting that mechanical voice, "Fu Han, didn¡¯t you say that no matter what I became, you would still like me?"

    "Yes, I like you." Fu Han¡¯s heart suddenly settled inexplicably. She slowly squatted down in front of He Xing, her hand caressing his cheek, "But He Xing, why have you be like this?"

    A smile that looked as difficult as ice appeared on He Xing¡¯s frozen face, a smile resembling that of a robot¡¯s, "Fu Han, I became like this for you. I said I would see you onto the airne, but I was identally killed in an ident, so I can onlye to see you like this. You¡¯re not angry with me, are you?"

    It felt as if something had struck Fu Han¡¯s heart hard;rge tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She could no longer care about anything else, and embraced He Xing tightly, her cheek against his forehead, "He Xing, I like you. Rest assured, I¡¯ming to find you now."

    As the words fell, she was struck by a severe pain. Fu Han felt an excruciating ache in her neck. She nced down slightly to see He Xing¡¯s mouth mped onto her neck, and could vaguely make out two huge fangs, like those of a beast.

    As she looked down, a sinister smile spread across He Xing¡¯s face. Heughed while sucking the fresh blood from Fu Han¡¯s throat, "Fu Han, you said you¡¯d join me, so let¡¯s trade your life for mine."

    Fu Han clutched her heart, clearly feeling something rapidly draining from her body. Looking at the blood at the corner of He Xing¡¯s mouth, she understood that it was her blood, her life force, that was fading away.

    Indeed, as her body became stiffer and stiffer, He Xing¡¯s paleplexion grew more and more rosy, even his dark eyes began to shine captivatingly. The He Xing before her eyes was bing more and more like the He Xing in her memory.

    Finally, when Fu Han could no longer feel the pain in her heart, He Xing discarded her onto the ground like trash. He slowly straightened up, looking down at Fu Han from a superior position, a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth, "Fu Han, did you really think I would die for you? Who do you think you are? You¡¯re nothing but an object, and moreover, the kind that¡¯s nice to look at but can¡¯t be used. What do I need you for?"

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t cried until now, not even when He Xing threw her aside, but now she felt unbearable pain. She wanted to cry, but her body was dried out, unable to shed tears.

    She tried to open her mouth with difficulty but could only emit a harsh, crow-like sound, "He Xing, why? Why do you treat me this way?"

    "Why?" At that moment, He Xing was taking a handkerchief out of his suit pocket. He scoffed at the question, "Your parents saved my grandfather, and he forced me to repay the favor. You tell me why?"

    It was like a knife had been plunged into Fu Han¡¯s heart. She stared at He Xing in shock, feeling as if she had fallen into an icy pit, "But... you said you liked me. You said you¡¯ve liked me for many years."

    "I lied to you, don¡¯t you understand?" He Xing scoffed disdainfully and sneered, "My grandfather told me I wouldn¡¯t be allowed to inherit the He Group unless I married you. How ridiculous, for the young master of the He Group to have to cajole you, the daughter of a servant."

    After saying this, He Xing threw the handkerchief in front of Fu Han. The stark crimson bloodstain on it was evident, like the vermilion spot between the eyebrows, or like the blood in one¡¯s heart, a memory that can never be forgotten even in midnight dreams.

    A pair of ck, glossy leather shoes appeared in front of Fu Han, stepping directly onto the bloodstain, as if stepping directly on her heart.

    She struggled to push He Xing¡¯s foot away but sadly discovered that her hands were so stiff moving them was a challenge.

    Fu Han exerted herself to turn her head to get a clear view of He Xing¡¯s face, but the dense fog surrounding them, like an invisible barrier, shrouded He Xing¡¯s facepletely. She wanted to see but couldn¡¯t make it out clearly; she could only see the mockery in the smile at the corner of He Xing¡¯s mouth.

    Watching He Xing¡¯s footsteps grow farther and farther away, Fu Han strenuously extended her hand, but He Xing left behind a coldugh before turning to leave.

    Within the pervading fog, He Xing¡¯s figure receded farther and farther until finally, it vanished into the mist. However, until he disappeared, he never looked back, as if there was never a Fu Han behind him.

    Fu Han¡¯s faceid against the icy cold stone ground, and she felt her face freeze. She wanted to get up, but the tears in her eyes had glued her face to the stony road. She had no strength left, making even getting up difficult.

    Her aching heart felt as if it was being stirred by a blunt knife, refusing to grant her a swift end.

    Truthfully, Fu Han didn¡¯t find the loss of her blood to He Xing as painful; conversely, the words he spoke brought her even greater pain.

    After all, their rtionship had always been one where she was the one putting in the effort, while He Xing remained indifferent and distant.

    Isn¡¯t that why she left He Xing four years ago? Even as his fianc¨¦e, she never felt a shred of his love.

    Now that He Xing had spelled it all out for her, Fu Han felt exceptionally tormented, the feeling indescribable; it was like a nightmare of many years hade true, her worst fears realized.

    To refute He Xing¡¯s words? Of course, she wanted to, but with what and how could she argue back?

    "Fu Han, wake up, Fu Han, wake up?"

    Whose voice was that calling out to Fu Han, sounding so familiar yet so strange?

    Fu Han looked around dazedly; her vision was filled with a haze, revealing nothing, while the streetmps along the road lit up, though there wasn¡¯t a soul in sight.

    She felt tired and wanted to sleep. She realized, groggily, that she hadn¡¯t slept for a long time.

    But just as she was about to close her eyes, that previous voice rang out again, "Fu Han, stop crying, wake up; open your eyes and look!"

    "Who¡¯s crying?" Fu Han was irritated. Her tears had frozen long ago; even if she wanted to, she couldn¡¯t cry.

    A nameless rage erupted. She swung her arms vigorously, but her arm was seized by a warm palm, burning like a brand.

    Fu Han imagined she could hear the sizzling of her flesh being grilled on a stove, the stench of burning skin spreading, making her nauseous and wanting to vomit. But her stomach was empty; she wanted to vomit but couldn¡¯t, an intolerable feeling indeed.

    Her fury intensified, and she opened her eyes wide to see who had grabbed her hand, really too annoying.

 Chapter 402: Ambition Rises

    <h4>Chapter 402: Chapter 402: Ambition Rises</h4><h4></h4>

    The moment her eyes opened, Fu Han was stunned. Gone was the thick fog that enveloped everything around her, reced by a stark whiteness¡ªshe was clearly in her ward.

    What surprised her even more was the person before her eyes. She looked at Su Cheng with widened eyes, "Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in A city?"

    After Fu Han had decided to go to A city, Su Cheng asked her for her flight schedule and then told her he had othermitments on that day and might not be able to see her off.

    For Fu Han, Su Cheng had always been just a friend. Moreover, because of the feelings Su Cheng had for her, facing him always made her want to run away. Therefore, when Su Cheng said he couldn¡¯t see her off, instead of feeling sad, Fu Han actually felt a sense of relief.

    Yet now, Su Cheng had appeared out of nowhere before her, a shock that was truly surprising.

    Su Cheng hid the distress in his eyes entirely, a flush of red stealthily creeping up his cheeks as he said softly, "I... actually, I came to M Country on the same flight as you. It¡¯s just that when I bought the ticket, only economy ss was left, so you didn¡¯t know."

    "I see." Fu Han nodded, still under the influence of her recent dream, and couldn¡¯t help but say in a low voice, "Actually, you really didn¡¯t have to do this. I wouldn¡¯t have any problems here on my own."

    The ward, already quiet,cked even the sound of birds from outside. But after Fu Han¡¯s remark, the atmosphere inside became oppressively heavy, as if an invisible vacuum had sucked all the air out of the room.

    Su Cheng slightly lowered his head, his long, thick eyshespletely shielding his eyelids, making it impossible to see the look in his eyes.

    A few secondster, he looked up smiling, his eyes brimming withughter, "Fu Han, you don¡¯t think I came to M Country because of you, do you? Ourpany is expanding its business, and as the boss, I ought toe here to check things out."

    "Business expansion?" The term suddenly seemed so foreign to Fu Han at the moment, probably because she hadn¡¯t worked in a long time. It seemed like ever since the shooting of "Pensive Return" was finished, her workload had decreased drastically.

    As soon as work was mentioned, the glint returned to Su Cheng¡¯s eyes. He exined patiently, "Ourpany¡¯s business is very broad, covering wedding photography and outsourcing work. Ever since we filmed the ¡¯Pensive Return¡¯ movie, thepany has grown significantly. In the past six months, we have opened studios in major cities across the country, and now we are even trying to expand into the international market. Once we have the research results, I¡¯ll discuss it with you."

    While he was talking, Fu Han listened, but by the end, she hadn¡¯t fully grasped it, responding reflexively, "Discuss it with me?"

    "Yeah, discuss it with you." Su Cheng¡¯s face involuntarily softened with gentleness as he looked at her. He chuckled, his voice unconsciously lowering, "You¡¯ve forgotten, you¡¯re the secondrgest shareholder of ourpany."

    "I¡¯m sorry, I had forgotten if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it." Fu Han smiled. She had truly forgotten. Initially, she didn¡¯t remember because of her amnesia, and even after regaining her memories from the past, she hadn¡¯t given much thought to her professional affairs.

    The fog outside had cleared, reced by the night. In this city, nightfall always came so abruptly, before one had a chance to prepare, it was already upon you.

    Perhaps due to an inner tenacity, Fu Han hadn¡¯t adjusted her phone¡¯s time setting to the local time after arriving, so she was habitually using her phone¡¯s time to gauge whether it was dark yet.

    Fu Han¡¯s hand lifted slightly, and the lights brightened the entire room. The incandescent light was a bit dazzling, causing Fu Han to squint her eyeszily like a cat.

    Su Cheng¡¯s gaze clung to Fu Han like glue. He swallowed subconsciously¡ªunaware sexiness, it seemed, was exactly this.

    Despite the fact that Fu Han was currently wearing loose-fitting, unttering clothes, despite her hair being messy from sleep, and despite the tear stains dried at the corners of her eyes, Su Cheng still found her the epitome of allure.

    While greedily gazing at Fu Han, Su Cheng felt his heart melting into a puddle.

    At this moment, his soul seemed to float free from his body, dizzily hovering as it foolishly gazed at Fu Han. He heard his own silly voice rise, "Fu Han, it¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t remember. Rest assured, when it¡¯s time for the year-end dividends, I won¡¯t shortchange you a penny."

    When Su Cheng realized what he had said, it was already toote to take it back.

    He really wanted to p himself twice; talking about money with Fu Han was the most vulgar thing imaginable¡ªespecially since he had always viewed money as insignificant since he was young.

    Waiting for Fu Han¡¯s response, each second felt as long as a century.

    Fu Han straightened up slightly, casually flicking the stray hairs on her cheeks aside. The simple gesture had its own distinct charm.

    Her lips slightly parted; a smile began to spread across her face, "Business is about honesty. If I couldn¡¯t trust you with this much, how could we cooperate?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s eyes widened at Fu Han¡¯s reaction. He hadn¡¯t expected his words not only to not anger her, but even to make herugh. He was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t think of anything to say to her.

    Fu Han touched her chin as if pondering something. After a few minutes, she spoke again, "Su Cheng, you¡¯ll have to bear with it for this period. Once my surgery is done, I¡¯ll work with you to strive for our business expansion."

    "Sure... sure." Su Cheng was so thrilled he didn¡¯t know what else to say, just repeating ¡¯sure¡¯ over and over like a fool.

    If he couldn¡¯t have Fu Han¡¯s love for the time being, but could fight alongside her, he felt it would be a fine thing indeed.

    However, if Fu Han knew what Su Cheng was thinking, she probably would have been speechless.

    Fu Han¡¯s thoughts were simple: no matter what happened, she wouldn¡¯t give up on life. Furthermore, she was determined to live well.

    For Fu Han, living well meant she couldn¡¯t be like a parasite dependent on others. She needed to enhance her strength, earn her own money, build her own career, and ensure her financial independence without reliance on anyone else.

    The two of them talked enthusiastically about expanding the business in A city, bing more and more excited as they chatted. Eventually, Su Cheng even took out a tabletputer from his bag and began discussing the business details with Fu Han on the spot.

 Chapter 403 Chatting with Her Using Her Phone

    <h4>Chapter 403: Chapter 403 Chatting with Her Using Her Phone</h4><h4></h4>

    A City, a hospital not far from the international airport, Inpatient Department.

    Bai Wei yed with her fingernails by the hospital bed, utterly bored. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help butin, "He Xing, cousin, are you finished looking through my phone yet?"

    Upon hearing this, He Xing didn¡¯t even lift his eyelids, his eyes still glued to the screen of Bai Wei¡¯s phone, "Rx, I have no interest in your chat history with Luo Qinghe. I wouldn¡¯t want to see it even if I could."

    His words left Bai Wei speechless, her face puffing up in anger as she red at He Xing. She wanted to retort, but for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t find the words to do so.

    She really couldn¡¯t understand what was going through He Xing¡¯s mind. He had his own phone and could chat with Fu Han on it, but for some reason, he insisted on using Bai Wei¡¯s phone to talk to her.

    It wasn¡¯t just once or twice. Every time He Xing finished chatting with Fu Han, he would delete the entire chat history and not let Bai Wei see it. The killer was that Bai Wei couldn¡¯t reveal this to Fu Han. So sometimes, when Bai Wei was alone in the hotel and Fu Han sent a message over, she felt clueless and didn¡¯t even know how to reply.

    Like today, He Xing had been chatting with Fu Han for quite a while, about an hour, perhaps. During that hour, Bai Wei sat beside him like an idiot. She had no phone to y with, and He Xing would never keep his own phone for her amusement.

    Bai Wei couldn¡¯t understand. Was it just because that morning, when Fu Han left, she didn¡¯t notice He Xing¡¯s injury and had made a couple of unpleasant remarks? Was that reason enough for everyone to think she was wicked, as if she were the one who caused He Xing¡¯s injury?

    It would have been fine if it were others, but her parents¡ªmore frequently than three meals a day¡ªreminded Bai Wei to take good care of He Xing, saying that if anything happened to him, she would be the one held ountable.

    Unfortunately, He Xing overheard Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo saying these things. It was as if He Xing had obtained the Imperial Sword. Whenever Bai Wei showed the slightest dissatisfaction with his requests, he would threaten to tattle to Bai Qian.

    Bai Wei discovered for the first time that He Xing¡¯s usual severe and unsmiling demeanor was all an act; when he yed the victim, no one really knew how to deal with him.

    As she watched He Xing¡¯s fingers fly across the screen of her phone, she mocked him internally, thinking that if Fu Han knew what kind of person He Xing was, she¡¯d likely kick him to the curb.

    During a pause while waiting for a message from Fu Han, He Xing finally looked up, his face expressionless as he nced at Bai Wei, "There¡¯s less than an hour left before Fu Han¡¯s surgery begins. No idea when it will end. Don¡¯t leave until it¡¯s finished."

    "What?" Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened. She looked at He Xing and then out the window, struggling to hold back but eventually couldn¡¯t help herself, "Could you please check the weather outside before you say that? It¡¯s already dark. Am I not supposed to go back and sleep?"

    "Go back to sleep?" He Xing frowned and said, unceremoniously, "Didn¡¯t your aunt and uncle ask you to take good care of me? Is this how you take care of me? It looks like I need to make a phone call to them."

    After saying that, he reached under his pillow, took out his phone, and started fiddling with it.

    Bai Wei was infuriated by his obviously pretentious demeanor; she was so angry she could bite, but she was helpless and had to continue to admit defeat, "Fine, fine, I got it. You sleep in the bed tonight, and I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa; we¡¯ll pull a curtain in between, and everyone minds their own business."

    "That¡¯s more like it," He Xing said with a smile, his expression softening considerably, "You see, how foresighted I am? I had Liang Tao install a curtain early on."

    Bai Wei couldn¡¯t contain her rage any longer. Just as she was about to speak, a knock on the door interrupted her; she turned to look and let out a cold, mockingugh, "Ha, always so eager to show up¡ªthree meals a day plus supper. Give it a few more days, and He Xing will be fattened up like a pig by you."

    Standing at the door was none other than Xia Ning, carrying a thermal container. Inside was pork rib soup that the Xia Family¡¯s cook had stewed for hours, enriched with delicacies like abalone and bird¡¯s nest.

    Xia Ning and Bai Wei looked at each other with such animosity, it was as if they embodied the old saying, "Foes meet, with special bitterness in their gaze."

    For a moment, the room seemed filled with gunpowder, as if sparks were crackling and burning in the air.

    As Xia Ning entered, she said with annoyance, "Bai Wei, why are you still here sote?"

    Bai Wei burst intoughter at her irritation, heading towards the sofa as she said with a smile, "Oh, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m shamelessly sticking around here. It¡¯s your darling He Xing who insists I stay. What can I do? Look, he even demands I stay here with him tonight. Tell me, what choice do I have?"

    "You..." Xia Ning was so angry she couldn¡¯t get a whole sentence out. She stood in front of the bed looking at He Xing, tears of injustice welling up in her eyes, "He Xing, big brother, is what she¡¯s saying true?"

    "It¡¯s true." He Xing didn¡¯t want to say a word more. He hadn¡¯t spared Xia Ning a nce from the moment she entered.

    "Why?" Xia Ning mmed the thermal container onto the bedside table and plopped down where Bai Wei had been sitting, "He Xing, big brother, does Bai Wei look like someone capable of taking care of anyone? Please send her away. I¡¯ll stay and take care of you."

    "Oh, saying I can¡¯t take care of people, have you looked at yourself? Do you think you appear capable of it?" Bai Wei propped herself up slightly, resting her chin on the back of the sofa, smiling at Xia Ning, "If you were to take care of He Xing, who doesn¡¯t know you have ulterior motives, clear as day? But if he agrees to have you care for him, I won¡¯t object."

    "He Xing, big brother?" Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, wide and pleading, turned to He Xing as if seeking a lifeline.

    He Xing finally looked up at Xia Ning, but only for a brief moment, then said with extraordinary indifference, "No need, Xia Ning. It¡¯s gettingte. You better go home now."

    Loud, exaggeratedughter filled the ward,ing from Bai Wei, who was covering her mouth as tears nearly rolled down her cheeks from the mirth, "You... you better leave now. He... he¡¯s sending you off. Are you still going to have the nerve to stay?"

    The upshot was that Xia Ning¡¯s stay in the wardsted less than five minutes from her arrival to her dejected departure.

    For the first time, Bai Wei saw He Xing in a positive light and gave her assessment with a sneer, "He Xing... cousin, if you were always this cold to Xia Ning, I¡¯d be very pleased indeed."

    "Be quiet. Your noise is keeping me from hearing what Fu Han is saying," He Xing dismissed Bai Weipletely, pressing his phone close to his ear, focused and serious.

 Chapter 404: A Disturbing Scene in the Ward

    <h4>Chapter 404: Chapter 404: A Disturbing Scene in the Ward</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s voice, soft with a clear timbre, rang out, "Bai Wei, I¡¯m going to the operating room now. You rest well, we¡¯ll talkter."

    Bai Wei jumped up like she was on steroids, snatching her phone back and cheering, "Finally done talking."

    ...

    When Xia Ning arrived at the lower parking lot, the driver was watching a video on his phone. The sound of her knocking on the car window was so loud that it startled the driver, who thought he was being robbed and hurriedly looked up.

    As the car left the hospital¡¯s parking lot, the driver nced at Xia Ning¡¯splexion in the rear-view mirror and asked in a low voice, "Lady, where would you like to go next?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s gaze drifted across the vast night outside the window, and she murmured the name of a ce.

    The First Hospital¡¯s Inpatient Department.

    The car stopped urately in front of the Inpatient Department¡¯s main entrance. Xia Ning opened the car door, got out, and climbed the steps in her high heels one step at a time.

    She had been running back and forth between two hospitals these past few days: the First Hospital housed her father and brother, while He Xing was in a more distant hospital.

    Xia Ning stood in the elevator, lost in thought and forgetting to press the button for a floor. It was only when the elevator chimed and the two people deepest inside exited that she suddenly realized her mistake.

    She had unconsciously arrived at the floor where Xia Cheng was hospitalized. Since she had nned to visit Xia Cheng anyway, she thought she might as well make the trip.

    Xia Cheng was an out-and-out profligate son. The ward he stayed in was thergest VIP Ward on the entire floor.

    Xia Ning oncemented that this ward was bigger than Xia Cheng¡¯s own room in the Xia Family vi and even morefortable, which was no wonder Xia Cheng, who was nearly recovered, still refused to be discharged.

    The ward at the end of the corridor was Xia Cheng¡¯s, and the window offered a direct view of the city center¡¯s Ferris wheel. When the Ferris wheel¡¯s lights lit up at night, the whole world was filled with a fairytale hue.

    A nurse walked down the corridor and, upon seeing Xia Ning, respectfully nodded her way, while Xia Ning passed by without giving her a nce.

    Just as she was about to knock on the door to Xia Cheng¡¯s ward, she overheard ambiguous sounds nearby.

    Xia Ning was not a naive girl unaware of worldly affairs. On the contrary, thanks to Yang Kaitai¡¯s "training," she was extremely sensitive to these sounds.

    "It¡¯s only been a few days, and he can¡¯t sit still again? Did he find a nurse?" Xia Ning thought, pausing in her movements and pushing the door out of curiosity, not expecting it to open a crack.

    She squinted, trying to see through the ringly bright light in the room. The man and woman on the sofa opposite the door were, more precisely, the woman sitting in the man¡¯sp.

    The ambiguous sounds wereing from the mouths of these two individuals, and seeing the scene made the impact even more intense.

    Naturally, the man was Xia Cheng. As for the woman, Xia Ning strained to see clearly. The woman¡¯s long hair covered most of her face, but Xia Ning still recognized her. Who else could it be but Qin Nuan?

    Rage erupted from Xia Ning¡¯s heart. Just yesterday Xia Cheng had sworn that he would have nothing more to do with Qin Nuan, yet today Xia Ning had witnessed such a scene.

    For a moment, Xia Ning felt like kicking the door open, but in the end, she held back. She quietly took out her phone and silently captured the indecent scene before her.

    Fortunately, at these VIP Ward doors, there was arge cab for storing items, and because the two on the sofa were so engrossed, no one noticed Xia Ning.

    As the activity inside the room neared its end, Xia Ning stealthily backed out, closed the door again, and turned towards the elevator lobby.

    But she didn¡¯t take the elevator to leave; instead, she leaned against the corridor wall waiting for someone.

    It was less than ten minutes before Qin Nuan emerged, wrapped in a pink woolen coat, a formfitting ck knit dress underneath. In this weather, she didn¡¯t wear even a pair of tights, her ankles bare.

    She walked with allure, her long hair swaying with her movements. Upon spotting Xia Ning, she froze, but only for two seconds before she approached with an even brighter smile, "Hey, Lady Xia Ning, hello, I¡¯m so happy to see you."

    Xia Ning frowned as if she wished she could squeeze a fly to death between her brows and looked coldly at Qin Nuan, "What are you doing here sote at night?"

    "What am I doing here?" Qin Nuanughed as if she¡¯d heard a hrious joke. She twirled a lock of hair around her cheek, a simple gesture imbued with allure. Her smile grew and spread across her face, revealing a set of pearly white teeth, "Didn¡¯t Lady Xia Ning just see everything?"

    Xia Ning was stunned and tightened her grip on the phone in her palm, which still retained some warmth. Yet the temperature in her body was receding like the tide, as she struggled to stay calm while confronting Qin Nuan, "What are you really trying to do?"

    "That question should be asked of your Xia Family, shouldn¡¯t it?" Qin Nuan¡¯s smile curled up sweetly, "What exactly do you n to do with me? I can keep waiting, but the child in my stomach can¡¯t."

    The image of Qin Nuan and Xia Cheng entwined together shed through Xia Ning¡¯s mind, and apanied by Qin Nuan¡¯s current expression, Xia Ning felt so nauseated she almost vomited.

    For the first time, Xia Ning showed her hatred for Qin Nuan without restraint, "Qin Nuan, for your own good, I suggest you get rid of the child in your belly as soon as possible. Keeping this child will do you no favors."

    "No favors?" Qin Nuan caressed her t stomach, her smile unusually radiant, "But if it really brought no benefits, why then would Lady Xia Ning go to such lengths to have me abort this child? You know, this child is blood-rted to you. He will either be your brother or your nephew."

    "I have no rtion to him," Xia Ning retorted like a dog whose tail had been stepped on, baring her teeth at Qin Nuan, "I tell you, even if you have the audacity to give birth to that child, no one will wee his arrival. If you really care about your well-being, you¡¯d better abort the child now."

    "Ah, so you hate this child as well?" Qin Nuan chuckled, touching her chin and speaking meaningfully, "They say women have softer hearts. I thought you would persuade me to get a paternity test, but you¡¯re even more ruthless than your father and brother."

    She paused for a moment, and just as Xia Ning was about to speak, Qin Nuan interjected, "Xia Ning, I know what you¡¯re worried about. Aren¡¯t you concerned that the Xia Family¡¯s scandal will affect your marriage to He Xing? Honestly, I think you¡¯re too ruthless. How do you always manage to disregard other people¡¯s lives? "

 Chapter 405: Fight Fire with Fire

    <h4>Chapter 405: Chapter 405: Fight Fire with Fire</h4><h4></h4>

    Even after Qin Nuan had left, Xia Ning continued to muse over the words Qin Nuan had said.

    She was certain that she had not known Qin Nuan before, even during the time Qin Nuan had be Xia Guoxiong¡¯s assistant; she had barely had any contact with Qin Nuan.

    But why would Qin Nuan say those things about her?

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t understand. The more she thought about it, the more she suspected that Qin Nuan had deliberately uttered those words to provoke them, as it was tantly obvious that Qin Nuan didn¡¯t wish to sever ties with the Xia Family.

    Previously, Xia Ning might not have realized this, but in the recent days, she had seen very clearly that Qin Nuan was a woman with a strong sense of purpose, who appeased Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng daily.

    Xia Ning saw it crystal clear: although Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng outwardly seemed to look down on Qin Nuan, the two men were actuallypeting with each other in secret, and there was a subtle sense of the father and son wanting to outdo each other through Qin Nuan.

    A cold breeze blew in from the window, causing Xia Ning to shiver. She turned and headed toward Xia Cheng¡¯s ward, showing him the video on her phone, and threatened that if he continued to be so reckless with Qin Nuan, she would definitely send the video to Xia Guoxiong.

    Xia Cheng had not expected the explicit video to exist on his sister¡¯s phone. Usually, he was quite pleased with his indulgences, but once it became a threat, he was infuriated.

    He even snatched Xia Ning¡¯s phone, wanting to smash it, but Xia Ning, having locked horns with Xia Cheng for many years, was well prepared. How could she not have any defenses against Xia Cheng?

    Xia Ning watched Xia Cheng holding her phone aloft, her expression unchanged, as she calmly said, "Go ahead and smash the phone; it doesn¡¯t matter. I have plenty of backups."

    With leverage in her hands, Xia Cheng naturallyplied with Xia Ning¡¯s words, at least outwardly, as he promised to cut ties with Qin Nuan from here on out.

    Then, Xia Ning went to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s ward. At the doorway, sheposed herself, ready to encounter Qin Nuan. Unexpectedly, there was only Xia Guoxiong inside.

    Xia Ning looked at her father on the hospital bed; her father wasn¡¯t that old, only fifty, but his temples were already quite gray, and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes were dense, like cracks on the surface of jade, each wrinkle a meandering little snake.

    Xia Guoxiong was wearing gold-rimmed sses, looking over some reports, his eyes slightly squinted, straining to read.

    The light was bright in the ward, reflecting off the snow-white walls.

    Unbidden, a sour feeling crept into Xia Ning¡¯s nose. She cleared her throat to alert Xia Guoxiong of her presence. When their eyes met, Xia Ning smiled and said, "Dad, what are you doing?"

    "Xiaoning, what brings you here sote?" Xia Guoxiong put aside the reports he was holding and took off his sses, rubbing the bridge of his nose with the back of his hand, clearly exhausted.

    The truth was, Xia Ning was very young when Du Wanting passed away. Back then, the Xia Group was just a small workshop. Xia Guoxiong had to raise two children and grow the business, which was indeed very tough.

    Xia Ning sniffled, trying to muster a smile, "Dad, why are you still not sleeping at thiste hour?"

    "There¡¯s a project about tounch in thepany, and I¡¯m sorting out some problems," Xia Guoxiong said with a pat on his bed, smiling at Xia Ning, "Come sit, let dad have a good look at you, you seem thinner."

    Tears started to stream uncontrobly down Xia Ning¡¯s face. She clung to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s arm, rubbing her tears on his hospital gown.

    That made Xia Guoxiong burst intoughter, "You¡¯re so grown up yet you still act like a child.

    Embarrassed, Xia Ning blushed and changed the subject: "Dad, what¡¯s this project thepany has? Howe I don¡¯t know about it?"

    "It¡¯s a project in coboration with Huangpu Group," Xia Guoxiong mentioned casually, "This project is too big for Huangpu Group to handle alone. They need our Xia Family to help out. Consider it a joint venture between our two families."

    "I don¡¯t like Huangpu Group," Xia Ning thought of Su Cheng, who was the future heir to Huangpu Group, and the way he shamelessly fawned over Fu Han, which made her even more frustrated.

    Xia Guoxiongughed heartily, "What are you talking about, you child. As long as it brings benefits to our Huangpu Group, it doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s He Group or Huangpu Family."

    "But..." Xia Ning knew her words would displease Xia Guoxiong, but she still looked up and said, "But I¡¯m going to marry He Xing in the future. Everyone is talking about how Huangpu Family and He Group are fighting for the market. If you coborate with them, and He Xing finds out, he¡¯ll be unhappy."

    "Then don¡¯t let him find out," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s demeanor shifted from a kind father to one of grave sternness as he looked coldly at Xia Ning, "I¡¯m telling you again, if you dare to inform He Xing about the Xia Family¡¯s coboration with the Huangpu Family, you¡¯ll be sorry!"

    Tears welled up in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes¡ªthis time, they were not tears of sadness but of grievance. She looked stubbornly at Xia Guoxiong, silently standing her ground.

    Unfortunately, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s resolve was firm, far beyond what she, a young girl, could contend with. In the end, she admitted defeat and left with dashed hopes.

    ...

    In M Country, outside the Operating Room.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian sat together, with Fu Xingbo¡¯sptop resting on his legs while Bai Qian held a box of fresh fruit, taking a bite for herself and then feeding one to Fu Xingbo.

    Opposite them, Su Cheng sat on the left side of the bench, with a seat empty between him and Ji Liangchuan, starkly divided as if by the He and Huai rivers¡ªdistinct and forbidding any crossing.

    In contrast to Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian¡¯sposure, the two men seemed to epitomize the very definition of unrest. Meeting for the first time, they found each other¡¯s presence disagreeable¡ªeither maintaining silence or, once speaking, filled with the smell of gunpowder.

    Bai Qian¡¯s fruit box was emptied, and she took out a box of egg tarts, offering it to Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan, "Are you sure you don¡¯t want anything? We still don¡¯t know when Fu Han¡¯s surgery will be over."

    The two young men exchanged nces, then both averted their eyes, simultaneously letting out a disdainful snort.

    Amused by their reaction, Bai Qian stood up, walked over, and stuffed an egg tart into each of their hands, "Here, eat something to fill your stomach. When Fu Han¡¯s surgery is sessful, I¡¯ll treat you to a big meal."

    Su Cheng looked at the egg tart in his hand, his smile more pained than cheerful: "Thank you, auntie. I¡¯ve already inconvenienced you a lot, I should be the one treating you."

    "Indeed, you should be the one treating," Ji Liangchuan interjected before Bai Qian could reply, his tone indifferent as he said, "Imagine that, the heir to Huangpu Group,ing abroad and staying at someone¡¯s house instead of a hotel. I¡¯m amazed you can go through with it."

 Chapter 406: All Troubles

    <h4>Chapter 406: Chapter 406: All Troubles</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng usually appears shy, but sometimes he¡¯s quite good at fighting for himself.

    For example, this time, Bai Qian was only asking politely where he lived, and he took the initiative to ask if he could visit her home, since everyone knows that the Bai family certainly wouldn¡¯tck rooms.

    It was also Su Cheng¡¯s luck that recently Bai Wei had beenining in front of them about how poorly He Xing treated Fu Han, saying how well Su Cheng treated Fu Han. As a result, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had a fairly good impression of Su Cheng and agreed to let Su Cheng stay at the Fu Family home.

    After Ji Liangchuan found out about this, although he didn¡¯t say anything openly, he was extremely jealous inside.

    These past few days, Ji Liangchuan and Su Cheng spent most of their time in Fu Han¡¯s ward. Their conflict could be said to be intensifying by the day, barely exchanging a few words before starting to argue.

    Fu Han waspletely clueless about the conflict between the two of them, and she also didn¡¯t know how to resolve it. Often listening until her ears almost formed calluses, she ended up issuing an eviction order.

    So, usually when they were together, they could only stay for about an hour or so before being kicked out, like today spending several hours together was probably their limit, which is why they couldn¡¯t help but start bickering after saying just a few words.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had grown ustomed to this situation; they just sat shoulder to shoulder, enjoying the delicious egg tarts together.

    Suddenly, Bai Qian¡¯s cell phone rang. She took it out and eximed with some surprise, "Bai Wei is actually still awake at this hour!"

    Fu Xingbo nced sideways, calmly asking, "What¡¯s she looking for you for? It wouldn¡¯t be about Xiaohan¡¯s surgery again, would it?"

    "Exactly," Bai Qian said, nodding and handing her phone to Fu Xingbo, "Look, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into this girl today, she has been messaging me non-stop. Just look at how many times she¡¯s asked already, before and after."

    Fu Xingbo extended two fair fingers and scrolled up, and sure enough, it was all messages from Bai Wei inquiring about Fu Han¡¯s surgery.

    He absentmindedly pushed up the sses on his nose, his face showing a faint surprise, "I feel like I¡¯m starting not to recognize Bai Wei anymore. Before, she wouldn¡¯t message us for ten days or even half a month."

    "Exactly!" Bai Qian immediately agreed, looking as if she couldn¡¯t wait to raise both hands and p, "We¡¯ve been ratherissez-faire with Bai Wei since we were kids, plus she entered the Entertainment Circle just after reaching adulthood, at the height of her rebellious phase. Knowing we disagreed, she always avoided contacting us, afraid we would scold her, and now she just can¡¯t change this habit."

    The couple sighed together, and in doing so, they forgot to reply to "Bai Wei¡¯s" messages. Bai Wei¡¯s urging came again, "Has Xiaohan¡¯s surgery finished? What¡¯s the situation now?"

    The cell phone was in Fu Xingbo¡¯s hands. He slightly moved his eyelids, nced at the message, and chuckled, "If this wasn¡¯t Bai Wei¡¯s number, I¡¯d have thought the person on the other end was He Xing."

    Hearing this, Bai Qian couldn¡¯t help but nod, "Yes, I also always feel that the messages from Bai Wei¡¯s phone are different from usual, as if they were sent by a different person."

    As the two discussed, they replied to Bai Wei, "The surgery hasn¡¯t finished yet, it¡¯ste, no need for you to wait, go to sleep."

    In less than a minute, no, about ten seconds or so, Bai Wei¡¯s reply came: "No need, I¡¯m not sleepy, let me know immediately if there¡¯s news about Xiaohan."

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian looked at each other, and finally, Bai Qian tugged at the corner of her mouth and chuckled awkwardly, "Bai Wei is so concerned about Xiaohan¡¯s matters, this... this is a good thing."

    On the opposite side, Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan heard them discussing Bai Wei, neither of them interested, so they let it go in one ear and out the other.

    As time ticked on, Su Cheng¡¯s heart grew more and more anxious, until he felt cold sweat on his brow and nose. He couldn¡¯t sit still any longer and stood up to head towards the restroom, thinking of washing his face with cold water to calm down.

    But as soon as he had stepped in, Ji Liangchuan followed right behind.

    Their eyes met unexpectedly in the mirror above the washbasin, each detecting clear hostility in the other¡¯s gaze, but neither one spoke first.

    This was a contest, a silent contest, and each was well aware that whoever spoke first would lose the upper hand.

    A few minutes passed, and Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes began to dry out. He unconsciously turned his head away, and by the time he realized something was wrong, he had already seen the undisguised smugness in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes.

    Ji Liangchuan was furious, his beautiful peach blossom eyes roiling with tumultuous waves, "Su Cheng, people need face, and trees need bark. Fu Han has already rejected you so many times, why do you still shamelessly pursue her?"

    Someone came out from a cubicle and was washing their hands there, looking puzzled at the two men, probably thinking that neither looked easy to provoke. They quickly washed their hands and hurried off.

    Su Cheng cupped some water to wash his face, feeling much fresher. He carelessly wiped the water from his face and turned to look at Ji Liangchuan, "May I ask on what grounds are you saying these things to me?"

    That question was like a lit fuse, and indeed a burning one, sessfully igniting the balloon-sized rage in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s chest.

    He red at Su Cheng furiously, "It doesn¡¯t matter on what grounds I speak to you. What matters is that you stop clinging to Fu Han like a ster. You¡¯re only causing her trouble."

    With a slight curve of his lips, Su Cheng replied not with anger but a smile, "Trouble? I think you¡¯re the one giving her more trouble, given it seems Fu Han prefers talking to me."

    For the first time in his life, Ji Liangchuan found himself trembling with anger because of another man, yet he had no way to deal with him.

    And the worst part was, before he could even think of a rebuttal, Su Cheng spoke again, "Ji Liangchuan, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been He Xing¡¯s brother for many years. You¡¯ve followed Fu Han all this way, is it to take care of her on behalf of He Xing?"

    This touched exactly on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s sore spot. They say one shouldn¡¯t covet a friend¡¯s wife, and even if Fu Han looked identical to Taozi, Ji Liangchuan shouldn¡¯t have any entanglement with her.

    A blood-like flush appeared on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face, making it seem as if his head was so engorged with blood it might explode at any moment, while the twitching veins on his forehead were as terrifying as a wriggling, rugged snake.

    Without exaggeration, at that moment, Ji Liangchuan resembled a demon that had crawled up from hell. He watched Su Cheng with a sinister gaze and said word by word, "What does it matter if I¡¯m friends with He Xing? I like Fu Han, and I don¡¯t think being He Xing¡¯s friend deprives me of the right to pursue her. It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re not married yet, even if they were, I still have the right to like someone."

 Chapter 407 - Negotiations Between Two Men

    <h4>Chapter 407: Chapter 407 - Negotiations Between Two Men</h4><h4></h4>

    For the first time, Su Cheng began to regard Ji Liangchuan with newfound respect. He actually felt it was unfair to use his friendship with He Xing to attack Ji Liangchuan, but to his surprise, Ji Liangchuan had resolved it so easily. Even if Su Cheng wanted to find a w, he couldn¡¯t refute it.

    Silence, a deathly silence began to spread in the restroom.

    It was as if invisible swords were shing in midair, with Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan at the center, both exerting their powerful auras to their fullest.

    After an unknown amount of time, it was Su Cheng who first broke the silence, not for anything in particr but suddenly feeling that the standoff with Ji Liangchuan was meaningless. He wished to end this confrontation quickly.

    A smile appeared at the corner of Su Cheng¡¯s eyes as he looked at Ji Liangchuan and said, word by word, "Since we are both pursuing Fu Han, the decision lies in Fu Han¡¯s hands. Let¡¯s each rely on our own abilities."

    Ji Liangchuan first gave a cold snort, as if to silently ask, "Do you think you can be my rival?" but ultimately, he nodded in agreement.

    The two returned to wait outside the Operating Room, still with expressionless faces, as if nothing had happened at all.

    Luckily, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian didn¡¯t ask any further questions; they simply looked up at them.

    A few minutester, the door of the Operating Room opened from the inside. Fu Xingbo was the first to react, rushing toward the entrance, followed quickly by the other four.

    They saw Fu Han being pushed out of the Operating Room on a hospital bed, her face wrapped in thick bandages like a mummy; she was still in the loose hospital gown, making her look tiny, like a child sleeping in an adult¡¯s bed.

    Fu Xingbo anxiously asked, "Doctor, how was the result of the surgery?"

    The leading Doctor took off his surgical mask ¡ª it was Daisi, who He Xing had invited to A City to perform facial surgery on Fu Han. This time, it was Fu Xingbo who had called in many favors to have Daisi operate on Fu Han as a priority.

    Daisi spoke fluently in English, "Mr. Fu, rest assured, the surgery went very smoothly. Lady Fu Han just needs to recover for a while before she can regain her beautiful appearance."

    Bai Qian uttered a Buddhist chant, her eyes already moist. God knows how nervous she was waiting for Daisi to speak. If it hadn¡¯t been for Fu Xingbo¡¯s support, she might have cried.

    Su Cheng was also overjoyed, his head turning in all directions, wanting to share the joy with others, only to lock eyes with Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze.

    The recent events had left him with no good impression of Ji Liangchuan. He wanted to retract the smile from his face, but how could he manage such control in a rush?

    However, before he could turn his head away, Ji Liangchuan also revealed a smile to him.

    In that moment, these two men, who were jealous over Fu Han, began to smile over the same thing.

    Surrounded by a group of people, Fu Han was taken to her Ward ¡ª it was the same one she had before. Inside were fresh flowers Bai Qian had bought that morning, bringing some life to the cold room.

    Bai Wei sent a message, and Bai Qian, thinking Bai Wei hadn¡¯t slept yet, simply made a video call to her. After a while, the video was finally answered.

    "Why are the lights off?" Bai Qian asked in confusion, looking at the pitch-dark screen on the phone. "Didn¡¯t I tell you not to y with your phone in the dark? It¡¯s bad for your eyes."

    "Ah... um... yes, I know," Bai Wei¡¯s sleepy voice came through. "I... I just turned off the lights. How... how did Fu Han¡¯s surgery go?"

    That single question sessfully shifted Bai Qian¡¯s attention. She replied with a particrly cheerful smile, "The surgery was sessful. In a few days, Xiaohan will be even more beautiful, prettier than you."

    "Sessful?" Bai Wei¡¯s voice sharply rose several octaves, the sleepiness gone, reced by excitement. "Did you hear that? The surgery was sessful, that¡¯s great."

    Bai Qian was confused and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Bai Wei, is there someone else with you? Who are you with?"

    Before Bai Wei could answer, Fu Xingbo had already snatched the phone away, speaking sternly into it, "Bai Wei, your mother and I do not approve of you living with your boyfriend before marriage. Don¡¯t you know that?"

    Hearing this, Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help butugh. He thought to himself that if he and Fu Han got married and had their own children, if they had a daughter, he would definitely be like Fu Xingbo.

    On the phone, Bai Wei was clearly flustered, insistently exining she was alone. But now, not only Fu Xingbo but also Bai Qian were convinced there was someone with Bai Wei; they needed to see who it was.

    Su Cheng listened to Bai Wei¡¯s battle of wits with her parents and indulged in imagining his future with Fu Han, feeling like life was brightening up, his mood unconsciously improving.

    Just what would Bai Wei think if she knew about Su Cheng¡¯s mood at that moment?

    Bai Wei, already out of defenses under her parents¡¯ questioning, called out impatiently, "Alright, will you stop nagging me if I turn on the light for you to see?"

    "Don¡¯t," came a man¡¯s voice from the phone, sounding somewhat familiar.

    The people on this end exchanged puzzled looks, thinking that there indeed was a man with Bai Wei, and not just any man; they also mused that the voice didn¡¯t sound like Luo Qinghe¡¯s.

    Before they could specte any further, the phone screen lit up, showing Bai Wei¡¯s face against a nk white wall. Bai Qian frowned and asked, "Bai Wei, where exactly are you?"

    Bai Wei didn¡¯t answer her question, but instead quickly switched the camera view. The screen revealed a man¡¯s profile against the backdrop of the white wall, chiseled and striking, a face that was clearly a masterpiece of the divine.

    "He Xing?" Bai Qian was the first to react. She widened her eyes at the sight of the embarrassed He Xing on the screen, afraid she had mistaken Luo Qinghe for He Xing. "Bai Wei, howe you¡¯re with He Xing?"

    As soon as Bai Wei decided topletely betray He Xing by turning on the light against his will, she resolved to reveal everything at her mother¡¯s inquiry. Without withholding anything, she told them everything that had happened in the past few days.

    Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo looked at each other in disbelief.

    In the end, it was Fu Xingbo who spoke first, "Why are you two bothering with such thankless tasks? Can¡¯t He Xing contact Fu Han himself? Why does he have to use your phone? And even though he¡¯s your brother, you¡¯re both adults. What does it look like, living in the same room?"

 Chapter 408: The Siblingsâ€™ "Deal

    <h4>Chapter 408: Chapter 408: The Siblings¡¯ "Deal</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s not a room," Bai Wei whispered in reminder, "it¡¯s a ward. I was following your instructions, taking good care of cousin He Xing in the hospital."

    Bai Qian sighed and turned to Fu Xingbo, "Well, since she is taking care of He Xing at the hospital, then... let it be."

    When Fu Xingbo looked at Bai Wei, the corner of his eye caught the gaze of Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan; he cleared his throat, his tone regaining its calm, "Bai Wei, it¡¯s gettingte. You should head back to sleep and be careful on your way."

    After hanging up the phone, Fu Xingbo calmly said to Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan, "I hope nobody else finds out about tonight¡¯s incident."

    "I absolutely won¡¯t speak of it, Uncle. Rest assured," Su Cheng assured, his behavior consistently like that of a good baby.

    "I won¡¯t say a thing either," Ji Liangchuan followed, not to be outdone.

    Bai Qian sent all three men out and stayed in the ward herself. She asked the nursing aide to help Fu Han wipe down and change into a set of clean clothes.

    ording to the doctor, Fu Han would wake up within four hours. Her face couldn¡¯t be exposed to water in the following days and it was best she only wiped down her body once a day without taking a shower.

    Meanwhile, in A City, Bai Wei, after dealing with her parents, was now facing He Xing¡¯s judgement. She sat in front of the couch, head drooping like a child who had done wrong.

    He Xing remained as he had been in the video, sitting on the hospital bed. His handsome eyes unblinkingly fixed on Bai Wei, his words cold as ice, "You say you, can¡¯t even handle this trivial matter well, what else can I expect from you?"

    Every word hit the ground with force, exceptionally piercing in the quiet ward.

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned crimson and pale. With her years of matching wits with He Xing, she figured the smartest thing to do was to thicken her skin and let He Xing vent until his anger blew over.

    But today, Bai Wei felt a surge of anger, and of course, an even greater sense of guilt. She opened her mouth, her argument weak andcking conviction, "You can¡¯t just say it like that. These past few days my phone was just like your own phone, did I say anything? It was found by my parents. What if I don¡¯t exin myself, and they forbid me from being with Luo Qinghe in a fit of anger? What then?"

    The white incandescentmp above shone directly onto He Xing¡¯s face. They say light can magnify a person¡¯s ws infinitely, yet under such intense light, He Xing¡¯s face remained wlessly perfect, like a piece of white jade.

    However, He Xing¡¯s voice was as cold as white jade, "Hmph, even without me, it¡¯s not certain you and Luo Qinghe could get married."

    "What do you mean by that?" Her words sessfully turned Bai Wei from feeling guilty and angry to outright furious, "Who says I won¡¯t end up with Luo Qinghe? Our rtionship is great."

    He Xing¡¯s already impassive face turned even colder. He bluntly said, "Don¡¯t think that I won¡¯t know just because you don¡¯t tell me. Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents don¡¯t approve of your marriage at all."

    "You..." Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened so much they seemed about to pop out, her whole body trembling with rage, "How... how did you find out?"

    He Xing stretched out his arms and legs, finally showing a hint of a smile on his face, "Do you really think the reputation of He Group as A City¡¯s number one enterprise is just for show? Let me tell you, in A City, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t find out if I want to."

    Even though He Xing¡¯s smile could only be described as dazzling, like a night-blooming cereus, Bai Wei was in no mood to appreciate his smile at that moment.

    After pondering over He Xing¡¯s words repeatedly in her mind, she ultimately felt they were sensible. She approached He Xing, her face wearing a supplicatory smile, "He Xing... cousin, what do you say we should do to get his parents to agree to our marriage?"

    "You two?" He Xing looked at Bai Wei askance, stroking his chin with a meaningful tone, "I don¡¯t want Fu Han to find out that the person she has been chatting with these past few days has been me. You... understand what I mean, right?"

    Bai Wei frowned, taking a few seconds to react before she finally grasped He Xing¡¯s meaning. She nodded vigorously, "Understood, understood, I¡¯ll handle it right away."

    After saying that, she took her phone and went out. Before leaving, she even turned back to give He Xing a ttering smile, and faintly, one could hear her talking with Bai Qian.

    Now alone in the ward, He Xing couldn¡¯t help smiling as he thought of Bai Wei¡¯s obsequious behavior. Of course, the main reason he was able to smile was because Fu Han¡¯s surgery had been sessful.

    He Xing had not been able to see Fu Han off at the airport the day she left. As a result, his recent messages to her had mostly been one-sided, with him sending ten messages for each single, exceptionally cold reply from her.

    Left with no alternative, He Xing had to resort to using Bai Wei¡¯s identity to chat with Fu Han. Unexpectedly, their chats turned out to be quite joyful, and Fu Han would asionally share her past life abroad with him.

    But such chats were risky. He Xing didn¡¯t need to guess to know that with Fu Han¡¯s personality, if she found out it had been He Xing chatting with her all along, she wouldn¡¯t be touched. Instead, she would feel deceived by him. She was already ignoring him now; in the future, she would probably cklist him forever.

    A deep sigh echoed as He Xing rubbed his forehead. Although the car ident hadn¡¯t caused any permanent damage, the outward injuries to his body were severe, and he had not yet recovered his strength due to significant blood loss.

    All this meant that He Xing¡¯s chance to visit Fu Han after discharging from the hospital kept getting dyed. He was anxious but helpless; in his current state, no one would agree to his discharge.

    A few minutester, Bai Wei returned, her face revealing unmistakable fatigue beneath her smile. She swung open the door and excitedly waved at He Xing, "It¡¯s taken care of. My mom said she won¡¯t tell Fu Han and will ensure that everyone else who knows keeps it a secret."

    "Everyone else?" He Xing raised an eyebrow, asking somewhat helplessly, "Exactly how many people are aware of this situation?"

    Counting on her fingers, Bai Wei listed for He Xing, "My parents, Luo Qinghe, Su Cheng, and Ji Liangchuan. Don¡¯t worry, just the five of them."

    "Just five people?" He Xingughed bitterly, his sarcasm uncontroble, "The way you put it, one would think it¡¯s only a small number."

    "It¡¯s not that many either," Bai Wei chuckled, nning to be as brazen as she could be, "You should be grateful they¡¯re overseas, not many know Fu Han, there aren¡¯t as many to keep herpany, or else there¡¯d be even more people in the know."

 Chapter 409: Canâ€™t Help but Ask

    <h4>Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Can¡¯t Help but Ask</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing slightly squinted his eyes, not wanting to answer Bai Wei¡¯s question, he straightforwardly changed the subject, "It¡¯s gettingte, you should head back quickly, Liang Tao is waiting for you in the underground parking lot."

    "You..." Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed through, but she still mustered the courage to ask, "Didn¡¯t you say that if I handled this problem for you, you would help me with Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents?"

    "Little girl, you¡¯re trying to trick me too?" He Xing suddenly opened his eyes wide, a pair of bright, spirited eyes staring at Bai Wei: "Don¡¯t try to change the topic here. I only told you how to handle the current problem, not that I would help you marry Luo Qinghe."

    With her little scheme exposed, Bai Wei stomped her feet in annoyance, but she was powerless against He Xing. She could only inquire, "Then what do you suggest I do now?"

    "It¡¯s simple, break up with Luo Qinghe," He Xing said meaningfully, hands behind his head: "Girls shouldn¡¯t be too forward in a rtionship, otherwise the guy will think he can mold you like dough. By breaking up, you can test Luo Qinghe¡¯s reaction."

    "This..." Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful face was full of hesitation: "But what if Luo Qinghe takes it seriously and really breaks up with me?"

    "Then you can consider it as if you¡¯ve wasted your youth on a dog. If it¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, the next one will be better." Having said that, He Xing firmly closed his lips, determined not to say another word.

    Bai Wei, feeling as if she¡¯d been yed, couldn¡¯t refute He Xing¡¯s words despite looking at him.

    ...

    M Country, Hospital Inpatient Department.

    Fu Han woke up three hours after the surgery ended and then had to stay awake for the next three hours, no matter how sleepy she felt.

    Shey on the hospital bed, surrounded by four people who had wrapped around her bed securely. She felt a bit awkward and instinctively wanted to force a smile, but realizing her cheeks were numb, she finally remembered that she had just undergone surgery.

    "I can finally understand what the goris in the zoo feel like." Knowing they were all concerned for her, Fu Han made her tone as light as possible.

    Bai Qian was amused by herment and chuckled, "You¡¯re a funny kid. You seem so serious normally, but you¡¯re even cheekier than Bai Wei when you¡¯re in the mood."

    "It¡¯s good to be yful," Fu Xingbo immediatelyughed: "A kid should act like a kid."

    With this exchange, the atmosphere in the ward became lively, with the two of them chatting back and forth, and asionally Ji Liangchuan and Su Cheng would throw in a joke or two, lifting Fu Han¡¯s spirits.

    She knew her face now was tightly bandaged, no different from wearing a mask. This was the second time she had appeared like this, and oddly enough, she felt it wasn¡¯t so bad.

    When Fu Han had first woken up, the day was still bright, but now the sun was tilting westward, with orange rays shining through the gap between two tall buildings, warming her body. Despite being behind ss, it still felt like basking in the sun on azy winter day.

    All the skyscrapers in the world seem to be the same, and the twin towers outside the window were exactly that. Simr buildings existed in A City, with one of them belonging to the He Group.

    From the time Fu Han woke up until now, it seemed that no one had mentioned He Xing. At first, Fu Han was fine with that, but the more they avoided mentioning He Xing, the more she found herself thinking about him. She wondered how He Xing¡¯s injuries were and whether he had been discharged from the hospital.

    Raised to never interrupt others, Fu Han waited for a pause in the conversation to hurriedly ask, "Uncle, Aunt, how is... how is He Xing doing now?"

    The ward, which had been merry, suddenly went quiet as everyone¡¯s attention shifted to Fu Han, who once again silently thanked the bandages covering her face, hoping no one noticed her blushing.

    Bai Qian had the simplest expression among everyone, purely happy; she immediately spoke, "Xiaohan, you don¡¯t have to worry about He Xing. I video called him today, his condition has greatly improved, and he should be able to leave the hospital in a few days."

    "Hmm." Fu Han hummed in response and did not pursue the conversation further. She truly wasn¡¯tfortable discussing He Xing with others, feeling a strange awkwardness inside.

    Bai Qian¡¯s gaze held aplexity; not only was she Fu Han¡¯s aunt, she was also He Xing¡¯s aunt-inw. Deep down she hoped that Fu Han and He Xing would ultimately find rity in their rtionship. If Bai Wei hadn¡¯t been pestering her, she would have certainly told Fu Han about He Xing chatting with her under Bai Wei¡¯s ount.

    Just as the room was drowning in an awkward silence, Daisi the doctor came in. He was a very responsible physician, checking on Fu Han¡¯s condition every hour.

    After the routine examination, Daisi didn¡¯t leave immediately. Instead, he smiled at Fu Han, "Lady Fu Han, we really have a special connection. I heard you and Mr. He Xing will soon be married, and I might be in A City when that happens. Would you mind if I attended your wedding?"

    This was too much. Bai Wei hadn¡¯t even gotten over her earlier blush, and now she felt it creeping up again. She turned her pleading gaze to Fu Xingbo, truly at a loss for how to respond.

    Without needing to say much, Fu Xingbo effortlessly diverted the topic.

    Fu Han breathed a sigh of relief, using the excuse of watching a movie to pass the time. She really didn¡¯t want to continue such a boring and awkward conversation. After all, she had already asked her burning question and received a satisfying answer.

    Halfway through the movie, Fu Han¡¯s phone rang; it was a video call invitation from He Xing.

    Although He Xing had messaged her every day since she arrived in M Country, he had never once sent a video call or even phoned her.

    Though she hadn¡¯t said it out loud, Fu Han harbored quite a few grievances against He Xing, and she had been pondering the future between them. She couldn¡¯t bear carrying the weight of the Xia Family¡¯s lifesaving grace.

    "Who¡¯s video calling?" Bai Qian, hearing the noise, came over and saw that it was He Xing. She quickly pressed the answer button and didn¡¯t forget to mention to Fu Han, "Didn¡¯t you just ask about He Xing a moment ago? Why aren¡¯t you answering his video call now?"

    Fu Han no longer had the chance to reply to Bai Qian¡¯s question because He Xing¡¯s face had already appeared on her phone screen.

    A typical man¡¯s perspective, the camera angle from below was a bit disappointing, with He Xing¡¯s chin taking up a third of the screen, his nose a quarter.

    But even with such an angle, He Xing¡¯s looks were impossible to ignore. His pair of eyes looked exceptionally bright due to the angle, like two gems quietly resting on a still water surface, clear and distinct like a Taiji diagram.

    Then He Xing¡¯s clear voice came through, bearing an unmistakable hint of joy, "Fu Han, did you really ask about me? Whatever you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you everything!"

 Chapter 410: The Abruptly Ended Video

    <h4>Chapter 410: Chapter 410: The Abruptly Ended Video</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han felt her face flush with redness. She coughed awkwardly a couple of times and said somewhat unnaturally, "Who said I was asking about your matters? I did not."

    He Xingughed out loud, his mood inexplicably lifted. He quickly followed Fu Han¡¯s lead and changed his tune, "Alright, alright, you were not asking about me. How are you feeling now?"

    His words were exceptionally gentle, and as he spoke, the wind outside seemed to soften as well, and the roaring wind wasn¡¯t as harsh anymore.

    Fu Han clearly heard her own heart start pounding furiously. Damn it, she was still angry with He Xing, but why did her heart rate increase at just a casual word from him?

    She began to sulk without reason, not at someone else, but at herself for not even being able to stay purely angry; the sight of He Xing seemed to dispel half of her anger.

    He Xing¡¯s voice continued, "Xiaohan, I heard from Bai Wei that you dreamed I turned into a vampire and sucked all your blood, right? Don¡¯t be scared. Dreams are the opposite of reality, I would never do such a thing to you."

    Although it went against everything Su Cheng had been taught since childhood to eavesdrop, he couldn¡¯t keep his thoughts from controlling his ears, and he found himself unavoidably listening in on Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s conversation.

    Now upon hearing this, Su Cheng¡¯s mind immediately shed back to the first time he hade to the hospital to see Fu Han.

    He remembered walking in to find Fu Han propped up against her pillow, half-reclining on the hospital bed, her long eyshes trembling slightly, lips firmly pressed together, and big tear drops falling from the corners of her eyes, clear and shiny like pearls.

    That day Su Cheng quickly realized that Fu Han was having a nightmare, and it took several calls to wake her up, but when he asked her about the dream, she didn¡¯t say a word.

    The corners of Su Cheng¡¯s mouth strained to curve upwards, ultimately only revealing a mocking smile. It turns out that nothing had changed from beginning to end. The only one who could make Fu Han feel sad and upset was He Xing alone.

    Fu Han was also feeling miserable, mainly due to the extreme embarrassment.

    These past few days Bai Wei had been nearly incessant in "pestering" Fu Han to chat, always asking questions about this and that, but how much was there to talk about?

    Initially, it was almost always Bai Wei who found various topics to talk about with Fu Han, butter on, Fu Han felt embarrassed and thought she should be more enthusiastic and outgoing, so she asionally brought up topics herself.

    Had He Xing not brought it up just now, Fu Han would have almost forgotten about that terrible dream she had, but now that she learned He Xing knew about it, the fear the dream had induced was gone, reced by anger at Bai Wei for sharing a matter between two girls with He Xing.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze turned icy, her face darkened, "That¡¯s nonsense from Bai Wei. It¡¯s not true; you believe it?"

    He Xing was momentarily taken aback. He certainly couldn¡¯t say he had overheard talking about the dream while holding Bai Wei¡¯s phone, right? It was again a moment to choose between a "frienemy" and himself.

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, He Xing immediately made his choice, "Fu Han, don¡¯t be angry, perhaps Bai Wei was just making stuff up out of boredom."

    The expressions of the four other people in Fu Han¡¯s ward, besides Fu Han herself, turnedplex upon hearing this news. These were people who had promised not to reveal He Xing¡¯s secret, and now they were witnessing He Xing tantly lying. How could they not even blink?

    One person blinking is one thing, but having four people simultaneously looking troubled, even if Fu Han was not particrly perceptive, she couldn¡¯t have ignored it. And after all, she had been paying attention to everyone¡¯s reaction since picking up He Xing¡¯s call.

    She coughed and asked with a mix of guilt and confusion, "Uncle, what¡¯s the matter with you all? Are your eyes twitching?"

    Yet before Fu Xingbo and the others could respond, He Xing¡¯s slightly panicked voice had already sounded, "Fu Han, who is by your side?"

    Even though Fu Han was feeling embarrassed, she still honestly replied, "Uncle, aunt, Su Cheng, and Ji Liangchuan are all here."

    Even through a phone, Fu Han could clearly see He Xing¡¯splexion change. He coughed awkwardly and said, "I just remembered I have some unfinished business, I¡¯ll video call you next time," and without waiting for Fu Han to respond, He Xing hung up the video call.

    Fu Han, staring at the now darkened phone screen, looked around in confusion, not understanding what had just happened. It was Bai Qian who answered the video call; logically, He Xing should have known there were people around her.

    But now was not the time to consider these things. In fact, the video call ending was actually a relief for Fu Han; at least she didn¡¯t have to feel shameless in front of everyone while listening to He Xing say things that made her blush and heart race.

    Fu Han was about to stuff her phone back underneath the pillow when she got a new message alert. She opened it to find it was from He Xing.

    The message¡¯s content was simple: "Next time you video call me, make sure to tell me beforehand who¡¯s around you."

    A wave of unnamed rage rose in Fu Han¡¯s heart. She was already in a bad mood, and now she felt an unspeakable sense of grievance swelling in her heart. It was He Xing who hadn¡¯t asked, yet now it seemed like it was her failure to tell?

    Fu Han had the urge to block He Xing again, but before doing so, she wanted to fiercely rebuke him. However, with so many people currently in her ward, she really wasn¡¯t in the mood or had the energy to drag out a battle with He Xing.

    ...

    He Group, Chairman¡¯s Office.

    A few years ago, this office was the most dreaded by everyone at He Group, bar none;ter, when He Xing joined thepany, the old Chairman happily began his retirement life, and the office¡¯s daunting presence gradually lessened.

    In the past few years, the office staff at He Group came to fear most was He Xing¡¯s general manager¡¯s office.

    But during this period, He Xing had been injured, and He Group had failed in several tender projects. Minor project failures were one thing, but failing in a multi-billion project that He Group was keen on winning had made the He Family staff worried.

    What was most critical was that at the same time as the failure of the tender projects, He Xing was involved in a car ident. Media reports suggested that the car ident was deliberately orchestrated to prevent He Xing from attending the tender project on the day of the ident.

    Although the core members of the He Group knew that He Xing¡¯s car ident was purely coincidental, this didn¡¯t stop the gossip journalists from spreading rumors, and apparently, the online support for this theory was also very high.

    The point of this matter was to knock He Xing off his pedestal; for the average employees, He Xing was like a myth ¨C with him, they could do anything. But this event proved that He Xing was not truly omnipotent.

 Chapter 411: Killing to Break the Heart

    <h4>Chapter 411: Chapter 411: Killing to Break the Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    Striking at the heart, the He Group¡¯s loss of several billion-dor projects caused the staff¡¯s resignation rate to skyrocket. Although not many core employees left, the news spread unfavorably. In the ears of gossipy journalists, the He Group was already seen as a copsing skyscraper.

    All employees of the He Group were eagerly hoping for He Xing to return quickly, but instead of him, it was the old Mr. He who came back.

    Upon his arrival, Mr. He immediately began a sweeping reform, eliminating some departments that were only taking money without doing any work. As a result, some staff had their workload increase, which inevitably led to grumbling.

    But before theints could emerge, Mr. He firmly nipped them in the bud. He issued an announcement that all employees with increased workloads would receive a 20% sry increase if they couldplete their work satisfactorily within three months; as for other staff whose workloads were already saturated, their pay would also increase by 10%.

    Mr. He¡¯s reforms taught all employees a lesson: the He Group doesn¡¯t provide for idlers, but if you work hard, you will not be treated unjustly.

    After this policy was released, the massive wave of resignations at the He Group came to aplete end.

    Then there was the issue of projects. The He Group had invested in the multi-billion-dor project, and now all that investment might go down the drain. The best solution was to find new projects to mitigate the He Group¡¯s losses.

    In the past few days, Mr. He had been fully engaged in reaching out to the relevant people, and Old Zhou, besides sleeping, was always with Mr. He day and night.

    Now, less than half an hour before lunchtime, Mr. He finally ended a phone call that hadsted an hour.

    The call was made by Mr. He, aimed at inviting the other party to discuss a cooperation matter. Even though Mr. He was the more passive party, he did not lose out in terms of momentum.

    While delivering ginseng tea to Mr. He, Old Zhou couldn¡¯t help but mutter, "Master, you¡¯re not young anymore. You can¡¯t keep working back-to-back like this; your body won¡¯t be able to take it."

    "Indeed, I am old. There¡¯s no denying it," Mr. He leaned back against the leather chair, weary and closing his eyes.

    Old Zhou put down the ginseng tea, moved behind Mr. He, and stretched out his hands to massage him. His movements were forceful and methodical, evidently well-practiced.

    Twenty minutester, Mr. He opened his eyes, the fatigue nearly gone from his gaze. He picked up the ginseng tea from the table, which was still warm and perfect for drinking.

    Old Zhou continued to massage Mr. He¡¯s shoulders, "Master, what would you like for lunch? I¡¯ll go and buy it for you."

    "Just have someone bring the food to the hospital. I¡¯ll go have lunch there with He Xing," Mr. He said with a smile, his eyes softening considerably when he mentioned He Xing. "I didn¡¯t visit him yesterday. I wonder how he¡¯s doing now."

    "Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it right away." Old Zhou¡¯sughter became more heartwarming. He picked up the phone and turned to leave.

    ...

    In He Xing¡¯s ward.

    The ss coffee table was filled with food, all neatly packaged and delivered from a five-star hotel, with appealing presentation and full of vor.

    Because Fu Han¡¯s surgery had been sessful, He Xing¡¯s mood had brightened a great deal, and his appetite had vastly improved. He ate voraciously, finishing a bowl of rice in just a few bites.

    As Liang Tao served him more food, He Xing nced at Mr. He with a slight blush on his face, "Grandfather, how is thepany doingtely?"

    Mr. He was eating fish, enjoying the delicious glutinous rice fish.

    At the question, he paused but then smiled the next second, "Everything is normal. Why do you suddenly ask? Haven¡¯t I told you? With grandfather here, you just focus on recovering."

    The joy in He Xing¡¯s eyes deepened. He cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking again, "Grandfather, I... if thepany isn¡¯t too busy, I was thinking... I might go to M Country to see Fu Han and, if possible, bring her back."

    "That¡¯s a good idea." Mr. He put down his utensils excitedly, looking at He Xing and said fervently, "I was just wondering when you¡¯d go to see Fu Han. Since you brought it up, why don¡¯t you get discharged today and go find her tomorrow?"

    The news was so sudden that He Xing was shocked, leading to a severe coughing fit which terrified Old Zhou enough to rush to serve him a bowl of soup.

    Once his coughing had subsided, his eyes reddened with the strain, looking as if he were crying.

    Mr. He¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement, but he still feigned sternness, "It¡¯s just a visit to see Fu Han. Why are you so overexcited? If word gets out, people might start thinking the He Family is uncultured."

    Old Zhou couldn¡¯t help bursting intoughter at this, "Master, I dare say there¡¯s no one in the whole world who would think the young master is uncultured."

    By then, He Xing¡¯s face was so red it seemed ready to bleed. Hearing this, he shot Old Zhou a grateful look, "Uncle Zhou is right."

    Laughter filled the ward, turning the cold room into a ce filled with warmth.

    Liang Tao, who had been tidying up He Xing¡¯s belongings on the other side, hesitated before quietly reminding, "Mr. He, we can¡¯tplete discharge procedures this afternoon. If you want to be discharged, the earliest we can do so is tomorrow morning."

    "Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier?" He Xing red at Liang Tao, his joy visibly dampened.

    Liang Tao¡¯s face turned darkly red and beads of sweat formed on the tip of his nose. He mumbled quietly, "Well, Mr. He, I didn¡¯t know earlier today that you were nning to be discharged."

    He Xing was left speechless by thement, a palpable pressure radiating from him and spreading in all directions, with Liang Tao feeling the full weight of it on his shoulders.

    Eventually, Mr. He intervened, "What¡¯s the problem? Just be discharged a dayter. You can take the evening flight tomorrow."

    There are two flights from A City to M Country each day, one in the early morning and one in the evening, precisely spaced twelve hours apart.

    It¡¯s only twelve hours, after all. Thinking he had ample time to sort things out, He Xing found this unhurried feeling rather pleasant.

    Mr. He repeatedly instructed He Xing to make sure he brought Fu Han back with him. If Fu Han didn¡¯t return, he shouldn¡¯t bothering back either.

    In the end, He Xing was rendered speechless by his grandfather¡¯s insistence, not without irony asking who his true grandson was.

 Chapter 412: A Transaction

    <h4>Chapter 412: Chapter 412: A Transaction</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning stared nkly at her phone screen, which disyed the chat window in WhatsApp. On it was a message from Qin Nuan sent five minutes ago. The content was simple, just one sentence: "He Xing is taking a flight to M Country tonight to find Fu Han."

    When Xia Ning received this message, she was shocked. She immediately called the airline to confirm. It turned out that she had inadvertently seen He Xing¡¯s ID number and had taken a photo to record it, never expecting it toe in handy now.

    In Xia Ning¡¯s heart, Qin Nuan was an enemy rather than a friend. She didn¡¯t understand why Qin Nuan would send her this message. Could it be that she wanted Xia Ning to stop opposing her?

    As she was agonizing over it, her phone vibrated. It was a WhatsApp call from Qin Nuan.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Xia Ning decided to answer, but her voice was cold, "What do you want from me? Is there something wrong?"

    "Lady Xia, you saw the message I sent you on WhatsApp, right? In a few hours, your beloved will be flying to another country to find his beloved. Can you really stand by and do nothing?" Qin Nuan¡¯s voice clearly had a tone of schadenfreude.

    Xia Ning had always been like a firecracker that could go off at the slightest touch. Upon hearing these words, she immediately became furious, and her voice rose eight degrees, "Qin Nuan, I¡¯m warning you, if you keep talking nonsense, do you believe I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart?"

    The white cat she was raising waszily walking around the living room and ran off in a puff of smoke, scared by her shouting.

    The cat¡¯s cry was particrly haunting, as if someone with a knife was chasing it.

    To put it bluntly, if that cat darede near Xia Ning at that moment, without fear of death, she might have really kicked it away fiercely.

    Compared to her anger, Qin Nuan was obviously much calmer, even her voice sounded gentler than when talking face-to-face, "Lady Xia, of course I believe what you say. If I have offended you, perhaps you might even send me to the police station, right?"

    "You know it, so..." The final word "well" was about toe out of Xia Ning¡¯s throat but stopped abruptly. Her attention was caught by the word "also" that Qin Nuan had used, and the words Qin Nuan had said in the hospitalst time. Combined, they gave her the impression that there was more to Qin Nuan¡¯s words.

    But before Xia Ning could think it through, Qin Nuan¡¯s characteristicallyzy, cat-like voice rang out, "Xia Ning, I know you don¡¯t want He Xing to go find Fu Han. How about this, if I help you keep He Xing here, then you stop meddling in the affairs between me and your father and brother. Deal?"

    It was a deal, and Qin Nuan finally showed her true colors.

    Xia Ning¡¯s fingers, white as scallions, caressed her cheek as she seriously considered whether this deal was worth it for her.

    After all, whether Qin Nuan was with Xia Guoxiong or with Xia Cheng, the impact on Xia Ning was almost the same.

    To say there was no impact on Xia Ning at all would require Qin Nuan¡¯s child to be gone and for Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng to no longer want Qin Nuan.

    But looking at the current situation, this possibility seemed very low.

    Xia Ning heard her own voice echo in the spacious living room of the Xia Family house, "Fine, I¡¯ll make this deal with you."

    ...

    M Country, Fu Han¡¯s ward.

    It was time to unwrap the blind box again. Although Fu Han had gone through it once before, she was still very nervous this time, even more so thanst time.

    No girl is indifferent about her appearance, especially one who was once beautiful. If one day she lost her beauty, she might even copse.

    Fu Han, on the other hand, always thought of beauty as a bonus. If she had it, great; if not, she would be sad but wouldn¡¯t be unable to live.

    But although she was clear about this in her heart, when it came to the moment to unveil the mystery, Fu Han was still incredibly anxious.

    In the end, it was still dark outside when Fu Han awoke, to be precise, she had hardly slept at all the previous night, waking up frequently in fits and starts.

    Daisi had said the day before not to rush with the bandage removal and that he would personally do it after handling the morning surgery.

    Although he said it was just a minor surgery that morning, given Daisi¡¯s stature as a top figure in the cosmetic field, the operation that could bring him in could hardly be considered minor.

    Fu Han had only heard others describe the feeling of waiting for dawn, but now that she experienced it herself, she knew just how torturous waiting could be.

    She read for a while, but when she couldn¡¯t concentrate any longer, she took out her phone to y for a bit.

    Actually, Fu Han was tempted to send a message to He Xing. He had said he woulde to M Country tomorrow, no, today by ne. ording to the flight information, If everything went well, He Xing should have already boarded by now.

    But Fu Han hadn¡¯t received any messages from He Xing at all. She even wondered if there was a problem with thework or if her phone was out of credit. However, it turned out there were no issues with her phone; it could connect to the inte and receive messages just fine. It was just that He Xing hadn¡¯t messaged her.

    Fu Han wrestled with herself for half an hour and eventually put down the phone without messaging He Xing. She felt she hadn¡¯t fully forgiven him and shouldn¡¯t appear so eager.

    She stuffed the phone back under the covers, aware that Daisi wouldn¡¯t open the blind box until around eleven or twelve, and although it was already close to dawn, she decided to force herself to try to get some more sleep.

    She had just slipped under the covers when there was a knock at the door. It was the depths of winter in M Country at the moment, and Fu Han had only just taken off her down jacket and did not want to bother getting up again. Reluctantly, she poked half her head out from under the covers to see who hade so early.

    But the moment she looked, she called out in surprise, "How did you guys get here?"

    The visitors turned out to be Nan Qing, with the traveler Wang Yixuan standing behind her.

    Seeing Fu Han, both of them smiled. Nan Qing even walked inside, smiling andining, "Why is the inpatient department in M Country designed so unfriendly? It took me ages to find where your ward is after I got the information."

    Fu Han smiled, leveraged herself easily into a sitting position with her hands on the bed, and grabbed the down jacket from the chair beside the bed to put it on, "Weren¡¯t you guys going toe to M Country to see me after some time? Why did youe so early?"

    "Uh..." Nan Qing¡¯s face flushed with an inexplicable redness, making her round face extra adorable, like a New Year¡¯s painting¡¯s lucky doll. She settled into the chair beside the bed and said with slight difort, "Well, we changed our ns a bit, so we came to find you earlier."

    Wang Yixuan had greeted Fu Han upon entering and then settled himself on the sofa. He nced at Nan Qing from a distance, his striking face alight with a dazzling smile.

 Chapter 413: The Surprising Love Affair

    <h4>Chapter 413: Chapter 413: The Surprising Love Affair</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t figure out why, but this time, when she saw Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan, she always felt as though something was off with her, yet she couldn¡¯t point out exactly what had changed.

    With her eyebrows furrowed, Fu Han was lost in her own little world and hadn¡¯t noticed Nan Qing turning back to smile at Wang Yixuan.

    If she had seen Nan Qing¡¯s smile, she would have certainly remembered that in the past, such smiles were reserved only for Su Cheng.

    For Fu Han at that moment, seeing Nan Qing instinctively made her think of Su Cheng.

    She thought about Su Chenging over soon and decided it would be better to rify things with Nan Qing in advance rather than to have them meet unexpectedly.

    Fu Han coughed softly and reached out to touch Nan Qing¡¯s arm, "That, Su Cheng is also in M Country, and he... he¡¯ll being over soon."

    "Su Cheng is also here?" Nan Qing¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed, and she turned to Wang Yixuan to discuss in a consulting tone, "Then do you think we should leave first?"

    "Why?"

    That phrase came simultaneously from Wang Yixuan and Fu Han, sounding particrly grating in the ward.

    The blush on Nan Qing¡¯s face deepened. She paid no attention to Fu Han; instead, her eyes were fixed only on Wang Yixuan. "What do you think? If I see Su Cheng, won¡¯t you be unhappy?"

    "You guys?" Fu Han covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes wide as she looked from Nan Qing to Wang Yixuan. Aside from Nan Qing¡¯s face, which was blushing furiously as if her guilt was written all over it, even Wang Yixuan, who usually had such a thick skin, was blushing?

    Fu Han thought to herself that it was fortunate she was wrapped in thick bandages, otherwise her jaw might have genuinely dropped, "You¡¯re not about to tell me that you two are dating, are you?"

    "You guessed right." Wang Yixuan moved behind Nan Qing as if by magic. Heid his hand naturally on Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder and said with a mix of pride, shyness, and joy, "Nan Qing is my girlfriend now. How about that, surprising, isn¡¯t it?"

    Fu Han stared nkly at Wang Yixuan for two full minutes before turning her gaze to Nan Qing. Ignoring the other¡¯s shy and happy expression, she spoke bluntly, "Nan Qing, have you really thought this through, being with this person?"

    Nan Qing nodded immediately, her resolve firm as a fortress.

    "But..." Fu Han still couldn¡¯t ept it. When she learned that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan had gone on a trip together, she had warned Nan Qing several times, and she couldn¡¯t help repeating herself, "But Wang Yixuan falls in love with everyone he sees. He¡¯s a yboy. Are you really going to be with him? He likes you now, but maybe in a few days when the novelty wears off, he will kick you to the curb."

    No sooner had the words left her mouth than a sharp pnded on the back of Fu Han¡¯s head. She clutched her head in pain, "Wang Yixuan, why did you hit me? Did I say something wrong?"

    "Who hit Fu Han?" Su Cheng¡¯s voice came from the doorway, and the next second, he appeared at the entrance of the ward.

    Clutching her head in pain, Fu Han felt that one trouble followed another, and chaos was only increasing.

    About half an hourter, Su Cheng stood by Fu Han¡¯s hospital bed, scrutinizing Wang Yixuan with a critical gaze that was all too obvious, "Nan Qing, you really like him? Look at his face, then look at his eyes. He¡¯s clearly a ma for romantic troubles!"

    Nan Qing, who had until then been shyly allowing Wang Yixuan to hold her hand, let go of his hand at once upon hearing this. She stood up with her hands on her hips and turned to Su Cheng indignantly, "Enough already. Everyone likes good-looking people. Is there something wrong with me liking him?"

    Her movements were fluid, and her adorable round face, furrowed with anger, took on a certain heroic air, while her big eyes widened, making her look even more attractive.

    Fu Han looked from one to the other. Su Cheng and Nan Qing were clearly at odds, but Wang Yixuan seemed rxed, as if he wasn¡¯t concerned in the slightest about how Su Cheng¡¯s words would affect him.

    The sun broke through the clouds, shining through the window, and the mist that pervaded the air became starkly visible under the sunlight. The sky outside was blue, the clouds white, and if one could ignore the blusterous wind, the weather would have been splendid.

    The fierce wind battered against the windows, making them rattle as if they could shatter at any moment, giving an eerie feeling of impending destruction.

    Su Cheng was livid. Pointing at Wang Yixuan, who was lounging on the sofa, he fumed, "Nan Qing, does he look like someone you could spend the rest of your life with? I guarantee he¡¯s just ying with you. Three months, no, maybe less than a month, and he¡¯ll dump you."

    Although Fu Han felt Wang Yixuan was unreliable in matters of the heart, she still thought Su Cheng¡¯s words were a bit harsh since, after all, this was an issue between Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing.

    Seeing Nan Qing¡¯s tears almost spill out, Fu Han quickly spoke to Su Cheng, "That... Su Cheng, I think this is a matter between Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan, and I believe Nan Qing, as an adult, can make her own decisions. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t interfere."

    She thought she¡¯d been diplomatic enough to extinguish the anger in everyone¡¯s hearts. Su Cheng almost always heeded her words before, and she was confident when she said it.

    To herplete surprise, Su Cheng turned fiercely and looked at Fu Han, his voice tinged with unprecedented anger andint, "Fu Han, Nan Qing and I grew up together, and I absolutely can¡¯t ignore her affairs. Also, if it weren¡¯t for you introducing Wang Yixuan to Nan Qing, she wouldn¡¯t be so bewitched by him."

    His words came so suddenly and unexpectedly that Fu Han was momentarily stunned, not knowing what to say.

    Nan Qing was the first to react. She punched Su Cheng in the chest, her face angry as she said to him, "What are you doing? If you¡¯re angry, take it out on me, why are youshing out at Fu Han?"

    By then, Su Cheng had alsoe to his senses. He looked anxiously at Fu Han, his words jumbled in his haste, "Fu Han, I... I didn¡¯t mean that, I am... I am..."

    The more he rushed, the less clear he became, his face reddening and his eyes bing bloodshot.

    Fu Han might have felt a little aggrieved at first, but seeing Su Cheng like this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel some pity for him, considering how he had waited on her hand and foot these past few days. She found it even harder to be angry with him.

    After a moment of thought, she softened her tone and said to Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, I misspoke just now. You and Nan Qing have a lifelong friendship, and your concern for her is different. You say these things for her good, I understand."

 Chapter 414: The Surprise of the Blind Box

    <h4>Chapter 414: Chapter 414: The Surprise of the Blind Box</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng couldn¡¯t utter a word, only nodding in agreement, his expression had softened, but when he caught a glimpse of Wang Yixuan from the corner of his eye, he couldn¡¯t hide his fury.

    Nan Qing¡¯s expression had also rxed quite a bit, but seeing the way Su Cheng looked at Wang Yixuan, she couldn¡¯t help feeling infuriated. However, she held back from speaking further under Fu Han¡¯s restraining gaze.

    For a moment, the atmosphere in the ward became exceptionally awkward, perhaps only Fu Han felt the awkwardness, as Su Cheng¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Wang Yixuan, and Wang Yixuan sat on the couch hugging Nan Qing, oblivious to others, while Nan Qing behaved like a hen protecting her chick, constantly wary of Su Cheng¡¯s advances.

    The awkwardness finally ended with the arrival of Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian. They had always thought highly of Wang Yixuan, and now that they knew Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing were dating, they were even more under the impression that the two were a handsome couple, a perfect match made by heaven.

    Naturally, Nan Qing agreed wholeheartedly with the praises from the couple. On the contrary, Su Cheng, receiving no support from anyone else, grew even more sullen.

    Fu Han watched from the sidelines as Su Cheng furiously tapped on his phone screen, as if he wished he could punch a hole through it.

    But with past experiences in mind, Fu Han knew that advising Su Cheng now would be of no use.

    Fu Han actually couldn¡¯t understand why Su Cheng was so angry. He himself didn¡¯t like Nan Qing and had hurt her deeply several times, rejecting her mercilessly without leaving any room for sentiment.

    If anything, Su Cheng was the one who had hurt Nan Qing the most.

    And as for Wang Yixuan, although Fu Han also felt that Wang Yixuan used to be a yboy, who could guarantee that his feelings for Nan Qing weren¡¯t genuine now?

    Besides, purely in terms of appearance, Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan really matched well. The man was handsome and the woman beautiful, to the extent that just one nce at them would be pleasing to the eye.

    As time ticked away, Daisi finally arrived at Fu Han¡¯s ward amidst great anticipation.

    By then, Ji Liangchuan had also been waiting in the ward for a while, and with others present, all eyes in the ward turned sharply towards Daisi, each gaze exceptionally piercing.

    Under tremendous pressure, Daisi began to unwrap Fu Han¡¯s bandages, his hands trembling with nervousness.

    Fu Han looked at Daisi¡¯s face, so close to her own. The contours of his M Country features were deeply etched, a trait that indeed aged poorly. Daisi, who seemed to be around forty, already had fine lines at the corners of his eyes and brows, rough skin, and particrly evident bags under his eyes, which were also bloodshot.

    The stainless steel scissors asionally brushed against Fu Han¡¯s skin; the icy touch helped calm her excited heart quite a bit, but she could clearly hear her own thunderous heartbeat amid the noise.

    Finally, thestyer of gauze was unwound. Without the protection of the bandages, a gust of cold air blew in from the door, making Fu Han¡¯s cheeks sting with pain.

    Without a mirror in front of her, she didn¡¯t know the current state of her face and could only cast a pleading look at the group surrounding her bed, "How does it look?"

    Everyone had a different expression; Bai Qian¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears while Fu Xingbo, although maintaining aposed demeanor, also had veins of red in his eyes.

    Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan stared at Fu Han without blinking, their faces clearly disying two characters: "stunning."

    Nan Qing was no better off than Bai Qian; she held Fu Han¡¯s hand the entire time during the unwrapping of the bandages, and now Fu Han could clearly feel Nan Qing¡¯s hand trembling.

    The mostposed was Wang Yixuan, whose gaze moved across Fu Han¡¯s face like water, then quite indifferently answered Fu Han¡¯s question, "How could it be any different? You were beautiful before and you¡¯re still beautiful now. Could it be the surgery turned you from a beauty into a great beauty?"

    At the first part of his remark, Fu Han¡¯s heart skipped a beat, thinking the surgery may have failed, but upon hearing thetter half, her tears couldn¡¯t help but fall uncontrobly.

    She grabbed a pillow from behind and threw it at Wang Yixuan, "You have such a foul mouth. Speak nicer, or Nan Qing might kick you to the curb one day."

    Wang Yixuan caught the pillow, and his handsome face was graced with a smile as bright as sunshine, "I may have a sharp tongue with others, but that doesn¡¯t mean I do with Nan Qing. In my eyes, there are two kinds of people in this world: Nan Qing and those who are not Nan Qing."

    Fu Han felt her body break out in goosebumps and rubbed her arms helplessly, "Wang Yixuan, can you save those nauseating words and tell them to Nan Qing in private?"

    The atmosphere in the ward grew exceptionally lively due to Fu Han¡¯s restored beauty, unchecked even by the passing nurses.

    Fu Han was scheduled to be discharged from the hospital today, and Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had already arranged a hotel, prepared to treat Fu Han and the group to a great meal.

    During the meal, Bai Qian sat next to Fu Han and whispered that she had already prepared a room for He Xing, nning to go skiing with him as soon as he arrived.

    Fu Han blushed and nodded; with her appearance restored, her confidence seemed to have returned as well. She decided to have a proper talk with He Xing about their rtionship as soon as he arrived in M Country, and as for the future, that would be decided after their conversation.

    ...

    A City, International Airport Terminal.

    Winter nights always fell early, and there were still nearly two hours until He Xing¡¯s boarding time. Learning from his past woes, He Xing was no longer frugal with his time and had Liang Tao drive him to the airport early.

    Upon entering the VIP Lounge, He Xing finally rxed. With plenty of time, he opened hisptop to continue unfinished business.

    He Xing opened thetest email from finance, and after only a few minutes, his brows furrowed, turning to Liang Tao, who was also working nearby, "What is going on with finance? Why are the expenses this week so high? ording to the forecast, there shouldn¡¯t have been any major financial disbursements this week."

    Liang Tao certainly knew the reason for the financial anomalies that week; it was all because the old Mr. He was trying to cover the losses of a multi-billion project, which led to securing several new contracts. Naturally, these contracts needed initial funding to get started, but Mr. He had instructed not to inform He Xing about this matter.

    The VIP Lounge was sparsely popted, spacious, and staff brought in steaming hot coffee, fruit tters, and pastries among other things.

    Liang Tao¡¯s gaze shifted from the coffee to the fruit tter and then to the pastries, avoiding He Xing¡¯s face at all costs. He stammered, "This... Mr. He, I¡¯m not very clear about the finance department. How about I get a clear understanding and then exin to you?"

 Chapter 415: Donâ€™t Try to Fool Me

    <h4>Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Don¡¯t Try to Fool Me</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s gaze shifted coldly to Liang Tao; Liang Tao witnessed how, in that instant, the steam stopped rising from the coffee, transforming it from a hot brew to a cold one.

    And even colder were He Xing¡¯s words, "I told you on your first day at He Group never to try to fool me. You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?"

    Even though Liang Tao wasn¡¯t looking at He Xing, beads of sweat, as big as beans, still trickled down his forehead; when they hit the floor, they seemed to emit a sound like shattering ss.

    He had known about He Xing¡¯s terrifying side since he started working for him, or more urately, from the time he had his job interview with He Group.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that for the past four years, working by He Xing¡¯s side every day was like walking on eggshells, obeying hismands without question.

    Because he had "deceived" He Xing today, his calves were now twitching uncontrobly, and he had virtually no will to resist, so he ended up spilling everything that happened in thepany to He Xing.

    But He Xing was truly himself. His face shifted from an initial iron blue to calm. After listening to all that Liang Tao had to report, He Xing said calmly, "As an assistant, you¡¯ve hidden so much from me. Your bonus for this month is entirely forfeited."

    Liang Tao panicked, hastily exining, "General Manager He, you¡¯ve wronged me, it was the Chairman who told me not to tell you."

    "Dare to argue?" He Xing¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he said coldly, "If the Chairman were too tired from work and his health suffered, do you think I would simply deduct your one month¡¯s bonus?"

    Liang Tao swallowed all the words he had wanted to say, looking at He Xing with a pitiful gaze, ultimately not uttering a single word, his face filled with helpless resignation.

    He Xing then turned his attention back to the financial statements on hisputer. A failed tender was something he hadn¡¯t anticipated; supposedly, the client had previously indicated that the tender was merely a formality, but unexpectedly, the oue was quite different.

    Now was not the time to ponder these matters. With things having progressed to this point, he had to consider how to deal with the current issue.

    Although the current situation suggested that Old Master He had already recovered some of the losses, how could the loss of a project worth several hundred million be so easily settled?

    He Xing¡¯s brows remained deeply furrowed when suddenly his phone vibrated. There was no ringtone, but the vibration¡¯s sound in the quiet VIP Lounge was piercing enough, drawing the gazes of many people toward him.

    "Hello, Uncle Zhou, what¡¯s going on?" He Xing answered the phone calmly, without any hint of embarrassment.

    Liang Tao watched He Xing with admiration from the side. If his own phone had disturbed others, he would have been so ashamed that he wished he could crawl into a hole. He Xing, however, had a psychological fortitude unlike any other, entirely indifferent to the attention from others.

    Yet, no more than a few seconds into the call, He Xing¡¯s expression changed. He hastily said, "I¡¯ll be right there," then hung up the phone in a rush.

    Liang Tao was utterly confused, having no idea what had just transpired. He quickly packed up the items on the table and followed He Xing, pushing the luggage of both men behind him.

    Fortunately, they had driven to the airport. And luckily, though He Xing was in a hurry, he at least hadn¡¯t driven off directly; Liang Tao¡¯s car door was still not fully closed when He Xing floored the elerator and the car roared to life.

    What followed was an intense experience for Liang Tao, a firsthand taste of what it means to be in a life-and-death race in a Lamborghini. Not having fastened his seatbelt, and because the speed was so immense, his head collided intimately with the car door. For the rest of the drive, he clung desperately to the handle overhead to prevent his head from suffering further impacts.

    The car shot out of the airport like a bolt of lightning, heading toward the city center.

    When Liang Tao finally adjusted to the current pace, he cautiously looked at He Xing and asked, "General Manager He, what exactly happened?"

    "Your jinx came true; Grandpa has had an ident," He Xing replied amidst his busyness, not forgetting to nce back and re fiercely at Liang Tao. His voice, cold as a wintry gale from hell, said, "If you ever withhold anything from me again, pack your things and roll out of Hexi Building."

    "General Manager He, I promise it absolutely won¡¯t happen again." To bolster the credibility of his words, Liang Tao even raised his left hand, making a swearing gesture.

    His pledge of loyalty, of course, elicited no response from He Xing.

    Several minutester, Liang Tao realized something was amiss. He had never said anything about Old Master He being in trouble; it was He Xing who had earlier in the VIP Lounge mentioned what would happen if something befell his grandfather.

    Even if hundreds of boldness were lent to Liang Tao, he would not dare argue with He Xing at that moment about who had jinxed Old Master He.

    Normally, the drive from the airport to He Group would take an hour, but today, under He Xing¡¯s excessive speed, they arrived in less than forty minutes.

    What astonished Liang Tao most was that they had hardly encountered any red lights along the way; the journey had been almost entirely free of obstructions, a stroke of luck that even he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed by.

    It was a weekday, and by now it was evening. He Group generally didn¡¯t work overtime, so in the sprawling building, most offices had already turned off their lights, with only the dim energy-saving lights illuminating the first floor.

    At the He Group¡¯s first-floor service desk, the customer service staff had gone for the day, leaving only two security guards by the door. The winter chill was biting, especially pronounced at night, and the guards, bundled up in thick clothes, stood huddled at the entrance, lost in thought. When they sporadically noticed He Xing approaching, they straightened up to greet him, "Good evening, General Manager He."

    Without turning back, He Xing entered, with Liang Tao hurrying along behind him. From a distance, he heard the guards muttering to each other.

    One, puzzled, asked, "What¡¯s going on tonight? The Chairman came over more than an hour ago, and now General Manager He is here too?"

    The other, lowering his voice, said, "For your own good, you¡¯re better off not asking about these things. The Chairman and the general manager are here for a reason."

    During the forty minutes on the road, Liang Tao hadn¡¯t figured out exactly what had happened to Old Master He. He initially thought He Xing would head to the hospital; unexpectedly, He Xing hade straight to the office, which only added to Liang Tao¡¯s confusion.

    The two made their way through the elevator, out of the elevator, and onto the top floor. He Xing passed by his own office without pausing and headed straight toward the end of the corridor, where Old Master He¡¯s office was located.

    Old Master He enjoyed the bustle; his office was situated at the far end. Walls of floor-to-ceiling windows nked the space, offering views of A-City¡¯s bustling streets and the river not far away. It was the quietest office on the floor with the best scenery.

 Chapter 416: The Unexpected Disappearance of Old Man He

    <h4>Chapter 416: Chapter 416: The Unexpected Disappearance of Old Man He</h4><h4></h4>

    Liang Tao rarely visited this office, as he was He Xing¡¯s assistant and spent most of his time following wherever He Xing went.

    The office door was ajar. Without knocking, He Xing ced his hand on the door and pushed it open.

    Lao Zhou was pacing around the room like a headless fly. Upon seeing He Xing, he rushed over as if seeing a savior: "Young Master, you¡¯re finally here... What should we do now?"

    The Chairman¡¯s office was brightly lit, with theputer screen even showing a flicker of standby light, indicating that someone had used theputer not long before. Yet, the office owner was not present.

    The He family patriarch had clocked out on time today, but on his way home, he had received a phone call and had Lao Zhou return to thepany.

    Once back at thepany, the patriarch began to work on theputer, and Lao Zhou, worried that the old man¡¯s health couldn¡¯t bear the strain, got his consent to step out to buy dinner.

    He was quick, returning in just twenty minutes, but it was during this brief interval that the patriarch disappeared, leaving behind only a note on the coffee table: "To ensure the old man stays alive, get He Xing to prepare 50 million. If you call the police, prepare to collect the old man¡¯s corpse."

    Lao Zhou knew that He Xing was soon to board a ne to M Country to find Fu Han, but it was clear that the patriarch¡¯s disappearance was the more pressing matter, so he immediately called He Xing.

    After learning the specifics, He Xing promptly instructed Lao Zhou to check the surveince footage to see if they could find any trace of the patriarch.

    Speaking of surveince, Lao Zhou gave a sigh of helplessness: "The old man always disliked surveince, feeling as if being watched in a monitored room, so his office had no cameras. But somehow, the cameras in the external hallway had malfunctioned and didn¡¯t pick up any trace of the patriarch leaving."

    "Humph, as if there are so many coincidences. It was premeditated," He Xing scoffed coldly, his handsome face seething with rage.

    Neither Liang Tao nor Lao Zhou spoke a word; both were deep in thought trying to make sense of the situation, baffled by what had happened.

    He Xing settled himself on the couch, tapping the ss coffee table rhythmically with his slender hands. Under the light, his fingers gleamed like polished jade, holding a thin slip of paper - the ransom note the kidnappers had left in the office, its stark ck typeface ringly evident.

    The light from above shone down on He Xing¡¯s gelled hair which seemed to glitter. The stark light seemed to put him into a realm of his own, separated from Lao Zhou and Liang Tao by an invisible barrier.

    Minutes passed, and atst He Xing raised his head to look at the two men standing before him like statues: "The note says they want money and tell us not to call the police. They will surely contact us. We just need to wait."

    Lao Zhou nodded frantically. His entire life had been dedicated to the He family, revolving around the patriarch from the moment he met him. It was no exaggeration to say that even his own children and grandchildren were not as important as the patriarch.

    Now that the patriarch was missing, Lao Zhou truly panicked, unsure of what to do; He Xing had be his pir of stability.

    In contrast, Liang Tao hesitated before finally gathering the courage to speak, "Mr. He, do you need me to cancel your flight?"

    He Xing¡¯s icy fac?ade showed hairline cracks, as if a dagger had pierced a frozenke, spider-webbing fractures emanating out in every direction.

    His eyes remained piercingly cold, but the paper in his hand was now crumpled into a ball. He heard his own icy voice say, "Call to cancel. I¡¯ll send Fu Han a message."

    As he spoke, the temperature in the office seemed to drop. Despite the air-conditioning being on full st, Liang Tao and Lao Zhou felt as if they were plunged into a frigid Snond.

    Without a word, they knew how terrible He Xing¡¯s mood was, and anyone with a brain knew better than to provoke him now.

    He Xing was about to send a message on his phone when the desk phone in the patriarch¡¯s office rang out.

    It was the same old phone, with the same ringtone; yet at that moment, the sound was piercingly shrill, akin to a death knell in the dead of night.

    Lao Zhou was closest to the phone, so he reached out to answer it.

    But He Xing immediately stopped him, "It may be the kidnappers. Let me answer it."

    Hismand froze Lao Zhou¡¯s motion, his hand suspended in mid-air, which he eventually withdrew silently.

    He Xing picked up the receiver cautiously, his deep voice carrying through: "Hello. What can I do for you?"

    After a few seconds, a harsh and grating voice responded, "You¡¯re He Xing, right? Do you want to save your grandfather?"

    He Xing¡¯s frown deepened. He replied curtly, "What do you want for releasing my grandfather?"

    "I want 50 million. You have twelve hours to prepare," the caller¡¯s grating voice came again, making the listener¡¯s scalp tingle.

    "How can I be sure that my grandfather is with you?" He Xing demanded coldly, his presencemanding and intimidating.

    There was silence on the other end for a moment before the caller said, "Wait," followed by footsteps. Soon, the same rough voice said, "Old man, say something to let your precious grandson know you¡¯re alive."

    He Xing¡¯s breathing involuntarily halted as he listened anxiously for any sound from the phone, afraid to miss anything. He faintly heard a groan.

    Then the patriarch¡¯s voice came through: "You¡¯d better release me quickly. I won¡¯t give you a dime."

    His words were abruptly cut off, and a muffled sound followed, as if someone had covered the patriarch¡¯s mouth.

    He Xing¡¯splexion changed drastically, and he raised his voice, "No matter who you are, I warn you, if you dare to harm a single hair on my grandfather¡¯s head, I will make you regret it."

    The same unpleasant, rough voice returned: "Mr. He, rest assured, as long as you deliver the money on time, we guarantee we will return the old man unharmed. But if I find out you¡¯ve called the police, we¡¯ll all go down together."

    After hanging up, He Xing sat heavily in the patriarch¡¯s leather office chair, his face somber. The chair had a built-in massage feature, which the patriarch rarely used since he preferred massages from Lao Zhou. He Xing, unintentionally activating the function, felt horrible at the thought of enjoying the massage while his grandfather was bound with ropes, and he could not bear to stay seated even a minute longer.

 Chapter 417: Heading to the Airport

    <h4>Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Heading to the Airport</h4><h4></h4>

    He turned and strode briskly towards the office door, with Old Zhou and Liang Tao hurrying after him.

    "Young Master, where are you going?"

    "Mr. He, where are you headed?"

    Without stopping or looking back, He Xing said, "Waiting here is pointless. I¡¯ve already told them to contact me directly on my mobile phone. Now I need to go raise the money."

    Old Zhou and Liang Tao exchanged nces, seeing hesitation in each other¡¯s eyes, but neither of them spoke. They simply followed He Xing quickly out of the office.

    For He Xing, fifty million had noparison to Old Master He¡¯s life, but the problem was that the other party wanted cash, and they had only given them twelve hours. The time was far too pressing.

    Actually, there was another option, which was to call the police and ask for help in locating Old Master He. But since Old Master He¡¯s life was in the hands of the kidnappers, He Xing couldn¡¯t gamble with Old Master He¡¯s life, nor did he dare to take the risk.

    ...

    M Country, Fu Family Vi.

    As the first ray of dawn appeared in the sky, Fu Han opened her eyes.

    She gazed at the sunlight streaming in through the gap in the curtains, and somehow, she became fixated on it. That single ray of light seemed even more dazzling than the sun that filled the sky, preventing her from looking away.

    If He Xing had sessfully boarded the ne, in a few hours, he would be disembarking.

    She lied if she said she wasn¡¯t looking forward to it. Yet, for some reason, there was a touch of unease in Fu Han¡¯s heart. This feeling was strange, as if something had happened. But what it was exactly, she had no idea.

    She should have called He Xing to see if he had actually boarded the ne, but there was no signal during the flight, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer.

    As for Old Master He, considering the time difference, it was the middle of the night in City A. The old man was a light sleeper, and a phone call would undoubtedly wake him and he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep the rest of the night.

    The winter in M Country was much colder than in City A. Fu Han really wasn¡¯t ustomed to it, and she didn¡¯t even have the courage to get out of bed. Sheyzily under the quilt, worrying whether she should go to pick up He Xing.

    She pondered for a long time withouting to a conclusion until Bai Qian knocked on the door, calling her to get up for breakfast and then go pick up He Xing.

    Even as Fu Han got into the nanny car, she still couldn¡¯t figure out why she had agreed to pick up He Xing. Her instincts told her she shouldn¡¯t go to pick him up without knowing anything, but Bai Wei was obviously convinced that He Xing woulde.

    Last night, a heavy snow had fallen, nketing the entire city in white. The world of ice and snow was such that apart from the snow, you couldn¡¯t see anything else. The umtion on the ground was knee-deep.

    Fortunately, Bai Qian had the chauffer fit the anti-skid chains yesterday, so that as they made their way towards the airport, although they moved slowly, they encountered no stalls or slips.

    Fu Han pressed her face against the window ss, observing theyered snow on the trees outside. This was the purest color in the world. asionally, when the wind blew, snowkes fell from the treetops, like fluttering butterflies, twirling down to the ground.

    Snowy days always brought a good mood, especially to Fu Han.

    Snow was rare in City A, and every snowfall inevitably evoked romantic notions. Each time, Fu Han and He Xing would search for undissolved snowkes on Lanwan Mountain,boriously building a snowman that would soon melt away.

    With her cheek against the cold car window, the heater inside was turned up high, but it couldn¡¯t warm the ss. The icy touch transmitted through to her cheek and then to her heart, making it vacite between cold and warmth.

    A smile unwittingly formed on her lips. If He Xing came to M Country, they could build a snowman taller than He Xing himself. There was so much snow here, she could build as many snowmen as she wanted.

    As they got closer to the airport, with Fu Han speaking little along the way, Bai Qian¡¯s chatter noticeably increased. She conversed happily with Fu Xingbo, and the couple always managed to involve Fu Han in their topics, then skillfully turned the conversation to He Xing.

    They excitedly discussed having hotpot together after He Xing¡¯s arrival, resting a day to adjust to the time difference, and then going skiing. They nned to stay at the ski resort for a few days before returning, by which time Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe should also be there, so everyone could enjoy a lively Christmas together.

    At first, Fu Han was resistant to such conversations, but as they talked, she inexplicably felt better, and her heart began to anticipate the uing meeting.

    There were just the right amount of people at the arrival gate. Led by Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, Fu Han followed them to a well-positioned spot.

    With less than ten minutes to go before He Xing¡¯s flight was scheduled tond, despite the heating, the wind pouring in from the door had Fu Han¡¯s legs trembling with cold. She finally understood how hard it was to pick someone up in the middle of winter.

    At the same time, a cliched thought echoed in her head: if one didn¡¯t have feelings and loyalty, who woulde to pick someone up in the winter? Conversely, if one didn¡¯t have feelings and loyalty, who would travel thousands of miles toe here in the winter?

    Finally, the airport announcement sounded. The nended on time after a ten-minute dy.

    Bai Qian raised the wee sign she had prepared in advance. Fu Han found Bai Qian¡¯s eager demeanor adorable; Bai Qian was the only one who made Fu Han believe that marriage was a happy thing and growing old together was romantic.

    Fu Han¡¯s good mood, infected by Bai Wei, did notst long. More and more people came through the exit, then gradually fewer, and finally even the flight attendants with their luggage carts came out, but He Xing was nowhere to be seen.

    As time ticked by, the hope in Fu Han¡¯s heart dwindled to nothing. This disappointment was like roots growing in the soil unseen, propagating and spreading until they fed a towering tree.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t need to look to feel the pity and... sympathy from Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian. But pity or sympathy, neither was what Fu Han wanted at that moment.

    She turned to walk towards the airport exit first, pretending to be nonchnt as she said, "I told you He Xing didn¡¯t message about boarding the ne. Maybe he decided not toe at thest minute. We don¡¯t need to wait anymore. Let¡¯s go back."

    "Hold on, I¡¯ll give He Xing a call." Bai Qian was more persistent than Fu Han expected. She grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand, pulling out her phone with the other and began dialing.

    Her actions were fluid, with no pause, as if rehearsed a thousand times, such that it was done in one smooth motion.

 Chapter 418: Turns Out It Was All for Nothing

    <h4>Chapter 418: Chapter 418: Turns Out It Was All for Nothing</h4><h4></h4>

    The call connected quickly, and even though Fu Han and Bai Qian were close by, she couldn¡¯t make out exactly what He Xing said. She could faintly sense a dense weariness in his voice that seemed impossible to dissipate.

    After hanging up, Bai Wei looked at Fu Han with a face full of apology, "Fu Han, let¡¯s... let¡¯s go back."

    Although Fu Han had anticipated that He Xing hadn¡¯t boarded the ne, actually hearing these words made her feel very... aggrieved, yes, aggrieved.

    It was He Xing who insisted oning, but when Fu Han prepared for his arrival, He Xing didn¡¯t show up.

    Okay, even if He Xing didn¡¯te, couldn¡¯t you have sent a message in advance? Did you really have to wait until they rushed to the airport in the freezing cold, didn¡¯t see him, asked about it, and then you said you weren¡¯ting?

    The scenery on the return journey remained the same, a world of ice and snow, with thick icicles hanging from the eaves along the way, crystal clear like crystals.

    The weak sun shined on the crystals causing reflections, and asionally, the light shone into Fu Han¡¯s eyes, causing a slight stinging sensation, making her eyes somewhat sore.

    The car¡¯s heater was still on full st, but Fu Han could distinctly feel her hands and feet turning ice cold, and her heart felt as if it was soaked in icy water, making even breathing difficult.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian tried harder than before to liven up the atmosphere, but this time it was less effective. Often, after they told a joke, Fu Han hadn¡¯t listened to a single word.

    When they looked to Fu Han for affirmation, she could only manage an awkward yet polite smile.

    The vi was now in sight, and looking at the dwelling where she¡¯d stayed for a few days, an inexplicable sense of belonging sprouted in her heart, like a child who had been away from home for a few years suddenly returning to their hometown, anxious yetforted, fearful yet expectant.

    Fu Han was eager to return to her own room, but Bai Qian stopped her in the hall on the first floor.

    Bai Qian¡¯s beautiful face showed undisguised distress and guilt as she gently patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and softly asked, "Fu Han, about skiing, do you still want to go?"

    The wind howled as it blew past, beating against the ss as if it would shatter any second, with even the mere sound of it seemingly capable of freezing one to the bone.

    Fu Han turned to look outside the window, where the pine tree in the middle of the yard wasyered with snowkes, the green pine needles faintly visible through the white snow.

    The pine needles were even greener, like emerald; the snowkes need not be mentioned, they were the purest color in the world.

    In the distance was the sun, round like a disc, the warm sun was not dazzling at all, but ratherforting; the sky was bright, the light blue sky and pristine white clouds involuntarily lifted one¡¯s spirits.

    The smile on Fu Han¡¯s face spread like a drop of ink on rice paper, her silveryughter rang out, "Of course we¡¯re going skiing. It¡¯s a rare opportunity; we should have some fun."

    Her statement brought Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian looks of surprise and joy, and they happily went to arrange the skiing trip.

    ...

    In City A, in the suburbs, inside an abandoned factory.

    Xia Ning¡¯s luxury car headed toward this ce, and the closer she got, the more furrowed her brows became. This ce looked all too familiar; it was clearly the ce where she and Xia Cheng had attempted to kidnap Fu Han and Bai Wei.

    But today¡¯s meeting was not chosen by Xia Ning, but by Qin Nuan.

    Yesterday, Qin Nuan took the initiative to contact Xia Ning, saying that as long as Xia Ning did not oppose her in the future, she could help keep He Xing from leaving.

    At that moment, Xia Ning was fully aware that He Xing was about to go to M Country to find Fu Han, but she had no choice and was forced to resort to desperate measures.

    But now...

    Finally, the car stopped, and as Xia Ning got out and saw the familiar factory, her eyebrows knitted so tightly they seemed they could kill a mosquito. Her pretty knee-high leather boots stepped onto a deste ground, and within a few steps, the once mirror-like boots were sullied by dust.

    Upon reaching the warehouse entrance, Xia Ning peeked inside through the partially opened door; it was the very ce where Xia Cheng had almost raped Fu Han.

    At that moment, several men in ck stood inside the vast warehouse, encircling an armchair in a ring, with Elder He bound tightly to the chair.

    The warehouse was eerily quiet, Xia Ning watched for a while but did not see Elder He move, and concern began to spread across her face.

    Suddenly, a delicate voice sounded from behind Xia Ning, "Miss Xia, you¡¯ve arrived. Why note in and have a look? Are you satisfied with what I¡¯ve done?"

    When Xia Ning turned around, she found Qin Nuan less than a meter away, a radiant smile on her beautiful face. The ankle-length down jacket she wore did not make her look bulky but rather even more slender.

    Xia Ning, prioritizing beauty, never wore down jackets. It was the first time she¡¯d seen one worn so attractively.

    A biting cold wind blew, causing Xia Ning to shiver. Her disdain for Qin Nuan multiplied dramatically; "Have you gone mad? How could you even resort to kidnapping?"

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Qin Nuan tilted her head innocently at Xia Ning.

    If it were not for Xia Ning¡¯s prior experience of Qin Nuan¡¯s deception, she might truly believe Qin Nuan was as she appeared: beautiful, frail, kind, in need of someone to protect her.

    A cold east wind struck, prating like a snake, and Xia Ning¡¯s woolen coat offered no resistance to the cold, her face was even beginning to stiffen.

    She looked furiously at Qin Nuan, "What the hell are you trying to do? You¡¯d better release Elder He right away, or He Xing will never forgive me."

    "What do I care about him?" Qin Nuan seemed oblivious to Xia Ning¡¯s anger, her smile even broader, "All I know is I¡¯ve fulfilled my promise to you, and now it¡¯s time for you to keep yours."

    A wave of irritation surged in Xia Ning, and she regarded Qin Nuan as she would a lunatic, inexplicably fearing the woman before her.

    Fear, once it takes root and sprouts in the heart, is impossible to eradicatepletely.

    Xia Ning¡¯s voice, trembling, rose amidst the wind, "Qin Nuan, I can fulfill my promise to you, just release Elder He quickly, I¡¯m doing this for your own good, He Xing is really not as easy to deal with as you think."

    Qin Nuan cocked her head, observing Xia Ning as if she were a stranger she¡¯d just met, or perhaps like a hunter admiring her certain prey.

    In this moment, Qin Nuan was no longer a ything of Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng; the roles seemed reversed, and she had be the one making the rules.

 Chapter 419: Successful Bargaining

    <h4>Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Sessful Bargaining</h4><h4></h4>

    Seconds, or perhaps minutester, Qin Nuan finally spoke again, "Xia Ning, you know how costly it is to kidnap the old Mr. He; if I go through all the trouble to kidnap him and release him without gaining anything, wouldn¡¯t that be too bad a deal?"

    Xia Ning could hear her own teeth chattering. Only when a cold wind blew did she realize that, at some point, her back was drenched in sweat. Her wet clothes clung to her back, exceedingly ufortable.

    In the chill wind, Qin Nuan¡¯s soft Jiangnan lilt took on a strange tone, "I¡¯m not asking for much, just five million in cash and I¡¯ll hand over the old Mr. He to you. You can then tell He Xing that you saved his grandfather. Wouldn¡¯t he be grateful enough to pledge himself to you?"

    An inexplicable blush spread across Xia Ning¡¯s face, her mind flooded with unsuitable images for children. If she could exchange five million for He Xing¡¯s gratitude, the deal would indeed be worth it.

    Having reached this conclusion, Xia Ning quickly nodded, "Okay, I agree to the deal, but He Xing wouldn¡¯t want to see his grandfather on hisst breath. Tell your people not toy a hand on him."

    "Do you think I need to be told that?" Perhaps because the deal was settled, Qin Nuan¡¯s expression became much softer, she promised as if taking an oath, "This old man is worth a lot; we only want money and will not harm him."

    ...

    He Group General Manager¡¯s Office.

    Outside, dawn was breaking, but He Xing hadn¡¯t closed his eyes all night, nor had Old Zhou and Liang Tao.

    In fact, He Xing had asked them several times to go back to sleep, but each time, they refused without exception.

    They knew there was little they could do to assist He Xing, but they still stayed by his side, trying to offer their own strength for the old Mr. He¡¯s sake.

    An open suitcase full of cash sat on the coffee table in He Xing¡¯s office, its visual impact so great it was hard to look away.

    Yet the gaze of He Xing and the other two men was uniformly grave, for they hadn¡¯t raised enough money; there was still a substantial amount missing.

    The air conditioning in the office was set high. He Xing had removed his overcoat, wearing only his usual sharp ck suit.

    Despite having been awake all night, he was originally supposed to meet with Fu Han. Wanting to look spirited when he did, he had used almost half a bottle of hair gel. His hairstyle hadn¡¯t fallen apart and he still looked energetic.

    However, staying up all night, coupled with the anxiety, made his eyes, though still bright, rimmed with bloodshot streaks. Undereye bags and the fatigue on his face were not well concealed.

    He was on the phone, gripping the receiver. The caller demanded cash, and suchrge amounts typically required reservations. The deadline was too tight; the banks had already closed when He Xing received the news, making a withdrawal reservation impossible.

    But He Xing wasn¡¯t one to give up easily. Throughout the night, he came up with many ns and contacted numerous people, miraculously raising ten million in cash. However, this was still far from the five hundred million demanded.

    As He Xing rested from a call, Old Zhou saw an opportunity and set a steaming bowl of Pork Rib Soup before him, "Young Master, you haven¡¯t eaten all night. This wasst night¡¯s dinner for your grandfather. Please, have some."

    He Xing initially wanted to say he wasn¡¯t hungry, but the aromatic soup made his stomach audibly growl. Thanking Old Zhou, he didn¡¯t dy further and began to drink the soup.

    Watching the soup bowl empty, Old Zhou took the chance to ask, "Young Master, how much are we still short?"

    After finishing thest sip, He Xing set the bowl down with a sigh, "There¡¯s ten million on the table. In an hour, when the banks open, we can get another ten million."

    Despite He Xing¡¯s casual tone, Old Zhou and Liang Tao were acutely aware of how difficult it was to gather that ten million. The cash-on-hand had been acquired from many difficult runs, while the bank¡¯s ten million were secured only after He Xing humbled himself with countless pleas.

    Yet even so, they were still a long way from meeting the kidnappers¡¯ demands.

    Old Zhou voiced his concern, "That¡¯s only twenty million together. They¡¯re demanding fifty million. What about the remaining thirty million?"

    He Xing sighed deeply, the worry on his handsome face unable to be hidden, "Let¡¯s talk about the rest when they call backter."

    Shortly after, the sun rose above the horizon, its rays streaming through the panoramic window, dispelling the cold. Sunshine in winter could indeed be delightful.

    With time pressing, Old Zhou and Liang Tao reheated the previous night¡¯s uneaten dinner for breakfast. Then, along with He Xing, they split up and went to the different banks previously contacted by He Xing to withdraw money.

    On the way back, He Xing received a call. It was that same gruff voice, screeching like a de across ss, "General Manager He, how¡¯s the moneying along?"

    This time, He Xing was prepared and replied calmly, "I doubt the entire A City has fifty million in cash. If you really want to make a trade, you either provide an ount for me to transfer the money, or you take the twenty million I¡¯ve managed to gather."

    There was a prolonged silence on the other end of the line, so long that He Xing thought the call had been disconnected. As he internally regretted being so forthright and wondered what he would do if the kidnapper decided to harm the victim, the raspy voice came again, "Twenty million it is. You have one hour. Get to the location I¡¯m sending you, leave the money, and go. After we confirm there¡¯s no trickery, we¡¯ll send the old Mr. He back."

    Without waiting for He Xing¡¯s response, the kidnapper hung up.

    Everything went smoother than He Xing had anticipated. He had prepared quite a speech to persuade the kidnapper, none of which proved necessary.

    With the fifty million He Xing shrewdly cut down to twenty million, there was no joy in his heart, only a creeping worry.

    His concern wasn¡¯t anything else but the current state of the old Mr. He. To put it bluntly, they clearly wanted the money. If the old Mr. He¡¯s health were good, they might have continued to haggle with He Xing. The ease with which the kidnapper reduced the price could indirectly mean that the old Mr. He¡¯s health was not good, right?

    The more He Xing thought about it, the more anxious he became. His eyes lost their hesitation and grew decidedly firm as the Lamborghini tore through obstacles, heading towards the distant He Group skyscraper.

 Chapter 420: A Night of Hustle and Bustle

    <h4>Chapter 420: Chapter 420: A Night of Hustle and Bustle</h4><h4></h4>

    An hour had passed since the twenty million in cash was in ce, yet He Xing still hadn¡¯t received a call from the other party. They had clearly said in a previous phone call that they would send the meeting address over.

    He Xing paced anxiously in his office, as the incessant flow of traffic outside resembled a stream of ants, vehicles moving in a ceaseless torrent.

    In the streets of winter, there were noticeably fewer pedestrians, each one bundled in thick clothing, head bowed and neck shrunken, trying to shield themselves from the biting wind as much as possible.

    He Xing never wore down jackets in winter, but after hustling outside for most of thest night, his wool coat no longer warded off the cold, prompting him to fish out a new down jacket with its tag still attached from his office wardrobe this morning.

    Last night there had been a light snowfall, which for A City, marked the coldest period of the year. However, it was also the time when Fu Han was happiest every year.

    It was just a pity that this year, during the snowfall, Fu Han wasn¡¯t by his side. But it didn¡¯t matter much; without any snow umtion, even the falling snow wouldn¡¯t bring her joy.

    His mind drifted back tost night. He Xing had just left the home of a former business partner, where he had gone to obtain cash. The ten million in cash he had rallied was the result of making phone calls one after the other; he had contacted almost all of A City¡¯s business partners and the upper-ss society, collecting tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, until he had amassed ten million. It was evident how many visits he had to make.

    If it weren¡¯t for all this trouble, in a few more hours he would be able to see Fu Han. How wonderful that would be.

    In the midst of his scattered thoughts, He Xing¡¯s phone rang. Hastily, he grabbed it, only to see it was Xia Ning calling.

    He Xing knew that Xia Ning contacting him could not mean anything good; he immediately silenced the call.

    This girl, it was as if she never grew up. Her life was always about nothing but eating, drinking, ying, and merrymaking.

    Even though she was now a somewhat famous celebrity, whenever scripts came her way, she would always be overly picky. Gradually, the buzz that "Pan Si Gui Dai" had created for Xia Ning faded, and these days, nobody came looking for her anymore.

    Just a few secondster, Xia Ning called again, persistent as if she wouldn¡¯t rest until she got her way.

    With no choice but to answer, He Xing reluctantly picked up the phone, "Xia Ning, I¡¯m really busy today and have no time to meet with you. Go find someone else to hang out with."

    "He Xing brother, don¡¯t hang up, I know where Grandpa He is," Xia Ning¡¯s voice was so excited she was practically stumbling over her words.

    He Xing¡¯s grip on his phone tightened suddenly as he heard his own hoarse voice asking, "Do you really know where Grandpa is?"

    Less than a minuteter, He Xing ended the call and rushed towards the office door.

    Old Zhou and Liang Tao were on standby outside. Seeing He Xing stepping out, they quickly followed, asking anxiously, "Young Master, where are you going?"

    Without stopping, He Xing hurried forward, "I need to go save Grandpa."

    Upon hearing this, both men were too excited to stay still and started walking briskly to keep up.

    However, by the time they reached the underground parking lot, He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini had already roared to life, speeding off towards the exit like a bolt of lightning.

    Old Zhou was frantic but, luckily, he made it a habit to carry keys. He promptly headed for Grandpa He¡¯s usual vintage car and, seeing this, Liang Tao hurried to follow.

    But before they even left the parking lot, Liang Tao¡¯s phone rang; it was He Xing calling. After the call connected, Liang Tao quickly removed the car key, told Old Zhou to "wait for me," and then leaped out the car, striding quickly towards the elevator.

    Less than five minutester, Liang Tao emerged from the elevator, carrying arge suitcase filled with twenty million in cash.

    After getting into the car, he exined between heavy breaths to Old Zhou, "Just now Boss He called and said... said we should take this money, just in case... just in case."

    "As always, the Young Master thinks ahead," Old Zhou nodded as he pressed the elerator, and the vintage car shot out of the parking lot like a bullet.

    Fortunately, He Xing had shared his location with Old Zhou. Although they were far from He Xing at that moment, at least they didn¡¯t have to worry about losing him.

    The Lamborghini sped through the cold wind. He Xing¡¯s handsome face was expressionless, resembling a high-tech robot with a stunning visage but without a beating heart.

    Going off the location provided by Xia Ning, the area was getting farther from A City¡¯s center and closer to the suburbs. There were hardly any other cars on the road.

    On both sides of the roady destion, abandoned houses, weeds as tall as a person, and the bare, yellow earth that became a swirling storm of dust with each gust of wind.

    The further he went, the stronger He Xing felt a peculiar sensation. Although unfamiliar with this road, he was certain it wasn¡¯t his first time here. Thest time he¡¯de this way had been to find Fu Han; that time, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning had kidnapped her, and Xia Cheng had nearly defiled her.

    It was also that incident when Xia Cheng and Xia Ning had fought over Fu Han; not long after her cosmetic surgery, Fu Han¡¯s face was brutally damaged again by the two, forcing her to undergo another cosmetic surgery in M Country. How much suffering had she endured then?

    As he thought of this, He Xing¡¯s hands tightened around the steering wheel, veins bulging as if they might burst out of his skin at any moment.

    A sudden thought crossed He Xing¡¯s mind ¨C could it be possible that the Xia Family was behind the move against Grandpa He? After all, Grandpa He had always opposed He Xing¡¯s excessive support of the Xia Family, believing they shouldn¡¯t rely on the He Family like a climbing nt, but should rise on their own.

    However, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s mindset differed from that of Grandpa He. Xia Guoxiong was ambitious, but that didn¡¯t mean he was averse to relying on the He Family. In fact, over the years, he¡¯d grown ustomed to using the He Family as a shield whenever trouble arose.

    In reality, unbeknownst to Grandpa He, He Xing had cleaned up a lot of messes for the Xia Group behind the scenes and had repeatedly guaranteed projects for the Xia Family when they were unable to secure them on their own.

    That was why, in the few years since He Xing became the actual head of the He Group, the Xia Group had skyrocketed as if on a high-speed road, with skyscrapers springing up almost overnight.

    Could it really be the Xia Family?

    The more He Xing thought about it, the more convinced he became of the possibility. Setting aside the friction between the Xia Family and Grandpa He, the mere fact that Xia Ning knew of Grandpa He¡¯s whereabouts was enough to indicate that the Xia Family was inextricably linked to the matter.

    Consider this. If the Xia Family had nothing to do with the incident, Xia Ning, the kind of person who lived for nothing but pleasure, would never have any idea about Grandpa He¡¯s location, since He Xing had never told anyone about the kidnapping.

 Chapter 421: Snowy Scene in the Garden

    <h4>Chapter 421: Chapter 421: Snowy Scene in the Garden</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s lips pressed tighter and tighter, and if you listened closely, you could even hear the sound of his teeth grinding. As he continued to elerate, he made a firm decision in his heart that if this truly was the Xia Family acting behind the scenes, he would never provide any help to the Xia Group again, and they would settle past ounts as they should.

    ...

    M Country, Fu Family vi.

    The living room was very spacious and its decoration couldn¡¯t possibly be considered luxurious; even the knick-knacks in the room were exceptionally in. But everything in there was delicate.

    If someone knowledgeable were there, they would realize the hidden luxury in the Fu Family¡¯s austere living room. Not only were the ink paintings on the walls genuine, but the blue and white porcin vases used as flower vases were also treasures. Even the eight ancient bronze chairs ced next to the dining table were antiques.

    At the moment, Fu Han was nestled in a hanging basket by the floor-to-ceiling window. The basket was lined with a nnel nket, very soft, and she didn¡¯t feel cold with her bare feet on it, especially since the air conditioning in the living room was very strong.

    From her angle, she could see the garden; the round, bustling gardener was busy trying to clear the snow from the garden.

    ording to Fu Xingbo, Bai Qian had designed the garden, and all the flowers in it were carefully selected by Bai Qian herself. However, it was winter, and all the flowers had withered away, leaving only the two plum trees in the corner as decoration.

    Unfortunately, the heavy snowfallst night caused the two plum trees, which had barely begun their first bloom, to lose their blossoms before Fu Han had a chance to enjoy them due to her hospitalization.

    As soon as Bai Qian returned, she ordered the gardener to clear the snow from the garden and tend to it carefully, hoping the plum trees might bloom again.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t really care whether the plum trees bloomed or not. She could see plum blossoms every year back in her home country¡ª if not this year, then she could just wait until next year. After all, there would always be an opportunity.

    But after all, she was just a guest here. Bai Qian insisted on sprucing up the garden to reduce the damage the snowstorm had caused to the nts, so Fu Han didn¡¯t have much to say.

    Her gaze fell on the two plum trees, their trunks winding intricately together. The trees grew quite tall, even taller than the walls, standing very close together with branches crisscrossing and intertwining as if whispering ¡¯you are part of me, and I am part of you.¡¯

    It was said that these were one red plum and one green plum tree. Every year when they bloomed, they painted the garden with sshes of red and green, which against M Country¡¯s winter snow created quite the atmosphere.

    Bai Qian felt that the red plum was her and the green plum Fu Xingbo. Thus, the two middle-aged romantics paid special attention to these two trees, valuing them more than any other luxurious flora. That¡¯s why the gardener started by clearing the snow around these two trees.

    Yet sadly, the unusual snowstorm the previous night had stripped the trees of many of their buds, leaving them almost barren. Even if they were to bloom again, the flowers would be lonely, hardly a stunning sight.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted from the plum trees to a corner of the wall, where a pine tree stood¡ªneither toorge nor too small. Bai Qian had prepared it for Christmas, buying it a week in advance and temporarily nting it in the garden, waiting for Christmas Day to cut it down and move it indoors for decoration.

    There were plenty of such pine trees in Lanwan Mountain¡¯s backyard. Uncle Zhou told them that the pine needles that fell to the ground made excellent kindling, catching fire with a single spark; he said that children from poor families grow up fast, and many of them would go up the mountain in the deep winter to gather firewood, all to alleviate their parents¡¯ burdens.

    When listening to these stories, Fu Han usually wasn¡¯t interested. As a child, her mind was preupied with He Xing, thinking all day about what clothes to wear to catch his eye, what words he liked to hear... in short, her world revolved around He Xing.

    After Fu Han¡¯s fruitless trip to the airport that morning, she didn¡¯t mention He Xing at all upon her return. Perhaps Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian also knew it was better not to mention He Xing for the moment. After lunch, they excused themselves to go buy ski gear and hadn¡¯t returned since.

    Uncle Zhou said that the pine tree was the most unremarkable andmon tree in the forest, but it was green all year round, not excepting winter. Christmas especially gave every family the opportunity to have their own Christmas pine.

    Fu Han thought that the snowy scene with the green pine needles was quite beautiful.

    However, what she didn¡¯t know was that, as she admired the beauty outside the window, someone was standing on the second-floor hallway watching her. This person was none other than Su Cheng, who had shamelessly taken lodging at the Fu Family.

    He knew that He Xing was supposed to arrive in M Country today and certainly wasn¡¯t looking forward to his arrival. As his rival in love, he would rather have more time alone with Fu Han.

    But if He Xing came, Fu Han¡¯s eyes would certainly have no ce for Su Cheng; this was something Su Cheng didn¡¯t want to admit, but had to¡ªFu Han had always liked He Xing from the beginning.

    Because of this, although Su Cheng had woken up that morning, he hadn¡¯t stepped out of his room to have breakfast with Fu Han. He knew that if he did, even if only out of politeness, Bai Qian would certainly ask if he wanted to go with them to pick up He Xing, and he really couldn¡¯t bear to calmly watch He Xing and Fu Han reunite and embrace at the airport.

    But oddly enough, when Su Cheng found out that He Xing didn¡¯te, the most immediate feeling in his heart wasn¡¯t joy, but concern over whether Fu Han would be upset.

    Because of this, he should have gone out to buy things needed for skiing or to check on the renovation of the stores, but in the end, he chose to stay at the Fu Family vi.

    Even though he stayed, Su Cheng didn¡¯t know how tofort Fu Han. He could only pace around and around in his room on the second floor, never finding a proper excuse to start a conversation with Fu Han.

    Finally, he tiptoed out of his own room, only to see Fu Han¡¯s figure upon opening the door. She was curled up in the hanging basket like a little kitten.

    There was no wind, but the hanging basket swayed gently, like a swing.

    Fu Han¡¯s fair feet were resting on the pale pink nnel nket, and if you looked closely, you could see the veins hidden under her flesh, her toes slightly curled downward. Her toenails were a healthy flesh-pink color, subtly shimmering; paired with her slender ankles, she looked both innocent and sexy.

    Her hair was long and slightly wavy, casually cascading down, with her slender waist asionally visible between its locks.

 Chapter 422: Humble Longing

    <h4>Chapter 422: Chapter 422: Humble Longing</h4><h4></h4>

    Realizing he was swallowing his saliva, Su Cheng felt somewhat embarrassed. He forced his gaze away but couldn¡¯t resist turning it back onto Fu Han in less than a second.

    Fu Han turned her head slightly, presenting her exquisite profile to Su Cheng.

    Initially, he feared Fu Han might notice his staring and didn¡¯t dare to look openly, but as he realized she seemed to be distracted and not noticing him at all, he began to sneak nces at her unabashedly¡ªhe had resigned himself to the fact that his remaining rationality couldn¡¯t control his eyes any longer.

    Even from a vantage point, Fu Han¡¯s face appeared even more wless. Her forehead, nose tip, and chin created a trio of perfect elevated points, and her deep-set eye sockets gave her face an unforgettable presence.

    What was most striking were the two small moles under Fu Han¡¯s eyes and on her nose bridge.

    Some people¡¯s moles look unsightly, but others, like the two on Fu Han¡¯s face, enhance their features; without them, Fu Han would still possess great beauty, but not in a way that left such asting impression.

    Without any filter, Fu Han¡¯s face was truly the creator¡¯s most exquisite masterpiece.

    The full forehead, butterfly-wing-like long and curled eyshes, eyes that were always clear in their ck and white distinction, a rare third eyelid, a small, round nose, and rosy, petite lips¡ªevery feature was delicate.

    Su Cheng always thought he wasn¡¯t one to judge by appearances, but as he looked at Fu Han unrestrained for the first time, he had to admit that part of his fondness for her was because he liked her face.

    He used to think that Fu Han and Nan Qing were ofparable beauty, but a closer look revealed differences. Nan Qing¡¯s round face gave her a slight edge topete with Fu Han, but as they aged and cogen was lost, Nan Qing¡¯s looks would surely declinepared to Fu Han¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s the difference between bone structure and skin.

    The more Su Cheng looked, the more he liked her, and his heartbeat quickened to the point where it was as boisterous as a drum, almost deafening him.

    If possible, he wished that time could freeze at this moment. He loved Fu Han, and even if he couldn¡¯t have her, just being able to look at her from afar was enough.

    Suddenly, Fu Han sneezed, rubbing her dainty nose and tucking her ankles inward, indicating that her feet must be cold.

    Su Cheng¡¯s heart clenched. After some thought, he turned and walked away. Momentster, he reappeared at the entrance of the first floor, holding a pair of light pink socks.

    "It¡¯s cold, wear these socks," Su Cheng said as he squatted down in front of Fu Han. Now that the distance was closer, the visual impact of her feet was even more pronounced¡ªto put it bluntly, they were the most beautiful feet Su Cheng had ever seen.

    It took Fu Han a few seconds to realize the person in front of her was Su Cheng. Instinctively, she moved back but forgot she was sitting in a hanging basket. The sudden movement made the basket swing wildly as if it were a pendulum, turning her pale with fright as she cried out softly.

    Just as Fu Han lost her bnce and lurched forward, Su Cheng hurriedly reached out, steadying her shoulders at thest crucial moment, while his knees braced against the surging basket.

    But this made the situation even more awkward. Fu Han¡¯s face was pressed against Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder, and he was on one knee on the ground, his hands, unbeknownst to him, had embraced her shoulders.

    No matter how you looked at it, they resembled two people hugging each other.

    This was the first time Su Cheng had hugged Fu Han. The faint scent lingering at the tip of his nose¡ªwhether it was perfume or shower gel¡ªwas the most delightful he had ever experienced.

    He greedily savored the softness of the person in his arms, realizing for the first time that although Fu Han was nearly 170 centimeters tall, she still felt very petite when leaning into his embrace.

    Time seemed to stretch indefinitely, though it could have been just a few seconds, before Fu Han¡¯s voice broke the silence, awkward yet poignant, "Su... Cheng, Su Cheng, will you... will you let go of me now?"

    Awoken by her words, Su Cheng apologetically said, "I¡¯m sorry," and his hands hesitantly parted, shifting to support her with one hand and the swinging basket with the other to prevent further loss of control.

    As Su Cheng was about to stand up on tiptoes, his gaze inadvertently met a pair of distinct, deeply captivating eyes. They were beautiful, almost magical, pulling all the surrounding light into their depths.

    He was inadvertently mesmerized, his mouth slowly curving into a bigger and bigger smile. If possible, he truly wished he could see that smile every day.

    A click was heard from somewhere, but Su Cheng¡¯s ears were rendered ornaments; he heard nothing until a man¡¯s slightly sharp voice rang out, "What are you two doing?"

    Su Cheng turned sharply to see Ji Liangchuan standing at the door, unsure when he had arrived. His exaggeratedlyrge, peach blossom eyes were filled with surprise and anger, resembling a beast ready to explode at any moment.

    A sense of guilt surfaced in Su Cheng¡¯s heart. He instinctively stepped back, but upon realizing the man wasn¡¯t He Xing, anger surged within him, and he firmly challenged, "What does it matter to you what we¡¯re doing?"

    In that brief moment, Ji Liangchuan had already approached them with big strides. Without a word, he reached out and grabbed the cor of Su Cheng¡¯s shirt.

    Fu Han watched everything unfold, her eyes wide in shock, unable toprehend how this fight had erupted out of nowhere.

    She had merely been sitting in the hanging basket, entranced by the snowy scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was just that her feet were a little cold and she didn¡¯t want to fetch socks. She was just surprised at how Su Cheng had found her socks. It was only that the basket had suddenly gone out of control, and she nearly fell but was saved by Su Cheng. It was just that she lunged, not willingly, into Su Cheng¡¯s arms, and while thanking him with a smile, he stayed dazed and didn¡¯t respond.

    That was all, but why had the situation escted to this point?

    The two tall men were entangled as if they were seeing red, the force of their fighting substantial. The fine tea set on the coffee table had shattered, the table itself turned over, the sofa knocked askew, and the throw nket crumpled.

    Fu Han repeatedly tried to separate them, but neither would let go, as if in a desperate struggle of mutual annihtion.

 Chapter 423: Who made the first move?

    <h4>Chapter 423: Chapter 423: Who made the first move?</h4><h4></h4>

    She had screamed herself hoarse to no avail, and atst, she could only pull out her phone and use thest of her remaining strength to say, "If you continue fighting, I¡¯m going to call the police."

    As it turned out, this statement was more effective than anything she had said before; Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan disyed an unprecedented level of understanding and stopped simultaneously.

    A few minutester, the wool nket was neatly reced, the coffee table flipped back to its original position, the sofa was ced tidily around the nket, and even the decorative pillows on the sofa were back in their ces.

    Everything had returned to how it was before, even neater and more uniform in fact, except for the coffee table, which was empty, and the garbage bin that was now filled with the broken pieces of the tea set.

    Fu Han¡¯s rage hadpletely erupted. She stood with her arms crossed, looking at the two tall young men in front of her, "If you guys can work together so well to tidy up the living room, why can¡¯t you talk things out instead of resorting to violence?"

    "He started it," Su Cheng said, his mouth corner marked with arge bruise, wincing in pain as he spoke, pulling at the wound.

    "And you won¡¯t mention that it was you who harbored unseemly intentions towards Fu Han first?" Ji Liangchuan felt no remorse for being the first to throw a punch; in fact, his presence seemed even more domineering than Su Cheng¡¯s. His expression was exaggerated while speaking, also wincing from the pain as he pulled on the wound at the corner of his eye.

    Seeing that they were on the verge of arguing again, Fu Han rubbed her temples in pain, having learned from previous experience that her attempts to mediate were futile. She pointed to the Gardener busily clearing snow outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, "If you really have energy to spare, go outside and help with the snow clearing instead of fighting and giving me a headache."

    As she spoke, Fu Han¡¯s pretty face was flushed with anger, yet her beauty was in no way diminished by her angry mood; instead, her features appeared even more vivid and lively.

    But the two men opposite her, shamed under her angry gaze, lowered their heads in unison. It was Su Cheng who spoke first, "Fu Han, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have resorted to violence. You...please don¡¯t be angry anymore."

    Ji Liangchuan was quick to speak as well, trying not to be outdone, "I was wrong too. I promise that as long as Su Cheng doesn¡¯t look at you with that lecherous gaze, I absolutely won¡¯ty a hand on him."

    Those words were like a spark to powder, setting off an inevitable chain reaction.

    Su Cheng, defiant, raised his head; on his handsome face was a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Ji Liangchuan, rify yourself. Who¡¯s been giving Fu Han lecherous looks? I certainly have not!"

    "If it weren¡¯t for me, you would have almost kissed her. Are you still saying you didn¡¯t?"

    "You¡¯re making it up; I would never do anything to disrespect Fu Han."

    "Stop pretending to be the gentleman here. Don¡¯t think for a moment that I¡¯m unaware of what you¡¯re thinking."

    "I¡¯ve never hidden my feelings. The whole world knows I like Fu Han; but you, why are you getting close to Fu Han? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here just to watch over her for He Xing?"

    The moment they started bickering, Fu Han hadpletely given up on them. She thought that if they were determined to argue, then they could just get it out of their system, and she could ignore them by not listening or looking.

    She climbed back into the hanging chair, holding a book she had just taken off the shelf.

    Yet, upon hearing Su Cheng¡¯s words, Fu Han stopped turning the pages. She turned her head with difficulty, a faint hope rising in her heart about how Ji Liangchuan would respond. Was he truly here at He Xing¡¯s bidding to watch over her? If so, she would be...happy.

    One moment the living room felt as if its roof was about to be blown off, the next silence descended, so profound one could nearly hear a pin drop, along with the faint, audible thumping of a heartbeat¡ªwhose, it was unclear.

    Ji Liangchuan slowly turned his head, his trademark, dramaticallyrge, peach blossom eyes looking straight at Fu Han, yet not quite as if he was truly seeing her.

    It was hard to say how long it was before Ji Liangchuan finally spoke. His voice was deep and slow, as if echoing through a narrow corridor, an ancient incantatione to life. "My presence at Fu Han¡¯s side isn¡¯t because of He Xing, but because I¡¯vee to understand that even though I am friends with He Xing, I can¡¯t betray my own heart. I should fight for my own happiness."

    At this point, Ji Liangchuan paused for a moment, and a smile bloomed on his face like a night-blooming cereus, capturing a fleeting beauty before vanishing just as quickly.

    The next second, his face wore aplex expression that was hard to decipher. With the solemnity of an oath, he dered, "Fu Han, I like you. Whether you ept it or not, I like you, and I always will."

    Is this... a confession?

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Ji Liangchuan. She had only wanted to hear some news about He Xing, but unexpectedly, she was confronted with such a profound deration of love.

    Yes, a profound love.

    Fu Han had always known Ji Liangchuan to be a good friend of He Xing¡¯s, but since she never attended the same school as He Xing, she had never met Ji Liangchuan.

    She first saw Ji Liangchuanst year after returning to China, one night when He Xing, drunk, had Ji Liangchuan call her using He Xing¡¯s phone to pick him up.

    The noisy, bustling bar, the thundering music, Fu Han at the time was desperate to get away from He Xing, but she couldn¡¯t bear to ignore the drunken He Xing.

    So, despite her clear reluctance, she went to pick up He Xing.

    That was the first time she¡¯d ever seen Ji Liangchuan. She hadn¡¯t retained any memory of his appearance that day, hating alcohol and bars alike, as well as the man who had stood by, allowing He Xing to get drunk without intervention. Therefore, she hadn¡¯t taken a good look at Ji Liangchuan, and even her first impression of him was unfavorable, only remembering his attractive peach blossom eyes.

    In the days that followed, Fu Han had only asionally seen Ji Liangchuan, and they hardly spoke during those encounters.

    Even after she came to realize that Ji Liangchuan was a man of high artistic achievement, she also learned about his chaotic love life, taking a different woman to bed each night.

    In Fu Han¡¯s worldview, sex could never be separated from love. Without love, there would be no sex, so despite her admiration for Ji Liangchuan¡¯s artistic talents, it was marred by his promiscuous lifestyle.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that Fu Han never felt she and Ji Liangchuan were people of the same world. Never!

    But right now, as she looked at Ji Liangchuan dering his fondness for her, she wanted to deny his affection, wanted to convince herself that Ji Liangchuan was merely joking. However, she couldn¡¯t ignore the sincerity and depth of emotion that she saw in his eyes.

    The blunt refusal that had reached Fu Han¡¯s lips was swallowed down. She began to reword her thoughts in her mind, considering that even in refusal, it was best not to hurt someone¡¯s pride.

 Chapter 424: An Unexpected Confession

    <h4>Chapter 424: Chapter 424: An Unexpected Confession</h4><h4></h4>

    What she didn¡¯t realize was that while she pondered her response, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze never left her. His eyes had shifted, from the initial all-in gamble to a hidden hope, and now to a sadness that had settled like dust.

    Finally, a radiant smile appeared on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face. He spoke before Fu Han could reply, "Alright, Fu Han, there¡¯s no need for you to feel troubled. Today, I¡¯m just telling you that I like you. I only hope that from today on, whenever you see me, you see me as Ji Liangchuan, not just as He Xing¡¯s friend."

    "I..." Fu Han began to speak with difficulty. She understood that everyone wanted to be seen as a distinct person, not just abel associated with someone else. But if she were to search her soul, the fact was that she indeed saw Ji Liangchuan as nothing more than He Xing¡¯s friend.

    The smile on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face deepened. He chuckled and spoke again, "Fu Han, I guess you¡¯re probably thinking about how to reject me gently, aren¡¯t you? If that¡¯s the case, then you don¡¯t need to say anything because I didn¡¯t say these things to make you ept me. I¡¯m telling you that I like you, that I want to pursue you. You can decideter whether or not to ept me."

    After saying this, Ji Liangchuan did not linger. He turned and walked towards the door, leaving without once looking back.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze uncontrobly followed Ji Liangchuan¡¯s retreating figure. She watched him, d in a long ck woolen coat, traverse through the messy snow in the garden. The wind lifted the hem of his coat, revealing ripped jeans and a glimpse of pale skin beneath.

    She shivered. With temperature below minus ten degrees, Ji Liangchuan really didn¡¯t seem to fear the cold.

    Su Cheng was also watching Ji Liangchuan¡¯s back. His teeth bit into his lip as realization dawned on him¡ªHe Xing was no longer his only rival. Now there was Ji Liangchuan as well.

    Was he surprised? Not really.

    In his heart, Fu Han was the most wonderful girl in the world. It was only natural for others to like her. He just felt the pressure on him increase exponentially.

    But it¡¯s the pressure that creates drive, isn¡¯t it?

    He had to better himself to be worthy of the wonderful Fu Han.

    With this thought, Su Cheng suddenly felt a surge of strength. He walked over to Fu Han, fervently stating, "Fu Han, you rest well at home. I¡¯ll go check on our shop and strive to open as soon as possible."

    In less than two minutes, both men, their eyes red with rivalry, had left, leaving Fu Han alone in the living room.

    The long-awaited quiet finally descended. Fu Han had never minded it before, but now she felt that making the world quiet wasn¡¯t such a bad thing after all¡ªit gave her a chance to calm her thoughts.

    However, as soon as this thought appeared in her mind, a cold wind swept in from the wide-open door, chilling Fu Han to the bone.

    Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo had returned from shopping, bundled up like bears, their hands full as they carried no less than a dozen bags.

    "Uncle, Auntie, you¡¯re back?" Fu Han smiled and greeted them as she went to help.

    Bai Qian, unraveling her scarf, also smiled until her eyes formed beautiful crescent moons: "Xiaohan, why have Ji Liangchuan and Su Cheng already left? Didn¡¯t they want to stay for lunch?"

    A blush rose on Fu Han¡¯s face. She coughed to mask her embarrassment, speaking unnaturally, "They... They seem to have their own matters to attend to; we don¡¯t need to worry about them."

    Bai Qian looked at Fu Han skeptically, but ultimately, she didn¡¯t ask anything and instead excitedly showed her the things they had bought.

    ...

    The navigation indicated they had reached their destination; the Lamborghini came to a stop.

    He Xing surveyed the surrounding area. His intuition was not mistaken¡ªthis indeed was the abandoned factory where Fu Han was kidnapped by the Xia Family. However, it wasn¡¯t the same warehouse where she had been held.

    The winter wind howled monstrously, pounding against the car windows, with half-person tall weeds everywhere. It was deste as far as the eye could see¡ªhardly a ce that seemed inhabited.

    He Xing casually took a down jacket from the passenger seat. He pulled out his phone to call Xia Ning as he got out of the car.

    The call quickly connected, and a deliberately subdued voice came from the phone, "He Xing, have you arrived? I¡¯m outside keeping watch;e quick, I¡¯ll send you my location."

    He Xing nced at the map disy on his phone, his handsome brows knitting together. ording to the map, his current location was less than two hundred meters away from where Grandfather He was being held.

    Should he wait for Old Zhou and Liang Tao to arrive? With the money in hand, even if something unexpected happened, there would still be wiggle room, ensuring Grandfather He¡¯s safety to the greatest extent. Besides, they were only a few miles away.

    With this in mind, He Xing halted mid-step. He scanned the surroundings, thinking it would have been wise to bring a handy tool. Going into a potential fight unarmed could work to his disadvantage.

    He was about to look around for anything, even a stick would do, when he faintly heard voices carried by the wind. He listened intently¡ªit was Xia Ning¡¯s voice, and she was calling for help.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t dy any further. He broke into a run towards the direction of the sound. The two hundred meters were quickly covered, and before him stood a factory with open doors. Two men in ck clothes stood at the entrance, and Xia Ning was brandishing a stick, fighting them.

    However, what seemed to be a fight was just Xia Ning on the offense, while the men in ck seemed more amused, as if ying with a mouse.

    A sh of anger crossed He Xing¡¯s eyes, and he charged towards them, kicking one of the men just as he was about to grab Xia Ning¡¯s cor.

    Upon seeing He Xing, Xia Ning¡¯s pale face lit up with cheer, and she hugged He Xing¡¯s waist, "He Xing, you¡¯re finally here. Grandfather He is inside; go save him, quick."

    He Xing had been about to kick the other man in ck, confident his strike would inflict serious damage, but Xia Ning¡¯s actions made it impossible for him to apply force.

    He shoved Xia Ning behind him, "Stay close to me and don¡¯t run off!"

    No sooner had he spoken than a sting ripped through his arm¡ªit turned out that during this pause, one of the men in ck had rushed at him with a dagger.

    If the assant truly intended to take He Xing¡¯s life, all it would take was a slight adjustment of the knife¡¯s angle. Not having to worry about one¡¯s own life, that¡¯s exactly what He Xing hoped for at this moment, given that he was unarmed against an opponent with a de.

    Cradling his bleeding arm, he shielded Xia Ning behind him and addressed the men in ck, "I didn¡¯te here to fight. I¡¯ve prepared the money as agreed. As long as you¡¯re willing to let him go, I won¡¯t pursue the matter further."

    The two men in ck looked at each other, their faces filled with hesitation, uncertain how to proceed.

    In the midst of this, Xia Ning¡¯s unmistakably innocent and coquettish voice broke through, "He Xing, where did you put the money? Hurry up and give it to them."

 Chapter 425: Fight to the Death

    <h4>Chapter 425: Chapter 425: Fight to the Death</h4><h4></h4>

    Upon hearing these words, He Xing¡¯splexion changed instantly. If only time could be reversed, he would have definitely sealed Xia Ning¡¯s mouth with tape after rescuing her.

    As expected, the men in ck at the door nced at He Xing, and the color of their faces changed in unison. One of them even pointed at He Xing and said, "You said you were here to deliver money, but where is your money? Don¡¯t think you can fool me!"

    No sooner had the words fallen than the two men in ck brandished their daggers and charged towards He Xing.

    He Xing thrust his arm backward, pushing Xia Ning back five steps, dropped the words "Hide well, don¡¯t run around," and then rushed towards the two men in ck.

    Normally, He Xing was confident taking on two at once, but now his right hand was injured, he didn¡¯t have any weapons in hand, whereas his opponents had two gleaming knives.

    What was most fatal was that during the fight, He Xing saw, through the windows of the factory behind them, a person tied to a chair in the middle of the room. Although he couldn¡¯t make out the face against the light, He Xing immediately confirmed that it was indeed the old master He.

    With all the noise outside, it was unreasonable for the old master He not to hear it, but he had been bowing his head all the time.

    Not knowing what condition old master He was in, He Xing¡¯s heart sank, and his movements became more erratic.

    Seizing the opportunity, the two men in ckunched an even fiercer attack, swooping down on He Xing with howls, and soon He Xing¡¯s other arm was also injured.

    Defeat seemed inevitable for He Xing, but he gritted his teeth and held on. He had just seen that there were only these two men in ck here, and as long as he could stall for time until Uncle Zhou and Liang Tao arrived, the situation was bound to change.

    The wind grew stronger, carrying with it faintly the scent of gasoline and the shouts of Uncle Zhou.

    He Xing¡¯s spirits lifted, and he shouted towards where his car was parked while kicking away the man in ck who was charging at him.

    Secondster, footsteps came from afar. He Xing knew that in truth, Uncle Zhou and Liang Tao were still quite a distance away¡ªit was the wind that made the footsteps seem closer.

    But the two men in ck apparently knew reinforcements wereing, and their attacks became even more vicious. The daggers in their hands shimmered coldly in the sunlight as He Xing was forced to retreat step by step.

    Eventually, Uncle Zhou¡¯s shouts could be heard not far away, and He Xing¡¯s spirits soared as he instinctively turned his head to check if they had truly arrived.

    It took less than two seconds for him to look away and then look back, but in those two seconds, one of the men in ck had drawn another dagger, and this time, the cold, gleaming de was headed straight for He Xing¡¯s chest.

    He Xing sensed the chilling threat and then turned back to see it; he wanted to dodge, but it was toote¡ªthe dagger was too close, and his body had already reached its limit, incapable of moving anymore.

    A look of despair appeared in his eyes; he had not anticipated this to be where his life ended. But how could he resign himself? He hadn¡¯t saved his grandfather yet, and what about Fu Han¡ªwhat would be of her?

    In the nick of time, a fair hand suddenly reached out diagonally, pushing He Xing, causing him to sit down on the ground with a thud. When he looked up, he saw Xia Ning¡¯s face appear in front of him. There was fresh blood on the corner of her mouth, and even more blood gushing out near her chest.

    Yet, there was a liberated smile on her face, "Big brother He Xing, I finally managed to help you."

    After saying these words, Xia Ning¡¯s head tilted and she copsed to the ground.

    By then, Uncle Zhou and Liang Tao had arrived, but as soon as they appeared, the two assants didn¡¯t even fight; they simply ran away.

    Uncle Zhou wanted to chase them, but He Xing stopped him, pressing on Xia Ning¡¯s wound he shouted loudly, "Call an ambnce!"

    ...

    Xia Group, General Manager¡¯s Office.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s illness came on suddenly, rted to the neurological system. Although the operation was sessful, the doctor said his body was like an over-inted balloon¡ªfine on the surface, but any puncture would lead to a cascade of problems.

    The doctor said this resulted from years of overwork leading to a body that could no longer bear the burden, and even after a sessful surgery, he would need a long period of recovery.

    As a result, Xia Guoxiong could only work from the hospital every day, while Xia Cheng became the primary decision-maker of the Xia Group.

    In reality, aside from making a few rounds at thepany daily, Xia Cheng did not do much¡ªactually, it was not that he had nothing to do, but rather that everyone in the Xia Group knew Xia Cheng was just a profligate, and his presence at thepany was merely for show¡ªnobody would seriously consider giving this young master any tasks; wouldn¡¯t that be asking for trouble?

    Today, Xia Cheng arrived at thepany early. Despite the deep winter, his hair was still very stylish, proving that the almost full bottle of hair gel he used that day was effective.

    Xia Cheng hadn¡¯t been there long when his assistant led a group of people in and out of his office, and after half an hour of hustle and bustle, the group finally left.

    A few minutester, Qin Nuan sashayed into thepany, attracting many people¡¯s attention as usual.

    The most attractive thing was not Qin Nuan¡¯s beautiful face but her role as the Chairman¡¯s Secretary and her impable figure, as well as theplex rtionship rumors circting in thepany between her and Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng.

    Confronted with all sorts of gazes, Qin Nuan did not feel the slightest difort; in fact, she quite enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention.

    Her face bore a smug smile, her chin tilted up high, her lips painted with bright lipstick slightly curled; she didn¡¯t even look at the people around her and walked to Xia Cheng¡¯s General Manager¡¯s Office as if nobody else existed.

    Behind her, colleagues gathered together in twos and threes to discuss, all of them excited to witness such suggestive events this early in the morning.

    It wasn¡¯t that the colleagues were overthinking; over the past six months at the Xia Group, although she was just a mere secretary, her pillow talk was potent, Xia Guoxiong was very fond of her, and most staff did not dare to offend her. Some even spected she might be thedy of the Xia Group.

    Over time, Qin Nuan herself also grew a bit aloof. When she first joined thepany, she was conscientious, neverte, nor leaving early;ter, it evolved to her noting to thepany when Xia Guoxiong was absent, and now she came and left as she pleased.

    After entering Xia Cheng¡¯s office, the warmth greeted her; she took off her ck wool coat, revealing the light pink, form-fitting knit shirt underneath that disyed her perfect figure without question¡ªcurvaceous in all the right ces, any more would seem fat, any less too skinny.

 Chapter 426 Desolate Suburbs

    <h4>Chapter 426: Chapter 426 Deste Suburbs</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Cheng, who was originally ying with his phone, looked up when he heard some noises and brightened immediately upon seeing Qin Nuan. He got up and walked towards her, pulling her into his embrace in one swift motion.

    An ambiguous noise filled the office. These two were so eager early in the morning, and they didn¡¯t even bother drawing the curtains, just tumbling together on the carpet.

    After a bout of passion, the two of them went to the restroom to shower together, which turned into another half-hour ordeal.

    By the time they finally came out of the restroom, Qin Nuan had changed into a ck long-sleeved dress, while Xia Cheng casually wrapped himself in a bathrobe. His face still bore traces of water, yet his hair remained perfectly styled, not a strand out of ce.

    Qin Nuan took a small mirror out of her bag to touch up her makeup, while Xia Cheng sat next to her. Like magic, he produced a remote control and turned on a projector installed on their wall. Xia Cheng started to watch a romance movie.

    "How can you still be in the mood to watch a movie?" Qin Nuan said with a coquettish smile after she finished her makeup, "I have to go, I¡¯lle find you next time!"

    But before she could get up, Xia Cheng pulled her back, holding onto Qi Nuan¡¯s wrist tightly and said in an unquestionable voice, "I installed this projector especially for you, and now you want to leave without watching a movie?"

    Qin Nuan took a look at Xia Cheng. She had figured out his personality over the past few days and knew she couldn¡¯t leave even if she wanted to. So she sat back down next to Xia Cheng, "Fine, I won¡¯t leave, okay? But I really do have things to do today, after the movie, I really have to go."

    "Alright, I have things to do too." This time Xia Cheng agreed quite readily.

    Qin Nuan absentmindedly watched the movie while taking out her phone intending to send a message.

    Xia Cheng saw this and snatched her phone away, his face filled with anger as he said, "Qin Nuan, I¡¯ve never asked for your loyalty, but when you¡¯re with me, can you at least show me some respect and not contact other men?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face turned pale, then flushed. She opened her mouth as if to say something but seemed at a loss for words. Eventually, she obediently put her phone back in her bag, though she looked preupied throughout the two hours they watched the film.

    It was lucky for her that she was preupied, otherwise she would have noticed that Xia Cheng was just as distracted during the movie, the word ¡¯absentminded¡¯ practically written across his face.

    If there was a third person present, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to suppress augh at these two. They agreed to watch a movie, but what the movie was actually about, neither of them had any idea.

    As soon as the end credits started rolling, Qin Nuan grabbed her bag and left immediately. This time Xia Cheng did not stop her.

    Once the office was left with a solitary upant, Xia Cheng took out his phone and sent Xia Ning a message: "Mission aplished!"

    After waiting a few minutes without a reply, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to wait any longer. He turned on hisputer and resumed his daily routine - ying games.

    ...

    In M Country, it was night, and darkness enveloped everything outside the window. If one listened carefully, the sound ofrge goose-feather-like snowkes falling could be heard.

    Fu Han looked at the picture on her phone, sent by Ji Liangchuan.

    It was taken in a ward, where He Xing was holding a white porcin bowl, feeding Xia Ning. He Xing¡¯s face wasn¡¯t visible in the photo, but Xia Ning¡¯s face was full of happiness.

    Along with the photo, there was a long message exining that Xia Ning had been injured and He Xing had carried her all the way to the hospital. While Xia Ning was in surgery, He Xing stayed unceasingly outside the ward.

    To double-check the uracy of this message, Fu Han went online and indeed found news about Xia Ning¡¯s injury. The apanying photos showed He Xing rushing Xia Ning to the hospital.

    The online photos showed a clear view of He Xing¡¯s face, his expression of anxiety as he held Xia Ning looked as if it was about to leap off the screen and merge with the memory of his face four years earlier when he had rescued Xia Ning from a swimming pool.

    Although Fu Han hadn¡¯t said anything after returning from the airport today, she really wanted to know why He Xing suddenly changed his travel ns and didn¡¯te to M Country.

    Now, she thought she knew the reason, Xia Ning was why He Xing hadn¡¯te.

    The heating in Fu Han¡¯s room was turned up high, and wearing just a sweatshirt was enough. She had even felt a bit warm earlier, but now she felt a chill spreading from her phone through her limbs.

    Her eyes began to sting, tears uncontrobly pouring out like a breached dam,rge and numerous, rapidly depleting more than half a box of tissues.

    Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was darkness, in it, a quaint streetmp in the garden emitted a faint glow.

    Looking down from Fu Han¡¯s window, one could see the small area illuminated by the streetmp, whererge snowkes whirled, turning the ground into a vast expanse of white.

    Outside themp¡¯s reach, the world was pitch-ck, indiscernible.

    This is how the world is, even if you know there¡¯s a nket of snow outside, all you can see is darkness. They say seeing is believing, but what do you do when your sight is obscured?

    Feeling the coolness on her face, Fu Han reached for a tissue, only to find the box was empty. She did not want to look for tissues and instead roughly wiped her tears with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, angrily, with considerable force.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart was deste. Even earlier that day, she had still beenforting herself, insisting He Xing loved her, not Xia Ning, that He Xing¡¯s attentions to Xia Ning were solely out of gratitude.

    But oh, but...

    The harm she had suffered over the years from this boundless gratitude was too much.

    Was it not time to wake up? Fu Han asked herself.

    Her phone buzzed, and Fu Han checked it to find another message from Ji Liangchuan, this time without pictures, just a lengthy text.

    Ji Liangchuan said, "Fu Han, I know you are hurt, but I think you have the right to know these things. I believe He Xing loves you, but Xia Ning is a responsibility he cannot escape from in this lifetime. If you choose to stay with He Xing, you must always be ready for him to leave you to be with Xia Ning. It might be on a stormy night, or when you are sick and in need of care in the hospital, or when you are feeling down. Being with him, you must get used to sharing him with another woman."

    Fu Han wanted to call and have a good argument with Ji Liangchuan, but she suddenly realized that she actually agreed with what he said. He Xing had said simr things before, just not as bluntly as Ji Liangchuan.

    There was a fire burning in her heart, like a balloon blown up to its limits, about to explode at any moment. Desperately wanting to find something to calm herself down, she unexpectedly found half a bottle of red wine in the outer room. Unfortunately, there were no wine sses to drink from.

 Chapter 427: The Cycle of Cause and Effect, Retribution is Inescapable

    <h4>Chapter 427: Chapter 427: The Cycle of Cause and Effect, Retribution is Inescapable</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han stopped caring and drank straight from the wine bottle. With two gulps of red wine, she felt a chilly sensation rising from her abdomen. She felt much more rxed, at least the urge to punch walls had dissipated.

    At that moment, another new message from Ji Liangchuan came, "Fu Han, I know I shouldn¡¯t be sending you this photo, but I think you have the right to know what He Xing has been doing when you can¡¯t see. I am a selfish person. I like you, and I don¡¯t want you to be deceived, so I must send you this photo. If it makes you angry, I apologize, but I don¡¯t regret it."

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze lingered on thest sentence, and tears welled up in her eyes again. She tried hard to wipe them away, but they kept streaming down, seemingly endless.

    She pulled up He Xing¡¯s Whatsapp conversation, with thetest message from two days ago. He Xing said he would be discharged from the hospital tomorrow and would be able to visit her then.

    Fu Han did not reply to that message. He Xingter called her, and after that, there was no more.

    Fu Han¡¯s pale fingers tapped on the screen. She typed slowly, forming one letter after another until a sentence emerged: "He Xing, after much thought, I believe we aren¡¯t suitable as a couple. Let¡¯s go back to the beginning and be just family to each other."

    After sending the message, she blocked all of He Xing¡¯s contact methods and forced herself to lie in bed and sleep, trying not to think about these things anymore.

    Perhaps, the only way to end the pain was to stay away from it. When she was no longer He Xing¡¯s fianc¨¦e, she wouldn¡¯t have to be so upset over things involving He Xing and others.

    ...

    City A.

    After leaving Xia Cheng¡¯s office, Qin Nuan went straight to the underground parking garage, where the most expensive gift from Xia Guoxiong awaited her - a pink BMW Mini. It took her a lot of pestering to finally get it.

    She got into the car and started the engine while dialing a number. But the phone rang for a long time without answer.

    A sense of unease crept into Qin Nuan¡¯s heart as she sped towards her destination, dialing another number as she did so. The call went through but was immediately hung up. Not giving up, she dialed again, and after a long wait, it was finally picked up.

    "I told you not to call me casually," an impatient male voice spoke on the other end, "I¡¯m in a meeting at Huangpu Group today, I don¡¯t have time to see you."

    Qin Nuan instinctively shrank back, but she mustered up the courage to speak softly, "Listen to me, I think something might have gone wrong."

    While the person on the other end of the phone remained silent, she hurriedly continued, "I just tried calling the people over there and they didn¡¯t pick up. I suspect something has happened with Old Master He."

    The phone went silent for a moment. About a minuteter, the man¡¯s voice came again, "I can¡¯t intervene directly, you go check it out."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face paled. She was hesitating over what to say next when the man spoke again, this time more gently, with an attractive force, "Be careful and put your safety first."

    With that, Qin Nuan¡¯sst hesitation was swept away. She hung up the phone with a smile and headed towards the suburbs.

    Both Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng had asked her who she really liked. But the truth was she didn¡¯t like either Xia Guoxiong or Xia Cheng; her heart belonged to the man she had just phoned, and even her association with Xia Guoxiong was orchestrated by this man.

    For that man, for her family, Qin Nuan put up with Xia Guoxiong and forced herself to seduce Xia Cheng. After all this time, she had finally reached the moment to reel in her.

    The surroundings grew more deste as she drove. Qin Nuan had only been on this road once before, brought by that man who said that this specific factory was where they would keep Old Master He to catch him off-guard.

    In Qin Nuan¡¯s mind, that man was like a god. His words were not to be doubted; following them to the letter was all that was required.

    When she arrived at the factory she remembered, Qin Nuan¡¯s heart started to race. She clutched her chest and cautiously approached the ce. From afar, she saw the factory doors wide open. It was only when she got closer that she discovered the three thugs she had hired had all fainted on the ground.

    In a panic, without worrying about anything else, Qin Nuan, in her high heels, stumbled into the factory and frantically shook one of the men awake.

    She urgently asked, "What happened to you guys? Where¡¯s Old Master He?"

    The ordinary-looking man in a khaki jacket rubbed his sore head and yelled, "A bunch of people in ck rushed in. There were too many of them; we stood no chance. They knocked us out. They must have taken Old Master He."

    Another man in a colorful jacket with a scar on his face spat a thick gob of phlegm onto the ground, "Damn, we lost out on this deal. Look, Miss Qin, we risked our lives for you. You can¡¯t short-change us, can you?"

    Facing the lewd grins on their faces, Qin Nuan realized just how unwise it had been toe here alone. She began to retreat, anxiously saying, "I will never short-change you. The agreed money will be paid in full, I promise."

    Before she knew it, Qin Nuan was surrounded by the three men, each with a menacing look and filthy grins. One of them, in their impatience, started stripping off their clothes.

    Qin Nuan screamed in terror as she turned and ran for the door, but was yanked back by the scar-faced man by her hair, "Bitch, I¡¯ve had my eyes on you for a while. Serve me well and I might spare your life, or else... haha..."

    The unspeakable sounds emerged from inside the factory, apanied by Qin Nuan¡¯s screams and the tearing of clothing.

    Sadly, this was the middle of nowhere, surrounded by abandoned factories, practically deserted on a normal day, let alone on such a freezing day when everyone preferred to stay warm at home. Who woulde out here?

    The screamssted for over an hour. When they stopped, three men emerged first, adjusting their clothes andughing triumphantly.

    It took almost ten minutes before Qin Nuan came out. She had looked polished and beautiful when she entered, but now she came out looking like she rolled in garbage, utterly disheveled.

    Her makeup was smeared, her face multicolored, showing not a hint of human color. Clutching her belly, she took steps forward; but after only a few steps, she couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and copsed onto the ground. Blood began to flow from her dress as she summoned thest of her strength to dial emergency services at 120.

 Chapter 428: On the Way to Skiing

    <h4>Chapter 428: Chapter 428: On the Way to Skiing</h4><h4></h4>

    Because of He Xing¡¯s issue, Fu Han forced herself to sleep, but in reality, she barely sleptst night, and she was woken up by Bai Qian as soon as the sky started to brighten.

    Today, Fu Han and the others were going to ski. Apparently, Bai Qian and Luo Qinghe hade to M Country two days earlier and met up with them at the Ski Field to celebrate Christmas together.

    Usually, the drive from the Fu Family vi to the Ski Field only takes an hour, but the weather was so bad today that it took them a full three hours to get there.

    Because they had a lot of stuff and there were many people, Fu Xingbo drove a seven-seater business vehicle, with the trunk packed full and people seated in the front.

    As usual, Fu Xingbo drove, Bai Qian sat in the passenger seat, Fu Han was seated behind the driver, and Su Cheng, who had snagged the seat across the aisle from her, was followed by the couple Ji Liangchuan and Nan Qing, Wang Yixuan sitting in the back row.

    The most frustrated about the seating arrangement was Ji Liangchuan; the position only allowed him to see the top of Fu Han¡¯s head, and sitting at the back made him an obvious third wheel.

    Su Cheng managed to grab the prime spot for chatting with Fu Han, which Ji Liangchuan envied most, but sadly for him, Fu Han spent the entire trip gazing out the window on her side, paying little attention to Su Cheng, which made Ji Liangchuan quite happy.

    Actually, it wasn¡¯t that Fu Han was deliberately ignoring Su Cheng, but because she had slept badly the previous night and felt a little sleepy; she wanted to take a nap on the road so that she would feel more energetic when they went skiingter.

    Finally, they arrived at the Resort Vige where the Ski Field was located. To say it was the busiest ce in M Country at the moment would not be an exaggeration, it was crowded, and most people were carrying ski equipment.

    As soon as they entered, they saw children using shovels and other tools to clear snow on the ground, and a little further away, people engaged in snowball fights and building snowmen.

    The sounds of joy andughter filled Fu Han¡¯s ears, brimming with vitality. Even if she didn¡¯t join in, simply watching was enough to make her feel that the trip was worthwhile.

    Fu Han¡¯s mood suddenly brightened. Before this, her bad mood had persisted for a long time, to be exact, from the moment she found out He Xing hadn¡¯t boarded the ne.

    But at this moment, looking at the world of white snow, Fu Han felt that one¡¯s mood amidst heaven and earth was so trivial, just like a single snowke in a snowy world, hardly worth mentioning.

    Fu Han closed her eyes and took a deep breath; the wind was strong and cold, but she suddenly felt like the air had be fresh, and the impurities in her heart were cleansed by the ice and snow.

    By this time, Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo had already found an Instructor and were calling for Fu Han toe over and change clothes.

    Instantly, Fu Han¡¯s desire to thoroughly enjoy the vacation surged, and she briskly agreed, running over and leaving a distinct trail of footprints in the Snond, her bunny-like ears exceptionally adorable.

    By the time she had changed and was learning at the beginners¡¯ slope, Su Cheng was already waiting there; the two of them were at the same level in terms of skiing, both requiring guidance from an instructor.

    The difference was that Fu Han genuinely wanted to learn how to ski; Su Cheng, on the other hand, had no real interest in skiing. He was here solely to ski with Fu Han, nothing more.

    Initially, when they started skiing, Fu Han was truly incapable, falling every few steps, and Su Cheng wasn¡¯t much better. Moreover, since he kept stealing nces at Fu Han, he fell even more often than her, frequently falling again just after standing up.

    Sometimes, when both of them fell at the same time, they¡¯d just sit on the ground and start a snowball fight.

    The young girl¡¯sughter was like that of ark, while the boy¡¯sughter rang pure as a phoenix¡¯s cry. In a world covered in snow, it was so beautiful that it drew the attention of many others.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were highlypatible in all aspects, and that extended to skiing as well; they were evenly matched. Truly, these were people who¡¯d been immersed in "fun" from a young age. They went straight to the advanced slopes and decided to face off against each other, with the loser having to call the winner "master."

    After a round ofpetition, Luo Qinghe passed the finish line a meter ahead of Bai Wei, and triumphantly hooked her neck, demanding her to call him "master."

    Naturally, Bai Wei disagreed, iming Luo Qinghe had cheated by starting early; the two half-jokingly and half-seriously went to check the surveince footage, and it turned out that Luo Qinghe did indeed start a second early.

    This time, it was Bai Wei¡¯s turn to ridicule Luo Qinghe, saying it was unbing of a grown man not only to be so desperate to win but also to resort to such sneaky tactics.

    Luo Qingheughed it off, iming that even if he gave Bai Wei a five-second head start, he would still win.

    The two bantered back and forth without giving ground but tacitly made their way over to where Fu Han and the others were, to watch and act as part-time coaches.

    Seeing them fall yet again, Bai Wei, disappointed at theirck of ski skills, came over and scolded Fu Han: "Fu Han, you must not lose at the starting line, okay? You have to reach the finish line before Su Cheng."

    Su Cheng got up somewhat awkwardly, his face already red, but his smile was full of charm. He didn¡¯t mind Bai Wei¡¯s words at all. In fact, heughed even more endearingly: "Fu Han is more serious than me; she¡¯s definitely better."

    Bai Wei failed to instigate Su Cheng¡¯spetitive spirit. Fuming, she turned back to Luo Qinghe and said, "See? That¡¯s Su Cheng for you. He gives in to everything Fu Han wants, not trying to take any advantage in words. If Fu Han wants to win, he lets her win. Bet you, if Fu Han asked him to call her ¡¯master,¡¯ he would do it instantly, right?"

    "How could I be the same as Su Cheng?" Luo Qinghe chuckled,pletely unfazed, and, in his typical dramatic fashion, he calmly said, "I¡¯ve already won you over, but Su Cheng is still in the chase."

    That one line not only made Su Cheng blush but also made Fu Han wish she could find a hole to crawl into. She pushed Bai Wei aside: "Go y on your own, don¡¯t disturb me here, I¡¯m seriously trying to learn."

    Bai Wei walked away dejectedly.

    Still in the wind, she could vaguely be heardining to Luo Qinghe: "You¡¯re always like this, never knowing how to yield to me,st time you even took Xia Ning¡¯s side, don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgiven you already."

    Fu Han shook her head with a wry smile. The old scores between Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei seemed impossible to settle.

    She didn¡¯t know the details, but Bai Wei had mentioned this issue that Luo Qinghe had taken Xia Ning¡¯s side, allowing Xia Ning to boast proudly, which embarrassed Bai Wei greatly.

    Bai Wei had said this to Fu Han on Whatsapp, and as a woman, she thought Luo Qinghe¡¯s actions went too far. She had wanted to scold him on Whatsapp, but after thinking it over, since she didn¡¯t know why Luo Qinghe had defended Xia Ning, she decided not to voice her opinion without knowing the full story.

 Chapter 429 The Unacknowledged Spare Tire

    <h4>Chapter 429: Chapter 429 The Unacknowledged Spare Tire</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> A few dayster, Bai Wei mentioned she woulde to M Country with Luo Qinghe for Christmas. Fu Han thought they had reconciled, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

    But looking at Bai Wei now, Fu Han did not know whether they had actually made up. She wanted to ask but did not know how to approach the subject. What if her rash inquiry caused problems in their rtionship? What then?

    The reality was that Fu Han had guessed wrong. Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe had not reconciled, or to be more urate, they had not fully reconciled.

    The day Fu Han went abroad, He Xing went to the airport to see her off and ended up in a car ident. Bai Wei did not realize He Xing was injured when she ran into him at the airport, and even scolded him.

    Later, at the hospital, when Xia Ning found out, she took the opportunity to taunt Bai Wei. Bai Wei, who couldn¡¯t stand Xia Ning, was bound to retort, and Luo Qinghe thought Bai Wei truly had something to do with He Xing¡¯s worsening injuries and reproached Bai Wei.

    As a result, Xia Ning gloated, saying that even Bai Wei¡¯s boyfriend was not helping her.

    So how did they make up? It turned out Luo Qinghe was shameless enough to pester Bai Wei persistently. Although he did not apologize, Bai Wei could not withstand it and ultimately surrendered meekly.

    Luo Qinghe chose not to address the issue head-on, and the end result was that Bai Wei would bring up past conflicts whenever she got angry.

    Under the instructor¡¯s guidance, Fu Han finally managed to ski a few meters without falling. Su Cheng¡¯s progress wasn¡¯t as quick; he was still tumbling with every step, but this did not affect his cheerful mood in the slightest.

    While some rejoiced, others despaired. Ji Liangchuan was a skiing expert and even an award-winner, so of course, he had no chance to learn skiing with Fu Han.

    He went straight to the advanced slopes, wanting to show off in front of Fu Han, but to his disappointment, Fu Han did not even nce at him, causing him considerable frustration.

    Before Fu Han proposed going skiing, Ji Liangchuan had wished to be her instructor, but Bai Qian stopped him, saying that in case of an ident, it was better to leave it to the professionals.

    Ji Liangchuan performed an elegant back and forth on the course, showing off his formidable skills and earning apuse from many. Unfortunately for him, Fu Han was still diligently practicing on the beginner slope.

    He bit his lower lip hard, no longerposed. After a turn and a few breaths, he was already by Fu Han¡¯s side.

    "Fu Han, you can ski a little now. How about I take you for a run so you can get a feel for it?" Ji Liangchuan said, already reaching out to grab Fu Han¡¯s hand.

    Su Cheng, seeing this from afar, yelled out anxiously.

    But Fu Han was getting a sense of it. She was indeed looking forward to the feeling of speeding on the slopes. She nced at Ji Liangchuan and then at the ski field; it was crowded everywhere, so idents seemed unlikely.

    "Thank you, but please go slow. I might not be able to control myself," Fu Han let Ji Liangchuan take her hand, instructing him with concern, yet her heart was soaring uncontrobly with excitement.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I guarantee you won¡¯t get hurt," Ji Liangchuan said, his heart soaring too. His handsome peach-blossom eyes shone with a light brighter than ever before, filled with confidence and joy.

    A crimson and a blue figure became two striking images against the white snow, racing like a pair of birds flying side by side, eliciting envy, jealousy, and resentment from Su Cheng.

    He finally regretted not learning to ski well in the past. If he were good at it, it wouldn¡¯t be Ji Liangchuan taking Fu Han for a swift run now.

    "What are you looking at?" Suddenly, someone patted Su Cheng on the shoulder, and a teasing voice rang out: "That¡¯s what you get for just watching Fu Han instead of learning properly. Falling behind now, aren¡¯t you?"

    Su Cheng turned to see Luo Qinghe speaking. Facing Luo Qinghe, he did not have as much patience and said, exasperated: "I regret it too. I should have let you lead Fu Han instead."

    "I wouldn¡¯t dare," Luo Qinghe chuckled, touching his chin: "If I take Fu Han skiing, Bai Wei, you, Ji Liangchuan, the three of you won¡¯t let me off easy, will you?"

    Thinking it over, Su Cheng curved his mouth into a smile and joined in theughter.

    "Want us to guide you?" Bai Wei had walked over to Su Cheng¡¯s side. Looking at the two receding figures on the slope with a huff, she said: "We¡¯ll train you. Then you can win Fu Han back."

    "If that¡¯s the case, it would be great." Su Cheng nodded eagerly, and before his words hit the ground, he was sandwiched between Luo Qinghe to his left and Bai Wei to his right. They whisked him down the mountain, going so fast he could hardly keep his eyes open.

    Whenever he thought he was going to take a tumble, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe would slightly adjust his posture, and he would stabilize immediately. Once he got used to the fast pace, Su Cheng finally asked the question that had been suppressed in his heart for a long time: "Bai Wei, I feel your animosity towards Ji Liangchuan is significant. Why?"

    "I just can¡¯t stand him," Bai Wei snorted nonchntly, not bothering to hide her disdain, and spilled everything: "That Ji Liangchuan is such a yboy but pretends to be all love-stricken here. It disgusts me."

    With that, she pped Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder: "Su Cheng, listen to me. If Fu Han breaks up with He Xing, you must win her over. I don¡¯t want her getting involved with that phnderer Ji Liangchuan."

    Su Cheng managed a bitter smile and replied helplessly, "So in your eyes, I¡¯m just a backup option?"

    "Aren¡¯t you?" Bai Wei burst intoughter, her bell-likeughter echoing far away: "Perhaps even you feel like a backup, aside from Fu Han."

    Su Cheng wanted to refute Bai Wei, but he thought for a long time, and by the time they were catching up to Fu Han, he still hadn¡¯t figured out how to do so.

    Indeed, both his parents and friends told him he was Fu Han¡¯s backup; yet Fu Han never gave him the slightest hope, not even allowing him the role of a backup. How sad that was.

    "Alright, let¡¯s take a break," Bai Wei¡¯s voice sounded again.

    When Su Cheng opened his eyes, he immediately saw Fu Han sitting nearby under a shelter, holding a cup of steaming coffee. The subtle fragrance of the coffee wafted through the air.

    Surrounded by whiteness, Fu Han¡¯s face had a touch of rosy flush, and coupled with the garishly crimson color of her clothes, she looked like a budding rose about to bloom, so beautiful that one couldn¡¯t look away.

    Su Cheng had always felt that crimson was the color of death. When he learned that Bai Qian had bought Fu Han a crimson ski outfit, he was repulsed, thinking that bright red would be more suitable for her.

    But at this moment, he had to admit that crimson suited Fu Han even better. Only a face as beautiful as hers could carry such a tricky color.</subtxt>

 Chapter 430: Eating your own melon

    <h4>Chapter 430: Chapter 430: Eating your own melon</h4><h4></h4>

    As they approached, Bai Wei pushed Su Cheng down into the chair next to Fu Han, and then she walked over to Ji Liangchuan and said, "Mr. Ji, could you please buy me a cup of coffee? Thank you."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s handsome eyebrows furrowed. He didn¡¯t stand up right away, but instead looked at Bai Wei with a frown, "Can¡¯t you buy it yourself?"

    Fu Han, who was drinking coffee beside them, looked up at Bai Wei in confusion upon hearing this; Bai Wei had always disliked Ji Liangchuan, so why was she asking Ji Liangchuan to buy something for her today?

    Bai Wei spoke without a hint of embarrassment, "With so many people in line, you want me to go? Shouldn¡¯t a girl like me be sitting and resting?"

    "What about Luo Qinghe? He¡¯s your boyfriend, he should be the one going," Ji Liangchuan said, still firmly seated in his original position.

    Hearing this, Fu Han almostughed, finding the situation quite amusing. It wasn¡¯t just Bai Wei who disliked Ji Liangchuan; Ji Liangchuan also disliked Bai Wei. Though they had not met many times, their encounters were always like needle against thorn, never yielding to one another.

    As if she had already anticipated Ji Liangchuan¡¯s response, Bai Wei pointed at Luo Qinghe, who was sitting alone at another table, and said, "Didn¡¯t you notice that we had an argument?"

    Ji Liangchuan wanted to say something, but Bai Wei preempted him, cing her hands on her hips and speaking with full authority, "Ji Liangchuan, are you even a man, do you have any gentlemanly manners at all? I know you don¡¯t like me, but I¡¯m Fu Han¡¯s cousin, her best friend. If you want to pursue Fu Han, shouldn¡¯t you be a bit nicer to her friends?"

    Ji Liangchuan sighed as if resigned to his fate and stood up, "Alright, Lady Bai, just sit here, I¡¯ll go get it for you. Besides coffee, do you want anything else to eat?"

    "Pick some desserts on your own, Su Cheng wants a hottte; you can get that for him too." Bai Wei smiled with her teeth showing, a stark contrast to her usual image, and she looked so adorable it was heartwarming.

    Ji Liangchuan nced at Fu Han, whispered to her "Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right back," and then turned towards the counter.

    No sooner had he left than Bai Wei sat down where he had just been sitting, with a speed that certainly didn¡¯t match someone who despised Ji Liangchuan to the bone.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyelids twitched. She nced over at Luo Qinghe, who was still sitting alone, and nudged Bai Wei with her elbow, "What happened between you and Luo Qinghe this time?"

    "Again?" Bai Wei¡¯s attractive eyebrows creased, and she spoke with dissatisfaction, "Fu Han, can¡¯t you wish me well? Why do you always bring up conflicts between me and Luo Qinghe?"

    As her words ended,ughter came from the side. Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help but snicker, and facing the astonished looks of the two girls, he blushed and coughed twice, "Sorry, carry on, carry on."

    But Bai Wei wasn¡¯t so easy to dismiss. She stamped her foot forcefully and pouted angrily, "Su Cheng, how can you be so ungrateful? If it weren¡¯t for my help, could you still be waiting to have coffee with Fu Han?"

    Initially, Fu Han was simply enjoying the drama and gossip, but was surprised when it turned on her. She nearly spat out the coffee in her mouth and hurriedly pulled out a tissue to wipe the coffee stain from the corner of her lip, "Bai Wei, not to criticize you, but your mouth really is out of control."

    Bai Wei stuck out her tongue and made a face, remaining silent as if to concede.

    A few minutester, Ji Liangchuan came back holding arge tray containing two cups of coffee and quite a few cakes.

    He ced the tray on an empty spot and gestured to Bai Wei, "Miss Bai, please make way, this is my seat."

    Bai Wei pulled the tray toward herself and, while handing the hottte to Su Cheng, ced a small piece of cake in front of Fu Han, and even then, she didn¡¯t forget to say to Ji Liangchuan, "Mr. Ji, why worry so much as a man, it¡¯s such a hassle to swap seats. There are empty seats, why don¡¯t you just sit in one of those and be done with it?"

    Ji Liangchuan looked at Fu Han, who was looking back at him with a beautiful, helpless expression ¡ª an expression that made one think of a small kitten that had suffered wrongdoing.

    In the face of such an expression from Fu Han, Ji Liangchuan found himself without any resistance. He could only sit down across from her in the only seat avable; as soon as he did, he immediately turned to Bai Wei, "I suspect you don¡¯t really want to drink coffee at all; you just want to steal Fu Han away from me."

    "Heh, why would I?" Bai Wei, whose little scheme had been called out, didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all. Instead, she chuckled and devoured half a piece of cake in one bite, her cheeks puffing out like a hamster¡¯s.

    Fu Han kept her head down, busily eating and avoiding entering the discussion. She didn¡¯t really enjoy such an atmosphere ¡ª it was as if the whole world revolved around her. Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan always found ways to speak with and get close to her, and Bai Wei openly helped Su Cheng pursue her, all of which she disliked.

    But she really did enjoy skiing. Although she could only be considered a beginner at the moment, the sensation of soaring over the boundless white snow was truly marvelous.

    As her ski board sped forward, it seemed as if all her troubles melted away, and all she needed to do was adjust her body to make herself go faster.

    ...

    A City, Hospital.

    The hallway of the Inpatient Department was very quiet ¡ª it was unclear if it was because there were few people or because the cold weather kept everyone indoors.

    At the end of the hallway was a window, which was closed at this moment, but drafts still snuck in through the gaps, bringing with them a chill.

    He Xing stood in front of the window, looking at the sky outside. The clouds were white, the sky was azure, and the sun was orange. If not for the raging wind, it would have been beautiful weather, with parks filled with strolling elderly.

    His hair at his temples was disheveled, and his ears felt a bit cold, but he continued to stand there, motionless.

    If everything had gone well, he would have given Fu Han a much-missed hugst night at an airport in M Country.

    The end result, however, was that he spentst night outside the Operating Room, receiving a call from Bai Qian. He wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t find the words, managing only to say stiffly that he hadn¡¯t boarded the ne and that he woulde when he had the time.

    Indeed, what could he say? What could he say?

    Could he say that although he truly wanted to go to M Country, and even though he knew the He Group was in turmoil, he had decided to leave for M Country to see Fu Han? But just as he was about to board the ne, his grandfather had disappeared. How could he not look for his grandfather?

    Last night when Bai Qian called, He Xing¡¯s grandfather was still undergoing emergency surgery.

    He Xing had warned the kidnappers ¡ª those who had abducted his grandfather ¡ª to take good care of him, but by the time he rescued his grandfather, the old man was already dying.

 Chapter 431: The Depressing Hospital

    <h4>Chapter 431: Chapter 431: The Depressing Hospital</h4><h4></h4>

    The doctor said if they had been half an hourter, or perhaps not even half an hour, it would have been impossible to save Mr. He.

    Mr. He was kidnapped from his office, at that time wearing only a long underwear top and a wool sweater. The criminals didn¡¯t give him any clothes after taking him; he was bound in the cold, ice-forming, drafty factory for over ten hours. How could an elderly man in his sixties or seventies withstand that?

    Fortunately, less than two minutes after He Xing hung up the phone with Bai Qian, the surgery was over.

    The doctor said Mr. He was out of danger and just needed proper care from then on; this was the best news He Xing had heard in two days.

    An hourter, a piece of devastating news arrived: Xia Ning¡¯s heartbeat had stopped, and she was rushed to the ICU; it was said that the dagger had struck her heart.

    He Xing left Mr. He in the care of Old Zhou and Liang Tao and waited outside the ICU himself.

    During that time, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng, the father and son, arrived. They med He Xing one after another, and when the nurses repeatedly reminded them to be quiet, they turned a deaf ear.

    He Xing had never imagined that someone¡¯s words could be so unpleasant; yes, unpleasant. They said He Xing was Xia Family¡¯s nemesis, specifically there to curse them. Du Wanting had been cursed to death by He Xing, and now it was Xia Ning¡¯s turn.

    In response, He Xing did not argue. He didn¡¯t know how to argue, because both Du Wanting and Xia Ning were injured while trying to save him.

    Deep down, he wished more than anyone that Xia Ning would be alright. Since Xia Ning was admitted to the hospital, he had made countless calls and invited all the best surgeons in the city. Additionally, he had contacted the blood bank in advance. It could be said that he had mobilized all the resources he could.

    Fortunately, very fortunately!

    Three hours after Xia Ning was admitted to the ICU, the doctor came out to tell He Xing that Xia Ning was out of life-threatening danger, and two hours before that, Xia Ning had been transferred to a regr ward.

    He Xing had left Xia Ning¡¯s ward just ten minutes ago, iming he was going to see Mr. He; however, although Mr. He¡¯s ward was on the same floor as Xia Ning¡¯s, visiting Mr. He was just an excuse for He Xing. The main reason he left was that he really couldn¡¯t continue to stay in Xia Ning¡¯s ward.

    It was true that Xia Ning was injured and her condition was very serious. However, her hands and feet were fine and she could feed herself, or at the very least, she could ask a nurse to feed her. But she insisted on having He Xing feed her.

    Although He Xing knew more than a decade ago that Xia Ning was a girl who liked to act coy, he still felt today that he had misjudged her. Xia Ning was not just acting coy; she was pleading with her life.

    It was just a bowl of rice porridge, but when He Xing fed her big mouthfuls, she would im her mouth was too small to fit them. Although the nurse said the porridge was no longer hot, Xia Ning demanded that He Xing blow on each spoonful before she would eat it.

    Making things worse, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng were like adding fuel to the fire, making sarcasticments. Without Xia Ning, He Xing would have been long gone by now, theymented, even getting impatient feeding her now.

    In essence, it was He Xing who owed the Xia Family. Although filled with rage inside, he could only endure. There was nothing else he could do.

    A bowl of porridge, which could have been eaten in a few minutes, took an hour for Xia Ning to finish. In the end, she even brazenly asked He Xing to help her wipe her mouth and apply lipstick...

    He Xing couldn¡¯t understand why someone in the hospital still needed to wear lipstick; when Fu Han was hospitalized, she never bothered with such things. She just had a bare face and perhaps would only apply some sunscreen when going out.

    Finally, someone called Xia Ning, and He Xing seized the opportunity to quickly leave. He really couldn¡¯t stay any longer. If he did, he felt he would inevitably lose his temper.

    The wind outside the window became gentler, and the swaying of the leaves wasn¡¯t as vigorous as before. He Xing¡¯s body temperature was also gradually recovering.

    He took out his phone intending to call Fu Han, but then he suddenly remembered it was nighttime over there; she should be sleeping.

    He Xing thought, instead of calling, he could send a message, so Fu Han would see it first thing in the morning.

    But before he could finishposing his message, he received one from Fu Han. The content was simple, and it could be summed up in one sentence: Let¡¯s break up!

    He read it many times over, almost doubting if there was something wrong with his eyes. Was it just because he couldn¡¯t make it to M Country as nned? It¡¯s not like he wasn¡¯t going at all. Why did Fu Han want to break up?

    A few minutester, he calmed down a little and dialed Fu Han¡¯s number, only to get a message that the call could not be connected. He tried to send her a message, both text and Whatsapp indicated they couldn¡¯t be delivered; Fu Han had blocked him.

    A nameless rage boiled up in He Xing¡¯s heart. He felt like an over-inted balloon about to burst, desperately needing somewhere to vent his anger.

    Veins on He Xing¡¯s forehead bulged, and his face and neck turned red. His view was still of the blue sky and white clouds, but the vastness was framed by the small window, reduced to a window¡¯s width of space.

    He clenched his fists tightly, his bones creaking, and he felt like his teeth would shatter. In the end, he couldn¡¯t control himself, and his fist swung forward with force.

    If Fu Han were by his side, or even if he could contact Fu Han, he would certainly want to ask her why, why she was always so capricious, breaking up on a whim, calling off the engagement, and getting together whenever she wanted. Why?

    A bitter smile appeared on the corner of He Xing¡¯s mouth. Why, of course, because he loved Fu Han. The favored are always fearless; for him, she was the only one, the one he vowed not to marry anyone else, the one he couldn¡¯t live without.

    But... but still...

    He Xing¡¯s eyes felt sore, and the wind sneaking through the crack of the window seemed even sharper. Tears had already reached the brink of his eyes, ready to fall at any moment.

    He tilted his head back, blinking hard, trying to force the tears back. But it was futile; a tear, like a dewdrop on a lotus leaf at dawn, eventually slipped down the corner of his eye.

    Should he give up? After all, this rtionship wearied her. She never tried to understand him, always demanding that he shouldn¡¯t be nice to Xia Family members, always ming him for not being attentive enough!

    But how could he give up? Loving her was as natural as breathing, eating, drinking. As long as he was alive, he would surely love her, day by day, month by month, year by year, for a lifetime, unceasingly!

    Another tear fell, as if something shattered on the floor with a breaking sound. As for that tear, it disappeared as soon as it touched the pristine floor, blending in, unseen.

 Chapter 432: Moving Friendship

    <h4>Chapter 432: Chapter 432: Moving Friendship</h4><h4></h4>

    Just as he was about to write an email to Fu Han, Lao Zhou¡¯s voice suddenly came from not far off, "Young Master, why are you here?"

    He Xing turned around, his handsome face resuming its usual expressionless look. He cleared his throat and said in his calm voice, "I stepped out for some fresh air. How is Grandpa doing?"

    "The old master is recovering well. The doctor said he would conduct aprehensive checkup tomorrow, and if there¡¯s no problem, he can be discharged." As he spoke, Lao Zhou¡¯s smile was especially sincere. His weather-beaten, bronze face lit up with life, "Speaking of which, we can thank the old master¡¯s strong constitution. Otherwise, how could he have recovered so quickly?"

    He Xing¡¯s expression softened a bit, his eyes like cold stars shining with a calm light, "That¡¯s also thanks to you for taking such good care of Grandpa. You¡¯ve really helped me out a lot."

    "Young Master, you tter me too much." Overwhelmed by emotion, Lao Zhou¡¯s bronze face turned a shade of purple. His callused hands waved about, and his eyes squinted into slits as heughed, "If it weren¡¯t for the old master, I would have been dead long ago. How could I be where I am now? It¡¯s only right that I work like an ox and horse for the He Family."

    A glint of light shed in He Xing¡¯s eyes.

    It is often said that there are as many personalities as there are people, and it couldn¡¯t be more true.

    In this world, some repay even the smallest kindness with a wellspring of gratitude. Others are insatiable, not knowing when to advance or retreat. There are those who handle things with grace, and some who only take never knowing satisfaction.

    He let out a barely discernible sigh, lifting his hand to pat Lao Zhou¡¯s shoulder, "Uncle Zhou, you¡¯ve been working yourself to the bone for the He Family for so many years ¨C you should¡¯ve taken a good rest by now. But without you by Grandpa¡¯s side, I feel uneasy. I can only continue to count on you."

    "Young Master, what are you talking about? It¡¯s my pleasure to take care of the old master." Lao Zhou¡¯s eyes reddened, and his perpetually stooped back bent even more as if he was about to cry.

    He Xing keenly noticed the emotional shift and patted Lao Zhou¡¯s shoulder again, "Just take care of yourself. If you find someone suitable, promote them to be by Grandpa¡¯s side. That way, you can spend more time with your grandson."

    When his grandson was mentioned, Lao Zhou¡¯s expression softened, but soon he shook his head vigorously, "Grandma can take care of my grandson. My task is to look after the old master."

    Simr conversations had urred many times over the years. Each time, the talks led nowhere, because Lao Zhou would absolutely not leave the old master¡¯s side.

    This was known to Lao Zhou, and it was known to He Xing too.

    So, what He Xing could do for Lao Zhou was to arrange a very decent position within the He Group for his son and daughter-inw. As for Lao Zhou¡¯s grandson, he had directly secured him a spot at the best aristocratic school.

    He Xing let out a sigh and spoke again, "Uncle Zhou, pay attention to your health too. If you need anything, just let me know. Now, shall we go see Grandpa?"

    ...

    A certain private hospital in City A¡¯s Inpatient Department.

    Although this hospital located in the city center has a long history, the reason it has survived for so many years is not due to the exquisite skills of its doctors but because of its low prices. Moreover, if you¡¯re willing to pay, it can provide some under-the-table services that legitimate hospitals would not offer.

    The hospital had been ordered to rectify several times, but firstly, it had strong backers, and secondly, whenever there was an incident, the hospital would push the doctors to take the fall. As a result, despite its poor reputation, the hospital remained busy every day.

    The not-sorge Inpatient Department was overwhelmed with patients, with extra beds set up along the corridors. This made the already cramped corridors even more narrow, requiring careful walking to avoid bumping into the patients lying on the beds.

    Qin Nuan was lying on one of the beds in the corridor, unfortunately not only without a ward to stay in but also near a public restroom, with an unpleasant smell lingering around her.

    Herplexion was terrible, but she still tried to put on a pitiful look as she stared at the man standing in front of her bed. Reaching out, she pulled at the hem of his clothing, "Lixing, have you found a ward for me?"

    "No." Yi Lixing did not even nce at Qin Nuan. He simply pped her hand away, "Stop whining. I¡¯m busy with something important right now."

    Qin Nuan immediately retracted her hand, looking down at the back of her hand wrapped in a bandage. The wound on her hand had already stopped bleeding, but Yi Lixing¡¯s rough action had caused the blood to seep through the bandage, the redness reappearing.

    She felt aggrieved, tears already starting to gather in her eyes. Yet just the act of sniffing caused her facial wounds to pull painfully, making her grimace.

    On the other side, Yi Lixing made several calls before a plump nurse finally came to push Qin Nuan¡¯s bed, while not forgetting to tter Yi Lixing, "Mr. Yi, our director just instructed us. He said a patient was just discharged, and the vacant bed is reserved for your... your... oh right, what¡¯s your rtionship with her?"

    A blush appeared on Qin Nuan¡¯s face. She looked at Yi Lixing with shy anticipation, hoping he would say something.

    Yi Lixing frowned deeply as if he wished to squash a fly between his eyebrows. He swept his gaze over Qin Nuan¡¯s face and then quickly averted his eyes, speaking with an indifferent tone as if it were none of his business, "We are just ordinary friends, that¡¯s all."

    "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good," the plump nurse said with a squinty-eyed smile, her eyes almost disappearing. "I thought so. A man like Mr. Yi must be upstanding. How could he be involved with such a woman?"

    Yi Lixing¡¯s multiple dismissals already had Qin Nuan feeling extremely hurt. His recent disavowal only added to her anger, and the nurse¡¯s words acted like a fuse.

    Ignoring the pain that made her feel like her body was falling apart, she propped herself up on the bed and red at the nurse, "Who are you to speak about me like that? Look in the mirror before you speak about others. With your looks, you¡¯d have to pay people to take you!"

    The nurses in this kind of hospital were not as professional as those in regr hospitals. The plump nurse had a short fuse and retorted with her chubby hands on her hips, "What did you say? Say it again if you dare. You harlot, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re in the hospital. If you hadn¡¯t been promiscuous, would you have ended up with this retribution?"

    Ten minutester, facing the bed Yi Lixing had finally found for Qin Nuan, he towered over her, his usually cultured face now seeming slightly ferocious, "What the hell are you doing? Do you have any idea how many people I¡¯ve had to ask for help because of your mess?"

    He spoke loudly, showing no regard for the other people in the ward or for Qin Nuan¡¯s dignity.

 Chapter 433: The Resort Village at Night

    <h4>Chapter 433: Chapter 433: The Resort Vige at Night</h4><h4></h4>

    Earlier, Qin Nuan had quarreled with a nurse. Not only did the nurse spout a mouthful of foulnguage, but Yi Lixing also sided with the other party, leaving Qin Nuan very angry.

    Now, seeing Yi Lixing bring up the past again, the rage in her heart could no longer be contained as she unyieldingly said, "Yi Lixing, can¡¯t you speak with any conscience? If it weren¡¯t for you, would I be in this situation?"

    Yi Lixing himself had had an unsessful negotiation with Huangpu Group that day, and the trouble with Qin Nuan disrupted his ns; he had yet to figure out a solution. Already furious, hepletely lost his temper when Qin Nuan used him.

    Pointing at Qin Nuan¡¯s nose, he said, "I sent you to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s side, and you enjoyed a few good days there. Do you really think you¡¯re the CEO¡¯s wife? At most, you¡¯re just a whore that everybody¡¯s had a turn with. Do you think the Xia Family would marry you?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at Yi Lixing¡¯s words. Even without looking, she could feel the gazes of those around her, the gazes of onlookers filled with contempt for her.

    Ultimately, being a girl, Qin Nuan¡¯s tears had already begun to well up in her eyes. With a tearful voice, she said, "How... how can you say such things? I lost our child!"

    The onlookers¡¯ expressions changed again, and the gazes they turned towards Yi Lixing becameplicated. Clearly, they were ming him, and it was a me no man could bear.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s hands trembled, and he pped Qin Nuan across the face, his expression fierce as he said, "Stop slinging mud everywhere. That child in your belly has nothing to do with me. If I hadn¡¯t pitied you, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you to the hospital."

    Without waiting for Qin Nuan to speak again, Yi Lixing spat viciously onto the ground. "How unlucky. Anyone who encounters you is cursed. Just rot here by yourself; I won¡¯t bother with you anymore."

    After finishing his words, Yi Lixing left without another moment¡¯s pause, striding away.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s tears had already formed, but as she watched Yi Lixing¡¯s retreating figure, she forced them back down.

    She rummaged through her purse for her phone and flipped through it. Two minutester, when she put down her phone, her lips curved into a cold, cruel smile. "Hmph, Yi Lixing, do you really think we sisters are so easily bullied? You think I¡¯d stumble over simr things again?"

    ...

    M Country, Ski Field.

    The ski field¡¯s nighttime scenery was especially different from that of the daytime. In the daytime, it was a pure white world, with the blue sky and white clouds painting a picture as lovely as a scene from a fairy tale.

    At night, the ski field remained a stretch of white, but the white extended into darkness in the distance. Everything turns to ck at night, a testament to the power of nature that no human force can resist.

    For an authentic vacation experience, Fu Han and the others stayed in the Resort Vige next to the ski field, where there were three-story vis. Every year around this time, families woulde to rent an entire vi for a short stay.

    Fu Xingbo rented an entire vi as well. Fortunately, there were many rooms, so each person could have their own, and each room was arranged cozily to their satisfaction.

    Fu Han, Bai Wei, and Nan Qing, the three girls, stayed in rooms on the third floor; Su Cheng, Ji Liangchuan, and Wang Yixuan, the three boys, stayed on the second floor, while Fu Xingbo and his wife Bai Qian, as well as Luo Qinghe, stayed on the first floor.

    This arrangement was agreed upon by most, except for Bai Wei herself, who protested why the other boys could stay on the second floor, while Luo Qinghe alone had to stay on the first floor.

    Bai Qian¡¯s face turned red but ultimately said nothing; Fu Xingbo simply stated the rooms were already arranged, and they had to ept it even if they didn¡¯t like it.

    Eventually, it was Fu Han who, seeing Bai Wei¡¯s mood was really off, kindly exined to her that her parents arranged it this way to keep Luo Qinghe under their watchful eye, to prevent Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe from misbehaving.

    After hearing this, Bai Wei¡¯s face grew hot with blush, but she made no further fuss.

    Although it was still early, darkness had already fallen. Fu Han stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the continuous mountain range, faintly able to see the snow on the mountains, with the rustling sound from outside the window calming her spirit.

    It had been almost a day since she messaged He Xing saying they should break up. During this day, her phone was unusually quiet, with no strange numbers or messy messages, so quiet that she thought maybe her phone was broken.

    Suddenly, music started ying. Fu Han looked in the direction of the sound and saw mes burning in the distance, likely in the square at the center of the Resort Vige.

    Then she remembered, there was a Bonfire Party tonight.

    Not just tonight, but from the day the Ski Field opened until the end of the ski season, there would be a Bonfire Party every night.

    The event was organized by the locals, essentially to indirectly boost spending.

    But for the tourists, the Bonfire Party was novel, and spending some money to participate was worth the wonderful memory of the trip.

    As she was thinking about how to refuse to attend the Bonfire Party, there was a knock at the door, with Nan Qing and Bai Wei waiting outside.

    Seeing Fu Han open the door, they took her arms, one on each side, and unceremoniously dragged her out. "Come on,e on, the Bonfire Party is about to start. Let¡¯s hurry."

    Every cell in Fu Han¡¯s body screamed resistance as she tried desperately to retreat, saying, "I really don¡¯t want to go. I¡¯m fine at home."

    "No way! There¡¯s no dinner prepared at home; you have nothing to eat," Bai Wei said while leading Fu Han to the stairs along with Nan Qing. "Let¡¯s go, once you leave here, you won¡¯t be able to attend the Bonfire Party even if you want to."

    Nan Qing chimed in, "Exactly, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to enjoy yourself? I saw you were having fun skiing today; don¡¯t miss out on the Bonfire Party."

    Knowing these two girls well, Fu Han knew her struggle was futile. She sighed softly, finally stopped resisting, and followed the girls out.

    Upon reaching the first floor, she finally noticed something was amiss and asked with confusion, "Where is everyone? Why don¡¯t I see anyone?"

    "They¡¯ve gone ahead to the ce," Nan Qing said carelessly. "Us girls needed to do our makeup; they didn¡¯t want to wait, so they went first."

    "That¡¯s for the best; they can grab a good spot and get something for us to eat. We¡¯ll just enjoy the food looking beautiful," Bai Wei quickly added.

    Time is truly a wondrous thing. In the past, Bai Wei liked Luo Qinghe, Luo Qinghe liked Nan Qing, Nan Qing liked Su Cheng; back then, every time Bai Wei saw Nan Qing, she was filled with hostility, but now they were like sisters who had known each other for years.

 Chapter 434 Waiting for the Other Party

    <h4>Chapter 434: Chapter 434 Waiting for the Other Party</h4><h4></h4>

    But that¡¯s a good thing, right? Everyone¡¯s chatting andughing together, which is better than meeting up and not knowing what to say, right?

    Fu Han looked around and noticed Nan Qing and Bai Wei had dressed up with care. One was pretty with a touch of cuteness, the other pretty with a dash of valiance¡ªtwo different types of beauty but equally dazzling.

    But... Fu Han frowned as she looked at the two girls not wearing down jackets despite the sub-zero temperatures: "Aren¡¯t you cold wearing so little?"

    "We have a secret weapon." Bai Wei chuckled and lifted her big red wool coat, revealing numerous heat patches neatly stuck inside.

    Meanwhile, Nan Qing lifted her pleated skirt to show her nnel pajama pants underneath, which were tucked into her socks in such a way that you couldn¡¯t tell at all from the outside how casual her attire was.

    Fu Han was sessfully amused by the two of them. As she zipped up her extended down coat, sheughed, "Indeed, women will do anything for beauty."

    Theughter of the three women carried far and wide in the vast night, as clear as wind chimes being stirred by the breeze, making the mood delightfully joyful.

    The Bonfire Party was a grand affair. They could already hear the enthusiastic singing before they got close, and as they neared Central Square, they encountered more and more people.

    Even though these were all strangers, they greeted each other warmly on the street. Unfortunately, Fu Han could only understand English besides Chinese, so she didn¡¯tprehend much of what people were saying.

    But it didn¡¯t matter if she couldn¡¯t understand, as long as she could smile. Who could refuse a smile? Especially from three beautiful girls.

    The site of the Bonfire Party had a huge pyre in the center, with an entire cow roasting on it. A brawny man with his upper body bare tirelessly rotated the cow with a long stick, the roaring bonfire casting a warm glow on his face and body, making the ancient totem tattoos on his skin seem imbued with mysterious meanings.

    Fu Xingbo and the others had rented a stall that resembled a Private Room, with their own small bonfire in front where a sheep was roasting.

    Nearly every Private Room had its own small bonfire, some roasting suckling pigs, ducks, geese, and chickens¡ªa variety of foods you might or might not expect, all bing barbeque delicacies here.

    Fu Han sat obediently by Bai Qian, her bright, sparkling eyes fixed on Nan Qing and Bai Wei, who were being led by their respective boyfriends, dancing with the crowd.

    "Xiaohan, why don¡¯t you go out and dance?" Bai Qian¡¯sughter was full of affection, not bothering to hide her doting in the corners of her eyes.

    Fu Han affectionately leaned her head against Bai Qian¡¯s shoulder, whispering, "I don¡¯t feel like it."

    "Are you tired from skiing today?" Bai Qian¡¯s tone immediately became concerned, reaching out to touch Fu Han¡¯s forehead.

    Fu Han casually pulled Bai Qian¡¯s hand away, smiling, "Maybe, Auntie. You and Uncle go join the fun, I¡¯m good here roasting things."

    "Your uncle is very busy every day." Bai Qian smiled softly, her gaze falling on Fu Xingbo opposite her.

    At that moment, Fu Xingbo was tapping away intently on his phone screen, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed, his eyes shining with sharp brilliance; Fu Han knew at a nce that he was dealing with something important¡ªit was only when dealing with major issues that he had this expression.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted between Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, and finally, she mustered the courage to voice the question in her heart, "Auntie, was Uncle very busy when he started his business?"

    "Yeah." Recalling those years, Bai Qian¡¯s face lit up with a happy smile, "Back then, your uncle stayed at thepany every day, sometimes even sleeping there; Bai Wei was still very young, and we lived in a rented wooden house that wasn¡¯t secure and had poor sound instion. I was quite scared when your uncle wasn¡¯t home."

    M Country was much more chaotic twenty-odd years ago than it is now. For two young people who had just arrived, every penny was spent where it was most needed, and naturally, life was tough. Just thinking about it made Fu Han feel that those times must have been hard for them.

    She nuzzled Bai Qian¡¯s cheek with her forehead, asking softly, "Auntie, did you ever me Uncle back then?"

    "Not at all." Bai Qian answered promptly and decisively, "Why would I me him? He was striving for me, for our family. All I had to do was support him."

    Fu Han¡¯s delicate brows furrowed, and in the glow of the fire, her eyes seemed even more luminous. She had always seen her aunt and uncle as a model couple, and indeed, a real model couple¡¯s rtionship is founded on their love for each other.

    She was confident that her love for He Xing was no less than Bai Qian¡¯s for Fu Xingbo, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to treat He Xing the way Bai Qian treated Fu Xingbo.

    As she was lost in thought, Bai Qian reached out to touch her cheek, "Xiaohan, when you¡¯re not sure how to handle something, you can wait a bit, don¡¯t rush to make a decision."

    "Wait a bit?" Fu Han was puzzled, "Wait for what?"

    "Wait to see what he will do." Bai Qian tapped Fu Han¡¯s nose, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she smiled, "Since you¡¯re feeling tired in this rtionship, then don¡¯t do anything. Let¡¯s see what He Xing will do."

    "But waiting is the scariest part." Fu Han whispered, almost as if she was talking in her sleep, reflecting on how she had always been waiting for He Xing. After all these years, the end result was her leaving heartbroken for a foreign country.

    Bai Qian extended her arms sympathetically to embrace Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, her voice full of fondness, "Silly child, who told you to do nothing and just wait for him? While you wait for him, why not find other things to upy yourself? I heard that the Studio you and Su Cheng are about to open is nearly ready. Are you worried you¡¯ll have nothing to do?"

    "Auntie, you¡¯re so right, I love you." Fu Han hugged Bai Qian¡¯s neck with excitement.

    However, in a ce she couldn¡¯t see, Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo quietly exchanged a knowing nce.

    Not far away, Su Cheng, who had been pretending to roast food all this time, had been trying hard to listen to the conversation between Fu Han and Bai Qian, and Ji Liangchuan, who was drinking beside him, did so absently. Unfortunately, the volume of their conversation was low, and they hadn¡¯t heard anything.

    Nan Qing came over and plopped down next to Fu Han, asking her in a carefree manner, "Why aren¡¯t you joining in the fun? The highlight ising up soon."

    "What highlight?" Fu Han asked casually, not out of interest, but because it was the courtesy she had been taught since childhood¡ªto always reply when spoken to.

    "A proposal." Nan Qing¡¯s grape-like eyes turned into crescent moons as she excitedly iled her limbs, "I just asked about it, and they said tonight¡¯s is a real proposal, not the ying house kind of joke they usually have."

 Chapter 435: Regretting the Past

    <h4>Chapter 435: Chapter 435: Regretting the Past</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han tilted her head andughed, her beautiful eyes squinting slightly like azy fox, soft as her voice, "A proposal, huh? Guess I could check that out."

    Many people are like this, yearning for things they¡¯ve never had with an indescribable longing.

    In their pursuit of the light, theye ever closer to it.

    Since Fu Han had arrived at the Square, this was the first time she stepped out of their little shack to watch a proposal ceremony.

    ...

    A City¡¯s First Hospital Inpatient Department, Xia Ning¡¯s ward.

    This was a deluxe ward with the amenities of a private room, living room, kitchen, and bathroom, providing amplefort; if one wished, one could even do grocery shopping and cook here.

    Whether by coincidence or not, the ward Xia Ning upied this time happened to be the same one that Fu Han previously stayed in, and it was the only ward among all the deluxe rooms in the First Hospital that was decorated in a cozy pink.

    Less than twenty-four hours after Xia Ning was out of the Operating Room, she was still connected to some devices, with things like an EKG machine on her bedside table.

    The lines disyed in a Z-shape, regr, signifying her condition was stable.

    Now, Xia Ning¡¯s bed was propped up, and she sat halfway up, herrge eyes staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought.

    Xia Cheng sat on a single-seat sofa not far away, legs crossed.

    Xia Guoxiong, who was staying in another building, also arrived here and, at the moment, paced the room like a beast on the verge of bursting.

    After pacing for what must have been the tenth time, he stopped and his triangr eyes focused on Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, the siblings, "Well, aren¡¯t you two something? Grown some wings and keeping secrets from your father, have you?"

    Xia Ning shifted her gaze from outside the window and whispered an exnation, "It¡¯s not like that, Dad. Weren¡¯t you recuperating at the time? We didn¡¯t tell you to avoid worrying you, and look, we¡¯re fine now."

    Seeing someone else speak up and, wishing not to be the one to draw fire, Xia Cheng immediately pursed his lips and stayed silent.

    Indeed, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s fury grew rather than diminished, almost pointing his finger directly at Xia Ning¡¯s forehead; "Do you think this is a trivial matter? If you had told me in advance, would we have let such a good opportunity go to waste like this?"

    Already weak from her blood loss, Xia Ning felt even more aggrieved under Xia Guoxiong¡¯s scolding and started speaking again, "But, Dad, I think our n was very good, ¡¯killing three birds with one stone¡¯¡ªkeeping He Xing here, saving five million, and making me He Xing¡¯s life-saving benefactor."

    Xia Guoxiong red fiercely at Xia Ning, his gaze as sharp as one would give to a sworn enemy, "Had you informed me earlier, I could have made the situation even more favorable for us."

    "Dad, what would you have done?" Xia Cheng¡¯s curiosity finally peaked; as one of the nners, he was pleased with the oue and disagreed with Xia Guoxiong¡¯sment.

    Xia Guoxiong stroked his chin, speaking with a cruel tone, "That old man has always been a thorn in our side. You should have seized the chance to do him in."

    "But He Xing would be heartbroken," Xia Ning murmured, her voice so soft it was like a buzzing mosquito.

    Xia Guoxiong red at her abruptly, "But the old man was set on marrying Fu Han to He Xing, and you naively saved him?"

    A light appeared in Xia Ning¡¯s mind, and a wave of regret washed over her.

    She fantasized in her head, imagining if her men, after saving Elder He, had directly finished him off and then waited in a warehouse with his body for He Xing toe and rescue him; and when her men made their move, Xia Ning would throw herself in the way without a second thought.

    Naturally, she would get injured, just as they predicted, not life-threatening, but a blood bag concealed under her clothes, and as the dagger left her body, it would stray slightly, bursting the bag, making the injury look far more serious.

    What followed would be much simpler. Xia Cheng had already bribed the doctor performing Xia Ning¡¯s surgery. In reality, her surgery waspleted long ago, but they portrayed it as critical, life-threatening.

    To deepen He Xing¡¯s guilt towards Xia Ning, she was taken to the ICU, but she onlyy there for a few hours before the doctor went out to tell He Xing she was out of danger.

    The result was that now He Xing was utterly at Xia Ning¡¯s beck and call, and she was quite satisfied with this alone.

    But hearing Xia Guoxiong now, Xia Ning began to hesitate, feeling a twinge of regret that she had been too soft-hearted.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t like Elder He in the slightest. She considered the old man senile for wanting Fu Han to marry He Xing, utterlycking in vision.

    Fu Han had nothing but her looks, couldn¡¯t help He Xing in business; she was willful and prone to anger, causing He Xing¡¯s mood to sour as well.

    The more Xia Ning thought about it, the angrier she became, and the more she felt she should have been harsher. With Qin Nuan as the scapegoat, even if Elder He lost his life, no one would suspect Xia Ning.

    Meanwhile, Xia Guoxiong droned on, but Xia Ning couldn¡¯t register a single word. She looked up at Xia Guoxiong with a pleading and fervent gaze, "Dad, the old man is still in the hospital, don¡¯t we have connections there? Can¡¯t you think of something?"

    "Do you think the doctors will do anything for money?" Xia Guoxiong looked at his daughter as if she were a fool, speaking with utter derision, "Human life is precious, once discovered, it¡¯s a life for a life. You think a bit of money will settle it?"

    Xia Ning was taken aback and felt very indignant, but she didn¡¯t know how to argue and could only sulk. As a result, her wound hurt even more, making her somewhat regret not instructing the hitman to be gentler. She had no idea when she would recover.

    ...

    He Group, General Manager¡¯s Office.

    Holding a tablet in his hand, Liang Tao stood in front of He Xing¡¯s desk, "General He, the investigation results are in¡ªHuangpu Group won that project, but they¡¯re unable to operate it independently, so they¡¯re subcontracting part of the business. The subcontractor is..."

    "Let me guess who got subcontracted," He Xing lifted his face slightly, calmly interrupting Liang Tao.

    His face, illuminated by theputer screen¡¯s light, looked faintly luminous, as if a divine being had revealed his true face from behind the clouds, "Was it the Xia Group that took on the project as a subcontractor?"

 Chapter 436: Predict Like a God

    <h4>Chapter 436: Chapter 436: Predict Like a God</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yes." Liang Tao looked at He Xing with full admiration, "President He, you really have a divine intuition¡ªhow did you even guess that?"

    He Xing gave Liang Tao a nce, devoid of expression, forcing Liang Tao to swallow the ttery that was on the tip of his tongue; all one could hear was He Xing¡¯s voice, colder than the winter chill, "Does no one care that the Huangpu Group breached the contract?"

    "That..." Liang Tao gulped, whispering, "Our investigation shows that the Huangpu Group has greased the wheels with the relevant people on the other side, so they turn a blind eye to such outsourcing behavior."

    "Greased the wheels?" He Xing sneered non-stop, "What greasing the wheels? It looks to me like pure bribery. Does grandfather know about this?"

    "I just asked Uncle Zhou, and he said the Chairman is aware of it." Liang Tao¡¯s back was soaked with sweat, he lifted his head and looked at He Xing warily, "Uncle Zhou means that the Chairman said if the project is lost, then it¡¯s lost. After all, the Xia Family has done you a favor. If we hit out at the Huangpu Family rashly, and the Xia Family gets dragged in, he¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll get a bad reputation for it."

    Thinking of his grandfather, a trace of sorrow appeared on He Xing¡¯s icy face. After pondering for a moment, when he lifted his head again, his face had regained its former impassivity, "How¡¯s the investigation going regarding the kidnapping of grandfather?"

    Originally, only beads of sweat were on Liang Tao¡¯s nose, but now his forehead was also covered with them. He began, struggling, "About that... President He, ourpany¡¯s surveince did indeed fail, and as for the building¡¯s surveince, the property management says it broke a month ago. Since we are the onlypany in this building, there are seldom thefts or losses, so the management has been slow to handle the surveince issue."

    "Are you trying to tell me that the surveince from both ces is gone, just by coincidence?" He Xing¡¯s face darkenedpletely, with turbulent waves roiling in his obsidian-like eyes.

    The air in the office seemed to surge towards Liang Tao from all directions, like cascading titanic waves, about to flip him over into their tide.

    He heard his own voice as though someone were squeezing his throat, "This... President He, they said the exact results of the investigation are still pending and that they¡¯ll inform us once they have something. Please wait another couple of days."

    He Xing looked at Liang Tao coldly, with a re that made Liang Tao¡¯s legs tremble, nearly causing him to kneel.

    Fortunately, this lethal atmospherested only a few seconds; after those seconds, He Xing shifted his gaze, "Huangpu Group should pay for their actions. Unfairpetition, nonpliance with contracts¡ªthey should be dealt with ordingly."

    "What about the Xia Group, then?" Liang Tao felt like there was a sword hanging over his head. He swallowed and asked in a low voice, "The Chairman mentioned being caught between a rock and a hard ce. Shouldn¡¯t we discuss this with the Chairman?"

    "Grandfather is just worried I¡¯d be in an awkward position with the Xia Family," He Xing huffed dismissively, "Do you think Huangpu Group chose to work with Xia Group out of the blue? It¡¯s because they know about my rtionship with the Xia Family; they¡¯re banking on the fact that I would just swallow this loss."

    A light bulb went on in Liang Tao¡¯s head, and he looked at He Xing with full admiration again, "President He, you¡¯re truly remarkable; how did I not think of that earlier? I remember, Huangpu Group hadpeted against Xia Group for a project before, and now they¡¯ve made peace so quickly."

    He Xing couldn¡¯t be bothered to lift his eyelids; his fingers flew over the keyboard with an elegance akin to ying the piano, his voice as light as a breeze skimming across ake, "Is the mole found yet?"

    "Found." Finally, a topic that gave Liang Tao a bit of relief, he eagerly responded, "President He, the evidence is conclusive, and we can sue at any time."

    "Then proceed as soon as possible," He Xing said, leaning back in his leather chair, his eyes coldly falling on a shelf to his right, lined with many trophies¡ªall the various awards won by He Group over the years.

    A few secondster, his voice rang out again, "There has been a series of incidentstely, with one issue after another arising among our staff. If I continue to go easy, like I did with Yi Lixing¡¯s case, simr incidents are bound to happen again."

    "Sure, President He, I¡¯ll pass the message down," Liang Tao responded without hesitation.

    Liang Tao strongly agreed with this. He had been with He Xing for four years now, which could be said to be a period of rapid development for He Group. He Xing¡¯s management was faultless. However, ever since Yi Lixing¡¯s misdeeds were discovered, thepany faced waves of unrest.

    One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. Yi Lixing¡¯s case set a bad example for other employees; since he colluded with Xia Guoxiong, He Xing had shown leniency to maintain good rtions with the Xia Family, hence the reluctance to act. The result was that a simr issue was unearthed again, with even more money involved.

    ording to the information He Xing received, after Yi Lixing left He Group, his reputation in A City plummeted. To continue clinging on to He Group, Xia Guoxiong immediately handed Yi Lixing over to Yang Group.

    Since Yi Lixing joined Yang Group, the previously leadingpany in its industry started on a downward trajectory. The root cause was Yi Lixing getting too close to the heir of Yang Group, Yang Kaitai, constantly feeding him disastrous ideas and causing chaos within Yang Group.

    Oddly enough, since Yang Kaitai was taken away by the police at his engagement party, Yi Lixing returned to Xia Group, even securing the position of director of the Public Rtions Department.

    He Xing was displeased when he heard this, but Xia Guoxiong personally came to exin, iming that Yi Lixing¡¯s capability and the price he quoted offered the best value for money.

    At the time, He Xing had but one demand: Xia Group must not allow Yi Lixing to handle any projects rted to He Group, to which Xia Guoxiong readily agreed.

    But now, He Xing thought he might have been too soft-hearted. Yi Lixing, a person adept at interpersonal rtions, was best at gauging people¡¯s thoughts.

    If He Xing wasn¡¯t wrong, Yi Lixing must be part of the current issue, possibly even a key yer.

    But there was one thing He Xing couldn¡¯t figure out: Huangpu Group and Xia Group werepetitors, making coboration unlikely; plus, he never heard of any connection between Yi Lixing and Huangpu Group. Yet, if there was no connection, how did the current situatione about?

    He Xing couldn¡¯t understand. He rubbed his forehead in frustration, his handsome face betraying nothing. His mind might¡¯ve been turbulent, but you¡¯d never guess his mood from his stoic exterior¡ªit¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that even if the sky fell, he¡¯d show no emotion.

 Chapter 437: Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 437: Chapter 437: Provocation</h4><h4></h4>

    Even though it was already pitch ck outside, He Xing didn¡¯t leave, so Liang Tao also sat down at his own desk, turned on hisputer, and started working.

    While waiting for theputer to boot up, he checked his phone¡¯s Moments and immediately eximed excitedly, "Boss He, take a look at Moments quickly, Lady Bai Wei just posted."

    Although He Xing¡¯s brows were deeply furrowed, he still quickly turned on his mobile phone, and indeed, as Liang Tao had said, Bai Wei had updated her Moments with three posts at once, totaling twenty-seven pictures.

    There were photos of Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe together, scenic photos, pictures of them skiing, and also photos of Fu Han, Su Cheng, Ji Liangchuan, and others.

    Although Liang Tao was a few meters away from He Xing, he still clearly saw the veins on He Xing¡¯s forehead bulging with rage.

    But actually, it wasn¡¯t just the veins on He Xing¡¯s forehead that were bulging, even those on the back of his hand had popped up, as if something was about to burst forth from within.

    Strangely, Liang Tao felt a pang of sympathy for He Xing. He knew that if nothing went wrong, He Xing should also be appearing in Bai Wei¡¯s Moments right now, and it would definitely be alongside Fu Han.

    He Xing had even specially ordered custom-made couples¡¯ ski suits for himself and Fu Han, paid double to expedite the production, and justst night, Liang Tao had received an email that the suits were ready and could be picked up at any time.

    But now... now He Xing could only watch from City A as Fu Han appeared in Bai Wei¡¯s Moments with another man; though Liang Tao didn¡¯t think the photos of Fu Han with Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan were intimate, he knew that He Xing must be feeling very ufortable.

    The Moments had been updated a few minutes ago, and Liang Tao guessed that Bai Wei was still online, so he hurriedly sent her a message to inquire about their situation.

    After bombarding her with about a dozen messages, he finally received a reply from Bai Wei -- three lengthy voice messages.

    Liang Tao didn¡¯t dare to let He Xing listen directly, so he covertly transcribed the voice messages into text and skimmed through the content. Only then did he stand up and say to He Xing, "Boss He, I¡¯ve already asked Lady Bai Wei. She sent a few voice messages. Do you want to listen to them?"

    He Xing reached out without saying another word, and Liang Tao obligingly handed over his mobile phone with both hands.

    A few secondster, Bai Wei¡¯s trademark crisp voice rang out: "We¡¯re vacationing at M Country¡¯srgest ski field. We¡¯ll stay here until the eve of Christmas Eve, and then we¡¯ll head back to the vi to celebrate Christmas. If time allows, we might also spend New Year¡¯s there."

    Bai Wei said a lot more afterward, which, to summarize in Liang Tao¡¯s words, was that every sentence precisely hit He Xing¡¯s sore spots, stomping over them.

    He wasn¡¯t exaggerating at all. Bai Wei said that Fu Han was having a lot of fun, with Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan both constantly coaxing Fu Han to y in the snow. Ji Liangchuan taught Fu Han to ski; Su Cheng took Fu Han on a sleigh ride, and they even found a rabbit in the snow.

    Bai Wei narrated as if telling a story, vividly describing how they skied, how they went sledding, how they had a barbecue, enjoyed the snow and watched others propose, making everything seem very lively.

    After listening to the three voice messages, Liang Tao was so frightened he dared not even breathe. He watched as his mobile phone was clenched in He Xing¡¯s hand¡ªworried that, in a fit of rage, He Xing would smash it. He wanted to take back his phone but didn¡¯t have the guts.

    At this moment, he was filled with regret. Why did he have to tell He Xing about Bai Wei¡¯s Moments? Why did he have to ask Bai Wei for more details? Even if he knew, it should have been enough, why did he have to let He Xing listen?

    In the past, he had only heard the saying "the emperor is not in a hurry, but the eunuch is," but now he finally understood the eunuch¡¯s feelings. Spit¡ªhe wasn¡¯t a eunuch, he was just an overly curious onlooker.

    But... Liang Tao silently swore to himself that he would never do such an ungrateful task again. Even if he felt that He Xing and Fu Han were a match made in heaven, he should not be an overzealous audience.

    Time ticked by, and the night outside remained dark. He Xing eventually tossed Liang Tao¡¯s mobile phone in front of him with a "snap" and said, "It¡¯s gettingte; you can get off work now."

    There was an unwritten rule at He Group that assistants, secretaries, and the like weren¡¯t allowed to leave work before their superiors did. Meaning, if He Xing didn¡¯t leave, Liang Tao couldn¡¯t either.

    But today, Liang Tao scarcely dared to stay another second. He grabbed his mobile phone, hastily packed his things, and fled He Xing¡¯s office as if escaping. As he closed the door behind him on his way out, he didn¡¯t even dare to look at He Xing¡¯s expression.

    No sooner had he walked two steps, the sound of things crashing and breaking emanated from the office.

    Liang Tao had worked by He Xing¡¯s side for four years, and no matter how serious an incident, He Xing had always been like Mount Tai in the face of copse, unppable. But now, just because of some voice messages, He Xing¡¯s inherent calmness hadpletely vanished, and he had utterly lost hisposure.

    Suddenly, Liang Tao¡¯s phone rang, signaling a new message.

    This sound was particrly jarring in the quiet building, scaring Liang Tao so badly that he nearly jumped. Upon discovering that the message was from Bai Wei, his legs went weak with fear.

    An unidentified breeze came through, and only then did Liang Tao realize that at some point, the clothes on his back had be drenched with sweat.

    He looked back in the direction of He Xing¡¯s office again, as if to confirm something, followed by another round of crashing noises, louder than before.

    Liang Tao didn¡¯t dare linger any longer. Holding his phone as if it were a hot potato, he didn¡¯t dare open thetest voice message from Bai Wei until he was out of the He Family building.

    "Are you with He Xing? Did he listen to the messages I sent? What was his reaction? Tell me quickly; I¡¯m dying of curiosity."

    Liang Tao felt as if he¡¯d been duped by Bai Wei. Annoyed, he replied with a voice message: "Lady, you¡¯re about to get me killed. By now, Boss He¡¯s office must have turned into a rubbish dump."

    Bai Wei¡¯s gloating voice came almost immediately: "Serves him right for always standing Fu Han up. Now that Fu Han doesn¡¯t want him, a lot of other people are pursuing her. Let him regret it."

    "What, they broke up?" Liang Tao was so shocked his jaw almost dropped. He finally understood why He Xing was so angry.

    Turned out, He Xing was not only dumped, but he was also forced to see the person he cared for having fun with someone else. Anyone would have had a hard time epting that, especially since He Xing liked Fu Han so much. Seeing those photos and hearing those voice messages must have made him feel like his heart was about to explode. The fact that he waited until Liang Tao had left before smashing things already showed a great deal of self-control.

 Chapter 438: So We Broke Up

    <h4>Chapter 438: Chapter 438: So We Broke Up</h4><h4></h4>

    Lady Bai Wei waited for a while but got no reply, so she simply made a phone call.

    Lady Bai Wei was someone who couldn¡¯t keep words to herself, and considering she was about the same age as Liang Tao, she ended up spilling everything Liang Tao wanted to ask but didn¡¯t dare to.

    But actually, to sum up, there was nothing special because Lady Bai Wei herself didn¡¯t know anything. She only knew that Fu Han had said that they broke up, but as for the reason, Fu Han refused to say anything.

    Liang Tao finally managed to listen to all of Lady Bai Wei¡¯sints, he sighed silently, but still couldn¡¯t help saying, "Lady Bai Wei, Director He truly likes Miss Fu Han a lot. If you see Miss Fu Han in a good mood, please say some nice words for him."

    Although Liang Tao had been prepared, he was still somewhat overwhelmed by Lady Bai Wei¡¯sints. Feeling cornered into a reaction, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Lady Bai Wei, after all, Director He is your cousin, why do you have so manyints about him, and not even try to help him?"

    "Help him?" When it came to this, Lady Bai Wei became so angry she could hardly speak, "Haven¡¯t I helped him enough? If he is not capable, who can he me? He is always entangled with Xia Ning, I¡¯m so sick of it. Tell me, does He Xing noting to M Country have anything to do with Xia Ning?"

    Liang Tao¡¯s words were already on the tip of his tongue, but the moment they were about toe out, he abruptly changed what he was going to say, "Lady Bai Wei, Director He has ordered us not to discuss this matter, so I really don¡¯t know how to answer your question."

    In the past, when Liang Tao would say something like this, Lady Bai Wei would insist on getting to the bottom of it. Li Tao speaking this way now was, in part, because he hoped Lady Bai Wei would continue to press the issue, so that it would be easier for him to just tell her what Director He had forbidden him to say.

    Unexpectedly, today Lady Bai Wei went against her usual behavior, dropped an "It¡¯s up to you," and hung up the phone right away.

    Liang Tao looked at the phone that had already gone dark. His feelings were extraordinarilyplicated, with two conflicting voices in his heart. One told him to call back in a desperate attempt to reveal the reason He Xing didn¡¯t go to M Country, while the other reminded him to stick to his duties, that it was not his ce to meddle in He Xing¡¯s affairs.

    In the end, Liang Tao just put the phone back in his pants pocket. Overwhelmed by the pressure from He Xing, he didn¡¯t have the courage to tell the truth directly. He could only wait for Lady Bai Wei to contact him again, and see if there would be an opportunity to steer the conversation back to that topic.

    ...

    He Xing¡¯s office.

    Just as Liang Tao had predicted, He Xing¡¯s office was as chaotic as a dump; tea sets, ornaments, and He Xing¡¯s collected figurines had all be shattered under his thunderous fury.

    When there was nothing left in the room to smash, He Xing finally stopped his wild behavior ¡ª he was frenzied, but not to the point of losing his rationality. The things he had broken were all unrted to work; he hadn¡¯t touched any documents or work-rted items.

    After staring nkly at the office turned to ruins, He Xing walked through the debris to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

    The height of dozens of floors isted him from the crowds on the ground below. He stood as if he were a deity looking down upon the mortal world from Sky City, indifferent, detached, yet filled with yearning.

    Ordinary people are often associated with mediocrity. More often than not, when mentioned, they conjure images of banality, and many people even wish for a life that¡¯s extraordinary, one that leaves a mark on the course of time.

    But for He Xing, having an extraordinary life meant that he suffered more hardships than others, tasted greater sweetness, and experienced higher peaks and lower troughs. As the saying goes, only the drinker knows if the water is hot or cold.

    He felt, if he had the choice, he would prefer to be an ordinary white-cor worker, clocking in at nine and leaving at five, enjoying weekends off, with a wife, a child, and preferably a dog; not too much money - just enough to get by.

    Yet, even such a life was extravagantly luxurious for him.

    He Xing yawned. It might have been the effect of the medication, as he started to feel sleepy.

    Notpletely recovered from his injuries which he sustained before his father was kidnapped, he had barely left the hospital when he sustained new ones. If he had not insisted on staying out, he might now be in the same hospital as his father and Xia Ning.

    The final agreement in his tug-of-war with the doctor was that He Xing didn¡¯t need to be hospitalized but had to visit the hospital to change dressings twice a day; the doctor also prescribed a bunch of medications.

    With neither his father nor Fu Han around, He Xing didn¡¯t want to go home either.

    Looking at the mess on the floor, he had no desire to work and simply decided to go to his own Waiting Room to rest.

    But before his bath, he was sleepy; after his bath, he found himself wide awake, staring with wide-open eyes at the moon-shaped chandelier overhead, which Fu Han had chosen for him back then.

    ording to the time difference, it was daytime in M Country. He had checked the weather there; the weather had been nice in the past few days. Even if it asionally snowed, there was no wind, truly suitable for skiing.

    Skiing!

    He Xing had learned to ski in his childhood; even though his parents had forced him, he was quick to pick it up. After his parents passed away, there was no one to force him to ski, and the skill was put aside, only to be used asionally during holidays.

    He thought if he and Fu Han went skiing together, his skills would be ample to guide her. They would glide down the white snow-covered slopes like two birds flying side by side.

    While he was lost in thought, Fu Han suddenly appeared in front of him, holding a silver ski suit and asking He Xing, "He Xing, what do you think about this suit?"

    "It looks nice, but you can¡¯t buy it," He Xing said expressionlessly. "In case of idents while skiing, you should wear bright clothes; silver is too close to the color of snow. If you wear this suit and something happens, the rescue team won¡¯t be able to find you."

    Fu Han pouted in disappointment, but obediently put down the suit, "Okay, I understand. Then you pick for me, blue, red, magenta, which one looks better?"

    "No need to choose," He Xing walked over to Fu Han, ruffled her hair with an exceptionally doting smile. "I¡¯ve had a mountaineering suit custom-made for you, unique in the entire world. It will be delivered soon, and I guarantee you¡¯ll love it."

    "That¡¯s great, He Xing, thank you, I love you, you¡¯re the best person in the world, we should be together forever," Fu Han said as she already rushed over, hugging He Xing¡¯s neck and kissing his face.

    "You just know how to sweet-talk me when there¡¯s something you want," He Xing said, but his face was unable to hide his smile, and the hand embracing Fu Han unconsciously tightened, as though he feared she might stumble and fall.

 Chapter 439: Not Parting for the Rest of Our Lives

    <h4>Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Not Parting for the Rest of Our Lives</h4><h4></h4>

    The scene shifted, and they had already arrived at the Ski Field. He Xing and Fu Han had changed into their ski gear¡ªmatching silver suits, outlined with striking red patterns at the cor, cuffs, back, and chest that shone under the sunlight, ensuring their mountaineering clothes wouldn¡¯t blend into the color of the snow.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze flitted between herself and He Xing, her beautiful face unable to hide her joy, "He Xing Brother, wouldn¡¯t you say our outfits count as couple outfits?"

    "Of course, they do," He Xing said, curving a finger to tap on Fu Han¡¯s forehead, his starry eyes full of indulgence. "I had these two sets custom-made. Do you like them?"

    "I love them," Fu Han nodded emphatically, as if her head were a garlic crusher. "I really love these outfits. Can we take them back with us when we return to the country? I want to keep them as a memento."

    "Whatever you want," He Xing said, holding Fu Han tightly by her waist. The ski suits were so thick, Fu Han¡¯s waist had doubled in size, making He Xing wonder if he could have embraced her if his arms were any shorter.

    The staff had already prepared their ski gear. Standing in front of Fu Han, He Xing earnestly imparted the principles of skiing, which he had researched and memorized the night before to show off in front of her today.

    Fu Han listened intently with wide eyes. In her gaze toward He Xing were admiration, worship, dependency, and above all, affection; this filled He Xing with an extraordinary sense of pride, feeling the previous night¡¯s preparations were well worth it.

    After Fu Han had practiced enough, He Xing led her to the intermediate slope. Fu Han in the front and He Xing behind, they slid across the snond, their suits¡¯ patterns almost soaring into the sky.

    There were many people in the Ski Field, all of them marveling at the handsome man and beautiful woman¡ªa match made in heaven. Hearing this, He Xing felt exceptionally proud.

    Night fell quickly, and He Xing learned that the Resort Vige they were staying at would hold a Bonfire Party. He had told Fu Han not to eat beforehand, nning to indulge in a feast at the party.

    After the rm rang, he knocked on Fu Han¡¯s door. When Fu Han opened it, she had already taken off her daytime ski suit, now wearing a pretty pink and white checkered knit dress that outlined her perfect silhouette. Where curves should be, there were curves aplenty, and where they should not be, there was not an ounce of excess.

    Upon seeing her, He Xing felt his mouth go dry. He blushed and chuckled, "Xiaohan, shouldn¡¯t you wear more? Aren¡¯t you going to be cold in that?"

    "I also have this." Fu Han conveniently grabbed a white wool coat from the rack by the door and put it on.

    He Xing cradled Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, sizing her up and down. Fu Han was extremely beautiful, and even more so today, it was hard to take one¡¯s eyes off her.

    But in fact, she hadn¡¯t put on any makeup today, just a bit of lipstick. Her slightly curled long hair, half-tied at the top of her head with a big ck bow, added a touch of gothic vor to her overly sweet outfit for the day.

    He Xing¡¯s arms bent slightly as he furrowed his brows at Fu Han.

    Smiles bloomed on Fu Han¡¯s face as she obediently ced her hand inside the crook of He Xing¡¯s arm. Together, they headed towards the vi¡¯s main entrance. Their steps were not deliberately synchronized, yet their pace was in perfect harmony.

    The sounds of round-toed thick-heeled shoes and leather shoes tapping the floor were as beautiful and melodious as a symphony.

    The snow outside the vi was deep, but fortunately, the main roads had been cleared for easy walking.

    When they were less than a hundred meters from the square, goose-feather-like snow started falling from the sky.

    Their footsteps paused unconsciously. Under the streetlights, the falling snow looked like butterflies dancing in the wind, or as if a fairy was scattering flower petals from the sky.

    In just a few minutes, their hair and shoulders were covered in snow, making them look from a distance as if they were wearing white hats.

    If He Xing hadn¡¯t noticed Fu Han¡¯s hands were as cold as ice, he might not have realized they should hurry to the Bonfire site.

    As He Xing brushed the snow from Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, he said, "Had I known it would snow, I should have brought an umbre."

    Fu Han too was clearing the snow off He Xing, her lips lifted in a yful smile, "Does this count as us both having ¡¯white hair¡¯?"

    "It does," He Xing answered immediately. He then suddenly bent down and kissed Fu Han on the forehead, smiling proudly, "Not only do we have ¡¯white hair,¡¯ but we shall also grow old together."

    Fu Han¡¯s cheeks flushed. Under the streetlight, she looked so beautiful, like a fairy ready to fly into the sky, delicate and fragile, making one worry that she might disappear at any moment.

    He Xing put Fu Han¡¯s hands in his pocket and led her step by step towards the Bonfire Party site.

    The bonfire¡¯s glow became more distinct, its warmth mingling with the cold wind, along with the rich aroma of food. Even before they drew close, they could hear the crowd¡¯sughter and joyful chatter, coupled with the melodious singing of an unknown tune.

    The moment they appeared at the entrance, the cheers immediately peaked. The crowd seemed to erupt into a frenzy.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing, puzzled, "What¡¯s going on?"

    Under the glow of the Bonfire, He Xing¡¯s handsome face was red-hot, as if seared by a branding iron. He bent down and whispered to Fu Han, "You¡¯ll see in a moment."

    With his lead, Fu Han obediently followed him forward as petals rained down from the sky like a cascade of flowers. Girls in traditional attire came out to sing in tunes beyond theirprehension.

    Once the song finished, the girls draped two strings of fresh flowers over the necks of Fu Han and He Xing. The fragrance of the flowers overwhelmed their senses, prompting Fu Han to sneeze.

    Then an old man, his beard and hairpletely white, came forward, speaking in anguage Fu Han couldn¡¯t understand, yet the surrounding crowd erupted in euphoric celebration as if they were ringing in the new year.

    Atst, the old man finished his speech, and everyone¡¯s gazes fell on them, with smiles beaming on their faces.

    Fu Han grew more and more uneasy, turning to question He Xing, "What on earth is happening?"

    He Xing knelt on one knee, magically producing a ring from his hand. He looked up at Fu Han, "Fu Han, you know I like you, and you know I love you. For the rest of my life, I don¡¯t want to spend a second apart from you. Will you?"

    The crowd¡¯s cheering reached its zenith; amidst the mor, Fu Han heard a familiar voice rising above, "Marry him, marry him!"

    They looked in the direction the voice came from and saw Bai Wei, Nan Qing, Su Cheng, and others, their faces full of genuine blessings.

    Tears glittered as they slid down Fu Han¡¯s cheeks. She nodded and slowly extended her hand.

    Just as He Xing was about to ce the ring, a jarring ringtone suddenly red.

 Chapter 440: So It Was All A Dream

    <h4>Chapter 440: Chapter 440: So It Was All A Dream</h4><h4></h4>

    Who was interrupting him at such a critical moment?

    He Xing¡¯s expression turned cold, and he groped around for his phone but couldn¡¯t find it. The piercing sound relentlessly chased him, nearly making his ears explode. He frantically searched everywhere for his phone.

    Today, he was wearing a ck woolen coat that reached his ankles, a very simple ssic style that looked even better on He Xing. The contrast of ck clothes and white snow couldn¡¯t be more ssic. The ck wool had only two side pockets, but no phone within.

    "He Xing, what¡¯s wrong?" Fu Han¡¯s voice came over, low and ethereal, as if across thousands of miles.

    A sense of unease arose in He Xing¡¯s heart, and he hurriedly looked up at Fu Han.

    The bonfire in the distance still crackled, with mes leaping on top, crimson as blood. Yet up close, Fu Han¡¯s face began to blur, as if a translucent veil hung between them.

    He Xing grew anxious and tried to grasp Fu Han¡¯s hand, with his strongest feeling being to hurriedly ce the ring on Fu Han¡¯s finger.

    But when his hand touched Fu Han¡¯s fingers, they shivered from the ice-cold, nothing like the fingers of a living person, more like a block of ice.

    He was startled and threw caution to the wind, lunging at Fu Han, wanting to embrace him as he had when he kissed Fu Han¡¯s forehead before.

    But this time, he caught nothing. Fu Han had turned from a blurry outline into nothingness, and even therge bonfire began to blur, while theughter and chatter gradually faded away.

    The only sound was the phone ringing, the curse-like phone ringing that looped endlessly in He Xing¡¯s ears, over and over.

    A strong, indescribable anger coursed through his heart, wanting to find and smash the phone immediately. He turned abruptly to look elsewhere, but misstepped and fell with a thud.

    He Xing had never been so unlucky as he was now, floundering like a person falling into an abyss, desperately searching for something to change this embarrassing situation.

    Suddenly, He Xing felt a small object in the darkness. He pressed it, and with a click, light flooded the room.

    He Xing widened his eyes at the surroundings. This was not a ski field but his room, located in the resting room inside his office.

    The sharp ring of the phone continued. Due to the persistent vibration, his phone had moved to the edge of the nightstand and was about to fall. He Xing reached out and grabbed the phone, and the words "Xia Guoxiong" on the screen were strikingly obvious.

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, and rage flooded his eyes, but even so, he answered the call with a calm voice, "Uncle Xia, what do you need?"

    "You didn¡¯te to see Xia Ning this afternoon, and she hasn¡¯t slept until now. Although she said nothing, I know it must be because of you. Why don¡¯t youe and see her?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice came from the phone, that of a middle-aged man attempting to sound steady and convincing, but this made the voice seem all the more contrived.

    Every time He Xing heard this voice, he instinctively felt repelled, but since childhood, he had been best at hiding his emotions.

    Not to exaggerate, but if He Xing didn¡¯t wish it, no one in the world could guess his thoughts.

    He turned to look out the window. Although it was pitch-ck outside, the howling cold wind could flip one¡¯s cap, the coldest time of the year. It wasn¡¯t exaggerated to say that one needed courage just to step out during the day, let alone at night when even walking could be difficult.

    At the hospital that morning, when He Xing visited his grandfather, the old gentleman, knowing He Xing was busy with thepany, had specifically instructed him not toe back to the hospital today, saying he had Nurse Zhou to take care of him.

    He Xing had nned to join his grandfather for dinner if time permitted, but he had been swamped with work, barely shoveling a few bites of his own dinner in less than five minutes, let alone going to dine with his grandfather. And he still had a pile of work unfinished.

    So the thought of visiting his grandfather waspletely shelved, thankfully the old man understood and even called to tell He Xing not toe and to rest early instead.

    To judge if someone truly cares for you, see if they consider your situation when trouble arises.

    Clearly, his grandfather considered He Xing, while Xia Guoxiong apparently hadn¡¯t, or perhaps like Xia Ning, always thought only of themselves.

    If it were any other day, a trip to the hospital wouldn¡¯t matter much to He Xing, but today, he dwelt on Xia Guoxiong¡¯s phone call, hidden anger festering inside him.

    Just then, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice rang out again, "He Xing, are you even listening to me?"

    He Xing cleared his throat and recovered his usual indifferent detachment, "I¡¯m listening. I have a lot of work to finish right now. I can¡¯t make it tonight. Please tell Xia Ning to rest early. I¡¯ll bring her breakfast tomorrow morning."

    "But..." Xia Guoxiong sounded noticeably more urgent and agitated, "Xia Ning says she really wants to see you, and her wounds have started to hurt again."

    "Uncle Xia..." He Xing raised his voice involuntarily, his tone as chilling as the wind outside, "I am not a doctor. You should find a doctor if Xia Ning is unwell. I am busy now, you should rest early, and I won¡¯t keep you."

    After saying that, He Xing hung up the call. He wanted to turn off his phone, but worried that in case of a real emergency, no one would be able to reach him, so he stuffed the phone under the pillow in frustration.

    He Xing had been sleepy, but Xia Guoxiong¡¯s call disturbed him, and his sleepiness was gone.

    He wrapped himself in the nket and looked outside the window, where the wind howled and battered against it as if it could break through at any moment.

    In his mind, the dream he had resurfaced, where he and Fu Han received everyone¡¯s blessings, so perfect; but the more perfect the dream, the more it highlighted the cruelty of reality.

    He Xing knew it was because he had listened to the voice message from Bai Wei, heard her say how happy Fu Han was while skiing, and that Fu Han had attended a bonfire party and was overjoyed watching others propose. That¡¯s why he dreamt of skiing with Fu Han, of proposing to Fu Han at a bonfire party.

 Chapter 441: Mud Cow Into the Sea

    <h4>Chapter 441: Chapter 441: Mud Cow Into the Sea</h4><h4></h4>

    Indeed, daydreams turn into nighttime dreams.

    Even though he knew it was all just a dream, He Xing couldn¡¯t help the upturn of his lips as he thought about the dream¡¯s details, and he couldn¡¯t resist the thought, "If only dreams were real."

    But his smile was fleeting. He Xing immediately thought of Fu Han skiing in M Country at this very moment, feeling as if something was stuck in his heart, making breathing difficult.

    He had already sent Fu Han several emails, but they were like a stone sinking into the sea, without any response. He had thought of reaching out to Fu Han through Bai Wei, but he didn¡¯t want their business to be everyone¡¯s business. In his heart, they hadn¡¯t broken up; Fu Han was just mad at him.

    Once he took care of his affairs here, he would fly to her immediately; surely Fu Han would forgive him then.

    After all they had been through, He Xing cherished their rtionship. He didn¡¯t believe that Fu Han would simply give up¡ªthey were just in a rough patch; it had to be so.

    ...

    M Country, Ski Field.

    Fu Han had never found herself so naturally talented at something as she was at skiing. She spent half a day on the beginner¡¯s slope her first day.

    By the second day, she had moved on to the intermediate slopes. Ji Liangchuan had offered to ski with her, but she declined, insisting she could take it slow and that the instructor was there to help if needed.

    In truth, Fu Han could have skied without the instructor that day, but she had hired one anyway to have a credible reason to turn down both Ji Liangchuan and Su Cheng.

    She didn¡¯t want to ski with Ji Liangchuan anymore. She disliked the way he looked at her, his gaze so obviously full of intent.

    Every time Ji Liangchuan looked at her, Fu Han felt as if she were stripped bare and standing in the sunlight.

    This feeling wasn¡¯t as intense before, but ever since Ji Liangchuan confessed his feelings, he had gone from being a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing to an outright wolf; not only did he stop hiding his pursuit, but it was as if he wished the whole world knew of his affection for Fu Han.

    Fu Han fell more times the second day than the first. Although the thick snow meant she wasn¡¯t in pain, she did briefly consider giving up¡ªuntil she saw Bai Wei and Nan Qing zooming down the track, which made her think: if they could do it, so could she.

    With patience, she continued to practice on the intermediate slope for two days before progressing to the advanced one.

    Where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. By the end of the week when they left the Ski Field, Fu Han could smoothly navigate the advanced slopes; in the final race with Bai Wei and Nan Qing, she took the second ce proudly.

    Leaving the Ski Field, Fu Han looked back at the endless tracks and distant mountains, feeling as if she were in another lifetime.

    When she first arrived, her mind was full of He Xing and her heart heavy with the sorrow of lost love, but in just a week, the shadow of heartbreak seemed to have lessened.

    She was truly exhausted this week, consumed by skiing and a variety of activities¡ªsledding, winter hunting, barbecuing, hot springs; she was so busy that she fell asleep immediately after showering each night, even abandoning her routine of checking social media.

    The effect was real, though. She felt the world be more vast, her heart more open, and the world around her more beautiful.

    Yet, all these positive feelings onlysted as long as she didn¡¯t think about He Xing. Every time he crossed her mind, her heart would sting like it was being pricked by needles¡ªa soft and pervasive pain that she couldn¡¯t ignore.

    Essentially, Fu Han kept herself so busy on purpose, as any moment of idleness would invariably lead her thoughts to He Xing.

    Over the years, thinking of He Xing had be as natural as breathing for her¡ªan ingrained, unstoppable part of her life.

    Thendscape outside the window scrolled in reverse as they returned home in a nine-seater car, the temperature inside high enough that everyone had removed their down jackets, briefly reintroducing the feel of autumn.

    In the past week, the nine people in the car had be like family, save for Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan who remained at odds. The others discussed the past week¡¯s conquests with enthusiasm.

    Plenty of game was packed in the trunk, the week¡¯s haul. They had consumed some and would carry the rest back for a grand Christmas celebration.

    In the subzero weather, the world was a giant freezer¡ªthere was no concern about spoiling or the stench of decay; everything was assuredly fresh.

    Fu Han was still seated behind the driver, Fu Xingbo. Her eyes gazed out the window at the whitendscape, where leaves had long fallen, the bare branches donning ice and snow that melded over time, often forming semi-translucent ice with discernible snowkes within.

    Despite the busy week, Fu Han still found time each day to take photographs. Her DSLR was filled with various snowscapes, untouched yet, she believed, as beautiful as if taken right out of a wondend.

    Fu Han leaned closer to the window. The warm breath from her nose fogged up the ss, and she traced shapes with her finger, not quite sure what she was drawing.

    Suddenly, Bai Wei¡¯s exmation pierced the silence: "Fu Han, what are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you answering when people talk to you?"

    "Ah? What did you say?" Fu Han turned around calmly, herposure unshaken by her distraction, as she had be used to her frequentpses of attention, as had everyone else.

    "What are you doing?" Bai Wei asked, leaning closer; her seat was just one aisle away, bringing her nearly face-to-face against the ss.

    As Fu Han tried to recall what she had drawn, Bai Wei¡¯s voice rang out again: "Fu Han, are you still thinking about He Xing? Forget about that unreliable guy, why are you still hung up on him?"

    "Ah?" Fu Han looked at Bai Wei with innocent eyes, puzzled about what had gone wrong.

    Bai Wei pointed at the ss next to Fu Han and said: "And you say you¡¯re not thinking about He Xing¡ªyou¡¯ve written his name right here."

    At those words, everyone, except for the driving Fu Xingbo, turned their gaze to the window beside Fu Han. Nan Qing and the others in the back stood up to look.

    Being closest, Fu Han had the natural advantage of a clear view.

 Chapter 442: Random Scribbles

    <h4>Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Random Scribbles</h4><h4></h4>

    She had just been absentmindedly doodling, not expecting to actually write down He Xing¡¯s name, and not only his, she had also written her own name, with a heart symbol between them.

    It was as if a drop of cinnabar had fallen into clear water, instantly dyeing the whole basin pink.

    The blush on Fu Han¡¯s face, no one knew where it started, but by the end, not only was her face red, but her neck was flushed as well.

    She felt everyone¡¯s gazes on her, and regardless of what they thought, the sheer number of eyes fixated on her was more than she could take.

    "I... I just wrote it randomly," Fu Han said, reaching out to wipe the handwriting on the car window in a mess.

    In an instant, the names of He Xing and Fu Han disappeared as if they had never existed, the only evidence being the coldness of Fu Han¡¯s fingertips proving those four characters had been there.

    Bai Wei¡¯s teasing continued, "Fu Han, didn¡¯t you say you two broke up? Why are you so flustered here? You can¡¯t be still hung up on He Xing, can you?"

    Before Fu Han could speak, Ji Liangchuan had already interjected, "Bai Wei, if Fu Han doesn¡¯t want to speak, don¡¯t force her."

    After a week of interaction, the rtionship between Bai Wei and Ji Liangchuan had not improved but felt more like needlepoint against wheat awn. Upon hearing Ji Liangchuan speak, Bai Wei instantly turned into an irritated lioness, "Ji Liangchuan, I¡¯m talking to Fu Han, it¡¯s none of your business!"

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gentlemanly demeanor was merely for show in front of Bai Wei, he too got riled up, "What does it matter to you whose name Fu Han writes? Why do you need to pry into her privacy?"

    In the past week, there had been even more intense arguments between Bai Wei and Ji Liangchuan, and initially, Fu Han had tried to mediate, but her experience told her that her intervention was not only useless but often added fuel to the fire.

    Seeing them arguing again, Fu Han didn¡¯t even change her expression, she just indifferently looked away, knowing they would stop after a few words and this disturbance would end as insignificantly as the previous ones.

    As her gaze wandered, she unintentionally noticed Su Cheng staring at her.

    Strangely enough, these past few days Fu Han had been more intimate with Su Cheng than Ji Liangchuan, but that was merely inparison to her interactions with Ji Liangchuan.

    Both being beginners at skiing, they found a lot ofmon topics; and after a rough start on the first day, from the second day on Su Cheng improved dramatically, catching up with Fu Han very quickly.

    To avoid unnecessary waste, after spending the first couple of days with separate instructors, they eventually shared one, which was one of the reasons for their "closeness," having lessons together, sometimes even engaging in friendlypetition, which led to many conversations between them.

    Although Fu Han had broken up with He Xing, she didn¡¯t want to rush into a new rtionship, so her chats with Su Cheng were limited to skiing and ying.

    Sometimes Su Cheng would digress in his conversations, and Fu Han would either end the conversation outright or steer it onto a different topic.

    Ultimately, when it came to the prospect of a romance, Fu Han¡¯s stance towards both Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan was consistent; they shouldn¡¯t waste their time on her.

    Regrettably, her attitude couldn¡¯t determine the attitudes of others, and perhaps because theirpetitor was right before their eyes, both Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan had shifted from harboring a secret crush to openly vying for her affection.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze passed over Su Cheng¡¯s face without a flicker, as if she hadn¡¯t seen the hint of sadness and sorrow in his eyes.

    Having been in a rtionship herself, and knowing of Su Cheng¡¯s feelings for her, the most she could do for him was to consistently make it clear that she had no thoughts of him beyond friendship.

    The car continued on its way, the snowy Ski Field gradually receding behind them, while the world ahead was still a snowy expanse.

    In thisnd, it seemed there were no other colors besides white. Fu Han suddenly felt that an all-white world was quite monotonous, just white, no matter how pure. A world of many colors could be very beautiful.

    Just like Lanwan Mountain, the elevation made it colder than usual in winter, but even while snowing, the mountain remained vibrant with color. Snow would cause flowers to wither, but it wouldn¡¯t linger long, and soon after there would be new blooms.

    Fu Han remembered He Xing once mentioning offhandedly that the property management at Lanwan Mountain spent a lot on horticulture every year, which was why it featured different beautiful scenes in every season.

    Realizing what she was thinking, Fu Han sighed helplessly, resigned to her thoughts. Sometimes her mind truly did have a mind of its own, and there was nothing she could do about it.

    The Fu Family vi remained as before, with no changes whatsoever.

    Before returning to the vi, Fu Xingbo had dropped off Nan Qing, Wang Yixuan, and Ji Liangchuan at their hotel, while Luo Qinghe and Su Cheng went back to the vi with the Fu Family.

    Su Cheng had been staying there from the start, and Luo Qinghe was able to stay due to Bai Wei¡¯s insistent demands, leaving Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian no choice but to agree.

    Everyone was busy packing their belongings. Fu Han had brought few things, and in less than half an hour she was done. With nothing to do, she donned her down jacket and stepped out.

    It was still the same Garden, where the umted snow had been swept clean. A few plum blossoms, in both red and green, sporadically bloomed on the intertwined branches, with their clich¨¦d yet ssic colorsplementing each other, creating a rare sight in the winter.

    Beside them was an unknown variety of red flowers, whose petals resembled those of chrysanthemums, but they had no leaves, their red blossoms as vivid as drops of blood on the Snond.

    Fu Han remembered a melodramatic romance novel from her childhood, mentioning a flower that blooms without showing leaves and leaves that fall without seeing the flower, destined never to meet.

    Back then, she was deeply moved, clutching the book and pictures of the Lycoris she gathered from the inte, and went to find He Xing.

    But her feelings were brutally dismissed by He Xing, who revealed it was actually a Lycoris, not the romanticized flower from the story, and he chided her in a tone of a senior lecturing a junior, "The kind of novel thatcks literary aesthetic and depth shouldn¡¯t be read by you; they won¡¯t help your abysmal grades in Chinese."

    Fu Han found the name Lycoris to becking in any aesthetic appeal, and saddened by this revtion, she tossed the book aside, unsure if it had already found its way to the trash heap.

 Chapter 443: Itâ€™s Lycoris, not Red Spider Lily

    <h4>Chapter 443: Chapter 443: It¡¯s Lycoris, not Red Spider Lily</h4><h4></h4>

    She never imagined that, yearster, she would see in M Country the "red spider lily" that once moved her to tears. She wondered what He Xing would think if he saw it.

    "What are you thinking about?" Suddenly, a gentle voice sounded behind Fu Han.

    She turned around quickly and saw Bai Qian¡¯s beautiful face and her eyes full of concern, which, against the backdrop of the blue sky and white clouds, made Bai Qian seem as tender as the waters of spring.

    Many people said that Bai Qian and Bai Wei were sisters, but upon closer inspection, one could still see the differences. Bai Qian had fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and her lips drooped slightly, signs of age that could not be erased.

    Fu Han had always had a good impression of Bai Wei, who, though not rted to Fu Han by blood, treated Fu Han just as she treated her own daughter, Bai Wei.

    In her memory, the impression of her parents had faded to the point of being almost nonexistent, and she did not know how a mother should be toward her daughter, but she thought Bai Qian was excellent, especially in her role as an aunt.

    A smile touched Fu Han¡¯s face: "I was wondering, how can there be such flowers here?"

    "Are you talking about this? The red spider lily?" Bai Qian asked, pointing to the bright red flowers in front of Fu Han.

    When Fu Han heard the words "red spider lily," she couldn¡¯t help butugh. Shaking her head seriously, she corrected: "Auntie, this isn¡¯t a red spider lily, it¡¯s called lycoris. Red spider lilies don¡¯t exist."

    "Really?" Bai Qian tilted her head, revealing an ear hidden by her hair, and the rice grain-sized diamond earring on her ear, like a faintly visible twinkling star: "Your uncle also told me it¡¯s called lycoris, but I think that name doesn¡¯t sound nice. I prefer calling it red spider lily."

    "But..." Fu Han opened her mouth, then finally closed it again.

    Bai Qian¡¯s smile deepened, and she said cheerfully: "What does it matter? I think the flower is very romantic; it should be called red spider lily."

    Fu Han thought for a moment and felt she made sense.

    Bai Qian¡¯s voice rang out again: "We live in this world, always under the consideration of others, but our own lives are also important. It¡¯s not that we shouldpletely ignore others, but isn¡¯t it about finding a bnce?"

    Fu Han reflected on these words, feeling that there was more to Bai Qian¡¯s statement.

    Bai Qian reached out and touched Fu Han¡¯s head, smiling with exceptional warmth: "Xiaohan, I know you still have He Xing in your heart..."

    A blush appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face, and she interjected, feeling guilty: "Auntie, why do you say that, too?"

    Bai Qian patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder reassuringly: "Hear me out."

    Fu Han¡¯s guilt increased rather than diminished, and she coughed dryly without speaking, her face reddening even more, like a ripe apple.

    In the minus ten-degree chill, Bai Qian¡¯s gentle voice spoke: "You and He Xing broke up only a few days ago, and your breakup was not due to emotional issues but other reasons. If you forgot He Xing so quickly, wouldn¡¯t that mean you weren¡¯t sincere about your rtionship?"

    Even after Bai Qian had left, Fu Han was still pondering her words.

    Some had told her the problemy with another person and advised her to do nothing and see what the other party would do; now someone else was saying that it wasn¡¯t a big deal to think of or not forget someone even after a breakup and that it was normal for her to miss them.

    Fu Han looked up at the sky. Just as she raised her head, goose-feather-sized snowkes began to fall, swirling around like a shower of white petals.

    Instinctively, she looked at the bright flower only to realize that at some point, the gardener had protected it with a transparent ss cover.

    In the snowstorm, her phone rang with a new email notification. She had grown ustomed to the sound over the past few days, but she always thought they were spam and had never opened them.

    Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, she took out her phone with shaking hands and opened the email.

    There were more emails in her inbox than she had expected, all sent by He Xing, and they weren¡¯t spam at all.

    In the cold wind, Fu Han opened the emails one by one. Each was typed out by He Xing, letter by letter. Some emails were long, others short, but every one of them conveyed his longing for Fu Han.

    Somehow, a strong sense of longing for He Xing welled up in Fu Han¡¯s heart. She opened thetest email, sent just ten minutes before.

    The content was simple: "Fu Han, I saw the weather forecast; there¡¯s continuous heavy snow where you are, and it¡¯s very cold. Take good care of yourself. I really want to see you. If you¡¯re willing, you could share some of your life on Instagram. I won¡¯t disturb you."

    During her three years abroad, Fu Han had set up an Instagram ount, asionally sharing photos she¡¯d taken. She remembered that her first photography-rted job came through Instagram.

    Thesest two trips abroad, Fu Han hadpletely forgotten about her Instagram ount. She had taken many photos while skiing, not wanting to post them on Whatsapp, but she had utterly forgotten about Instagram.

    Fu Han logged into her Instagram. Just as she was about to post pictures, she saw messages from He Xing, one after another.

    Considering the time difference, it was the middle of the night in City A. Why hadn¡¯t He Xing gone to sleep?

    After a moment¡¯s thought, she typed a message: "Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?"

    In less than five seconds, He Xing replied immediately: "I just got back from the hospital; I can¡¯t sleep now."

    The word "hospital" stood out starkly, pricking Fu Han¡¯s eyes like needles, and a strong sense of unease surged in her heart. She quickly sent a message back: "Who went to the hospital, what happened?"

    He Xing replied quickly: "It¡¯s Grandpa; if it¡¯s convenient for you, I can call you on Whatsapp to talk about it."

    For Fu Han, Old Master He was like her own grandfather. She didn¡¯t reply to He Xing¡¯s message but instead re-added He Xing on Whatsapp and made a video call.

    It took a while before He Xing picked up the video call. He appeared neatly groomed, his face still handsome and his eyes as dazzling as the stars in the sky, except they now contained threads of blood, meandering and jarringly visible.

    From the moment He Xing¡¯s face appeared on the screen, Fu Han¡¯s heart started pounding frantically, nearly leaping out of her chest.

    For some reason, seeing the bloodshot veins in He Xing¡¯s eyes made her think of the red spider lily at her feet. She looked down slightly; despite the blizzard outside, the red spider lily remained still under the cover, as if frozen in ce.

 Chapter 444: Breaking Up Face to Face

    <h4>Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Breaking Up Face to Face</h4><h4></h4>

    Suddenly, He Xing¡¯s voice came through: "Xiaohan, Xiaohan, are you listening to me?"

    Although his voice wasing from the phone, and Fu Han¡¯s ears were adorned with Bluetooth earphones, she felt as if He Xing¡¯s voice was traveling from a thousand miles away, carrying with it the chill of the wind and the rity of the snow.

    Fu Han quickly regained her focus: "Sorry, the snowstorm is too heavy, please say that again."

    The face of He Xing on the phone screen smiled, and the dark circles under his eyes seemed lighter: "I said you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight, you need to take good care of yourself, okay?"

    Fu Han suddenly felt a sourness in her nose; she thought it must be the wind making her nose sour, it definitely was, the wind was so strong that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

    She didn¡¯t want to cry in front of He Xing, so she hurriedly turned the camera toward the Red Spider Lily under the ss dome, subtly changing the subject without a change of expression: "He Xing, you used to say this is Lycoris, look how Auntie has specially grown this flower, she said that she treats it as the Red Spider Lily."

    The face of He Xing in front of the screen erged as his head tilted slightly, as if something hade to mind, he smiled: "You still remember something that happened so long ago?"

    "I¡¯ll remember for a lifetime." Brought up again was the shameful past of more than ten years ago, Fu Han was filled with fighting spirit as if injected with chicken blood: "I was so excited to share this with you at that time, but you doused me with cold water, it made me so angry."

    "Alright, alright, I was wrong, is that okay?" He Xing¡¯s face was full of indulgence, his voice as gentle as a warm breeze under the spring sun: "I¡¯ll get someone to nt this flower in our yard right away, and we¡¯ll try to see it by next spring, okay?"

    A sweet feeling spread in Fu Han¡¯s heart, but as it passed her throat, it turned into a bitter taste. Despite everything, he still naturally used the words "our yard"¡ªdid this mean He Xing had never agreed to break up?

    Waiting for a while without a response from Fu Han, He Xing spoke again: "Xiaohan, you promised me before, that if anything happened, you would tell me in person. Let¡¯s not talk about something as important as breaking up over the phone, okay?"

    Fu Han suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say; when she said she wanted to break up, she really wanted to break up, but now she genuinely felt that He Xing made sense, that such a significant matter should indeed be discussed face-to-face, not just sending a message and blocking the other person.

    But... said words are like spilled water, which cannot be taken back; Fu Han didn¡¯t want to p her own face.

    Fu Hanughed, but it was a forced, bitter smile. She decided to tell the truth: "He Xing, do you really not know why I broke up with you?"

    "I don¡¯t know..." He Xing said urgently: "The day you left, I was rushing to the airport, but there was an ident on the way, and I didn¡¯t make it. Bai Wei knows about this; you can ask her."

    Fu Han had wanted to ask what had happened, but she thought that if it were serious, He Xing wouldn¡¯t be so lively in front of her now. So what she finally said was: "Bai Wei never mentioned this to me."

    "I didn¡¯t let her tell you," He Xing¡¯s voice became noticeably more urgent, and when it reached Fu Han¡¯s ears, she could also hear He Xing¡¯s heavy breathing: "I got a bit hurt, it wasn¡¯t serious, and since you weren¡¯t talking to me at the time, I asked to borrow Bai Wei¡¯s Whatsapp to chat with you. If I hadn¡¯t been injured, why would Bai Wei lend her phone to me?"

    Discussing this made Fu Han furious; she had always thought the person on the other end of the phone was Bai Wei, not realizing it was He Xing. No one would be happy to be deceived; moreover, at that time, Fu Han was angry with He Xing.

    Yet, as times have changed, bringing up the matter now felt different. Perhaps because Fu Han knew He Xing had tried to make it to the airport, perhaps because she knew He Xing was injured, her anger had subsided a lot, leaving only a scabbed wound exposed.

    Fu Han coughed softly: "Let¡¯s forget about the past, but don¡¯t let such things happen again in the future. I don¡¯t like it, it feels like being made a fool of."

    "Yes, yes, I definitely won¡¯t do this again next time, I promise," He Xing answered hastily. Under the lights, his eyes were like mas, capturing one¡¯s gaze so fully that it was impossible to look away.

    At that moment, Fu Han was extremely grateful her camera wasn¡¯t facing her; otherwise, if He Xing saw how infatuated she was, he would undoubtedly be very smug.

    The wind became a bit stronger, causing Fu Han to shiver slightly. Remembering what He Xing had said earlier, she quickly asked: "You said you were dyed by something and didn¡¯t make it on the ne, what exactly happened?"

    He Xing¡¯s expression changed for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal: "Grandpa had an ident and is currently hospitalized, so although I miss you a lot, I can only postpone visiting you."

    "Grandpa?" Fu Han immediately got anxious, her voice several notches higher: "Your grandpa had an ident, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier, how is he now?"

    "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry," He Xing regretted rming Fu Han, he said hastily: "The doctor said Grandpa should be able to leave the hospital in a few days."

    Half of the weight lifted from Fu Han¡¯s heart, and after some thought, she said: "I¡¯ve been too busy these days and haven¡¯t had time to contact Grandpa, I will video call him tomorrow."

    "I can help with that." He Xing, eager like a child wanting to excel in kindergarten, hurriedly said: "I will visit Grandpa first thing tomorrow, once everything is settled, I¡¯ll video call you."

    Caught up in He Xing¡¯s pace, Fu Hanpletely forgot that Grandpa He was proficient with Whatsapp and she could video call him herself; she heartily agreed instead.

    The two of them chatted for a bit more, but most of the time, He Xing was finding topics and Fu Han was selectively responding.

    Time ticked away, and Fu Han suddenly felt awkward. She coughed and said: "I... I have some other things to attend to, I need to go."

    He Xing¡¯s face came close again, he said urgently: "Fu Han, you promised me, let¡¯s discuss the breakup when we meet, okay?"

    Just as Fu Han was about to speak, Nan Qing¡¯s voice came from the courtyard gate: "Fu Han, it¡¯s so cold, why are you standing in the yard, be careful not to catch a cold."

    "Xiaohan, did you hear me?" He Xing¡¯s urging came again, with a determination that seemed he wouldn¡¯t rest until Fu Han agreed.

    Fu Han¡¯s mind shed with the scene where she was caught writing He Xing¡¯s name on the car window; she truly did not want to be everyone¡¯sughing stock again, so she hurriedly said "Okay, I know," and then hung up the phone.

 Chapter 445: Donâ€™t Want to Lie to Her Anymore

    <h4>Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Don¡¯t Want to Lie to Her Anymore</h4><h4></h4>

    Just a second after Fu Han hung up the call, Nan Qing¡¯s face had already moved in close. She looked at Fu Han gossipy, "Who were you on a video call with? Why did you hang up the moment I came?"

    "With...with Zhao Ting." In a moment of urgency, Nan Qing could only think of her assistant from the previous night with whom she had been in contact. She felt guilty for a second, then said without blushing or skipping a heartbeat, "I was just discussing the opening of the shop here with her, she will being over in a few days."

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze shifted from Fu Han¡¯s now darkened screen to Fu Han¡¯s face, and she looked for quite some time before turning away, "It¡¯s good that you can focus on work at this stage; I think it¡¯s a good thing."

    Having sessfully dodged the bullet, Fu Han let out a sigh of relief inwardly, but her expression remained unchanged, "Nan Qing, you packed your things so quickly. What about Wang Yixuan, why didn¡¯t hee with you?"

    Nan Qing smiled, "He¡¯s painting, halfway through it. I didn¡¯t want to disturb him; he knows the way here by himself anyway."

    Fu Han looked at Nan Qing, always feeling that Nan Qing had changed somehow, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on exactly what was different. She also couldn¡¯t remember what Nan Qing used to be like.

    Shaking her head, she took Nan Qing by the hand and led her inside, "It¡¯s no issue if heester. After all, men aren¡¯t good with decorations; as long as he makes it for mealtime, it¡¯s alright."

    The two girls enteredughing and chatting. The heating was on high in the room, making Fu Han¡¯s already rosy cheeks even redder. Fortunately, no one saw it.

    ...

    In A City, at He Group¡¯s skyscraper in He Xing¡¯s office.

    He Xing¡¯s mouth was curving up uncontrobly as he looked at his phone. Today was indeed extraordinary for him. Although his beautiful dream was disrupted by Xia Guoxiong, a setback might be a blessing in disguise. Look, the email he had sent to Fu Han in the middle of the night had been received by her.

    What made He Xing happiest was that he had added Fu Han back on Whatsapp, and she had agreed to discuss their breakup in person.

    Which means that, as of now, He Xing and Fu Han were not broken up.

    Okay, He Xing knew he had used a little tactic today, but this time he didn¡¯t lie. He really hadn¡¯t been able to go to M Country as nned because of an ident, and his grandfather was indeed hospitalized.

    The only thing he didn¡¯t tell Fu Han was that his grandfather could be discharged tomorrow.

    He was worried that if he mentioned his grandfather¡¯s discharge, and then Fu Han insisted he go to M Country immediately, what would he do?

    Of course, he was willing to go to M Country; his heart had flown there long ago. But Xia Ning was injured while saving him; he couldn¡¯t leave her side while she was hospitalized.

    Plus, He Group was his grandfather¡¯s lifelong effort; He Xing couldn¡¯t neglect it.

    It was indeed a tough time for the industry, but He Group had lost several billion-dor projects. If he didn¡¯t do something about it, what would others say about He Group? Would any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare carve into He Group¡¯s interests in the future?

    He Xing felt that for the sake of mutual happiness, a white lie was necessary. Once he had handled things here, he would go to M Country at the first opportunity.

    Of course, the best would be to have Fu Han return to the country, so his longing wouldn¡¯t have to span mountains and oceans; in fact, he knew that if he just exaggerated his grandfather¡¯s illness a bit, like the previous two times, Fu Han would definitelye back to the country immediately.

    But Fu Han had clearly expressed in the video call that she disliked being deceived. He Xing had already used the same method to deceive her twice; he couldn¡¯t do it a third time. He really wasn¡¯t confident that Fu Han would open her heart to him after being deceived three times.

    Thinking of this, the smile faded from He Xing¡¯s face. He had a lot more he wanted to say to Fu Han. When he hadn¡¯t gone to M Country, at first Fu Han simply didn¡¯t reply to his messages. It was nearly two dayster that she mentioned breaking up.

    In those two days, his grandfather had been kidnapped, and He Xing was frantically raising money and was endlessly busy. Despite that, he still messaged Fu Han every day to coax her. Why did she suddenly decide to break up after two days?

    He Xing had a feeling that if he didn¡¯t figure out the real reason for the breakup, this issue wouldn¡¯t be resolved, and Fu Han would get upset over the same thing in the future. But what was the reason? He couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    Since sleep had left him and dawn was only a few hours away, He Xing decided to stay awake. He washed his face with cold water before returning to the office and made himself a strong coffee, then began working on the unfinished official business.

    ...

    First Hospital¡¯s Inpatient Department in A City.

    As the first streak of sunlight came through the window, Xia Ning was carefully examining her makeup in a palm-sized mirror.

    Justst night, she pleaded with Xia Guoxiong to call He Xing. Although He Xing declined toe, he promised to bring breakfast for her in the morning. So, Xia Ning got up before dawn to put on makeup, fearing she wouldn¡¯t look beautiful enough when He Xing arrived.

    After scrutinizing her makeup more than a dozen times, Xia Ning finally set down the small mirror. For the umpteenth time, she confirmed, "Dad, do I look pretty like this?"

    Xia Guoxiong had been looking at his phone and responded without lifting his head, "Pretty, much prettier than Fu Han."

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t really care whether Xia Guoxiong took a good look at her or not. Ever since she was little, countless people had praised her beauty, so she had a mesmerizing confidence in her appearance. In her heart, she was the most beautiful in the world.

    Checking her side profile in the mirror, her meticulously carved face showed a trace of worry, "Dad, is the pinhole camera working properly?"

    Xia Guoxiong finally lifted his head, looking around with a smirk of satisfaction. Yet such a smile on his face somehow felt sleazy, "Of course, there¡¯s no problem. I spent a lot of money to have it installed by professionals. He Xing will definitely not notice. And didn¡¯t you see, thest video of He Xing feeding you had turned out quite well, right?"

    At the memory, Xia Ning¡¯s face turned red. She looked down at her fingers adorned with polished, elegant nails, which were specially donest night for He Xing to see.

    But then something urred to her, and Xia Ning¡¯s face lifted again, her tone dissatisfied, "Dad, have you sent out the photo? Why is there no reaction from Fu Han?"

    "I find it strange too." Xia Guoxiong stroked his chin, which was framed with a faint beard, and furrowed his brows in confusion, "The photo was indeed sent out, and he said Fu Han saw it. Then I didn¡¯t follow up. Shall I call now and check on Fu Han¡¯s situation?"

    "You should call right away, so we won¡¯t be unprepared when He Xing arrives," Xia Ning urged, anxious.

 Chapter 446: Resurgence from Ashes

    <h4>Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Resurgence from Ashes</h4><h4></h4>

    A few minutester, Xia Guoxiong returned, hisughter echoing from the doorway before he even entered, "He said that Fu Han and He Xing broke up several days ago, forgot to tell us."

    Against the backlight, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face was indiscernible, casting an inexplicably gloomy aura.

    However, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t stop grinning at the sight of her father, "That¡¯s wonderful, they finally broke up. I told you, that pretentious woman, Fu Han, makes a scene out of everything."

    Xia Guoxiongughed along, hisughter carrying afar. If it were not broad daylight, one might mistake it for the call of a night owl, terribly unpleasant to the ear.

    After indulging inughter, Xia Guoxiong spoke again, "Later on, you need to act well, try to appear more intimate with He Xing. They say Fu Han seems to be unable to forget her old mes with He Xing, and that it could reignite at any time."

    The smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face froze as if theke¡¯s surface was instantly encapsted in ice with a mixture of smiles and disdain warping her beautiful features into something hideous and twisted, mirroring the venom in her words.

    "That bitch is always like this, pretentious and keen on backpedaling, dropping He Xing at a moment¡¯s whim, but thenes crawling back a few dayster. This time I¡¯ll make sure Fu Han is utterly shamefaced."

    The winter sun was especially precious, and the VIP ward where Xia Ning was staying had excellent lighting. Even in the early morning, the whole room was exceedingly bright, seemingly devoid of any shadow.

    Yet despite the bright room, the conversation within was dark as a rank, sunless ditch, a hidden corner where only rats could survive.

    Half an hourter, He Xing arrived. He brought Xia Ning breakfast as promised, and the amount was more than enough, not just for the three members of the Xia Family, but six.

    After He Xing entered, he cast a cursory nce at Xia Ning, greeted her, called out "Uncle Xia," then put down the breakfast and prepared to leave, "Xia Ning, eat while it¡¯s hot. I need to see Grandpa, I¡¯ll apany him for breakfast today."

    He turned to leave, but Xia Guoxiong, prepared for this, blocked the door in advance, "He Xing, you can¡¯t go. Xia Ning refused to eatst night because you weren¡¯t here. She¡¯ll do the same if you leave now."

    He Xing slowly turned around, his handsome eyes fixed on Xia Ning, "Is what Uncle Xia said true?"

    Xia Ning, having prepared for this moment, pouted when He Xing looked her way, and said in a small voice, "No, it¡¯s not that. I... I just couldn¡¯t eat, not that I refused."

    At this point, Xia Guoxiong pretended to be very angry, closing in on Xia Ning and pointing at her nose as he scolded, "What am I supposed to do with you? You¡¯re already injured, and the doctor said you¡¯re recovering slowly, yet you¡¯re still not eating? Last time I saw He Xing feeding you, you were eating quite well, weren¡¯t you?"

    "He Xing..." Xia Ning blushed and shyly looked at He Xing, murmuring faintly like a mosquito, "But He Xing said he has things to do, I... I can¡¯t hold him up."

    Xia Guoxiong turned his gaze to He Xing, "He Xing, this daughter of mine is just like her mother, once her mind is set, not even nine oxen could pull her back. I can¡¯t handle her anymore, you figure it out."

    With that, he flung his sleeve and strode off without looking back, his silhouette alone conveying his irritation.

    Now only He Xing and Xia Ning were left in the ward. The sunlight fell on He Xing¡¯s face, gilding it with ayer of gold, and along with his wless features, he appeared nothing short of divine.

    Xia Ning gazed adoringly at He Xing, thinking she could go without eating or drinking, content just to stare at his face all day.

    The sound of footsteps began to resonate clearly in the quiet ward. It was He Xing¡¯s.

    With every step he took towards Xia Ning, her heartbeat intensified, and by the time He Xing stood in front of the bed, her heart was pounding in her throat.

    Finally, He Xing stopped by Xia Ning¡¯s bedside, looming over her, "You didn¡¯t eat yesterday?"

    Xia Ning, initially terrified, widened her innocent eyes when he spoke, then hesitantly nodded, appearing as obedient as a bunny.

    A flicker crossed He Xing¡¯s brows as he murmured, "Get up, time to eat."

    It was such a simple sentence, but when uttered by He Xing, his deep voice carried a maic quality, unexpectedly disarming Xia Ning in an instant.

    Just as she was about to rise, something crossed her mind, and she shook her head instead, pleading pitifully, "I don¡¯t want to, He Xing, I really don¡¯t feel like eating."

    He Xing gazed down at Xia Ning, his expression unchanged, his eyes scrutinizing her.

    The temperature in the room seemed to drop, the pressure mounting.

    Xia Ning felt a cold sweat breaking out on her back, but she knew this moment was critical. She steeled herself under He Xing¡¯s gaze, aware that if she gave in now, she would never have the chance to make requests in front of He Xing again.

    Time ticked away, with the pressure on Xia Ning escting. Just as she felt she could no longer bear it and was on the verge of surrendering, He Xing spoke again, "What do I have to do to make you eat?"

    Xia Ning pouted pitifully, "My chest wound hurts so much, I can hardly move my hand, why don¡¯t you... feed me?"

    He Xing wasn¡¯t surprised. He nodded, "Fine, I¡¯ll feed you, but just this once. If it happens again, a nurse will feed you."

    "Okay," Xia Ning nodded, her heart bursting with joy though her face still wore a look of distress, "I know you don¡¯t like feeding me. Once my hand doesn¡¯t hurt as much, I won¡¯t bother you anymore."

    He Xing said nothing, but his eyes grew even more intense, something Xia Ning failed to see.

    When He Xing finally left Xia Ning¡¯s hospital room, an hour had passed. Xia Ning had only eaten a bowl of seafood porridge, and yet she took her time, always finding excuses to converse with He Xing.

    Once, she burned her mouth and leaned forward to spit the mouthful of seafood porridge onto the floor. She leaned so precipitously that she nearly fell, but fortunately, He Xing was quick to grab her; Xia Ning promptly wrapped her arms around He Xing¡¯s waist to prevent a fall.

    Initially, He Xing was annoyed, believing Xia Ning had done it on purpose, but she quickly released him and kept apologizing, trying to sit back up using the edge of the bed for support.

 Chapter 447: Asking for Grandpaâ€™s Help

    <h4>Chapter 447: Chapter 447: Asking for Grandpa¡¯s Help</h4><h4></h4>

    But this movement caused pain in Xia Ning¡¯s chest wound, making her continuously grunt in pain, until she finally sat back down with He Xing¡¯s help.

    Having finally finished feeding her a bowl of congee, He Xing put the bowl and spoon back on the coffee table and said indifferently, "I¡¯m going to my grandfather now. The caregiver will be back soon, if somethinges up, give me a call."

    This time, Xia Ning did not cling to He Xing and, behaving sensibly, she nodded in agreement and actively said goodbye to him.

    He Xing stood in the corridor outside the ward and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, he finally felt his breathing ease; Xia Ning¡¯s perfume was too intense, and he nearly felt suffocated.

    By the time he arrived at Old Master He¡¯s ward, the old man had already finished his meal and the doctor was conducting the final check. If everything went well with this check, they would be able to discharge him from the hospital.

    He Xing obediently stood by and watched. When he heard the doctor confirm that the discharge could proceed as nned, he breathed a sigh of relief. Aside from the video call with Fu Han the night before, this was the most relieving news he had received recently.

    After the doctor left, Old Zhou began packing things up cheerfully, first finding a set of clothes for Old Master He and bringing them over, "Old Master, once you change into these clothes, we can leave the hospital."

    He Xing cleared his throat on one side, hesitating, unsure how to start the conversation.

    Old Master He frowned and asked in displeasure, "What is it? Something on your mind?"

    Before He Xing could speak, Old Zhou had already caught on and said, "Old Master, Young Master, you chat, I¡¯ll go take care of the discharge procedures for Old Master."

    For a while, only Old Master He and He Xing, grandfather and grandson, were left in the ward. They looked at each other, neither speaking a word.

    The sun was already high in the sky, shining through the window. The room was warm with the air conditioning on; despite only wearing a suit, He Xing still felt hot and irritably loosened his tie.

    Old Master He red at He Xing with annoyance and said, "Just speak up; what do you need me for?"

    A hint of blush appeared on He Xing¡¯s face, and he coughed unnaturally, saying, "Well... I didn¡¯t go to M Country as nned, and Fu Han is not pleased... she wants to break up with me. I contacted her yesterday, I said... I said I didn¡¯t go to M Country because you... you were in the hospital. She mentioned wanting a video call with you this morning, would that be okay?"

    "Of course, it¡¯s okay." Old Master He red at He Xing again, his wrinkled face showing unmistakable disdain, "I have been too upied to pay attention to Fu Han recently. I¡¯ve missed her. Start the video call; I have things to say to her."

    Although the answer was expected, He Xing was overjoyed. As he took out his phone, he said, "Grandfather, I didn¡¯t want Fu Han to worry, so I didn¡¯t tell her about your kidnapping. Please be careful not to slip up during the call."

    "I know," Old Master He red at He Xing, speaking with disdain, "I have eaten more salt than you have rice. Do you really need to teach me how to handle things?"

    If it were up to the He Xing of the past, he might have disrespectfully retorted that it was because Old Master He had overindulged in salt. But now, being in need, he had no choice but to endure the disdain.

    He Xing thought for a moment and, still feeling uneasy, spoke up again, "Grandfather, Fu Han doesn¡¯t like Xia Ning. Please don¡¯t mention Xia Ning being in the hospital; if you do, I¡¯m afraid she might stop talking to me."

    "I know," Old Master He said impatiently; "Don¡¯t I know about the issues between you two? Rest assured, I don¡¯t like Xia Ning either. Even if you ask me, I have no interest in mentioning her."

    With his heart finally at ease, He Xing realized it was the middle of the night in M Country and wasn¡¯t sure if Fu Han was asleep. His only option was to send her a message asking if she was still awake.

    To his surprise, less than two minutes after sending the message, Fu Han¡¯s video call came through. His heart began beating rapidly with excitement as he hurriedly answered, "Xiaohan, you haven¡¯t slept? That¡¯s really great."

    Fu Han, apparently not expecting such an ardent reaction from He Xing, coughed awkwardly, "I... I set an rm and probably woke up on time."

    Immediately feeling sorry for her, He Xing urgently said, "Why be so silly? It¡¯s okay if you were asleep; we could have done a video call another time."

    Before he could finish, Old Master He, feeling neglected, coughed dryly, "Have you two forgotten about me?"

    Fu Han, who was about to say something, brightened up and sweetly greeted, "Grandfather, I¡¯ve missed you so much; I want to see you."

    A feeling akin to having eaten a lemon surfaced in He Xing¡¯s heart, as if Fu Han had never said "I¡¯ve missed you" to him. Alright, he was jealous, even though the other person was his own grandfather.

    Fu Han and Old Master He were closer than actual grandparents and granddaughter, and they always had endless topics to talk about.

    She repeatedly confirmed Old Master He¡¯s well-being, and only after being assured that he was out of harm¡¯s way did she finally breathe a sigh of relief. Then she asked Old Master He when he would be discharged from the hospital.

    Upon hearing this question, He Xing felt his heart rate involuntarily elerate, fearing Old Master He might identally reveal too much.

    As it turned out, his concerns were unnecessary. Old Master He, having been a formidable figure in the business world for all his life, was more than capable of handling a youngdy like Fu Han.

    Old Master He, his face full of satisfaction, reassured Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I know you are concerned about your grandfather. Don¡¯t worry; my health is fine. It¡¯s just that the doctor said I¡¯m getting old, and even minor issues take a while to heal. If it weren¡¯t for my illness, He Xing could have spent Christmas with you in M Country. You¡¯re not angry at your grandfather, are you?"

    His words were seamless, with Old Master He taking all the responsibility upon himself and even apologizing on behalf of He Xing.

    Listening on the side, He Xing felt a rush of gratitude, wishing he could express his thanks to Old Master He right then and there.

    Fu Han, however, felt quite differently from He Xing. It was impossible for her to havepletely forgiven He Xing, with the photo of him feeding Xia Ning still saved on her phone.

    But now, with Old Master He unwell, it wouldn¡¯t be right to dredge up past grievances in front of him.

    Under Old Master He¡¯s benevolent and expectant gaze, Fu Han, her face blushing, said with forced bravery, "Grandfather, please don¡¯t say that. How could this be your fault? It¡¯s you who have suffered."

    Old Master He nodded with satisfaction, "Xiaohan, you are such a sensible girl. That rascal He Xing mes me every day for preventing him from seeing you, making this old man feel terrible."

    Upon hearing these words, He Xing inwardly expressed concern, fearing that saying too much could lead to mistakes. Indeed, Fu Han¡¯s expression in the video changed, shifting from an indulgent smile to a look of confusion and suspicion.

 Chapter 448: Itâ€™s Right to Dream About You

    <h4>Chapter 448: Chapter 448: It¡¯s Right to Dream About You</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s crisp voice carried a soft and glutinous tone as it rang out, "Grandpa, don¡¯t lie to me. You are the most important person to He Xing; how could he possibly me you? He dreams of you living a long life."

    Her words exposed Grandpa He¡¯s "lie" and elevated the rtionship between He Xing and Grandpa He, undoubtedly strengthening the bond between them more than ever before.

    A broader smile spread across Grandpa He¡¯s face, "What He Xing dreams of is you, not me. He wouldn¡¯t dream of me at all."

    A video call brought the ward back to life, bustling with noise and warmth once more.

    Standing behind his grandfather, He Xing wasn¡¯t in the frame, but he could clearly see Fu Han. He watched her almost greedily, eager to imprint every smile and frown of hers into his memory.

    He wondered to himself, when was thest time he saw Fu Hanugh? It seemed to be during their wedding, which had been a "deceptive" marriage on He Xing¡¯s part. Yet, he knew Fu Han loved him. It was only because she always tried to flee that he resorted to such a trick, hoping to keep her by his side forever.

    And how long had it been since he¡¯d seen his grandfatherugh so heartily? As He Xing searched his memory, he suddenly realized he couldn¡¯t remember.

    Grandpa He had raised him, and he had grown up, but he had failed to provide a happy twilight year for his grandfather. That was He Xing¡¯s fault.

    The smile in his eyes slowly faded, like broken ice melting in the spring breeze. He clenched his fists tightly and made a firm resolve that this time, no matter what, he had to find out who dared to harm his grandfather.

    Seeing Fu Han yawn several times in a row, Grandpa He said to her with concern, "Xiaohan, it¡¯s gettingte. You should go to bed. Staying upte isn¡¯t good for your looks."

    Fu Han obediently nodded, "Grandpa, I¡¯ll video call you again in a few days."

    Grandpa He was about to hang up the call but then he suddenly spoke up again, "Xiaohan, when will youe back? This is your home."

    He Xing could see everything clearly. Tears welled up in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, but with a determined blink, she forced them back.

    Fu Han¡¯s voice, tinged with a sob, came through, "Grandpa, it might be a few months before I have time toe back. We¡¯ve opened a chain store here and it will be busy after we start business on New Year¡¯s Day. I¡¯lle to see you when things settle down here."

    Even after the call ended, Grandpa He was stillmenting that Fu Han wouldn¡¯t be able toe back and spend New Year¡¯s with him this year. Since Fu Han came to the He Family, except for the three years she was gone, she had always been there with Grandpa He every year.

    Listenting from the side, He Xing also felt a torrent of emotions, especially saddended. Deep down, he had hoped Grandpa He would ask Fu Han toe back, but he hadn¡¯t expected that she was already establishing her career elsewhere.

    In the past, He Xing had suggested that Fu Han stop working once they got married, which made her very angry. She had said emphatically that she would never be a housewife.

    Even though He Xing now felt the weather was too cold for her to rush into opening the store, he held back and said nothing.

    When they were together, it had taken a lot of effort for He Xing to appease Fu Han after he suggested she should stop working; now that they were separated by vast distances, half the globe apart, if he angered her, he might not even get the chance to exin.

    Lost in thought, Grandpa He tossed the phone to He Xing, "Fu Han isn¡¯t the little girl who revolves everything around you anymore. She has her own opinions and ideas. Whatever it is, don¡¯t pressure her."

    He Xing hurriedly agreed and assisted Grandpa He to the restroom to change out of his patient¡¯s uniform.

    What they didn¡¯t see as they turned away was a figure who flitted past the doorway¡ªa figure whose ears had been pressed against the door for quite a while before that.

    Just minutes prior, a fierce argument had erupted in Xia Ning¡¯s ward. Xia Cheng rubbed his forehead in pain as he watched the frenzied Xia Ning, "Can you calm down? I simply told you what they were talking about. It¡¯s your decision on what to do."

    Xia Ning¡¯s beautiful face twisted with ferocity as she stomped her foot, "No, that little slut Fu Han and that annoying old man, I never want to see them again!"

    A cold wind suddenly blew through Xia Cheng¡¯s back, sending shivers down his spine. He coughed awkwardly, "Are you crazy? I won¡¯t help you with this. If you want someone, go to Dad."

    ...

    A certain private hospital in City A.

    This was Qin Nuan¡¯s third day of hospitalization, which had been a nightmare for her. She wished never to recall anything that had happened during these past three days.

    The cramped Inpatient Department was bad enough, but at night, rats scurried everywhere, their high-pitched squeaks so unpleasant that Qin Nuan was both terrified and disgusted.

    Moreover, in a room so small that it couldn¡¯t get any smaller, there were five beds. One had to walk sideways just to get through¡ªif not, it would be difficult to leave.

    It was said that due to the shortage of beds, some wards even had men and women mixed together; although every patient in Qin Nuan¡¯s ward was a woman, except for herself, all were thirty-something middle-aged women.

    They suffered from gynecological diseases for various unmentionable reasons. Whenever Qin Nuan heard about their conditions, she felt embarrassed on their behalf, yet they themselves seemed nonchnt, even proud when discussing them. Itpletely challenged Qin Nuan¡¯s perceptions.

    To these middle-aged women, Qin Nuan seemed disgraceful. Jealous of her youth and beauty, they used her of being a prostitute, hence why she came there for an operation.

    Qin Nuan had no one to confide in. In the quiet of the night, she reminisced about her past. Back then she was a university counselor, loved for her beauty, with many suitors. But now...

    If not for the Xia Family, she would still be a respectable university counselor, not exploiting her looks and body to flirt with one man after another, ending up spoiled and unable to even save her own child.

    Tears filled Qin Nuan¡¯s eyes again at the thought. Blurrily, through her teary vision, she saw a familiar figure appear at the door. Without thinking, she clumsily wiped her face with the dirty sleeve of her patient¡¯s gown and mustered a weak smile, "Lixing, you¡¯vee?"

    At the door was Yi Lixing, who hesitantly stood there, his face filled with distaste, not wanting to enter. But seeing that Qin Nuan had noticed him, he immediately brightened with a smile and walked in carrying a basket of flowers.

    Qin Nuan had adjusted her mood. With eyes brimming with tears, she uncovered the nket and, after ensuring there was nothing dirty on the bed, invited Yi Lixing to sit, "Sit down here."

 Chapter 449: The Building is About to Collapse

    <h4>Chapter 449: Chapter 449: The Building is About to Copse</h4><h4></h4>

    "I won¡¯t sit; I have things to do and need to leave shortly," Yi Lixing said, stepping back two steps instead of sitting, but this time he was well-prepared and didn¡¯t show any look of disgust: "Qin Nuan, you¡¯ll be discharged in two days. Just hang in there a little longer."

    Even the mostmon love has its humble side, let alone their inherently unequal love.

    Even so, Qin Nuan smiled happily: "Did the doctor tell you? That¡¯s great, I¡¯ve been wanting to leave for so long. Will youe to pick me up when I¡¯m discharged?"

    "Of course," Yi Lixing squeezed out a small smile, and after hesitating, he still reached out to pat Qin Nuan¡¯s shoulder: "You need to take care of yourself alone in the hospital. If somethinges up, go find the nurses; I¡¯ve already made good rtions with them, and they¡¯ll take care of you."

    "Okay, I know," Qin Nuan replied with a smile, instinctively reaching for Yi Lixing¡¯s hand, but Yi Lixing had already retracted his.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s grasp missed but she wasn¡¯t angry, instead, she smiled even more: "Thank you for everything you have done for me, I¡¯ll keep it all in my heart."

    The ward always had an odd smell in the winter, with the air-conditioning on all day and no venttion ¡ª the scent of medical fluids and the different body odors of each person made it difficult even to breathe.

    Yi Lixing simply couldn¡¯t stay any longer, he dropped a "I¡¯lle see you tomorrow," then without waiting for Qin Nuan¡¯s response, he turned and strode out.

    Once outside, Yi Lixing sniffed his suit, feeling as though the strange smell from the ward clung to him. He pulled out a bottle of men¡¯s cologne from his briefcase and sprayed himself generously. After using up almost half a bottle, he then walked away with firm steps.

    Leaving the hospital, Yi Lixing directly drove at top speed towards Huangpu Group.

    The security guard on the first floor of the Huangpu Group didn¡¯t stop Yi Lixing. Instead, they diligently opened the ess control to let him in.

    Representing Xia Group, Yi Lixing was coborating with Huangpu Group on that project, snatching the lucrative deal right out of He Group¡¯s mouth.

    These days, he had to spend half a day at Huangpu Group, and considering that he was her ssmate, Madam Huangpu had arranged a temporary office for him.

    It was amusing, in a way, that Yi Lixing¡¯s office in Xia Group wasn¡¯t even asrge as the temporary office that Huangpu Group had arranged for him; however, that wasn¡¯t much of an issue, after all, Mr. Ji had worked with Xia Guoxiong for so many years, and his office was only about the same size as Yi Lixing¡¯s.

    Yi Lixing had nned to first go to his office to sort out some materials, but just as he ced his hand on the handrail, someone from behind said: "Mr. Yi, the Chairman and his wife are waiting for you. Please go there immediately."

    "Alright, I¡¯ll be right there," Yi Lixing responded, heading to Mr. Huangpu¡¯s office while muttering in his mind, wondering what was so urgent that they needed him.

    Mr. Huangpu¡¯s office was spacious, with its door wide open, like a monster with its mouth gaping, waiting for someone to walk into its trap.

    The soles of Yi Lixing¡¯s mirror-shiny shoes stepped on the shiny floor with crisp sounds. He stood at the door and knocked lightly with two fingers: "May Ie in?"

    Though he asked, he didn¡¯t wait for an answer. After uttering the polite phrase, he walked right in.

    The Huangpu couple was sitting on the sofa discussing something. Upon seeing him, their expressions shifted from solemn to unsightly.

    A bad premonition crept into Yi Lixing¡¯s heart. He was about to sit down without invitation as usual, but instead, he stood in front of the Huangpu couple and asked, "What¡¯s going on? Why are you looking at me like that?"

    After a few seconds of staring at each other, Mr. Huangpu took the lead to break the silence, delivering a bolt from the blue: "The coboration between Huangpu Group and Xia Group has ended. Take the people from Xia Group and withdraw immediately from all the projects under Huangpu Group."

    Yi Lixing¡¯s already dark face grew uglier. Forgetting hisposure, he asked in haste, "What happened? I won¡¯t take anyone away unless you make things clear."

    The atmosphere in the office became oppressive in an instant, as if a silent standoff was happening, with one side attempting topletely overpower the other.

    Seeing that things were going south, Madam Huangpu hurriedly interjected to exin, "Mr. Yi, here¡¯s the situation: someone reported us for regtory vitions, and the higher-ups are investigating. It¡¯s best for your people to leave quickly, let¡¯s temporarily disengage."

    "Temporary disengagement?" Yi Lixing furrowed his brows so deeply he could have trapped a fly between them, his dissatisfaction clearly apparent as he looked at the Huangpu couple: "When can we resume our cooperation?"

    "This..." Madam Huangpu nced at her husband, then spoke softly, "We¡¯re not even sure if we can hold onto this project right now. We¡¯ll definitely work together if there¡¯s another opportunity in the future."

    "Don¡¯t try to fool me with these empty promises," Yi Lixing kicked the sofa forcefully, but unfortunately, the sofa didn¡¯t budge, which significantly diminished the impact of his action, "If it weren¡¯t for my help, could you have secured the project? Now that you have it, you¡¯re kicking me to the curb without a second thought, do you really think I can be fooled that easily?"

    The Huangpu couple exchanged a meaningful nce.

    Madam Huangpu stood up and walked over to Yi Lixing, handing him a bank card while speaking in a lowered voice: "We know that we wouldn¡¯t have this project without you. This card contains a token of our appreciation. The situation is tense right now; the best course of action is for you to retreat temporarily. Rest assured that as soon as we¡¯ve dealt with this crisis, we will not let you down."

    It took some effort, but she finally managed to send Yi Lixing on his way. When only the Huangpu couple was left in the office, Madam Huangpu drank an entire cup of cold coffee in one breath.

    Mr. Huangpu, however, remained grim throughout, just as emphatically as the words that came through his clenched teeth: "Didn¡¯t we have someone on the inside? Why didn¡¯t we get any advance warning about this investigation?"

    "I suspect..." Madam Huangpu paused, carefully looking around before continuing in a hushed voice, "I suspect we¡¯ve been targeted. Our coboration with Xia Group was very discreet. Their people on the project always pretended to be from Huangpu Group, which isn¡¯t something just anyone would know."

    Mr. Huangpu clenched his teeth so tight that even from his cheeks, one could see the force he was exerting.

    Just like each word that popped out from between his clenched teeth: "At any cost, this must be thoroughly dealt with, or Huangpu Group might very well crumble."

    Madam Huangpu nodded, her beautiful face full of worry: "I... am a little concerned about Su Cheng. Should we tell Su Cheng about this?"

 Chapter 450: Peaceful Christmas Eve with Snowflakes Fluttering

    <h4>Chapter 450: Chapter 450: Peaceful Christmas Eve with Snowkes Fluttering</h4><h4></h4>

    The couple discussed a while longer and ultimately decided not to inform Su Cheng Company of the situation for now, so as not to make Su Cheng worry.

    Huangpu Group had reached its current status, standing undeterred as a century-old enterprise and still on a steady rise; this indirectly illustrated that Huangpu Group was no easy target. Over the years, they had faced numerous waves big and small, yet they had resolved them all, and they believed that this time would be no different.

    From this day, or to be precise, from this moment, Huangpu Group began to get busy, led by Mr. Huangpu and Mrs. Huangpu.

    However, what they didn¡¯t know was that this crisis was far more severe than they had anticipated, or perhaps it was a crisis they were not capable of handling.

    ...

    M Country.

    Today is Christmas Eve, and the heavy snow is still falling incessantly, as if intent on burying the world in snow.

    Fu Han had always loved snow since she was a child, but even she could not ept such relentless snowfall; roads were closed due to the snow, making it difficult for them to even leave the house.

    Her uncle said it was fortunate that they had returned the day before yesterday when the snow was lighter, and tires equipped with anti-skid chains sufficed as long as they were careful to avoid mishaps.

    But even if they couldn¡¯t go out these days, it didn¡¯t pose a problem for Fu Han and the others; they had sufficient supplies stored, and everything needed for Christmas was already prepared.

    There was just one thing that made Fu Han feel somewhat ufortable: they had returned from the ski field the night beforest, and Fu Xingbo had invited everyone to his home for dinner. That night, the snow was too heavy for Ji Liangchuan, Nan Qing, and Wang Yixuan to leave, so Fu Xingbo invited them to stay over at the Fu Family residence.

    Nan Qing staying here was, of course, wee to Fu Han, who remembered all the care Nan Qing had shown her.

    But having Ji Liangchuan stay over made Fu Han feel... she didn¡¯t like the feeling of being watched by Ji Liangchuan all the time. She felt his attentiveness was too deliberate and created an oppressive atmosphere.

    Last night, Fu Han set an rm to video call with Grandpa He, and although she didn¡¯t say much to He Xing then, somehow, the less she said, the more she found herself thinking about him.

    Grandpa He had exinedst night why He Xing couldn¡¯te to M Country to spend Christmas with her, and Fu Han felt much better afterwards. The two consecutive contacts had made her feel the affection He Xing had for her, and this lifted her spirits.

    The only aftereffect was that she had tossed and turned, unable to sleep after hanging up the video call, coupled with the sound of the snowkes falling outside the window and the howling cold wind, she reminisced in her heart about all the moments she walked through with He Xing.

    It wasn¡¯t until dawn was about to break that Fu Han finally felt drowsy and drifted off to sleep.

    By the time she woke up again, the day seemed to have donned a veil of translucent ck gauze¡ªit was already evening, and the day had just passed by like that.

    Fu Han got out of bed in her slippers, brushed her teeth, washed her face, took a shower, and changed her clothes... Usually, to save trouble and keep warm, she would simply wear her pajamas, which were thick enough for winter and not awkward at all.

    But with young men in the house, it was only sensible and proper that she pay attention to her attire, dressing too casually would be inappropriate.

    Fu Han shuffled through her wardrobe. Her dressing room was packed with clothes, shoes, hats, and various essories¡ªall gifts from Bai Wei. This trip to M Country, Fu Han hadn¡¯t brought any clothes; Bai Wei bought her too many when they were in M Country.

    Faintly, Fu Han heard music starting to y¡ªan upbeat Christmas song. At this time of year, the streets and alleys were filled with such music.

    The feeling of Christmas immediately set in, and Fu Han began to feel a bit more festive. She rummaged through her closet and chose a red sweater, paired with a red and white id skirt.

    Bai Wei always bought whole sets of clothes,beled them with numbers, and all Fu Han had to do was match the shoes and essories ording to the numbers, which made thing simpler.

    After changing, Fu Han twirled in front of the mirror and felt quite satisfied, though perhaps due tock of sleep, there was a small patch of dark circles under her eyes and her cheeks were somewhat pale.

    She hadn¡¯t intended to wear makeup, but thinking that Fu Xingbo and Bai Wei would worry if they saw herplexion, she decided to apply some light makeup.

    When Fu Han came down from upstairs a half-hourter, the sky waspletely dark.

    The first floor was the venue for the Christmas party, with a three-meter-high Christmas tree loaded with gifts and entwined with colorful lights and multicolored confetti, appearing particrly splendid.

    There was a roaring me in the firece with a string of red stockings hanging above; the huge dining table wasden with delicious food, with arge turkey in the center surrounded by M Country¡¯s specialty dishes, not to mention indispensable Chinese delicacies such as hotpot and barbecue.

    Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing were whispering on the couch; Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were swaying on the lounge chairs by the firece; Bai Wei and Fu Xingbo were busy with something in the study right across the living room; Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan each imed a single armchair, engrossed in their phones.

    As Fu Han descended the stairs, her round-toed leather shoes made a not-too-loud noise, yet it was enough to attract the attention of everyone below.

    Flushed by everyone¡¯s gaze, Fu Han quickened her pace and said awkwardly, "Um... I... Is it inappropriate for me to be dressed like this?"

    "No, you look great," Su Cheng was the first one to speak, and the others nodded in agreement, perhaps the first time Ji Liangchuan agreed with something Su Cheng said.

    But indeed, it was simply the truth and Ji Liangchuan couldn¡¯t help but agree.

    Fu Han today couldn¡¯t merely be described as beautiful¡ªwhen she descended the stairs, she seemed like an angeling down from the heavens, yet her outfit gave her the vibrant appearance of a fairy dwelling deep in the forest.

    Her waist-length hair, slightly wavy, was half-tied atop her head, secured with a palm-sized red knitted hat-shaped hair clip, looking exceptionally charming.

    Paired with her red sweater, id skirt, white stockings, and her indescribably beautiful face, she was strikingly captivating¡ªto the point of causing awe and being unforgettable.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s heart drummed in his chest, and he felt his cheeks flush; Taozi had never dressed this cutely before, always favoring a more mature style that made her seem more like Ji Liangchuan¡¯s elder sister,

    But Ji Liangchuan had never seen a "sisterly" aspect in Fu Han. On the contrary, every time he saw her, he felt an urge to protect her.

 Chapter 451: Chose the Light

    <h4>Chapter 451: Chapter 451: Chose the Light</h4><h4></h4>

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s emotions wereplex. He had always thought that he was only treating Fu Han as a shadow of Taozi, but as he got to know Fu Han over time, Taozi¡¯s shadow in his heart faded, reced by a deeper impression of Fu Han.

    He still remembered the devastating sadness when Taozi left, as well as the listless days that followed for years.

    Taozi¡¯s death had plunged Ji Liangchuan into hell, but Fu Han¡¯s arrival was like a beam of light, illuminating his path to heaven.

    If you had to choose, would you choose to stay in hell, or follow that light, taking one step at a time towards heaven?

    Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t know, but the one thing he did know was that he initially liked Fu Han because she had a face identical to Taozi¡¯s; and he knew that no matter how much time passed, he would always be fond of that face.

    There are no two identical people in this world, not even twins, which is why Ji Liangchuan was so devastated by the loss of Taozi.

    Heaven must have pitied him, for when he thought he had lost Taozi forever, Fu Han appeared in his world.

    He had struggled, considered observing from a distance, but He Xing could not make Fu Han happy, so it would have to be him; besides, who could bear to give up before such astoundingly beautiful looks?

    Indeed, even though Taozi was Ji Liangchuan¡¯s first love, his eternal sweetheart in his heart, he was well aware that Fu Han was even more beautiful than Taozi. They might look very simr, but whether it be the shape of the face or the features, Fu Han was clearly more exquisite.

    With this in mind, the slight hesitation in the depths of Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes vanished. He took out his phone to look at it, remembering he had received a video a few hours ago.

    He was very aware that Fu Han would be furious at seeing the video, and he was even more aware that the actual situation at the time must have been different from what was shown in the video.

    But what did that matter? Isn¡¯t it always the case? What you see isn¡¯t the truth, sadly there are too few in this world willing to seek it out. He believed that Fu Han wouldn¡¯t have the resolve to learn the truth in her anger.

    A friend¡¯s wife should not be coveted.

    That was once a constraint for Ji Liangchuan, but now it no longer existed; he felt that for the sake of pursuing happiness, some strategies were necessary.

    Watching Fu Han¡¯s smiling face in this moment, Ji Liangchuan felt his life be instantly better. He put the phone away again: it was their first Christmas together, and since Fu Han was doomed to be unhappy afterward, at least let her have a happy celebration now.

    Su Cheng was also enraptured by Fu Han. It had been over four years since he met her, and like never getting enough, he found her astonishingly stunning every time he saw her, today¡¯s red sweater and id skirt Christmas outfit especially so.

    Su Cheng touched the pocket of his casual pants, a small smile appearing on his lips, his eyes unintentionally meeting Nan Qing¡¯s as they shifted around.

    For some reason, a feeling of guilt surfaced in Su Cheng¡¯s heart. His face flushed, he turned his head away and no longer looked at Fu Han, but his heart thumped uncontrobly, and he couldn¡¯t help ncing at Nan Qing¡¯s expression from the corner of his eye.

    Nan Qing¡¯s expression was very calm, looking at Fu Han with good intentions. Her gaze towards Su Cheng was also kind, as was her gaze towards Ji Liangchuan.

    However, sitting next to her, Wang Yixuan saw only the way Nan Qing looked at Su Cheng. His face changed subtly, he moved quietly to the side, but remained silent.

    The Christmas Eve dinner began soon, the tablerge enough for over twenty people was filled with various delicious dishes, fine fruits, red wine, white wine, vodka, juices, and other drinks in abundance.

    To put it mildly, this was the grandest Christmas celebration Fu Han had ever had in her life.

    In the past, before she left for abroad, she had ced great importance on Christmas, thinking it was an important holiday for couples, imagining how romantic it would be to embrace each other amidst the flying snow.

    But Grandpa He, due to his age, clearly favored Eastern traditional holidays like New Year¡¯s Day and the Spring Festival. He Xing was an iron-faced, no-nonsense man, who never cared for holidays; thus, Christmas at the He Family was just like any ordinary holiday. The only constion for Fu Han was that Uncle Zhou would prepare a Christmas tree every year.

    Fu Han had not realized before, but now she finally understood that the He Family actually didn¡¯t care much about Christmas; they were willing to spend a simple Christmas, all for her sake.

    Thinking of this, and remembering the video call with Grandpa He from the night before, Fu Han¡¯s heart suddenly softened. She stood up and took a picture of each dish on her phone, quickly made a simple video and sent it straight to He Xing.

    Apanying the video was a message Fu Han spontaneouslyposed, words she very much wanted to say to He Xing, to Grandpa He at this moment.

    "Thank you for giving me a home when I had nothing, for your care throughout these ten years. I¡¯m very happy now, and I wish you and Grandpa the same."

    After sending the message, Fu Han did not look at her phone again; instead, she put her phone back in her purse.

    As soon as she looked up, she caught Su Cheng¡¯s gaze falling away. She cocked her head and coughed once, subtly shifting her gaze away, but inadvertently caught Ji Liangchuan also staring at her, which made her feel ufortable in an instant.

    Fortunately, at that moment, Bai Qian stood up, "Everyone, it¡¯s truly fortunate for us to celebrate Christmas together. Let¡¯s raise our sses and celebrate."

    The atmosphere instantly ignited, mainly because Bai Wei was particrly spirited, blew a loud whistle, and shouted loudly. Fu Xingbo immediately followed, energetically joining in; it was clear he had experience.

    Fu Han¡¯s alcohol tolerance was not bad, and considering the Fu Family¡¯s drinks were all high-quality, she declined Fu Xingbo¡¯s suggestion to drink juice.

    In the end, since Fu Han was not drinking juice, everyone else switched to alcohol, and the juice was eventually removed by the Servants.

    The dinner was sumptuous, and because Fu Han had not eaten the whole day, besides asionally lifting her ss to clink with someone and take a sip of red wine, she spent the rest of the time eating.

    She was probably the only one to eat from the beginning to the end of the feast, but actually, she just ate slowly, not really consuming much. When someone talked to her, she would stop to converse, and crucially, there were many people seeking her attention. Deliberately or not, she became the undisputed center of attention at the Christmas dinner.

 Chapter 452: Christmas Eve Ball

    <h4>Chapter 452: Chapter 452: Christmas Eve Ball</h4><h4></h4>

    After the banquet, it was time for a small dance party. While they had been eating, the servants had already removed the furniture such as sofas from the living room, turning it into a small dance floor; in fact, the Fu Family¡¯s living room was not small, it was asrge as half a ser field, so the dozen or so of them dancing was more than enough.

    The old-fashioned gramophone with its trumpet-shaped speaker turned slowly, and soothing, melodious music flowed gently forth.

    Having just eaten her fill, Fu Han wasn¡¯t particrly interested in dancing. She walked to a corner of the living room, where near a floor-to-ceiling window there was a hanging chair. She took off her shoes, covered her legs with a nket, and gazed out the window.

    The Christmas decorations had all been made by hand by Fu Han and the others, and the garden had not been left out.

    Bai Qian had bought many colored lights. They climbed updders to wrap each tree in these lights, and the garden wall was also adorned with glowing stars and moons, with sparkling Confetti all around.

    The greatest trouble in winter is that the bare tree trunksck beauty, so they tied the leftover balloons and confetti to the trees, turning them into a riot of colorful blossoms.

    Fu Han, a photography student, had her own unique perspective on aesthetics. She did not approve of everyone decorating the trees with fake flowers, confetti, and colored lights, feeling it was like trying to paint a tiger but ending up with something doglike.

    But now, with all the lights in the house turned on and all the garden lights lit up, she had to admit that the fake flowers actually looked pretty after all, with the shiny multicolored lights giving the garden a different feel.

    It was like the world inside a ss ball set in a store window; the world within the ss ball was fake, yet that did not prevent people from finding it beautiful.

    Isn¡¯t life just like that? The beautiful views you see may have filters applied or colors adjusted, or they might just show a corner of the bigger picture, but what does it matter? Should we reject the longing for beauty in our hearts because the reality is ugly?

    Thinking this way, Fu Han¡¯s mood suddenly lightened, and she even felt there was nothing wrong with beingmonce. Everyone is ordinary, and being born equal, having amon wish as an ordinary person is no big deal.

    On the garden wall, a moonmp the size of an adult¡¯s forearm was flickering on and off.

    Suddenly the word "shooting star" popped into Fu Han¡¯s head. If you see a shooting star, aren¡¯t you supposed to make a wish?

    She tilted her head, thinking, as her long hair slid from her waist and fell onto her ankles, the silky tendrils gently brushing her ankles with a cool touch.

    "If... if it¡¯s possible, I wish I could see He Xing right now. If I see He Xing, I will give him a hug, a kiss, and tell him I love him; if I can¡¯t see He Xing, then I hope to spend every festival for the rest of my life with him."

    As the voice within her heart spoke, the moonmp flickered as if responding to her wish.

    Suddenly, the moonmp went out, and Fu Han¡¯s heart seemed like it was about to jump out of her throat. She watched with anxiety, but to her relief, the moonmp lit up again after a few seconds.

    Fu Han covered her chest and felt her own heartbeat, the distress of thinking that her wishes had been dashed hitting rock bottom, and then soaring to the clouds in tion was soplex that she could no longer describe it in words.

    The buzzing of her phone reached her; Fu Han immediately took it out to look. It was a message from He Xing: "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be by your side. I really want to hold you close, so let¡¯s wait until the next time we meet to make up for it all."

    At that moment, all the anticipation, the nervousness, and all the unsaid thoughts of Fu Han were answered; her lips lifted in an uncontroble smile. It turned out that even without her saying anything, he understood.

    "Xiaohan, what are you thinking about?" a gentle voice sounded beside Fu Han¡¯s ear.

    Fu Han turned and saw Fu Xingbo standing beside her, looking at her with an indulgent expression on his erudite face, and a flicker of worry in his eyes.

    She knew that although her uncle and aunt never said anything, they had always been worried about Fu Han, fearing that she would suffer from the breakup with He Xing.

    In fact, after Fu Han agreed to reconsider her rtionship with He Xing, she had thought about informing her uncle and aunt, but fearing that she would ultimately break up with He Xing, she had held back from saying anything.

    If... if in the end she could get back together with He Xing, even if she didn¡¯t say anything, her uncle and aunt would know. But if she and He Xing ended up breaking up permanently, her uncle and aunt would have to worry about her only once.

    With this thought, a smile appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face: "I¡¯m not thinking about anything in particr, I just think it¡¯s really beautiful here today."

    Fu Xingboughed, extended his right hand and with a bow, made an inviting gesture to Fu Han: "I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting my little princess for a dance?"

    "Little princess," a nickname every little girl might have had at one time; Fu Han didn¡¯t know if she had ever been called that by her parents, as certainly, neither Grandfather He nor He Xing had ever called her by such a term.

    A strange feeling emerged in Fu Han¡¯s heart, and she suddenly felt incredibly soft. By the time she realized it, her hand was already resting in the palm of Fu Xingbo¡¯s hand.

    Still swaying to the slow waltz, Fu Han was led by Fu Xingbo to the center of the dance floor.

    In truth, it was thanks to Xia Ning that Fu Han was so conversant with dancing. She dered to everyone that Fu Han, the child of a servant, was not a match for He Xing, which left Fu Han feeling like she had something to prove. When Grandfather He hired someone to teach her etiquette, she learned it earnestly and was proficient in various dances.

    Although it was the first time Fu Han and Fu Xingbo danced together, they coordinated very well. After a few turns and steps, they had attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan had both approached Fu Han earlier to invite her to dance, but were rejected. Left without dance partners, the two had no choice but to sit by and watch the excitement. Now, seeing Fu Xingbo pulling Fu Han onto the dance floor, their eyes lit up.

    They had barely waited for the music to stop before both rose and headed towards Fu Han, their intentions clear without words.

    Fu Xingbo burst intoughter upon seeing them, sensing Fu Han¡¯s reluctance. Leaning close to her ear, Fu Xingbo whispered, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t be like that. There¡¯s nothing wrong with dancing one dance, it¡¯s like a bit of proper exercise."

    Fu Han knew her uncle intended well and she also knew that dancing one dance was not a problem. More importantly, she did not want to publicly diminish Fu Xingbo¡¯s dignity.

    So, she ced her hand in Su Cheng¡¯s palm and turned to Ji Liangchuan, saying, "Su Cheng asked first. If you¡¯d like, let¡¯s dance together in the next dance."

 Chapter 453 Fair Arrangement

    <h4>Chapter 453: Chapter 453 Fair Arrangement</h4><h4></h4>

    Ji Liangchuan was indeed half a step slower than Su Cheng, and he watched with jealousy as Su Cheng¡¯s hand rested on Fu Han¡¯s waist, but when facing Fu Han, he smiled with exceptional gentlemanliness, "Of course, I¡¯d be delighted."

    The lively tango started to y, and both Fu Han and Su Cheng smiled at each other as they heard the music, with Su Cheng excitedly saying, "Fu Han, do you still remember this dance tune?"

    "Of course, I remember." Recalling the past, even if it felt bitter at the moment, it now seemed to have a different feeling as she smiled, "That was my first time attending an international student gathering, and you were the first one to invite me to dance. It was this song we danced to."

    "Right, and there was Nan Qing too, it was she who introduced you to me." Su Cheng smiled, his face reddening as he added, "Actually, I noticed you the moment you walked in that day. I thought you..."

    "Su Cheng, just focus on dancing, don¡¯t say these things." Fu Han¡¯s face was also a bit red, but she awkwardly interrupted Su Cheng, knowing he was about to confess again, but today she just wanted to keep things simple, not wanting to sink into guilt over rejecting someone.

    "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t talk about that." Su Cheng immediately followed Fu Han¡¯s words and indeed stopped saying anything rted to liking her.

    During another turn, Fu Han suddenly caught sight of Nan Qing standing by the record yer, her heart skipping a beat, realizing it was Nan Qing who had specially chosen this piece of music.

    Could it be that Nan Qing was trying to bring Fu Han and Su Cheng together?

    It was indeed possible, after arriving in M Country, Nan Qing had spoken in front of Fu Han, both good and bad things about Su Cheng, notcking subtle hints, but at the time Fu Han was engrossed in the joy of encountering an old acquaintance and didn¡¯t think too much of it.

    With this in mind, Fu Han suddenly felt heavier, her movementsgging half a beat behind.

    While Su Cheng was closely admiring Fu Han¡¯s stunning beauty and immersing himself in the music and dance, he sensed Fu Han¡¯s movements slow down, he looked at her with a puzzled nod, then followed Fu Han¡¯s gaze and unsurprisingly caught sight of Nan Qing by the record yer.

    Actually, Nan Qing was also dressed beautifully today, in a light purple sweater paired with a white long skirt, chestnut curly hair carelessly draping over her shoulders, and an exaggeratedlyrge pair of hoop earrings peeking through. Around her neck hung a cross sweater chain.

    Her outfit was naturally sweet and lovely, standing beside the bronze-toned record yer she looked like a painting, beautiful enough to captivate one¡¯s gaze.

    Unconsciously, Su Chengpared Nan Qing with Fu Han; if Fu Han was described as stunning the daylight today, then Nan Qing was like the gentleness of years.

    For some reason, the story of the empresses appeared in Su Cheng¡¯s mind, and when he realized what he was thinking, he hurriedly shifted his gaze from Nan Qing.

    The moment he moved his gaze away, he noticed Wang Yixuan was staring at him. It wasn¡¯t the first time he and Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes had met in recent days, and despite everyone, including Fu Han, believing an issue would arise between him and Wang Yixuan, in reality, it didn¡¯t happen.

    Both men subtly nodded at each other, tacitly withdrawing their gazes; they were considered tacit because they both saw deep meanings in each other¡¯s eyes but neither spoke of it, feeling a bit like ostriches burying their heads in the sand as if to pretend nothing existed.

    As Su Cheng turned his head, he found Fu Han also looking at him, and inexplicably, he blushed, guiltily exining, "I... I was watching what you were looking at."

    "I know." Fu Han smiled, and that smile seemed to herald the arrival of spring, with every flower in the garden blooming simultaneously, "I know you were looking at Nan Qing. She looks really pretty today, doesn¡¯t she?"

    The blush on Su Cheng¡¯s face deepened even more as he turned and led Fu Han so their backs were to the record yer, saying, "I think you look very beautiful too."

    Actually, Su Cheng wanted to say "I think you look more beautiful than Nan Qing," but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it when it came to his lips.

    Fu Han smiled and lowered her head to look at the floor beneath her feet, the reflective surface shimmering like a sheet of moving me; it was the reflection of her red sweater.

    After a few more turns, they had moved to the other side of the dance floor, by the floor-to-ceiling windows farthest from Nan Qing.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze fell outside the window, where the moonlightmp was still on. Along with the twinkling fairy lights, it was as if an eye was gently watching her.

    Her eyes softened unconsciously, and she whispered to Su Cheng, "Have you made up your mind?"

    This out-of-the-blue question rmed Su Cheng, turning his flushed face deathly white. He gazed at Fu Han, in fear and trembling, his lips quivering, "What... What are you saying? I... I don¡¯t understand."

    "You really don¡¯t understand?" Fu Han smiled teasingly, her beautiful face carrying a yfully mocking expression, "I¡¯m asking if you¡¯ve made up your mind. Who is it that you really like, Nan Qing or me?"

    Previously, when Su Cheng wanted to confess, Fu Han had deftly changed the subject, but now as she blurted out these words directly, she felt a sense of relief.

    Su Cheng¡¯s feelings, however, werepletely different; he was already distressed, and hearing her words only tangled his thoughts further into a messy knot, unable to figure out where to even begin.

    He could only plead in a begging tone, "Fu Han, what are you talking about? Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You are the only one in my heart."

    "Is that so?" Fu Han tilted her head andughed, her bright eyes like mirrors, easily piercing through others¡¯ facades, making everyone bare before her, "I know I¡¯m making you mad by saying this, but I still think that you have Nan Qing in your heart; it¡¯s just because of your obsession with me that you keep turning her down."

    Su Cheng suddenly stopped, standing in front of Fu Han with one hand embracing her waist and the other holding her hand, frozen because he wanted to refute her words, but looking into her eyes, he suddenly felt self-conscious.

    The distance between them was no more than ten centimeters, so close that they could hear each other¡¯s heartbeats as if with only a slight lean, Su Cheng could envelop Fu Han in his arms.

    Such proximity only existed in Su Cheng¡¯s dreams, but now it brought him fear instead of joy.

    In a silent standoff, neither of them uttered a word.

    As the music neared its end, Fu Han slightly moved and easily broke free from Su Cheng, stepping back and standing firm, her gaze piercing as she looked at him, "I¡¯ve always believed happiness is something you have to fight for yourself. Nobody can wait for you forever. If you miss this chance, you might miss out for your entire life."

 Chapter 454: Ulterior Motives

    <h4>Chapter 454: Chapter 454: Ulterior Motives</h4><h4></h4>

    The new dance tune started ying, and once more the music shifted back to a romantic waltz.

    Ji Liangchuan had already been waiting impatiently; as the music began, he quickly stood up, approached Fu Han, and eagerly extended his hand, "Miss Fu Han, may I have the honor of asking you for a dance?"

    A promise made was a promise to be kept, and with a polite smile on her face, Fu Han lifted her skirt slightly in a standard curtsy before cing her hand in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s palm.

    Ji Liangchuan gently led her forward, and his other hand was already resting on Fu Han¡¯s waist.

    Fu Han had always been aware that Ji Liangchuan harbored some less-than-honorable intentions toward her. She had decided that if Ji Liangchuan touched any inappropriate areas, she would not remain silent and endure.

    Yet the result was that Ji Liangchuan behaved exactly as a gentleman should, without overstepping boundaries in the slightest; he held his spine straight, always maintaining a proper distance from Fu Han.

    In the middle of the dance floor were Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, as well as Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, all with happy smiles on their faces.

    Ji Liangchuan, looking down, could see Fu Han¡¯s long eyshes fluttering, resembling the delicate pping of butterfly wings.

    The air seemed to grow sweet, and at first, Ji Liangchuan thought it was just his imagination. But soon he realized it was the scenting from Fu Han.

    Over the past few years, Ji Liangchuan could be described as having experienced thepany of numerousdies and, having smelled many, naturally developed a certain expertise. He prided himself on being quite familiar with various perfumes, but the scent from Fu Han was one he had never encountered on any other woman, not even a simr fragrance.

    There could only be one exnation: this was Fu Han¡¯s natural body scent, unique and without equal.

    Ji Liangchuan felt very pleased with his discovery. Feeling that merely dancing in silence was rather dull, after some thought, he said softly, "Fu Han, may I address you as so?"

    Fu Han had been preupied with thoughts of Su Cheng and Nan Qing and hadn¡¯t really been paying attention to her surroundings; her dancing was purely instinctive.

    Upon hearing Ji Liangchuan¡¯s words, she felt a bit embarrassed for having been distracted at an inappropriate time and quickly conjured a small smile, "Of course, that is indeed my name."

    The words she didn¡¯t voice were that if Ji Liangchuan had addressed her as "Xiaohan," she would have firmly rejected him. She was someone who had a strong sense of personal boundaries and disliked unfamiliar people crossing them.

    A smile rippled across Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face like waves in water, and his naturally charming peach-blossom eyes brightened, making it seem as if he had stepped from the shadows into the sunlight.

    Reining in his emotions slightly, with a hint of anticipation he said, "Fu Han, tomorrow is Christmas. I¡¯d like to give you a gift, would that be alright?"

    The mention of a gift immediately brought to Fu Han¡¯s mind the photograph of He Xing feeding Xia Ning, a matter that remained an unsolved mystery and a thorn in her heart to this day.

    Her expression cooled as she replied indifferently, "Another photo of He Xing and Xia Ning?"

    If just a moment ago Fu Han had been the loveliest rose in the rosebush, now she had be a rose with thorns.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s heart skipped several beats; he coughed awkwardly, avoiding Fu Han¡¯s gaze with guilt as he hurriedly exined, "No, I have a beautiful collection of photographs that I startedpiling from the very first picture I took. It contains many photos I¡¯m very fond of, along with some of my thoughts and reflections."

    After all, Ji Liangchuan was not without reason considered one of A City¡¯s top yboys; he was well-versed in all manners of leisure and entertainment, adept at horseback riding and archery, and had a fondness for photography and painting.

    Luo Qinghe was the chairman of the National Photographers Association, and Ji Liangchuan was the vice-chairman.

    While Ji Liangchuan¡¯s photography collection might not be considered priceless, it was certainly an object many photography enthusiasts would dream of owning. Yet now, he wanted to give it to Fu Han as a Christmas gift.

    To say that Fu Han was entirely unmoved would be a lie, but...

    A few secondster, Fu Han looked up at Ji Liangchuan, "I appreciate your kindness, but this item is too valuable. You should keep it for yourself."

    When Fu Han mentioned that it was "too valuable," a sense of pride swelled in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s heart. He was inwardly pleased that the gift he had racked his brains over was recognized for its worth.

    The hand that Ji Liangchuan had around Fu Han¡¯s waist unconsciously tightened its grip, "It¡¯s not too valuable. It¡¯s good if you like it."

    Fu Han distinctly felt Ji Liangchuan¡¯s change in demeanor; her beautiful eyebrows furrowed into a frown as she said with dissatisfaction, "I didn¡¯t say I liked it, and I don¡¯t need your collection. Each photographer has a distinctive style. If I were to look at your collection, wouldn¡¯t others say that the works I shoot are just imitations of yours?"

    Her words weren¡¯t particrly loud, but to Ji Liangchuan, they were as deafening as thunder, leaving him disoriented and dizzy.

    He stared at Fu Han with wide eyes, encountering such a piercing sharpness from her for the first time.

    Fu Han, however, appeared much calmer. She took a few steps back, easily freeing herself from Ji Liangchuan¡¯s embrace, and curtsied again, "Thank you. I¡¯m going to rest now."

    Unbeknownst to him, the dance had alreadye to an end.

    Ji Liangchuan, gazing into his now empty arms, felt a sense of loss quietly growing within him.

    What is yearning? It¡¯s when she is right before your eyes, yet you can¡¯t hold her in your arms; yearning is when you say goodbye but already start missing her; yearning is when you lose track of time simply by looking at her.

    Ji Liangchuan returned to his corner, and in that unseen ce, his gaze turned exceptionally cold, "Since you won¡¯t give me any chance, then I will first destroy the hope in your heart. One day, you wille to me."

    ...

    In A City, at the He Family vi on Lanwan Mountain.

    The old patriarch He had been discharged from the hospital, and He Xing had returned here after work every day.

    Having not been back for several days, he experienced a feeling as if he had been away for ages, as if this ce belonged to his past life.

    And indeed, it was true to an extent; when Fu Han had left, it was still autumn here, but now winter had arrived, a seemingly vast gulf of time between then and now.

    After dinner, making the excuse that he had work to do upstairs, He Xing snuck into Fu Han¡¯s room for a while. As per his instructions, the servant had been cleaning her room daily, so it remained as tidy as ever.

    He sat in the wicker chair in front of Fu Han¡¯s floor-to-ceiling window, the fluffy little nket warm and soft to the touch, much like Fu Han¡¯s delicate skin.

    Downstairs, Uncle Zhou was directing the servants to assist, as a small truck made its way up the mountain, carrying a one-to-two-meter-tall Christmas tree.

    Christmas was tomorrow in A City. Every year on Christmas, Uncle Zhou would get a Christmas tree, under the pretense that Christmas was a holiday for the young, and with two young people in the house, a Christmas tree was essential.

    Fu Han adored Christmas because it almost always snowed on the holiday, which she found incredibly romantic.

 Chapter 455: Fu Hanâ€™s Collection Room

    <h4>Chapter 455: Chapter 455: Fu Han¡¯s Collection Room</h4><h4></h4>

    So every year for Christmas, He Xing would prepare a gift for Fu Han, but it seemed she didn¡¯t like every present equally.

    He Xing remembered one year when he had a Mickey Mouse custom-made for Fu Han, yet after receiving it, sheined that he should¡¯ve asked beforehand, as she preferred Donald Duck.

    He Xing felt quite helpless regarding this, as part of the meaning of a gift is the surprise. He believed that if he told Fu Han in advance, it would be pointless, so of course, he prepared it beforehand and waited until the holiday to present it.

    During that time, He Xing noticed that Fu Han was always watching this cartoon, and every time Mickey Mouse appeared, sheughed happily, which is why he decided to have a Mickey Mouse made for her. In hindsight, he thought to himself that he should have had both Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck made to avoid any mistakes.

    The following year, after careful observation, he had a set of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs figures custom-made for Fu Han, thinking there would be no mistakes this time.

    When Fu Han received the gift, she was so fond of the exquisite Snow White that she held it dearly, and only upon He Xing¡¯s reminder did she realize there were other figures in the box; she felt like she was opening blind boxes as she took out the seven dwarfs.

    Then the smile slowly faded from Fu Han¡¯s face, and with a pitiful look, she pointed at her collection cab and said, "I already have a set of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs figures. What I wanted was figures of Snow White and the Evil Queen, preferably with a poisoned apple added."

    Even now, ten yearster, He Xing vividly remembers the innocent, rabbit-like expression on Fu Han¡¯s baby-fat cheeks¡ªjust as he remembers the throbbing vein on his own forehead.

    In the end, He Xing had the Evil Queen and the poisoned apple custom-made, just as he had done with Donald Duck before.

    But don¡¯t think that settled it for Fu Han¡ªthat would be underestimating the rebelliousness of a teenage girl.

    The supplementary order He Xing made waspleted just as the Spring Festival was approaching, so he took it to be his Spring Festival gift to Fu Han, but she used him of being perfunctory.

    The He Xing from ten years ago was but an underage boy, a person of cold heart and countenance who thought he was already quite good to Fu Han. He was very angry and pained by her affectation.

    But reflecting on it now, he finds the Fu Han of that time to be endearing, vivacious like the rarely seen little fox behind Lanwan Mountain.

    However, as time passed and they grew older, Fu Han became more serene, gradually stopping the kind of mischief she used to make as a child;ter, during the festivals, she seemed happy with whatever gift He Xing gave her.

    In the past, He Xing thought wistfully that Fu Han had grown up. But now he has realized it¡¯s not that Fu Han had matured; it was clear that she had given too much in their rtionship, gradually losing herself, which led to her passive eptance.

    If he could choose, He Xing would prefer for Fu Han to never change, to remain willful and unreasonable, to fuss and pester him, to get angry at the slightest disagreement¡ªthen He Xing would have many reasons to whisper sweet nothings to her.

    With these thoughts, He Xing¡¯s gaze unintentionally shifted to the side, where there was a hidden door, leading to the room where all of Fu Han¡¯s treasured possessions were kept.

    To call it a collection wasn¡¯t quite urate¡ªit originated from Fu Han¡¯s dream of being a princess many years ago, when she wanted to collect all sorts of fantastical items. Initially, the He family patriarch got her a cab for these items, but as they umted, he decided to knock through to the room next to Fu Han¡¯s, using half of it for her dressing room and the other half for her collection.

    Fu Han had said before that He Xing was always wee toe and see her collection, but he had no interest in all the fairy tale princess figurines and dolls. After one visit, he was determined never to go back.

    But now, as he looked at the door to the collection room, he began to feel tempted.

    Telling himself that since Fu Han said he could go in anytime, it should be fine for him to take a look now, right? He Xing reassured himself in his mind while already pushing the door open.

    As usual, the storage room was cleaned daily, with incense burning continuously, regardless of day or night. It was said that the incense¡ªa mix of sandalwood and floral scents, not overpowering¡ªwas specially blended for Fu Han by an old friend of the He family patriarch.

    Upon entering, He Xing immediately saw the set of Snow White figurines, with the Evil Queen¡¯s exaggerated red lipstick ring malevolently at Snow White, looking as if she couldn¡¯t wait to stuff the poisoned apple into Snow White¡¯s mouth. He smiled, feeling that Snow White resembled Fu Han more.

    As he walked around, he saw that nearly every fairy tale he knew of was represented in figurine form here, most of which he had learned from Fu Han, as he had never liked such things since he was a child.

    All three walls were lined with shelves, filled with various figurines, each set incredibly exquisite and clearly valuable.

    The He family patriarch used to tease Fu Han that her figurine collection was worth as much as amon house. He Xing had silently scorned this, but now he had to admit that it was true.

    Most of the figurines here were custom-made, one-of-a-kind pieces with exclusive rights purchased, having great collectible value.

    But He Xing had no interest in these trinkets young girls fancied. After making a round, he prepared to leave when he inadvertently spotted a piece of paper beneath a ss globe on the right-hand side disy.

    He Xing remembered this ss globe¡ªit was a gift he had custom-made for Fu Han¡¯s eighteenth birthday, a crystal ball with a diameter of ten centimeters.

    The globe was real crystal, acquired by He Xing at an overseas auction he had once attended.

    Fu Han had previouslyined to He Xing about how beautiful ss globes were but also how easily they shattered; her aunt had identally broken several while cleaning.

    Seeing such arge crystal globe, He Xing¡¯s first thought was to make for Fu Han an unbreakable ss globe.

    He sought out the finest craftsmen abroad to hollow out the crystal and create a dreamlike globe.

    It took nearly two months toplete this birthday gift, and He Xing got it the day before Fu Han¡¯s birthday. He checked to confirm it met his requirements and then wrapped it himself, waiting to give it to Fu Han the next day.

    Every year, the He family patriarch would host a grand birthday banquet for Fu Han. Hering-of-age ceremony at eighteen was even morevish, with all of He Xing¡¯s family friends and business partners in attendance.

    The scale of the event was even grander than He Xing¡¯s own eighteenth birthday.

    Because this day was also significant for He Xing, he remembers it clearly: Fu Han dressed in a custom-made white princess gown, wearing a diamond crown made just for her.

 Chapter 456: A Surprising Will Appears

    <h4>Chapter 456: Chapter 456: A Surprising Will Appears</h4><h4></h4>

    In her hand, she also had a matching magic wand made of diamonds.

    The crystal shoes on her feet, although made of broken diamonds, were extremely rare, as few people would embed diamonds on shoes, let alone such arge number of broken ones.

    He Xing remembered how stunning Fu Han looked on that day, like a fairy descending to earth. As she walked step by step down the stage holding her grandfather¡¯s hand, He Xing clearly heard his own heart pounding loudly, like beating drums.

    Yet, the happiest moment of He Xing¡¯s life was not then, but about an hour after that moment.

    Elder He publicly expressed his fondness for Fu Han on stage, saying that in his heart, Fu Han was his own granddaughter. He beckoned Fu Han to the stage, asking her tenderly, "Xiaohan, do you like the birthday dinner Grandpa prepared for you?"

    The bright lights shone on Fu Han, and her face, bathed in light without a single w, glowed transparently like a sprite.

    Fu Han¡¯s lively eyes scanned the crowd, and when she saw He Xing, she smiled; He Xing couldn¡¯t recall if he had smiled back, but even now, he only remembered how mesmerizing Fu Han looked at that moment.

    Then Fu Han¡¯s youthful voice chimed in, "Grandpa, can all my wishese true?"

    Elder He¡¯s smile deepened, his confidence as a seasoned businessman evident, as he replied in a deep yet slow voice, "As long as it¡¯s within my power, I will surely grant it."

    He Xing, watching from below the stage, saw it clearly. Fu Han¡¯s eyes shone like ck pearls when she heard this, and she excitedly looked at Elder He, "Grandpa, I want to marry He Xing. Can you agree to this?"

    Elder He was somewhat surprised. His gaze shifted between Fu Han and He Xing. Based on He Xing¡¯s understanding of Elder He, the surprise wasn¡¯t about the request Fu Han had made, but that it was Fu Han who had made it.

    His surprisested less than two seconds, then a smile filled Elder He¡¯s face, "Of course, I can." Then, holding the microphone, Elder He announced to the audience, word by word, "I dere, from today onwards, Fu Han is not only my granddaughter but also my future granddaughter-inw."

    Thunderous apuse erupted. He Xing didn¡¯t smile but simply watched Fu Han on the stage from afar. Fu Han was also looking at him; she wasn¡¯t smiling. Her face turned bright red, a mix of excitement and shyness.

    A smile, like tree roots spreading silently through the soil, began to creep across He Xing¡¯s face. His heartbeat elerated, almost leaping out of his throat.

    At that time, He Xing had recently joined He Group. Many people said he was a pampered young master, born with a silver spoon in his mouth butcking capability.

    He Xing bristled with irritation internally. Blessed with the most radiant youthful looks, he forced himself to appear mature and would never let his smile show. He was saddled with the nickname of the stern-faced young master. At his worst, he had forgotten what expression represented a smile, and even now, He Xing rarely smiled.

    He remembered the day of Fu Han¡¯s eighteenth birthday. Xia Guoxiong had brought along Xia Ning, who wasn¡¯t yet of age, dressed up like a doll.

    But when He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s engagement was confirmed, Xia Ning, crazed, tried to rush the stage. Xia Guoxiong¡¯s fear of Elder He still lingered, so he dared not let Xia Ning disrupt the wedding Elder He had arranged. Thus, he firmly held Xia Ning back.

    Even so, He Xing frowned, and when he turned his head, he met Fu Han¡¯s eyes. The brightness in her eyes had visibly dimmed, as if she had suffered an immense blow.

    At the time, He Xing didn¡¯t understand why, but now, time had passed, and it suddenly dawned on him. Perhaps Fu Han had thought that he didn¡¯t agree to their arranged marriage, and she must have suspected Xia Ning was the reason.

    He Xing pped his forehead,menting his own obtuseness in matters of the heart. If he could have understood Fu Han¡¯s feelings earlier, if he had paid more attention, could the situation have been different?

    No wonder that night, after the birthday party was over and He Xing presented the carefully prepared crystal globe to Fu Han, she was not as happy as he had expected.

    He Xing caressed the cold crystal globe, flicked the switch on its base, and the two little figures inside started to dance. In the air, glitter substituted for snowkes, creating an incredibly beautiful scene.

    He remembered what Fu Han said that day, "He Xing, I know you might not be happy, but in this life, I will marry no one but you, and you can marry no one but me."

    After dering this with a fierce stance and her hands on her waist, Fu Han immediately blushed, took the birthday gift from He Xing, and ran off without looking back.

    He Xing didn¡¯t expect that the little girl who always hovered around him could say such things. He was both surprised and delighted, and in the moment, he said nothing, letting Fu Han leave.

    The next day, everything went back to normal. Fu Han obediently went to school, and He Xing continued to work at He Group in an orderly fashion. As if they had an unspoken agreement, neither of them mentioned the incident again.

    It was only He Xing who, whenever girls confessed to him, would tell them he was already engaged, and that he would be married in two years.

    Indeed, on the day Elder He arranged the engagement between He Xing and Fu Han, He Xing didn¡¯t sleep all night. He had already nned his future with Fu Han, deciding that they would get married once Fu Han reached the legal age in two years, and then they would have children, ideally one boy and one girl. He even thought of the children¡¯s names.

    With these thoughts, He Xing moved the crystal globe away. He wasn¡¯t mistaken¡ªthere was indeed a piece of paper underneath the globe, a very ordinary piece of paper that looked like it was torn off hastily.

    He Xing¡¯s upbringing told him not to touch others¡¯ belongings without permission, but that ordinary piece of paper seemed to exert a magical force,pelling He Xing¡¯s hand to uncontrobly pick it up.

    After unfolding the paper, familiar delicate handwriting appeared before him. He only nced at it and was stunned. This... this was actually a letter ofst will written by Fu Han.

    Moreover, this letter was addressed to He Xing, but he could swear this was the first time he saw it. He had no idea of its existence before now.

    His heart began to race uncontrobly, and before looking through the content of the letter, he nced at the date it was written. It was a letter from a year ago, during the time Fu Han was traveling in Antarctica. Back then, he had entrusted Bai Wei with the task of keeping an eye on Fu Han. Bai Wei hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual about Fu Han¡¯s behavior.

 Chapter 457 Love You Engraved in the Bones

    <h4>Chapter 457: Chapter 457 Love You Engraved in the Bones</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing steadied himself and took the letter paper out of the storage room. The dim lighting here affected his ability to read the letter, so he returned to the chair he had sat in earlier and unfolded the letter.

    "He Xing, by the time you read this letter, I may no longer be in this world. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be sad; you probably will be, but I hope it¡¯s only for a short while and not for a lifetime.

    At this moment, I am 25,000 miles high in the sky, the weather is very bad, and there¡¯s been a slight ident on the ne. Everyone in the cabin is writing their wills. Many can¡¯t even find paper and pen; fortunately, I have a pen, and Luo Qinghe generously donated a sheet of paper to me.

    Three years ago I left your side, and as I left, I never thought of returning; but I dide back, and now that I¡¯m back I don¡¯t want to leave.

    But He Xing, I really don¡¯t like the way you interact with Xia Ning. I don¡¯t like that you treat her so well when you clearly don¡¯t like her. I¡¯ve told you this before, and you said you owed her a favor, but isn¡¯t there another way to repay that debt?

    Sorry, I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m still dwelling on the two of you right now. Maybe only if I truly die, or if you and Xia Ning no longer have an ambiguous rtionship, will this knot in my heart untie.

    He Xing, the ne is shaking. I don¡¯t have time to continue writing. Please tell Grandpa thank you for taking care of me all these years. After I¡¯m gone, you must treat Grandpa very well.

    In the end, I want to tell you that I like you, it¡¯s a kind of liking etched deep into my bones, no matter how the oceans change or fields transform, my affection for you hasn¡¯t stopped for a single minute or second."

    The further she wrote, the messier the handwriting became until He Xing had to guess what was written towards the end.

    He remembered the day Fu Han came back from Antarctica, how he even went to the airport to pick her up. At the time, the airport announcement only mentioned that the ne¡¯snding was dyed due to a technical issue. They didn¡¯t mention an ident like this, and he never asked Fu Han about it after her return.

    He didn¡¯t expect... didn¡¯t expect that the trip had been so fraught withplications, and he had nearly lost Fu Han.

    He Xing¡¯s fingers clenched into fists, and the light in his eyes gradually became crystal clear. Finally, his gaze hardened: "Fu Han, no matter what happens, I will never give up on you."

    His phone rang, and he saw it was a message from Xia Ning: "He Xing brother, Christmas ising soon, can you spend it with me? I¡¯m so bored in the hospital by myself."

    Apanying the text was a picture, showing Xia Ning¡¯s hand with an IV drip.

    Before, He Xing might have hesitated and agreed. Keeping Xia Ningpany for Christmas simply meant bringing hisputer from the office to Xia Ning¡¯s ward. He would just be working in her ward; there wouldn¡¯t be anything else, and since Fu Han wouldn¡¯t know, she wouldn¡¯t get upset, and he could indirectly make it up to Xia Ning.

    But now he didn¡¯t feel that way. Fu Han was worrying about He Xing and Xia Ning¡¯s rtionship even in a life-or-death situation; how big of a knot must this have been for her?

    He Xing typed each character on his phone screen: "Your Christmas gift will be delivered tomorrow, so I won¡¯t join you for the holidays. I have other matters to attend to."

    ...

    A City, the Fu Family vi.

    The night had deepened, and after dancing a few dances, Fu Han found a ce to sit and devoted herself to chatting with He Xing. They chatted about topics spanning from here to there, often not making sense, yet they didn¡¯t feel embarrassed.

    Their rapport had finally returned, and Fu Han was overjoyed.

    She snapped a photo of Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo dancing together and sent it to He Xing with a line of text: "The most beautiful love is to be together for decades and still have eyes only for each other."

    Holding her phone, she eagerly awaited He Xing¡¯s reply, when suddenly a clear voice spoke up: "Have you seen Nan Qing?"

    Fu Han looked up to see Wang Yixuan¡¯s expressionless face. To tell the truth, the first time she saw his face, she was a little startled; whether it was his features or facial structure, Wang Yixuan¡¯s face was beyond reproach, wlessly perfect.

    At one point, she had ranked all the men she knew by their looks: He Xing¡¯s indescribably handsome face was naturally the undisputed number one, followed by Wang Yixuan, whose beauty transcended gender; Luo Qinghe with his shoulder-length hair, handsome facial features, and a rebellious charm was third; Ji Liangchuan and Su Cheng were tied, depending on personal taste.

    At this moment, as Fu Han looked up at Wang Yixuan, she couldn¡¯t help thinking to herself, ¡¯Who says the heavens are fair? A man is even more delicate than a woman.¡¯

    But no matter her inner thoughts, on the surface, Fu Han calmly answered Wang Yixuan¡¯s question with a focus on the main point: "I haven¡¯t seen her."

    Wang Yixuan frowned dubiously: "Impossible, she said she had something to tell you, could she have lied to me?"

    This was the Fu Family¡¯s home, and Fu Han knew that although Wang Yixuan seemed informal, his upbringing kept him from wandering around someone else¡¯s house, which is why he came to find Fu Han.

    After pondering for a moment, Fu Han put away her phone and slowly stood up: "How about I take you to find Nan Qing?"

    "Sure," Wang Yixuan agreed easily, without even a hint of embarrassment at having his intentions uncovered.

    The two of them went toward the staircase, one after the other, both silent.

    Fu Han¡¯s silence was because she suddenly remembered that Wang Yixuan used to be her art teacher, hired by Fu Xingbo. Under his guidance, she had made rapid progress, but after returning to the country, she¡¯d been so preupied that she had all but forgotten about painting. Now seeing her teacher again, she felt a bit awkward.

    The Fu Family vi, like most houses overseas, had a castle-like exterior but was abyrinth of rooms inside.

    She led the way, checking each empty room with Wang Yixuan following.

    Not long before, Nan Qing had received a message. Having danced two dances in a row, she was a bit tired, so she asked Wang Yixuan and Bai Qian to dance while she sat by a table to rest.

    After reading the message, Nan Qing¡¯s gaze flickered several times. After texting Wang Yixuan to "go talk to Fu Han," she got up and headed upstairs.

    Nan Qing had been to the Fu Family¡¯s house before, so she easily made her way to the attic at the top floor, the highest vantage point in the vi with a view of the seaside.

    Nan Qing stood at the entrance of the attic, her expressionplex as she looked at the man standing in front of the window¡ªSu Cheng. She didn¡¯t know how to express her feelings at that moment. She was serious about romance, and once she agreed to Wang Yixuan¡¯s pursuit, she genuinely intended to have a proper life with him. Yet seeing Su Cheng like this, her sadness was undeniable.

    Su Cheng turned around when he heard the movement, and upon seeing Nan Qing, he smiled: "Why have you be as silent as a cat when you walk? Are you trying to scare me to death?"

 Chapter 458 Break Up with Him

    <h4>Chapter 458: Chapter 458 Break Up with Him</h4><h4></h4>

    In the past, they often made such jokes, and Nan Qing would always follow up on Su Cheng¡¯s words.

    But today, for some reason, Nan Qing felt that Su Cheng¡¯s smile was especially fake, like a mask of human skin that didn¡¯t fit, which would tug at the slightest movement.

    She didn¡¯t respond to Su Cheng¡¯s words and just asked while walking inside, "Did you want to see me for something?"

    Flushed with redness, Su Cheng cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment and said in a voice as low as it could get, "Do you really like Wang Yixuan?"

    The heartbeat that Nan Qing had just managed to suppress sped up again, and this time even faster than before, thumping wildly. She avoided Su Cheng¡¯s gaze as if fleeing and challenged him with a question, "Why do you ask? It has nothing to do with you... it has nothing to do with you."

    "But I want to know," Su Cheng stepped closer to Nan Qing, significantly reducing the distance between them, and he could clearly see Nan Qing¡¯s cheeks reddened like apples.

    A surge of warmth filled his chest, and he suddenly reached out and grasped Nan Qing¡¯s shoulders, forcing her to look up at him, "Nan Qing, I really want to know whether you like Wang Yixuan or not."

    Caught off guard, Nan Qing¡¯s eyes fell into Su Cheng¡¯s gaze without any preparation.

    What kind of eyes were those, clear with distinct ck and white pupils, pure like those of a newborn baby; although Su Cheng¡¯s eyes were not big, they were just right. Nan Qing¡¯s mother once said Su Cheng¡¯s eyes were very affectionate.

    The blush on Nan Qing¡¯s face deepened, and at this moment, she knew crystal clear that even now, she couldn¡¯t say she was entirely without feelings for Su Cheng, but what about Wang Yixuan?

    The blush faded from Nan Qing¡¯s face like a receding tide, and she smiled and said, "Of course, I like Wang Yixuan. If I didn¡¯t, why would I be with him?"

    Su Cheng was stunned, staring fixedly at Nan Qing as if trying to see through her eyes and into her heart.

    After a few seconds, he spoke again, "What if I asked you not to be with Wang Yixuan, would you listen?"

    "Why?" Nan Qing raised her hands to push away Su Cheng¡¯s, which were on her shoulders, puffing up like a ruffled rooster, "Are you trying to badmouth Wang Yixuan? He told me everything when he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I agreed to it fully informed."

    "But..." Su Cheng still wouldn¡¯t give up, looking at Nan Qing, who was nearly a meter away from him, he said, "What if I tell you that if you break up with Wang Yixuan, I¡¯ll make you my girlfriend?"

    All of Nan Qing¡¯s anger vanished, and she stared at Su Cheng with wide eyes, her first thought being that something was wrong with her ears, "Are you crazy? Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?"

    Actually, right after those words left his mouth, Su Cheng also felt some regret, but now facing Nan Qing¡¯s questioning, he suddenly became unwaveringly determined, nodding hard, "I¡¯m serious. Nan Qing, I don¡¯t know if I like you or not, but I¡¯m certain that I¡¯m very ufortable seeing you with Wang Yixuan, and I¡¯m extremely jealous of him, so would you consider thinking it over again?"

    The harsh cold wind pped against the windowpanes, which trembled as if they might fall at any moment.

    Cooled by the cold breeze seeping through the window cracks, Nan Qing felt much refreshed all over, and with the retreat of her heated blood, all that remained wasposure.

    "Su Cheng, if you had said those words earlier, I would have been with you without hesitation; but I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t be with you now. Adults should be responsible for everything they do, and it was my choice to be with Wang Yixuan. Although I can¡¯t say I like him as much as I liked you at the beginning, I know I do like him, and I will always be with him, that¡¯s enough."

    Outside the loft, Fu Han and Wang Yixuan had turned into geckos, obliviously pressing their ears against the cold wall, straining to hear as much as possible.

    Fu Han thought Su Cheng was a real jerk when she heard what he said, and she almost couldn¡¯t restrain herself from rushing out to scold him; fortunately, Nan Qing was calm, and though hesitant, she gave a response that satisfied Fu Han in the end.

    Heaven knows how worried Fu Han was that Nan Qing might impulsively return to the deep pit that was Su Cheng.

    Fu Han used to think that Wang Yixuan was not good enough for Nan Qing, but after some thought, she realized that except for his somewhat sharp tongue, there really wasn¡¯t anything wrong with him. With both looks and talent top-notch, he was definitely worthy of Nan Qing.

    It¡¯s not that Su Cheng wasn¡¯t good enough for Nan Qing; Fu Han felt that Su Cheng was like a monkey in a melon field, always searching and never knowing what he truly wanted.

    Fu Han nudged Wang Yixuan¡¯s shoulder and teased with a smirk, "How about that, feeling better now?"

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s exquisite face turned thoroughly red, and he whispered in a low voice, "Don¡¯t tell Nan Qing I was here."

    Then, on tiptoe and without looking back, he slipped away with incredible speed.

    Cursing Wang Yixuan in her heart for being unloyal and inhumane, Fu Han also prepared to retreat, but before she could turn around, she saw Nan Qinging out of the loft.

    Nan Qing was clearly surprised to see Fu Han there, and Fu Han, flushed with embarrassment, also didn¡¯t forget to gesture to Nan Qing to keep silent.

    The two girls left the outside of the loft, one after the other, with Su Chengpletely unaware inside.

    In Fu Han¡¯s room, Nan Qing gave her a peculiar once-over, "When did you get there, what did you hear exactly?"

    "Eh..." Fu Han coughed and decided to tell the truth, "I got there when Su Cheng asked you to break up with Wang Yixuan."

    Nan Qing blushed profoundly, stomping her foot while covering Fu Han¡¯s mouth, "Don¡¯t say any more, be careful Wang Yixuan hears."

    "Afraid of what?" Fu Han pushed away Nan Qing¡¯s hand, "You rejected Su Cheng, that was right. Wang Yixuan would be very happy to know."

    "Happy about what?" Nan Qing plopped down on a chair, her delicately groomed eyebrows furrowing, "Although he doesn¡¯t say anything, he¡¯s the type to get jealous easily. Because we¡¯ve met Su Cheng more often these days, he¡¯s hardly paying attention to me."

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression when he was eavesdropping shed in Fu Han¡¯s mind, his eyebrows furrowed like caterpirs, his whole body emanating a sense of "awkwardness" when he left. She thought these two were indeed awkward with each other.

    After thinking, she still couldn¡¯t help but tease, "If you know he doesn¡¯t want you to have anything to do with Su Cheng, why did you go upstairs to meet Su Cheng?"

    "I..." Nan Qing stuck out her tongue, yfully saying, "I just wanted to see what Su Cheng would say, that¡¯s all."

 Chapter 459 Deep Sisterly Love

    <h4>Chapter 459: Chapter 459 Deep Sisterly Love</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han looked helplessly at Nan Qing but soon had to admit that if she were Nan Qing, she would also want toe and take a look, after all, it was a youthful crush, years of obsession.

    Yet, thinking of Wang Yixuan¡¯s recent behavior, Fu Han felt somewhat... It was aplex emotion that was indescribable.

    She looked at Nan Qing and said seriously, "But Nan Qing, I think it¡¯s best if you exin to Wang Yixuan that it was he who entrusted me to find you."

    "Really?" After receiving a positive response, Nan Qing nodded vigorously, "Okay, I understand, I¡¯ll go and exin it to him."

    The conversation should have ended there, but Fu Han thought it over and couldn¡¯t help but speak again, "Nan Qing, I know you may not like Su Cheng, but the rtionship you two have from growing up together is different; however, if you truly like Wang Yixuan, you need to consider Wang Yixuan more when you¡¯re with Su Cheng."

    Nan Qing looked intently at Fu Han and nodded firmly, "Okay, I understand, Fu Han, thank you for telling me these things."

    It was a very simple exchange, but to Fu Han¡¯s ears, it was incredibly touching. She hugged Nan Qing¡¯s shoulders, and on Nan Qing, she could still smell the familiar scent from the past, the light fragrance of perfume mingled with the scent of shower gel and shampoo, giving a warm feeling.

    Nan Qing also hugged Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, "Fu Han, I don¡¯t know what exactly happened between you and He Xing, but if you really broke up with He Xing, maybe... maybe you should consider Su Cheng, I¡¯ve known him for so many years, I can tell he truly likes you."

    Fu Han had never expected Nan Qing to say such a thing in this situation, the sheer surprise made her momentarily at a loss for words.

    She felt her cheeks flush evidently, overwhelmed by a strong urge to avoid the topic, but still, she answered Nan Qing in a calm voice as much as possible.

    "I know Su Cheng is a good person, and I know he sincerely likes me, but love is such a strange thing, that feeling cannot be forced, even if I do not end up with He Xing, I would definitely not be with Su Cheng."

    Although she did not speak loudly, her words carried a resolute weight.

    Under the bright lights of the courtyard, the big snow outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was clearly visible, fluttering about as if fairies were tossing flowers from baskets in mid-air.

    Fu Han watched the snowkes outside, Nan Qing watched Fu Han.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Nan Qing finally spoke again, "Fu Han, thank you."

    After saying this, Nan Qing left without turning back.

    In therge room, only Fu Han remained. She moved closer to the ss, and the sky in her view seemed even more expansive with a blue velvety backdrop hanging in the firmament, with a smattering of stars twinkling upon it.

    Fu Han knew why Nan Qing was thanking her; she was doing it on behalf of Su Cheng.

    In love, what¡¯s worse than unrequited feelings is not rejecting nor epting, denying the underdog even the right to walk away,pletely reducing them to being a backup.

    Nan Qing¡¯s thanks were for Fu Han¡¯s decisive and straightforward rejection of Su Cheng.

    ...

    In City A, Xia Group¡¯s Chairman¡¯s Office.

    "Tell me, what exactly is going on?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice, hard to conceal his anger, reverberated thunderously in the spacious office.

    In front of his desk stood a person, short in stature, reaching only up to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s shoulder; the unttering appearance of this short man was almost tailor-made for the phrase ¡¯sly and beady-eyed¡¯.

    But despite his appearance that could be considered environmental pollution, this man was Xia Guoxiong¡¯s right-hand man, and everyone in the Xia Group respectfully referred to him as Mr. Ji.

    Under such furious wrath, Mr. Ji appeared very calm. He bent down to pick up papers scattered on the floor and slowly said, "Chairman, if I hadn¡¯t discovered these things, who knows when you would have been informed."

    Xia Group, operating as an outsourcing entity on-site, coborated with the Huangpu Family on a big project worth three billion. However, recently, someone had reported them for regtory vitions, and the Huangpu Family had expelled all Xia Family members from the site that very day.

    A few days had passed since the incident, but Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯t heard a single piece of news about it; just as Mr. Ji said, without his report, who knew when Xia Guoxiong would have found out.

    "Where is Yi Lixing? Call him to see me immediately," demanded Xia Guoxiong, his chest heaving and face flushed red as if he might faint from cerebral congestion the next second.

    "I¡¯m afraid he cannote to see you right now," Mr. Ji said with a grin, revealing his off-putting yellow teeth, much like his unpleasant, owl-likeughter, "These past few days, Mr. Yi has been busy rendezvousing with his lover at the Jiangshan Ruhuamunity, too upied toe to thepany."

    "Jiangshan Ruhua?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression shifted when he heard these four words. A wild theory sprouted in his mind, closely rted to his pride, but ultimately, he did not voice it.

    But just because he didn¡¯t say it didn¡¯t mean others wouldn¡¯t, and Mr. Ji, looking at Xia Guoxiong, said somewhat schadenfreudely, "Master, you¡¯re not wrong to guess, his old me is indeed your little secretary."

    "What did you say?" This was not so much a question as a threat, his entire demeanor screamed, "You¡¯d better stop talking."

    Nothing hits a man harder than a blow dealt by a woman.

    Not long ago, Xia Guoxiong found out his son had been fooling around with his secretary, giving him a cuckold; now to learn that his subordinate was fooling around with his secretary too, that was overwhelmingly humiliating.

    Unfortunately, Mr. Ji did not seem to catch the unspoken implication in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words, or perhaps he did but chose not to y along.

    Mr. Ji¡¯s rough voice began to rise, "Chairman, seeing you and the young master suffer so much at the hands of Qin Nuan, I decided to investigate this woman. Guess what, she was introduced by Yi Lixing. While I did not get all the details about their past, the recent events are very clear. Qin Nuan went to the hospital for a protective procedure recently, and Yi Lixing was by her side the whole time. Yi Lixing did not just visit Qin Nuan at the hospital every day, he went to Jiangshan Ruhua to see her every day after she was discharged. What do you think their rtionship could be?"

    At that moment, Xia Guoxiong¡¯sst bit of male pride was trampled underfoot. The rage in his heart was like a volcano on the brink of eruption, with moltenva churning violently, as though ready to obliterate the world.

 Chapter 460: Caught Cheating on the Spot

    <h4>Chapter 460: Chapter 460: Caught Cheating on the Spot</h4><h4></h4>

    In the face of tremendous anger, Xia Guoxiong had already forgotten to deal with the matters concerning Huangpu Group. He grabbed his car keys and went straight out, leaving behind only the words, "Old Ji, you stay at thepany. Call me if something happens."

    Jiangshan Ruhua is an upscale residential area, only a twenty-minute drive from the Xia Family¡¯s vi. Xia Guoxiong had chosen to rent an apartment here for Qin Nuan precisely because of its proximity.

    It¡¯s just that Xia Guoxiong had yed with countless women over the years, but he was a stingy man. He could give tens of thousands in living expenses every month, but it was impossible for him to buy a house for a woman.

    Qin Nuan had been with him for half a year, the longest-serving secretary by his side, yet the most expensive gift Xia Guoxiong had bought for Qin Nuan during this half year was a BMW Mini.

    The apartment in Jiangshan Ruhua was rented by Xia Guoxiong. He used to visit every now and then, so naturally, he remembered its location clearly. Even the keychain he carried had the keys to this ce.

    Xia Guoxiong parked his car downstairs and then directly took the elevator up.

    ...

    Inside the apartment Qin Nuan was renting.

    She had been discharged from the hospital a few days ago. Being young and with the pregnancy not too far along, she recovered quickly after the abortion surgery. Now, Qin Nuan looked no different from before.

    The spacious room was filled with ample air conditioning. Inside, Qin Nuan was wearing a camisole dress, and outside, a knitted cardigan. Her waist-length hair was casually clipped behind her head, with strands gently falling from both sides of her face, giving her an even more gentle and graceful appearance.

    She rummaged through the liquor cab, took out half a bottle of red wine, and poured two sses. She handed one to Yi Lixing, who was looking at his phone in front of the sofa, and held the other herself.

    "Looking at stocks again?" Qin Nuan nced at Yi Lixing¡¯s phone, sat down beside him, resting her chin on Yi Lixing¡¯s shoulder, her entire bodyx like it had no bones, leaning on Yi Lixing.

    "Just casually looking." Yi Lixing immediately put away his phone, shook the red wine in his hand, downing it in one go, while his other hand rested on Qin Nuan¡¯s waist.

    Qin Nuan giggled, bringing the red wine in her hand to her lips, but before she could take a sip, Yi Lixing suddenly took away her wine ss, "You just had surgery, don¡¯t drink."

    "Then will you drink for me?" Qin Nuan slowly rose, opting to kneel on the sofa, her body slightly tilted as she reached over Yi Lixing to grab the ss on the coffee table, seemingly unintentionally brushing Yi Lixing¡¯s arm.

    The wine ss was brought to Yi Lixing¡¯s lips, and after a nce at her, he drank the red wine, finishing it off with help from her hand.

    "You bad person, you drank it all." Qin Nuan pouted at Yi Lixing, but the next second she suddenlyughed, quickly pecked Yi Lixing on the lips, "Then give me a drink like that."

    "Just a kiss and run?" Yi Lixing wrapped his arms around Qin Nuan, and kisses fell like raindrops. The two of them rolled into a tangle on the sofa, their clothes thrown carelessly on the floor.

    Xia Guoxiong listened at the door for a moment, provoked by the indecent sounds inside. Without caring about anything else, he clicked the door open.

    Even though he was prepared, the scene inside the room still took Xia Guoxiong by surprise. Two bare bodies were entangled on the sofa, ringly obscene.

    "What... what are you doing?"

    The two on the sofa, deep in their passion, hadn¡¯t noticed Xia Guoxiong¡¯s entrance until they heard his words. Startled, especially Yi Lixing, who practically sprang up. While trying to dress, he babbled his exnation, "President Xia, listen to me, it was Qin Nuan who seduced me; it has nothing to do with me."

    Xia Guoxiong was in no mood to listen to such talk, or rather, he never intended to hear Yi Lixing out. He only looked distantly at the naked Qin Nuan, "Qin Nuan, I believe I have treated you fairly well. Why would you do this to me?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between Xia Guoxiong and Yi Lixing. At Yi Lixing¡¯s words, thest glimmer of light in her eyes had already faded away.

    Compared to Yi Lixing¡¯s panic, she was clearly much calmer. Simply, she calmly pulled over a nket to wrap around her body, then gracefully stood up, positioning herself not far from Xia Guoxiong to face him.

    "President Xia, you have only ever regarded me as a ything. Had I not contacted Xia Cheng or Yi Lixing, you would have discarded me long ago. So why pretend to be so affectionate now?"

    Xia Guoxiong trembled with rage, his face turning the color of a liver. He pointed at Qin Nuan¡¯s nose and scolded, "You whore, I treated you so well for nothing. This is my rented house, get the hell out."

    "Fine, but don¡¯t regret it," Qin Nuan sneered and, pointing at her stomach, said, "I¡¯ll go out right now and call for a press conference, and tell them how you and your bastard son yed with me so much that I don¡¯t even know who the father of the child in my belly is."

    Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯t expected Qin Nuan to make such a statement. He could imagine that once the rtionship between him, his son, and Qin Nuan was exposed, many things would not be simply exined away as mere scandals.

    By now, Yi Lixing had nearly finished dressing, buttoning his shirt while acting as a peacemaker, "President Xia, let¡¯s talk this over calmly, please. Right now, we are grasshoppers tied to the same string; falling out does no one any good."

    His words effectively reminded Xia Guoxiong and finally brought to mind the issue of Yi Lixing¡¯s deception.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s rage shifted from Qin Nuan to Yi Lixing, "Weren¡¯t you telling me that there was no problem with the cooperation between Xia Group and Huangpu Group? What¡¯s the situation now?"

    Several days had passed since the coboration between the two groups had ceased, and Yi Lixing had no intention of informing Xia Guoxiong. Hearing Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words, he awkwardly coughed twice, "President Xia, I intentionally didn¡¯t tell you because I was still figuring out a solution. If I managed to solve it, there was no need to upset you, right?"

    "So have you solved it yet?" The rage in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s heart lessened considerably, hope flickering within.

    Yi Lixing appeared troubled, "I haven¡¯t got it sorted yet. The day before yesterday, I approached the finance department wanting to disburse a sum of money to smooth over rtions, but Mr. Ji didn¡¯t agree, so..."

    He spread his hands in a helpless gesture, his demeanor far from that of a man caught cheating; rather, he seemed as if Xia Guoxiong owed him money.

    "Mr. Ji has his reasons for his actions," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s brow furrowed again. His gaze circled between Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing before settling on Yi Lixing, "Hurry up and get your things together. Come to thepany with me; we need to discuss this matter further."

    Under Qin Nuan¡¯s shocked and angry gaze, the two men, who should havee to blows, left her apartment just like that.

 Chapter 461: Boldly Invading He Group

    <h4>Chapter 461: Chapter 461: Boldly Invading He Group</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Guoxiong, Mr. Ji, and Yi Lixing had been meeting for several hours, discussing naturally the crisis facing the Xia Group. The three men, as if they had agreed beforehand, did not mention the matter between Yi Lixing and Qin Nuan¡ªnot even a single word¡ªas if the incident had never happened.

    However, during their meeting, Mr. Ji and Yi Lixing took subtle digs at each other, the air thick with the scent of gunpowder about to ignite.

    In fact, on the way back to the Xia Group with Xia Guoxiong, Yi Lixing had already badmouthed Mr. Ji quite extensively in the car.

    He critiqued how Mr. Ji had made himself a local tyrant within the Xia Group, how he cultivated his loyalists regardless of performance¡ªonly favoring people from his own camp. He also used Mr. Ji of iming false expenses under the guise of reimbursements.

    To this, Xia Guoxiong simply asked Yi Lixing if he had any evidence. Upon hearing an affirmative answer, he asked Yi Lixing to hand over the evidence so he could deal with it.

    After several hours, the meeting produced just one oue: Xia Guoxiong was to find He Xing and ask for his assistance in handling the matter, rifying the cooperation between Xia Group and Huangpu Group.

    If there was anyone in City A who could settle this matter, apart from He Xing, they couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who had the capability.

    Over the years, with the support of the He Group, Xia Guoxiong had thrived too smoothly and had done many things detrimental to the He Group behind their back. Yet, He Xing often turned a blind eye¡ªeven going as far as to help Xia Group handle crises!

    So now, Xia Guoxiong naturally assumed that He Xing would certainly help him, especially since Xia Ning was still hospitalized. Although Xia Ning¡¯s life-saving grace was greatly exaggerated, He Xing didn¡¯t know that.

    Having decided on a course of action, Xia Guoxiong immediately drove to the He Group. Upon being told at the reception that He Xing had meetings all morning, Xia Guoxiong barged in like a hooligan berating someone on the street, forcefully making his way to He Xing¡¯s office.

    He pushed open the door of He Xing¡¯s office and shouted loudly, "He Xing, you¡¯re really putting on airs these days. I can¡¯t even get an audience with you!"

    Liang Tao stood up quickly to intercept Xia Guoxiong, "Director Xia, President He is currently in a phone conference. If there¡¯s something you need, you can tell me, and I¡¯ll ry the message to President He, alright?"

    "You ry the message? Who do you think you are, daring to stop me here?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s finger nearly poked Liang Tao in the forehead.

    While saying this, he continued to charge in, shouting even louder, "He Xing,e out! I have something important to discuss with you."

    The outer part of He Xing¡¯s office is where Liang Tao works, and there is a ssically elegant, semi-transparent screen separating Liang Tao¡¯s office from that of He Xing.

    As he spoke, Xia Guoxiong had already crossed the screen and stepped inside,ing face to face with He Xing.

    What kind of eyes were those? They were like a dead sea where no disturbance could stir the slightest ripple, or a boundless ocean that embraced everything.

    By age, He Xing was unquestionably Xia Guoxiong¡¯s junior. Yet, even Xia Guoxiong couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy under that gaze.

    It was as if there was an invisible barrier in front of him, and Xia Guoxiong¡¯s steps came to an abrupt halt. Almost instinctively, he offered He Xing a conciliatory smile.

    Liang Tao followed Xia Guoxiong into the room, his face showing resigned helplessness. Only after He Xing nodded did he retreat out again.

    Slowly removing his headset, He Xing looked emotionless as he addressed Xia Guoxiong, "Uncle Xia, what brings you here?"

    "Well..." Xia Guoxiong chuckled awkwardly, slowly making his way to He Xing¡¯s desk, a mix of pleading and resignation in his tone, "He Xing, Uncle Xia is in big trouble. No one but you can help me. You have to think of a way for me."

    He Xing first instructed the outer office, "Liang Tao, bring in two cups of hot coffee," then gestured towards the sofa, "Uncle Xia, please sit down, and we can talk."

    It wasn¡¯t clear how it happened, but although Xia Guoxiong had barged in and should have been controlling the pace, he found himselfpletely overpowered by He Xing¡¯s presence. Now he obediently sat on the sofa, following He Xing¡¯s directive.

    Xia Guoxiong felt as if... as if he was a parent called to school by a much younger teacher for a child¡¯s mistake, nervously and scrupulously heeding the teacher¡¯s words.

    It wasn¡¯t until Liang Tao brought in two steaming cups of coffee that He Xing finally began to speak, "Uncle Xia, tell me exactly what happened. If there¡¯s any way I can help you, I will."

    In the biting cold of winter, He Xing¡¯s office felt like the warm spring, its interior blooming with several kinds of flowers, bringing a ssh of beautiful color to the cold season.

    It was only when Xia Guoxiong followed He Xing¡¯s gaze that he noticed these flowers. Upon hearing He Xing¡¯s words, he felt like he had been injected with a shot of adrenaline.

    Excitedly, he said, "He Xing, your words are enough for me."

    In the time that followed, Xia Guoxiong eagerly exined the purpose of his visit. He didn¡¯t stick to the n; instead, he blurted out all the issues at once.

    But after all, he was a man who had spent decades wheeling and dealing in the business world, with first-ss skills in shirking responsibility. He shifted the me for stealing He Group¡¯s projects entirely onto Huangpu Group, iming that it was the Huangpu Group that initiated cooperation with the Xia Group, and he had nothing to do with it.

    Having said everything that needed to be said, and even things that didn¡¯t, Xia Guoxiong looked at He Xing expectantly with his eyes that were neitherrge nor bright, "He Xing, although Huangpu Group¡¯s actions are heartless, if this project falls through, the Xia family won¡¯t have good days ahead."

    He Xing¡¯s gaze finally moved from the orchid to Xia Guoxiong, his eyebrows lifting slightly, "Uncle Xia, is there anything else you want to say?"

    Unsure of what He Xing meant, Xia Guoxiong swallowed and said quietly, "Not for now... But you have to help me. If the Xia family gets into trouble, I won¡¯t even be able to afford Xia Ning¡¯s medical expenses."

    "Xia Ning¡¯s medical expenses will be taken care of by me," said He Xing tly. "As for the illegal activities between Xia Group and Huangpu Group, I... cannot help."

    In all of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s calctions, he had never anticipated such a straightforward and decisive refusal from He Xing. Stunned, his mouth hung open wide, asically as the question he then asked, "Why?"

    He Xing smiled again, calmly stating, "Because I arranged for someone to report it. So, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t handle this matter; it¡¯s that I orchestrated it."

 Chapter 462: Unexpected Harvest

    <h4>Chapter 462: Chapter 462: Unexpected Harvest</h4><h4></h4>

    "You?" Xia Guoxiong was dumbfounded, so shocked that his mind turned to mush, he had never considered this possibility.

    But now that the possibility had arisen, he felt that it was not entirely impossible.

    A bolt of lightning struck Xia Guoxiong¡¯s heart, and he violently shook his head, realizing that it was very likely, extremely likely, that He Xing had done this.

    Doing business is not the same as running a charitable organization, and the fact that He Xing had taken He Group up a notch in just a few years proved that He Xing was no ordinary man or that he did not treat the He Group as a charitable organization to be managed.

    A merchant always repays debts of gratitude and vengeance, which is only natural.

    A three-billion project is a juicy steak anywhere, and for He Group, this steak was already at their lips, yet someone had used some means to snatch it away.

    Speaking objectively and fairly, what would others think of He Group if He Xing did nothing in response? Everyone would probably think that He Group was a dying lion, that just about anyone could take a bite from.

    He Xing¡¯s calm voice rang out like a musical movement in the dead of winter, clear as a phoenix¡¯s cry, "Why? If Huangpu Group dares to make a move on me, and I don¡¯t teach them a lesson, He Group will be a joke when we walk out the door."

    "But... but..." Xia Guoxiong stammered, unwilling to give up, "He Xing, is there still room for negotiation? Even if you don¡¯t deal with Huangpu Group, you can¡¯t just ignoring Xia Group.

    Even without the chill of the wind, Xia Guoxiong could feel his back drenched in sweat. He refused to admit that he was scared, convinced that it was simply the heating in He Xing¡¯s office being too high.

    The wait for He Xing¡¯s response felt as long as a century, but in reality, less than two minutes had passed since Xia Guoxiong finished speaking.

    After two minutes, He Xing spoke words that chilled Xia Guoxiong to the bone, "Uncle Xia, I know that Auntie Du Wanting saved my life. Even though she was already terminally ill and her time was short, I still feel indebted to the Xia family. Over the years, I have been responsive to any request from the Xia family. While the life-saving debt may not be fully repaid, I have done my duty towards you, haven¡¯t I?"

    "You... you¡¯ve been very... very kind to our Xia family." Xia Guoxiong¡¯s tongue seemed to be tied in a knot, unable to articte a simple sentence.

    Mainly because he was too shocked. It had been over a decade since Du Wanting saved He Xing, enough to be considered part of a bygone era.

    In the years before, Xia Guoxiong had started his business venture, and not everyone who ¡¯went to sea¡¯ was sessful. At least at that time, the four people in the Xia family lived a challenging life.

    Du Wanting had to support Xia Guoxiong in his business and be a good wife and mother, taking care of the young Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, until she eventually fell ill from overwork.

    At that time, medical resources were limited, or perhaps there were means to treat Du Wanting¡¯s illness, but Xia Guoxiong had no money as he had invested it all into his startup.

    The couple acted as if by mutual agreement, neither brought up the matter of treatment, silently awaiting the inevitable end the doctor had predicted.

    Then, before that inevitable end came, Du Wanting inadvertently saved He Xing¡¯s life.

    In truth, Xia Guoxiong was not as heartbroken by Du Wanting¡¯s death as his children seemed to be. Not that he didn¡¯t love her, but he had long been prepared for her departure. So when he found out that the person Du Wanting saved was the sole heir of the He family of that generation, his sorrow felt like a spark thrown into the ocean,cking even the desire to flounder.

    But Xia Guoxiong¡¯s disy of grief was still intense; every time the He family spoke to him about Du Wanting, he would weep bitterly to enhance the He family¡¯s sense of guilt, thereby increasing their support for Xia Group.

    At the same time, Xia Guoxiong was clever; he concealed the fact that Du Wanting had been terminally ill. Actually, there seemed no need to hide it, because who would check the natural lifespan of a corpse at that time? Besides, there wasn¡¯t the technology for that kind of examination anyway.

    Yet Xia Guoxiong was scheming; he not only destroyed every piece of evidence rted to Du Wanting¡¯s illness at home but also went out of his way to instruct every person in the know never to divulge this to anyone, especially He Xing.

    As for Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, he had no need to warn them. They were young, and their memories were limited, all the more since Du Wanting and Xia Guoxiong never discussed her condition in front of the children. So all Xia Guoxiong needed to do was to reinforce in the children the pain of losing their mother; he didn¡¯t need to do anything else.

    One clever trick can conquer all challenges.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s ritual of mourning histe wife on any asion had worked countless times over the past decade, and it still worked.

    He had thought that Du Wanting¡¯s secret would stay buried forever, but to his surprise, He Xing had just casually mentioned it.

    "He Xing, how... how did you know?" Xia Guoxiong hated himself for speaking out as if he had confirmed the truth of He Xing¡¯s words.

    Indeed, upon hearing his words, He Xing¡¯s smile deepened, but unfortunately for Xia Guoxiong, there was no warmth in that smile, "You insisted that I watch Xia Ning while she took her afternoon nap at the hospital yesterday. It was something she said in her sleep. I merely asked her about it casually today; I didn¡¯t expect it to be true."

    There¡¯s a difference between being indebted for a life to someone who ought to have lived to a ripe old age and to someone who was fated to lose her life. At least with thetter, your feelings of guilt wouldn¡¯t be as intense.

    Honestly speaking, when He Xing heard Xia Ning, in her dream, say, "Mom, you must take your medicine on time... Mom, don¡¯t leave me," he felt incredibly mixed emotions, countless thoughts interwoven in his heart.

    But it was too difficult to verify events from over a decade ago. The main issue for He Xing was that seeking such verification felt immoral, a hurdle in his heart.

    He hadn¡¯t expected that without even provoking Xia Guoxiong, the man would deliver himself to his doorstep, so he bluffed, never anticipating it would turn out to be true.

    After thinking for a while, He Xing added, "Uncle Xia, even though Auntie Du Wanting was indeed at death¡¯s door at that time, she did save me, and that¡¯s a fact. I will not forget her kindness. I will surely help the Xia family if I can, but as for today¡¯s matter, I¡¯m sorry, I cannot help."

    "But..." Xia Guoxiong, not receiving the response he wanted, naturally refused to give up. He hesitantly began, "But He Xing, this project is very important to Xia Group. We¡¯ve already invested the initial funds. Now that we are being pulled from the project, what... what about the invested funds?"

 Chapter 463: Working Overtime

    <h4>Chapter 463: Chapter 463: Working Overtime</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s handsome brows furrowed as he touched his chin and said calmly, "Uncle Xia, my people have assessed the situation, and although Xia Group will incur some losses, those losses are within your capacity to bear. I think adults should be responsible for their choices. Since you initially chose to coborate with Huangpu Group, you must have done a risk assessment and prepared for the potential losses. As long as you manage your business well, I believe Xia Group will quickly recover its vitality."

    About half an hourter, Xia Guoxiong finally left He Xing¡¯s office. Saying he left empty-handed wouldn¡¯t be urate, for He Xing neither offered assistance to Xia Guoxiong nor outright refused, instead, gave Xia Guoxiong a subtle but firm rejection.

    At the same time, He Xing also made it clear to Xia Guoxiong that if he continued to y dirty behind He Group¡¯s back like before, He Xing definitely wouldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer.

    After Xia Guoxiong left, Liang Tao entered the room, tidying the now cold coffee on the table as he said, "Boss He, aren¡¯t you leaving work early today to celebrate the holiday with the Chairman?"

    "Yes." He Xing looked at the time, and as he began to pack his things, he said to Liang Tao, "You should leave early today, too. Go spend the holiday with your girlfriend."

    "Girl... what girlfriend?" Liang Tao¡¯s bronze chubby face turned red as he became flustered, "Boss He, you can¡¯t just say things like that, I... I don¡¯t have a girlfriend."

    In that short while, He Xing had already stuffed hisptop and some unfinished documents into his briefcase. Looking up from behind his officeputer calmly, he spoke to Liang Tao in a tone one might use with a simpleton, "Aren¡¯t you pursuing Fu Han¡¯s assistant, that girl called... what was her name again?"

    "Zhao Ting." Liang Tao hastily interjected, "Boss He, I like her, but she hasn¡¯t agreed to date me yet. Please don¡¯t spread rumors."

    "Alright already, you¡¯ve been chasing her for about half a year now and still haven¡¯t seeded. You¡¯re making me lose face. If you don¡¯t seed in confessing tonight, don¡¯t bothering to the office tomorrow," He Xing said, his disdain nearly written across his face.

    After he said that, he walked out with his briefcase without looking back, and he even whistled as he left.

    Indeed, He Xing was in a good mood. First, he had learned about Du Wanting¡¯s health condition that year; although the life-saving favor was still there, it no longer felt like a mountain weighing heavily on him. Second, after spending more than a decade bottling up his feelings, he had finally expressed that he would no longer indulge Xia Family¡¯s underhanded tactics.

    Humming a tune, he drove, contemting what to say to Fu Han during their video call that day; Fu Han disliked him being too close to Xia Family. Would she be happier if he told her about his talk with Xia Guoxiong?

    ...

    Mall in City A.

    During the holidays, the ce became extraordinarily crowded, bustling with people. Almost every restaurant had a line of people waiting outside, and Christmas carols were ying throughout.

    He Xing was right; today was the day Liang Tao had nned for his confession, and within his financial means, he had managed to book a popr online-famous restaurant, luckily without the need to queue up.

    He Xing left work early today, which also meant Liang Tao could leave early.

    Liang Tao had gone out of his way to pick up Zhao Ting from herpany. Along the way, they encountered countless people selling roses, who would directly hand a rose to the girls and then push the QR code into Liang Tao¡¯s face, "Sir, the roses are very cheap, just fifteen yuan each. Look at how much your girlfriend likes it."

    Thus, from the subway station exit to the mall entrance, in the short span of not even ten minutes, Zhao Ting went from empty-handed to holding arge bunch of roses, proving that there were simply too many rose sellers.

    Because they had reserved the restaurant in advance, Liang Tao and Zhao Ting didn¡¯t have to wait and could go directly in to dine.

    Today was of great significance for Liang Tao, so he was very careful in picking the restaurant, even conducting prior reconnaissance on the instagrammable spot.

    As it turned out, his efforts were fruitful. Sitting on thefortable sofa, Zhao Ting looked out at the throngs of people with a sense of wonder, "I really don¡¯t understand why everyone likes to go out during the holidays; besides seeing crowds of people, what else is there to see?"

    As she spoke, she propped her face with her hands, herrge, twinkling eyes making her look particrly charming.

    Zhao Ting¡¯s appearance could only be regarded as average, but her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, very much like the standard fox-like eyes that catch one¡¯s attention, ensuring that they capture your gaze the moment youy eyes on her.

    As Liang Tao himself had small eyes and was chubby, his eyes would turn into mere slits when he smiled, which is why he waspletely defenseless against people withrge eyes.

    Although Zhao Ting was Fu Han¡¯s assistant, it was true that Liang Tao didn¡¯t see her often. But for Liang Tao, it was love at first sight.

    Through relentless persuasion, Liang Tao obtained Zhao Ting¡¯s number from the receptionist at Fu Han¡¯spany and then embarked on his lengthy pursuit of Zhao Ting.

    Hearing Zhao Ting¡¯s words, Liang Tao immediately showed a signature honest smile, "Everyone chooses toe out and y on holidays probably because holidays create stronger memories, and if a beautiful memory can be associated with a holiday, that memory gets a clearbel, making itst a long time."

    "That makes so much sense. Howe I can¡¯t say things like that?" Zhao Ting said, puzzled, shaking her head. Her smile made her face more lively, especially those wless eyes.

    Liang Tao¡¯s own eyes brightened. Moved by He Xing¡¯s words, he took Zhao Ting¡¯s hand in a sudden rush of emotion, "Zhao Ting, I like you. Be my girlfriend."

    He was not a man to speak softly or subtly, and his voice rose significantly in his excitement, attracting the attention of nearby diners who began to gather around.

    A blush crept onto Zhao Ting¡¯s face. She struggled to pull her hand back without sess and managed to say through clenched teeth, "Why are you bringing this up now? Aren¡¯t we going to have dinner after all?"

    Liang Tao mistakenly interpreted Zhao Ting¡¯s reaction as shyness and gripped her hand even tighter, saying with greater excitement, "Zhao Ting, I... I asked you out today because I wanted to confess to you. I¡¯ve liked you for a long time, and I want to date with marriage in mind."

    "Say yes to him, say yes to him, say yes to him!" It was unclear who started the chant, but the crowd picked it up.

    Zhao Ting¡¯s face grew redder by the second, especially as she saw Liang Tao¡¯s hopeful look. Finally, she stood up abruptly, "Sorry, I just remembered I have unfinished work, I need to go back for overtime. Goodbye."

 Chapter 464: Happiness in the Future

    <h4>Chapter 464: Chapter 464: Happiness in the Future</h4><h4></h4>

    Before Li Tao could react, Zhao Ting had already run off without looking back. Faced with everyone¡¯s varied gazes, Li Tao¡¯s face turned beet red. In a hurry, he grabbed arge bunch of roses from the table and chased after her.

    ...

    In M Country, Fu Family¡¯s vi.

    Laughter like tinkling bells echoed around the room, not unlike the enchanting song of a nightingale in the forest.

    The girl¡¯s cheerfulughter was always particrly infectious. Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, who were admiring the snow in the Garden, looked up at Fu Han¡¯s room. Warm light spilled out from her window, orange and filled with warmth.

    Bai Qian smiled, "It¡¯s rare to see this child so happy."

    Fu Xingbo nodded in agreement, "Yes, she¡¯s had too tough a life."

    "Not anymore," Bai Qian turned to look at Fu Xingbo, her smile curving her eyes, "From now on we¡¯re her family. She¡¯ll have a lover, her own career, and her own children."

    Fu Xingbo continued to gaze up at Fu Han¡¯s curtains, a smile slowly appearing on his face, "Yeah, just that I wonder whom she likes. I think both Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan are good kids."

    A cold wind blew by. Bai Qian huddled in closer, her smile yful, "Children will have their own blessings; as the elders, we shouldn¡¯t interfere too much. Whether it¡¯s Su Cheng, Ji Liangchuan, or He Xing, I think it¡¯s fine as long as they truly care for Fu Han."

    "He Xing?" Fu Xingbo was surprised to hear this name, as far as he was concerned, He Xing and Fu Han had already broken up and He Xing was out of the picture; but after thinking it over, he smiled, "You do have a point."

    The couple exchanged a knowing smile, and the cold wind seemed gentler somehow.

    Holding her stomach, Fu Han still couldn¡¯t stopughing as she looked at the dejected Zhao Ting on her phone screen, "So, the reason you refused Li Tao is that you don¡¯t want to marry so early?"

    Zhao Ting coughed ufortably, "Yeah, I only graduated from university half a year ago, I haven¡¯t truly enjoyed life yet. I don¡¯t want to marry so early."

    "But you could date first," Fu Han coughed to suppress herughter feeling she shouldn¡¯tugh, but mainly because she just couldn¡¯t help it, "Date for a few years, see if you¡¯repatible, and then consider marriage."

    Zhao Ting called her to talk about heading to M Country tomorrow, but it turned into a venting session about Li Tao¡¯s public confession and his proposal for a marriage-minded romance, which terrified her so much she ran away on the spot.

    Truth be told, had Zhao Ting not mentioned it today herself, Fu Han would¡¯ve been clueless about Li Tao pursuing Zhao Ting for such a long time; she¡¯d never imagined the two of them together.

    On the other side, Zhao Ting¡¯s head wobbled like a bobblehead, "Better not, Li Tao has yed me his mother¡¯s voice messages several times, all urging him to hurry up and get married. His family is that eager; if I lead him on to date, I¡¯d just be wasting his time. Better to end it."

    Fu Han felt there was some sense to her words, but somehow she pitied Li Tao. After a thought, she added, "It¡¯s right to not waste someone¡¯s time, but I think you should still be honest with Li Tao. Being rejected in front of everyone is hard, it could leave a psychological scar."

    "You have a point, I better go and exin to him," Zhao Ting hastily said before hanging up the video call, not even saying goodbye.

    Fu Han stared at the now dark screen of her phone, her lips still curved in a smile.

    It¡¯s good to be young, to courageously express your likes, to speak your heart, to be as pure in appearance as in soul.

    Years ago, she too had such moments, those times when she wished the whole world knew she liked He Xing. But now, even if she still liked He Xing, it seemed she wouldn¡¯t confess her feelings anymore.

    Today was Christmas, and every year the streets would be unbearably crowded.

    Every Christmas, Fu Han would rack her brain for excuses to get He Xing to go shopping with her; the failure rate was incredibly high, but she was always enthusiastic about it.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t fathom why it was necessary to go shopping when it was crowded, as jostling with the crowd was joyless for him; however, Fu Han believed the significance of holiday shopping wasn¡¯t in the act itself but rather in the meaning that coulde from an otherwise mundane experience.

    Last Christmas, they were filming "Homesick," unable to shop and only managed a hot pot meal together. This year, she had hoped to make up for the past four years of Christmas regrets, yet their separation spanned half the globe.

    Reflecting on the smile on Zhao Ting¡¯s face, one derived from being liked, Fu Han suddenly felt a twinge of sadness. She pulled out her phone and sent He Xing a message, "What are you up to?"

    He almost instantly replied to her message, "I¡¯m about to get up."

    These mundane exchanges without any substantial content had be frequenttely, making Fu Han lose interest. She set her phone aside, not wanting to continue the conversation, but then He Xing sent another message, "Xiaohan, are you reaching out because there¡¯s something you need?"

    His words instantly pulled her back through time to a remote past; the young He Xing had already been aloof, a coolness that came from within, noticeable only when he was alone with Fu Han.

    Back then, Fu Han would fantasize about being Cindere, with He Xing as her prince; she¡¯d often exhibit the angst of youth, asionally having wild outbursts.

    He Xing was used to her ways, his tone remaining as cool as ever, but he¡¯d always end by asking, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    That question was always the outlet for Fu Han¡¯s emotional eruptions; she would pour her heart out endlessly, and even if she got little in response from He Xing, just having him listen was enough, even if he listened with a grimace.

    When Fu Han snapped out of her reverie, she realized she had sent He Xing a message at some point without being aware of it, "I miss you."

    There was no moment more awkward than this. Fu Han wanted to retract the message, but two minutes had passed, and it was toote to retract, though thankfully He Xing hadn¡¯t replied yet¡ªhe probably hadn¡¯t seen the message.

    She pped her forehead in agony, racking her brain for an exnation to save face. She began to type one letter at a time, "Sorry, the message was sent..."

    But before she could send "by mistake," He Xing responded. To say it was a reply wouldn¡¯t be quite urate; what he sent was a picture, more specifically, an image of a ne ticket, with less than two hours before departure.

 Chapter 465: Joke Becomes Reality

    <h4>Chapter 465: Chapter 465: Joke Bes Reality</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han froze, enveloped by a sweeping sense of sweetness as she confirmed that the ne ticket indeed belonged to He Xing, that the destination was indeed M Country, and that the departure was in two hours.

    She hastily made a phone call and once it connected, she couldn¡¯t wait to say, "He Xing, I was just joking, you don¡¯t need toe over."

    From the other end of the phone came the sounds of rustling clothes, likely He Xing getting dressed, which made his voice not very loud: "But I miss you too, so much that I can¡¯t sleep at night. I muste over, but I can¡¯t stay long. I¡¯ll have to return after seeing you."

    Before Fu Han could reply, He Xing dropped a line: "Fu Han, I can¡¯t talk now, I need to pack. See you in M Country." Then, He Xing ended the call.

    Staring at her phone screen that had gone dark, Fu Han was dumbfounded. By the time she snapped back to reality and redialed the number, nobody answered, and after that, the line was busy.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t clearly describe her feelings at the moment. She felt light-headed, as if she were dreaming, but it was nowhere near her bedtime.

    She nestled in her nkets, dazed, for two hours until she received a message from He Xing just before his flight took off: "I¡¯ve boarded the ne, see you tomorrow."

    Along with the message came a photo taken on the airne.

    The heart that had been roasting like it was on a pyre for two hours finally returned to normal rhythm, no longer pounding erratically, but her excitement was still uncontroble. He wasing; he was finallying.

    That night, Fu Han truly understood what it meant for time to crawl by. She kept telling herself to sleep early, for time would fly by when she was asleep, but it was no use; she just couldn¡¯t fall asleep.

    She wondered what she would say when she saw He Xing, what outfit she should wear to meet him, or what reaction her aunt and uncle would have upon learning of He Xing¡¯s arrival. Eventually, she even listlessly pondered whether Xia Ning would be fuming with rage.

    Fu Han had never thought that waiting could be such a romantic affair, so romantic that even the breath of winter seemed to sweeten.

    ...

    In the Inpatient Department of City A¡¯s First Hospital.

    As Fu Han had said, Xia Ning was close to exploding with rage upon learning that He Xing had gone to America.

    She smashed everything she could in the ward, which became a chaotic mess, looking like a junkyard.

    Pointing at Xia Cheng, she seethed with uncontroble anger: "Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d keep an eye on He Xing for me? Howe you knew he was leaving?"

    While Xia Ning rampaged, Xia Cheng sat on a single sofa the entire time. Hearing this, his face disyed helplessness as he said, "Didn¡¯t I tell you that He Xing made ast-minute decision to go to M Country? He didn¡¯t even get a business ss ticket, settling for economy; my assistant tracks his flights every day, but how could they know when he booked his ticket at four for a six o¡¯clock flight?"

    "You¡¯re useless," Xia Ning would hear no exnation, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets in fury: "What kind of assistant do you have? Neither you nor your assistant is reliable!"

    Anyone else might have gotten angry at those words, but not Xia Cheng. Over the years, if he was good at anything, it was having a thick skin, as solid as a city wall. As long as he didn¡¯t want to be angry, nothing you said could provoke him.

    Sure enough, Xia Cheng just lowered his head and yed with his phone, acting as if none of this was happening.

    Xia Ning hurled a string of ugly words, but her internal rage was like a balloon on the verge of bursting, never finding a channel for release.

    She red at Xia Cheng¡¯s indifferent demeanor, and with hands on her hips, she sneered at him: "Xia Cheng, Qin Nuan is making fools out of you and Dad because you¡¯re too naive."

    Xia Cheng frowned, his tone cold as he retorted: "Xia Ning, youcked the ability to keep He Xing, so all you do is nag. If you¡¯re capable, chase him to M Country yourself. Why take it out on me?"

    After saying this, Xia Cheng left without looking back, his departing figure suggesting he was also quite angered.

    Left alone in the ward, Xia Ning looked at the mess with seething frustration. She viciously kicked the sofa Xia Cheng had just sat on, but instead of toppling it, she only seeded in hurting her own foot terribly.

    She covered her foot, grimacing with pain so intense that tears nearly spilled from her eyes.

    Suddenly, a gentle voice sounded: "Lady Xia, what has made you so angry?"

    Xia Ning abruptly looked up towards the door and saw Qin Nuan casually leaning against the door frame.

    Herrge, curly hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, her beautiful face immactely made up without a single w; she wore a long, red coat with ck trim that reached her ankles, highlighting Qin Nuan¡¯s slim and delicate figure.

    A wave of jealousy rose in Xia Ning¡¯s heart. She nced down at herself in herrge, baggy, red and white striped hospital gown that was both wrinkly and appeared exceptionally dirty. Not to mention her face, which had lost its usual beauty due to ack of makeup.

    As she sized up Qin Nuan, Qin Nuan walked in slowly with her high heels, the disorderly ward appearing like a red carpet under her feet.

    Qin Nuan gave Xia Ning a once-over and a slight smile curled on her lips: "Lady Xia, I heard He Xing has gone off to M Country for the love garden. You just let him go like that?"

    "What¡¯s it to you?" Xia Ning red at Qin Nuan like a lion ready to pounce.

    Women often have a hard time getting along, especially when one is morous as a superstar and the other looks like a middle-aged woman wandering a market in pajamas.

    Qin Nuan chuckled, her smile beautiful as a flower blooming out of dust, but her words were chilling: "Lady Xia, I thought ourst coboration was so delightful that you would want to work with me again."

    "You... What do you mean by that?" Xia Ning¡¯s heart pounded with fear, but she tried to maintain herposure: "Thest incident has nothing to do with me; it was your own making. Deal with it yourself."

    "Typical of the Xia family to cross the river and demolish the bridge. Impressive," Qin Nuan was neither angry nor did she stop smiling brightly. ying with a lock of hair on her shoulder, each movement full of charm, she continued: "Lady Xia, you might not care about loyalty, but I can¡¯t do such a thing. I¡¯vee here with a sincere proposal for cooperation. If you¡¯re unwilling, then forget it."

 Chapter 466: Cooperation Once Again

    <h4>Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Cooperation Once Again</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed deeply, as if she was considering whether Qin Nuan¡¯s words were sincere.

    The two women were in a silent face-off, making the ward feel like it was filled with shing weapons, as if a battle were underway.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Xia Ning was the first to break the silence. "What do you n to do?"

    Her voice was deliberately lowered, echoing in the ward; although both had very pleasant voices, the sound was eerie... like the chilling sensation you get if you identally venture to an unmarked grave in the dead of night, suspecting you heard female ghosts squatting on the tombstones and chatting, raising goosebumps and making one shiver.

    About half an hourter, the conversation ended. Xia Ning returned to her seat on the hospital bed and gave Qin Nuan a once-over before abruptly asking, "Are you really pregnant?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s expression flickered with something unusual for a moment, but she quickly regained herposure, even smiling slightly. "Why do you ask?"

    "Because you look very thin, with no stomach at all. Where does it look like you¡¯re pregnant?" Xia Ning¡¯s gazended on Qin Nuan¡¯s belly, which was t, more so than many women who weren¡¯t pregnant could achieve.

    "This?" Qin Nuan touched her stomach, her smile growing even wider: "I¡¯ve been thin since I was young, and now it¡¯s early in the pregnancy. The doctor said the baby is not even as big as a thumb yet, so of course, it doesn¡¯t show."

    Xia Ning, having no experience in this area, could only helplessly ept Qin Nuan¡¯s words. After thinking it over, she couldn¡¯t help but ask again, "Qin Nuan, do you really intend to keep this baby?"

    "Of course." Qin Nuan smiled again, the words that came out sounding as if they had been rehearsed thousands of times in her belly, unwavering: "Thest time I kidnapped Old Master He, leaving He Xing here, you said you wouldn¡¯t interfere with my dealings with your dad and brother anymore; this time I¡¯ve agreed to help you deal with Fu Han, and your payment is five million. All you need to do is keep your promise."

    "Don¡¯t worry, half of the payment due in advance will be transferred to you today," Xia Ning said, mentioning therge sum of two and a half million as casually as if she were talking about two hundred and fifty bucks. She waved her hand irritably, "I suggested you terminate the pregnancy for your own good. I already know about you and Yi Lixing. Do you n to have the baby and then conduct paternity tests one after another to find out who the father is?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s eyes showed a flicker of emotion, but it was quickly reced by firmness as she spoke without any hint of feeling, "This is my business, it has nothing to do with you. Just keep your promise."

    After speaking those words, Qin Nuan stood up and walked towards the door. She was about to step over the threshold when she suddenly turned back to look at Xia Ning: "Have you ever felt like I resemble someone you know?"

    "Like who?" Xia Ning frowned.

    "Nothing, I was just joking. Maybe the child in my belly will grow up to look a lot like you." Qin Nuan smiled, and with a sh of her red dress at the doorway, she turned and left.

    Xia Ning was still pondering Qin Nuan¡¯s words. Qin Nuan had twice before made strangements, implying that the Xia Family deserved theireuppance.

    Today, Qin Nuan had again asked Xia Ning if she reminded her of someone.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t think Qin Nuan was spouting nonsense, but despite racking her brain, she couldn¡¯t think of anyone she knew who resembled Qin Nuan.

    Qin Nuan was distinctive in appearance, and if there was someone in Xia Ning¡¯s acquaintance who looked like her, Xia Ning was certain she wouldn¡¯t overlook it. But, she genuinely couldn¡¯t recall anyone resembling Qin Nuan.

    ...

    The winter in M Country prated to the bones with subzero temperatures that could freeze water into ice.

    It seemed that as winter came, everyone started to linger in bed; even though it was already light outside, the vast vi was empty, not a single person nor a servant had arisen.

    Outside, it was a nk expanse of white, endless and all-epassing, as if nothing existed in the entire world but snow.

    Fu Han was already fully dressed and even had light makeup on, her delicate face looking as beautifully polished as a model stepping out from a glossy magazine.

    However, this beauty¡¯s fine brows were knitted, and her cherry lips tightly pursed, as if she ran into some puzzle.

    Indeed, she did encounter a problem. In just three hours, He Xing¡¯s ne was due tond, yet no one in the vi had risen besides herself; without an M Country¡¯s driver¡¯s license, she was unable to drive to the airport to pick him up.

    Fu Han paced the living room once more before stopping at the foyer. She stomped her foot and then headed upstairs.

    Within a minute, the sound of knocking resonated, followed secondster by Bai Qian¡¯s still groggy voice: "Who is it?"

    Even as Fu Han blushed, upon hearing that Bai Qian wasn¡¯t fully awake, she felt even more embarrassed. But with urgency pressing and the arrow already nocked, she steeled herself and said, "Aunt, it¡¯s me... I... I would like Uncle to apany me to the airport to pick someone up."

    "Fine, wait downstairs for a bit, I¡¯ll be right down," came Fu Xingbo¡¯s prompt response, sounding instantly alert.

    Fu Han loudly agreed and hastily retreated downstairs.

    She truly didn¡¯t know how to tell everyone about He Xing¡¯s imminent arrival, so she had risen early, with the n to ask whoever got up first to drive her to the airport¡ªeven a servant would do.

    But to her dismay, not a soul had stirred in the living room after she¡¯d waited one or two hours.

    With time running short, Fu Han was left with no choice but to summon Fu Xingbo with great reluctance.

    In truth, she would have preferred to ask Wang Yixuan or Luo Qinghe for help, but with neither of them awake and her shyness preventing her from knocking on their doors or calling, she feared the embarrassment of an awkward situation.

    As for Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan, Fu Han never even considered asking for their assistance with picking up He Xing; despite her reluctance to admit it, the rivalry between them over He Xing was undeniable, and involving them would only sour the mood for everyone.

    What touched Fu Han the most was that neither Bai Qian nor Fu Xingbo had asked who they were going to pick up from the airport.

    Though they would eventually find out that the visitor was He Xing, Fu Han felt that exining the circumstances then would be truly mortifying, leaving her ashamed beyond words.

    Twenty minutester, Fu Xingbo and Fu Han set off.

    The twenty minutes were not due to Fu Xingbo being slow¡ªon the contrary, he came down from upstairs in less than five minutes¡ªbut because of the extreme cold that had left the car unable to start. After some fuss with boiling water to warm the engine, they finally set off from the Fu Family vi.

    Yet another trip to the airport, Fu Han sat in the passenger seat, watching the scenery on both sides of the road, with a different feeling this time, a certainty of knowing who the person waiting for her ahead was.

 Chapter 467: The Exciting Airport Pick-up Journey

    <h4>Chapter 467: Chapter 467: The Exciting Airport Pick-up Journey</h4><h4></h4>

    The car was filled with soothing music, an unnamed piano piece that mingled with the approaching and receding scenery, creating a uniquely different taste.

    Fu Han had already imagined in her mind the scene when she would meet He Xing¡ªwould there be hugs, kisses? Or would they look at each other speechlessly, their eyes brimming with tears?

    The airport was now in sight, with just an hour left before the ne wouldnd.

    There was still time, so Fu Xingbo suggested they have breakfast first.

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t hungry at all, but she knew if she didn¡¯t go for breakfast, Fu Xingbo certainly wouldn¡¯t either; getting up early in the winter is difficult enough, and to do so on an empty stomach would be torture.

    Fu Xingbo led Fu Han into a breakfast restaurant with coat racks, and exined to her with a smile, "This is actually a Chinese restaurant, just not as good as the ones back home. Just make do."

    "Okay, uncle. I..." Fu Han tilted her head and disyed a yful smile: "I¡¯m not picky when ites to food."

    Fu Xingbo had already ordered breakfast. Hearing her, he looked up and smiled: "Okay, I guess I am the pickier one."

    He paused for a moment and then added, "It¡¯s strange, when I was your age, I wasn¡¯t picky at all, I¡¯d eat whatever was there; as I got older, I became more and more selective, and now I¡¯m quite picky about my food."

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze drifted outside the window, where people asionally hurried by, each carrying luggage, perhaps travelers rushing for a flight, yearning to return home, or simply tourists.

    The anticipation in her heart grew inexplicably, and her mood improved; she couldn¡¯t help but jest, "Uncle, I guess you started being picky to give auntie a sense of achievement with her cooking; thenter, to make her feel aplished in persuading you to eat; and now, you really are picky."

    When Fu Xingbo had not yet achieved business sess, Bai Qian had to take care of the children and cook; but ever since Fu Xingbo could afford a vi and hire servants, Bai Qian¡¯s hands haven¡¯t touched oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar.

    What Fu Han referred to as Bai Qian¡¯s feeling of achievement in cooking meant instructing the family¡¯s cook to prepare Chinese food; even though Fu Han was twenty years younger than Bai Qian, thetter¡¯s hands truly were delicate and did justice to her name.

    As Fu Xingbo was scalding the utensils with hot water, he smiled with a twinkle in his eye, "The most important thing in a marriage is being attentive. No matter who you marry, I hope you have the desire to work on your marriage, and not just settle for getting by."

    Fu Han pondered Fu Xingbo¡¯s words all the way until breakfast was nearly over.

    If she married He Xing, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be settling; but in reality, facing the He Family¡¯splex social rtionships and assorted interactions, could she truly be attentive and manage it well?

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t figure it out. This question was one she could never solve, yet it was like a perpetual river lying between her and He Xing.

    After breakfast, it was almost time. Fearing that she might miss it, Fu Han hurried toward the Arrival Hall with an eager pace.

    It was precisely because she was in such a rush that she entirely failed to notice the meaningful smile on the face of Fu Xingbo, who was trailing behind her.

    At the same time, Fu Han hadpletely overlooked one point: up to now, Fu Xingbo hadn¡¯t asked a single question about picking someone up at the airport; meaning, he was still unaware of He Xing¡¯s arrival.

    The announcement came through the speakers, stating that the flight was on schedule and wouldnd at the nned time.

    Fu Han felt her spirits lift some more, even happier than when she woke up to the snow having ceased. Nothing was more important than He Xing¡¯s safety.

    Time ticked steadily forward, and the crowd at the Arrival Gate grew. Fu Han made sure she had the best vantage point, ensuring that He Xing would see her the moment he came out.

    Finally, people began to emerge. Fu Han¡¯s grip on the railing tightened.

    That feeling of watching anxiously for someone¡¯s appearance¡ªFu Han finally understood it at this moment.

    When He Xing¡¯s figure appeared around the corner, Fu Han distinctly felt her heartbeat thrumming loudly, like the pounding of a drum. If she hadn¡¯t clutched at her chest, she feared her heart might leap right out of her throat.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept over the crowd, and in just a nce, it locked precisely with Fu Han¡¯s.

    In the moment their eyes met, it felt as though something in the air had shifted, as if the sound of electricity gently coursing could be heard, or as if countless little hearts fluttered through the air.

    He Xing quickened his steps toward Fu Han, reached out to ruffle her hair, and his Starry eyes swirled with emotion, while his usually impassive face beamed with tion, "Xiaohan, long time no see."

    Fu Han had anticipated He Xing might say this to her, but even having thought of everything else, the moment she truly saw He Xing, she felt that no amount of imagination was a match for the real thing.

    Her eyes and nose began to tingle, tears welled up, but she didn¡¯t want to cry. She blinked hard, using the calmest voice she could muster to reply, "Yes, long time no see."

    What else could she say besides long time no see?

    What more could she say besides long time no see?

    There they stood, one inside the railing, one outside, each gazing at the other, as if branding every smile and frown into memory.

    Fu Xingbo felt that, if he didn¡¯t speak up, the two could stand there indefinitely, until the seas dried up and the stones crumbled, until the end of time.

    But... it was really too cold, and he couldn¡¯t refrain from interrupting them, "You can talk in the car. The doors are going to close, and if He Xing doesn¡¯t get going, he won¡¯t be able toe out."

    His words instantly flushed the two of them crimson. He Xing hurriedly pushed his luggage toward the exit, and Fu Han quickly followed suit.

    Though it was only a short distance of ten-odd steps, they traversed it with an urgency like never before.

    When there was no longer any obstacle between them, He Xing opened an arm and enveloped Fu Han in an embrace, "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve missed you so much."

    This too, was a line that Fu Han had envisioned He Xing might say the night before.

    She buried her head in He Xing¡¯s shoulder, not knowing what to say, just desperately trying not to cry.

    This time, Fu Xingbo remained silent, just watching them, his genteel face softly moved, and the eyes behind his sses shone brightly.

    When the car finally started moving, Fu Han noticed with some displeasure the additional two people in the back seat. Blushing, she greeted them, "Why are you guys here as well?"

    Zhao Ting, still a young girl and full of admiration for Fu Han, promptly exined, "Miss Fu, you forgot. Tomorrow is the opening day for this branch, and you asked me toe help."

 Chapter 468: The Unexpected Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 468: Chapter 468: The Unexpected Visitor</h4><h4></h4>

    Her politeness did not mean that Li Tao would be polite, especially as a tall man of over six feet sitting in the middle of the back row, the feeling could be described as bitterly refreshing.

    Li Tao¡¯s face was expressionless, "As an assistant, of course I go wherever He Xing goes."

    Actually, his tone wasn¡¯t bad, and there was noint in his words, more a sense of helplessness and a touch of mncholy; his remark had nothing to do with mocking Fu Han.

    But He Xing gave him a fierce re after hearing this, "Knowing that, why are you saying these things here? Be careful, or it¡¯ll affect your bonus this month."

    Normally, Li Tao would immediately back down upon hearing such words and dare not say another word, but at this moment, Zhao Ting was sitting right beside him, and from the corner of his eye, Li Tao could clearly see the mocking expression on Zhao Ting¡¯s face.

    Considering Zhao Ting had rejected his confession just a few days prior, there was no way Li Tao could ept losing face in front of her.

    With his eyes looking out of the window, Li Tao murmured under his breath, "He Xing, what about you? You couldn¡¯t wait a moment to meet Miss Fu Han and insisted on taking the earliest flight, even if it meant sitting in economy ss."

    Ever since Fu Han had memories of flying, He Xing had always flown first ss. He found economy too crowded, ufortable for his legs, and if there wasn¡¯t a first-ss seat, he would rather dy the trip than fly economy.

    At this thought, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but look back at He Xing, only to see a mysterious flush spreading across his face, while his eyes remained as bright and dark as obsidian.

    A warm current surged through Fu Han¡¯s heart, and her mood suddenly became buoyant, "Winter in M Country is quite interesting, it¡¯s snowing everywhere here, unlike the smaller snowfalls in City A."

    Girls naturally have a weakness for snow, and Zhao Ting immediately became excited, her tender white face pressed against the window ss as she strained to see the scenery outside.

    Fu Han watched coldly from the sidelines, as Li Tao made a visible effort to sit up straight and avoid any physical contact with Zhao Ting, although secret nces from the corner of his eyes toward Zhao Ting were constant.

    And whenever Zhao Ting caught Li Tao¡¯s gaze, she would dodge away as if shocked by electricity each time.

    Although Fu Han wasn¡¯t very experienced in love, she felt that Zhao Ting¡¯s behavior wasn¡¯t one of disgust toward Li Tao, but more like a girl¡¯s shyness.

    Linking this to what Zhao Ting had mentioned before about her and Li Tao¡¯s situation, Fu Han thought there might have been some misunderstanding between them.

    ...

    The arrival of He Xing made the entire Fu family mansione alive, and without a doubt, Bai Qian was the happiest of everyone since she was He Xing¡¯s biological Aunt.

    As their car stopped at the entrance of the mansion, Bai Wei went up to greet Fu Xingbo as usual.

    But before Fu Xingbo could get out of the car, He Xing greeted her first: "Auntie."

    "He Xing?" Bai Wei peeked in, both shocked and delighted, "He Xing, is it really you who¡¯se?"

    "Uh, yes, it¡¯s me." He Xing replied, his cheeks tinged with an inexplicable blush.

    "That¡¯s great, so great." Bai Wei cast a meaningful nce at Fu Han.

    Although her look was well-intentioned, Fu Han still felt very awkward. She knew she should say something to ease the embarrassing atmosphere, "Auntie... it doesn¡¯t seem you¡¯re surprised at all to see He Xing."

    "Surprised? Of course not." Bai Wei stuck out her tongue yfully and shared a cheeky smile, "Other than He Xing, I can¡¯t think of anyone else who would get you up so early in the morning."

    In fact, as soon as Fu Han had said those words earlier, she already regretted it. Hearing Bai Wei¡¯s response only confirmed that she was indeed shooting herself in the foot.

    Her face flushed thoroughly, she wanted to refute Bai Wei¡¯s words, but as she was about to, she inadvertently saw the expectant look in He Xing¡¯s eyes. Soft-hearted, Fu Han ultimately didn¡¯t speak the words on her mind.

    The Fu family mansion became exceptionally lively, with Bai Wei specifically hiring two skilled servants to help in the kitchen, so the cook wouldn¡¯t be overwhelmed.

    Bai Wei was very weing of He Xing¡¯s sudden arrival, but when she identally saw theplex expression on Su Cheng¡¯s face, she felt a little guilty.

    The reason was simple; before the arrival of He Xing, Bai Wei had been a strong supporter of Su Cheng¡¯s pursuit of Fu Han, and now she felt like weing He Xing was a betrayal to Su Cheng.

    Ji Liangchuan also had mixed feelings. No matter what, he and He Xing were old friends. Although their friendship ended the moment Ji Liangchuan decided to pursue Fu Han, encountering an old friend in such a setting was still somewhat awkward.

    The feelings of Su Cheng were more transparent. The moment he knew of He Xing¡¯s existence, it was predetermined that there would be no friendship between them; whether He Xing was present or not, their rivalry was unchangeable.

    As for Luo Qinghe, when He Xing came in, he was nestled on the couch in the living room ying games. He looked up on hearing the noise with a mild surprise on his face, then looked back down at his phone.

    Equally indifferent to He Xing¡¯s arrival was Wang Yixuan, who knew He Xing well already. After spotting He Xing in the mansion, he stroked his chin and then propped up his drawing board, letting the charcoal dance on the white paper.

    Curious, Nan Qing took a peek and saw that Wang Yixuan was sketching the current scene in the Fu family¡¯s living room; when Nan Qing looked, the image was already quite expressive, detailing the demeanor of everyone, with him working on the finer details.

    But there were indeed young people who genuinely weed He Xing, like Nan Qing.

    She truly considered Fu Han a close friend, and just a few days before in their conversation, she learned that Fu Han liked neither Su Cheng nor Ji Liangchuan. Nan Qing believed Fu Han was still in love with He Xing, so when she found out He Xing hade to M Country, she was genuinely happy for Fu Han.

    However, this wasn¡¯t the most awkward situation. Even though the Fu family¡¯s mansion was a stand-alone vi, unfortunately, there were too many people living there already, leaving no spare room for He Xing and his party, not even one.

    So, though He Xing was reluctant, he had no choice but to stay in a hotel. However, the hotel belonged to the Fu family and was very close to the mansion, less than a ten-minute drive away.

    Even so, He Xing still felt frustrated and quietly suggested to Fu Han, maybe he should just share a room with one of the boys. Fu Han took it as a joke, listening without taking it seriously.

    After all, which of the boys there wasn¡¯t a young master? Who would ept sharing a room with another man?

 Chapter 469: The Lively Lunch

    <h4>Chapter 469: Chapter 469: The Lively Lunch</h4><h4></h4>

    Lunch began promptly, and it was clear that one table wasn¡¯t enough. Bai Qian simply instructed the servants to add another table in the living room. Bothrge round tables were covered with dishes, and the spacious vi was filled with the aroma of the food.

    Ever since Fu Han realized that both Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo had guessed that He Xing was the person she was going to pick up, she felt extraordinarily awkward around them. Therefore, she decisively chose not to sit with Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo.

    Nan Qing would definitely choose to sit with Fu Han, along with Zhao Ting and Liang Tao, plus Wang Yixuan and He Xing, they made up exactly one table.

    In the end, Ji Liangchuan and Su Cheng were arranged to sit at the table with the mother and daughter, Bai Qian and Bai Wei. The four of them were all couples cooing over each other, while the two of them felt like sworn enemies, particrly ring in each other¡¯s eyes.

    In the living room where Fu Han and the others were seated, an antique gramophone yed soothing music, which,bined with the white snowyndscape outside under the winter sun, created a unique ambiance.

    The houses here were all detached, and from a distance, they looked like something out of a fairy tale world. When Fu Han first saw these houses, she felt like Edward Scissorhands experiencing the world at the bottom of the mountain for the first time.

    The distant snow-capped mountains were quiet as if they belonged to another world, but the coastline in and out was bustling. During low tide, the shore became encrusted with thick blocks of ice, and when the tide came in, these blocks would break into smaller ones. The collision of fragmented ice was loud, and along with the howling wind, it was as if monsters were roaring, struggling to break free.

    Yet when the sound of the waves crashing against the shore reached their ears, it was rather faint, like a song being sung softly, as if someone was expressing their yearning.

    For Fu Han, the sound of the waves mixed with the music, and her mood suddenly quieted down, like amon tree in an endless forest, swaying with the wind.

    He Xing served her a piece of sweet-and-sour pork rib, "Xiaohan, what are you thinking about?"

    "Nothing much," Fu Han replied with a smile, her beautiful face radiant with a gentle smile, "I think snowy days are nice, and winter too."

    He Xing closed his eyes, and after two seconds, he reopened them, "It is nice indeed. How about we go for a walk after lunch? You can show me around this ce."

    "No need," Fu Han refused crisply. Amidst He Xing¡¯s surprised and saddened gaze, she smiled, "You need to adjust to the time difference, so you should go back to the hotel and rest for a while. I¡¯ll take you out to see the sunset at dusk."

    In this moment, He Xing finally understood what it meant to go from deep sorrow to great joy. He nodded his head, full of excitement, his eyes sparkling as they fixed on Fu Han, oblivious to the other people around.

    Wang Yixuan had also taken a piece of sweet-and-sour pork rib to eat, but seeing them like this, the taste in his mouth became sour and not the least bit sweet, so sour it could make one¡¯s teeth fall out.

    He nudged Nan Qing with his elbow, "Have they always been like this?"

    Nan Qing was drinking juice and without even lifting her head, she responded, "You¡¯ll get used to it with time."

    Liang Tao and Zhao Ting exchanged nces and both smiled knowingly. As assistants to the couple, they had seen many of their intimate moments and were no longer surprised by them.

    With their actions, the atmosphere immediately became lively.

    The boys began drinking, one cup after another, while the girls chatted and sipped juice.

    In contrast, the room outside became much quieter; after all, facing one¡¯s parents-inw, Luo Qinghe changed his usual preference for red wine, having only two sses for the entire meal and speaking very little, only when someone else asked him a question.

    Su Cheng and Ji Liangchuan were even more extreme, with both pairs of ears focused entirely outside, they hardly spoke a word.

    As for Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo, their generation¡¯s habit was to eat in silence, only asionally urging the younger ones to eat more without saying anything else.

    As a result, they finished eating more quickly than those outside. When they joined the living room, Fu Han and the others were still eating jovially.

    ...

    Dusk arrived in the blink of an eye. When the rm went off, Fu Han had just woken up. Shey in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling a surreal joy as she sensed the dusky light outside her window.

    Her phone vibrated with a message from He Xing, asking if she was up yet.

    She smiled, feeling certain that the joy was real. He Xing had indeed arrived in M Country, and at that moment, he was waiting for her in the living room downstairs.

    The seaside at dusk was cold, with strong winds and almost no one around.

    Fu Han knew it would be cold here, so she dressed warmly in a hat, scarf, gloves, down jacket, and snow boots, barely able to fend against the cold wind.

    He Xing had only nned on wearing a wool jacket, but in the end, he followed Fu Han¡¯s advice and changed into gearparable to hers.

    It took twenty minutes to walk from the Fu family vi to the seaside, and just a few minutes by car.

    He Xing thought it would be nice for them to walk together in the winter, but Fu Han said they might miss the sunset if they walked, so he agreed to have the driver take them there.

    The orange sun was still hanging in the sky, like an egg yolk, not blinding, and despite being bathed in its light, there was no feeling of warmth.

    He Xing, through their gloves, took Fu Han¡¯s hand. Seeing that she didn¡¯t pull away, he was overjoyed and boldly pulled her into his embrace.

    This time, however, Fu Han pushed him away, "Just walk properly. Your hug feels like two people in intable suits; you¡¯re suffocating me."

    He Xing felt a bit disappointed at first, but upon hearing her words, he let out augh, yfully teasing Fu Han¡¯s nose, "I never realized how humorous you were before."

    With only a short distance between them, He Xing¡¯s breath fogged Fu Han¡¯s face. Though not hot, Fu Han felt her tense back damp with sweat.

    She hurriedly averted her gaze as the sound of her heartbeat almost seemed to drown out the noise of the waves.

    He Xing wasn¡¯t faring much better; despite having been more intimate with Fu Han in the past, he had never felt as nervous as he did now, with sweat starting to form in his palms.

    He was filled with countless questions, "Could it be because it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve been intimate with Fu Han that I¡¯m feeling this way?"

    The wind grew stronger, nearly preventing them from moving forward.

    The sun slowly dipped towards the horizon, casting a swath of orange light over the sea, shimmering and brightening the view considerably, slightly dazzling.

    But there was no denying the beauty of it all, undoubtably a picturesque scene; it was like an intensely vivid oil painting, so beautiful it didn¡¯t seem real.

 Chapter 470: The Sunsetâ€™s Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 470: Chapter 470: The Sunset¡¯s Kiss</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han regretted not bringing her SLR camera along. In fact, she had thought about using it to record the beautiful scenery of the day while she was taking a nap.

    However, when she found out He Xing was waiting for her downstairs, she felt like a little girl going on a date for the first time, full of anticipation for the date ahead, and forgot about everything else.

    He Xing looked around and saw some chairs not far away, which were probably used by tourists for sunbathing in the summer, and there was a sun umbre behind each chair.

    He asked Fu Han to wait for him, and he hurriedly ran to fetch arge umbre. With the protection of the umbre, the wind seemed much less intense, and the coolness that engulfed Fu Han from head to toe disappeared.

    He Xing, holding the umbre in one hand and encircling Fu Han¡¯s waist with the other, both of their gazes rested on the distant sun.

    The sun slowly descended, the area of orange on the sea grewrger, and even the color of the sky was reflected in orange by the sea.

    When the orange area was at itsrgest, He Xing turned his head to look at Fu Han, whose face also seemed to take on a tinge of orange glow, as if she were coated in ayer of gold, sacred and invible.

    A warmth rose in He Xing¡¯s belly, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down, and his hand moved from Fu Han¡¯s waist to her cheek.

    His leather gloves were a bit cold, and when Fu Han turned her head, she saw a pair of ck eyes in which mes of orange burned.

    The orange mes were like a wildfire, igniting Fu Han in an instant.

    No one knew when the kiss started, nor who initiated it.

    All they knew was that even with their eyes closed, they could still feel the orange glow fading from their faces.

    It had been a long time since theirst kiss; at first, He Xing tried hard to control himself, not wanting to appear too desperate.

    But as Fu Han became more responsive, He Xing¡¯s self-restraint gradually vanished, his arms holding her tighter and tighter, as if he wished to meld her into his body.

    But when He Xing¡¯s hand ventured under Fu Han¡¯s clothes, she suddenly opened her eyes and pushed him away, and then, under his surprised gaze, stuck out her tongue andughed, "So cold."

    He Xing¡¯s face was already flushed with rejection, but upon hearing this, heughed as well, "It is really cold, we shouldn¡¯t do this, you could catch a cold."

    By now, the sky had darkened, with only the faint light from a distant streemp, leaving them between rity and obscurity.

    Fu Han looked up at He Xing, and beyond the chiseled contours of his face, she saw a pair of eyes as dazzling as the moon.

    She should have felt immensely awkward, but as she met He Xing¡¯s eyes, her heart calmed down instantly, she tilted her head and smiled mischievously, "Let me tell you, it¡¯s not okay anywhere. We absolutely can¡¯t do this before marriage."

    As He Xing bent down to tidy up Fu Han¡¯s opened cor, he scraped the bridge of her nose with his finger and smiled helplessly, "And here I was thinking of getting some uncooked rice thoroughly cooked so you wouldn¡¯t be able to abandon me."

    In the dim moonlight, Fu Han looked up earnestly to exin to He Xing, "That¡¯s not right, uncooked rice thoroughly cooked isn¡¯t supposed to be used like that; in such cases, it¡¯s usually the girl who loses out."

    "But..." He Xing lowered his head and left a burning kiss on Fu Han¡¯s forehead, "I always feel like you could leave me any moment, so I¡¯m quite willing to use some tricks to tie you to me forever."

    "Keep dreaming," Fu Han stuck out her tongue,ughing more brightly than the moon above. She ran towards the car, looking back with a smile, "Don¡¯t be deceived, remember we are broken up now, I haven¡¯t agreed to be tied to you forever."

    "Then what should I do for you to reconsider the status of He Xing¡¯s fiancee?" He Xing chased after Fu Han, jokingly asking. However, there was not a hint of humor on his face, but a most earnest expression.

    "That will depend on your performance. If it¡¯s not good enough, I¡¯ll just be a normal friend to you," Fu Han¡¯s clear voice was quickly dispersed by the wind.

    Until their car drove away, a figure emerged from the shadows¡ªit was Ji Liangchuan.

    He watched the direction in which the car disappeared, still faintly able to see the light of the car¡¯s headlights; under the hazy night, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face shone with a pale glow, and hisrge, exaggerated peach blossom eyes seemed terrifying, making him look somewhat fierce in that moment.

    The call of crows arose, harsh and grating as if someone was scraping ss with a rusty knife, unbearably piercing.

    Everyone knew Fu Han and He Xing were going to watch the sunset today, and it was an unspoken agreement to leave the sunset to them alone.

    But Ji Liangchuan disagreed, or rather, his heart could not control itself and he still came here. In the cold wind, with temperatures below minus ten or twenty degrees, he walked to the beach incognito.

    Then, he witnessed a scene that made him want tomit murder¡ªFu Han and He Xing kissing by the sea.

    In the distance, the sun, asrge as a disc, slowly descended from the sky, swallowed bit by bit by the sea. Such a beautiful sunset was also a scene Ji Liangchuan loved.

    But today, Ji Liangchuan had no mood to appreciate such beauty, filled with jealousy, wondering why their kiss was so beautiful, to have the exclusive favor of the heavens.

    Ji Liangchuan fumed for quite a while before he could no longer withstand the cold of winter; he stamped his feet and took the path he came by, which was also the way Fu Han and He Xing had left.

    ...

    Today was the opening day of Fu Han and Su Cheng¡¯s store, and Fu Han got up early as usual; perhaps due to her mood, she didn¡¯t feel sluggish at all after the rm went off, and she got dressed with vigor, ready to head out.

    Su Cheng got up even earlier than Fu Han, simply because if Fu Han got ready earlier, she would leave without waiting for him; thus, if Su Cheng wanted to go to the store with Fu Han, he had to get up before her.

    Anticipating a busy day, Fu Han deliberately chose an outfit that was convenient for work and dirt-resistant.

    She wore a short ck down jacket, paired with smoke-grey fleece-lined jeans, and boots that reached just below her knees, entuating her tall and slender figure perfectly.

    Fu Han had her long hair tied up into a high ponytail at the back of her head, simply adorned with a wine-red bow, youthful and attractive yet efficient.

    Su Cheng turned around at the sound of footsteps on the staircase, and was immediately struck by Fu Han¡¯s beauty; even as she approached him, he continued to gaze at her dumbfoundedly.

 Chapter 471: Sudden Confession

    <h4>Chapter 471: Chapter 471: Sudden Confession</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s attractive eyebrows knitted together slightly. "Su Cheng, are you spacing out?"

    "Ah, no, not at all." Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed entirely red in his haste, but it was only as he spoke that he realized some unidentified liquid had trickled from his mouth.

    Fu Han obviously saw the drool on Su Cheng¡¯s face too. She guessed the reason for Su Cheng¡¯s salivation. Her mood was as calm as ake without a ripple when there is no wind, utterly undisturbed.

    Her gaze swept calmly across Su Cheng¡¯s face. "It¡¯s gettingte; let¡¯s head out early."

    Initially, Su Cheng had worried that Fu Han might tease him for his embarrassing behavior, but since Fu Han truly said nothing further, he felt a sense of loss.

    He stood up quietly and followed behind Fu Han, saying, "I¡¯ve already started the car; rest assured, we¡¯ll arrive quickly."

    "Thank you. You always think of everything," Fu Han¡¯s reply was very polite, yet there was an undercurrent of distance in it, tempered with kindness.

    She hesitated next to the car, unsure whether to sit in the front or the back.

    Considering that she wanted Su Cheng to back off, she actually preferred the back seat. However, the etiquette teacher that Grandpa He had hired for her had told her that unless there was a superior-subordinate rtionship, it was best not to sit in the back to avoid giving the impression of treating the driver as a chauffeur.

    Eventually, Fu Han still felt that it was better to sit in the passenger seat. She believed that they could definitely not be lovers, but being friends was possible. Who said the world had to be ck or white? The many shades of gray in between could also be an option.

    Because of the snowfall, Su Cheng drove slowly. They had only just left the vi area when he suddenly remembered something and quickly handed a thermos to Fu Han: "This is the milk I warmed up for you. It¡¯s quite cold; drinking some will make you feel better."

    Fu Han didn¡¯t want to ept it, but it was clear Su Cheng wouldn¡¯t relent, and driving with one hand was dangerous, so she had no choice but to take it. "Thank you, but don¡¯t do this anymore in the future... I... I don¡¯t like it," she said reluctantly.

    There was a moment of silence in the car, and the distant scenery grew closer before being left behind them again.

    By now, the sun had risen, its orange glow streaming through the windows and stinging their eyes. Fu Han pulled down the sun visor and, after a thought, she reached over and pulled down the visor in front of Su Cheng as well.

    The distant scenery slowly approached, then eventually receded again.

    On both sides of the road, snow stilly white. The distant mountains, forests,kes... As far as they could see, the world remained white, a color of pureness.

    But who knew that beneath this nket of white, many dirty things were hidden, simply ignored because they were out of sight?

    Just as when Fu Han pulled down the sun visor for Su Cheng, and he whispered a ¡¯thank you¡¯ as light as a feather.

    Even though the car¡¯s heater was on, Fu Han still felt cold. It only dawned on her after a while that it was because she was holding the chilly thermos.

    Thinking that Su Cheng had gone to the trouble of preparing the milk early in the morning, and it seemed rather ungracious not to drink any of it, she poured herself a small cup.

    The creamy milk in the pink cup had a different texture, much like an unwrapped piece of white chocte.

    After taking a sip, she looked at Su Cheng with some surprise. "You added sugar?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s face reddened, and he coughed awkwardly, trying to sound casual. "I... I asked the cook yesterday how to warm milk. She told me you don¡¯t like in milk and need a bit of sugar in it every day. This is my first time making milk... is the amount of sugar I added enough?"

    "It¡¯s not too much, just right," Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyes curved into crescents as she took another sip, finishing the small cup of hot milk quickly, then poured herself another.

    She wasn¡¯t actually picky about food; she did it to avoid causing trouble for others. But in reality, there were very few foods she liked and many she didn¡¯t.

    Ever since she could remember, she had to drink a cup of in milk every day, but she never liked the tasteless milk and would often pour half of it away when no one was watching.

    Latterly, He Xing discovered this little secret. He then found a way, and eventually, he noticed that if he added sugar, Fu Han would drink more. Gradually, the Fu family¡¯s milk would always have a little sugar added to it.

    And because it was He Xing¡¯s idea, Fu Han felt an extra sense of happiness every time she drank the sweetened milk, transforming from someone struggling with milk to a major milk drinker.

    Unexpectedly, Bai Qian had even discovered Fu Han¡¯s habit. After Fu Han arrived in M Country, Bai Qian made a special point to instruct the cook, which touched Fu Han deeply.

    On the rare asion of being alone with Fu Han, Su Cheng was quite excited. While driving, he couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at Fu Han.

    Seeing that Fu Han appeared to be in a good mood, he felt an itch in his heart and mustered up the courage to speak. "Fu Han, how long does He Xing n to stay this time?"

    At the mention of He Xing¡¯s name, Fu Han¡¯s mood improved further. She smiled, her face more dazzling than the outdoor sun. "He Xing is going back tomorrow. He came for the New Year¡¯s holiday, so he doesn¡¯t have much time off."

    "That soon, huh?" While Su Cheng said this aloud, joy bubbled up inside him; ever since He Xing arrived, Fu Han had no eyes for anyone else, and Su Cheng had been hoping He Xing would leave quickly.

    Fu Han simply smiled and said nothing. She was calm about He Xing¡¯s hasty departure because she knew that his just making the trip was rare enough. She was convinced that she was the exception in He Xing¡¯s life, and that was sufficient.

    Meanwhile, Su Cheng took another look at Fu Han and, gathering his courage again, said, "Fu Han, have you and He Xing... Have you reconciled?"

    If Fu Han wanted Su Cheng to give up, the best thing to say would be that they had reconciled. But lying was wrong, and more than that, Fu Han didn¡¯t want to deceive Su Cheng.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, she decided to be honest with Su Cheng. "In my heart, I¡¯ve already reconciled with He Xing, but I haven¡¯t told him yet."

    Su Cheng felt as if he had gone for a shower early in the morning only to identally turn on the cold water, chilling him to the core.

    His mouth was bitter, but he felt that not saying anything woulde off as graceless, so he did his best to focus on the road ahead. "I see, then you should take your time to consider. You shouldn¡¯t forgive He Xing too easily this time."

    Realizing he had said something wrong, Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed again as he hastened to exin, "I... I didn¡¯t mean that... What I mean is, could you consider me as well?"

    Fu Han was stunned, never expecting Su Cheng to say such a thing under these circumstances.

    Her gaze shifted from Su Cheng¡¯s face to the window outside; they had arrived in the urban area. The streets were busier, and everyone wrapped up like glutinous rice dumplings, shrank their necks, and trudged forward with heads bowed.

 Chapter 472: The Phone Call on the Road

    <h4>Chapter 472: Chapter 472: The Phone Call on the Road</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han thought that some things, although said before, and knowing that saying them would be hurtful, if the hurt was going to continue, then it was better to end the pain quickly rather than let it drag on.

    Her lips parted slightly, ready to speak, when Su Cheng¡¯s phone rang at that very moment.

    Unfamiliar with the roads here, Su Cheng used his phone for navigation, which was ced in front of him. Hearing the sound, Fu Han instinctively nced at the phone, identally catching sight of the iing caller ID¡ªit was an overseas call from Su Cheng¡¯s mother.

    "You should take the call," Fu Han could only choke back the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.

    Unable to find his Bluetooth headset, Su Cheng switched on the speakerphone: "Mom, good evening."

    It was morning in M Country which corresponded to evening in City A, so his greeting of "good evening" was perfectly appropriate.

    Fu Han had a poor impression of Su Cheng¡¯s mother. The woman always spoke to her with an air of superiority that seemed to tower over others; not only that, her words always implied that Fu Han was indebted to Su Cheng, while she also felt Fu Han wasn¡¯t good enough for him.

    Considering that Fu Han had once asked Su Cheng to pretend to be her boyfriend to avoid He Xing, she had always been tolerant towards the Huangpudy; but that didn¡¯t mean she liked her.

    Her upbringing from a young age had taught her it was indecent to eavesdrop on others¡¯ phone calls, and she should look out the window pretending nothing had happened.

    But for safety reasons, with Su Cheng talking on the phone, Fu Han could only help keep an eye on the road ahead. She obviously couldn¡¯t cover her ears while doing so, and was forced to listen to the conversation between Su Cheng and the Huangpudy.

    The Huangpudy¡¯s voice softened markedly when talking to her son: "Son, are you up yet?"

    "I¡¯m up," Su Cheng nced at Fu Han before speaking again: "Today is the shop¡¯s opening day, Fu Han and I are on our way there now."

    "Fu Han?" The Huangpudy¡¯s voice grew sharp at once, as jarring as two spats shing, decidedly unpleasant to the ears.

    Fu Han waited but didn¡¯t hear the Huangpudy say more. Thinking it over, Fu Han decided to greet her: "Auntie, good evening, Happy New Year."

    "Happy New Year." Perhaps feeling respected, the Huangpudy¡¯s tone softened a bit, but the superior tone in her voice was nevertheless unmistakable.

    Feeling she had shown enough consideration, Fu Han pursed her lips tightly and fell silent.

    To the contrary, Su Cheng smiled gratefully at Fu Han before taking over the conversation: "Mom, are you looking for me for a specific reason?"

    "It¡¯s not a big deal, I was just wondering how preparations on your end were going," the Huangpudy¡¯s tone became gentle again: "You go on, good luck."

    "Okay, Mom, goodbye." Su Cheng raised his hand, ready to end the call.

    Just then, the Huangpudy¡¯s voice rang out again: "Su Cheng, is He Xing there with you?"

    Su Cheng looked at Fu Han, confused, and she was looking back at him, equally baffled.

    Still, Su Cheng honestly replied: "Mom, He Xing is here, do you need something from him?"

    "No... nothing, I... I was just asking," the Huangpudy said hastily, and then without waiting for Su Cheng to respond, she hung up the call.

    Fu Han and Su Cheng exchanged looks again, puzzlement in both their eyes.

    "My mom... I don¡¯t know why she asked about He Xing," Su Cheng¡¯s face flushed slightly as he exined in a rush: "I¡¯ve never spoken to them about He Xing."

    "Maybe your mother was just curious," Fu Han said verbally, but doubts continued to spread throughout her mind like an avnche.

    She didn¡¯t believe the Huangpudy was merely asking casually¡ªsomeone like her, steeped in business her entire life, doesn¡¯t speak without first turning her words over in her mind three times at the very least.

    If it was not an impulsive, casual inquiry, then it must have been a thoughtful and unavoidable one.

    With the interruption from the Huangpudy, the earlier confession by Su Cheng seemed as if it had never happened. Fu Han did not respond to Su Cheng¡¯s admission, and he didn¡¯t bring it up again.

    As a result of their mutual understanding, neither of them said a word during the remainder of the journey except when absolutely necessary.

    As they approached the city center, houses and buildings became more numerous, and the number of pedestrians increased as well.

    The stores on both sides of the street were open, with loud music bursting through the ss doors, ear-piercingly loud.

    Had it been any other day, Fu Han would have found the noise too overwhelming and wished to cover her ears; but today, she found the music on the streets so pleasant, filled with vivacious life, pulling her from a world of extreme quiet into the bustling realm of humanity.

    The store was just ahead, its exterior indistinguishable from the other shops on the busy street, the sole differences being the unique lettering on the sign and the many flower baskets at the door, which added a particr liveliness.

    This was Fu Han¡¯s first time at this shop, even though the choice of this location had been her decision.

    It was only when she had traveled to M Country for surgery that Su Cheng hadn¡¯t told her this was their M Country branch. At that point, the weather had already turned cold. Worried about Fu Han getting chilled, Su Cheng handled all the decorations and design himself. Fu Han had it easy at home, choosing some of her favorite photos to be printed and disyed in the shop to attract customers.

    Su Cheng stepped ahead of Fu Han, pulling the heavy ss door open and gesturing for her to enter, teasing with a smile: "Why do I feel like I¡¯m on an official inspection?"

    Fu Hanughed, charmed by his jest: "But I feel like it¡¯s my first day at a new job and I¡¯m nervous."

    Three staff members inside were tidying up and greeted them upon arrival.

    Both Su Cheng and Fu Han had no problemsmunicating in English with the people, each giving some instructions before letting the staff get on with their other tasks.

    Su Cheng was working on setting up the cash register at a counter on the first floor, while Fu Han wandered alone through the shop.

    It was a very standard M Country street-front shop: first, you descend three steps upon entering, which lead to the first floor.

    To the left upon entry is a front desk c**bined with a cashier¡¯s counter, and farther in front one finds a set of dark green sofas on a gray carpet.

    On the right are several small round tables, each surrounded by three simplistically designed iron chairs.

    Above hang retro-style lights with dark green ss shades that match the sofas.

    Walls in brick red, like bricks pulled straight from the kiln without any refinement, and the gray traces of cement also prominently visible.

 Chapter 473 "Special Trip" and "By the Way

    <h4>Chapter 473: Chapter 473 "Special Trip" and "By the Way</h4><h4></h4>

    The entire first floor was essentiallyposed of only three colors: brick red, dark green, and concrete gray.

    Fu Han had always thought that red paired with green was the epitome of tackiness, but dark green and brick red were just toopatible; together, they were a perfect instance of two negatives making a positive.

    There was a staircase near the back of the first floor leading directly to the lower level.

    This structure is alsomon in the shops on the streets of M Country, where the first floor by the road isn¡¯t the actual first floor. The real first floor is the one beneath it, often facing toward the inside of a residential area¡ªlighting and entry are never an issue.

    The basement level had apletely different style from the one above, with warm pale yellow and porcin whiteplementing each other. The sunflower wallpaper on the walls was very eye-catching, immediately transforming an ordinary pale yellow room into something entirely unique and stand-alone.

    Downstairs was divided into several areas, separated by translucent ss partitions, all designated for discussing business and taking orders from clients.

    Both upstairs and downstairs had ample heating; a faint scent filled the room that was not so strong as to be pungent, but rather made the environment feel veryfortable.

    Su Cheng had once sent a video tour to Fu Han, but watching a video was different from personally experiencing the ce. Fu Han looked around with growing satisfaction the more she saw.

    After wandering around, she returned upstairs to find Su Cheng had finished setting up the machines and was talking to the staff.

    Fu Han felt there was no need to interrupt, so she walked toward the entrance intending to take a walk outside to familiarize herself with the surroundings.

    Just as she was about to open the door, the wind chimes outside suddenly rang out, immediately followed by a gust of cold air¡ªit was someone opening the door from the outside.

    Looking up, Fu Han saw He Xing at the forefront, followed by Liang Tao and Zhao Ting.

    She had been wondering when Zhao Ting would arrive, and there she was.

    He Xing, who had originally been expressionless, warmed up the moment he saw Fu Han. His ice-cold demeanor thawed like snow under the spring sun, blooming with flowers all at once.

    Just like the balmy greeting he uttered, "Xiaohan, good morning."

    "Good morning," Fu Han replied, noticing He Xing¡¯s magnified face and feeling a sudden rush of nervousness, clearly aware her face had turned red.

    Could she help it if He Xing was even more handsome than usual?

    In such cold weather, He Xing wore a ck ankle-length coat and a pair of Doc Martens. His medium-length hair was obviously well-coiffed and slightly curled, very stylish.

    If He Xing usually gave off the vibe of an unsheathed, peerless sword, then today he was that sword drawn from the scabbard, to be admired from a distance only.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept around the shop before finally settling back on Fu Han. His lips curled into a smile, "Not bad."

    To receive such praise from He Xing was a surprise for Fu Han; she thought a minimalist like him would find the color saturation here too high.

    Fu Han¡¯s initial awkwardness and tension were like that of a prospective job interviewee, but now she felt as if she had already received her certification.

    A beautiful smile rippled across Fu Han¡¯s face as she yfully blinked and said, "It¡¯s not easy to get your praise, but I dare not take all the credit. Su Cheng designed all this."

    The harder one works, the more excellent they be. To postpone taking over his family¡¯s business, Su Cheng devotedly studied photography, and in his spare time learned about nning and interior decoration; all of their stores¡¯ decoration drafts were drawn by Su Cheng.

    Of course, this isn¡¯t to say that Su Cheng¡¯s drafts were always perfect. Fu Han didn¡¯t like the decor of one of the stores in the country, but one w does not negate the overall beauty.

    In general, in Fu Han¡¯s view, Su Cheng¡¯s interior design scored high marks.

    After hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, He Xing and Su Cheng exchanged nces, both expressionless. But it didn¡¯t quite seem right to say there was animosity between them¡ªtheir gazes were calm.

    A few seconds into their silent exchange, He Xing looked away first, taking a three-tiered insted box from Liang Tao and handing it to Fu Han, "I bought you breakfast especially; it¡¯s still hot. Eat it quickly."

    Fu Han, with sweetness filling her heart, epted the breakfast. She was about to join He Xing at a nearby round table when she caught a glimpse of Su Cheng. Remembering that Su Cheng had made her warm milk in the morning, she wondered if it would be inappropriate to eat breakfast alone now?

    Before she could voice her thoughts, He Xing spoke up first, "Liang Tao, take the breakfast bought for Mr. Su Cheng to him."

    Looking in Liang Tao¡¯s direction, Fu Han noticed that he still carried a breakfast pack¡ªthough it was in a very ordinary disposable container.

    After Liang Tao delivered the breakfast to Su Cheng, he turned back to Fu Han, "Lady Fu, the reason we werete is that Mr. He first went to the Fu Family vi, but you had already left. After checking that you hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast, he specially bought a thermal box for you and, incidentally, also picked up something for Mr. Su Cheng."

    When he spoke, he seemed afraid others wouldn¡¯t understand the subtext of his words, deliberately emphasizing "specially" and "incidentally."

    He Xing casually reached out to Fu Han and chose a table by the window, unfolding theyers of the lunchbox to reveal three delicate items for breakfast before her.

    The firstyer held three little rabbit-shaped steamed buns, the second contained five crystal-clear steamed dumplings, and the third revealed a bowl of steaming-hot seafood porridge.

    Passing chopsticks to Fu Han, his face was full of indulgence, "I figured your appetite is small, so I brought less to prevent waste."

    "It¡¯s enough, it¡¯s plenty for me." Fu Han initially thought she wouldn¡¯t be hungry after the milk, but somehow, seeing the food, her stomach started to rumble audibly.

    She bit into a steamed dumpling, filling her mouth with the savory taste of meat¡ªutterly delicious.

    Only after finishing the dumplings did she take a moment to look around. To her surprise, she saw Su Cheng sitting alone at the cash register, eating his breakfast¡ªwhich was noodles. From a distance, it still seemed to steamed, but given the wispy strands of steam, his meal likely wasn¡¯t as warm as hers.

    Of course, how could an ordinary containerpare to a thermal box? Just as there¡¯s noparing "specially" to "incidentally."

    Following Fu Han¡¯s gaze, He Xing also looked over at Su Cheng; his brow furrowed immediately, and he said with displeasure, "Xiaohan, what are you looking at?"

 Chapter 474: The Story About â€™Cute

    <h4>Chapter 474: Chapter 474: The Story About ¡¯Cute</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s nothing." Fu Han gave He Xing a knowing look, but when she realized that He Xing was genuinely upset, she stuck out her tongue andughed, "I think you¡¯re so cute today."

    "Cute?" He Xing looked down at himself, instinctively thinking there was something dirty on his clothes. After inspecting himself, he looked at Fu Han with frustration, "How am I cute in any way?"

    Fu Han had forgotten that old Mr. He, in order to make Fu Han happy, had shared stories about He Xing¡¯s childhood.

    He Xing¡¯s parents had always hoped for a daughter, and they had dreamt several times of having a baby girl, so they prepared all pink and pale yellow clothes for the child.

    When He Xing was born a boy, they couldn¡¯t just throw away the clothes they¡¯d bought; they had no choice but to dress He Xing in them.

    As He Xing grew, he became more and more attractive, and when taken out, he was often mistaken for a girl.

    The problem was that He Xing¡¯s birth had been difficult, and his mother was unable to have more children. Her dream of having a daughter ultimately shattered; thus, He Xing¡¯s mother became most interested in dressing him up like a lovely little princess.

    The He Family all favored daughters, and they felt that it was okay for the young He Xing to wear dresses; he could simply stop wearing them when he got older.

    At three years old, when He Xing started kindergarten, he was still wearing princess dresses, and by then his hair had grown long enough to be styled in various ways.

    Back then, He Xing¡¯s favorite thing was to dress up nicely for school every day. His teachers and ssmates all liked him, and several little boys even confessed their feelings to him.

    The problem urred during a PE ss. On that day, the servant who looked after He Xing up close had taken a leave of absence, and the teacher took He Xing to themunal dressing room to change clothes, and that¡¯s when everyone found out He Xing was a boy.

    ording to old Mr. He, starting from that day, He Xing refused to go to kindergarten. Even after his mother cut his hair and bought him many clothes and shoes for boys, it did no good.

    In the end, it was old Mr. He who made the decision and changed the kindergarten for He Xing, and that settled the issue.

    But since then, if anyone dared to call He Xing cute, he would definitely lose his temper.

    When Fu Han met He Xing, his parents were thought to have already left this world in an ident. Their departure had a huge impact on He Xing, causing him to smile less. Coupled with his good looks, Fu Han had never found He Xing cute; she was consistently and firmly of the belief that there was no boy more handsome than He Xing.

    Like today, when sheplimented He Xing for being cute, it was the first time in many years.

    The moment the words left her mouth, Fu Han inwardly cursed, not good. Unexpectedly, she found He Xing wasn¡¯t angry. She kept a nonchnt facade, but inside, she was secretly delighted. However, thinking about it, it made sense; He Xing was now twenty-seven, and of course, he had grown uppared to when he was three years old.

    Still, He Xing¡¯s gaze could be deadly, and Fu Han, admitting defeat, exined, "I mean, you buying breakfast for us today was very... very amusing."

    Forgive her for being at a loss for words under the pressure of rapid progress, fortunately, at that moment, the bell for the break rang, interrupting their conversation with Fu Xingbo and others¡¯ chatting sounds.

    Under He Xing¡¯s prating gaze, Fu Han¡¯s face felt as hot as if on fire. Her bright, lively eyes whirled about as she scrambled to change the subject, "Um... Are you doing business with the Su Cheng family?"

    For a brief moment, a hint of chill appeared in He Xing¡¯s demeanor, but he quickly recovered to normal and countered with a question, "Why do you ask?"

    Fu Han nibbled on a small steamed bun and spoke after a small bite, "Today, when Lady Huangpu called Su Cheng, she also asked about you. I thought maybe you had business dealings, so I asked you about it."

    "What did she ask about me?" He Xing¡¯s expression, once again, returned to its usual cold indifference, no, it was colder than usual.

    "She didn¡¯t ask much," said Fu Han leisurely, finishing off the small bun in her mouth. She then spoke indifferently, "She didn¡¯t ask much. Perhaps because Su Cheng mentioned he was with me, she just wanted to know if you were here. She said nothing else."

    At ten o¡¯clock, a string of electric firecrackers went off at the door of the shop, announcing the lively grand opening of the studio thatbined wedding photography and portrait services on New Year¡¯s Day.

    The ribbon-cutting ceremony was simple, with Fu Han and Su Cheng standing on either side and Fu Xingbo in the center. They invited Fu Xingbo to do the honors to raise the profile of the shop, as his reputation in the local Chinesemunity was prestigious, and he was considered legendary by many locals.

    As expected, many of the people taking photos at the door were following Fu Xingbo, and some even asked him for his autograph.

    Recalling the craziness of the fans she had seen before, Fu Han shook her head silently, realizing that there were enthusiasts everywhere.

    She overheard Bai Wei¡¯s voice, thrilled to stir things up, "Mom, look how popr Dad is. You need to keep a closer watch on him."

    Bai Qian was remarkably calm, not even looking up as she replied, "Have you forgotten how popr your mother was at the ball? Besides, I¡¯ve heard you say the same thing you just mentioned to your father before."

    "Ah, really? I don¡¯t remember that," Bai Wei chuckled, showing no embarrassment at being called out.

    Bai Qian spoke again, "I¡¯m asking you, Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents areing tomorrow. Have you sorted out their amodation?"

    "I don¡¯t need to handle that; Luo Qinghe will arrange it himself," Bai Wei replied calmly, showing no sign of the nervousness one might expect from someone about to meet their future inws.

    Fu Han felt Bai Wei really had no reason to be nervous; after all, it wasn¡¯t their first meeting. Moreover, Luo Qiluo, Luo Qinghe¡¯s mother, had been strongly opposed to their rtionship before, even reportedly going to the extreme of threatening suicide.

    But what good did that do? The more Luo Qiluo opposed, the more Luo Qinghe wanted to be with Bai Wei. And look at the oue now, with Luo Qinghe emerging victorious. Bai Wei did nothing, and Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents traveled all the way to M Country to formally ask for her hand in marriage.

    "Fu Han, what are you thinking about? You¡¯re needed over there," Nan Qing¡¯s voice reached Fu Han¡¯s ears. Staff members were gesturing from a corner, apparently facing some major issue.

    Embarrassed by her wandering thoughts at an inappropriate time, Fu Han cleared her throat, thanked Nan Qing, and ran to the corner.

    A customer was inquiring whether they could have a specific photographer take their wedding photos, and the person they had pointed out was none other than Fu Han. The staff member hesitated because of the many orders Fu Han already had, so they didn¡¯t agree immediately. The customer, however, hoped tomunicate with Fu Han personally.

    After hearing the request, Fu Han readily agreed. She then scheduled a date with the customer, and everything went very smoothly.

    Having secured yet another order, Fu Han was extremely happy. She estimated that she must have broken a hundred today; it was simply unbelievable.

 Chapter 475: Bustling Opening Day

    <h4>Chapter 475: Chapter 475: Bustling Opening Day</h4><h4></h4>

    They had conducted market research before and knew that the peak periods for weddings in M Country were Halloween, Christmas, and New Year¡¯s Day; however, their studio had opened on New Year¡¯s Day, by which time most of the holidays had already passed. With Valentine¡¯s Day still over two months away, they had considered it exceeding expectations if they could secure fifty clients.

    Fu Han went to the cash register to check the ledger, and sure enough, the orders had already surpassed one hundred.

    Her heart swelled with joy, and she couldn¡¯t wait to share this happiness with He Xing. Yet, as her gaze swept around the first floor, she found no trace of him. She went down to the basement to check there as well, but it was also empty.

    The third floor housed the post-production team¡¯s studio, and the door leading there hadn¡¯t been opened at all today. There was no work to be done in these few days, so none of the editors hade to work. It was even less likely that anyone would be on the third floor.

    A sense of puzzlement filled Fu Han. Where on earth had He Xing gone? A grown man couldn¡¯t just disappear into thin air, could he?

    He had said when he arrived that he would volunteer as a receptionist for the day; and thanks to He Xing¡¯s extraordinary handsomeness, all the customers he attended to signed up smoothly, with the first one being won over by He Xing.

    Reaching for her phone to call He Xing, Fu Han noticed that he had sent her a message ten minutes ago: "Xiaohan, I have to leave for a bit due to some matters. Call me if you need me."

    The anxiety that had gripped her heart finally eased. He Xing had always been a very steady person. If he said he would be away temporarily, then that¡¯s exactly what he meant, no doubt about it.

    Perhaps only Su Cheng noticed that another person was missing¡ªJi Liangchuan, who had always been eager to impress Fu Han. He had even proposed to be the studio¡¯s special photographer.

    ...

    In a cafe not far from the studio, two people were sitting by a table near the street corner. Both had faces chiseled as if from stone, as delicate as a girl¡¯s, but one had more perfect features, full of noble charm, while the other had a pair of exaggeratedly flirtatious eyes, exuding a sense of casual recklessness.

    They were He Xing, who had "temporarily left," and Ji Liangchuan, whose time of departure nobody knew.

    Two cups of steaming coffee sat before them, the white porcin adorned with intricate patterns outlined in golden threads, their significance unknown.

    Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden sheen on them, as though draping them in ayer of gold.

    The ss shielded them from the winter¡¯s cold breeze, allowing them to soak in the sunlight¡¯s warmth without having to fend off the chilly winds.

    Despite being close to noon, the cafe wasn¡¯t crowded. Apart from their table, there was only one other where a couple sat at the back.

    A blonde, blue-eyed waiter tied in an apron was washing cups, hisrge eyes frequently darting between He Xing and Ji Liangchuan, seemingly plotting something.

    At one point, He Xing inadvertently met the waiter¡¯s gaze, his expressionless face and icy eyes startling the girl so much that she hastily looked away.

    They could faintly hear the waiter whispering to a colleague: "I think the guy in the ck woolen coat is so handsome, but he looks rather formidable; the guy with the big eyes opposite him isn¡¯t bad either."

    Ji Liangchuan caught the conversation, and he even shed a smile at the girl by the bar; then, under her astonished and delighted gaze, he performed a swift change of expression¡ªhis glowering face scared the girl so much that she dropped her ss and it shattered.

    The cafe was neither too big nor too small, and the waiters, assuming the two men didn¡¯t understand English, didn¡¯t bother to lower their voices while speaking.

    Ji Liangchuan heard them, and of course, so did He Xing.

    After the coffee cup broke, the waiters shrieked in fright.

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed. "They¡¯ve done you no harm; why scare them?"

    "They said you were handsomer than me; that¡¯s already an offense," Ji Liangchuan replied without a trace of guilt, and after speaking, he elegantly lifted his cup and took a sip.

    A touch of disdain crept across He Xing¡¯s face, ice-cold as ever. "So I¡¯m not handsomer than you?"

    A smile spilled from the corners of Ji Liangchuan¡¯s lips, and the previously tense atmosphere between them seemed to ease considerably, as though their hostility had vanished for a moment. "Even though everyone thinks you¡¯re handsomer, I still believe I¡¯m the handsomest," he responded.

    He Xing continued to stir his coffee with a spoon, showing no intention of drinking it. He looked up at the sun, which despite being feeble was still somewhat dazzling. "Haven¡¯t I told you before that I absolutely do not approve of you treating Fu Han as a recement for your ex-girlfriend?"

    "You did," Ji Liangchuan answered with another smile, this one frigid. "But since when do I have to obey you just because you say so? You¡¯re not the ruler of this world."

    He Xing turned sharply to face Ji Liangchuan, his ck, glossy eyes shining with a deadly re. "You might not listen to me, but I have the power to make you pay a painful price."

    Defiance was nearly etched on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face, but in the end, he said nothing, knowing the truth in He Xing¡¯s words.

    Time ticked on relentlessly, with the record yer in the cafe changing to a new tune that was alsoing to an end.

    Finally, Ji Liangchuan broke the silence. "I can¡¯t deny that I approached Fu Han because she resembles Taozi. But the reason I¡¯ve decided to openlypete with you for Fu Han isn¡¯t solely because of Taozi. I like Fu Han, and I know she won¡¯t be happy with you."

    "Not happy with me?" He Xing scoffed, the sunlight on his face incapable of dispelling the chill. "Do you actually think Fu Han would be happy with you? Then you¡¯re far too full of yourself."

    What¡¯s the most effective way to anger a man?

    Without a doubt, just insult him; you¡¯re sure to seed, as He Xing had done very sessfully at that moment.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s fury was unmistakable, his whole body rising abruptly. He leaned forward on the table, looking down on He Xing. "He Xing, what about you? For years, you¡¯ve been entangled with Xia Ning. If Fu Han marries you, does she owe a debt of gratitude to the Xia Family as well? Will she be happy marrying you?"

    He Xing didn¡¯t rise; he merely leaned back slightly, looking up at Ji Liangchuan in a defiant posture. Even though he was at an absolute height disadvantage, his presence was in no way inferior; the scorn on his face and the maism of his ck eyes even seemed to overwhelm Ji Liangchuan.

 Chapter 476: The Person She Likes is Me

    <h4>Chapter 476: Chapter 476: The Person She Likes is Me</h4><h4></h4>

    The finishing blow was delivered by He Xing¡¯s words at this moment, "No matter how sharp your tongue is, don¡¯t overlook one thing, Fu Han loves me. She has only ever loved me from the beginning to the end."

    No matter how much Ji Liangchuan wanted to say, he couldn¡¯t find a single sentence to refute that. . .

    This confrontation no longer needed to continue, because Ji Liangchuan was already destined to lose. To persist would only cause him to lose hisst shred of pride.

    But to give up just like that was also impossible. Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze flickered several times before he said coldly, "Even if Fu Han loves you, you can¡¯t give her the happiness she desires. I absolutely won¡¯t just watch as she leaps into a pit of fire."

    He Xing let out a cold snort without even batting an eyelid, "So what do you want to do?"

    "I will do everything in my power to stop you from hurting Fu Han. Don¡¯t think that she doesn¡¯t know about the things you¡¯ve done behind her back. Even if she doesn¡¯t know, I will tell her." Ji Liangchuan grew more agitated as he spoke, until the veins on his forehead bulged, truly exhibiting the epitome of red-faced intensity.

    He Xing, however, wasn¡¯t the slightest bit angered by this. Instead, he evenughed, his smile nothing but a sneer, "So you are the one making moves behind the scenes?"

    "You... what are you talking about? I don¡¯t know," Ji Liangchuan was just momentarily stunned, and in less than a second, he had recovered.

    Unfortunately for him, He Xing¡¯s gaze had been fixed on Ji Liangchuan the whole time, not missing even a blink, so how could he miss that momentarypse?

    The corner of He Xing¡¯s mouth curled up, clearly mocking, "You don¡¯t know? After you came to M Country, Fu Han suddenly wanted to break up with me, and nothing else had happened between us, so there¡¯s only one possibility, someone has been manipting things behind the scenes."

    Although Ji Liangchuan tried hard to suppress it, flush still spread across his cheeks. He really wanted to meet He Xing¡¯s gaze, but facing He Xing¡¯s incisive and lethal eyes, he truly didn¡¯t have the courage to do so.

    Then there was silence. Apart from the unfamiliar melody still ying in the Cafe, the spacious cafe was utterly silent, not even the bartenders inside made a sound.

    Ji Liangchuan felt an unprecedented pressure bearing down on him, the first time he truly sensed He Xing¡¯s presence face-to-face. Previously, he had always been by He Xing¡¯s side as a good friend for many years, and back then, the atmosphere between He Xing and him was harmonious.

    Time ticked by, and just as Ji Liangchuan felt the urge to flee for the hundredth time, He Xing finally spoke, "Ji Liangchuan, from this moment on, we are no longer friends. Fu Han is an independent individual, she has the right to like someone, and she has the right to choose someone, no one has the right to strip her of that; if you want topete with me fairly, I wee it, but if you¡¯re going to use dirty tricks behind my back, I will never agree."

    Every word struck with force, especially the very first sentence from He Xing, "we are no longer friends," which left Ji Liangchuan with a sense of loss. His hands clenched tighter, the cracking of bones audible.

    By the time Ji Liangchuan hadposed himself, He Xing had already left.

    ...

    As the sun set in the west, Fu Han and her colleagues finally saw off thest wave of customers, everyone too exhausted to move. If there had been a bed nearby, they probably would have copsed into sleep then and there.

    Fu Han leaned back on the sofa, He Xing sitting beside her.

    At this point, He Xingid Fu Han¡¯s legs across his own, tapping them rhythmically, varying between light and firm pressure.

    But considering this was He Xing¡¯s first attempt at massaging, Fu Han was exceptionally tolerant. Not a word ofint escaped her lips, and she even closed her eyes contentedly.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze fell upon Fu Han¡¯s cheek, her fair face flushed with a healthy pink, her long, curled eyshes casting arge shadow below her eyelids. It was obvious she wore no lipstick, but her lips were plumper and redder than the loveliest blush of a rose.

    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and he worked to keep his voice steady, "Xiaohan, do you feel better?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face brightened with a smile, "Much better. It¡¯s such an honor to have Mr. He give me a massage. I¡¯m just afraid I couldn¡¯t even afford a tip."

    "You don¡¯t need to tip," He Xing chuckled amusedly, his smile warm as he said, "Just don¡¯t forget your promise to go see a movie with me."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes snapped open, and with an apologetic grin, she said, "About that... I find movies quite boring, and we¡¯re both tired today. Maybe... maybe we shouldn¡¯t go see a movie after all?"

    She hadn¡¯t used this coy approach since she returnedst year, although it used to bemon practice for her. However, it proved fruitless in front of others, and only when she was alone with He Xing, did her coquettish charm seem to prevail.

    To this day, Fu Han hadn¡¯t figured out how to charm He Xing effectively, unsure what coquettish tactics would work on him.

    As for her act now, it was solely because she had suddenly forgotten about her appointment with He Xing and really didn¡¯t want to attend. She had no confidence that her act would be sessful.

    He Xing reached out to yfully flick Fu Han¡¯s nose. He smiled beautifully, but the words he spoke were merciless, "No, adults must keep their promises. Even if I have to carry you, I will make sure to take you to the cinema today."

    Based on past experience, Fu Han knew it was futile to argue. She resignedly replied, "Alright, let¡¯s go. But let¡¯s be clear, we¡¯re only watching the movie. I really don¡¯t feel like having ate-night snack."

    "No problem," He Xing agreed readily this time.

    ...

    In the vast cinema, the giant screen portrayed stories of love and hate, another romance film. However, this one was different, starring blond-haired, blue-eyed protagonists, typical citizens of M Country.

    Fu Han, intent on not missing a moment, waspletely absorbed in the film. Ironically, when she first came abroad and struggled with English, she watched movies to integrate with everyone else. But back then, since she couldn¡¯t afford cinema tickets, she would usually watch free movies on video streaming sites.

    She was so engrossed in the movie that shepletely overlooked the fact that the person by her side had no interest in it. In fact, beads of sweat glistened on his nose.

    If Fu Han had seen He Xing like this, she would have ruthlessly made fun of him for showing nervousness.

 Chapter 477: Forced Confession of Love

    <h4>Chapter 477: Chapter 477: Forced Confession of Love</h4><h4></h4>

    The two-hour movie psed in a sh, and as the end credits began to y, just as Fu Han was about to stand up but hadn¡¯t yet, suddenly a man¡¯s loud voice rang out, "Will you marry me?"

    Fu Han looked in the direction of the voice and sure enough, not far from them, saw a man on one knee with a girl standing in front of him.

    The kneeling man stuffed a bouquet of roses into the girl¡¯s hands, then fished out a ring box from his pocket, opened it, and insidey a ring, resting peacefully.

    Fu Han¡¯s thoughts were pulled far away to a time when He Xing proposed to her, having custom-made a diamond ring for her, with a diamond as big as the nail on her pinky finger, dazzling under the sunlight.

    If... if only it had been a few minutester at that time, Fu Han¡¯s finger would have worn that ring.

    To say she had no regrets would be false. Even now, as she remembered, she felt she shouldn¡¯t have impulsively canceled the wedding; after all, even if He Xing had deceived her using his grandfather, the truth was he really loved Fu Han, and Fu Han truly loved He Xing.

    As for Xia Ning, honestly, when He Xing hadn¡¯t been as straightforward about his feelings for Fu Han as he is now, she never thought of giving up. So why give up now when it¡¯s clear they both want to love each other?

    Cheers erupted from the crowd, pulling Fu Han¡¯s thoughts back to the present. She then realized that no one in the auditorium had left; everyone was watching the serendipitous proposal.

    By this time, the girl had already extended her right hand, and the boy slid the uniquely precious ring onto her finger.

    For some reason, Fu Han suddenly felt a strong urge to cry. Although she still couldn¡¯t clearly see what the proposing couple looked like, she was profoundly moved by their love, which dared to shine under the sunlight, and by the solid choice they made to choose each other.

    He Xing wrapped an arm around Fu Han, kissing her forehead, and in a deep, maically charged voice said, "Xiaohan, are you thinking about the two of us?"

    Fu Han nodded without speaking, clueless about what to say, afraid the tears would fall if she opened her mouth.

    The brief yet smooth proposal was over, and the crowd began to orderly move towards the exit. Fu Han and He Xing remained standing in their spot, not because Fu Han was unwilling to move, but because she was held in ce, unable to move.

    "We should get going, you have a flight to catch tomorrow morning," Fu Han said, turning her head as she spoke.

    Instead, she unexpectedly met He Xing¡¯s magnified face. Instinctively, she stepped back, but it was already toote. He Xing¡¯s lips urately met Fu Han¡¯s, his one hand wrapped around her waist while the other supported the back of her head, preventing her from retreating.

    This kiss was different from the ones before that had deepened slowly; He Xing went straight for conquest, with a ferocity that could even be described as savage and unrestrained.

    But Fu Han remembered they were still in the movie theater. She ced her hands on He Xing¡¯s chest, trying to push him away, but against his absolute strength, her efforts were as futile as a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

    And as He Xing¡¯s kisses grew deeper, Fu Han¡¯s strength ebbed away like the tide. If not for He Xing¡¯s firm hands supporting her, she would have likely copsed, and how could she resist in such a state?

    Just as Fu Han¡¯sst thread of rationality was being drawn away, He Xing¡¯s lips moved to her ear, and while kissing her earlobe, he murmured softly, "Fu Han, you said you¡¯d reconsider letting me be your boyfriend. How is that consideration going?"

    "Still... still considering," Fu Han¡¯s mind was in disarray, yet she remembered not to easily forgive He Xing.

    "You need more time to consider?" He Xing took Fu Han¡¯s earlobe into his mouth, his raspy voice once again resounding, "Are you sure you need to think it over?"

    It was as if an electric current surged from He Xing¡¯s lips, traveled through Fu Han¡¯s earlobe, and spread throughout her body.

    What strength did she have left to argue?

    Fu Han was as docile as a puppet controlled by puppetry, obediently saying, "I... you are my boyfriend."

    "Only a boyfriend?" The hand on Fu Han¡¯s waist tightened as He Xing¡¯s lips started to fan mes on her neck.

    She was genuinely feeling dizzy and could only obediently reply again, "You¡¯re my fianc¨¦."

    When the lights in the auditorium finally came on, He Xing let go of Fu Han.

    He took Fu Han¡¯s hand and walked toward the exit. Many people watched them along the way, but public kissing wasn¡¯t a big deal in this liberal cultural atmosphere.

    Still, as a girl with a thin face, Fu Han let He Xing lead her, not daring to nce at anyone else the whole way.

    Although Fu Han imed she didn¡¯t want ate-night snack, He Xing still drove her to a food stall, and they ordered plenty of barbecue. As the aroma of the food began to spread, their stomachs growled in hunger.

    After eating their fill, He Xing and Fu Han returned to the car. He Xing, with a sly smile, teased, "Fu Han, why don¡¯t you just not go back tonight and stay with me at the hotel instead?"

    A blush climbed onto Fu Han¡¯s cheeks in an instant, and she feignedposure as she stuck out her tongue, "If I don¡¯t go back, what do you think your aunt and uncle, and my aunt and uncle will do? They might break your legs, right?"

    After contemtion for two seconds, He Xing ultimately nodded silently in agreement, "You have a point. If I don¡¯t take you back, your uncle might just storm the hotel in the middle of the night."

    Although said in jest, both felt the possibility was quite high.

    Funny enough, as a child He Xing feared his grandfather, but as he grew up, that fear faded. Yet, upon finding out that Fu Xingbo was Fu Han¡¯s uncle, he felt somewhat intimidated by him.

    After Fu Han stepped out of the car in front of the vi, He Xing rolled down his window and intively called out to Fu Han¡¯s retreating figure, "Are you really just going to walk away like that? Not even a goodbye kiss?"

    Minutester, as Fu Han entered the Fu Family¡¯s courtyard, her mood was like the night sky above, dotted with countless stars and a bright moon, looking so beautiful.

    She walked toward the vi door with light steps while suddenly hearing a voice from behind, "Fu Han, did you and He Xing make up?"

    Seeing who emerged from the shadows of the trees, Fu Han clutched at her chest, heart still racing, "Ji Liangchuan, what are you doing scaring people in the middle of the night?"

    Ji Liangchuan slowly stepped out from the shadows, the moonlight falling on him yet seeming to be absorbed by a ck hole, "Answer me, Fu Han, have you made up with He Xing?"

    "Yeah," Fu Han cheerfully nodded, utterly oblivious to the iron-blue color of Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face cloaked in shadows, his ck eyes shining with a beast-like glint as they fixed on her.

 Chapter 478: A Night Full of Incidents

    <h4>Chapter 478: Chapter 478: A Night Full of Incidents</h4><h4></h4>

    Ji Liangchuan step by step approached Fu Han, his face finally exposed under the moonlight, and in thoserge, exaggerated peach-blossom eyes was a brightness that could swallow a person whole.

    Even if Fu Han¡¯s reaction was slow, she finally realized something was wrong. She stepped back, not noticing the steps behind her. Without care, she fell, letting out a cry that was neither light nor heavy.

    Ji Liangchuan hurried forward two steps and bent down to offer a hand to Fu Han, "Xiaohan, are you alright?"

    "Don¡¯t call me Xiaohan," Fu Han raised her voice sharply. Her hands were bracing against the icy Snond as she attempted to rise, when suddenly, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face loomedrge in front of her.

    A strong, uneasy premonition arose in Fu Han¡¯s heart. She wanted to back away but had nowhere to retreat to. Ji Liangchuan¡¯s nearby look was cold and frightening, mixed with desire, making his concerned expression particrly terrifying.

    Just as Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hand was about to touch Fu Han, suddenly, a familiar, mild voice came from inside the house, "Who¡¯s outside? Xiaohan, is that youing back?"

    It was Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice, and Fu Han¡¯s tone heightened with excitement, "Uncle, it¡¯s me, I¡¯ve returned."

    "Fu Han, you should rest early. I¡¯ll be going back now," Ji Liangchuan swiftly retreated two steps, and even before Fu Xingbo appeared, he had already slipped out through the courtyard door.

    Only at this moment did Fu Han finally remember Ji Liangchuan did not live here, so his being here meant he had been waiting for her all along.

    She thought about Ji Liangchuan¡¯s inexplicable disappearance today and,bined with his strange behavior just now, couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.

    It was not until she had bathed andy in the warm bed that she still pondered over Ji Liangchuan¡¯s words and actions today. She knew Ji Liangchuan liked her, but in her impression, besides being a bit of a flirt, Ji Liangchuan was also a gentleman. Today, however, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had be apletely different person.

    The night grew deep, and Fu Han checked her cellphone. He Xing had bidden her good night an hour ago. She figured he must be asleep by now. She stuffed the phone back into the bedding and forced herself to sleep, covering her head with the nket.

    However, Fu Han had no idea that He Xing was not asleep at the moment. His room was very lively right now, and although there were only two people, it was still quite the scene.

    Tonight was destined to be eventful. Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were preparing for the arrival of Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo tomorrow. Something had happened during the short few minutes it took for Fu Han to walk from the courtyard gate to the vi. Moreover, someone had been waiting outside He Xing¡¯s room for several hours.

    He Xing had been in a great mood before he saw Su Cheng. Not only had he sessfully reimed the status of Fu Han¡¯s fianc¨¦, but he had also taken a photograph with Fu Han, posting their picture in both of their social media circles, announcing to everyone that they had reconciled.

    The good mood had him humming a tune as he came out of the elevator, the closing theme song of the movie they had watched that night.

    But the moment he saw Su Cheng leaning against his door, he immediately reverted to his cold, detached demeanor, "Why are you here?"

    Looking around, Su Cheng said, "I have something to discuss with you. Can we talk in your room?"

    He Xing opened the door, took out two wine sses, poured two cups of red wine, and handed one to Su Cheng, "Want a drink?"

    Su Cheng tilted his head back and gulped down the wine so quickly that some dribbled from the corner of his mouth. He carelessly wiped it away with the back of his hand, staring intently at He Xing, "You should know why I¡¯vee to find you."

    He Xing¡¯s hotel room was simple and clean, with a white and linen color scheme, though the light blue bedding added a bright pop of color that was somewhat out of ce.

    His gaze fell on the blue duvet cover adorned with two figurines wearing wedding attire, a tacky pattern, but it was Bai Qian who had insisted He Xing bring it, saying it was a silkforter that wouldn¡¯t be cold in the winter.

    He Xing¡¯s indifferent voice rose, "Surprised? Why should I be surprised? If you hadn¡¯te to find me, that would have been surprising."

    Su Cheng managed a bitter smile, "Since you knew I woulde to find you, then you must know why I¡¯m here. Can you... can you help?"

    His simple request turned into a plea by the end. This was the most he could do, begging He Xing to the fullest extent given that they were rivals during the day.

    He Xing cocked his head andughed, "Since we¡¯re negotiating, you shouldy all your cards on the table. Let¡¯s properly weigh them on the bnce."

    As expected of a businessman, everything has a clear price," Su Cheng said with a wry smile, a look of helplessness on his face, "My bargaining chip? I still don¡¯t know what it is, and since you know everything, why don¡¯t you set the bargaining chip for me?"

    A suppressive atmosphere began to fill the room, oppressing it, making it hard to breathe.

    He Xing¡¯s scrutinizing gaze measured Su Cheng, and he spoke word by word, "What if I say, the bargaining chip I demand is that you never again harbor any improper thoughts about Fu Han?"

    This was one of the possibilities Su Cheng had considered beforeing, yet hearing He Xing say it made him feel unbearably ufortable, as though someone was choking him.

    But recalling the situation his parents were in, Su Cheng had no choice but to speak up, "Perhaps I can¡¯t do that, but I could stop presenting myself as a suitor of Fu Han."

    For the first time since seeing Su Cheng, a look of surprise shed across He Xing¡¯s face. He inspected Su Cheng, and once assured that Su Cheng was sincere, he nodded, "Fine, I understand your determination. But what if I tell you that the situation has developed to a point beyond my control? What will you do then?"

    That single sentence turned Su Cheng¡¯s already pale face translucent, his veins visible beneath the skin.

    He shook his head, "I don¡¯t believe it. You must have some way to resolve this situation."

    "Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you," He Xing settled into the sofa and spoke indifferently, "What I can do is keep the other things in my hands from being handed over. As for whether others kick you while you¡¯re down, that¡¯s out of my control; those are the weights on my scale. Consider whether you want to make a deal with me or not."

    ...

    Fu Han¡¯s emotions wereplicated when she picked up He Xing, and just asplex as she saw him off.

    And with Fu Xingbo practically escorting them back and forth, given the Fu Family¡¯s circumstances, there was no need for Fu Xingbo to send them, hinting at a deeper meaning behind his actions.

    The car stopped precisely in the underground parking lot. Fu Xingbo didn¡¯t exit the car but poked his head out calling after He Xing, "He Xing, do you have nothing to say to me?"

    It took a moment for He Xing to grasp the meaning behind Fu Xingbo¡¯s words, but when he noticed Fu Xingbo looking at Fu Han, he instinctively wrapped an arm around Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Uncle, Fu Han has forgiven me. We¡¯re now back to being engaged. When I¡¯m not by Fu Han¡¯s side, I hope you can take good care of her."

 Chapter 479: The Building is About to Collapse

    <h4>Chapter 479: Chapter 479: The Building is About to Copse</h4><h4></h4>

    "You agreed?" Fu Xingbo nced at Fu Han, his gaze more teasing than serious.

    He Xing¡¯s confession fromst night started ying in Fu Han¡¯s mind again. It was a sheer imposition of feelings; where was the chance for her to refuse? But then again, she had never considered anyone but He Xing.

    Thinking this, Fu Han nodded and honestly said, "Yes, Uncle, I agreed."

    "Then, He Xing, you should hurry back and focus on your work. In some time, we¡¯ll also return home. I¡¯ll meet with Old Master He then, and we can talk about your tumultuous love story," said Fu Xingbo as he rolled up the car window, giving them no further chance to speak.

    He Xing switched to holding Fu Han¡¯s hand, leading her towards the entrance with deliberate steps, Liang Tao following behind them, perfectly embodying the term ¡¯third wheel.¡¯

    Just before boarding, He Xing kissed Fu Han¡¯s forehead, reluctant to part: "Take good care of yourself; I¡¯ll wait for your return."

    "I know, you too, have a safe trip," Fu Han said as she tiptoed to peck He Xing¡¯s cheek.

    Before leaving, Liang Tao mustered the courage to speak up: "Lady Fu Han, please take good care of Zhao Ting. She¡¯s just graduated and there¡¯s a lot she doesn¡¯t understand. Please be patient with her."

    "I know. Just for the fact that you¡¯re willing to wait for Zhao Ting, I¡¯ll take good care of her," Fu Han replied, her smile extra bright.

    It was she who had sought Liang Tao to convey Zhao Ting¡¯s concerns, leaving the decision ultimately up to him: whether to find someone else he likes or wait until Zhao Ting was ready to marry.

    Liang Tao¡¯s answer was that he couldn¡¯t wait to marry Zhao Ting tomorrow, but if it wasn¡¯t her, he might never marry at all. As a result, it was clear that, less than a week after Zhao Ting had turned down Liang Tao, they had begun an unashamedly romantic rtionship.

    Unfortunately, their romancested less than a day before they had to endure the bittersweet pain of a long-distance rtionship.

    Even though Zhao Ting hade to see Liang Tao off, from the hotel to the He Family vi, she just let Liang Tao hold her hand, saying hardly anything at all; if someone spoke to her, she¡¯d respond demurely like a bashful young girl.

    Honestly, Fu Han was somewhat envious of Zhao Ting. Although she was only a few years older, Fu Han felt as if she¡¯d experienced a lifetime of change, finding it hard to approach love with the same purity as Zhao Ting.

    Of course, she really liked He Xing, even more than Zhao Ting liked Liang Tao, but she just couldn¡¯t be as genuine as Zhao Ting.

    As the two men, He Xing and Liang Tao, left with frequent backward nces, Fu Han and Zhao Ting stood outside like statues of wives waiting for their husbands, watching them fade into the distance.

    On the way back, the car was still driven by Fu Xingbo, and both Fu Han and Zhao Ting remained silent.

    ...

    In City A, as Mr. Huangpu was led away by the police, the back that had always stood so erect suddenly crumpled, and she fell to the ground with weakness in her knees.

    Everyone understood what the arrest warrant meant: the police had confirmed Mr. Huangpu¡¯s criminal deeds, verified the unfairpetition he had engaged in to rapidly expand the Huangpu Group.

    Regretful tears flowed from Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face as the vast viy empty and silent, the servants hiding in their rooms, whispering amongst themselves.

    When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter; to these servants, Mrs. Huangpu had been no more than an ant, but even an ant clings to life, let alone these flesh and blood humans.

    The events of today hadn¡¯t happened out of the blue; a few days prior, some public officials involved were already called in for questioning. After hearing the news, some within the Huangpu Group had started to stir, and the departure letters received over the past few days were as numerous as snowkes.

    And today, the doors of the Huangpu Group¡¯s headquarters remained shut. But even if they were open, it¡¯s doubtful employees would have gone to work, out of fear they might not get paid for their efforts¡ªlike fetching water with a bamboo basket, all in vain.

    In just about a week, the Huangpu Group had gone from a venerable giant to an empty shell. Speaking of which was truly deste.

    One of the bolder servants approached Mrs. Huangpu and whispered, "Madam, my grandmother is sick back home... I need to take leave to care for her, please approve it."

    Suddenly, strength returned to Mrs. Huangpu. With just two fingers pressed against the ground, she easily stood up.

    Upon rising, her aura instantly returned, and the already nervous servant¡¯s head sank even lower, his ordinary face turning bright red, wishing he could just disappear.

    Mrs. Huangpu scoffed andughed, "Didn¡¯t you sayst month you needed three days off for your grandmother¡¯s funeral? Has shee back to life?"

    The servant looked up guiltily, about to speak, but Mrs. Huangpu sneered and cut him off, "I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re taking care of your sick grandmother or attending her funeral. As of today, we terminate our employment contract."

    After saying this, she looked up at the group of servants huddling at the entrance, their necks shrunk in: "The same goes for all of you. If you want to leave, do it. I won¡¯t hold you back. Even if Master has run into trouble, the Huangpu Family won¡¯t be trampled underfoot."

    Mrs. Huangpu was always decisive, and she immediately called the butler, Old Liu, over. She instructed him to settle the servants¡¯ sries who wished to leave. An hourter, Old Liu reported back that apart from his family of four, all the other servants had left.

    Old Liu had been with the Huangpu family since his teens. Thanks to his and his wife¡¯s efficient work, Old Liu became the butler, and his wife managed all the maids.

    Later, as Liu had a son, who eventually got married, the Huangpu Family, grateful for Old Liu¡¯s loyalty, sent Liu¡¯s son abroad to study. His son proved his merit and gratitude; afterpleting his studies, he joined the Huangpu Group and now was Mr. Huangpu¡¯s right-hand man.

    Mrs. Huangpu gave Old Liu a deep look, a trace of gratitude on her usually proud face, "Thank you."

    "Madam, you¡¯re too polite. Our whole family owes so much to the Huangpu Family. Everyone else could leave, but we couldn¡¯t. Xiaoliu is still out trying to get things done. Go and rest; we¡¯lle up and inform you if there¡¯s any news," Old Liu replied, his attitude unchanged, still respectful yet dignified.

    As she went upstairs, Mrs. Huangpu strived to keep her back straight. Although darkness filled her heart, she thought that if others hadn¡¯t given up, she certainly couldn¡¯t afford to. If she gave in, how could she face Su Cheng?

 Chapter 480: Lunch for Two

    <h4>Chapter 480: Chapter 480: Lunch for Two</h4><h4></h4>

    The grand openingsted for three days with special offers, and today was the second day, still bustling with people.

    Fu Han was so busy she couldn¡¯t even find time to take a sip of water.

    Yesterday, Fu Han was dressed in a short ck jacket, with her long hair draped over her shoulders, a delicate girl; today, she got up early to see He Xing off and even put on makeup, wore a light beige down jacket, and had her long hair curled softly, looking even more exquisite than yesterday.

    But today, less than an hour after she arrived at the restaurant, she had carelessly twisted her long hair up into a bun on top of her head, and was so busy she didn¡¯t have time to even apply lip balm¡ªhow could she still rte to being exquisite?

    In fact, the number of orders today wasn¡¯t as high as yesterday, but it was particrly busy because suddenly many people were missing.

    Yesterday, He Xing, Liang Tao, Ji Liangchuan, Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe were all here helping, but today He Xing and Liang Tao had gone back to their country, Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents had arrived and he went with He Xing; as for Ji Liangchuan, Fu Han hadn¡¯t seen him sincest night.

    Actually, it was also good that Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯te. Every time Fu Han thought aboutst night¡¯s events, she felt extremely ufortable. She always felt that Ji Liangchuanst night was like a bloodthirsty beast.

    After talking for half an hour, Fu Han finally closed another deal. While printing out invoices at the cash register, she identally caught sight of Su Cheng standing outside the door.

    Even though it was just his back, Fu Han felt a faint sadness emanating from Su Cheng¡¯s entire being, as if he had suffered a severe blow.

    In fact, when Fu Han arrived this morning, she already noticed something was off with Su Cheng. In the past, he would immediately greet her with a smile upon seeing her, but today, upon seeing her, he dodged like a rat seeing a cat, avoiding eye contact and looking for a hole to crawl into.

    After thinking for a while, Fu Han still decided to walk towards Su Cheng. Although they couldn¡¯t be lovers, after more than four years as friends and business partners, it was only reasonable for her to show concern.

    She told Zhao Ting and then headed towards the door, approaching Su Cheng and touching his shoulder, "Su Cheng, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    Su Cheng reacted like a startled bird, nearly jumping in shock.

    He instinctively took two steps back, his handsome face showing conflict, "Fu Han, what... what are you doing here?"

    Fu Han stood her ground, her face showing mild concern, "I noticed you weren¡¯t yourself, so I came to ask. If you don¡¯t mind, shall we go for a coffee?"

    Su Cheng looked towards the restaurant, still struggling, "But what about here?"

    "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine," Fu Han said with a smile, one that resembled a snow lotus blooming on the edge of a cliff, stunningly beautiful as if not of this mundane world.

    Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized, and it wasn¡¯t until Fu Han repeated herself that he finally snapped back to reality. But once he did, sadness overwhelmed him.

    "Let¡¯s go," Fu Han smiled again and took the lead, walking ahead. After a few steps, she looked back at Su Cheng, "It¡¯s almost lunchtime, let¡¯s have lunch together and then head back."

    If it were before, Su Cheng would have been overjoyed by Fu Han¡¯s lunch invitation, jumping for joy, but now all he felt was sadness.

    Still, he couldn¡¯t help but let his eyes follow Fu Han.

    Cars sped by on the clean and tidy street, with snow piled on the sides, shoveled there by sanitation workers, dirty snow that made one want to run away from it.

    The sun shone directly overhead, casting a straightforward light, which from behind made it seem as though amp followed Fu Han wherever she went, her shadow cast wherever the light fell.

    The moment she turned her head seemed eternal, a face so beautiful it was startling exposed in the sunlight, so dazzling it could eclipse the sun and yet so captivating one couldn¡¯t look away.

    Su Cheng looked up at the sky, at the blue sky and the white clouds, so beautiful.

    He told himself that he had given up the right to pursue Fu Han, but he could still be her friend and stand by her side forever as a friend.

    With this thought, Su Cheng felt his mood instantly brighten, and he easily caught up with Fu Han with his long strides.

    The lunch was a simple Western style with steak, fruit sd, and the like; Fu Han and Su Cheng, having had their fill of these foods during their studies abroad, would have just nibbled and finished quickly if not for the fact that they had to work in the restaurant in the afternoon.

    After eating, they each ordered a cup of coffee. The winter afternoon sun was warm, shining through the window, giving one a drowsy feeling.

    Fu Han, somewhat absent-mindedly stirring her coffee cup, listened carefully to the clinking of the sugar cube against it, "Su Cheng, did something happen to you?"

    Su Cheng, who had been staring nkly at Fu Han, jumped like a frightened bird at her question. He fell silent¡ªat this moment, he truly needed someone to confide in, but he didn¡¯t know whether he should tell Fu Han.

    Eventually, under Fu Han¡¯s encouraging gaze, Su Cheng began to speak: "Yesterday, my mother called me and said someone reported that Huangpu Group was using unfair practices againstpetitors. My parents... I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with them now."

    "Then why don¡¯t you hurry back?" Fu Han¡¯s voice suddenly turned anxious, her volume rising a bit, "You should be with them."

    "But what about here?" Her words struck a chord with Su Cheng, but he still hesitated. He was desperate to return, but how could he leave when it was so busy?

    "Oh, at a time like this, why are you worrying about so much?" Fu Han¡¯s beautiful face flushed with a charming glow, "The event is only for one more day, and we won¡¯t be busy after that. Anyway, if I really can¡¯t handle it, I can ask my uncle and aunt for help."

    Su Cheng looked deeply at Fu Han and nodded vigorously, "Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll go book a flight right now."

    A few minutester, Su Cheng hung up the phone; the earliest flight was a red-eye, leaving tonight at ten.

    He hung up and smiled, "That¡¯s perfect, I can still help you out this afternoon."

    Fu Han also smiled, sipping her coffee lightly but couldn¡¯t help asking, "Su Cheng, isn¡¯t Huangpu Group very powerful? How could things suddenly be like this, what exactly happened?"

    Su Cheng pursed his lips and didn¡¯t speak, his face showing struggle.

    "If it¡¯s inconvenient for you to talk about it, it¡¯s okay. I was just asking," Fu Han said with a smile, not pursuing the matter any further.

    "No, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s inconvenient," Su Cheng blurted out hastily: "I¡¯m willing to tell you anything you want to know; it¡¯s just that I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be upset."

    Minutester, Fu Han spoke again, her face cold, "So you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s He Xing who caused Huangpu Group to end up like this?"

 Chapter 481: Your Deal is Not at a Loss

    <h4>Chapter 481: Chapter 481: Your Deal is Not at a Loss</h4><h4></h4>

    "Not at all," Su Cheng, though he always considered He Xing a rival in love, was raised to seek truth from facts, "It should be my parents who first bribed the staff of He Group to get the tender document. Then He Xing found out that Huangpu Group¡¯s project was viting regtions and reported it. After that, otherpanies probably thought He Group was going after Huangpu Group and started to kick them while they were down. With the higher-ups opening investigations and unraveling the threads, we ended up in the current situation."

    Su Cheng sighed deeply, "At the end of the day, it was my parents who did the wrong thing. Their downfall isn¡¯t unjust."

    After hearing what he had said, Fu Han felt much calmer. She would have been disappointed if it were true that He Xing had kicked them while they were down, but He Xing had merely given a small reprimand as a big lesson. It was just too bad that Huangpu Group had made too many enemies in the past, which led them to this point.

    She thought for a moment and then tentatively asked, "Is there any other way to deal with this situation?"

    "Other ways?" After some thought, Su Cheng said quietly, "Maybe I¡¯ll find an answer after I go back and talk to thewyers. I don¡¯t know right now."

    Fu Han knew Su Cheng was telling the truth. When she finished her coffee, she slowly stood up, "We¡¯ve been out for quite a long time. Let¡¯s head back."

    The two made their way back along the path they hade, passing a supermarket, a record store, a fruit shop, and a store selling various small trinkets.

    Throughout their walk, Su Cheng remained half a step behind Fu Han. This distance allowed him to watch her more without being noticed and to morefortably take in the scenery around him. Perhaps these peaceful moments would not be found again in the rest of his life.

    Their studio was now in view, just around the corner ahead. Fu Han stopped and turned to look at Su Cheng, "If... if you encounter any difficulties, you can tell me. I¡¯ll definitely help if I can; and even if I can¡¯t, at least I can be a big trumpet that only listens without talking."

    Su Cheng looked at Fu Han intently, his eyes reddening as he watched her. He awkwardly turned his head away and said softly, "I know."

    Fu Han nodded with a smile and did not linger any longer, heading for the street corner step by step.

    Just as she was about to reach the corner, Su Cheng suddenly called out to Fu Han, "Fu Han, I have something to say to you."

    When Fu Han stopped, he cautiously came up to her, looked around, and said in a low voice, "This matter has nothing to do with He Xing. He just did what any businessman would do. Moreover, he promised he won¡¯t take any further action on this issue. Don¡¯t be angry with him."

    Fu Han looked at Su Cheng somewhat surprised. After thinking for a moment, she countered with a question, "So, when did you two make a deal?"

    Su Cheng looked at her in surprise. She was always a bit smarter than he expected. If she wanted, probably no one in the world could keep a secret from her.

    Now that it hade to this point, there was no sense in Su Cheng pretending nothing had happened. He gave a bitter smile, a mixture of sorrow, helplessness, and resignation, "The condition is that I must never harbor any inappropriate thoughts towards you again."

    After saying this, Su Cheng looked at Fu Han with eyes like someone in hell looking up to heaven, his desperate expression as if saying, "Give me a bit of hope, please, give me a bit of hope."

    Unexpectedly, Fu Han burst intoughter, bright as a dazzling rose.

    She patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder forcefully, "So you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t make any deal with He Xing at all, because I¡¯ve always regarded you as my brother."

    "Are you trying tofort me?" Su Cheng burst outughing too, the first time in days. His smile was sunny, but a closer look would reveal the bitterness in his eyes.

    Fu Han smiled and patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder again, as if she saw nothing, "Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way to handle these things."

    "I hope so," Su Cheng smiled.

    ...

    Fu Family Vi.

    Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei went straight from the airport to the Fu Family Vi to pick up Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo.

    For well-known reasons, even though Luo Qiluo was fully aware that the temperature in M Country was quite cold around negative ten degrees Celsius this season, she still refused to wear a down jacket for the sake of beauty.

    Dressed only in a Cheongsam with a wool coat over it, Luo Qiluo almost froze when she got off the ne. It was not until she was inside the car, warmed by the ample heating, that her body finally regained some temperature.

    During the flight, Luo Qiluo had resolved not to agree too easily to go to Bai Wei¡¯s house. She was determined to give Bai Wei a hard time.

    But after being chilled by M Country¡¯s cold wind, she lost all courage to leave the car again. Hence, she was exceptionallypliant with the arrangement this time.

    Finally outside the Fu Family vi, Luo Qinghe suggested again, "Mom, there¡¯s a down jacket of Bai Wei¡¯s in the car. Why don¡¯t you wear it first? I can go out and buy you clothes this afternoon."

    Bai Wei eagerly seconded the suggestion, "Auntie, I never wore that down jacket, it was just there to use as a nket in the car when it got cold."

    On the way there, Luo Qinghe had already mentioned twice that Luo Qiluo was not dressed warmly enough and should wear Bai Wei¡¯s clothes, but Luo Qiluo had refused each time.

    "I have said that I am not cold." Luo Qiluo said coldly, while straightening her clothes and hair, she tantly refused again.

    What a joke, she made it all the way to Bai Wei¡¯s front door, and was about to meet Bai Qian ¨C it was time for a showdown, and she wasn¡¯t about to undermine herself by entering in a bulky, shapeless down jacket.

    The car was parked, and Luo Qiluo took out her makeup mirror to meticulously check her makeup. After looking from left to right, she carefully applied ayer of lipstick, "Alright, let¡¯s get out of the car."

    After stepping out of the car, Li Huazhi walked ahead of her. She trotted and caught his arm in hers amidst his puzzled look, smiling more radiantly than ever, "It¡¯s better for us to enter together."

    Li Huazhi had a look of barely suppressed eagerness in his eyes. He nced at Luo Qiluo and gave a smile, though internally he felt a trace of contempt.

    This couple that had been together for years was quite the farce. For decades, they had portrayed the image of a loving couple in A City¡¯s Upper-ss Society, earning them much admiration.

    But a pretense was just that, and like paper, it can be easily ripped apart.

    The arrival of Bai Qian was like a hand tearing through the paper; she hadn¡¯t done anything, but she was the woman of Li Huazhi¡¯s dreams. That alone was enough, more impactful than anything else.

 Chapter 482: A Complicated Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 482: Chapter 482: A Complicated Meeting</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei looked at the two walking shoulder to shoulder and nudged Luo Qinghe¡¯s waist, whispering, "Have your parents patched up their rtionship? Has it be this good?"

    "Heh heh..." Luo Qinghe put on a skin-deep smile, "Their matters are not my business, and I can¡¯t manage them either."

    Back then, Luo Qiluo made a big fuss about getting a divorce. Although the news didn¡¯t make it to the press, many in upper-ss society knew about it, and it was quite the spectacle.

    Li Huazhi cared about appearances as much as Luo Qiluo did, and in a rage, he agreed to the divorce.

    To her surprise, however, this time it was Luo Qiluo who was taken aback. She called her two sons back, made a scene, essentially using Li Huazhi of despising her for growing old and wanting a divorce to find someone younger.

    The Li brothers felt helpless about this; they exchanged nces, and tacitly maintained their silence, a result of their years of experience.

    The oue didn¡¯t surprise them either. Luo Qiluo and Li Huazhi¡¯s argument was all bark and no bite, and they parted on bad terms.

    After giving each other the cold shoulder for two days, somehow they reconciled without a word, and nobody mentioned divorce again.

    In public, they were once again the model of a perfect couple. As for what happened behind closed doors, Luo Qinghe and his brother hadn¡¯t a clue, since they had property in their names and had moved out after bing adults, returning home only once or twice a week.

    By now, Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo had reached the entrance of the Fu Family¡¯s vi, and Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had heard themotion ande out to greet them.

    The parents exchanged pleasantries at the door. Eventually, Bai Wei, seeing that Luo Qiluo was starting to shiver, hurriedly suggested, "Dad, Mom, Uncle, Auntie, let¡¯s go inside and talk. I¡¯m a bit cold."

    Bai Qian immediately smiled, "Yes, look at me, forgetting about our guests. I¡¯ve already brewed the tea; let¡¯s go inside quickly."

    As they entered, Bai Wei and her mother Bai Qian lingered at the back. Bai Qian tugged at Bai Wei¡¯s thick down coat that reached her ankles and chuckled, "Didn¡¯t you say this coat is your bat gear¡¯ for winter?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s smile instantly stiffened as she coughed unnaturally and said, "This... The wind in M Country is just too strong. I¡¯m still cold even with so much on¡ªisn¡¯t that okay?"

    "Of course, it¡¯s fine." Bai Qian smiled again and added with a meaningful tone, "I thought my daughter had made progress, bing more considerate. Turns out I misunderstood."

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed red, but unable to rebut, she could only stick her tongue out behind Bai Qian¡¯s back.

    How can it be said that Luo Qiluo would spare no expense for beauty? As soon as she entered the vi and felt the ample heating, she immediately took off her woolen coat, revealing the form-fitting cheongsam beneath.

    She sat elegantly on the couch, and her beautiful eyes quickly fixed on Bai Qian, who was pouring tea for them.

    Possibly due to being at home, Bai Qian¡¯s outfit focused onfort¡ªa beige turtleneck sweater of fine fabric that looked very warm; its loose design was casual. She paired it with a ck knitted skirt, outlining her trim hips, and from the ankles peeked ck wool leggings¡ªwarm and stylish.

    As for Bai Qian¡¯s face, it was clean and makeup-free, save for ayer of lipstick on her lips brightening up herplexion.

    Bai Qian¡¯s long ck hair casually draped over her shoulders, neither straightened nor dyed, a natural beauty in itself.

    The more Luo Qiluo looked at Bai Qian, the more ufortable she felt, especially noticing Li Huazhi¡¯s nces often drifting towards Bai Qian.

    What frustrated Luo Qiluo the most was that despite Fu Xingbo clearly seeing Li Huazhi sneaking peeks at Bai Qian, he remained calm as if nothing happened, continuing to exchange warm greetings with Li Huazhi.

    A surge of jealousy rose in Luo Qiluo as she nced down at the autumn-winter cheongsam she¡¯d had custom-made for a hefty price. When they were preparing toe to M Country, she¡¯d already decided to wear it, confidently thinking she¡¯d outshine Bai Qian.

    Indeed, Luo Qiluo still felt she looked prettier than usual today¡ªher attire more formal and her makeup more exquisite than Bai Qian¡¯s.

    However, she found it hard to feel pleased. A real match is when both sides know each other as rivals, both with equally meticulous makeup, both wanting to best the other.

    But Bai Qian¡¯s behavior today showed no such intention. It seemed she hadn¡¯t even considered joining this smokeless battlefield.

    Lost in thought, Bai Qian elegantly handed Luo Qiluo a cup of hot tea, "Qinghe¡¯s mom, you¡¯ve traveled so far, and it¡¯s chilly outside; please have some hot tea to warm up."

    Her every move was proper. Luo Qiluo had no justification for a quarrel as she smiled politely, epting the tea with grace.

    As one handed over and the other received, their fingertips inevitably touched¡ªone warm as summer sunshine, the other as cold as a winter breeze.

    Luo Qiluo felt an even stronger sense of defeat, as if she¡¯d swung at her surroundings only for it to backfire on herself.

    Everyone instinctively yearns for warmth, Luo Qiluo being no exception. She even felt an urge to grasp Bai Qian¡¯s hands for warmth, a sentiment thatsted just a second before she forcefully suppressed it.

    Instead, Bai Qian immediately gripped Luo Qiluo¡¯s hand, frowning as she said, "Your hands are so cold. Be careful not to catch a cold."

    Hearing this, Li Huazhimented with a disregardful tone, "I told you to put on more clothes, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. You better put your coat back on quickly so you don¡¯t catch a cold and cause trouble for everyone."

    The words held no consideration for Luo Qiluo, especially as Li Huazhi then turned to smile at Bai Qian, clearly trying to curry favor.

    Burning with anger, Luo Qiluo was about to retort.

    However, at that moment, Bai Qian gently shook her hand and said with a smile, "Qinghe¡¯s mom, there¡¯s no need to put on the coat. It¡¯s ufortable to wear one at home. I have a cashmere shawl that I¡¯ve never worn, and it would go perfectly with your cheongsam."

    Luo Qiluo¡¯s hostility towards Bai Qian was instinctual, but even with such strong antipathy, she still could not find fault with Bai Qian¡¯s behavior. Especially now, with Bai Qian¡¯s warm hands still firmly gripping hers, waves of warmth spreading from Bai Qian¡¯s palm into her heart.

 Chapter 483: The Friendship of Women

    <h4>Chapter 483: Chapter 483: The Friendship of Women</h4><h4></h4>

    In less than two minutes, Bai Qian came down from upstairs, indeed holding a white cashmere shawl in her hand. From a distance, the shawl seemed to glow, a faint white halo surrounding it.

    As Bai Qian helped Luo Qiluo put on the shawl, she startedughing, "I¡¯ve tried on this shawl, but I¡¯ve gained some weight recently, and it doesn¡¯t look good on me."

    Once Luo Qiluo had the shawl on, Bai Qian looked her up and down and sincerely said, "You¡¯re tall and slim, this shawl really suits you."

    Every woman likes to beplimented, especially when the one praising you is the rival in your heart.

    Her words pleased Luo Qiluo greatly, and she too smiled, "Is there a mirror? I want to see how it looks."

    The two middle-aged women walked side by side toward the full-length mirror, while the remaining four people all looked on in astonishment, almost doubting whether the sun had risen from the west, as a scene they never dared to dream of was actually unfolding.

    Among the four, Fu Xingbo was the calmest, looking as if the scene before him was perfectly normal; Li Huazhi was the most shocked, his eyes widened as if he¡¯d seen something unbelievable; Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe were the happiest, as they were the ones who could easily ept this turn of events without any mental preparation.

    The friendship and hatred between women cane so suddenly, perhaps because of a single sentence, or a kind gesture, love can turn to hate, and hate can also turn into love.

    Several minutester, Bai Qian and Luo Qiluo came out chatting andughing. Compared to when they left, it seemed their rtionship had be much more harmonious.

    What followed went more smoothly than Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe could have imagined. In contrast to the tense first meeting of the parents in A City, this time both sets of parents were super cooperative.

    The engagement day was set for February 14th, Valentine¡¯s Day; their wedding day was fixed on May 1st, Labour Day.

    As for the bride price, which worries many young couples, Bai Qian and Luo Qiluo reached a high-level agreement, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe would neither give nor receive a bride price or dowry.

    The parents on both sides promised that Bai Wei¡¯s parents would provide them with two vis and two apartments in M Country as real estate; Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents would provide two vis and two apartments in A City as real estate, and all eight properties would be registered in both their names.

    When it came to buying the houses, it was especially amusing. Bai Qian joked that with eight properties, even if they had no ie in the future, they wouldn¡¯t starve; Luo Qiluo expressed strong agreement.

    Although Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe felt that with their abilities they would neverck an ie and support themselves, they naturally wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to refuse free properties, so they justughed heartily, thick-skinned enough to filter out any unpleasant words.

    The four elders talked more and more congenially, discussing that Bai Wei and the rest should at least have two children, one taking Bai Wei¡¯s surname and the other taking Luo Qinghe¡¯s; and if they were willing to have four, they could also have one child surnamed Fu and another surnamed Li.

    These were topics of their second conversation about the matter. Luo Qinghe was quiteposed, simply saying that having children was a matter of fate.

    Bai Wei, on the other hand, almost couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes and said bluntly, "Are you treating me like a breeding pig?"

    As a result, Bai Qian teased her, "If you were a pig, you could have given birth to more than four at once."

    Lunchtime soon arrived, and Fu Xingbo had arranged for them to dine at a hotel, which also allowed for Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo¡¯s belongings to be ced there, so they could rest in the hotel in the afternoon.

    In the afternoon, when Fu Han finally had time to send a message to Bai Wei to inquire about the situation, she had been present at thest parental meeting in A City and knew how unpleasant it had been, which was why she was so worried now.

    After receiving Bai Wei¡¯s reply, Fu Han finally felt at ease, and after closing the shop in the afternoon, she said goodbye to Su Cheng and went straight home.

    When Fu Han came back, Luo Qiluo and Li Huazhi had not yete from the hotel, Luo Qinghe had gone to pick them up, while Bai Wei was pretending to help in the kitchen.

    "Wow, I didn¡¯t realize you could cook,"mented Fu Han, leaning against the doorframe, looking at Bai Wei, who was cutting vegetables in the kitchen, with a teasing smile.

    Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful face flushed, and she red at Fu Han, though her eyescked any deterrence, "You just know how to make snide remarks here, why don¡¯t youe and help me?"

    But before she finished speaking, Bai Qian pped her on the behind, "Xiaohan has been so busy at the shop today, she should rest when she gets home, and you¡¯re asking her for help?"

    As she spoke, Bai Qian cleaned and handed a white porcin cup to Fu Han, "This is the Honey Grapefruit Tea I prepared for you, have a sip to warm up, and dinner will be ready soon."

    A wave of warmth surged in Fu Han¡¯s heart, and she agreed before taking the cup outside.

    Humans are social animals, and if one were to list the most blissful moments in life, returning home to a hot meal and warm tea after a day¡¯s work would undeniably be among them.

    Fu Han had only drunk half of her Honey Grapefruit Tea when Bai Wei showed up in the living room, curious, "Weren¡¯t you helping Auntie in the kitchen?"

    Bai Wei plopped down beside Fu Han, ncing at the warm tea in her hands, "Can I have a sip?"

    "Can¡¯t you pour yourself another cup?" Fu Han asked, somewhat disdainfully.

    "I would love to, but my mom only made one cup, and none for me," Bai Weiined, her face scrunching up like a flower.

    Since Fu Xingbo¡¯s career took off, Bai Qian has been content to be a full-time housewife, but unlike other housewives, she didn¡¯t spend her days shopping. Instead, she chose to learn various things.

    Cooking, tea ceremony, pastries, painting, music, poetry recitation.

    While Bai Wei hopped between art sses as a child, Bai Qian learned even more, and even better than Bai Wei.

    Always progressing, never content with standing still.

    Perhaps this was why time was kinder to Bai Qian; she hadn¡¯t undergone any cosmetic procedures, just routine skincare, yet she eventually turned out to be much more beautiful than manydies who spent their days in beauty salons.

    Bai Qian¡¯s tea ceremony skills were highly cultivated. Her Honey Grapefruit Tea was quite different from ordinary versions, with many ingredients not typically found in grapefruit tea, giving it an exceptional vor. It was the tastiest Honey Grapefruit Tea Fu Han had ever had.

    So when Bai Wei said Bai Qian hadn¡¯t made much, Fu Han believed it; she had once seen Bai Qian making lemon grapefruit tea with great care and effort.

    "Don¡¯t drink it all, I still want some," Fu Han warned as she passed the cup over, reminding her to save some.

 Chapter 484: Powerful Resistance

    <h4>Chapter 484: Chapter 484: Powerful Resistance</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei suddenly took tworge gulps and then thrust the cup into Fu Han¡¯s hands, her look indicating a desire to say something but hesitating to do so.

    Fu Han looked at Bai Wei with a nted eye, "If you have something to say, just say it. Hemming and hawing isn¡¯t your style."

    She usually finished workte, and by this time it had already turned dark. The lights in the Fu family¡¯s courtyard hade on, still the little colored lights they had hung up for Christmas, twinkling, giving off the impression that what¡¯s outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the night sky.

    The gardener had already hurried to clean up the snow in the yard, which was a meticulously cared-for garden, nted with all sorts of flowers and herbs in an orderly fashion, and the paths for walking were made of bluestones, imbuing a dampish feel upon first nce.

    Bai Wei¡¯s voice slowly began to resonate, "Fu Han, don¡¯tugh at me. Today, my parents and my uncles and aunts had a great time talking, but I have this feeling of unreality. Do you think all this could disappear in an instant?"

    People, when in extreme joy, tend to feel ack of confidence, something Fu Han understood. Furthermore, Fu Han had truly experienced how one second you could be extremely happy, and the next, extremely sorrowful.

    Never rely too heavily on the happiness you believe in; this was a blood-stained truth taught to her by a wedding that ended tragically.

    But Bai Wei was different; she could genuinely look forward to a beautiful happiness, one that should rightfully be cherished with utmost care.

    Fu Han smiled, "What, do you need me to pinch you to tell you all this is real?"

    "Oh, what are you talking about?" Bai Wei, reacting strongly, moved a couple of steps in the opposite direction from Fu Han, creating a safe distance between them: "Fu Han, I¡¯m being very serious with you, don¡¯t change the subject."

    Fu Han also dropped her smile, speaking earnestly, "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t joke. Let me tell you seriously, if you¡¯ve decided to be with Luo Qinghe for the rest of your life, then what happened today is real."

    "Of course, I want to be with Luo Qinghe forever; he¡¯s my first love, and he will be myst," Bai Wei said with a look of determination across her beautiful face.

    Fu Han smiled, like a quietly blooming lotus flower by akeside: "Since you already have your answer in your heart, then you shouldn¡¯t think about anything else. Just work hard to be with Luo Qinghe, that¡¯s enough."

    Right as her words settled, a heavy snow suddenly began to flutter outside the window, falling down in a flurry; it looked like a rain of flower petals under the light of streemps.

    Bai Wei stared out of the window at the heavy snowfall, lost in thought for a few minutes without uttering a word.

    Just as Fu Han thought Bai Wei wouldn¡¯t speak again, Bai Wei suddenly spoke up, "Fu Han, I heard that you and He Xing have made up. Have you figured it out this time?"

    Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed, she asked in confusion, "Figured out what?"

    Bai Wei smiled, a smile that tried to appear more rxed, "I mean, Xia Ning is definitely not going to give up on He Xing. Are you prepared for her to continue causing trouble?"

    "No." Fu Han smiled sweetly and yfully, "But don¡¯t worry. After so many years of matching wits and courage with Xia Ning, I¡¯m more resilient than you all might think."

    "That¡¯s good then." Bai Wei smiled and rested her head on the back of the sofa, "I wanted you and Su Cheng to be together in the past because being with Su Cheng meant you didn¡¯t have to deal with all this messy stuff; but love isn¡¯t a multiple-choice question. Since you¡¯ve decided, just go for it, don¡¯t worry about anything else."

    Just as they were about to say more, a servant came in to report that Luo Qinghe and his party had already alighted from their car outside the courtyard gate.

    Instantly, Bai Wei transformed from a lethargic state to one buzzing with energy. She sprang up agilely, and before heading out, she did not forget to instruct Fu Han, "Help me watchter and see if his parents truly like me or if they¡¯re just pretending."

    Her words seeded in amusing Fu Han. Based on Fu Han¡¯s limited experience watching TV dramas, there were very few mothers-inw who truly liked their daughters-inw, but plenty who did not.

    Therefore, as long as Luo Qiluo genuinely agreed for Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe to be together, that was enough; the rest wasn¡¯t important, given that they wouldn¡¯t be living together after getting married.

    In mere moments, Luo Qinghe¡¯s family of three hade in, with Luo Qiluo leading the way. She was wearing a down coat that reached her ankles, and judging by how she was bundled up from head to toe, Fu Han had the impression of having recognized the wrong person.

    Although Fu Han hadn¡¯t seen Luo Qiluo very often, every time she did, Luo Qiluo had been all dressed up, never like this with a knitted hat and down coat.

    Bai Qian had heard the noise and came out from the kitchen. Seeing Luo Qiluo, she smiled kindly, "Qinghe¡¯s mom, you¡¯re dressed very appropriately for tonight. The winters in M Country are very cold, and you must wear more."

    Luo Qiluo also smiled. As she unzipped her down coat, sheughed and replied, "Yes, after we woke up from our nap, we went shopping. Old Li and I both bought down coats. It¡¯s quite cold here, but it¡¯s truly beautiful."

    Only then did Fu Han notice Li Huazhi, who was a few steps behind, also wearing a bulky down coat, very cumbersome but indeed very warm.

    She smiled, actually had it not been for her trip to Antarctica, Fu Han would have also thought that winter was simply a matter of a knitted dress and a down coat; sheter realized she hadn¡¯t traveled to enough ces, so she had such misconceptions.

    After everyone had greeted each other, Fu Han took a polite step forward and started speaking, "Uncle Li, Aunt Luo, hello, wee to M Country. I hope you have a pleasant holiday experience."

    Oftentimes, simple words are more appropriate than long-winded speeches. When Fu Han greeted them, she was neither humble nor arrogant, her enunciation clear and voice crisp, yet without purposely raising her volume, creating a very pleasant impression.

    Li Huazhi sized up Fu Han from head to toe and spoke in a gentle voice, "Fu Han, hello, long time no see. You¡¯ve be prettier."

    He hadn¡¯t seen Fu Han the second time her face was disfigured, only after the first disfigurement, and the first reconstruction.

    Fu Han smiled broadly and said, "Thank you for thepliment, Uncle Li."

    Luo Qiluo walked up to Fu Han and stood still. She knew about Fu Han¡¯s second disfigurement. She scrutinized Fu Han and, turning to Bai Qian, said, "This child has also suffered. Now that her appearance has been restored and she¡¯s found her rtives, it¡¯s a case of a bitter journey leading to a sweet destination."

    Bai Qian¡¯s eyes reddened a bit. She took a sniff, nodded her head, and choked up, not managing to speak a word.

    Luo Qiluo turned back to Fu Han and smiled, "I didn¡¯t see you this morning, did you look at the gift I brought you? Do you like it?"

 Chapter 485: Precious Gift

    <h4>Chapter 485: Chapter 485: Precious Gift</h4><h4></h4>

    "No," Bai Wei blushed as she squeezed her way through, frantically exining in a disorganized manner, "Fu Han just got back, I haven¡¯t had the chance to give her the gift yet."

    She dropped a "Fu Han, wait for me, I¡¯ll go get it for you," and then ran off.

    Fu Xingbo beckoned everyone to sit in the living room, and the servants immediately served tea. Bai Qian also took off her apron to sit beside Luo Qiluo, enjoying the tea together.

    A few minutester, Bai Wei came downstairs with a delicate box in her hand. She shoved the box into Fu Han¡¯s hands with a mysterious smile and said, "Open it and see."

    Fu Han first smiled at Luo Qiluo, then slowly opened the box.

    Inside the box was a bracelet, clear white on the outside, with wisps of red on the inside, the red taking the shape of something that resembled ginkgo tree leaves.

    "This..." Fu Han might not have understood jade, but she recognized at a nce the value of this jade ornament and hurriedly objected, "Aunt Luo, this gift is too precious, I... I can¡¯t ept it."

    Luo Qiluo smiled earnestly with benevolence, "These things are quite expensive on the market, but our Li Family owns a jade business, so this isn¡¯t expensive since I got it from our own store."

    She paused then smiled as she spoke again, "There¡¯s nothing special about it, other than a piece of rare jade that happened to make a pair of bracelets. I thought of you and Bai Wei, the close sisters you are, so I decided to give one to each of you, as long as you don¡¯t disdain them."

    Bai Wei promptly raised her hand, and that was when Fu Han noticed that Bai Wei also wore a bracelet identical to her own, equally resplendent and even more beautiful on her wrist.

    Then Bai Qian spoke up, essentially saying that although the bracelet was valuable, it was a small token from Qinghe¡¯s mother and urged Fu Han not to refuse it.

    Fu Han truly thought of Bai Wei as her own sister and, hearing this, she no longer declined but thanked them warmly and put on the bracelet on her wrist.

    She was clear in her heart that Luo Qiluo did not intend to give this treasure to her; it was a gift to Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian¡¯s niece. The identity of that niece didn¡¯t matter.

    As for the favor, Fu Han knew that her uncle and aunt never liked owing anything to anyone, and they would surely return the favor in other ways.

    Her guess was not wrong, in fact, it was understated; in truth, Luo Qiluo arrived in M Country carrying animosity towards Bai Qian.

    Therefore, in every aspect, she did not want to lose to Bai Qian. The pair of bracelets were called Phoenix Blood Jade, incredibly precious, and the Li Family¡¯s jade business only acquired such a pair this year. She decided to give them to the sisters, Fu Han and Bai Wei.

    The original intent of Luo Qiluo was not to lose face with these bracelets; now that she felt almost a friendship with Bai Qian beyond their years, she was no longer concerned with overshadowing Bai Qian with gifts, and her gifting took on a more sincere nature.

    Dinner started soon after, at least half of the dishes were prepared by Bai Qian, with Bai Wei contributing two cold dishes as well.

    Although cold dishes were unusual for winter, Bai Wei¡¯s limited skills, all newly learned, meant that these were the quickest dishes she could master.

    The evening consisted of just the four members of Bai Wei¡¯s family and the three from Luo Qinghe¡¯s, gathering around a single round table, which was more than enough.

    Before marrying Li Huazhi, Luo Qiluo knew how to cook, but after the marriage, she felt she was ady of the upper-ss society and couldn¡¯t be expected to enter the kitchen.

    As a result, the skill Luo Qiluo once had in making simple meals disappeared over several decades, and instead, her pte grew more fastidious, and the Li Family often had to rece their chefs.

    She found tonight¡¯s dinner exceptionally enjoyable and continuously praised Bai Qian¡¯s culinary skills.

    The mealsted nearly two hours, with almost all the food consumed, everyone thoroughly sated, especially Li Huazhi, who was trying Bai Qian¡¯s cooking for the first time.

    If Fu Han hadn¡¯t keenly noticed that Fu Xingbo was serving Bai Qian more frequently than usual that night, and eating more than usual, she might have thought her uncle had forgotten that Li Huazhi once harbored a crush on Bai Qian.

    Nheless, Fu Han still thought her uncle¡¯s demeanor was quite generous, as he kept his discontent to himself, even ignoring Li Huazhi¡¯s various impolitenesses most of the time.

    Fu Han understood that Fu Xingbo¡¯sposure stemmed from his immense faith in Bai Qian and the solidity of their decades-long affectionate marriage.

    After the meal, Luo Qiluo incessantly exaggerated Bai Qian¡¯s praise, "It¡¯s hard to imagine that you, appearing every inch the distinguisheddy, actually have such sessful culinary skills. I used to dislike cooking, but now I think cooking might actually be an interesting thing to do. Right, husband?"

    Li Huazhi, who had been stealing nces at Bai Qian for the umpteenth time, flushed with embarrassment upon hearing this and was unusually agreeable, "Wife, you¡¯re right. If you want to cook, I¡¯ll support you, but if you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s alright. We can still afford a maid to cook for us."

    This response pleased Luo Qiluo, at least it allowed her to save face outwardly. She affectionately adjusted Li Huazhi¡¯s tie, which wasn¡¯t messy, as a way of showing her encouragement.

    On the other hand, Li Huazhi, already flushed, grew even redder. He used to be ustomed to disying marital harmony in public, but now with Bai Qian nearby, he instinctively wanted to withdraw.

    However, years of disying affection in public meant that despite feeling revolted inside, he stood immobile on the surface, letting Luo Qiluo fuss over him.

    From her vantage point, Fu Han could easily see both their profiles and read their expressions clearly.

    Her face held a polite smile, while a myriad of thoughts filled her mind.

    There are many kinds of marriage in this world. Couples like Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, who nurtured their rtionship over decades, are rare, but theirs is the most enviable and coveted kind of marriage, one that is out of reach for many.

    Then there are pairs like Luo Qiluo and Li Huazhi. Who came together for many reasons, possibly including love, or perhaps not. Love is not essential for their life, as they have found suitable,patible ways to be together, being the most suitable partners for each other.

    Thest kind is the most sorrowful kind of marriage, where there is neither love nor suitability, neither a willingness to make an effort for a better life together nor a willingness to part, resulting in a lifetime wasted on each other.

    Fu Han had never considered her own marriage to fall into the second or third category. Marriage wasn¡¯t a necessity for her life, but if she were ever to marry, it would surely be for love, as their affection for each other would be the driving force behind her desire to enter into a union.

 Chapter 486: Rushing Home for Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 486: Chapter 486: Rushing Home for Dinner</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini was already parked at the airport, and after getting off the ne, he headed directly to the underground car park, striding with legs so long he wished each step could cover a meter.

    Amidst the hustle and bustle of the airport, Liang Tao followed behind He Xing with a briefcase in hand, struggling to keep up. In the dead of winter, he was already sweating profusely, and paired with his obviously unrested eyes, he seemed ready to copse at any moment.

    Liang Tao truly admired He Xing. Despite their simr height and both suffering from jeg, why could He Xing remain energetic after such a long flight, and why, carrying the sameptop, could He Xing walk briskly as if flying?

    Ever since Liang Tao appeared by He Xing¡¯s side as an assistant, various kinds of doubts emerged in Liang Tao¡¯s mind every day.

    They were both human, so why was He Xing so excellent, so exceptional that he seemed like a tireless robot that didn¡¯t need to rest?

    He Xing took the car keys from his wool coat pocket and got into the car with ease; from the rearview mirror, he could see Liang Tao trailing five meters behind. Stealing a moment amidst the busyness, He Xing closed his eyes, wishing to give them a brief rest.

    Time was of the essence, and He Xing had a lot of unfinished work since he spent most of the flight time working, with just a few hours of real rest.

    The moment Liang Tao closed the car door, He Xing opened his eyes; his dark and bright eyes shone like diamonds, quietly radiant and full of vitality.

    The Lamborghini shot out like an arrow released from a bow¡ªtoday was He Group¡¯s monthly board of directors meeting, and He Xing had to rush over.

    From the airport to He Group, He Xing¡¯s phone barely stopped ringing with work-rted calls; when he wasn¡¯t on the phone, Liang Tao was busy briefing him on today¡¯s work schedule and the content of the board meeting.

    The board meeting went smoothly. As usual, He Xing chaired the meeting, while the heads of various departments took turns reporting on their work, with the asional question from the board of directors.

    Ever since He Xing had dismissed Director Wu from the board, the board¡¯s trust in He Xing had soared. As for Director Wu, who had been bribed by Xia Guoxiong, many had long disliked him¡ªsuch a person was a troublemaker wherever they went.

    Today, He Xing was extremely busy, having met with three partners and discussed future cooperation. Two of them had already signed an agreement to continue the coboration, and the one that didn¡¯t was due to a typographical error in their contract, necessitating revision.

    Then, He Xing attended a bidding meeting for a project worth a billion. It was neitherrge nor small, but it was the biggest project that He Group hade across since losing a three-billion project to Huangpu Group. He Xing valued it highly, which is also why he had hurried back from the United States to attend this bidding meeting.

    Originally, the He Family patriarch intended to attend the bidding meeting and suggested that He Xing stay a few more days in M Country to spend time with Fu Han.

    The event proved He Xing¡¯s decision to return was correct. A slight problem had arisen in what should have been a sure win at the bidding meeting, not because someone had stolen He Group¡¯s bid but because the client had madest-minute adjustments to crucial information.

    Since He Xing had been tracking this project from the start, no one knew it better than him. Upon learning of the client¡¯s adjustments, he immediately made corresponding changes and sessfully secured the project.

    In such a busy situation, He Xing still made sure to leave work on time to have dinner with the He Family patriarch. He felt quite guilty for not having spent New Year¡¯s Day with his grandfather.

    When He Xing returned to the He Family¡¯s Lanwan Mountain vi, the He Family patriarch was watching TV in the living room, with Servant Zhou standing behind him, massaging his shoulders and asionally exchanging a few words with him.

    "Grandfather, I¡¯m back," He Xing said, his smile appearing the moment he saw the He Family patriarch.

    "You¡¯re back," the patriarch responded with a smile, then lifted a hand towards Servant Zhou, "Servant Zhou, go tell the chef that the young master is back, we can start dinner."

    Perhaps because He Xing had returned to the country, the servants in the house were exceptionally warm, while usually, they just nodded at him¡ªtoday, each of them greeted He Xing enthusiastically.

    During dinner, as the cook was cleaning up in the kitchen, she still periodically popped her head out to advise: "Young master, the red date bird¡¯s nest soup is light, having been stewed for several hours. It¡¯s cold outside, so drink more of it."

    He Xing responded indifferently, as usual, his tone neither cold nor warm. Servant Zhou, on the other hand, immediately served bowls of soup for both He Xing and the patriarch.

    With age, the patriarch¡¯s appetite had lessened; he only ate half a bowl of rice and half a bowl of soup before setting down his chopsticks. Observing He Xing sipping his soup expressionlessly, he asked, "He Xing, did you sessfully bring Fu Han back from M Country this time?"

    He Xing,pletely unprepared for this, was so startled he almost choked. After a bout of severe coughing, he said with flushed cheeks, "Grandfather, aren¡¯t you deliberately making it hard for me? If I hadn¡¯t brought Fu Han back, how could I dare to face you?"

    Half of his flushed face was due to the choke, and the other half was from the thought of how he had "forced" Fu Han to resume her fianc¨¦e status.

    There was a ttering sound¡ªthe sound of dishes falling to the floor and breaking.

    He Xing frowned and turned his gaze toward the kitchen.

    Servant Zhou immediately called out loudly, "What happened?"

    "It¡¯s nothing," the cook said quickly, flustered, "I didn¡¯t hold the bowl steady and identally dropped it, I¡¯m sorry. Did I startle the master and the young master?"

    The He Family patriarch lifted his eyelids slightly and stated indifferently, "No harm done; just be careful not to hurt yourself next time."

    The He Family¡¯s leniency towards their servants was legendary in the upper-ss society of A City, so many in this line of work took pride in being employed by the He Family. Once someone became a servant in the He Family, resignations were rare, and they typically retained their positions for a long time.

    This cook hade shortly after Fu Han¡¯s parents left, able to mimic the tastes of Fu Han¡¯s mother, who was the only one whose cooking Fu Han would eat as a child. Despite her cooking skills not being outstanding, she stillmanded a high sry and had worked in the He Family for twenty years.

    The mishap with the dishes didn¡¯t dampen the patriarch¡¯s spirits, and he continued to ask He Xing many questions about his time in M Country, naturally all concerning Fu Han.

    He Xing too understood his grandfather was concerned for him, so he answered whatever questions he could. As for those he found difficult to discuss, he simply refused to answer.

    After dinner, He Xing urged the patriarch to rest early, and then he returned to the study to continue working. Indeed, not wanting his grandfather to wait hungry, he made it a point to leave work on time every day and then dealt with unfinished tasks at home.

 Chapter 487: Your Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 487: Chapter 487: Your Punishment</h4><h4></h4>

    Time ticked forward, and He Xing guessed that Fu Han should be awake by now. Instead of directly starting a video call, he sent a tentative message: "Xiaohan, have you woken up?"

    Less than a minuteter, Fu Han¡¯s video call came through. Before even answering, a smile was already spreading across He Xing¡¯s face. "Xiaohan, why did you get up so early today?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face was magnified on his phone screen as her clear voice sounded: "I wake up at this time every day; it¡¯s just sometimes I go back to sleep for a bit."

    "Then..." Seeing Fu Han through the phone made He Xing¡¯s heart melt. He spoke with a tone used to cajole children, "Then after you hang up, you can go back to sleep for a while, can¡¯t you? You went to bedtest night."

    He Xing¡¯s flight to City A arrived at midnight in M Country, and he had told Fu Han to sleep early without waiting for him, but Fu Han insisted on confirming his safending before she would go to sleep.

    Fu Han rolled over to lie on her back and lifted her phone high up: "You forgot, today is thest day of the promotion at the store; we¡¯re probably going to be busy all day."

    "You..." He Xing paused for two seconds, then whispered, "Don¡¯t wear yourself out, take care of yourself. There are many things Su Cheng and the others can handle; you should rest for a bit."

    In fact, He Xing initially wanted to say that if she was so tired, she should just quit. But he suddenly remembered he had said something simr in the past, which had sparked Fu Han¡¯s anger, so he forcefully swallowed the words that had almost slipped out.

    Just as Fu Han had said, she was never anyone¡¯s essory, not in the past nor would she be in the future; so she would definitely cultivate her own career.

    He Xing supported her in this, and he had even suggested investing to help Fu Han start a newpany, where both of them would each own fifty percent of the shares.

    Of course, his proposal was self-interested. Su Cheng¡¯s intentions towards Fu Han were crystal clear to everyone; He Xing didn¡¯t want Fu Han to be too tied up with Su Cheng.

    On the other end, Fu Han¡¯s bright eyes focused on the screen, her expression calm as she said, "That might not work, Su Cheng took a flight back to the countryst night; he should be almost here."

    "Back to the country? Then you¡¯re really going to have a hard day today. Hang in there; it will soon be over." He Xing¡¯s expression was somewhat peculiar, or perhaps he felt it was odd to be discussing Su Cheng with Fu Han. Yet, the conversation was his doing after all, wasn¡¯t it? He knew some things about Su Cheng but hesitated, unsure if he should tell Fu Han.

    He knew Fu Han too well; she was a kind-hearted person. If she found out that Su Cheng¡¯s family had run into trouble and that He Xing had been negotiating with Su Cheng while that trouble was ongoing, Fu Han might be angry, and seriously so¡ªperhaps making his trip to M Country entirely futile.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze remained fixed on He Xing, and on seeing his somewhat guilty demeanor, and watching him awkwardly change the subject, Fu Han¡¯s heart suddenly softened.

    She already knew about the deal He Xing had struck with Su Cheng and its details; she had deliberately imed the deal was beneficial to Su Cheng to defuse the situation at that time.

    However, truth be told, Fu Han felt somewhat ufortable. She could ept if He Xing used every fair and square method to dissuade Su Cheng from pursuing her. But taking advantage of someone¡¯s family misfortune to pressurize them? Honestly, Fu Han could not ept this.

    But right now, her inability to ept it was no longer important. She just stared at He Xing¡¯s face on the phone screen. Although it was from a terrible angle, He Xing was still handsome as usual.

    Just that... while Fu Han stared at the screen, He Xing¡¯splexion slowly changed, from initially feigning calm to growing visibly restless, until finally, in a soft voice, he asked, "Xiaohan, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?"

    Finally unable to hold back, Fu Han burst intoughter, saying amusedly, "What¡¯s the matter? You think, with things havinge this far, I wouldn¡¯t know what happened with Su Cheng¡¯s family? Or that I wouldn¡¯t know about the deal you struck with him?"

    Although Fu Hanughed, using his years of growing up together with her as a gauge, it was still difficult for He Xing to discern if Fu Han was truly angry or not.

    He tip-toed around the issue, cautiously asking, "That... Xiaohan, me... if I did that, would you be angry?"

    "Angry." Seeing He Xing being so cautious, thest bit of reserve in Fu Han¡¯s heart vanished entirely. She poked the phone screen and pretended to be stern, "You should be clear about my feelings for you. Even if you wanted to get rid of a rival, you should have plenty of ways to do that. So why resort to these underhanded tactics?"

    At that moment, He Xing¡¯s heart raced. He inwardly cursed, feeling that Fu Han was indeed angry.

    No longer able to contain his thoughts, he blurted out anxiously, "Xiaohan, please don¡¯t be angry. As long as you¡¯re not angry, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask."

    "Really? You¡¯ll do whatever I ask?" Fu Han continued to keep a stern face, though inwardly she was already bursting with joy.

    Like someone in hell who had seen a glimmer of hope, He Xing hurriedly nodded, "Yes, yes, yes! As long as you¡¯re not angry, I¡¯ll do anything you ask of me."

    "Then..." Fu Han deliberately drew out her words, saying with a smile, "Then from now on, your punishment is to go to bed by eleven every night. If you can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll never forgive you."

    Honestly, He Xing had braced himself, thinking Fu Han would demand something difficult to fulfill. But he never imagined she would simply ask him to get more sleep.

    So shocked was He Xing that he didn¡¯t immediately know how to respond to Fu Han¡¯s request. It was only after Fu Han¡¯s "impatient" prodding that he agreed in rapid session.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Fu Han needed to get up and prepare for the store, they probably would have talked all night. Yet, even so, they had already chatted for more than an hour.

    As Fu Han got ready to leave the house, she reminisced about He Xing¡¯s reluctant demeanor. She had heard long-distance rtionships were bitter, but now she felt it was manageable; any bitterness dissolved the moment they connected with each other.

    During her three years alone abroad, Fu Han also deeply missed He Xing, but at that time she thought they had broken up and was set on avoiding him. Those three years had nothing to do with long-distance love.

    Who said that a love not tested by the ordeal of long-distance isn¡¯tplete? Then their love, having experienced long-distance, must be regarded asplete now, right?

    As Fu Han thought to herself, she reached out to pull open the car door. This driver was specifically assigned by Fu Xingbo to be on call for her twenty-four hours a day.

    Every morning, the driver would park the car at the door in advance waiting for Fu Han, and today was no exception.

 Chapter 488: Terrifying Journey to Work

    <h4>Chapter 488: Chapter 488: Terrifying Journey to Work</h4><h4></h4>

    Before she even exerted force, the car door suddenly opened with a ng, and Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face appeared in front of Fu Han. She was startled and let out a gasp.

    Fu Han¡¯s first reaction was to turn around and run, but as she did so, the driver¡¯s voice came through: "Miss Fu Han, what¡¯s the matter? Mr. Ji said he was going to help out at your shop today, so he¡¯s riding with you. Is there a problem?"

    Ji Liangchuan promptly added, "That¡¯s right, Fu Han. I heard that Su Cheng and He Xing have both returned to the country. I thought you might be very busy, so... you wouldn¡¯t refuse my freebor, would you?"

    He was all smiles as he spoke, his peach blossom eyes turning into crescent moons, making him look exceptionally amiable.

    However, in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, he had nothing to do with "amiability" anymore; the demonic Ji Liangchuan from that night remained one of her nightmares to this day.

    But could she really reject Ji Liangchuan just like that? In the eyes of the driver, and even her uncle and aunt, Ji Liangchuan was a young man who liked Fu Han and was gracefully charming. If Fu Han kicked Ji Liangchuan out, it would mean she had to rify what happened that night.

    Once she spoke out, wouldn¡¯t Ji Liangchuan¡¯s reputation bepletely ruined? After all, Fu Han had been wondering over the past two days if the streetlights were too dim that night, making her see things that weren¡¯t there.

    The wind of winter howled, and the driver reminded Fu Han to get in the car again.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Fu Han closed the rear door and directly sat in the passenger seat, leaving Ji Liangchuan alone in the back.

    The car slowly moved forward. On both sides of the road were piles of snow that Fu Han had seen so much she no longer found them astounding. The tree trunks were still bare, and with the help of the strong wind, most of the snow on the trunks had fallen off, leaving the trunks bare and devoid of beauty.

    Along the road, quaint little houses appeared now and then, the kind you¡¯d see in fairy tales. Fu Han had seen so many that she was no longer moved by them.

    She leaned back against the seat and thought silently. The bustling streets of A City weren¡¯t so bad, full of vitality. And the winters there weren¡¯t as cold. Fashion-loving girls who could handle the cold could still show off their delicate curves in winter.

    The streets of A City were lined with camphor trees, and although they shed a lot of leaves in autumn and winter, they remained green, with always a new bloom in the flowerbeds.

    The winters in M Country were a crystal-clear world of ice and snow, but beyond that, there was nothing. The outdoor activities here in winter were pitifully scarce: skiing, skating, and then nothing more.

    It wasn¡¯t like A City, where despite the cold winter, except for the days when the wind blew fiercely, the streets were still full of people. Every morning and evening, there were old men and women dancing in the square, and there were many outdoor ygrounds. On weekends or on not-so-cold evenings, many parents brought their children out to y, which really felt like the warmth of human life.

    When sending He Xing back, Fu Xingbo said they would soon return to the country. Fu Han didn¡¯t know when her uncle meant by "soon." But then there were customers in her studio who specifically requested Fu Han as the photographer, and she had already agreed. Wouldn¡¯t it be wrong to break her promise?

    Fu Han resolved in her heart that today, on thest day of the event, she would refuse anyone who asked her to be their photographer. After all, they had hired nothing but professional photographers with excellent skills at their studio, and their shoots were guaranteed to satisfy customers. If the customer wasn¡¯t happy, they could reshoot.

    Silently, she thought that since she¡¯d be returning to the country before long, she should start preparing in advance. That way, she wouldn¡¯t leave a mess behind for her uncle to clean up.

    Suddenly, a hand reached over from behind and patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder.

    Fu Han turned her head to look at Ji Liangchuan and asked with a calm voice tinged with coolness, "What¡¯s up, is there something you need?"

    "Look at your phone," Ji Liangchuan pointed to Fu Han¡¯s phone, his handsome eyes filled with an extremelyplex light.

    A strong sense of unease surfaced in Fu Han¡¯s heart. A voice inside told her, "Don¡¯t look at the phone, just don¡¯t." But her hand, as if bewitched, ignored her inner fear and shakily unlocked the phone.

    There was a new message on the phone¡¯s main screen, sent by Ji Liangchuan. It didn¡¯t say anything, just contained a video with a pitch-ck thumbnail.

    Immediately, Fu Han recalled the video Ji Liangchuan had sent before, the one where He Xing fed Xia Ning. A wave of fear rushed through her.

    The video automatically started ying,sting only a dozen seconds. In the video, He Xing was again feeding Xia Ning. Midway, Xia Ning leaned into He Xing¡¯s embrace, and the two just hugged each other like that.

    Fu Hanpared mentally, recognizing that the clothes He Xing wore in the video differed from those in the photos; thus, she inferred these weren¡¯t taken on the same day. In other words, He Xing had fed Xia Ning at least twice, at the minimum.

    A chill spread from Fu Han¡¯s heart, quickly invading her limbs. Her face drained of all color, bing paler than the bloodstained snow on the roadside.

    Her phone buzzed with another new message. Mechanically, Fu Han opened it¡ªit was from Ji Liangchuan.

    "I received this video a few days ago, but I was afraid you¡¯d be upset if you saw it, so I didn¡¯t show it to you. But now that you and He Xing have reconciled, I don¡¯t want him to deceive you, so I decided to let you see the video anyway."

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but scoff inwardly. If it weren¡¯t for the driver uncle nearby, she might rush up and have a proper argument with Ji Liangchuan. But now she could only suppress the anger boiling within her, tapping the screen with such force she might puncture it.

    "Deceive? You only talk about He Xing¡¯s deception towards me. Why don¡¯t you mention your deception? There¡¯s no need for me to tell you who Taozi is, right? You say you like me with your lips, but in your heart, I¡¯m just a substitute. Isn¡¯t that a deception?"

    After sending the message, she shifted toward the car door, crossing her arms and looking out the window,pletely ignoring Ji Liangchuan¡¯s unsettling gaze behind her.

    A few minutester, another message from Ji Liangchuan came in: "We¡¯re about to arrive at the studio. If you¡¯re willing, I want to tell you everything I know. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the corner Milk Tea Shop. Don¡¯t stand me up."

    Anger made Fu Han delete the message immediately, without any intention of replying. She was afraid that once she replied, she would curse, not understanding how such people existed in this world, always dousing your joy with cold water¡ªand the icy kind at that.

    If she wasn¡¯t worried about losing the chat history and being unable to find the videos and images, she would have deleted Ji Liangchuan from her friend list right away.

 Chapter 489: The Words of a Madman Canâ€™t Be Trusted

    <h4>Chapter 489: Chapter 489: The Words of a Madman Can¡¯t Be Trusted</h4><h4></h4>

    Five minutester, the car precisely stopped at the entrance of Fu Han¡¯s studio. She didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, but she opened the heavy car door in one move. After getting out of the car, she was still seething with anger, mming the car door shut with so much force that the ss on the car emitted a trembling sound as if it was about to shatter.

    Ji Liangchuan followed Fu Han out of the car, his gaze fixed on her from the beginning to the end. Unfortunately, Fu Han didn¡¯t even give him a nce and went straight into the studio.

    The street in the morning wasn¡¯t crowded. The bluestone pavement was clean, devoid of even a speck of snow. The sun overhead appeared to be cold, as if it were wearing a sweater, barely radiating any strength.

    Ji Liangchuan took out his phone and sent a message to Fu Han, "I¡¯ll wait for you, not leaving without seeing you," and then he walked toward the street corner; the sunlight fell on his face, and although he was smiling, his entire person gave off a chilly feeling.

    Fu Han reminded herself over and over not to go to the cafe. She was one hundred percent sure that Ji Liangchuan would only add to her troubles and definitely wouldn¡¯t say anything useful.

    However, her reasoning only supported her staying inside the studio for less than an hour. She really wanted to know what all this was about, she desperately wanted to know why Ji Liangchuan had those things, her heart was full of doubts.

    The cafe on the street corner was one of the most ordinary in the city. Its decor was simple, and the taste of the coffee was mediocre, but it was always busy due to its convenient location.

    For example, today was their third day of business, and for two afternoons straight, they had ordered coffee and desserts from this cafe. There was no other reason than its proximity and quick delivery.

    Fu Han stood in front of the cafe, slightly tilting her head to look at the cafe. The dark green sign was the same color as the sofa on the first floor of her studio, a pleasant and timeless hue.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s spot was easy to find, right beside the most conspicuous floor-to-ceiling window, basked in sunlight at this moment when the entire cafe had only this spot illuminated.

    There was a cup of coffee in front of him that was no longer steaming. Fu Han guessed that he probably didn¡¯t want to drink coffee but ordered a cup just so that it didn¡¯t look like he was upying a seat for no reason.

    Upon seeing Fu Han, Ji Liangchuan waved at her from inside with a smile, as if they were long-time friends without any barriers between them.

    Such a smile only served to make Fu Han feel insincere. She red at Ji Liangchuan unapologetically and then walked to the cafe door and pushed open the ss door, causing the hanging wind chimes to emit a pleasant sound.

    Immediately a sweet-looking waitress greeted her, "Hello, what would you like?"

    Fu Han, walking straight toward Ji Liangchuan¡¯s table, replied, "A cup of coffee."

    Ji Liangchuan watched Fu Han with a warm smile, as if she was the apple of his eye. As she approached, he quickly got up, and in a gentlemanly manner, pulled out the chair opposite him for her to sit down.

    The two of them, as if by tacit agreement, said nothing to each other until the coffee had been served.

    Although Fu Han was almost certain that no one here would understand theirnguage, it was a deeply ingrained habit not to discuss personal matters in front of the waitstaff, one she could not erase.

    Finally, a steaming cup of coffee was brought over, and a rich aroma of coffee filled the air.

    The rich aroma was one of the reasons this cafe attracted customers. Although the vor of their coffee was indeed average, the coffee they brewed was delicious. Many who didn¡¯t know the truth were lured in by the tempting aroma, like Zhao Ting and Liang Tao, who were responsible for buying the afternoon tea the day before yesterday.

    Fu Han stirred her coffee continuously without any intention of drinking. She wasn¡¯t interested in coffee and only drank it asionally to stay awake. Drinking coffee in the morning was something that simply didn¡¯t happen for her.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s gaze remained on Fu Han. They were sitting only a fifty-centimeter-wide table apart, so close he could even see ayer of golden fuzz on Fu Han¡¯s face.

    His look was particrlyplex, and after a long while, he spoke softly, "Fu Han, I don¡¯t know how you found out about Taozi. I admit I first noticed you because you looked a bit like her, but in my heart, Taozi is Taozi, and you are you; you are different people."

    "Ha..." Fu Han scoffed, finally letting her gaze fall on Ji Liangchuan. Her beautiful eyes held nothing but anger and disdain, "You don¡¯t need to say these self-deceiving words to me unless you can convince yourself."

    "Of course, I can convince myself. What I said is from the heart," Ji Liangchuan blurted out eagerly, his face flushing red with excitement.

    Fu Han, unable to contain her disgust, rolled her eyes and retorted scornfully, "I don¡¯t want to hear about your feelings for me. I just want to know what exactly do you want?"

    "What do I want?" Ji Liangchuan repeated Fu Han¡¯s words, his face growing even more flushed, his whole body seemingly on the verge of exploding, "I¡¯ve gone to great lengths to get these things for you, so you wouldn¡¯t be deceived by He Xing, that two-timer. Fu Han, I just want you to be happy."

    "Make me happy?" Fu Han felt like she just heard a huge joke, ridiculous to the point that one couldugh nonstop for three days and three nights, "If you truly want me to be happy, please never again show me those photos from P country. If you want to make me happy, please leave my life."

    "Why?" Ji Liangchuan stood up abruptly, his hands pressing on the table, his body leaning forward emotionally, looking down at Fu Han from amanding height, "You don¡¯t believe the videos I showed you? Are you drugged by He Xing? With irrefutable evidence, you still deceive yourself?"

    The horrendous scene from the previous night reyed before Fu Han, and instinctively she backed away, shouting with all her might, "Yes, I like He Xing, and let me tell you, I will only like He Xing in this lifetime, no matter what he does. As for you, you disgust me."

    Having said that, Fu Han didn¡¯t linger. She got up and left the cafe without looking back at Ji Liangchuan, even as the sound of crashing came from behind her.

    Fu Han told herself that she was now certain this man was a madman, utterly insane, and so the photos and videos he sent were not to be trusted; although Fu Han couldn¡¯t see any signs of tampering, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s mad actions were evidence enough for her to dismiss them.

    She kept walking straight ahead without a backward nce, and eventually, she stopped in front of the studio, pulled out her phone, and brought up the video. Her finger was already on the delete button, but in the end, she decided against it.

 Chapter 490: The Surface Calm

    <h4>Chapter 490: Chapter 490: The Surface Calm</h4><h4></h4>

    She was clear in her heart that even though she had spoken firmly in front of Ji Liangchuan, in reality, the video had made her extremely ufortable. She could even feel her heart bleeding.

    But... but she knew Ji Liangchuan¡¯s motives were impure, so how could she let him have his way?

    Even if her heart was bleeding, she would only hide in a dark corner to bleed and would never let anyone see it.

    Isn¡¯t that how a beast behaves? Even when wounded, a beast only hides in an unseen ce to lick its wounds; it would never show its wounds to others because it knows that the other beasts seeing its wounds will not offerfort but rather take the opportunity to attack it when it¡¯s injured.

    The afternoon marked thest half day of the event, which was still bustling with noise and activity.

    To boost staff enthusiasm, Fu Han had set up a reward mechanism: different rewards for those who sessfully closed a deal and additional rewards depending on how many deals they closed - numerous incentives like these.

    The staff¡¯s enthusiasm was spurred on, and although there were fewer hands than in the previous days, everyone had adapted to the current pace and was surprisingly keeping up with the workload.

    Winter nights always fell so quickly, and when thest client of the day signed on the dotted line, Fu Han gathered all the staff and handed each of them a red envelope, as a reward for their hard work over the past three days.

    Fu Han¡¯s driver was verypetent and had been waiting at the store¡¯s entrance early. Fu Han left the store and got directly into the car. On the way back, Zhao Ting was with her because it was on the way to drop Zhao Ting at her hotel.

    During the drive, Zhao Ting was still diligently calcting the sales and letting out gasps of surprise from time to time. Fu Han only asionally responded with a word or two, her tone as indifferent as if the sales had nothing to do with her.

    ...

    In A City, at the He Family¡¯s Lanwan Mountain vi.

    After a video callsting over an hour, He Xing was still foolishly staring at the phone screen with a smile as goofy as could be.

    They had just ended the video call, but He Xing was already missing Fu Han terribly, to the point where he was impatient to see her right away.

    When He Xing had returned to the country, Fu Xingbo had said they would also be back soon, and He Xing could hardly wait for Fu Han to appear before him immediately.

    He had never known that liking someone could feel both so sweet and so bitter. He yearned to be with her at all times and was already looking forward to the next meeting just after parting.

    However, what delighted He Xing the most during today¡¯s video call was that Fu Han knew about the transaction with Su Cheng, and she wasn¡¯t angry with him. Her punishment was simply requiring him to go to bed before eleven every night.

    He Xing felt that it wasn¡¯t a punishment at all; it was more like a reward.

    He savored Fu Han¡¯s words about the Huangpu Family¡¯s situation in his mind: "Adults should be responsible for their choices. If Su Cheng¡¯s parents really did something wrong, then they should bear the corresponding consequences. As for you, you¡¯re in business, not charity or in search of ascension to sainthood, so I think you did the right thing. You don¡¯t need to worry too much."

    A smile slowly emerged on He Xing¡¯s face as he took out hisptop from his briefcase to work. He still had some business matters to finish up, and it would be best if he couldplete them before 11 PM, not wanting to break his promise to Fu Han.

    Suddenly, a knock on the door sounded. While continuing to work on hisputer, He Xing asked, "Who is it?"

    "It¡¯s me, young master. I¡¯ve made you some Calming Soup. Have a bit before you continue working, so you can sleep well tonight," said the voice of a middle-aged woman, the cook.

    He Xing was feeling quite tired since he hadn¡¯t adjusted his jetg from M Country and barely slept on the airne. If he drank the Calming Soup, he feared he wouldn¡¯t be working anymore, but rather heading straight to bed.

    He called out to her, "Auntie, I won¡¯t have the Calming Soup. Make me a strong cup of coffee, no sugar."

    There was a moment of silence outside the door, and then after a few seconds, the cook¡¯s voice responded, "Alright, young master, I¡¯ll go make the coffee for you right away."

    About ten minutester, there was another knock on the door: "Young master, the coffee is ready. I¡¯ll bring it in for you now."

    After receiving He Xing¡¯s permission, the cook opened the door and ced the coffee on He Xing¡¯s desk.

    Under the light, the cook¡¯s dark, round face looked like a round basin. She wiped her hands on her apron and muttered, "Young master, if you drink coffee now and can¡¯t sleep at night, what will you do?"

    He Xing replied indifferently, "Don¡¯t worry, I know my limits. If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go downstairs now. It¡¯s fine to clear away the coffee tomorrow."

    The cook agreed and slowly walked towards the door. As she reached the doorway, she turned to see He Xing drinking the coffee while looking at documents on theputer. Seeing the look of concern in her eyes disappear, she said goodbye and closed the door behind her as she left.

    The strong coffee without sugar was particrly bitter, but at that moment, He Xing¡¯s eyelids were heavy. Without the coffee, he might have copsed onto his desk from exhaustion.

    Yet he had much work left unfinished, and his habit ofpleting the day¡¯s tasks before bed,pounded by his sense of responsibility, wouldn¡¯t allow him to sleep without finishing his work.

    The strong coffee was downed in no time, and whether it was his sheer exhaustion making him less sensitive to taste, he felt that today¡¯s coffee wasn¡¯t as bitter as before. However, the stimnt effect was still present, and at least He Xing felt much more alert than before.

    Another half an hour passed, and there was another knock on the door. He Xing furrowed his brows in annoyance and asked, "Who is it?"

    "He Xing, brother, it¡¯s me," Xia Ning¡¯s sweet voice came from outside, and the next second, the door to He Xing¡¯s study room was opened.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze shifted from theputer screen to Xia Ning. Perhaps it was because he was looking against the light, but he thought Xia Ning¡¯s face was somewhat blurred, vaguely resembling Fu Han.

    No, it wasn¡¯t that Xia Ning¡¯s face resembled Fu Han¡¯s. It was because Xia Ning was wearing a coat today that Fu Han had also worn before¡ªa long red wool coat with thumb-wide white trims at the cuffs and cor, set off with a sailor cor, making the coat look particrly distinct.

    Through Xia Ning¡¯s open front, one could see a white knitted dress underneath; He Xing remembered that Fu Han had worn a red knitted dress with it.

    He recalled Fu Han wearing this ensemble in autumn; red and ck are a ssicbination, and paired with Fu Han¡¯s tall, slender figure, it had made her stunningly impossible to take one¡¯s eyes off.

    To be fair, Xia Ning¡¯s ck-and-whitebination was also pretty today, but it was far less striking than the red-and-ck pairing. Moreover, with Fu Han setting the precedent, everyone else simply paled inparison.

 Chapter 491: Dong Shi Imitating

    <h4>Chapter 491: Chapter 491: Dong Shi Imitating</h4><h4></h4>

    "Why are you here?" He Xing¡¯s brows were deeply furrowed, practically inscribing the words "not wee" on his face.

    The smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face vanished for a moment, but the next second she put on an even more sickeningly sweet smile, "Big Brother He Xing, I heard you had returned, so I made a special trip to see you."

    "Come to see me?" He Xing¡¯s gaze returned to hisputer screen as he typed away with both hands and said indifferently, "Your information is really out of date. I came back this morning. You didn¡¯te to see me during the day, so whye to see me in the middle of the night?"

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t expect that after she copied Fu Han¡¯s outfit and style, He Xing would only spare her an extra nce. She felt somewhat defeated inside but kept herposure, continuing her coquettish act, "Big Brother He Xing, I thought you¡¯d be busy during the day and only free at night, am I right?"

    He Xing gave a cold snort, "It¡¯s gettingte. You should head back soon. I still have a lot of work to finish and can¡¯t entertain you."

    "It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to entertain me. Just let me stay by your side," Xia Ning said excitedly as she approached He Xing, her big eyes blinking, "Big Brother He Xing, you¡¯ve been gone for so many days, I missed you so much. Just let me stay here for a while, okay?"

    He Xing suddenly looked up at Xia Ning with an expressionless face, "Are you going to say again that your driver has left and it¡¯s not safe for you to go home alone? I¡¯ll have Uncle Zhou take you back."

    As he spoke, He Xing had already grabbed his phone to make a call, but Xia Ning, in a fit of excitement, rushed over and snatched the phone from his hand.

    She clutched He Xing¡¯s phone tightly, and under the light, her beautiful face was full of pleading, "Big Brother He Xing, please don¡¯t send me away. The doctor said my injury hasn¡¯t healed and I needed to stay in the hospital for a few more days, but I missed you so much that I begged the doctor to let me leave. I really pleaded with the doctor for a long time."

    If Xia Ning hadn¡¯t brought it up, He Xing would have almost forgotten about Xia Ning¡¯s injury. In the past few days, all his attention had been on Fu Han,pletely neglecting his life savior to the point of not asking after her for so long.

    To say he wasn¡¯t feeling guilty would be a lie. If it weren¡¯t for Xia Ning shielding him with her life, that dagger could have taken his life; in fact, Xia Ning didn¡¯t just save He Xing that day, but also the elder Mr. He.

    It was Xia Ning who found the elder Mr. He¡¯s location and saved him, allowing He Xing to rush his grandfather to the hospital in time; the doctor had said, if they had been even a few minutester, not even Yama could have saved him.

    Even now, He Xing still suspected that the Xia Family might be involved in his grandfather¡¯s kidnapping, but after using many methods to investigate, he still hadn¡¯t found any clues implicating the Xia Family.

    Confident in his own abilities, theck of evidence meant that the incident had nothing to do with the Xia Family, at least not with the three members of the Xia Family.

    Thinking of this, He Xing¡¯s gaze softened slightly. He asked in a low voice, "How is your injury now?"

    Xia Ning, from a young age, had learnt two significant skills: one was to always maintain a sweet smile as a mask, and the other was to read between the lines. She keenly sensed the change in He Xing¡¯s emotions and immediately seized the opportunity to push further.

    "You... Big Brother He Xing, don¡¯t worry, I... I¡¯m much better now. It¡¯s just that the doctor said the scar on my chest probably can¡¯t be removed. I... I can no longer wear beautiful dresses."

    Xia Ning cried as she threw herself into He Xing¡¯s arms. Her tears flowed freely, drenching He Xing¡¯s sleeve.

    He Xing tried hard to lean back while attempting to pull away from Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, get up. If you have something to say, say it properly. Don¡¯t be like this."

    "I don¡¯t want to! I just want to hug Big Brother He Xing," Xia Ning wailed and snuggled into He Xing¡¯s embrace, her arms firmly wrapped around his waist.

    The overpowering scent of her perfume was particrly choking, making He Xing¡¯s nose itch violently. He spoke more forcefully, "Get up quickly. I need to sneeze, and if I get your clothes and hair dirty, don¡¯t me me."

    One thing about Xia Ning was that she would always wear makeup after leaving her room, unless it was at night when she would lie on the sofa downstairs with a face mask on.

    Upon hearing He Xing¡¯s words, she jerked upright and hastily shifted to one side; her beautiful face showed shock but not disgust¡ªafter all, it was He Xing, right?

    At that moment, He Xing realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to get rid of Xia Ning any time soon. With a "snap," he closed hisptop, slid his office chair back, and stood up while taking two steps back to maintain a safe distance from Xia Ning.

    This set of actions was done effortlessly, not taking more than a few minutes in total.

    Xia Ning waited a few seconds for He Xing¡¯s sneeze, eventually realizing she had been duped. She approached He Xing with aggrieved eyes, "Big Brother He Xing, why did you lie to me?"

    "Stop!" He Xing¡¯s face darkened, he said expressionlessly, "Xia Ning, if you don¡¯t want me to throw you out of the He Family home this instant, then stand there properly without any fuss."

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes reddened again, but she knew He Xing wasn¡¯t joking. She pouted and said with a grievance, "I understand, Big Brother He Xing. As long as you don¡¯t send me away, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask."

    Under the bright light of the study room, Xia Ning¡¯srge eyes were like dark grapes, extra shiny; unfortunately, the light made her face so pale that at first nce, she resembled an alien character from an anime.

    He Xing felt a bit speechless about his own wild imagination as he walked towards the sofa, cautiously choosing a single-seater, and then pointed at another single-seater farthest from him for Xia Ning, "Come over and sit down. If you have something to say, then say it."

    Xia Ning obediently nodded her head. As she walked towards He Xing with an extremely wronged face, she really wanted to sit close to He Xing but feared making him angry. Eventually, she mustered the courage to move towards the long sofa next to He Xing, "Big Brother He Xing, I want to sit closer to you. I promise I won¡¯t mess around."

    He Xing truly didn¡¯t want to continue this topic any longer. He remained silent, his eyes fixed on the wall behind his desk, where argendscape photo hung.

    This photo was taken by Fu Han during their first solo trip together. Upon returning, she erged it insisting on hanging it in He Xing¡¯s office.

 Chapter 492 Photos Full of Memories

    <h4>Chapter 492: Chapter 492 Photos Full of Memories</h4><h4></h4>

    At first, He Xing thought Fu Han wanted to hang a photograph of herself here, so He Xing expressed strong opposition. He certainly did not want Fu Han¡¯s photograph staring at him every time he was in the study room.

    In the end, Fu Han made a big fuss until even the elderly Mr. He got involved, and He Xing had no choice but to agree reluctantly.

    It was only when the photograph was hung that he realized it was actually andscape photo.

    Looking at just thisndscape photo, theyout and lighting had ws; there was a certain gappared to the photos Fu Han was currently taking.

    But He Xing thought this photograph looked very beautiful and attractive because every time he looked at it, it reminded him of the time he and Fu Han went on their first trip together.

    What this photograph held was not something else, it was the beautiful times from He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s past.

    Xia Ning followed He Xing¡¯s gaze and saw the painting, too. The He Family was the ce she frequented the most after her own home, so naturally, she knew the painting was Fu Han¡¯s work.

    It wasn¡¯t that she had asked about it, but a young Fu Han had told Xia Ning herself, clearly with the aim of showing off.

    A strong sense of hatred surged in Xia Ning¡¯s heart, and there was a moment when she wanted to rush up, take the painting down, and smash it on the floor¡ªshe even wanted to step on it a few times.

    But she held back and put on a brilliant smile, saying in a delicate voice, "Brother He Xing, did you enjoy your trip to M Country? I heard Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents also went to M Country. Did you run into them?"

    "No." He Xing¡¯s gaze finally shifted from the painting to Xia Ning, but the expression with which he looked at her was not even as warm as when he looked at a painting, "You said you knew I had returned to the country and came to see me. You¡¯ve seen me, but refuse to leave. Is there something else? If so, hurry up and say it."

    Xia Ning touched the area near her chest, her face flushed as she looked at He Xing, "Brother He Xing, I have a scar on my chest now. I can never wear beautiful dresses again. What... what should I do?"

    "I¡¯ll help you find a doctor, striving to make your scar disappear," He Xing¡¯s tone unconsciously softened, and he said in a low voice, "Don¡¯t worry, you got hurt saving me...and grandfather. I will definitely not ignore it."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face reddened further, she nodded vigorously and moved closer to He Xing, "Brother He Xing, I heard that Fu Han opened a shop in M Country. Is she going to live there permanently?"

    "Are you really hoping she stays in M Country forever?" He Xing¡¯s eyelids lifted, looking at Xia Ning with a profound gaze.

    "Of course not," Xia Ning waved her paws wildly, stammering her exnation, "I didn¡¯t mean that, of course, if Fu Han decides to stay there, then...then there¡¯s nothing that can be done."

    Although she denied it with her words, everyone could see that her words didn¡¯t align with her true thoughts. Just like everyone knew she wished more than anything for Fu Han to never appear before her again.

    He Xing smiled, making a startling statement, "Since you don¡¯t want her in M Country, as you wish, Fu Han will be returning soon."

    "What?" Xia Ning, utterly shocked,pletely forgot to manage her expression, and she looked as dismayed as if she had swallowed a fly.

    He Xing¡¯s smile grew even brighter, chuckling as he touched his chin, "If Fu Han knew you wanted her toe back so badly, she surely wouldn¡¯t hold against you the things you¡¯ve done to her in the past."

    "I..." Xia Ning could no longer pretend to beposed, shaking with rage and clenching her fists as she spoke excitedly, "I don¡¯t wee Fu Han back. I never want to see her again!"

    "Never want to see Fu Han?" He Xing leaned back slightly, smiling mildly, "Then you might not be able to attend my wedding. Because Fu Han is the only bride I¡¯ll ever have in my life."

    He said these things in order to dissuade Xia Ning from holding any more inappropriate thoughts about him. But still, when he spoke these words, he couldn¡¯t help but wear a happy smile.

    Xia Ning¡¯s jealousy surged like unbending river waters. She could no longer control her emotions and rose to her feet, rushing towards He Xing and cried with full throat, "Brother He Xing, I like you so much, my mom saved your life, and I saved your life too. Why don¡¯t you like me, why must you like that slut Fu Han?"

    "Who did you call a slut?" He Xing didn¡¯t stand up, his tone was even calm, and his face showed no extra expression.

    But those eyes, brighter than the stars in the sky, carried towering waves that no one doubted had the capability to cause devastation.

    Xia Ning shivered and took several steps back before barely stopping, herplexion as pale as snow, and she felt an intense urge to turn and run away.

    But today was a rare opportunity. If she fled, she would never have another chance like this for the rest of her life.

    Xia Ning managed to stand firm, her face flushed, she spoke in as calm a voice as possible, "Brother He Xing, I know you like Fu Han, but think about it fairly, Fu Han must also think of me as a slut, right?"

    Even though He Xing¡¯s heartpletely favored Fu Han, he couldn¡¯t deny this matter; in the upper-ss society of A City, it was known that Fu Han and Xia Ning were like the unfathomable divides of the Chu and Han states. Their hostility towards each other was innate and wouldn¡¯t change because of anything.

    Seeing He Xing silent, Xia Ning, as if encouraged, lunged at him like lightning, embracing his neck and swiftly heading for his lips with a kiss that was faster than a strike of thunder.

    Everything happened in a sh. Although He Xing didn¡¯t dodge Xia Ning¡¯s embrace, he turned his head at thest moment to avoid Xia Ning¡¯s kiss.

    To say he avoided the kiss isn¡¯t exact; Xia Ning¡¯s kiss didn¡¯tnd on He Xing¡¯s lips but on his cheek instead.

    He Xing pushed Xia Ning away, his handsome face nowpletely stern, "What are you doing? Leave at once. The He Family does not wee such a guest."

    "Brother He Xing, do you really dislike me that much?" Tears began falling from Xia Ning¡¯s eyes with a plop; her beautiful face seemed pitiful, but her arms were still tightly wrapped around He Xing¡¯s neck, with no intention of letting go.

    Even Xia Ning adjusted her position in line with He Xing¡¯s movements, opting to straddle hisp, the pose was indescribably intimate.

    But what was even more intimate than their current posture was the distance between their cheeks¡ªless than five centimeters apart. They could clearly feel each other¡¯s breath, so close that they could see each other¡¯s pores, count every strand of hair on the other¡¯s head.

 Chapter 493: The Rice is Fully Cooked

    <h4>Chapter 493: Chapter 493: The Rice is Fully Cooked</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing instinctively wanted to push Xia Ning away, but for some reason, a surge of warmth rose from his abdomen. His reason told him he should push Xia Ning away, yet his hands, seemingly out of control, held tightly onto Xia Ning¡¯s waist.

    It was as if there was an electric current passing from He Xing¡¯s palms into Xia Ning¡¯s body. All her strength seemed to vanish thread by thread, and she hung limply in front of He Xing like a pendant.

    However, she was still clear-headed inside, knowing full well that her hard work was paying off. Now she just had to wait for the raw rice to be cooked thoroughly, the die was cast, and there was absolutely no turning back.

    Xia Ning slightly tilted her head up, her watery eyes softly gazing at He Xing. Her cherry lips proactively moved closer. She was certain that this time, she would finally be able to kiss He Xing.

    He Xing looked down at Xia Ning, clearly feeling the desire within his body to kiss her, and it wasn¡¯t just the kiss he craved but much more¡ªa tempestuous lovemaking, a passionate entwinement until death.

    Their lips drew nearer and nearer, as if something in the air was changing.

    ...

    After the long journey, Su Cheng finally returned to City A, the city of his birth, the city where he had lived from childhood, his hometown.

    Herey his parents and family, the ties that he could never let go for the rest of his life.

    Old Liu had been waiting at the airport early. On seeing Su Cheng, the butler, who was in his fifties, had red eyes and patted Su Cheng on the shoulder, "Young Master, you have finallye back."

    The busy airport was filled with people hurrying on their way. Most showed no expression, while some embraced and wept with their long-separated loved ones.

    The education imparted to Su Cheng by his parents was that men, no matter how hurt they are, cannot shed tears. They absolutely cannot cry.

    He sniffed, forcibly suppressing the sour feeling in his nose, then smiled at Old Liu, "Uncle Liu, I¡¯m back now, everything will get better."

    The nanny car sped away from the airport. Old Liu, while driving, spoke to Su Cheng sitting in the backseat: "Young Master, thedy originally wanted to pick you up, but there was an urgent matter at thepany that needed to be dealt with, so she couldn¡¯t make it. She said for you to go back and rest first and to talk about everything tomorrow."

    "There¡¯s no need, let¡¯s go directly to thepany," Su Cheng¡¯s tone was as calm as ever, just like the harmless yboy of the past, but his eyes had be exceptionally resolute, "I¡¯ve slept a lot on the ne, and I¡¯m not at all sleepy now."

    He was lying. With so much happening at home, how could he possibly sleep? Throughout the long journey, he had been pondering how to deal with the predicament at hand. It would be no exaggeration to say he had less than one or two hours of real sleep.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to sleep. He knew well that resting was necessary to fight for his parents, but each time he closed his eyes, he dreamed of his parents in prison garb, an image too horrid that instantly dispelled all his sleepiness.

    But it didn¡¯t matter that he hadn¡¯t slept, as long as he could deceive Old Liu.

    More than an hourter, they arrived at the square in front of Huangpu Group. Old Liu¡¯s driving skills were excellent, with a perfect reversing into the parking space every time.

    After getting out of the car, Su Cheng looked around and couldn¡¯t help but feel a sigh in his heart.

    During the heyday of Huangpu Group, countless businesses broke down doors to cooperate with them; take the parking lot in front of Huangpu Group where they stood for example. Only cars of businesses dealing with Huangpu Group used to park here. The lot was always full, and finding a parking space was tough, and all the cars were luxury models.

    But now, the vast parking lot was empty, without a soul around, not even the security guard in the booth was in sight.

    Old Liu obviously understood what Su Cheng wasmenting. He patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder again, "Young Master, don¡¯t overthink it. As long as the hills are there, there will always be wood to burn. As long as the master and the madam are fine, the future days will surely get better."

    "I know." Su Cheng nodded. He stopped surveying the area and walked toward the main entrance with long strides, his gaze bing firm once again.

    He had mentally prepared beforehand, so when Su Cheng saw the once bustling first-floor hall now devoid of people, his emotions had already be calm.

    It¡¯s normal for people to push a wall down and monkeys to scatter when the tree falls, isn¡¯t it?

    Entering the elevator, exiting the elevator, Su Cheng made his way to his mother¡¯s Finance Director Office while specting in his heart what could be happening inside.

    The door to the Finance Director¡¯s office was ajar. Su Cheng hesitated at the door for a few seconds. Eventually, he gestured for Old Liu to be silent. He didn¡¯t knock but instead peeked through the crack, observing the situation inside the room.

    Just one nce, and a surge of anger welled up inside Su Cheng. The person inside turned out to be a "familiar face"¡ªone who he had seen before in his father¡¯s office¡ªYi Lixing.

    At the moment, thedy of the Huangpu family was sitting on a single sofa, while Yi Lixing was sitting on the adjacent long sofa.

    Thedy on the single sofa sat upright, like a tree that would never bend. Her thin lips were tightly sealed, and she was not talking.

    Through the crack in the door, he saw his mother dressed appropriately, with her hair meticulouslybed. She looked no different from before, still the exquisitely made-up head of the Huangpu Family.

    Honestly, at the sight of his mother, Su Cheng¡¯s nose tingled again. But seeing her like this brought somefort to his heart. Even though his father was in trouble, his mother was still trying her best to maintain the dignity of the Huangpu family.

    Yi Lixing leaned back, with his elbow resting on the sofa¡¯s armrest, and his body slightly tilted toward thedy of the Huangpu family. He wore a somewhat ambiguous smile, making his otherwise upright face appear somewhat sleazy and greasy.

    Su Cheng moved closer, striving to hear clearly what the people inside were talking about.

    "How about my proposal?" Yi Lixing¡¯s voice came through,ced with the condescension of someone who feels they are bestowing charity, and with pity thatcked respect.

    Madam Huangpu¡¯s precisely sculpted eyebrows furrowed. She hesitated and said, "You¡¯re asking us to confront He Group head-on. This strategy is far too risky. If we anger He Xing, won¡¯t our situation get even worse?"

    "So all my exnations were for nothing?" Yi Lixing impatiently tapped the armrest of the sofa, "Haven¡¯t I made myself clear enough? There¡¯s no such thing as a clean businessman in this world. He Xing is definitely not clean either; you gather wealth off him, and he off you. When he gets investigated by those above, won¡¯t your side be able to take a breather?"

    "But..." Madam Huangpu looked at Yi Lixing cautiously and continued, "But my people¡¯s investigations show that He Xing only envies us for our regtory vitions, nothing more..."

 Chapter 494: The Story of the Office

    <h4>Chapter 494: Chapter 494: The Story of the Office</h4><h4></h4>

    "Your man?" Yi Lixing could no longer restrain himself and stood up, looking down condescendingly at the Madame of Huangpu Group, he said impatiently, "If your man was reliable, would Huangpu Group have ended up like this? You actually believe such nonsense? My informant within He Group said that it was He Xing who put in a great deal of effort to dig up your dirt and hand it over, that¡¯s why you have ended up in this state."

    The Madame of the Huangpu Group fell silent, herplexion turning ugly. It seemed she did not agree with what Yi Lixing was saying, but she held back and did not retort, unusually swallowing her anger.

    Yi Lixing had no intention of letting things slide; he pointed at the Madame¡¯s head and said, "You really are toopassionate as a woman. I¡¯ve already told you I would persuade Xia Guoxiong to help you and with so many informants I have in He Group, I can definitely bring He Group down. You don¡¯t need to do anything; just make a call to gather evidence against He Group."

    "Then..." The Madame of Huangpu Group held back and then couldn¡¯t help but speak up, "Then why don¡¯t you go gather evidence against He Group yourself? Anyone with evidence can expose others."

    Yi Lixing¡¯s face turned purplish-red in an instant, and he looked as if he was fuming with rage. He paced frantically in the Madame of Huangpu Group¡¯s office before he abruptly stopped in front of her, "Madame, are you not being too greedy? I¡¯ve paved all the paths for you; now, you just need to make a call to show your willingness to cooperate, and you are unwilling to do even this?"

    The Madame of Huangpu Group shifted her gaze to the window, not looking at Yi Lixing and remaining silent.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s gaze followed the Madame¡¯s to the window, and after a few seconds, he turned back to look at her again. As he looked, his eyes began to focus on the Madame¡¯s voluptuous figure.

    One cannot deny that, even though the Madame of Huangpu Group was in her forties, she was well-maintained with a tall and voluptuous figure. She was not bony like Qin Nuan but was fleshy like Yang Yuhuan.

    Bony beauties might be attractive, but they are not as satisfying to y with; that¡¯s why many men mor for skinny girls, but when ites time to choose, they still prefer voluptuous women. This type is truly irresistible.

    The more Yi Lixing looked, the hotter his gaze became, and he swallowed, clearly feeling changes in his body.

    He coughed dryly and resumed his seat, then with a meaningful tone, said, "Madame, I have another method to save Mr. Huangpu; I wonder if you¡¯re willing to try it?"

    "What method?" The Madame of Huangpu Group immediately turned back excitedly to look at Yi Lixing, her usually cold face now filled with hope, giving off a pitiable impression.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s gaze scanned her body unabashedly and said, "If Madame would be with me, I will surely find someone who has a grudge against He Xing to gather evidence against him, and you won¡¯t have to do anything. He Group will be thrown into chaos, and you will have ample time to save Mr. Huangpu."

    "You dare to set your sights on me?" The Madame of Huangpu Group had barely spoken when she leapt up, and the next second, a crisp p rang out, leaving a clear p mark on Yi Lixing¡¯s face.

    "Bitch, you dare to p me?" Enraged and humiliated, Yi Lixing also jumped up and, like a wild beast, charged over and pinned the Madame of Huangpu Group down on the couch.

    When ites to physical confrontations, women never have the upper hand against men.

    The Madame of Huangpu Group struggled fiercely, but Yi Lixing effortlessly subdued her, his face twisted into a lecherous smile, "Bitch, if you really want to save your useless husband, then make mefortable. Otherwise, the information I have on hand is enough to take you down."

    With those words, all fight drained from the Madame of Huangpu Group. She stared in despair at the ceiling and remained silent.

    Yi Lixing was unbearably smug; he released the Madame and began undressing¡ªhis suit, shirt, trousers...

    Just as he reached out to undress the Madame of Huangpu Group, a sudden sound of a door being kicked open echoed, followed by an angry voice, "I¡¯d like to see who the bitch is?"

    The Madame of Huangpu Group and Yi Lixing both turned their heads and saw the furious Su Cheng.

    "Su Cheng, you... how did you get here?" The Madame stuttered, her head down as she checked her clothes. Fortunately, Yi Lixing had only removed his clothing, and hadn¡¯t yetid a hand on her.

    Meanwhile, Yi Lixing already turned pale with fright. He screamed, reaching for his clothes, trying to put them on quickly.

    But Su Cheng grabbed his hair and dragged him to the other side of the couch, looming over Yi Lixing, "What are you doing in my mother¡¯s office?"

    Yi Lixing struggled but quickly realized he was no match for Su Cheng, especially stark naked, with no semnce of dignity left.

    He stammered as he spoke, his face showing a sycophantic eagerness to please, "Young Master, I... I came to think of ways to help you; I really want to save your father."

    "You need to undress to save my father?" Su Cheng¡¯s roar thundered like a p of thunder, still firmly in control of Yi Lixing, and without resorting to violence, but his words carried a more devastating force, "Tell me, were you just about to **** the Madame of Huangpu?"

    The Madame¡¯s face was already distressed, but hearing her son utter such words in front of her, she was so embarrassed she wished she could hide in a crevice and pleaded softly, "Su Cheng... "

    "You don¡¯t speak; I¡¯m asking Yi Lixing!" Su Cheng spun around and shouted back at the Madame, his voice loud enough to almost tear the roof away, his face uncontrobly angry and humiliated.

    The Madame had never seen her son like this, and with her mind already in disarray, she indeed stayed silent as told.

    On the other side, Su Cheng spoke again, "Yi Lixing, what exactly were you nning to do just now? If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll throw you out on the streets and have the police take you away."

    If he were taken away by police stark naked on the streets, Yi Lixing feared he would never have the face to see anyone again for the rest of his life.

    He finally grew afraid, speaking with a trembling voice, "Young Master, I¡¯m sorry, I was just about to **** the Madame of Huangpu, I won¡¯t dare again, please forgive me."

    "Say it, do you hate He Xing so much that you want to use Huangpu Group against him?" Su Cheng continued to press, the youth¡¯s face showing an unprecedented determination that was terrifying to behold.

    Half an hourter, Su Cheng finally "let go" of Yi Lixing, but only temporarily. As soon as Yi Lixing managed to hastily dress himself, Su Cheng gave him a sound thrashing that left him looking like a pig¡¯s head¡ªassuring his mom wouldn¡¯t even recognize him.

 Chapter 495: Mumâ€™s the word

    <h4>Chapter 495: Chapter 495: Mum¡¯s the word</h4><h4></h4>

    It seems Lixing knew he was in the wrong. When Su Cheng beat him up, he mainly tried dodging and protecting his head and face as much as possible.

    But it was useless. Su Cheng¡¯s rage erupted like a geyser; he didn¡¯t care about the maxim "do not hit the face." If not for thatst bit of reason controlling him, he probably would have beaten Lixing to death.

    His feelings were understandable; after all, anyone who saw someone treat their mother that way would be furious, and it was already merciful not to attack with a knife.

    When Su Cheng¡¯s rage finally subsided temporarily, he pointed at Lixing, who was shivering on the ground, and said, "If I ever see you stir up trouble between Huangpu Group and He Group again, I will beat you every time I catch you. And I have evidence of you... being inappropriate with my mother. If you dare to mess around, I will make sure you regret it."

    Lixing didn¡¯t dare say anything and could only agree repeatedly, slinking away.

    "Young master, here is your phone." Old Liu, who was standing by, hurriedly handed Su Cheng his phone.

    Su Cheng opened the photo gallery in his phone and looked at the video he had just taken. His face was still very grim. He turned to look at Madam Huangpu and said distantly, "Mom, it¡¯s okay now. Let¡¯s go home."

    Madam Huangpu¡¯s mouth moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something but didn¡¯t know how to begin.

    Su Cheng cleared his throat and said faintly, "I believe nothing happened between you and Lixing. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell dad or anyone else about this... Uncle Liu won¡¯t mention it either."

    "Yes, madam, I pledge my life that I absolutely won¡¯t speak of it," Old Liu hurriedly spoke, his face still pale with anger.

    ...

    At the airport in M Country, in the departure lounge.

    In the cold winter, there were few travelers in the airport, especially for red-eye flights at night, which had even fewer passengers.

    In the spacious VIP Lounge, there were only a few people. Some watched television, others fiddled with their phones, or read books; some rested with eyes closed, and there were those who worked against the clock.

    Humans are social animals, yet each individual is autonomous, with the ability to think independently.

    Life is a solitary journey. Most of the people we meet will only apany us for a part of it, some for a longer time, some for shorter.

    Most of the pain we encounter in lifees from dissatisfaction with the present, the pain of partings, and the difort of a lonely journey.

    These were Fu Han¡¯s reflections as she stared at the cactus on the coffee table in front of her, her first time seeing a cactus used as a decoration in an airport.

    In the VIP Lounge, each coffee table was adorned with a cactus, all in identical pots, the cacti themselves the same shape, discernible only through careful observation.

    Fu Xingbo was originally reading a book, but for some reason, he suddenly turned to look at Fu Han and asked with concern, "Xiaohan, what¡¯s wrong?"

    A faint smile appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face. She calmly said, "Uncle, I¡¯m fine. I just feel a bit guilty for making you take me to the airportte at night."

    "Silly child, I¡¯m your uncle. You need not feel guilty for asking me to do anything," Fu Xingbo said, gently ruffling Fu Han¡¯s hair, his eyes behind the sses bing gentler, "Though I don¡¯t know why you suddenly want to go back to the country, but as an adult, you have your own perspectives. I respect your decisions."

    A sense of tearfulness welled up in Fu Han¡¯s eyes. She sniffed to suppress the tears, then hugged Fu Xingbo¡¯s arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.

    Fu Xingbo and Fu Han had simr builds, both tall with long limbs, appearing slender; but leaning against his shoulder, she felt his was broad and solid, offering a sense of reliability beyond its looks.

    Ever since Fu Han was old enough to understand, she knew she was an orphan. As a child, her sensitive nature and temper were a facade to mask her orphan status. After spending three years abroad, with experiences and learning, she no longer felt pained by her identity but hade to ept it.

    But... fate had its own ns, and she met Fu Xingbo. He asked her to take a paternity test without any probing or fancy words, just raw and direct data.

    Fu Han was grateful for the paternity test, for it added members to her family in this world; not just one, but many. She now had an uncle, an aunt, and a cousin.

    At this thought, Fu Han¡¯s heart softened. She had indeed not nned to disclose why she was suddenly returning home, but she spoke up anyway.

    "Uncle, this morning when I went to work, Ji Liangchuan was with me. He showed me a video, and I..." Recalling the content of the video, Fu Han felt particrly heavy-hearted. She sighed before continuing, "In the video, He Xing and Xia Ning were embracing, very intimately, and it made me ufortable."

    "Really?" Fu Xingbo asked in surprise. He adjusted his sses and gently said, "Would you mind letting your uncle see the video?"

    Fu Han bit her lip, then finally nodded silently, pulling up the video on her phone and handing it over.

    Fu Xingbo watched the video on the phone intently, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he leaned forward. Somehow, this gesture made Fu Han feel a prick at her nose; she had seen Grandfather He peer at his phone with the same intense focus before.

    It seemed that aging was not exclusive to Grandfather He; her uncle too was showing signs, though he was not old, just a touch of the habits of the elderly.

    Fu Xingbo seemed to watch the brief ten-second video many times, before finally handing back the phone and saying, "The person in this video is indeed He Xing."

    Feeling somewhat sentimental a moment ago, Fu Han now felt an urge tough at her uncle¡¯s words.

    She chuckled, "Uncle, of course, I know that the person is He Xing."

    Fu Xingboughed along, "Although He Xing and Xia Ning seem quite close in the video, we¡¯ve only seen these few seconds. We can¡¯t judge if this is the whole truth. Since we don¡¯t know the whole story, we shouldn¡¯tment, so when you get back, just ask him directly. I believe He Xing won¡¯t lie and will tell you the truth."

 Chapter 496 Temporary Return Home

    <h4>Chapter 496: Chapter 496 Temporary Return Home</h4><h4></h4>

    "Okay, Uncle, I got it," Fu Han nodded obediently, her beautiful face less worried and warmer.

    Although Fu Xingbo had not said anything particrly helpful, Fu Han still felt her heart calm down significantly, as if confronting He Xing in person was not that difficult.

    She had not told everyone the reason she suddenly decided to return to her home country, partly because she was afraid they would think she was making a big deal out of nothing. A simple phone call could have rified everything, yet she insisted on asking in person.

    Now she wasn¡¯t worried anymore. She believed that whatever she did, Uncle and the others would only support her, never mock or trouble her.

    The airport announcement system had already started broadcasting, indicating that Fu Han¡¯s flight was beginning to board.

    Fu Han slowly stood up, Fu Xingbo patted her shoulder and took her carry-on bag, then led her toward the Boarding Gate.

    Her decision to return home was made on the spur of the moment, so she had only packed a few things, which Fu Xingbo had stored for her beforeing to the airport.

    Looking at Fu Xingbo¡¯s retreating back, Fu Han felt how wonderful it was to have someone to rely on, to be a little girl who didn¡¯t have to grow up.

    At the Boarding Gate, Fu Xingbo stopped and opened his arms wide. Fu Han immediately threw herself into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder.

    Fu Xingbo gently tapped her shoulder and cooed like he was soothing a child, "Be safe on your way, and call Uncle if anything happens back home... Take care of yourself, and once I¡¯ve sorted things out here, we wille back as well."

    Fu Han nodded obediently, her heart warm; at that moment, she felt that, no matter how many difficultiesy ahead, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid because she knew she had family to lean on, she wasn¡¯t alone.

    A flight attendant came by to remind everyone to switch their phones to airne mode. Fu Han took out her phone to power it off but suddenly noticed an email notification, she hurriedly opened it and then switched her phone to airne mode.

    The airne slowly ascended, getting further from the ground and closer to the sky, but since it was night, there was nothing but darkness above.

    Still, Fu Han pressed her eyes against the windowpane, gazing out eagerly. She loved the moment the ne took off, as if breaking free from gravity, soaring against the wind, her mood seeming to lift with the rising aircraft.

    Once the ne was cruising smoothly, Fu Han turned her gaze back from the window, ready to read the email that Fu Xingbo had sent earlier.

    "Xiaohan, after you went through customs, Uncle¡¯s secretary called and told me some things. I think I need to inform you.

    "On the day you and Uncle came to M Country, He Xing actually went to the airport to send you off. But, due to the heavy fog and his rush to get there, he had a car ident on the way."

    At this point, Fu Han¡¯s heart began to race. She thought back to her emotions that day; though she had never spoken a word about He Xing, she was deeply saddened, having not expected that He Xing would truly note to see her off.

    Now that she knew He Xing had been in an ident, guilt washed over her like a surging river, and she hurriedly continued reading.

    "He Xing¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t severe, just excessive blood loss; by the time he was nearly well enough to be discharged, he decided toe to M Country to find you, even buying a ne ticket.

    "This time, He Xing was already at the airport ready to check-in when he received a call that Grandpa He had been kidnapped. He had no choice but to go back and deal with Grandpa He¡¯s situation.

    "My men are still investigating the kidnapping of Grandpa He. Don¡¯t worry, He Xing soon rescued Grandpa He, and after a few days of recuperation in the hospital, he has been discharged.

    "However, during the rescue, He Xing was almost stabbed with a dagger. It was Xia Ning who threw herself on him at the crucial moment, shielding him with her body and saving his life."

    The brief letter made Fu Han¡¯s mood heavier. In just a few paragraphs, she learned of Grandpa He¡¯s injury and He Xing¡¯s injury.

    All this had happened before He Xing¡¯s visit to M Country, but he had said nothing when he came, despite the fact his stay - fromnding to takeoff -sted less than 48 hours.

    Suddenly, a dull pain spread through her, as if a dagger was stirring her heart, making it difficult to breathe.

    All this had happened without her knowledge, and no one had said a word to her about it.

    She checked her phone; an hour earlier, she had messaged He Xing to say she was going to sleep. Until she switched her phone to airne mode, she had not received any message from He Xing.

    The decision to return home came to her on the way back from closing her shop. She felt that the video Ji Liangchuan had sent was a thorn in her heart, and she had to clear it up or she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. So, on impulse, she bought a ne ticket.

    It was fortunate she managed to get thest first-ss ticket with less than three hours to spare before departure.

    When buying the ticket, she was determined to clear up any misunderstandings, not to stew in her own resentment as before. But now, sitting on the ne, she felt grateful for her impulsive purchase.

    Because it was inevitable that Fu Xingbo would tell her about the He Family, and Fu Han knew she¡¯d be desperate to return to her country, not just for He Xing, but also to see Grandpa He.

    She was raised by Grandpa He, and even without He Xing, Grandpa He would forever be her indelible concern.

    But now, knowing that so much had happened in A City, she truly wanted to fly right back to He Xing¡¯s side. She yearned to have a proper fight with him, to demand that he never hide anything from her again no matter what.

    She thought for a long time, about many things, and reread Uncle¡¯s email over and over.

    Time ticked on, and it was now eleven o¡¯clock at night in M Country. Fu Han thought of the promise she made with He Xing that morning during their video call. She asked him to sleep before eleven each night, and he made the same request of her.

    Today was the first day of their agreement, and she couldn¡¯t break it.

    Fu Han asked the flight attendant for a nket to cover herself, turned off the light above her seat, closed her eyes, and forced herself to sleep.

    She told herself that there was nothing to worry about. Uncle¡¯s email had mentioned that before He Xing came to M Country, Grandpa He had already been discharged from the hospital, and Xia Ning had been discharged a few days earlier. Everyone was out of danger.

    At that moment, she felt that as long as there was no danger to life, nothing was more important than life itself.

 Chapter 497: Bustling Morning

    <h4>Chapter 497: Chapter 497: Bustling Morning</h4><h4></h4>

    The morning at Lanwan Mountain had be unusually bustling, with Xia Guoxiong and his son Xia Cheng leading the way, followed by a slew of gossip journalists lugging their cameras.

    There was a reason Lanwan Mountain had be the vi area A City¡¯s elite longed to live in. Despite the journalists¡¯ exhaustive efforts, the security guards wouldn¡¯t let them pass through the gate.

    After about fifteen minutes of struggle, only Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng were allowed to ascend. This was after the security guard had called the He Family, and the middle-aged woman who answered the phone said that the old Mr. He had agreed to let theme up.

    The Xia Family¡¯s car slowly made its way to the mountaintop. Xia Cheng gave Xia Guoxiong a thumbs up. "Dad, you¡¯re amazing. We got up here so easily."

    "What¡¯s so amazing about me? Haven¡¯t you heard that ¡¯money talks¡¯?" Xia Guoxiong snorted coldly, his square face flushed red. "Do you have any idea how much we spent to bribe that maid? You¡¯re aware, aren¡¯t you?"

    Xia Cheng¡¯s attempt at ttery had awkwardly missed the mark, or rather, ever since Xia Guoxiong found out about his rtionship with Qin Nuan, rtions between father and son had plummeted.

    He regretted having said anything, but what¡¯s been said, like spilled water, couldn¡¯t be taken back. After thinking it over, he had no choice but to continue buttering up his father. "Even if you did buy off that maid, that¡¯s still a skill of yours. Without you, how could Xia Ning have smoothly gone up the mountainst night? If not for your message to the maid to stay by the phone, we wouldn¡¯t be taken up the mountain by the security right now."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression eased slightly. Looking at the He Family¡¯s vi close at hand, he whispered, "Handle the maid¡¯s matter cleanly. We don¡¯t want to make a big scene out of this; it would be embarrassing for everyone."

    Xia Cheng, of course, agreed without dy. Looking at the He Family¡¯s vi nestled among the trees, envy was evident in his eyes. "This must be what they call a castle in the sky. The air here feels better than other ces; Xiaoning is going to live here soon, how nice."

    "Get out," Xia Guoxiong said, toozy to pay Xia Cheng any mind, his disdain for his son evident to the bone.

    The gate of the He Family was ajar, naturally the work of the maid. They pushed it open without much effort and entered the He Family¡¯s courtyard easily.

    Though daylight had arrived, on such a cold winter day, no one would be up this early. The vast He Family vi was very quiet, without even the sound of birds chirping.

    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng moved toward the He Family vi as cautiously as thieves. As they approached the front door, it suddenly swung open, revealing the maid¡¯s yellowed face with its fawning smile. "Mr. Xia, the young master and Lady Xia Ning are in his study. You know where the young master¡¯s study is, right?"

    "I know, thanks." Xia Guoxiong replied, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a thick red envelope to hand to the maid. "Thanks for your help. This is an extra reward, separate from the price we¡¯d agreed upon earlier."

    The maid¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, grabbing the red envelope so fast she might as well have snatched it.

    Xia Guoxiong smiled and walked past the maid without another nce, taking the lead inside.

    Xia Cheng followed closely behind, making sure to record everything with his phone¡¯s camera, fearful of missing anything important.

    The vast living room was empty as the pair moved directly toward the foyer while surreptitiously ncing around, afraid of being discovered by someone from the He Family.

    Though not as familiar with the He Family home as Xia Ning, the two families had interacted for many years, so both men had thoroughly explored the ce.

    Without taking a single wrong step, they reached the outside of He Xing¡¯s study.

    The study door was shut tight. From the outside, one couldn¡¯t tell if anyone was inside; but since the maid had told them He Xing and Xia Ning were there, they chose to believe it.

    Xia Guoxiong took a deep breath, reached out slowly, and opened the door to the study. Xia Cheng followed close behind him as they both entered.

    He Xing¡¯s study was enormous,rger than most people¡¯s living rooms,plete with a desk, sofas, bookcases, and so on. It looked less like a study and more like a reception room.

    Their first response was to look toward the sofa. From their angle, they could only see a quilt on the sofa and not the person underneath it.

    The two looked at each other, each seeing a flicker of hesitation in the other¡¯s eyes. They quickly looked away as if the word ¡¯guilty¡¯ was written on their faces.

    Xia Guoxiong took the lead again, walking up to the sofa and barked, "He Xing, Xia Ning, what are you doing?"

    As he spoke, he grabbed the quilt and flipped it over. Xia Cheng quickly leaned in to aim the camera at the sofa, not wanting to miss a potentially sensational moment.

    However, both were stunned by what they saw. Under the quilt indeedy a person, but it was only Xia Ning. He Xing was nowhere to be seen.

    Xia Ning was awoken by Xia Guoxiong¡¯s roar. She struggled to open her eyes and, upon seeing her father and brother, asked in confusion, "Dad, brother, what are you doing here?"

    "What are we doing?" Xia Cheng trembled with anger but still managed to lower his voice and whisper, "Haven¡¯t we agreed toe over first thing this morning?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s mind, which had been aplete muddle, finally snapped back to reality. "Where¡¯s He Xing?" she asked as she looked around. The study was spacious and neat, and at a nce, there was no sign of He Xing.

    "That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know." Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face was an unmentionable shade, like that of a cooked liver. He stepped forward and looked down at Xia Ning. "Didn¡¯t we receive a message that He Xing had taken the bait? Don¡¯t tell me, with everything we¡¯ve done, you still haven¡¯t managed to secure He Xing?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed red. She felt a painful stiffness in her neck, as if she¡¯d slept wrong, and she rubbed her temples, trying hard to remember exactly what had happenedst night.

    Time rewound to the previous evening. After Xia Ning¡¯s persistent pestering, she finally ended up sitting on He Xing¡¯sp, his hands uncontrobly resting on her waist.

    Xia Ning became flustered almost instantly. She wrapped her arms around He Xing¡¯s neck and brought her lips to his, as her mind began to imagine the passionate scenes about to unfold.

    He Xing, unlike ever before, was remarkably cooperative. He leaned in with a dazed look in his eyes, his lips drawing ever closer to Xia Ning¡¯s.

    The suggestive atmosphere spread through the study, making the already warm room heated. Xia Ning could even feel sweat on her back and felt grateful she had bathed beforeing; otherwise, it would have been rather embarrassing at that moment.

 Chapter 498: Last Nightâ€™s Memories

    <h4>Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Last Night¡¯s Memories</h4><h4></h4>

    This moment seemed to stretch infinitely, each second lingering like a year.

    Finally, He Xing¡¯s nose brushed against Xia Ning¡¯s, and she didn¡¯t need to imagine any further. Next, she was sure to kiss He Xing, just as she¡¯d dreamed countless times before.

    A blush spread across Xia Ning¡¯s cheeks, her breathing bing more rapid, heavy and coarse, though it was unclear whether the sounds came from her or He Xing.

    One of He Xing¡¯s hands moved from Xia Ning¡¯s waist to the nape of her neck, his long fingers clear and distinct in their joints, slender yet strong.

    Complying, Xia Ning slightly arched back, pressing closer into the palm of He Xing¡¯s hand; at such a moment, she found herselfparing He Xing¡¯s palm to Yang Kaitai¡¯s¡ªthey were nothing alike.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s palm was broad and tough, perhaps from his time spent in prison; his calloused hands felt like sandpaper against her skin, which wasforting. Yet, the only downside was Yang Kaitai¡¯s palms tended to sweat easily, always damp and ufortable to the touch.

    He Xing, however, was different. His palm was warm and dry, soft to the touch, even smoother than the hands of many girls, clearly those of someone who had never engaged in heavybor.

    While her mind wandered and she anticipated eagerly, several seconds passed before Xia Ning realized something was amiss; He Xing hadn¡¯t kissed her yet¡ªwhy not?

    With that thought, she opened her eyes to look at He Xing, only to see his eyes, cold as frost, swirling with unfathomable darkness and struggle.

    "Why is there a struggle?" That was thest doubt Xia Ning had before losing consciousness.

    Because the moment He Xing realized she had opened her eyes, he raised his hand high and brought it down hard on the back of Xia Ning¡¯s neck.

    Xia Ning did not feel the pain before she fainted; she stared at He Xing in disbelief, as if she couldn¡¯t fathom what had just happened, her body uncontrobly falling backward.

    The memory ended abruptly there, and Xia Ning rubbed her neck, finally understanding the source of the pain.

    With wide eyes, she looked at her father and brothers, her voice full of grievance, "I don¡¯t know what happened. He Xing brother seemed to be unable to resist anymore, but then he suddenly knocked me out with a palm. I don¡¯t know what happened after that."

    "Then let me tell you," a man¡¯s voice came from the direction of the door, echoing distantly through the study room like thunder.

    All three members of the Xia Family turned simultaneously towards the door, theirplexions changing in unison to a purplish-red, as if they had seen something horrifying.

    Indeed, the one who broke the silence was one of the owners of the house, He Xing, Xia Ning¡¯s target from the previous night. Nobody knew when he had arrived or how much of the Xia Family¡¯s conversation he had overheard.

    He Xing, dressed casually, leaned against the doorframe with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, looking at Xia Guoxiong, "Uncle Xia, may I know the purpose of your visit? Are you here to take Xia Ning back? You can rest assured to take her back. I promise you, she will be returned as good as new."

    The phrase "as good as new" should have been positive, but to the Xia Family, it felt like a mocking p, resounding loudly against their faces.

    "Ha ha... I see, I see," Xia Guoxiong forced augh, the old fox at a loss for words. His gaze swept over Xia Ning, her clothes slightly wrinkled but intact and clearly not tampered with.

    The factsid before them: there was no wrongdoing between He Xing and Xia Ning. Despite spending a significant sum and much effort, they still failed to deliver Xia Ning into He Xing¡¯s bed.

    He Xing nodded, satisfied, and started to smile, "Well, it¡¯s still early, and I need to get some more sleep, so I won¡¯t see you out."

    While He Xing¡¯s words of sending them off were polite, the mockery on his indifferent face was all too evident, almost as if it were a thorn piercing into the heart of the Xia Family members.

    It was still Xia Guoxiong who spoke, "Yes, yes... it is gettingte. We... we won¡¯t disturb you any further and will take our leave now."

    He Xing stepped aside, gesturing for them to leave. Hanging their heads, one after another, the members of the Xia Family walked out, the awkwardness of the scene indescribable.

    It wasn¡¯t until they had left the He Family¡¯s vi that Xia Cheng finally mustered the courage to speak, "Dad, are we just going to leave it at that? Xia Ning did spendst night at the He Family home."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression was uglier than the stones in an outhouse, and he red fiercely at Xia Cheng, "Aren¡¯t you ashamed enough? He Xing¡¯s demeanor shows he knows everything; he might have been waiting on purpose somewhere, just to watch us make fools of ourselves in his study room."

    The three of them walked through the He Family¡¯s garden with dejected faces, and it wasn¡¯t until they passed through the garden¡¯s gate that theypletely left the He Family vi.

    The closer they got to the outer gate, the more unwilling Xia Ning¡¯s heart grew. She turned back to take a deep look at the He Family vi, reying in her mind, for the umpteenth time, the scene where He Xing had embraced her. She still couldn¡¯t believe her n had failed.

    Suddenly, amotion reached her ears, as if someone was trying to enter but was being stopped, and an argument ensued.

    Xia Guoxiong looked back at his children, a glint of cunning in his sullen eyes, and took the lead, "Let¡¯s go and see."

    As they suspected, there was indeed an altercation outside. A journalist carrying a camera was filming the He Family vi, while He Family servants were attempting to stop him, repeatedly warning they would call the police if he didn¡¯t leave.

    Xia Ning hadn¡¯t expected journalists to appear here. Observing the mud on their shoes and the down coat torn in several ces from branches, she surmised this was yet another reporter who had climbed hills and scaled walls just to get a shot of the He Family home.

    The journalist, seeing the Xia Family, called out to them as if seeing a lifesaver, "Lady Xia Ning, I have a few questions I¡¯d like to interview you about. Would you be willing to ept an interview?"

    Being a young girl of tender feelings, Xia Ning¡¯s face instantly flushed red, and she instinctively hid behind Xia Guoxiong, her refusal to be interviewed clear without a word.

    However, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression was utterly unlike hers; he whispered something to Xia Ning, "Remember, our luck has turned. If you want to marry He Xing, just do as I say."

    Xia Ning looked at her father in confusion but, after hearing what he said, her eyes, previously dim, brightened. Her slightly swollen face from just waking up was now full of smiles.

    She gave the journalist what she believed to be her most beautiful smile, "What questions do you have? I will try my best to answer them."

 Chapter 499 Finally Returning Home

    <h4>Chapter 499: Chapter 499 Finally Returning Home</h4><h4></h4>

    Twenty-five thousand miles high in the sky, Fu Han slowly opened her tightly shut eyes. She looked out the window into the darkness that still enveloped the outside.

    Her journey was magical, in a sense. This flight was like one that evaded the light, with the sun chasing them from behind yet never quite catching up.

    They boarded the ne in M Country during the night and disembarked in City A while it was still dark; they saw very little sunlight during the entire trip.

    Throughout the long flight, Fu Han only saw the clouds when lightning struck. She didn¡¯t know where she was at the time, but amidst the thunder and lightning, the clouds tumbled endlessly, dreamlike¡ªas if from a scene in an ancient fantasy TV drama where immortals endure their tribtions.

    Unexpectedly, an image arose in Fu Han¡¯s mind: He Xing sitting cross-legged on a cloud, the clothes on his upper body shredded by lightning, with streaks of blood seeping out from his skin.

    Above his head, lightning still gathered. He Xing tilted his head slightly, an expression without a hint of retreat on his jade-like face, standing tall as if nothing in the world could make him bow down.

    Although Fu Han left in a hurry and many things were left behind, she carried a backpack with her. Rummaging through it, she found a half-used sketchbook and a pre-sharpened charcoal pencil.

    It was still early and Fu Han hadn¡¯t downloaded any movies to pass the time, so she decided to settle down and sketch the scene from her mind.

    Wang Yixuan had taught her how to sketch, and even Nan Qing admitted that his drawings were superior to hers.

    Wang Yixuan was best at sketching, with just a few strokes creating aplete picture, easily expressing whatever you wanted to convey.

    Fu Xingbo had paid a hefty sum to Wang Yixuan to ensure that he taught Fu Han properly, and he truly did impart all he knew. Unfortunately, photography, not drawing, was Fu Han¡¯s main interest; drawing was at most a hobby for her.

    Fortunately, she was someone who took things seriously. When she learned to draw, she was very diligent. Although she might have only skimmed the surface of Wang Yixuan¡¯s skills, it was better than nothing.

    Charcoal pencil scratching on the sketchbook, He Xing¡¯s silhouette gradually took shape on the white paper.

    Fu Han spent hours on a sketch, adding and erasing, always feeling something was not quite right. Even after all that time, she merely found her work passable.

    With less than two hours remaining beforending, Fu Han looked at the vast nk spaces on her sketch page and began to write in them.

    When the flowers fell, I met you, not knowing of yearning, yet I ced you deep in my heart.

    Little did I know that meeting early wasn¡¯t fortunate, young as I was, I had already tasted life¡¯s hundred sorrows.

    Looking back, the young man remains as he was, yet everything else has changed, only my heart remains unchanged.

    Looking forward, I hope we walk these red dust paths of the mortal world hand in hand, to grow old with the one I hold dear.

    With each word, Fu Han expressed her sentiment gradually, until her eyes wettened toward the end. She looked at the teardrops blurring the sketchbook, with her yearning for He Xing growing like a rose in the night¡ªhidden and deep-rooted, unnoticed by others.

    City A was just ahead; her heart had already sprouted wings and flown to the He Family¡¯s vi, to He Xing¡¯s side. She had already decided, the moment she saw He Xing, she would embrace him and confess all the unspoken longings of this time.

    Suddenly, the ne jolted. Panic-stricken passengers eximed loudly, their cries like thunderps, echoing one after another in a series of explosive sounds.

    Fu Han was initially anxious, but when the ne stabilized and she realized there was no power outage and everything was as usual, and when the flight attendants came to reassure everyone, she was no longer afraid.

    Her memory went back tost autumn when she returned from Antarctica and the ne encountered a thunderstorm. It was struck by lightning and nearly crashed.

    Everyone on the ne wrote their wills then, including Fu Han, who penned a letter to He Xing. In the letter, she admitted she hadn¡¯t forgotten He Xing during her three years abroad, not for a moment. She said she loved He Xing as much as her own life, and she asked him to take good care of himself and his grandfather in her absence.

    Fortunately, theynded safely, and that will ended up tucked away in her collection room at the He Family¡¯s home, never to be opened again.

    Why had she never looked at that will again? Because what she wrote didn¡¯t match her actions in real life.

    At that time, Xia Ning treated Fu Han with the attitude of ady of the house. Fu Han felt suffocated with resentment, and with her explosive temper, she readily talked about leaving He Xing and canceling the engagement. How could she admit that she never truly wanted to leave him?

    The ne finallynded. Fu Han gathered her luggage and exited the airport, easily hailing a taxi.

    The driver, a kindly looking old man, struck up a conversation, perhaps because the journey from the airport to Lanwan Mountain was long and it waste at night.

    Fu Han responded to him while taking in the city she grew up in.

    The moment she disembarked felt like a weight lifted off her. This sensation grew stronger as they headed towards Lanwan Mountain, until anxiety began to creep into her heart.

    As they neared the urban area, high-rise buildings and neon lights began to multiply alongside the road, illuminating the city as if it were daylight¡ªor rather, the neon turned night-time City A into a world that seemed to exist only in fairy tales, and she was Cindere in her pumpkin carriage, on her way to the prince¡¯s pce.

    In the past, Fu Han refused to let the sons and daughters of the upper-ss society call her Cindere, hating any mention of her being a servant¡¯s daughter.

    But now, she thought perhaps Cindere herself was quite happy in that beautiful fairy tale; at least, she lived happily ever after with the prince in the end.

    Lanwan Mountain loomed close¡ªthe nighttime view of Lanwan Mountain was perhaps the most like an actual night throughout City A. There were no shy neon lights, only streetmps encircling Lanwan Mountain, along with the lights on the winding mountain road. Seen from afar, they looked like a scarf tied around Lanwan Mountain.

    The taxi stopped urately at the foot of Lanwan Mountain. At night, no vehicles from outside the vi area were allowed in; Fu Han would be taken the rest of the way by a patrol car from the property. Her status as an "owner" in Lanwan Mountain had been established for some ten or twenty years.

    The He Family¡¯s vi was situated at the top of Lanwan Mountain, the most expensive vi in the area, not just anyone with money could afford it¡ªit was the only vi befitting the He Family¡¯s status in City A.

 Chapter 500: Finally Home

    <h4>Chapter 500: Chapter 500: Finally Home</h4><h4></h4>

    From a distance, the lights made the vi look like a pce, like a pce from Fu Han¡¯s crystal ball world, inhabited by princes and princesses, dreamlike and illusory.

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed with excitement, and the security guard driving in front, ncing at her in the rearview mirror, hesitated before speaking, "Miss Fu Han, do you know what happened in the He Family yesterday?"

    "What happened?" Fu Han asked, puzzled.

    Having lived at Lanwan Mountain for over a decade, she recognized most of the security guards, and this one, in his forties or fifties, had been there for many years. She greeted him whenever she saw him.

    The security guard looked at Fu Han again, and by then, the He Family vi was just in sight. He smiled good-naturedly and said, "Miss Fu Han, it¡¯s best you ask Mr. He Xing yourself."

    Upon hearing this, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel perplexed. Just when she was about to inquire further, the car stopped, and the security guard spoke again, "Miss Fu Han, we¡¯ve arrived, wee home."

    A surge of excitement filled Fu Han¡¯s heart. She immediately cast aside her confusion and happily got out of the car, happily rang the doorbell.

    The servant who opened the door couldn¡¯t believe his eyes at the sight of Fu Han, and after rubbing them a few times to make sure he wasn¡¯t hallucinating, he opened the gate with jubtion.

    Fu Han was infected by his mood and became extraordinarily joyful, hopping and skipping her way toward the front door of the vi.

    Dim light was seeping through the curtains, and Fu Han had already envisioned the scene of the He Family¡¯s patriarch and He Xing sitting on the couch. She twisted the door open, and before she could see clearly inside, she called out, "Grandpa, He Xing, I¡¯m back."

    Before her words had fullynded, she saw that the vast living room was empty.

    Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed as she set down her luggage and raised her voice, "Grandpa, He Xing, where are you? I¡¯m back."

    "Xiaohan is back?"

    "Xiaohan!"

    The first sentence was spoken by the He Family patriarch, and the second by He Xing.

    The He Family patriarch appeared in the hallway next to the living room on the first floor, while He Xing leaned over the railing on the second floor to speak. The He Family patriarch lived on the first floor, while He Xing and Fu Han lived on the second floor.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between the He Family patriarch and He Xing. Although smiles were on their faces, for some reason, Fu Han felt an overwhelming urge to cry.

    Footsteps hurried down the stairs, as eager as a child who had just been given a fifty-cent reward, rushing out the door to buy candy from the passing vendor, clutching the money tightly in hand.

    Even though He Xing moved quickly, the He Family patriarch was closer to Fu Han, and he reached her first, "Silly child, why cry? You should be happy to be home."

    Fu Han tried hard to smile, but her tears fell involuntarily, and she threw herself into the He Family patriarch¡¯s embrace, sobbing loudly.

    The He Family patriarch affectionately patted Fu Han¡¯s back and coaxed her like a child, "You¡¯ve grown up; why do you still cry like when you were little?"

    By this time, He Xing had alsoe down. He stood behind Fu Han, his face full of distress, unable to find the words to console her.

    In truth, it had been less than three days since theirst meeting, yet it felt as though a century had passed.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t understand why her tears were so cheap, falling drop by drop like pearls off a broken string.

    The He Family patriarch offered manyforting words, promising to buy her beautiful clothes, jewelry, figurines, a camera, even a car¡ªonly falling short of promising a house.

    It was quite some time before Fu Han¡¯s tears finally stopped. She rubbed her swollen eyes and sat on the couch holding the He Family patriarch¡¯s arm, her little face puffed up indignantly, looking cuter than ever.

    The He Family patriarch and He Xing stood guard beside her like two sentinels, watching her intently without blinking.

    Old Zhou stood by their side, his slightly cloudy eyes also reddening. He sniffled and asked if Fu Han had eaten dinner. Without waiting for an answer, he headed towards the kitchen.

    In the spacious and luxurious living room of the He Family, the orange lighting filled the space, giving the room a touch of homeliness; and the orange light seemed as if it radiated from Fu Han herself.

    She did nothing but sit there simply, yet it gave off the impression that she was the center of the room.

    During the three years Fu Han was abroad, this feeling was particrly strong. Although He Xing and the He Family patriarch lived there every day, without Fu Han, the ce was just a room where they slept; with Fu Han, it became a home.

    The He Family patriarch stroked Fu Han¡¯s head affectionately and inquired, "Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t be able to return for a while? Howe you came back so early?"

    "And you still ask?" Fu Han crossed her arms and puffed up defiantly at the He Family patriarch, "You were kidnapped, injured, and hospitalized, and you didn¡¯t tell me. You say you consider me your own granddaughter, humph!"

    Her angry appearance was extremely adorable, like a petnt little girl, melting one¡¯s heart instantly, without a trace of genuine anger.

    The He Family patriarch, with tender affection, pleaded, "It wasn¡¯t that grandpa didn¡¯t want to tell you. At that time, you were also having surgery. If grandpa had told you, what if you had wanted toe back? What about your face then?"

    He was right; that was precisely when Fu Han was undergoing surgery.

    Fu Han had inadvertently heard Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian discussing her surgery before, stating that the doctor who performed her operation was hard to book, not just a matter of money, as Dr. Daisi was quite entric.

    Usually, wealthy patients wanting surgery by Dr. Daisi would have to wait at least six months to a year, and it was not umon for some to wait for several years.

    The reason He Xing managed to get Dr. Daisi back to A City for Fu Han¡¯s surgery wasrgely due to luck.

    It just so happened that Dr. Daisi was on his annual vacation at that time, and he chose A City as his holiday spot. To entice Dr. Daisi to operate on Fu Han, He Xing even went as far as chartering a private jet to bring him to A City.

    During his stay, Liang Tao apanied Dr. Daisi around the clock, at He Xing¡¯s request.

    After chartering flights and providing meticulous 24-hour service, in addition to high medical fees, He Xing sessfully persuaded Dr. Daisi.

    But what was easy the first time did not guarantee the same the second time around. When He Xing invited Dr. Daisi back to A City with even more generous conditions for Fu Han¡¯s second surgery, the doctor bluntly refused, leaving He Xing facing outright rejection.

 Chapter 501: We Are All Family

    <h4>Chapter 501: Chapter 501: We Are All Family</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian found Daisi, who epted their offer and agreed to the surgery, but required Fu Han to wait in line for the procedure, preliminarily estimating the surgery time to be about a yearter.

    How is this possible?

    Mr. and Mrs. Fu Xingbo Bai Qian thought of various methods, and eventually, they found others who were also in line for surgery with Dr. Daisi and negotiated with them to see if they could swap their ces in the queue.

    Dr. Daisi was a very famous doctor, a stic surgeon, so the people who came to him were dealing with appearance issues of their bodies, not problems that would be life-threatening with longer waiting times, so there were indeed people willing to change surgery appointments with Fu Han.

    Fu Hanter asked specifically and found that the only reason the people in front of her were willing to exchange surgery times was that the conditions offered by Fu Xingbo were too tempting.

    Not only did he cover all the other party¡¯s surgery costs, including lost wages, postoperative convalescence expenses, etc., he also paid an additional two hundred thousand dors.

    Thinking of this, Fu Han sighed heavily, asking herself if she had known before the surgery that Grandfather He was injured, and knowing that his life was not in danger, she probably would still have chosen the surgery.

    Because for her surgery, uncle and aunt had paid too much, and if she was too headstrong, they would end up having to clean up the mess anyway.

    It¡¯s just that she would have returned to the country immediately after being discharged to visit Grandfather He, instead of spending Christmas and New Year¡¯s in M Country, preparing for the opening of their studio.

    Thinking of this, Fu Han sighed deeply, shaking Grandfather He¡¯s arm full of guilt, "No matter what, Grandpa, it¡¯s my fault for not being by your side when you were sick."

    "Family doesn¡¯t speak such words," Grandfather He¡¯s eyes, always gleaming with a golden light, were a bit moist, and he patted the back of Fu Han¡¯s hand with a smile, "The oue now is the best. Grandpa is fine, your face is back to normal, and most importantly, you and He Xing have reconciled. That¡¯s what makes me the happiest."

    Fu Han was feeling sentimental, but upon hearing this, her face flushed red, and she threw Grandfather He¡¯s hand aside, "Grandpa, I¡¯m not talking to you anymore, I¡¯m being serious with you but you¡¯re drifting off topic."

    Grandfather He burst into a heartyugh, his voice booming and cheerful, carrying far, not showing any signs of anger.

    However, He Xing caught Fu Han¡¯s hand, his voice a bit hoarse, "Xiaohan, Grandpa isn¡¯t wrong. What matters most is that we¡¯re together again."

    The atmosphere in the room suddenly became charged with a hint of romance. Fu Han¡¯s face was glowing red like a ripe apple, but even though she was full of shyness, she didn¡¯t pull her hand away from He Xing¡¯s grasp.

    The three family members sat on the couch talking about the things that had happened while they were apart, looking infinitely warm and cozy from a distance.

    Before long, Old Zhou came and said that the dinner prepared for Fu Han was ready and asked her toe and eat.

    The meal was simple, four dishes and a soup: Braised Fish Chunks, Beer Duck, Stir-fried Greens with Pork Fat, Stir-fried Pork with Chili, and a simple Seaweed Egg Soup.

    Fu Han sniffed the appetizing aroma. She had grown tired of airne meals, and it was alreadyte, so she was very hungry, and she began to eat eagerly.

    She quickly shoveled almost half a bowl of rice, and while taking a breath, she looked up and asked, "Grandpa, Auntie¡¯s cooking has improved, right? It tastes even better than before."

    "Do you really think so?" Grandfather He was quite surprised and didn¡¯t directly answer Fu Han¡¯s question, looking at her dubiously instead.

    "Yes, of course." Fu Han cocked her head andughed so hard her eyes nearly disappeared, "I¡¯ve been eating Auntie¡¯s cooking for nearly twenty years; could I possibly not tell if it¡¯s good or bad? I didn¡¯t expect that her skill would improve so much just because I was gone for a little over a month, even more than the previous ten-plus years."

    Grandfather He and He Xing exchanged a look, seeing puzzlement and joy in each other¡¯s eyes.

    This time, He Xing was the first to speak, "Fu Han, Auntie had some issues and has left the He family. The auntie who cooked for you today is new. So you¡¯re saying you like the food she¡¯s cooked?"

    "Left? Why?" Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed, filled with confusion.

    It¡¯s no wonder Fu Han was puzzled; the He Family treated servants very well, with high wages,prehensive benefits, and by providing additional pensions for those who had worked for the family long enough upon retirement. Thus, there were hardly any servants who left the He Family, but instead many who were eager to join it.

    He Xing coughed awkwardly, his expression somewhat unnatural, as if he wanted to say something but wasn¡¯t sure where to begin.

    But Grandfather He quickly took over the conversation, "Xiaohan, we¡¯re not quite clear about the kitchen maid¡¯s situation right now; we¡¯ll let you know once we figure it out. The key question is whether you are ustomed to the cooking of the new kitchen maid, if not, we¡¯ll find a new one."

    The previous kitchen maid left quite suddenly, and the new one was kept after He Xing had interviewed more than thirty candidates; he and Grandfather He¡¯s only criterion for hiring was that Fu Han would enjoy the new kitchen maid¡¯s cooking.

    In the end, the kitchen maid they kept was the one He Xing thought made food that tasted most simr to the previous one, although identical was not possible, so they were actually still worried that Fu Han might not be ustomed to it.

    Fu Han, not the least bit foolish, guessed that something must have happened, and since Grandpa and He Xing had not told her directly, it probably meant it was something she was temporarily not supposed to know. If she didn¡¯t press on, it would be fine.

    A smile began to spread across Fu Han¡¯s face, and she yfully stuck out her tongue, "Honestly, I¡¯ve been eating the same dishes for so long I was getting a bit tired of them, and besides, aren¡¯t you guys a bit out of touch with my tastes? Do you think I¡¯m still that picky eater from when I was little?"

    The grandfather and granddaughter beside her looked at each other, neither one speaking; they had indeed forgotten that Fu Han had long since stopped making a fuss over meals as she grew up.

    Fu Han enjoyed her meal but also felt a great deal of pressure.

    Anyone would feel uneasy if, while eating, two people were staring at them non-stop, their gaze unblinking.

    After eating her fill, Fu Han returned to her room, and as expected, even after being away for so long, her room was still very neat, with the faint scent ofvender ¡ª her mostmonly used fragrance.

    The servants had prepared a bath for Fu Han, with steam rising from the hot water and rose petals floating on the surface, the subtle fragrance of flowers quite soothing.

 Chapter 502: A Beautiful Night

    <h4>Chapter 502: Chapter 502: A Beautiful Night</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han stripped off her clothes, her two smooth and straight legs exposed to the air. She stepped into the bathtub, the warm water wrapping around her, driving away much of the fatigue from her journey.

    There is no tiredness that a bath cannot cure. If there is, it just means you haven¡¯t soaked long enough.

    The more Fu Han soaked, the sleepier she felt. She definitely did not want to fall asleep in the bathtub. Drowning or freezing to death, either way would be an unbearably cruel fate for her.

    The spacious bathroom was amply heated, the rising steam akin to a pervasive fog that reduced visibility to nought, making one blind even with eyes wide open.

    Fu Han dried off and slipped into a set of pink coral fleece pajamas. She wiped the mirror and saw her face, pink as if she had applied an entire box of rouge in one breath; her eyes shone bright as stars in the sky; her lips, untouched by lipstick, were naturally redder than even the most vivid shade of red.

    Yawning sleepily, Fu Han felt utterly exhausted. She hurriedly reached for the hairdryer, nning to go to sleep right after she finished blowing her hair dry.

    Little did she expect that when she pulled open the restroom door, she woulde face to face with He Xing, sitting right in front of her office.

    Startled, she instinctively covered her chest, which wasn¡¯t exposed, and said with a lingering fear, "He Xing, are you human or ghost? Howe you didn¡¯t make a single noiseing in?"

    It was like a slow-motion scene from a movie as He Xing turned around leisurely, his well-defined face wless under the light.

    "Xiaohan,e here!" He extended a finger toward Fu Han, his sexy Adam¡¯s apple bobbing slightly.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart pounded wildly. She felt as though she was under a spell as she walked towards He Xing. Yet when she ced her hand in his, He Xing forcefully pulled her, drawing Fu Han into his embrace.

    Without any warning, a tender kiss descended.

    Fu Han wrapped her arms around He Xing¡¯s, eyes closed as she savored his gentleness. Her already drowsy mind turned into mush, ceasing to function.

    Time seemed to stretch on as the air around them grew hotter with each breath, searing as it escaped their lips.

    The kiss was long; only when Fu Han started to gasp for breath did she realize He Xing¡¯s hand had made its way inside her pajamas, moving restlessly.

    For a moment, Fu Han thought it wouldn¡¯t be so bad to give in to the moment, considering what was about to happen was something every couple might experience.

    But before she couldpletely sumb, the video of He Xing and Xia Ning shed through her mind.

    Somehow mustering the strength, she pushed He Xing away. Standing up quickly, she straightened her disheveled pajamas and said with flushed cheeks, "It¡¯s gettingte... I need to sleep now. You should go back and sleep too."

    He Xing had on his usual white shirt, now crumpled, with several buttons undone at the cor revealing his defined corbones and muscr chest, hinting at the outline of his abs.

    His deep voice resonated in the room, "I¡¯ll watch over you until you fall asleep, then I¡¯ll go back."

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze involuntarily drifted towards his partially exposed chest. When she realized what she was doing, her already warm face turned even redder.

    Pointing at He Xing¡¯s cor, she whispered like a mosquito, "You... you¡¯d better button up your shirt. Otherwise... otherwise you should leave."

    He Xing stroked his chin with a mischievous smile as he began buttoning up, saying, "Alright, alright. As long as you don¡¯t drive me away, I¡¯ll do as you say."

    Fu Han red at He Xing, especially when she caught the meaningful look in his eyes as he buttoned his shirt¡ªthe suggestion couldn¡¯t have been more obvious.

    From childhood, He Xing had always been cold and unemotional. Regardless of how much Fu Han and Xia Ning showed their affection, he barely reacted, like an emotionless robot.

    Yet whenever Fu Han and He Xing were alone together, he would often act out of character, leading to near-miss moments between them.

    It was precisely because of He Xing¡¯s unpredictable behavior in private that Fu Han always felt he liked her; but in the past, this "feeling" was more a self-constion than anything substantial.

    This is why, in the end, Fu Han was driven away by Xia Ning¡¯s sessful provocations and left the country for three years.

    Nowadays, Fu Han no longer harbored such worries, for He Xing had personally told her many times that she was the only one he had ever liked from the beginning to the end.

    Fu Hany down in bed, and He Xing immediately came over to tuck her in, patting theforter rhythmically, cooing like one might to a child, "Sleep, sleep, Xiaohan be good, have a nice sleep."

    Fu Han indeed felt very sleepy, but his words made her even less inclined to sleep. Thinking about the reason for her return, she pulled out her phone from under her pillow and showed the video to He Xing, "Don¡¯t you want to exin this video to me?"

    He Xing took the phone and examined the video carefully, then replied unfazed, "That was when Xia Ning was in the hospital. She had an injury that made it hard for her to move. I was feeding her, and it identally scalded her, so she spit it out and almost fell. I just helped her up."

    As he spoke, Fu Han kept her eyes fixed on him, fearing she¡¯d miss any change in expression. Fortunately, He Xing did not disappoint Fu Han this time; when recounting the incident, his face showed no sign of a guilty conscience, as if the person in the video were someone else.

    The heavy stone in Fu Han¡¯s heart finally settled. She almost instinctively believed what He Xing said was true, but it seemed too easy to just forgive him like that.

    She huffed, pretending to be annoyed, "I didn¡¯t expect you to remember it so vividly."

    He Xing pinched Fu Han¡¯s cheek, half-smiling and half-sympathetic, "Is it my fault for having a good memory? I remember things about you even more clearly. Why don¡¯t you test me?"

    That was true, as he remembered everything he had read or experienced; ask him anytime, and He Xing would recall it clearly.

    Many people say God is fair, but looking at He Xing, you could only see divine favor. Handsome face, tall figure, sharp mind, photographic memory.

    Fu Han knew she couldn¡¯tpete with He Xing when it came to memory. She also knew she wasn¡¯t truly angry, and there was no point in being obstinate over such a matter.

    She smiled faintly, reaching out from under the nkets to pat He Xing¡¯s hand, "Alright, I know, I trust you. You can go back to sleep now."

 Chapter 503: Gentle Gaze

    <h4>Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Gentle Gaze</h4><h4></h4>

    "No, I¡¯ll go after you fall asleep," He Xing smiled, the dimples at the corners of his mouth faintly visible, making him radiate a warm feeling.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart softened too. She nodded, turned to face He Xing lying down, yet her eyes remained open. She simply yearned for the warmth of the moment, longing to etch it forever in her mind.

    The light cast down from above, falling on He Xing, as if cloaking him in ayer of gold. Sacred, pure, he seemed almost divine.

    The more Fu Han looked, the more beautiful she found him, feeling increasingly lucky as if she had stumbled upon a hidden treasure in her life.

    He Xing also lowered his gaze to observe Fu Han, his hand gently stroking her forehead intermittently as tender as if he were coaxing his daughter to sleep.

    Time seemed to slow down at that moment, as if frozen in ce.

    He Xing slightly raised his head, looking towards Fu Han¡¯s collection room, smiling and asking, "Xiaohan, why haven¡¯t you shown me that letter you wrote on the ne?"

    "Letter?" Fu Han¡¯s voice was low, like it traveled through a foggy forest, "Are you talking about the will I wrote on the ne?"

    The word "will" hit He Xing like a dagger to the heart. He had used the word "letter" to avoid the painful subject, but he hadn¡¯t expected Fu Han to speak so calmly about "the will."

    He Xing smiled and hummed a soft "Mm."

    Fu Han felt her eyelids growing heavy, so she closed her eyes, "When the ne had trouble, although I was still mad at you, what else mattered in the face of life and death? Of course, I had to leave you and Grandfather an exnation."

    He Xing was filled with emotion. He coughed softly, his eyes unexpectedly moistening, "Xiaohan, no matter what happens, don¡¯t ever leave me."

    "Mm, I know," Fu Han agreed in a soft, sweet voice that couldn¡¯t help but stir emotions in the listener.

    He Xing¡¯s heart, lonely and drifting on the open sea, seemed to have found redemption and quieted down.

    Fu Han¡¯s room was decorated in pinks, the warm lighting adding an extra coziness. He Xing¡¯s gaze softened as it wandered around the room.

    After some thought, He Xing began slowly, "Fu Han, there¡¯s something I think I should tell you..."

    "Mm..." Fu Han responded softly again, her mind now a mushy mess,pletely unable to think and on the verge of sleep.

    It was aplicated matter, and to spare Fu Han any difort, He Xing unusually took a few minutes to formte his words before slowly speaking.

    "Xiaohan, I came back the morning before yesterday. I had umted a lot of work, and that night I asked the cook to make me a strong coffee to stay awake. Unexpectedly, she added something to the coffee, the kind that makes one crave intimacy after drinking it.

    Later I found out that our family cook had long been bought by Xia Ning; Xia Ning received the news and rushed over, wanting to take advantage of my incapacitated state... to trap me into bedding her. At the critical moment, I used thest shred of willpower to knock Xia Ning unconscious and then used a fruit knife to cut my palm to bleed out..."

    He Xing paused for two minutes at this point and lowered his gaze to Fu Han. Her delicate eyebrows were knit together, indicating she might be upset.

    He Xing understood that he probably wouldn¡¯t feel any better hearing such news himself. He looked at the palm of his left hand, where there was still a clear knife cut. The doctor had scolded him for being too harsh on himself.

    With that in mind, he quickly began to exin, "But don¡¯t worry, my injuries are not serious, just some skin wounds that will heal in a few days. Once I regained a little willpower, I went to find a doctor. After Grandfather¡¯s health declined, I had a doctor stay over at night to ensure immediate treatment in case of emergencies.

    The doctor checked me out and arranged for my stomach to be pumped. He gave me some medication, and then I was fine."

    He Xing then looked down at Fu Han again. Her brow had smoothed out, and she looked much better; this cheered him up as well.

    "Xiaohan, yesterday Xia Ning¡¯s parents and brothers brought journalists to the He Family, causing amotion. Because Xia Ning¡¯s mother had saved me once, and Xia Ning herself had also saved me, I couldn¡¯t turn away and just let it be. So I admitted that Xia Ning had stayed at the He Family the night beforest. I didn¡¯t expect the Xia Family to bribe the media to blow this matter up, making it into a scandal. They imed that Xia Ning and I had spent the night together but refused to give her the proper status."

    He Xing heaved a deep sigh thinking of yesterday¡¯s events, then tenderly brushed Fu Han¡¯s forehead with a gentle smile, "Xiaohan, I didn¡¯t expect you toe back at this time. You¡¯re bound to be distressed now that you¡¯re here. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to protect you, and I won¡¯t let you suffer any harm."

    After waiting for a while without Fu Han¡¯s response, He Xing couldn¡¯t help but touch her cheek, only for Fu Han to rub her face against the palm of his hand like a little kitten, then remain still in that position.

    It was only then that He Xing finally confirmed that Fu Han had fallen asleep. She had really fallen asleep like that?

    He Xing sighed helplessly, gazed at Fu Han deeply, his eyes full of indulgence. If he could, he would keep watching her like this forever, until the end of time.

    The only problem now was that he didn¡¯t know whether Fu Han had heard what he had just said, or how much of it she had actually absorbed.

    He Xing could certainly wait for Fu Han to wake up and then repeat everything, but it was a difficult subject to broach. He had already summoned courage to speak tonight; who knew when he might muster the courage to say it all over again.

    Reflecting on the bitter sweetness, He Xing reassured himself that Fu Han had been awake when he began to speak. So why had she fallen asleep in the end? How could she fall asleep while listening to such important matters? Was she that tired?

    With these thoughts in mind, He Xing¡¯s heart softened. He checked Fu Han¡¯s nkets again, then bent down to kiss her forehead, turned off the light, and quietly left the room.

    ...

    At the Xia Family vi.

    A burst of ttering sounds was followed by Xia Ning¡¯s shrill voice, "What did you say, Xia Ning is back? Wasn¡¯t she still in M Country, howe she suddenly returned?"

    Xia Cheng¡¯s brow was deeply furrowed like caterpirs as he said irritably, "What¡¯s so surprising about that? She¡¯s back, so she¡¯s back. Her legs are on her body; who can control her?"

    Xia Ning was fuming, her beautiful face contorting with frustration as she said bitterly, "Do you understand nothing? With that wretch Fu Han back, do you think there¡¯s still a chance for me and Brother He Xing?"

 Chapter 504: Sprinting in the Deep Night

    <h4>Chapter 504: Chapter 504: Sprinting in the Deep Night</h4><h4></h4>

    "You talk as if without Fu Han, you could easily handle He Xing. That¡¯s not the case, right?" Xia Cheng snapped back without any courtesy.

    It proved that it wasn¡¯t just women who had venomous tongues; when men did, they could be far more vicious.

    Xia Ning was left speechless for a long while and ended up sitting on the sofa, huffing angrily.

    On the contrary, Xia Cheng acted as if nothing had happened, took off his shoes,y on the sofa, and continued to scroll through videos of beautiful women on his phone, the volume turned up high, utterly indifferent to Xia Ning¡¯s face, which was darker than the bottom of a pot.

    The more Xia Ning thought about it, the angrier she became. Finally, she stood up abruptly, took her phone, and walked towards the door. She grabbed her coat and keys from the coat rack by the door and left without looking back.

    Not until the sound of the car starting up did Xia Cheng raise his head to nce outside. His impatience became even more apparent, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything. He just instructed the servant to clean up the shattered tea set on the floor and said nothing else.

    Xia Ning got her driver¡¯s license at eighteen, motivated by Fu Han, who had gotten hers right after her eighteenth birthday. Not wanting to be outdone by Fu Han, Xia Ning quickly got hers as well.

    A City at night was bustling, but the so-called city that never sleeps referred to the lively city center, not the vi area where the Xia Family resided.

    The suburbs were quite deste, with only a street light every few meters along the road to prevent the area from bing too dark.

    Although Xia Ning had had her driver¡¯s license for many years, she didn¡¯t get many chances to actually drive. To showcase the style of a delicatedy and to match up with He Xing better, she was always chauffeured.

    Another red light ahead. Today was particrly unlucky for Xia Ning. Every intersection she approached turned red, and she had already overstepped the line at the red lights twice in a row. This time was no exception.

    It seems that when a person is down on their luck, even drinking cold water can cause a toothache.

    But for Xia Ning, even if she got points deducted, it didn¡¯t matter; Xia Guoxiong would handle it. He wouldn¡¯t let Xia Ning have any blemishes on her record, or else people would say she wasn¡¯t fit for He Xing.

    After an extremely unpleasant drive, Xia Ning finally arrived at her destination¡ªQin Nuan¡¯s upscaleplex.

    She had previously investigated Qin Nuan, so she knew where she lived. As for getting inside, for ady like Xia Ning, who was d in designer brands from head to toe, it was too easy. She just had to act cute and coquettish to the security guard at the gate, iming she had forgotten her ess card, and she could slip in smoothly.

    As for finding her way after, she could repeat the same trick. When encountering a passerby, she merely asked for directions, and the strangers, seeing a pretty young girl, would readily offer to take her to her destination.

    Xia Ning politely asked the stranger to stop at the entrance of Qin Nuan¡¯s building, then she headed straight for the elevator. She had to see Qin Nuan immediately.

    However, her urgency didn¡¯t mean that others felt the same. She waited outside the door for a full five minutes before Qin Nuan finally opened it.

    Honestly, while waiting outside, Xia Ning already knew there was someone else in Qin Nuan¡¯s apartment. She even silently prayed that it wasn¡¯t Xia Guoxiong inside; that would be too embarrassing.

    The person who opened the door wasn¡¯t Qin Nuan, but Yi Lixing.

    Yi Lixing had obviously seen Xia Ning through the peephole already. Dressed casually, he greeted Xia Ning with a smile, "Miss Xia, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here."

    Xia Ning knew about Yi Lixing¡¯s ties with the Xia Group and that it was precisely because he sold He Group¡¯s bidding documents and nning proposals to the Xia Group that they were able to develop so quickly.

    But Xia Ning just didn¡¯t like Yi Lixing, one could even say she despised him; to this, Xia Cheng¡¯s response was incisive, "That¡¯s because deep down you feel you belong to the He Family. It¡¯s from He Family¡¯s perspective that you dislike Yi Lixing so much."

    For the first time, Xia Ning felt that Xia Cheng, usually not the sharpest tool in the shed, made a lot of sense; his words were spot-on and revealed the truth.

    "I didn¡¯t expect to see you here either. I¡¯m looking for Qin Nuan, where is she?" Xia Ning¡¯s tone was very unpleasant, and she didn¡¯t even grant Yi Lixing a proper nce.

    Yi Lixing just smiled, seeming not to mind Xia Ning¡¯s tone, and stepped aside, making a weing gesture, "Miss Xia, Qin Nuan is currently in the shower. Would you like toe in and wait?"

    Xia Ning looked past Yi Lixing into the apartment, where the living room curtains were tightly drawn, soothing music ying from the sound system, and cushions were strewn carelessly on the floor. The sofa was wrinkled; but most importantly, there was a strange smell in the apartment, and next to the trash can was a pile of scrunched-up tissues.

    Any adult would likely guess what had happened before, especially since Xia Ning, unluckily, heard the tail end of it just outside the door.

    Thinking of something, her face turned slightly red as she hesitated, unsure whether to enter. She always felt that the Yi Lixing in front of her seemed dangerous.

    Yi Lixing smiled again. He seemed to be trying hard to appear affable, but unfortunately, his face was a patchwork of blues and purples, possibly from being beaten, which made any expression he wore somewhat chilling, "Miss Xia, you don¡¯t have to worry. I won¡¯t do anything to you. After all, I¡¯m still working for your family right now."

    "You have a point," Xia Ning acknowledged, knowing it wasn¡¯t good to keep standing at the door. If a passerby spotted her, it would be more troublesome, especially since she was somewhat of a celebrity, albeit one who had appeared in only one film. But to enter like this was a bit shameful. She stood her ground and said, "Even if you tried, you couldn¡¯t do anything to me. Before I came here, I told my father, and they all know I¡¯m here."

    Without responding to Xia Ning¡¯s words, Yi Lixing simply smiled again, turned, and walked in first, gesturing to the Tea Room without looking back, "Miss Xia, would you like tea, coffee, or red wine?"

    "Tea is for old people, I only drink red wine at night," Xia Ning replied, not shy about making herselffortable. She looked at two single-seat sofas and chose one that seemed reasonably clean to sit down on.

    From her angle, she could see Yi Lixing¡¯s back as he proficiently took out a bottle of red wine from the cab, followed by the corkscrew and wine sses. Considering how familiar he was with the ce, he might as well have been the owner who had lived there for years.

 Chapter 505: Each with Their Own Schemes

    <h4>Chapter 505: Chapter 505: Each with Their Own Schemes</h4><h4></h4>

    The rental house was paid for by Xia Guoxiong, a fact Xia Ning was aware of.

    Thus, as she watched Yi Lixing acting as the man of the house here, her feelings were particrlyplex. She felt like the magpie in the saying about doves upying a magpie¡¯s nest, though, in reality, Xia Ning could only be considered the daughter of the magpie.

    Her gaze swept around the room. She wasn¡¯t sure how to judge the size of the house, only that the living room was about the size of her own room, even slightly smaller, and the area where the liquor cab was ced was much smaller still, not even a third the size of the one at her home.

    However, this house shouldn¡¯t be considered small. A rough nce suggested it also had three rooms.

    The thought that Qin Nuan was the sole upant of three rooms instantly erased Xia Ning¡¯s sense of superiority. She even felt a bit jealous of Qin Nuan, who lived alone and could do as she pleased.

    As she was caught up in her thoughts, Yi Lixing returned, one hand holding two wine sses, the other a bottle of red wine that had already been opened.

    Yi Lixing poured two sses and extended one to Xia Ning, "Lady Xia, this is a bottle of red wine I brought back from F Country. It was opened today. Would you care to try some?"

    Xia Ning did not take the wine ss from Yi Lixing. Instead, she slightly bent over and took the ss on the table herself. She took a small sip and said with pride, "A ¡¯92 red wine, indeed the taste is quite good."

    "I agree," Yi Lixing quickly hid the trace of ferocity in his eyes, "The ¡¯92 vintage had ample sunshine, the grapes wererge and sweet, which is why the wine from that year tastes exceptionally good."

    Xia Ning did not respond to his words but looked around with wide eyes, "Where is Qin Nuan? Why hasn¡¯t shee out yet?"

    "Let me go check," Yi Lixing downed the wine in his ss in one go, then slowly got up and headed inside.

    Left alone in the spacious living room, Xia Ning looked around and felt an intense sense of unease in the unfamiliar house. For a moment, she really wanted to turn around and flee.

    But in the end, she held back. If she wanted to get He Xing, she would first have to deal with Fu Han, and she couldn¡¯t do that alone; she needed to find someone to help.

    It wasn¡¯t that Xia Ning couldn¡¯t ask someone else, but since Qin Nuan had mentioned they¡¯d find someone to deal with Fu Han abroad, she had already given half the money.

    Employing someone to handle Fu Han was a considerable expense, at least for Xia Ning, since all her ie came from the pocket money Xia Guoxiong gave her each month and two credit cards with limits.

    Most of the money she had saved was given to Qin Nuan, and until now, she hadn¡¯t gathered the rest of the payment.

    But she wasn¡¯t worried about that because if Qin Nuan truly took care of Fu Han, Xia Guoxiong would definitely pay. Then, there would be nothing to fear.

    Now the problem was that her money was tied up with Qin Nuan. Either she had to let Qin Nuanplete the task in-country, or Qin Nuan had to return the money so she could find someone else to do the job.

    A few minutester, Qin Nuan came out, wrapped in a loose bathrobe. It hung ckly at the chest, revealing a hint of allure, quite the eye-catcher.

    Although Xia Ning wasn¡¯t a na?ve girl, the sight of Qin Nuan being so casual still made her face redden, appearing even more flushed than the red wine before her.

    "Lady Xia, what brings you here so unexpectedly? Is there something you need?" said Qin Nuan casually as she sat on the crumpled sofa. She poured a small amount of the wine into the ss Yi Lixing had used, then took it and drank it as if she were the only one who had ever touched the ss.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face, already red, became even redder. She turned away, unwilling to look at Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing any longer. She was already aware of their rtionship, and the sight still struck her as irritating.

    She cleared her throat and tried to speak calmly, "Miss Qin, I¡¯vee to ask if you remember the transaction between us."

    "Transaction?" Qin Nuanughed softly and took another sip of wine. She spoke with an insinuating tone, "Of course I remember, but this isn¡¯t a small matter. You need to give me some time to n, right?"

    "So, your people haven¡¯t made a move yet?" Xia Ning could hardly contain her anger upon hearing this. She whipped around and red at Qin Nuan, "You take my money and do nothing? Why don¡¯t you just give it back?"

    In contrast to Xia Ning¡¯s ring eyes, Qin Nuan¡¯s smile was charming. She yed with her damp hair, another kind of allure, "Lady Xia, that¡¯s not the way to talk. Overseas distances are vast, and finding trustworthy people isn¡¯t done in a day. You must give us some time."

    The sight of Qin Nuan¡¯s flirtatious behavior made Xia Ning ufortable, especially knowing that her own father and brother had once fallen under Qin Nuan¡¯s allure. She snorted disdainfully, "Fu Han has already returned to the country; we don¡¯t need your international connections anymore... So today I came to discuss this matter with you, either get it done as soon as possible, or return my money immediately."

    Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing exchanged looks. Angles being what they were, the only expression Fu Han could see was Yi Lixing¡¯s face, which suddenly turned dark as if a lurking beast in the night had opened its eyes.

    An inexplicable chill swept over Xia Ning, her limbs felt cold, and her body trembled uncontrobly. Only immense willpower kept her from shaking.

    As time ticked by, Yi Lixing finally spoke, "Lady Xia, are you suggesting that if Fu Han was abroad, we would earn this money, and if Fu Han is in the country, you would pay someone else?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s mouth opened, but she couldn¡¯t utter a word. It was as if she had a lump in her throat¡ªunable to swallow or to spit it out. She was truly afraid of Yi Lixing.

    Yi Lixing spoke again, "Lady Xia, what if I told you I could also take care of Fu Han for you here in the country?"

    About half an hourter, Xia Ning left Qin Nuan¡¯s room. As she did, her expression wasplex, seeming at once relieved yet also troubled. Emotions too intricate to describe in words.

    However, the atmosphere inside the house was far from the harmony Xia Ning might have imagined; it could be described as tense and hostile.

    Qin Nuan had downed three sses of wine and still couldn¡¯t calm herself. She stared wide-eyed at Yi Lixing, "Do you realize this is in-country? If you¡¯re thinking aboutmitting murder, it¡¯s not just hard to seed, but even if you do, you likely won¡¯t escape."

    "So, do you want the money or not?" Yi Lixing red at Qin Nuan impatiently, "I know you just want your sister to be released, but if you don¡¯t have something on Xia Ning, do you really think your sister will be set free?"

 Chapter 506: A Blissful Morning

    <h4>Chapter 506: Chapter 506: A Blissful Morning</h4><h4></h4>

    "But..." Qin Nuan hesitated, still looking undecided.

    "No buts," Yi Lixing interrupted Qin Nuan without hesitation, his expression nk as he spoke, "If you want to rescue your sister, then listen to me; they are all cunning old foxes. Without my strategies, you¡¯ll surely be eaten by them without a single bone left."

    Qin Nuan stared at Yi Lixing for a long time, and finally, she reluctantly bowed her head in agreement, acknowledging his words, yet her beautiful big eyes still swirled with a touch of worry.

    ...

    Fu Han slept sweetly, a night without dreams.

    When she opened her eyes in the morning, she saw the pale golden light piercing through the gap between the curtains, slightly dazzling, but it was the warmest color, making the world seem beautiful at a single nce.

    Fu Han stretchedzily in bed, her clear ck and white eyes looking around to confirm that this was her room in the He Family¡¯s vi, and her sense of happiness grew even stronger.

    The winters in City A were cold, but this cold was different from M Country;pared to M Country, the winters here were warm like spring itself.

    Fu Han rummaged through her wardrobe and eventually chose a pair of ck fleece-lined jeans, a white turtleneck sweater, and a camel-colored tailored wool coat.

    Standing in front of the mirror in these clothes gave her a feeling of lightness, as if heavy down jackets were too cumbersome andcked aesthetic appeal.

    Just then, there was a knock at the door, apanied by He Xing¡¯s gentle call, "Xiaohan, time to get up. You can¡¯t sleep too long. If you¡¯re still sleepy, you can take a nap at noon."

    "Coming." Fu Han crisply replied, pulling the door open. She had nned to get up and join her grandfather for breakfast, and being awakened early only added to her sense of happiness.

    "Good morning, Xiaohan," He Xing said with a smile, his long arm reaching out to effortlessly pull Fu Han into his embrace. He lowered his head and lightly kissed her forehead, "Xiaohan, it¡¯s so good to have you back."

    The long journey, because of this sentence, seemed inconsequential, and even the dull, lengthy ne ride suddenly felt worthwhile.

    She wrapped her arms around He Xing¡¯s waist, resting her head on his shoulder, "Yeah, He Xing, I¡¯m back, and I came back for you."

    It was a line of sweet talk, Fu Han knew; what she didn¡¯t know was when she hadst spoken such sweet words.

    He Xing¡¯s body tensed noticeably, but then he hugged Fu Han even tighter the next second, "Xiaohan, with your words, even if it kills me, I would..."

    Fu Han, rmed, hurriedly ced her hand over his mouth, her eyes almost brimming with tears, "Don¡¯t talk like that. Don¡¯t speak of death so early in the morning. If you died, I... I wouldn¡¯t want to live either."

    "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say such things again," He Xing quickly nodded, and even went as far as to ¡¯ptui¡¯ several times exaggeratedly to make her happy, "Look, I spat it out; those words don¡¯t count now."

    Fu Hanughed at his antics, the previous gloominess swept away.

    Hand in hand, they descended the stairs, and the rich aroma of food wafted from the dining room, making Fu Han¡¯s stomach growl in response. She sheepishly stuck out her tongue, "I¡¯m hungry."

    After descending the stairs, Old Master He was already sitting at the dining table waiting for them, while Old Zhou was bustling bringing the dishes out from the kitchen, quickly covering the table with an array of options.

    Calling it a meal was not quite urate, as most of the table was filled with light and appetizing dishes, followed by buns, potstickers, noodles, and the like.

    The homely new cook stood to the side with an awkward smile, "Master, Young Master, Lady, this is my first time making breakfast for you. I don¡¯t know what you like, so I prepared a little of everything. Please have a taste."

    Fu Han¡¯s expressive eyes fluttered back and forth; with so many choices, she didn¡¯t know what to eat. While abroad, Chinese restaurants were rare, especially those serving breakfast, limiting her options even further; she onceined about theck of choice, but now she felt sometimes having no choice was the best choice.

    He Xing picked up a small bowl and served himself a little portion of noodles.

    Seeing this, the cook immediately advised, "Young Master, these are mixed noodles, they taste better with some side dishes added."

    A few minutester, a bowl of well-mixed noodles was ced in front of Fu Han, and He Xing warmly said, "Eat up before it gets cold."

    Before Fu Han could speak, Old Master He began to cough beside her, so she promptly passed the bowl with a smile, "Grandpa, you eat first."

    "Xiaohan knows best," said Old Master He, his wrinkles seemingly fewer than usual, making him appear much younger as he smiled contentedly.

    He Xing coughed and, unable to restrain himself, spoke again, "Grandpa, you¡¯re acting is a bit too much like a drama queen right now."

    "Mind your business," snorted Old Master He, perfectly demonstrating a rapid change of expression.

    He Xing was used to this behavior and acted as if he heard nothing, merely smiling at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make you another bowl of noodles."

    For the He Family, having three people at breakfast was as crowded as it got. Laughter and conversation filled the spacious dining hall, breathing lively warmth into the room.

    After the meal, it was time for He Xing to go to work. Carrying his briefcase at the car door, he beamed at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m off to work. Aren¡¯t you going to see me off?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed, and she scolded He Xing with a nce, though her eyes held no real force, "It¡¯s not like you¡¯re the only one who has to work. I have to go to my job too."

    "Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to take you?" inquired He Xing, his eyes gleaming with a faint concern, too piercing to look away from.

    "No need," Fu Han tly refused while dodging his intense gaze, "We¡¯re not heading the same way, plus I have my own car, my own car."

    From the wicker chair in the yard, soaking up the sun, Old Master He finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and interjected, "If you two continue talking like this, I reckon you won¡¯t make it to thepany until nightfall."

    Feeling shy, as girls often do, Fu Han stomped her foot and ran off like a puff of smoke, not daring to nce back at Old Master He, and within two minutes, her car slowly exited the He Family¡¯s gate.

    Just as He Xing was about to follow suit and get into his car, Old Master He suddenly spoke up, "How have you handled Xiaohan¡¯s safety? She¡¯s headstrong and refused when I suggested getting bodyguards for her. We can only arrange for someone to secretly protect her."

 Chapter 507: Protecting You Completely

    <h4>Chapter 507: Chapter 507: Protecting You Completely</h4><h4></h4>

    "Rest assured," He Xing¡¯s gaze settled on the distance, where Fu Han had just left, his deep voice filled with unwavering confidence, "The bodyguards I¡¯ve arranged for Fu Han are ex-mercenaries, and they will definitely ensure her safety."

    "That¡¯s good to hear," the He family patriarch waved his hand dismissively, and closed his eyes to bask in the sun once more, without giving He Xing another nce.

    The Lamborghini roared to life, taking off like an arrow released from a bow, impatient as a star chasing the moon.

    Even after He Xing had passed through the lower gatehouse, he had not caught up with Fu Han.

    He mused that the two minutes he had spent speaking with his grandfather were apparently long enough for Fu Han to have vanished from view, suggesting he had underestimated her driving skills.

    After some thought, He Xing took out his phone and made a call, "Hello, have you caught up with Fu Han?"

    "I¡¯m on her tail," came a voice as grinding as a millstone.

    He Xing smiled, but there was not a trace of warmth in that smile¡ªinstead, it was filled with chill, "Good, ensure her safety at all costs."

    After receiving an affirmative response, He Xing hung up and the Lamborghini elerated once again, heading to the left, whereas Fu Han had taken the road to the right.

    With so many incidents urring recently, and considering that some had targeted the He family patriarch, Fu Han might well be imperiled, especially since she had been kidnapped by Xia Cheng and Xia Ning before. He Xing couldn¡¯t be too careful.

    He had hired six ex-mercenaries, four to protect the He family patriarch¡ªtwo in in sight and two hidden. The remaining two were assigned to guard Fu Han.

    It wasn¡¯t that He Xing favored one over the other, but Fu Han had always disliked having bodyguards since she was young, so he had no choice but to employ bodyguards covertly. In this case, two would suffice, as four would be more likely to give them away.

    Knowing Fu Han¡¯s temperament, she would surely be angry if she discovered He Xing had hired bodyguards in secret, despite having agreed not to.

    He Xing parked his car smoothly in front of the He Group¡¯s skyscraper. Stepping out, he tossed the car keys to the security guard, who promptly proceeded to park it for him.

    Today, Liang Tao had been waiting for He Xing on the first floor. Spotting him, Liang Tao immediately approached, "President He, the Huangpu young master has arrived and is waiting in the meeting room. He says he has business with you."

    "The Huangpu young master?" He Xing took several seconds to realize Liang Tao was referring to Su Cheng, then he regarded Liang Tao coolly, "What does Su Cheng want? Did he say?"

    "He didn¡¯t say," Liang Tao felt a chill run through him under He Xing¡¯s gaze, and hurriedly spoke with his head bowed as he followed, "Young Master Su Cheng only mentioned he had crucial matters to discuss with you personally."

    Thest time He Xing saw Su Cheng was in M Country, where he made a pact with Su Cheng¡ªa promise not to interfere with Huangpu Group¡¯s affairs, and in return, Su Cheng wouldn¡¯t harbor any untoward thoughts towards Fu Han.

    As for Su Cheng¡¯s adherence to that promise, He Xing wasn¡¯t sure; ording to the information he received, Su Cheng had left M Country the same day as him, just that one left in the morning and the other at night.

    He Xing pondered but still couldn¡¯t understand why Su Cheng hade to him.

    The Huangpu Group now resembled a tree swaying in a storm, with any blow potentially bringing it crashing down.

    Recently, several small to medium-sized businesses approached He Group, seeking to ally with them to take down Huangpu Group, all rejected by He Xing.

    There were two reasons: first, he had given his word to Su Cheng not to interfere with Huangpu affairs; second, his principles precluded him from kicking someone when they were down. He Group had always advanced steadily, not by cutting corners¡ªif that were the case, He Group would¡¯ve been toppled long ago.

    With these doubts in mind, He Xing entered his office. As he took out hisputer from his briefcase, he instructed, "Go invite Su Cheng to my office."

    A few minutester, Su Cheng arrived, impably dressed in a sharp suit, his shoes shiny enough to serve as mirrors, and his hair neatlybed to a glint, appearing exceedingly spirited and very... mature.

    It had only been a few days, but to He Xing, Su Cheng seemed apletely different person, so changed that He Xing almost doubted his eyes.

    Meanwhile, Su Cheng appeared entirely at ease, greeting him graciously, "President He, hello, and thank you for the opportunity to meet."

    Su Cheng¡¯s courtesy made the usually astute He Xing feel somewhat abashed. Clearing his throat twice, he regainedposure, "Hello, Su Cheng. What business do you have with me?"

    "I¡¯vee to propose a business deal." Su Cheng was direct, to the point, "You¡¯re probably aware that Huangpu Group¡¯s current situation is not optimistic. We must do something to change our circumstances, so I¡¯m looking to cooperate with you, leveraging He Group¡¯s strength to weather this crisis for Huangpu Group."

    He Xing was once again surprised; he truly hadn¡¯t expected Su Cheng to be so forthright about his intentions.

    Usually, when someone approached He Xing to discuss a partnership, they would beat around the bush, praising He Group, and their ownpany for no less than half an hour before getting to the point.

    Although his face didn¡¯t show it, He Xing was curious about how Su Cheng would persuade him.

    With this in mind, he told Liang Tao, "Go make two cups of coffee."

    Then, He Xing got up and settled himself on the single-seat couch opposite Su Cheng. He looked Su Cheng up and down before speaking evenly, "In business, the least desirable thing is personal emotion. Let¡¯s talk business. If you want to cooperate,y out your terms and requirements for me to see if there¡¯s any possibility of coboration."

    Su Cheng smiled, no longer the untainted, pure smile of his past, but rather a polite, aggressive one, "I¡¯ve heard that some products under your He Groupck patents and have always depended on procurement; fortunately, Huangpu Group has some patents that we could offer you at a discount."

    "How do you know my suppliers won¡¯t offer me a discount?" He Xing¡¯s smile was but a brief twitch at the corners of his mouth, hardly reaching his eyes, "Besides, even if my suppliers don¡¯t offer discounts, the price would surely be the normal market rate. Additionally, my suppliers have long-standing rtionships with me, able to prioritize and supply me with goods on demand."

    "I can guarantee all of that," Su Cheng leaned back slightly in his seat, his posture like a sword ready to spring from its scabbard, "I can also offer you something extra, such as a mole in yourpany."

 Chapter 508: Quick Signing

    <h4>Chapter 508: Chapter 508: Quick Signing</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s brow furrowed deeply as he looked at Su Cheng, a mixture of belief and doubt in his eyes, "Why should I believe you?"

    There was a mole within the He Group, and He Xing had known this for some time. He had also been quietly cleansing the ranks of the He Family¡¯spany of traitors, but some people were deeply hidden and, to date, he had failed to root them out.

    The spacious office was so well-heated it could have been springtime indoors, yet Liang Tao felt as if the room was as cold as Snond.

    He knew it was the stand-off between He Xing and Su Cheng, their auras battling back and forth.

    Clutching onto what little willpower he had left, Liang Tao ced two steaming cups of coffee in front of He Xing and Su Cheng, "Manager He, Manager Su, please enjoy your coffee."

    After uttering these words, he didn¡¯t wait for a response and fled the office as if escaping.

    It wasn¡¯t until he could finally breathe calmly that he realized the back of his shirt was drenched in sweat, ufortable as it clung wetly to his skin.

    Meanwhile, back in the office, minutes passed before Su Cheng spoke again, "Yi Lixing works for you, but Xia Guoxiong bought him off a long time ago. The only reason he¡¯s still with the He Group is because Xia Guoxiong tasked him to continue buying off your people. Regarding Director Wu, who left your group, I believe you knew he was Xia Guoxiong¡¯s man and got rid of him. But actually, it was Yi Lixing who brought them together in the first ce."

    He Xing¡¯s face grew darker by the second, and finally he asked with a stern face, "Who told you this?"

    To save face for the He Group, He Xing had dealt with Director Wu very discreetly, publicly stating that Wu had sold his shares and left thepany voluntarily.

    After all, having a mole in thepany¡¯s board is an embarrassment for anypany and could have a severe negative impact on its credibility.

    Su Cheng smiled, picked up his now cool coffee and sipped it lightly, you might think he was savoring the mostboriously crafted artisanal coffee based on his demeanor.

    In just the span of a few words, Su Cheng¡¯s presence seemed to swell significantly. He put down the cup, "So, do we have the possibility to discuss cooperation now?"

    "Of course," He Xing replied with his usual expressionless, cold demeanor, "but you¡¯ll have to let me know what chips you hold first."

    An hourter, the door to He Xing¡¯s office opened. Su Cheng left still wearing a suit as crisp as when he had arrived, holding a contract in his hand as he departed from the He Group.

    Liang Tao, standing guard outside, was filled with curiosity. The He Group and Huangpu Group had never cooperated, their rtionship was, if notpetitive, at least distant. Yet today, in just over an hour, they had managed to sign a contract.

    Liang Tao had worked with He Xing for more than four years and knew how seriously He Xing took each contract. Signing a contract this hastily was truly without precedent.

    They had skipped the drafting stage and gone straight to signing the contract,plete with thepany seal.

    Liang Tao cleaned up while cautiously observing He Xing, "Manager He, does this mean you¡¯ll be partners with the young master of Huangpu from now on?"

    "Mhm," He Xing responded coolly, tossing the contract on the desk towards Liang Tao, "The contract takes effect today. Notify all departments to fulfill their duties."

    Liang Tao wanted to ask more, but unless he was blind, he couldn¡¯t fail to notice that He Xing was in a foul mood today.

    "Understood, Manager He," Liang Tao replied crisply, quickly grabbing the contract to leave.

    He had one foot out the door when He Xing¡¯s voice stopped him, "Wait a moment."

    Liang Tao obediently halted, "Is there anything else you need, Manager He?"

    He Xing ignored him, got up, went to his desk, pulled out a pen and a sticky note, and wrote several lines quickly, "Inform Human Resources, I don¡¯t want to see a single person on this paper by tomorrow."

    "Yes, Manager He," Liang Tao replied, taking the not-much-bigger-than-his-palm sticky note with the utmost respect.

    Only after leaving He Xing¡¯s office did Liang Tao dare to nce at the contract. He saw the figure first: one million, a full one million yuan.

    Relief washed over him when he saw the amount; to the He Group, it wasn¡¯t huge, of course, nor was it insignificant. A one million yuan deal was considerable anywhere.

    His relief stemmed from the notion that He Xing would have issued an order worth several million or even billions to Su Cheng in an hour, which would have been rather far-fetched.

    Liang Tao then checked the sticky note; there were about ten names on it, and he recognized every single one. Many were more than just acquaintances, often buying him coffee along with their own.

    He didn¡¯t understand why He Xing wanted to fire these people, especially since he hadn¡¯t heard anything about it from He Xing yesterday; moreover, as the end of the year approached, there was an uptick in resignations, and just yesterday, He Xing had issued a directive for Human Resources to handle it.

    Deciding not to dwell on what he couldn¡¯t figure out, Liang Tao shook his head and reminded himself silently, "Don¡¯t try to guess He Xing¡¯s thoughts; you won¡¯t puzzle them out. Just follow his orders."

    The entire day at the He Group was steeped in tension. The Human Resources Director, Manager, even the Supervisor were so busy they had no time even to go to the restroom; they hardly had a moment to sip some lukewarm water as their mouths dried from all the talking.

    Consequently, the resignation rate at the He Group¡¯s headquarters was the highest of the year. Apart from the ten-odd names that He Xing had put out, the operations team, informed by thepany¡¯s notice, identified a batch of problematic employees, leading to their resignation as well.

    By the time Liang Tao left work punctually that evening, the office felt eerily empty, resembling thosete nights when he worked overtime.

    But all that cameter. After instructing to immediately implement the contract with Huangpu Group and handing out a list of names for Human Resources to process, he then sent an email to operations to thoroughly investigate those who sought personal gain through exploitingwork vulnerabilities.

    Once he hadpleted all these tasks, the pent-up frustration in his chest dissipated, and finally, he had the time to properly consider the words Su Cheng had spoken in his office shortly before.

    He had known Su Cheng for over a year, but today was the first time he witnessed Su Cheng¡¯s formidable business acumen. He negotiated not with shy tricks but started by making his intentions clear, thenying out the pros and cons of partnership with him, and finally presenting a pre-prepared contract, asking whether you would sign.

 Chapter 509 Ungrateful Breach of Promise

    <h4>Chapter 509: Chapter 509 Ungrateful Breach of Promise</h4><h4></h4>

    Asking myself honestly, even if Su Cheng had nothing in his hands, as long as he found He Xing, He Xing would still sign the contract with him. Not for any other reason, but simply because he was Fu Han¡¯s friend.

    Because during the three years He Xing couldn¡¯t be by Fu Han¡¯s side, it was Su Cheng and Nan Qing who kept herpany, ensuring she wasn¡¯t too lonely.

    So although He Xing never said anything, in fact, he was grateful in his heart to both Su Cheng and Nan Qing. Should either of them ever face difficulties, He Xing would definitely help them.

    Actually, He Xing had initially intended to offer Su Cheng an order worth five million today, but Su Cheng said he had already investigated and found that the He Group¡¯s purchase volume for that batch of materials was only one million. Therefore, he signed a one-million order with He Xing, which was the price after Su Cheng had negotiated the total price down.

    The order had already been signed, and Su Cheng had also handed his list to He Xing. He got up, ready to leave, "Mr. He, thank you for today. If there¡¯s a need in the future... never mind, I hope we have a pleasant cooperation, goodbye."

    He Xing quickly stood up and followed him, his voice hurried, "Su Cheng, I... "

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is there something else?" Su Cheng turned back indifferently, his delicate face full of confusion.

    He Xing tilted his head and smiled, with the smile finally reaching his eyes, "My deal with you... the one in M Country, is null and void; I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have taken advantage of someone in distress. You and Fu Han are good friends, and I¡¯m grateful that you like her, grateful for all that you¡¯ve done for her. If... I mean, if you still like Fu Han, you should rely on your own merits, but rest assured I won¡¯t make it easy for you."

    In fact, when Fu Han and He Xing talked about his deal with Su Cheng, He Xing had already wanted to say these things. Given his pride, he was never afraid of anyone liking Fu Han.

    After all, there had been too many people who liked Fu Han since they were children, but he had never taken any of them seriously. He never felt he had rivals in love, and Su Cheng shouldn¡¯t be the exception.

    Su Cheng looked deeply at He Xing, as if he wanted to see through He Xing¡¯s face to what he was thinking.

    Atst, a smile appeared on Su Cheng¡¯s face, but it was nothing more than a bitter one, "He Xing, I actually wish you had made that deal with me. At least it would¡¯ve proven that I am a threat to you. Now that you¡¯ve broken the agreement, I¡¯m not happy at all. On the contrary, I feel that you¡¯re insulting me."

    Having said that, Su Cheng didn¡¯t wait any longer and turned to leave directly.

    On the other hand, He Xing had calmed down a lot after speaking those words, but after hearing what Su Cheng said, his mood became even heavier than before, seemingly more profound than earlier.

    ...

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t driven in a long time; it seemed that since the premiere of "Longing Returns" when she had the car ident with Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei and suffered facial disfigurement with memory loss, she hadn¡¯t driven a car since.

    Originally, He Xing had insisted on taking Fu Han today, mainly because he was worried she would have problems driving.

    But Fu Han was clear-headed about one thing: if you fear something and avoid it, you will never escape the shadow it casts over your life.

    So, Fu Han still drove her car from the He Family mansion. The mountainous road used to be her shadow, especially going downhill, which was terrifying. Every time she drove down, her heart would be in her throat.

    Today was no exception. Fu Han pressed the gas pedal with one foot and awkwardly ced the other on the brake pedal, ready to brake immediately in case of any emergency.

    However, strangely, today¡¯s journey was exceptionally smooth. Except for Fu Han, she didn¡¯t see any other cars on the road, and she made her way down the mountain without any issues.

    It took half an hour to drive from Lanwan Mountain to Cheng Yihan Company. Fu Han¡¯s trip went so smoothly it was unbelievable, not a single red light in sight.

    Looking at the blue sky and white clouds overhead, she felt exceptionallyfortable. She was even eager to get to thepany quickly¡ªit was herpany, of course, and also Su Cheng¡¯s.

    Speaking of Su Cheng, Fu Han was somewhat concerned about how he was handling things at home. As a friend, she felt it was her duty to be concerned about the situation at Su Cheng¡¯s home, but given the slightlyplex nature of their rtionship, she hesitated, unsure whether to contact him or not.

    In the end, she decided to first check whether Su Cheng was at thepany; if not, she would consider whether to contact Su Cheng.

    Theirpany¡¯s office building in City A was a high-end,rge area, upying an entire floor; mainly because they were a photographypany, with various dressing rooms, props, and some interior set-ups, as well as post-production editing and retouching, all on this one floor.

    Fu Han stepped out of the elevator and looked around. After more than a month away, she felt strangely unfamiliar with the ce. Even the two potted nts by the elevator door seemed new to her.

    To the left of the elevator was the photography studio area, and to the right was the office area. After pondering, she decided to first visit the office area.

    The ss door to the office area looked as if it hadn¡¯t been cleaned for a long time, with clear stains making it not transparent but frosted ss-like, semi-transparent.

    Fu Han was somewhat displeased, feeling that the cleaner had been irresponsible and should have a talk with them.

    She pushed open the door and came in. On the left was the reception area. She looked and didn¡¯t see anyone. Only when she got closer did she find the receptionist listening to music with headphones on.

    Behind the ss door was a small, delicate wind chime that would ring with a clear sound whenever someone pushed the door, which exins why the receptionist didn¡¯t notice anyoneing in.

    Fu Han¡¯s face darkened. She rapped her knuckles against the marble countertop, her cold eyes fixed on the receptionist, waiting for her to look up.

    The delicate receptionist was startled when she saw Fu Han. As she took off her headphones and stuffed her phone into the drawer, she struggled to muster a smile that was uglier than crying, "Fu... President Fu, you... you¡¯vee."

    "Is it strange that I¡¯vee?" Fu Han¡¯s face remained stern, her voice cold, "Or are you saying that I shouldn¡¯t be here? Isn¡¯t this mypany?"

    The receptionist¡¯s eyes reddened in panic. She opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t say a word.

    Unexpectedly, Fu Han felt a surge of guilt, and she was angry at herself for this emotion. It was the other party¡¯s mistake, and her admonishment was justified. Why feel embarrassed?

    Fu Han red at the receptionist and said coldly, "Let this not happen again. If I find out you¡¯re not working properly during office hours and doing things unrted to work, I¡¯ll fire you on the spot."

    "Yes, yes, President Fu, I won¡¯t do this again," the receptionist was so excited that tears nearly spilled over, and her face turned even redder, which made her delicate features appear somewhat moving.

 Chapter 510: Returning to the Company Again

    <h4>Chapter 510: Chapter 510: Returning to the Company Again</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s feeling of guilt had faded significantly as she turned and walked towards the right, where the office area was. It included the Business Department, Human Resources Department, Editing Department, Production Department, among others, and there was even a dedicated resting area for photographers, makeup artists, and assistants; the ce was small but fully equipped.

    Having experienced the incident with the receptionist just now, Fu Han already had some mental preparation for the state of the office area.

    But when she truly took in the scene before her, she couldn¡¯t help but get angry¡ªher fury was sky-high.

    This was not an office area at all; it was clearly a market, or rather, it should be an open park, as bustling as a group of elderly men and women discussing how to dance a new sequence in the square.

    The majority of the staff were not seated at their desks but were excitedly gathered together, discussing something. Some huddled in groups of over a dozen, while others were in smaller clusters, everyone passionately engaged in conversation.

    All of them were shouting so loudly it was as if several were holding megaphones directly to Fu Han¡¯s ears, almost bursting her eardrums.

    Fu Han stood at the entrance for a full five minutes, but not a single person noticed her.

    In the end, a staff member, perhaps due to intense discussion, had a dry mouth and went to fill a cup with water; the water cooler was by the door. Halfway through pouring, the staff member noticed someone standing not far away and let out a shriek upon realizing it was Fu Han. The water cup in hand subsequently fell to the ground and shattered.

    Themotion finally drew the attention of the enthusiastic discussants, who came over, chattering to see what the fuss was about¡ªwasn¡¯t it just fetching some water?

    "I mean, you can¡¯t even stable a cup of water without dropping it. If one didn¡¯t know any better, they¡¯d think a monster had entered our office," joked the person at the front of the crowd, scanning around, and inadvertently locked eyes with Fu Han, also letting out a scream of fright.

    More and more people were drawn over, like dumplings being dropped into water. Each person¡¯s reaction upon seeing Fu Han was fear-stricken; they couldn¡¯t utter a word and nearly every one of them wore a look of guilt on their face.

    Instead of diminishing, Fu Han¡¯s anger grew more intense. She looked expressionlessly at the group of people in front of her and said coldly, "Gather everyone. We¡¯re having a meeting!"

    This time, everyone promptly and energetically lined up, each person holding not only a notebook but also a pen, ready to take serious notes.

    If Fu Han hadn¡¯t seen their previously disorganized state, akin to elderly people dancing in the park, she would have been pleased to have such attentive staff. But there was no such if.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze was ice-cold as it swept over everyone, pausing appropriately on those whose voices were exceptionally loud.

    She cleared her throat with a cough and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are in apany, not dancing in a park. If any of you wish to dance in a park, please go to Human Resources and pick up a resignation form. I¡¯ll sign it immediately."

    Silence, a deathly silence, began to spread, and not a single person spoke.

    Fu Han¡¯s expression softened slightly. She coughed again and continued, "If you¡¯re silent, I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re not nning to resign. Let me repeat, I do not wish to see the office area as it was just now. Don¡¯t you people have any shame if someone saw that?"

    The silence continued; no one indicated any desire to speak, but all lowered their heads, seemingly feeling quite guilty.

    Fu Han coughed once more, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. Everyone who made eye contact quickly looked away, as if they wanted to avoid her at all costs.

    She began again, slowly, "Now, I have three tasks for you. First, reflect on your behavior just now and submit a written self-critique; sign it and hand it to me. Second, review your current work¡ªwhat¡¯s ongoing, what hasn¡¯t started, what¡¯s wrapping up¡ªorganize everything by customer and send me the details. Third, the office is not a market; if this kind of situation happens again, I will fire you on the spot."

    The people¡¯s responses were scattered, "Okay, Boss Fu."

    The conversation should have ended there, but after a moment¡¯s thought, Fu Han spoke up once more, "I know why you are like untethered wild horses right now; you know that Huangpu Group has encountered problems, and you think ourpany will also close down soon, which is why you¡¯ve been acting so recklessly."

    Everyone lowered their heads in shame, no one taking the initiative to speak, but their actions spoke volumes. Fu Han had urately guessed their thoughts.

    One hand behind her back, Fu Han¡¯s beautiful face wore a rare sternness, "Let me assure you all that thispany was established by Su Cheng and ispletely separate from Huangpu Group. Although Su Cheng is currently preupied and unable to participate, I will ensure that thispany remains secure in his stead. There will be no problems. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?"

    Thest sentence she delivered with exceptional authority, and many realized for the first time that the sweet and gentle-looking Fu Han could be so stern. Yet, it could not be denied that at this moment, Fu Han looked both refreshing andpelling, and one could not take their eyes off her.

    This time, a bold person spoke up, "Boss Fu, rest assured, we will not let you down."

    Fu Han nced at the speaker. She remembered that while everyone was eagerly discussing earlier, only this person had sat at their desk typing away on their keyboard. She hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, but reflecting on it now, she suspected this person was perhaps the only one in the wholepany actually working.

    With this in mind, Fu Han pointed to the speaker, "Talk is cheap; anyone can do it, and you don¡¯t even have to talk¡ªas long as you can type on a keyboard and use aputer. But the key is, can you take responsibility for every word you say? I observed for quite a while and saw that only this colleague has been working diligently at theirputer, not distracted by the surrounding discussions."

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, the employee¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment and they were unable to articte a response.

    Fu Han smiled again, her face bing even more beautiful, "I¡¯ve decided. This colleague¡¯s base sry will be increased by 20%. So, if you all continue to work hard, you too can receive promotions and raises."

    Many staff members were visibly excited, and they began to discuss amongst themselves, unsurprisingly focusing on the fortunate one, the first to dare to speak with Fu Han.

    Fu Han cleared her throat again, drawing all the attention back to her, "I will say this one more time¡ªif the work I¡¯ve assigned isn¡¯tpleted by the end of today, pack your things and leave when you clock out."

 Chapter 511: The Momentum of the Female Boss

    <h4>Chapter 511: Chapter 511: The Momentum of the Female Boss</h4><h4></h4>

    All the staff looked at Fu Han both shocked and fearful, realizing for the first time that Fu Han could also disy such an imposing presence. It was also the first time they realized that the little girl was one of their bosses.

    This was indeed the first time Fu Han had lost her temper with the staff. When she first came to thepany, she did so in the capacity of a Photographer. Later, when Su Cheng wanted to acquire a thirty percent stake in thepany through a technology share, Fu Han rejected the proposal. Instead, she became one of the bosses of Cheng Yihan¡¯spany by investing capital.

    Although all the employees knew of her status as boss at that time, they still saw Fu Han ascking the demeanor of a boss. She continued to go out for shoots as she always had, and greeted everyone with a polite smile. Therefore, the staff still regarded her as that beautiful, pitiable youngdy.

    But now, with just onemand, Fu Han alone crushed the spirit of all the employees. This was no longer just a young girl, but clearly a female boss who had fought her way up step by step.

    At Fu Han¡¯smand, everyone dispersed on the spot.

    People hurried back to their ces, busy with their work, and the vast Office area was silent, no longer disorganized as it was before.

    Fu Han also turned and went back into her own office, only to find a pungent, musty odor greeting her as she opened the door.

    The desk and chairs were covered with a thickyer of dust, with spider webs in the corners and moldy trash in the wastebasket.

    The room didn¡¯t look like it had been unused for just a few months; it looked long abandoned.

    Fu Han¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, the anger she had barely suppressed welling up again. Even if she didn¡¯te to work, the cleaningdy hired by thepany should sweep the ce out every now and then, or at the very least, she could take out the trash.

    Inparison to the He Family home, even when Fu Han was away, the Servants would clean her room daily, the closets always had aromatherapy, and the room was always ventted. No matter when she returned, her room was always spotlessly tidy.

    Fu Han turned and went out, opening the Office next door belonging to Su Cheng.

    The mustiness was just as bad, and there was even an unpleasant tobo smell in the room. Su Cheng¡¯s office, while not as dusty as Fu Han¡¯s, was virtually inhospitable.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help thinking, what were these employees thinking? Perhaps their earlierpliance wasn¡¯t genuine; they might just be going through the motions, secretly thinking that thepany was doomed.

    With these thoughts, a well of frustration grew within Fu Han. She found the cleaner who was wiping the window ss and said coldly, "If you want to keep working here, make sure the offices are cleaned daily, regardless of whether otherse or not, and keep the Office area tidy. I don¡¯t want to see any dust."

    After the earlier incident, the cleaner didn¡¯t dare say anything. She nodded and bowed, assuring that once she finished cleaning the ss doors, she would immediately clean the offices of Fu Han and Su Cheng.

    Even though the entire floor belonged to Cheng Yihan¡¯spany, they had hired two cleaners specifically for cleaning: one responsible for the sanitation of the Office area and the other for the Dressing Room and internal scenes. They earned no less than others but usually had much more leisure time than other cleaners.

    Fu Han found an empty seat to start working at. It had been a long time since she hade to the office, and she was unaware of many things, such as those rted to finances, which had nothing to do with her field of expertise. She never used to handle these things; it had always been Su Cheng¡¯s responsibility.

    But now that Su Cheng certainly had neither the time nor the capacity to deal with thepany¡¯s affairs, it fell upon her to do so.

    Still, as the financial statements appeared in front of her, although she wasn¡¯t sleepy at all, the rows of numbers seemed like a curse echoing in her mind, like a luby, making her eyelids heavier and heavier, almost ready to fall asleep at any moment.

    In her mind, she muttered that finance was indeed not a job for ordinary people and decided it might be necessary to have He Xing guide her in the evening.

    As Fu Han was about to get some water, she overheard two employees whispering in the Tea Room, "That Jiang Ling is really hard to please. She¡¯s unhappy with the makeup, unhappy with the photos; I think they probably won¡¯t finish shooting today."

    Jiang Ling? Fu Han searched her mind for a moment, recognizing the name as that of a female celebrity who was very popr in the Otaku circle. She was known for an angelic face and a devilish figure, unforgettable at first sight.

    Jiang Ling had visited before when Fu Han was her Photographer for outdoor shoots.

    If she remembered correctly, Jiang Ling didn¡¯t shoot indoor scenes before; she only did outdoor shoots and also preferred to have onlookers during her shoots, as if that proved her charm.

    Fu Han decided to set her teacup down and head towards the Photography Studio. Behind her, she could faintly hear the two staff members talking in a terrified tone: "Did you see? Fu Han just passed by. Did she hear us talking?"

    The voice of another employee was even trembling, "Definitely, she definitely heard. What should we do?"

    The corner of Fu Han¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, feeling a bit pleased. It seemed the effect of establishing her authority had been achieved, at least for the short term; the staff should work more conscientiously.

    But there was still a major problem to be dealt with, and that was Jiang Ling.

    Fu Han stood outside the Photography Studio and immediately heard Jiang Ling¡¯s voice: "What¡¯s the matter with the people at yourpany? The makeup they did for me is too ugly, and what¡¯s with this dress? Why can¡¯t I fit into an S size? Are you doing this on purpose?"

    Without even seeing her, the sound of her voice was enough to give Fu Han a headache. It was unbearably affectatious, as if speaking through pinched nostrils, and without looking, Fu Han could even imagine Jiang Ling¡¯s aggrieved expression.

    Indeed, as soon as Fu Han entered, she immediately noticed Jiang Ling throwing a tantrum while pouting her lips.

    Internally, Fu Han wondered why so many girls liked to act cute and whiny. Both Xia Ning and Jiang Ling behaved this way.

    Did they think acting like this could solve any difficulty they encountered?

    Fu Han didn¡¯t understand, nor did she want to.

    She turned and walked in, clearing her throat and calmly greeted Jiang Ling, "Miss Jiang Ling, long time no see."

    Jiang Ling turned to look at Fu Han, her gaze initially arrogant, as if a celestial being peering down at a pitiful mortal.

    But after a single nce, her look changed entirely, filled with hostility, "You¡¯re Fu Han? Weren¡¯t you disfigured?"

 Chapter 512: A Womanâ€™s Animosity

    <h4>Chapter 512: Chapter 512: A Woman¡¯s Animosity</h4><h4></h4>

    From Fu Han¡¯s limited experience, she knew that only one thing could evoke such enormous hostility from a beautiful woman: you must be pretty yourself.

    With this thought, Fu Han felt much calmer. She wasn¡¯t the least bit bothered by anyone hitting a sore spot; in fact, she was quite open about it, "Yes, I had a disfigurement, then I got stic surgery, and now I¡¯ve restored my previous appearance."

    There was nothing wrong with her saying this, since now she indeed looked like she did before the disfigurement. Although it couldn¡¯t be said to be exactly the same, at least people who knew her before could recognize her as Fu Han at a nce.

    A sh of jealousy crossed Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes, but in the next second, she forced a full-faced smile and said in a pinched voice, "So you¡¯ve had stic surgery. No wonder you¡¯re so much prettier than before."

    Thetter half of the sentence was uttered through clenched teeth, which clearly showed how turbulent her feelings were at the moment.

    Fu Han smiled calmly, "Thank you for yourpliment, Miss Jiang Ling. Do you have any objections to today¡¯s shoot?"

    It proved futile to try to convince someone who was already antagonistic toward you, let alone when that person was your client; stepping back a bit, everyone has different views. What you like may not be what others like, and even the most beautiful people won¡¯t appeal to everyone.

    As expected, although Jiang Ling barely managed to hide her dissatisfaction, her attention had indeed been diverted. She red fiercely at Fu Han, "What¡¯s wrong with your people? How could you let me wear such dirty clothes? You are taking this way too lightly!"

    Fu Han picked up the garment and looked over it. While the exterior seemed fine, the cor and cuffs were indeed a bit dirty, but it wouldn¡¯t affect the shoot.

    But for Jiang Ling, who regarded herself as a princess, this was definitely a major issue.

    She turned her head to the costume designer standing aside and asked in a lowered voice, "What exactly is going on here?"

    Jiang Ling heard this andughed in a mocking tone, still pinching her voice, "What else could it be? Obviously, your people haven¡¯t done their job properly, and the clothes haven¡¯t even been cleaned."

    The costume designer looked pitiful, as though they had something to say but was hesitant because Jiang Ling was present.

    Fu Han calmly said to the costume designer, "Just speak up. As long as you tell the truth, I don¡¯t think Miss Jiang Ling will be upset."

    Oddly, the faces of everyone in the photography studio became quiteplicated, with Jiang Ling¡¯s looking the most displeased.

    The costume designer, encouraged, spoke out despite Jiang Ling¡¯s scowl, "Ms. Fu, today Miss Jiang Ling is here for the ad shoot. The clothes were delivered by the brand justst night, and they were like this when they arrived. We didn¡¯t have time to wash them this morning; besides, if this kind of clothes is washed, it won¡¯t look the same for the shoot."

    Upon hearing this, Fu Han realised the situation clearly. Although Jiang Ling was a star, the gap between her and true superstars like Bai Wei was considerable. She merited a tentative second tier in the entertainment circle.

    Although she wasn¡¯tcking in opportunities, the resources she actually got were far from top-notch. For the advertisement they were shooting now, the clothing and content were decided by the advertiser. Regardless of whether it was Jiang Ling or Fu Han¡¯spany, they had to strictly follow the brand¡¯s instructions.

    The current issue seemed to be Jiang Ling¡¯sck of a clear understanding of her own status, thinking the brand should pay more attention to her instead of handing over clothes that who knows who had worn before.

    After some thought, Fu Han approached Jiang Ling and said calmly, "Miss Jiang Ling, the brand insists that we must finish the shoot today, and the clothes aren¡¯t that dirty. Could you make do and wear them just for now?"

    "Make do?" Jiang Ling¡¯s voice raised by octaves. She stood up furiously, but even in high heels, she was still shorter than Fu Han, so her imposing manner fell short. However, the words she said were still unpleasant, "Fu Han, don¡¯t think that just because you have He Xing backing you up, I can¡¯t criticize you. Let me tell you, the brand¡¯s requirement to finish the shoot today is for yourpany, not for me."

    This wasn¡¯t the first time Fu Han had heard He Xing¡¯s name from Jiang Ling. She had once asked He Xing about his rtionship with Jiang Ling and was told there was none. At that time, she dropped the subject and didn¡¯t pursue it further.

    But now...

    Fu Han managed to squeeze out a smile, still speaking evenly, "Miss Jiang Ling, I¡¯ve never thought to use my romantic rtionship with He Xing for anything. Yes, you can choose not to shoot today. Your team canmunicate with the brand about switching clothes, and I have plenty of outfits suitable for this shoot right here. How you choose to proceed is up to you; but I just want to say, whoever has upset you, take it up with them. The people from mypany are ordinary people; theye to work, not to be mistreated."

    Her words rang out clearly, leaving Jiang Ling¡¯s face growing increasingly ugly.

    If looks could kill, Jiang Ling would have already dismembered Fu Han with her gaze, beyond any hope of repair.

    Seeing her re had no intimidating effect, Jiang Ling turned abruptly to her agent, "Are you all just here for a free meal? Go andmunicate already!"

    The unexpected target of his star¡¯s wrath, the agent was taken aback and without a word, hurried out with a phone in hand.

    The atmosphere in the photography studio had be tense; Jiang Ling¡¯s assistant stood behind her with a shrunken neck, not daring to utter a word.

    The staff of Cheng Yihan didn¡¯t fare much better, all with heads bowed low, suggesting they weren¡¯t strangers to difficulty on the job.

    In contrast, Fu Han sat calmly on a nearby empty chair, her eyes slightly narrowed as if deep in thought. The incandescent light shone down on her, illuminating her fair skin that seemed almost reflective, it was hard to look away.

    Delicate, curled eyshes, skin without visible pores, eyes dark as obsidian, lips like cherry blossoms, not to mention a graceful neck and defined corbones.

    The more Jiang Ling observed Fu Han, the more madly jealous she grew. She had bolstered her fame with the allure of being a gamer¡¯s idol; her beauty was well acknowledged within the circle. Yet, every time she encountered Fu Han, this seemingly insignificant photographer, she would feel an irrational envy, as if wishing she owned a face as lovely as Fu Han¡¯s.

    With such a face, she wouldn¡¯t keep hitting walls with He Group. With its array of renowned brands, an endorsement from any of them was something many strived desperately for.

    What¡¯s more, she had learned through various channels that He Group was nning a new film. If she could secure the lead female role, her fame would undoubtedly skyrocket.

 Chapter 513: A Wasted Trip

    <h4>Chapter 513: Chapter 513: A Wasted Trip</h4><h4></h4>

    A few minutester, the agent came back and whispered something into Jiang Ling¡¯s ear, causing herplexion to turn increasingly grim.

    Fu Han closed her eyes and her hearing became a bit more sensitive than before, enabling her to clearly hear what Jiang Ling¡¯s agent said.

    Her agent mentioned that they had contacted the brand side, which insisted that the shoot must be done with this particr outfit, and if Jiang Ling refused, it would be treated as a breach of contract.

    Honestly speaking, upon hearing these words, Fu Han felt no sympathy for Jiang Ling. She wasn¡¯t the first celebrity toe to Cheng Yihan for a shoot, nor was she the most influential one, but she was definitely the most difficult to serve.

    However, Fu Han was indeed surprised by the brand¡¯s tough stance. Normally, brands would try not to offend artists as it would be beneficial for future coborations.

    As she puzzled over this, the photographer¡¯s assistant leaned in and whispered, "President Fu, you might not be aware, but this advertisement is for a brand under a subsidiary of He Group, and they specifically requested ourpany for the shoot."

    So it was rted to He Xing, no wonder the client was so unprecedentedly upromising.

    Fu Han tried hard to appear calm, but flushes of red still swept across her face, making her look even more enchanting.

    On the other side, Jiang Ling, though reluctant, changed into the outfit. She walked up to Fu Han, pointing at her dissatisfiedly, "You¡¯ll do the shoot for me, I won¡¯t ept anyone else."

    "Lady Jiang, the contract states that I am the photographer," the Photographer, who had long found Jiang Ling disagreeable, immediately spoke up to assist Fu Han upon hearing Jiang Ling¡¯s demand, "Besides, President Fu rarely takes pictures herself."

    "I don¡¯t care," Jiang Ling said, her hands on her hips and her diva attitude fully disyed, "Didn¡¯t Fu Han win the Best Photographer Award? I just want to see how well she shoots."

    The Photographer wanted to say more, but Fu Han stopped him, "If I am to shoot, then I will, as long as Lady Jiang Ling cooperates. It¡¯s okay for us to amodate her a bit."

    Jiang Ling huffed coldly again, but this time she didn¡¯t say much more, which could be taken as her acquiescence to what Fu Han had said.

    Fu Han had OCD and would only use her own DSLR camera to shoot. When her hand touched the camera, she felt an odd sense of joy as if reuniting with an old friend.

    The official shoot began, and Jiang Ling, being a star, was professional after all. Despite her grievances against Fu Han, when the camera was on her, she strove to look as beautiful as possible.

    But this was tough for Fu Han. Jiang Ling kept saying she wasn¡¯t satisfied with the shots and kept asking Fu Han to take more.

    What could have been done in just a few hours dragged on until past midnight to finish.

    After Jiang Ling left, Fu Han was so exhausted she had no energy left. She just wanted to quickly return to her office to rest, food and everything else could wait.

    ...

    Xia Ning timed her arrival at He Group perfectly, knocking on He Xing¡¯s office door as soon as the clock struck twelve.

    With a smile on her face as she knocked, Xia Ning assumed that He Xing would be the one to open the door, but to her surprise, it was Liang Tao.

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile disappeared instantly as she looked at Liang Tao coldly, "Where¡¯s Brother He Xing? I¡¯ve brought him lunch."

    Xia Ning often looked for various excuses to visit He Group. If not for He Xing¡¯s intervention, not only would she bring lunch every day, but she might even have applied to be He Xing¡¯s assistant.

    Liang Tao also found Xia Ning difficult to deal with. He coughed awkwardly, "Lady Xia Ning, President He left half an hour ago. Didn¡¯t you call him beforeing?"

    This was one of He Xing¡¯s rules: thepany wasn¡¯t a ce for jest. He required Xia Ning to call him beforeing, and only if he agreed could she visit.

    Worried that He Xing would ignore her, Xia Ning usuallyplied, but today she feared that even if she called, he would not allow her toe, so she took the risk of angering him and showed up anyway.

    Upon hearing this, a faint blush spread across Xia Ning¡¯s face, "Ahem, well... my phone ran out of battery, so I couldn¡¯t call He Xing. Can you tell me where he went and when he will be back?"

    Liang Tao¡¯s bronze-colored face turned dark purple, but he mustered the courage to reply, "President He said he was going to have lunch with Lady Fu Han, so he left work early to meet her."

    Again, Fu Han. Xia Ning found herself getting angry at the mere mention of that name, especially when she sensed a mocking look in Liang Tao¡¯s eyes.

    She shoved the two big bags she was carrying into Liang Tao¡¯s hands, "Since Brother He Xing isn¡¯t here, these things are no longer needed. You can either eat them yourself or throw them in the trash."

    After speaking, she didn¡¯t linger and turned to leave, her heels clicking as she walked away, her swaying so pronounced that it looked as if she might twist her waist off.

    Liang Tao looked down at the bags in his hands. Just by the smell, he knew the food was prepared by a five-star hotel chef and his mouth watered.

    Without any reservations, Liang Tao gathered a few familiar colleagues, and they all enjoyed the fancy meal Xia Ning had brought to the Tea Room.

    Xia Ning, the further she got from He Xing¡¯s office, the angrier she became. Once downstairs, she furiously dialed Yi Lixing¡¯s number, "I mean, how long are you going to wait before dealing with Fu Han? I get angry just seeing her!"

    The sound of Yi Lixing¡¯s voice, carrying a strange, indescribable eeriness, came through the phone, "Miss Xia, don¡¯t be in a rush, we need time to find someone. If we get someone unreliable, that would only cause you trouble, wouldn¡¯t it?"

    "Three days," Xia Ning said through gritted teeth, "If you can make Fu Han disappear in three days, I¡¯ll pay an additional one million."

    "Deal!"

    After hanging up, Xia Ning felt much better. She turned back to look at the towering He Family building, rising into the clouds amidst the bustling city center, standing out like a sharp sword.

    She was determined to be the mistress of that building, she must! No one could stop her. Whoever tried, she would fight them to the end.

    Getting into her car, she was still irritated, so she directly essed her GPS, setting Cheng Yihan Company as the destination; she had figured it out, even if He Xing didn¡¯t wee her, she couldn¡¯t let him have a pleasant meal with Fu Han.

    It wasn¡¯t just about causing a disturbance. After all the trouble Fu Han had caused her over the years, what she was doing now was simply tit-for-tat, an eye for an eye.

    The scenery outside the car window zoomed by in reverse, the beautiful reflection of Xia Ning on the ss taking on a slightly eerie aspect, as if turning the winter sunlight itself dim.

    Beyond the coldest time of the year, with the New Year approaching, the streets were increasingly crowded, everyone¡¯s faces beaming, except hers, which bore not a trace of a smile.

 Chapter 514 Complex Emotions

    <h4>Chapter 514: Chapter 514 Complex Emotions</h4><h4></h4>

    Huangpu Group CEO¡¯s Office.

    Since Su Cheng had not previously worked for the Huangpu Group, he didn¡¯t have an office here.

    Considering Mr. Huangpu was currently awaiting trial and no longer needed this office, Mrs. Huangpu directly allowed Su Cheng to work here.

    After leaving He Group, Su Cheng returned directly to Huangpu Group and had since been cooped up in his office without going out.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the office door. Su Cheng, who was verifying data, said without lifting his head, "Come in."

    As the door creaked open, it was pushed ajar, and Mrs. Huangpu entered. The first sight of her son broke her heart. In just a few days, Su Cheng had lost a lot of weight. His custom-made suit now hung loosely on him, like a child wearing an adult¡¯s clothes.

    After waiting for two seconds without hearing anyone speak, Su Cheng finally looked up. Seeing it was his mother, he smiled, "Mom, didn¡¯t I tell you to rest at home? Why have youe to the office?"

    "I couldn¡¯t stay put at home, so I came to have a look," Mrs. Huangpu said with a smile, but her smilecked the usual pride that emanated from within and was more of a forced grin.

    "It¡¯s good to step out," Su Cheng said, his gaze darting away from his mother¡¯s eyes as if struck by electricity. He couldn¡¯t bear to look at her because he felt guilty.

    On the day he returned from M Country, he had watched Yi Lixing insult his mother. He had initially wanted to burst in and hit Yi Lixing hard, but Liu Rui said catching Yi Lixing¡¯s wrongdoings was more important than anything else.

    He had struggled with himself at that moment, but his parents had always said that the Huangpu Group, built and fought for in blood by countless ancestors, absolutely must not fail.

    So in the end, Su Cheng had taken out his mobile phone and let Liu Rui record that disgraceful scene. He had also used that incident to extract a lot of information from Yi Lixing¡¯s mouth and even with that thing in hand, Yi Lixing wouldn¡¯t dare to harbor bad intentions towards Huangpu Group again.

    However, this did not mean Su Cheng could calmly face Mrs. Huangpu. Even though she had never uttered a single word of me, he knew he could have gone in earlier, he could have...

    The sharp click of high heels on the floor echoed crisply, much like the sound of wind chimes being brushed by a breeze, so pleasant to hear.

    Mrs. Huangpu stopped in front of Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, I heard from Liu Rui that you didn¡¯t eat breakfast and you don¡¯t n to eat lunch either. You... you won¡¯t be able to endure this way."

    "I¡¯m not hungry," Su Cheng¡¯s gaze fell back to theputer screen as his hands flew across the keyboard. "Mom, I still have much work to finish. Once I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ll definitely eat, rest assured," he reassured.

    Mrs. Huangpu knew she couldn¡¯t persuade Su Cheng, but she still stubbornly stood in front of his desk. "Su Cheng, I have nothing to do at home, so I n to return to work to help you in any way I can, what do you think?"

    "I don¡¯t want you toe to work," Su Cheng replied decisively, looking earnestly at his mother. "Mom, I came back to deal with these matters. What you need to do is take care of yourself; and didn¡¯t I tell you to keep an eye on dad¡¯s situation, to see if we can argue for some leniency."

    This topic had been discussed numerous times over the past few days, as the mother and son seemed to perfectly avoid each other¡¯s thoughts on all matters.

    Like right now, one wanted toe to work, while the other did not.

    Mrs. Huangpu gave the response she had prepared in advance, "Finance is the lifeline of apany, and if it gets chaotic, everything else will follow suit. I have controlled the Huangpu Family¡¯s finances for decades, no one knows its intricacies better than me. Moreover, the people in the finance department were all recruited by me, and I am the person they trust the most. My return will certainly be able to help you."

    Su Cheng looked deeply into his mother¡¯s eyes and eventuallypromised, "Alright, then you cane back to work, but be careful not to overexert yourself. If you copse, Huangpu Group is really done for."

    "Okay, I got it, I won¡¯t cause you trouble," Mrs. Huangpu replied, her smile blooming like a child receiving praise.

    This was very different from the proud, breezy Mrs. Huangpu of the past, more like a child who needed to be looked after.

    Su Cheng felt a sourness within, but his expression remained calm, "Mom, I got a million-dor order today."

    Originally, Su Cheng intended to share the joyful news with his motherter that evening since, to others, it was a cause for joy, but to him, it was exceedinglyplex. It was an order he had sought out from He Xing, humbling himself in the process.

    His pride made him still not see the million-dor order as a happy asion, but if it could make his mother a bit happier, it would be worthwhile.

    As expected, Mrs. Huangpu, instead of being overjoyed upon hearing the news, expressed her worry: "Really? Is it reliable? Many people are trying to take advantage of the chaos. You have to be careful."

    Su Cheng felt even more sorrowful; his mother had been hurt to such an extent that her first reaction to his deal was not happiness, but fear of being tricked.

    He buried all his emotions and said as calmly as possible, "Mom, don¡¯t worry, the payment will be made in full. There¡¯s no risk."

    "That good?" The smile finally appeared on Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face as she looked at Su Cheng with astonishment, "My son is truly capable. Whichpany is cing the order with us?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s mouth suddenly felt dry, as if he¡¯d swallowed a bitter gourd. With difficulty, he opened his mouth to say, "It¡¯s... He Group."

    "He Group?" The smile instantly vanished from Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face, and she coldly said, "If not for He Xing, would Huangpu Group be in this state now? Even if we starve to death, I absolutely refuse to have business dealings with He Group. Tell them to refund the money. I¡¯ll ept the penalty for breach of contract."

    "Mom, how many times do I have to tell you? Even without He Xing, our family¡¯s troubles wouldn¡¯t just go away," said Su Cheng, rubbing his forehead in agony, utterly helpless. "It¡¯se to this point; if you feel that this so-called dignity is more important than Huangpu Group, then let¡¯s just dere bankruptcy."

    Mrs. Huangpu stared nkly at her son. Su Cheng used to speak harshly often, but since returning from M Country, he hadn¡¯t said a harsh word to Mrs. Huangpu, but now...

    At first, she found Su Cheng¡¯s words very harsh, but upon reflection, she had to admit he made sense. She nodded, "You¡¯re right, we¡¯ll do as you say."

 Chapter 515 Everything Will Pass

    <h4>Chapter 515: Chapter 515 Everything Will Pass</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng saw his mother like this, and he felt even worse inside. He always felt that aftering back this time, the rtionship between him and his mother had somehow changed.

    His mother¡¯s dominance had been evident before, and although Su Cheng was rebellious, more often than not, he amodated her.

    But now that he was back, not only did she look more than ten years older, but she also seemed to have be a clueless child, extremely cautious in everything she did, for fear that a careless mistake might irritate Su Cheng.

    He felt helpless. He wanted to help his mother be as confident as she used to be, but it seemed difficult; and it made sense, for when anyone¡¯s pride is trampled underfoot, there will be a substantial change, making them seem obscure and no longer filled with confidence.

    Sighing internally, Su Cheng saved the data on hisputer and then got up to sit by the side of the Huangpu Madam on the sofa, "Mom, don¡¯t worry, everything will pass, and the situation will definitely get better."

    The Huangpu Madam¡¯s eyes reddened, and she held her son¡¯s hand saying, "Su Cheng, you are right, it is your father and I who took the wrong path to achieve our goals, now your father is bearing all the me alone, with no clue when he can get out, leaving just the two of us, you mustn¡¯t follow in our footsteps."

    "I won¡¯t," assured Su Cheng, knowing what his mother was worried about. He nodded forcefully and said earnestly, "Mom, my cooperation with He Xing is absolutely without any problems, on the contrary, I hope to establish a long-term partnership with He Group. So you must get rid of all the messy thoughts in your head and stop regarding He Group as our enemy, understood?"

    The Huangpu Madam¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of resistance, but still, she nodded in agreement.

    Su Cheng kept his gaze fixed on the Huangpu Madam, how could he miss even the slightest expression on her face?

    After some thought, he continued, "Mom, you have to understand one thing, it was we who first used improper means to snatch the three-billion-big contract from He Xing¡¯s hands, and it was we who operated against the rules in this project; He Xing¡¯s reporting of us was merely for our irregrities, it was others who took the opportunity to expose us, which is why Huangpu Group has fallen to its current state."

    Although Su Cheng had been working very hard to save Huangpu Group since his return, he always avoided discussing this point with the Huangpu Madam, because he was afraid it would upset her.

    But now he felt it was necessary to discuss the matter, as avoiding pain was not a way to solve problems. It would only turn the problem into a chronic disease, ultimately bing a malignant tumour in everyone¡¯s hearts that would never heal.

    As expected, the Huangpu Madam went pale, utterly devoid of color, even her lips trembling.

    Su Cheng¡¯s heart ached too, but he knew clearly that only by realizing for herself would his mother understand that He Xing was not an enemy but a friend.

    Time ticked away. As the position of the sun shifted slightly, the Huangpu Madam finally spoke, "Su Cheng, you are right. In the end, it was us who wronged He Group first, they were just seeking vengeance, and if we could y the game, we had to be prepared to ept the loss. And also..."

    As she spoke, a sharp light burst forth from the Huangpu Madam¡¯s eyes, so bright it was hard to look directly, "And now, there are plenty eager to kick Huangpu Group while it¡¯s down. With our cooperation with He Group, those people might hold back, thinking we still have the power to turn things around."

    His mother had never disappointed Su Cheng, and he nodded with satisfaction. At that moment, his heart swelled with confidence, and he dered, "Mom, rest assured, I will never let others look down on Huangpu Group. I will ensure Huangpu Group thrives under my leadership."

    The Huangpu Madam¡¯s eyes misted, and without a word, she just kept nodding.

    In the past, the couple did everything imaginable to get Su Cheng into Huangpu Group, they even considered developing an entertainment division to attract him, but Su Cheng remained unmoved and insisted on starting his own business.

    In the end, Su Cheng joined Huangpu Group, but the manner of his joining was so tragic and heroic.

    The Huangpu couple worked hard to expand their business empire so that Su Cheng would have an easier time when he took over. But they could never have predicted such an oue where Su Cheng became the most pitiful heir in the history of Huangpu Group. He had never enjoyed the glory Huangpu brought but was left cleaning up the mess his parents left.

    Notification sounds came from theputer, signaling new messages.

    As Su Cheng stood and headed towards theputer, he said, "Mom, if you want toe back to work, start tomorrow. Go back and rest early now, and I¡¯ll join you for dinner after I¡¯ve handled things here."

    The Huangpu Madam slowly stood and walked towards the door. As she reached the entrance, she stopped and looked back at Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, do you still like Fu Han?"

    This question came so unexpectedly, and at a moment when Su Cheng was utterly unprepared, that he was caught off guard and momentarily stunned before he finally responded, "Mom... Why are you asking this question?"

    The Huangpu Madam managed a smile, "Mom thinks that if you truly like Fu Han, then go ahead. Love is the cheapest yet the most precious thing. If your marriage could also have love, I think that would be wonderful."

    The vast CEO Office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, calm as if nothing had happened, yet if you listened carefully, you could distinctly hear the pounding of someone¡¯s heart like the beating of a drum.

    How could Su Cheng¡¯s heart be calm? Not to mention what his mother had done behind his back to keep him from Fu Han, just the hurtful words she had said to Fu Han were enough to distress him deeply.

    Now that his mother had finally agreed, Su Cheng had lost the right to pursue Fu Han.

    He wished he could appear more rxed andposed, but he knew his expression must be far from pleasant, "Mom, thank you, but there¡¯s no possibility between me and Fu Han now."

    "Why?" The Huangpu Madam, agitated, took a couple of steps toward Su Cheng. Perhaps realizing her emotions had surged, she paused and then resumed more gently than before, "Is it because Fu Han likes He Xing? They aren¡¯t married yet. You can still fight for her. I think you¡¯re every bit as good as He Xing, and besides, didn¡¯t Fu Han used to be with you? She must have liked you, so... so don¡¯t give up, you liked her so much..."

 Chapter 516: Stubborn Wait

    <h4>Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Stubborn Wait</h4><h4></h4>

    "Enough!" Su Cheng roared, the two words exploded like a bomb in the office.

    He really couldn¡¯t control his emotions anymore, he had tried hard to seemposed, but every word from his mother was like a dagger ruthlessly stabbing him.

    However, when he saw his mother flinch, a sense of guilt emerged in his heart, and along with the previous anger, his mood grew even more irritable.

    He paced around the room for two full rounds before he could calm himself slightly, then spoke with as much patience as he could muster, "Mom, I¡¯m not angry with you, I just want to tell you that Fu Han and I will never be possible in this lifetime, because... because..."

    The rest of the sentence burned like a hot coal, and Su Cheng couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it.

    But the Huangpu Lady, like a child filled with curiosity, watched Su Cheng intently with wide eyes, as if insisting through her gaze that she needed an answer.

    Su Cheng knew all too well that if he couldn¡¯t make her give up hope, she might bring up the subject again from time to time.

    With resolve, he clenched his teeth and said, "The moment He Xing agreed to leave Huangpu Group alone, I had decided to stop pursuing Fu Han."

    The legs of the Huangpu Lady buckled, and she slumped, catching herself on the sofa just in time to prevent a fall.

    To prevent the Huangpu Lady¡¯s hatred for He Group from deepening, Su Cheng added, "It wasn¡¯t He Xing who forced me, I promised it on my own initiative, anyway..."

    Su Cheng¡¯s face twisted into a self-deprecating smile, "Anyway, Fu Han never liked me, not once... my continued pursuit is only adding to my own ridicule."

    "But..." the Huangpu Lady looked desperately at Su Cheng, as if grabbing for a lifeline, "but you two had dated before."

    The anger on Su Cheng¡¯s face deted like a punctured balloon, disappearing instantly.

    How could he forget his rtionship with Fu Han, a rtionship he had begged for, a rtionship that started when he witnessed her argument with He Xing, and he offered to help Fu Han escape from He Xing.

    Those were the happiest moments of his life, he had hoped that by treating Fu Han well during this fake rtionship, she would be moved and would actually start a real rtionship with him.

    But... what was fake remained fake, how could it ever turn real?

    It was like the fragile bubble of a dream he had built for himself, no matter how beautiful, there woulde a day when it burst.

    Yet, his emotional fortitude was not enough, a casual remark from his mother could still stir up waves in his heart, he wanted tough but couldn¡¯t.

    Su Cheng spoke as calmly as he could, "Mom, the past is the past, don¡¯t mention this again in the future. All you need to know is that He Xing didn¡¯t wrong me, nor did Fu Han; and today, He Group¡¯s willingness to help Huangpu Group is out of consideration for Fu Han, if you really want to make me feel better... the next time you see Fu Han... and He Xing, I would be truly grateful if you could speak to them politely."

    "I... I understand," the Huangpu Lady¡¯s voice trembled, but she agreed with Su Cheng¡¯s words.

    The conversation between mother and son ended there, each with a heavy heart, and when they parted, neither said goodbye.

    ...

    Fu Han leaned back in her chair, eyes closed, resting her mind. Jiang Ling had upset her ns; she hadn¡¯t managed toplete any of the morning¡¯s work and would likely be swamped for the rest of the afternoon.

    However, the one constion was that her office had finally been tidied. The cleaners must have used air freshener, the only downside being that in an attempt to cover up a musty smell, they had used a bit too much, and so the office was saturated with a strong scent of air freshener.

    The only saving grace was that the air freshener she bought was of good quality; although the scent was intense, at least it did not have a cheap smell.

    Daylight poured through the ss windows, warming Fu Han¡¯s body with afortable heat that made it hard to resist the urge to doze off.

    Outside her office, staff voices could asionally be heard; it was lunchtime and break period. Although Fu Han found it a bit noisy, it was at least better than when she arrived at the office this morning, so she didn¡¯t bother closing the door for fear of making it worse.

    Zhao Ting was still in M Country dealing with a newly opened store and would be away for a month or two.

    When Zhao Ting was around, Fu Han didn¡¯t feel the absence, but now without her nagging, lunchtime had passed and nobody hade to remind Fu Han to eat. Zhao Ting always made sure to call Fu Han to eat at the same time every day, and if Fu Han didn¡¯t want to go out to buy food, Zhao Ting would bring it back for her.

    Fu Han had eaten plenty in the morning, true, but dealing with Miss Jiang Ling was exhausting, and she was genuinely hungry now.

    She took out her phone to order takeout when her office door was knocked.

    "Come in," Fu Han said, looking up curiously to see who would visit at this hour, considering she had scolded her staff harshly that day, and she doubted anyone would dare to bother her at this time.

    The wooden door swung open, and He Xing¡¯s face appeared before Fu Han.

    "You... why are you here?" Fu Han was startled, joy spreading through her heart; she truly hadn¡¯t expected He Xing toe see her at noon.

    He Xing shook the bag in his hand with a smile, "Of course, to have lunch with you. If I didn¡¯te, would you have skipped eating?"

    "If you hadn¡¯te..." Fu Han¡¯s face broke into a yful smile as she blinked twice," If you hadn¡¯te, I would have ordered takeout."

    "Then consider me your deliveryman, service provided for free," He Xing bantered back, his handsome face wearing an indulgent smile.

    As he spoke, he walked in, his gaze surveying the room, unsure where to ce the lunch.

    Fu Han¡¯s office was spartan, with just a desk, a bookcase, and a shelf holding some of her photography awards.

    "Well..." Fu Han quickly caught on to He Xing¡¯s intent, sticking out her tongue with a smile, "My office is small, it can¡¯tpare to yours, I usually eat directly at my desk."

    As she spoke, she cleared half her desk and pulled up an empty chair for He Xing, then helped him unpack the meal.

 Chapter 517: Adorable Kitty

    <h4>Chapter 517: Chapter 517: Adorable Kitty</h4><h4></h4>

    A simple meal of five dishes and one soup, with meat, vegetables, and broth, including braised, steamed, and stir-fried dishes¡ªenough to stir up anyone¡¯s appetite.

    Fu Han licked the saliva at the corner of her mouth; her stomach, cooperating with the vision before her, growled loudly, especially noticeable in the not-so-quiet office.

    "Look how hungry you are," He Xing chuckled and handed Fu Han a bowl of steaming rice, "Eat up quickly, don¡¯t want my little kitty to get skinny."

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned beet red, and she said in a low voice, "Who¡¯s a kitty? I¡¯m not."

    "If you¡¯re not a cute little kitty, then what are you?" He Xingughed even brighter. He started to pick up food with his chopsticks swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, he had already served Fu Han quite a few dishes.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, hurriedly shifting her bowl as she quickly started to eat.

    He Xing ruffled her hair then began to eat, his own bowl and chopsticks in hand.

    Both of them seemed to be so hungry that neither spoke. They simply buried their heads in their food, indeed embodying the old saying, "No talking while eating, no speaking while sleeping."

    As Fu Han was finishing her bowl of rice, suddenly there came a burst of noisy cheers from outside, it sounded like the staff was celebrating something, but it was unclear what.

    Just as she opened her mouth to tell He Xing about what happened when she arrived at the office in the morning, her office door was abruptly knocked on.

    This time it was really just a knock because before Fu Han could respond, the door had already been pushed open from the outside.

    She and He Xing both turned to look toward the door; entering was none other than Jiang Ling.

    After finishing the photo shoot, Fu Han hadn¡¯t bothered with Jiang Ling, assuming that, with several assistants following her, someone would have taken care of her makeup removal and outfit change.

    Fu Han had thought Jiang Ling had left long ago and was surprised she hadn¡¯t; clearing her throat, she asked calmly, "Lady Jiang Ling, is there something you need?"

    "I¡¯m not here for you," Jiang Ling red at Fu Han, then turned her softened gaze to He Xing, her face breaking into an instant smile, "Mr. He Xing, I heard you were here, so I specially came to see you."

    Her cloying smile and coquettish voice gave Fu Han goosebumps. If she hadn¡¯t restrained herself, she might have thrown up the better part of the half-bowl of food she had eaten.

    However... Fu Han¡¯s mind was more focused on gossip. It was clear that Jiang Ling was disying her interest, and Fu Han was quite curious about He Xing¡¯s reaction.

    He Xing looked annoyed enough to kill a mosquito with his furrowed brow. He looked up at Jiang Ling and said coldly, "Now that you¡¯ve seen me, can you leave?"

    Jiang Ling¡¯s pupils dted shockingly, as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    On the contrary, Fu Han almostughed, covering her mouth. This felt too familiar, so familiar that it would make her wake upughing from her dreams.

    It¡¯s true that He Xing was infuriatingly handsome and incredibly charming; but he was definitely not the warm spring breeze type. Instead, He Xing was notorious for his biting words.

    Back when he was at school, he was very popr, receiving so many love letters daily that he needed a backpack to carry them all. Many girls painstakingly wrote letters and courageously presented them to He Xing in person.

    But each time, He Xing had a way of saying something that could drive anyone to want to hide in a hole, as he always spoke sharp words that could wound deeply.

    However, there were exceptions, and those exceptions were Fu Han and Xia Ning. Sometimes He Xing was sharp-tongued with Fu Han, but at other times he would suddenly say something sweet.

    As for Xia Ning, Fu Han always felt that He Xing was too tender with her, although he could be harsh at times too. But most of the time it took extreme provocation before he would retort to Xia Ning.

    Perhaps for this reason, as children Fu Han and Xia Ning both firmly believed that they were He Xing¡¯s exception, each thinking that He Xing liked her.

    But now the issue was resolved. The person He Xing liked was Fu Han. As for Xia Ning, she had already lost, continuing her attempts only because she did not want to give up on He Xing.

    Thinking thus, the corners of Fu Han¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards, and when her gaze shifted toward Jiang Ling, it carried a hint of schadenfreude.

    But Jiang Ling wasn¡¯t paying attention to Fu Han; regaining herposure, she batted her exaggeratedlyrge eyes and said, "Mr. He, there¡¯s something I would like to discuss with you. How about I treat you to lunch? The food you¡¯re eating now is too simple. How can you stand it?"

    Fu Han felt an even stronger sense of amusement; she knew Jiang Ling¡¯s words were mocking her, but she didn¡¯t care because someone else would handle it.

    True to expectation, He Xing¡¯s expression darkened, and he said icily, "Miss Jiang, I have nothing to discuss with you, and this lunch is something I specially bought to eat with Fu Han. If you find it too simple you can look away. Now we are going to eat, please leave."

    Jiang Ling had shot herself in the foot and felt extremely awkward; her face turned red and she was speechless. Nevertheless, she wouldn¡¯t leave, simply standing straight nearby.

    He Xing picked up another chopstick full of food for Fu Han, urging gently, "Xiaohan, you¡¯re too skinny. You have to eat more. Don¡¯t follow others in dieting and not eating properly, got it?"

    One second he was a domineering CEO, the next he turned into a nagging mother.

    Fu Han was satisfied with He Xing¡¯s reaction. Sensing two murderous gazes upon her, she smiled mischievously, "I don¡¯t want to eat, unless you feed me."

    "Okay, okay, I¡¯ll feed you," He Xing promptly took action, putting a piece of meat into Fu Han¡¯s mouth.

    At the same time, he whispered so only the two of them could hear, "How¡¯s that? Didn¡¯t I do well today?"

    The smile at the corners of Fu Han¡¯s mouth grew wider, and she picked up a piece of meat as well, "He Xing brother, let me feed you too. Here, open your mouth..."

    Jiang Ling watched in disbelief as they fed each other, alternating between the two. She was so angry she felt like her chest might explode. Eventually, unable to bear it anymore, she stomped her foot and left.

    No sooner had she stepped out than Fu Han waved her chopsticks in distress, "Oh my goodness, that was so nauseating, I¡¯m about to vomit."

    "What was nauseating about it?" He Xing extended his arm and pulled Fu Han¡¯s office chair closer to him, "A moment ago, it seemed quite clear that you were enjoying it."

    As their distance closed, He Xing purposefully leaned in, causing Fu Han¡¯s face to burn. She wanted to retort with defiance, but He Xing¡¯s breath on her neck silenced all her intended words.

    With lightning speed, He Xing wrapped his arm around Fu Han¡¯s waist and kissed her cheek, reveling in how nice it felt¡ªbouncy, soft, and fragrant, softening his heart as well.

 Chapter 518: Argument in Front of the Elevator

    <h4>Chapter 518: Chapter 518: Argument in Front of the Elevator</h4><h4></h4>

    He freed one hand to hook Fu Han¡¯s chin, wanting to kiss her cherry lips.

    But a sudden bolt of lightning seemed to strike Fu Han¡¯s heart. In a fluster, she raised her hand to cover her mouth, while she whimpered, "The door, the door isn¡¯t closed."

    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of? We are in an open and honest rtionship," He Xing said nonchntly, even nting a kiss on the back of Fu Han¡¯s hand.

    Despite saying this, after kissing Fu Han¡¯s hand, he nevertheless let her go.

    He might not care as a man, but Fu Han was a woman, and if the staff caught them canoodling in the office in broad daylight, many would likelyugh at her behind her back, and her efforts to manage the staff well would only be more difficult.

    Fu Han put some distance between herself and He Xing. Blushing, with her head bowed and not daring to look at him, she said softly, "You ate too little, have a bit more."

    The lunch that was interrupted by Jiang Ling resumed, and He Xing served another bowl of rice to Fu Han, half forcing her to eat more.

    ...

    Jiang Ling stormed out of Fu Han¡¯s office. Along the way, many of the staff were still taking pictures of her, but now she could no longer pretend to wear a sweet and cute expression.

    While waiting for the elevator, Jiang Ling said quietly to her agent, "That Fu Han is so annoying, not giving me any face in public. You must find a way to make things difficult for her."

    Before her words had finished echoing, the elevator door chimed open.

    Just as Jiang Ling was about to step in, she caught sight of Xia Ning, who was about to step out of the elevator.

    The instant the two female superstars¡¯ eyes met, there were figurative sparks in the air, explosive in their intensity.

    These two superstars, with highly simr styles and images, were oftenpared by people, and their meetings were bound to trigger sparks of rivalry.

    Jiang Ling, having debuted earlier and amassed arger fanbase plus a plethora of works, often had the upper hand in disputes with Xia Ning¡¯s fans.

    But Xia Ning was a Lady of the Xia Family, and acting in the Entertainment circle was merely a hobby; she rarely participated inmercial activities for money, so her fans prided themselves on being more refined, often using this to taunt Jiang Ling, who had a humble background.

    The first to react was Xia Ning. She snorted coldly as she stepped out of the elevator and stood in front of Jiang Ling, saying with a touch of sarcasm, "Oh, isn¡¯t this the superstar Jiang Ling? What brings you to this ce?"

    Jiang Ling¡¯s agent, fearful of a fight erupting, quickly interjected, "Lady Xia Ning, we¡¯re here to shoot... shoot an ad. It¡¯s such a coincidence to encounter you here."

    "Shooting an ad? Here?" Xia Ning covered her mouth,ughing so hard she could barely close it. She pointed at Jiang Ling andughed exaggeratingly, "This... this is just too funny. You actually came to such a lousy ce to shoot an ad. Are you short on business engagements? Do you want me to ask my father to offer you some spokesperson opportunities?"

    Jiang Ling¡¯s face darkenedpletely as she pped Xia Ning¡¯s hand away, "Don¡¯t you point your fingers at me. Even if my business ventures aren¡¯t good, they¡¯re still better than yours. Take a look at yourself, do you even get scripts handed to you anymore?"

    The mockery from a rival in the same industry was especially cutting, given that everyone in the circle knew a bit about each other¡¯s affairs.

    Indeed, Xia Ning¡¯s face turned stony, and she red venomously at Jiang Ling, "What did you say? Dare to say that again."

    The agent tried to pull Jiang Ling away, but she wasn¡¯t as fast as Jiang Ling¡¯s sharp tongue, "What if I say it again? I could repeat it a hundred times and it would still be the same. You, who only rely on family connections, how dare youpare yourself to me? The scripts and resources I get are much better than yours."

    p!

    The loud sound of a p resonated, so jarring in front of the elevator.

    Jiang Ling, covering her swollen cheek, was so infuriated she almost clenched her teeth to breaking. She lunged at Xia Ning, ws outstretched, "You bitch, I¡¯m going to fight you."

    But by that time, the agent had grabbed hold of Jiang Ling. Her carefully manicured nails, sharp as des, were stopped less than a centimeter from Xia Ning¡¯s eyes.

    Xia Ning, startled by the close brush with the nails, dodged out of Jiang Ling¡¯s attack range and, still defiant, said, "Jiang Ling, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re scheming. Let me tell you, as long as I¡¯m here, you will not appear in Brother He Xing¡¯s movies."

    "Dream on," Jiang Ling was thoroughly infuriated, losing thest shred of her reasoning as she red at Xia Ning, "I will never give up..."

    Unfortunately, she had no chance to finish her sentence, as her agent had already covered her mouth and forcefully dragged her into the elevator.

    Themotion the two of them caused was too loud, surrounded as they were by Fu Han¡¯s staff, all behaving impably, with phones in hand, photographing Xia Ning and Jiang Ling.

    Xia Ning hadn¡¯t finished what she wanted to say before Jiang Ling left, and her anger erupted like a geyser. Seeing everyone taking pictures, she trembled with rage, "If you keep taking pictures, I will throw all your phones into the trash can."

    The staff didn¡¯t dare to continue, each retracting their phones and scattering like birds and beasts.

    In the elevator, Jiang Ling struggled nonstop, but her agent couldn¡¯t control her anymore and had to let go.

    As soon as Jiang Ling was free, she swung back and pped the agent across the face, "You two-faced snake, you just stood there watching me get bullied by Xia Ning without doing anything. Tell me, who pays your sry?"

    The agent, knowing Jiang Ling was angry, covered her own face and said meaningfully, "Jiang Ling, didn¡¯t you see that all the onlookers recorded the two of you? If you really hit Xia Ning, what do you think today¡¯s entertainment news would say?"

    "I don¡¯t care about that; Xia Ning was the first to hit me," Jiang Ling was still full of anger, but she stopped hitting her agent this time.

    On the other side, the agent skillfully pulled out a mask and hat from her backpack and handed them to Jiang Ling while continuing to advise, "Can you evenpare with Xia Ning? Xia Ning has the Xia Group backing her, and her rtionship with the He Group is also very good. Everything you have now is the result of your own hard work. If you really fought with Xia Ning, you would be the one at a loss. Now that you¡¯ve been hit, Xia Ning is the one at a disadvantage. Trust me, this won¡¯t be wrong."

    By this time, Jiang Ling had regained her usualposure. She used the mask to cover her swollen cheek, and with a threatening tone, she told her agent, "I don¡¯t care how, but I can¡¯t just take this p for nothing today. Xia Ning¡¯s reputation must be ruined."

    "Got it, that¡¯s my specialty," the agent agreed readily and also put on her mask.

 Chapter 519: A Sudden Change

    <h4>Chapter 519: Chapter 519: A Sudden Change</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning asked for directions and went straight to Fu Han¡¯s office. Along the way, no one dared to stop her, after all, the deterrent force from her recent overwhelming victory was still present.

    The door to Fu Han¡¯s office was not closed, and from outside one could see He Xing and Fu Han having a meal together, the sweet atmosphere between them creating a barrier of sorts, keeping everyone else out.

    It felt like, even for someone like Xia Ning who dreamed of tearing them apart, their sweetness was too much; it was the kind of love that wanted to reach the peak, a natural and effortless sweetness.

    Xia Ning had been standing at the door of the office for two minutes, but neither He Xing nor Fu Han had noticed her, even though a simple lift of their eyes would have allowed them to see Xia Ning.

    Anger began to gather in Xia Ning¡¯s heart. She raised her hand and knocked forcefully on the door, "Can you two pay attention to the influence you¡¯re having, unting your affection in broad daylight, it¡¯s a quick route to death."

    He Xing and Fu Han both looked up at the same time, and when they saw Xia Ning they both frowned, as if their faces were about to spell out the words "not wee."

    Especially He Xing, who casually pulled Fu Han behind him, and asked coldly, "Xia Ning, what are you doing here?"

    Originally, Fu Han felt quite upset when she saw Xia Ning, but He Xing¡¯s actions gave her a sense of security. She purposely rested her chin on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, ready to listen.

    Xia Ning¡¯s teeth gnashed with anger, "What am I doing? I went to the trouble of buying lunch to find you at yourpany, but you, you actually ran off here."

    "You went to mypany?" He Xing radiated a strong coldness, and even though Fu Han¡¯s office had air conditioning, she shivered.

    As the first to bear the brunt, Xia Ning suffered even more. Her face turned red with anger one moment, and the next it went pale with fear.

    The anger she had worked hard to build up dissipated in an instant, and she shrank her neck, her aura suddenly weakened, "I... He Xing, I missed you, and I knew about a restaurant that had just opened with really good food, so I especially went to buy it for you and brought it over, I... I even made sure toe over at twelve, so I wouldn¡¯t intentionally disturb your work."

    He Xing¡¯s expression softened a bit, but his voice remained chilly, "Next time you know of a good ce to eat, just go by yourself. There¡¯s no need toe find me."

    The icy atmosphere in the room lifted quite a bit, Fu Han moved slightly, her chin leaving He Xing¡¯s shoulder, and she tilted her head slightly, apparently lost in thought.

    Xia Ning keenly noticed that He Xing¡¯s attitude had softened a bit. She was never one to leave well enough alone and stomped her foot, looking especially aggrieved, "He Xing, how can you treat me this way? Have you forgotten what day it is today?"

    "What day?" He Xing waspletely confused; he really didn¡¯t know what day it was. All his attention was on Fu Han, worried that Fu Han was angry.

    On the other side, Xia Ning¡¯s eyes became red with grievance, "I have to go for a medical checkup this afternoon, and you don¡¯t care about me at all. I might as well be dead."

    He Xing¡¯s gaze finally rested on Xia Ning. For the first time since she hade in, He Xing looked at Xia Ning with a kind gaze.

    His tone became much gentler, "Xia Ning, Li Tao already arranged your medical checkup. You can just go to the hospital directly; there¡¯s no need to wait."

    He Xing might have forgotten about it, but Li Tao had remembered; as soon as Xia Ning mentioned it, He Xing recalled that Li Tao had mentioned it the day before while reporting on work, clearly saying that it was all arranged.

    "I don¡¯t want that." Xia Ning¡¯s anger only grew, and her tears started to fall, "Each and every one of you only knows about work; no one really cares about me. Dad and brother also said they were busy and could not apany me, asking me to go by myself. Now you are doing the same. If mom were still alive, would I be this pitiful?"

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at this, swearing to heaven she really didn¡¯t want to get involved in Xia Ning and He Xing¡¯s conversation, but she had really had enough of Xia Ning always getting her way.

    She scoffed and sat up straight, her words filled with sarcasm, "Xia Ning, every time you want to force He Xing to do something he doesn¡¯t want to do, you use this trick. Can¡¯t youe up with something new?"

    He Xing turned to look at Fu Han, his eyes somewhat unfamiliar, as if surprised, yet also disappointed. But he hid all his emotions, and in the end, he simply turned his head away calmly.

    But Fu Han started to panic inside. She suddenly realized that she didn¡¯t understand He Xing. Even though they were so in love now, she still didn¡¯t understand him, and she couldn¡¯t see what was going on in his heart.

    Xia Ning, who always regarded Fu Han as her number one enemy, saw Fu Han mocking her and bristled, retorting sharply, "Fu Han, do you think I want to mention my mother? You ask He Xing what kind of life I¡¯ve had since I was a child¡ªdad only cared about work and didn¡¯t care about us, my brother always beat me, only my mother truly cared for me. What, now even thinking about my mother who loved me is wrong?"

    Reason told Fu Han not to bite back at a mad dog, but she was truly tired of Xia Ning always using her mother to threaten He Xing.

    She sternly retorted, "Yes, your mother was good to you, and of course, you can think about her. But why is it that every time you make a request to He Xing, that¡¯s when you think of your mother? Could it be that you consider He Xing as your mother? Or is it that your mother is just a tool for you to force He Xing¡¯s hand?"

    Xia Ning felt exposed in her darkest corners by Fu Han, and turned her head away guiltily without speaking.

    Fu Han was poised tounch another attack.

    But He Xing spoke out unexpectedly, "Fu Han, that¡¯s enough!"

    Those simple four words, as if magical, drained the color from Fu Han¡¯s face, while Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed with excitement, as if she had just received a Revive Card, her vitality restored on the spot.

    Fu Han stared at He Xing with wide eyes, "What... what are you saying? Do you think I¡¯m wrong?"

    "Yes, you¡¯re wrong," He Xing said expressionlessly to Fu Han, enunciating each word, "Xia Ning¡¯s mother died to save me, and Xia Ning herself has saved my life. It¡¯s normal for her to make requests of me, and I shouldn¡¯t refuse them."

    Huge joy appeared on Xia Ning¡¯s face as she excitedly looked at He Xing, "He Xing, you mean, you mean you can apany me to the checkup?"

    "Of course," He Xing stated decisively, "Not just today for your checkup, but whenever you need me in the future, just ask, and I¡¯ll fulfill any request I can."

 Chapter 520: Donâ€™t Touch

    <h4>Chapter 520: Chapter 520: Don¡¯t Touch</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile grew even brighter as she folded her hands across her chest and said with anticipation, "He Xing, brother, Jiang Ling just made fun of me, saying that no one wants me for their movies. Could you give me the lead female role in your film?"

    "Lead female role?" He Xing repeated, seemingly recalling something. After a few seconds, he spoke again, "I can¡¯t give you the lead female role; it¡¯s already been cast, and the character doesn¡¯t suit you. I¡¯ll have someone modify the script for the third female lead to be more likable. How about that for you?"

    "And what about Jiang Ling?" Xia Ning asked, not reassured. She didn¡¯t actually want to do the movie; she had just proimed boldly in front of Jiang Ling and couldn¡¯t very well turn out to be all talk with no action, inviting ridicule.

    "Jiang Ling is among the tentative candidates for that third female lead," He Xing said, returning to his expressionless demeanor, or it seemed that he was always like this when it came to work. "If you take the role, naturally she will no longer be considered."

    Beaming with pride, Xia Ning approached He Xing, eager to take his arm, "He Xing, brother, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s hurry on our way."

    She had thought that since He Xing had just spoken in her defense, she could definitelytch onto his arm. However, she couldn¡¯t even touch his sleeve.

    With a cold face, He Xing pulled his arm away, "Xia Ning, if you have something to say, say it. Don¡¯t be touchy."

    His words were resounding. Although they didn¡¯t turn the office into Snond again, they made Xia Ning shiver. She dared not behave presumptuously any longer, standing quietly to the side and not daring to make another move, but the look of grievance on her face was more obvious than ever, her tears almost spilling over.

    He Xing coldly turned his head away from Xia Ning, "You go out and wait for me; I wille to find you in a moment."

    Pouting, Xia Ning¡¯s disappointment was so profound she might as well have been carrying an oil bottle. Reluctantly, she left the office, but before exiting, she turned to nce at Fu Han, her expression couldn¡¯t be more smug.

    In the office, it was just He Xing and Fu Han left. Fu Han tapped the floor with her toe, sliding back to her own workstation on her office chair, "President He, I still have a lot of work to deal with. Please do as you wish if there¡¯s nothing else."

    "Xiaohan..." He Xing¡¯s voice softened as he reached to pull Fu Han closer, "Xiaohan, I know the tone of my earlier words wasn¡¯t kind, but you shouldn¡¯t have spoken about Xia Ning like that."

    "What did I say?" Fu Han shook off He Xing¡¯s hand with a snap, turning back to look at him angrily, "Did I say something wrong? Isn¡¯t it true that Xia Ning is implicitly threatening you using her mother?"

    "I really don¡¯t understand why you think so." He Xing looked helpless as he tried to reason with her again, "Xiaohan, think about it calmly. It¡¯s natural for anyone to miss their mother and feel sad after she¡¯s gone, right?"

    "Yes, everyone can miss their mother," Fu Han retorted, her fury boiling over as she red at He Xing, "But have you ever seen me mention my mother in front of Grandpa? Ever since I¡¯ve grown up and understood things, I¡¯ve never mentioned my mother in front of Grandpa, because I don¡¯t want to make him sad."

    "I know, I know you¡¯re kind," He Xing said, his expression softening, using as gentle a voice as possible, "But, Fu Han, you can avoid making Grandpa sad by not talking about your mother, Xia Ning can¡¯t do that. We can¡¯t just use her for mentioning her mother to me, right?"

    "But do you admit that Xia Ning is exploiting your guilt over her mother to coerce you into doing things?" Fu Han¡¯s voice rose with increasing anger, especially as she noticed He Xing saw nothing wrong with Xia Ning and was trying to convince her.

    The fury in He Xing¡¯s heart red again as he responded head-on, "But Fu Han, put yourself in her shoes. You never mention your mother to Grandpa because you don¡¯t have to say a word for Grandpa to satisfy your wants; tell me, if Grandpa had raised you as a servant¡¯s child, would you still have noints about him?"

    "So this is what you truly think of me?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she looked at He Xing, as if seeing him for the first time.

    He Xing turned his head away, not looking at Fu Han anymore, but his expression said it all, his voice couldn¡¯t conceal his frustration, "Fu Han, you know that¡¯s not what I mean. If you insist on thinking that way, there¡¯s nothing I can do."

    After these words, neither Fu Han nor He Xing spoke again. The two of them faced each other in silence, as if an invisible force was at work between them, eroding and opposing each other, each trying to swallow the other whole.

    The silence was broken by the ring of He Xing¡¯s phone. As the soothing music yed in the quiet office, He Xing¡¯s anger erupted like a balloon at its bursting point.

    Picking up the phone with anger he could hardly express, especially when he saw the caller was Liang Tao.

    He practically jabbed a hole in the screen as he slid to answer, "Speak, what is it?"

    Liang Tao got a scare, taking several seconds to muster the courage to speak, "President He, Lady Xia Ning said you were going to the hospital this afternoon and asked me to bring around the nanny car. I... President He, may I park the car on the side of the road and wait for you?"

    He Xing nced at the time, realizing it was already past two o¡¯clock.

    A checkup was not a simple matter, especially since he nned to give Xia Ning aprehensive one, meaning it would take even more time.

    After hanging up, He Xing turned his gaze back to Fu Han, hesitating before speaking, "Xiaohan, I have to go now. If there¡¯s time in the afternoon, I¡¯ll pick you up after work."

    Fu Han¡¯s reaction was huge, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, as she lifted her head sharply, "No need, I have my own car, and I have hands and feet and a driver¡¯s license. I can take care of myself; I¡¯m not that fragile. You don¡¯t need to pick me up."

    The already tense atmosphere got even worse with that statement, He Xing staring at Fu Han intently for what seemed like several minutes, but she was determined not to look back at him.

    Finally, He Xing spoke, resigned, "All right then, as you wish. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done."

    In a blink, Fu Han was left alone in the office. The tense expression on her face finally rxed; under the sunlight, her tears slid down in big droplets, glistening like freshly washed pearls.

    Whose sigh was it that traveled from the banks of the Wangchuan River, whose tears reflected a lonely and stubborn silhouette? Who stood alone in the vast expanse between heaven and earth?

 Chapter 521: Cultivation of Green Tea

    <h4>Chapter 521: Chapter 521: Cultivation of Green Tea</h4><h4></h4>

    She didn¡¯t understand why, despite having decided long ago that she wouldn¡¯t give up upon her return this time; despite telling herself countless times that as long as Xia Ning was alive, it would be impossible for her topletely sever ties with He Xing; despite reconciling with herself during so manyte nights; despite convincing herself to turn a blind eye to Xia Ning¡¯s affected behavior, still...

    It turns out that while it¡¯s possible to convince oneself temporarily with so many reasons, it is impossible to convince oneself for a lifetime, to convince one¡¯s heart.

    Ever since Xia Ning appeared, Fu Han knew that no good woulde of it. Actually, at first, she was satisfied with He Xing¡¯s reaction, where he did not position Xia Ning on an equal footing with Fu Han.

    Truthfully, when Xia Ning resorted to her old tricks of using her mother as a pretext, Fu Han was not surprised in the slightest; in fact, she even looked forward to seeing He Xing¡¯s reaction. After all, this was their first encounter with Xia Ning since they got back together, and she thought He Xing would surely give her enough respect.

    But s, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, and that saying has never been just for the sake of it; true knowledgees from practice, a truth that will never change until death.

    Fu Han lifted her hand to cover her heart, where something seemed broken, uncertain of when it might be pieced back together.

    Her pale fingers, like pieces of jade,nded on the burgundy sweater; as beautiful as they were, they always seemed to carry a hint of sadness¡ªjust as the warm sunlight of the afternoon couldn¡¯t warm Fu Han¡¯s chilly fingertips.

    There was a knock at the door, and an employee stood cautiously at the entrance, looking at Fu Han: "Manager Fu, about the task you assigned us this morning... I¡¯vepleted it. Can Ie in and report to you now?"

    Only then did Fu Han remember the task she had assigned to the staff this morning. It wasn¡¯t in her nned afternoon workload, yet it was a necessary task, otherwise, her effort to assert her authority in the morning would be wasted.

    But obviously, it¡¯s not possible to have dozens of staff members report one by one, as she would be overwhelmed to death.

    Drumming her fingers twice on the table, Fu Han already had a n. She smiled at the employee by the door and said, "Before you report, please go out and notify everyone that I want all the supervisors and those above them toe in for a meeting."

    In less than five minutes, all managers and supervisors hade in, lined up in two rows in front of Fu Han, waiting for her to speak, with an attitude of exceptional respect.

    Cheng Yihan Multimedia Company might have a certain reputation in City A, but in reality, they were just a smallpany. Below Su Cheng and Fu Han, the highest-ranking positions were managers, followed by supervisors, and then team leaders.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze swept over everyone, and she said indifferently, "Considering the workload issue I mentioned this morning, I¡¯m making some adjustments. All staff will report to their direct supervisors: team members to team leaders, team leaders after organizing will report to supervisors, supervisors to managers, and managers will report to me. Does anyone have any questions?"

    After the morning¡¯s events, everyone had unconditional trust in Fu Han¡¯s decisions. Of course, there were no questions, and the response was swift. After Fu Han announced the meeting was over, they all fled as if escaping.

    Fu Han stretched outzily, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, so much so that even the financial statements, which usually bored her to death, now seemed manageable.

    ...

    In the Nanny car, Xia Ning sat alone in the spacious cabin, her gaze fixed on the front, while He Xing stared unblinkingly ahead, with no intention of speaking to Xia Ning.

    Even though Xia Ning had nned everything meticulously, and all was going ording to her n, where did it go wrong?

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t understand it. To be closer to He Xing, she took the initiative to call Liang Tao, saying He Xing had asked for the Nanny car.

    She thought that by doing so, Liang Tao would be their driver, and then she would be able to chat with He Xing in the back seat; but what actually happened? After getting the keys, He Xing sent Liang Tao away.

    The real issue was that He Xing¡¯s reason for not letting Liang Tao drive was Fu Han. He Xing had ordered Liang Tao to take people and redo Fu Han¡¯s office, making absolutely certain that it was morefortable for Fu Han.

    Today was Xia Ning¡¯s first visit to Fu Han¡¯s office, and honestly, she was surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected Fu Han to work in such a shabby office.

    When she saw He Xing and Fu Han crowded together by theputer desk for a meal, it felt to her like they were eating at a sidewalk stall, so humble that it pained her heart.

    Of course, the only person Xia Ning felt sorry for was He Xing, and the more she pitied him, the more she resented Fu Han.

    If it weren¡¯t for Fu Han¡¯s pretentious insistence on having her own career, if it weren¡¯t for Fu Han¡¯s temperamental outbursts, would He Xing have to eat in such a destitute ce?

    As for Fu Han¡¯s so-called ¡¯career,¡¯ it was worthless in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes.

    She felt that the entire monthly ie of Fu Han¡¯spany wasn¡¯t even as much as her own monthly allowance, so why bother working so hard? Waking up naturally every day, then spending time on beauty treatments and skincare, while also pondering how to get closer to He Xing, made for a fulfilling day.

    Xia Ning had heard that besides giving Fu Han a no-limit credit card, Old Master He also transferred a huge amount of pocket money to Fu Han each month; but after going abroad, Fu Han had not spent a single cent of the He Family¡¯s money, saying she wanted to be self-reliant.

    If it were Xia Ning, she wouldn¡¯t be as foolish as Fu Han. Why make an enemy of money? And with such a long-term meal ticket at her disposal, why bother working so hard? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just wake up and go shopping for pretty clothes?

    Another red light up ahead, and He Xing brought the car to a steady halt.

    From Xia Ning¡¯s perspective, she could clearly see He Xing¡¯s sculpted profile and those eyes, brighter than the stars in the sky.

    Every time she saw He Xing, Xia Ning¡¯s heartbeat would involuntarily start to race, and it wasn¡¯t just a mild quickening but a thunderous surge.

    She had been admiring He Xing for nearly twenty years, yet it was never enough for her, and she was absolutely certain that even a lifetime wouldn¡¯t suffice.

    While gazing adoringly at He Xing, Xia Ning softly said, "He Xing, you and Fu Han didn¡¯t have a fight, did you?"

    "Why do you ask that?" He Xing¡¯s voice was cold as he spoke, his eyes meeting Xia Ning¡¯s in the rear-view mirror, one icy cold, the other burning with passion. But how could a mere spark hope to melt an ice age?

    Xia Ning crumbled at a touch. As she turned her gaze away in a flutter of anxiety, she tried to put on a caring face and said, "He Xing, I... I don¡¯t want you and Fu Han to fight because of me. Every time you fight, you get unhappy. I want you to be happy. As long as you are happy, I¡¯m willing to do anything."

 Chapter 522 - 523: Painful Memories

    <h4>Chapter 522: Chapter 523: Painful Memories</h4><h4></h4>

    Du Wanting¡¯s blood was gushing out as if it cost nothing, and young He Xing, terrified and pale, reached out to cover her wound to stop the bleeding. But the bright red blood streamed through the gaps between He Xing¡¯s fingers, ringly vivid.

    At the very end, although Du Wanting¡¯s face had lost all its color, she still tried hard to smile at He Xing and said, "You must go on living well."

    Then Du Wanting closed her eyes as if she couldn¡¯t bear the pain any longer, her expression identical to Xia Ning¡¯s now.

    The He Family had always been good to the Xia Family afterward. Even though He Xing was about the same age as Xia Cheng, he always considered Xia Cheng and Xia Ning as those he needed to protect.

    It was okay when they were young, as Xia Ning was just a cute little girl who liked to act spoiled, but as she grew up, she became more and more like Du Wanting.

    And as she grew older, Xia Ning liked sticking to He Xing even more, even confessing her feelings for him many times, saying that when she grew up a little more, she would marry He Xing.

    Every time Xia Ning said this, He Xing would refuse, but Xia Ning listened to everything He Xing said, except she was steadfast in this matter, and over the years, she had confessed to him more times than he could count.

    Actually, every time He Xing refused Xia Ning, he really wanted to tell her that he could take care of her for a lifetime, but he would never do so as a husband.

    Every time he looked at Xia Ning¡¯s face, he would think of how desperately Du Wanting had saved him, his gratitude for Du Wanting was genuine, but the day he met Du Wanting became his lifelong nightmare. After all, who would want to see their own nightmare every day and night?

    Looking through the endoscope once more at Xia Ning, He Xing saw that she had lost her earlier excitement and anticipation. She was staring out the window, her thoughts unknown, herplexion still deathly pale.

    His feelings for Xia Ning were like this; he knew that he would never feel romantic love for Xia Ning, but he also couldn¡¯t bring himself to be harsh with her.

    The hospital was now within sight, and He Xing steadily parked the car. Looking straight ahead, his tone regained its calmness, "Xia Ning, we¡¯re here, get out of the car."

    "Okay," Xia Ning obediently agreed, obediently took her things, and got out of the car, following He Xing obediently.

    She was like a child who had upset an adult, afraid that the adult would leave her behind if she wasn¡¯t well-behaved enough, hoping that being good would keep the adult from abandoning her.

    But the more she behaved like this, the more painful it became for He Xing. He felt like he hadn¡¯t taken care of Xia Ning properly in ce of Du Wanting. He didn¡¯t know what to do, and he felt an indescribable pain.

    Everything at the hospital had been arranged in advance, and as soon as they arrived, a nurse came to take Xia Ning for her checkup, leaving He Xing with some quiet time to himself.

    If it had been his usual self, he probably would have found a quiet office to work every possible minute, but Xia Ning was always looking at him with those cautious eyes, worried that He Xing would leave as soon as she went in for her checkup.

    Having no other choice, He Xing carried hisptop, following them from one department to another, actually able to work only when Xia Ning was being examined.

    Finally, after nearly circling the entire hospital, all the inspections were finished.

    He Xing, carrying hisptop case in one hand and a thick stack of inspection reports in the other, walked ahead while Xia Ning, jogging behind him, still remained three steps behind.

    Three steps, less than a meter, yet it seemed an insurmountable gulf between He Xing and Xia Ning.

    Whenever Xia Ning tried to catch up, He Xing would also pick up his pace; and when Xia Ning slowed down because she couldn¡¯t keep up, He Xing would slow down too.

    He Xing was always the unchanging He Xing, no matter what happened; he was always the one in control, always seeming at ease, with not a hint of disorder about him.

    The days are short in winter; although it wasn¡¯t yet five o¡¯clock, the hallway in the hospital was already dim and not yet time for the hallway lights to turn on, making it somewhat dusky.

    Looking at He Xing from behind, Xia Ning noticed he was wearing a ck trench coat and matching Dr. Martens boots. With his upright posture, one could tell at a nce that he had an extraordinary presence.

    Especially when He Xing walked, his trench coat¡¯s hem would lift, the fluttering tails resembling a butterfly pping its wings; and his casually tied belt at the back added an extra touch of elegance.

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t help but think to herself, how could such a person exist in this world? In him, you could see nobility, elegance, and an otherworldly charm, as if all the beautiful descriptions in the world could be applied to him.

    The expert who was to perform surgery on Xia Ning seriously reviewed all her results before giving a conclusion, "Miss Xia, from the current results, you seem to be recovering well, but your injury was serious, so you must continue with rehabilitation. It would be best toe back for a checkup in a few months."

    He Xing turned to look at Xia Ning, who, with her hands propping up her cheeks, was staring at him with an infatuated look, clearly not paying attention to what the doctor was saying.

    The doctor, noticing Xia Ning¡¯s distraction as well, followed her gaze to He Xing and smiled kindly with benevolent eyes.

    He Xing gave a cough, not expecting Xia Ning to respond, and replied for them both, "Alright, doctor, we understand, thank you. We wille back for a follow-up in a few months."

    When they left the hospital, the outside was already in a state between light and dark, the mist making it hard to see clearly.

    He Xing was leading the way as always, with Xia Ning following a few steps behind him.

    When they reached the nanny car, He Xing turned back to Xia Ning, "Do you want to go home now or go somewhere else? I can take you."

    Xia Ning hesitated and finally spoke up, tapping her two fingers, "Brother He Xing... You¡¯ve apanied me all evening; may I treat you to dinner to thank you?"

    "No," He Xing refused firmly, "I¡¯m meeting Fu Han. Will you take a taxi, or shall I take you home? Decide quickly!"

    Xia Ning pouted with a look of upset about to turn to tears, but unfortunately, He Xing was unmoved.

    She knew she had used this trick too many times, and today it no longer had an effect. She also knew that if she continued to make a scene without a good reason, He Xing would definitely get angry.

    In the end, she could only nod obediently, "Alright then, Brother He Xing, take me home, please. Thank you."

    The Xia Family¡¯s vi was in the suburbs, and it would take at least half an hour to drive there from their current location. And from the Xia Family¡¯s vi to the He Family¡¯s vi would also take half an hour; thus, an hour would pass just in travel.

 Chapter 523 - 524 Arranging the Office

    <h4>Chapter 523: Chapter 524 Arranging the Office</h4><h4></h4>

    Indeed, Xia Ning did it on purpose. Her original n today was to have a Western meal with He Xing. After the meal, if possible, they would watch a movie. If not, she would drag He Xing around shopping for clothes.

    Now, since He Xing disagreed with having dinner, she should extend the time they spent together as much as possible; theter He Xing returned, the angrier Fu Han would be.

    Just thinking about Fu Han¡¯s angry face made Xia Ning¡¯s mood improve drastically.

    ...

    It was the afternoon, and Fu Han was summarizing reports from the various managers, making it easier for her to track everyone¡¯s work progresster on.

    Such tasks used to be done by Zhao Ting, but now that Zhao Ting was busy in M Country, Fu Han, in order to save costs and unwilling to hire another assistant, had to do it herself.

    She was organizing a spreadsheet when a knock on the door disturbed her. Liang Tao¡¯s dark, round face appeared before Fu Han, with a ttering smile, "Miss Fu Han, I... the Boss asked me to bring you something."

    While working, Fu Han hadpletely forgotten about He Xing, or rather, she immersed herself in work to forget the conflicts between her and He Xing.

    Now, Liang Tao¡¯s appearance served as a reminder of her earlier quarrel with He Xing, and her face instantly fell, saying irritably, "I don¡¯t want his things, take them away quickly."

    Although Liang Tao didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened between Fu Han and He Xing, he had guessed from the content of He Xing¡¯s phone call that a dispute had urred. Seeing Fu Han¡¯s reaction, his guess was confirmed.

    Swallowing nervously, he carefully said, "Miss Fu, why don¡¯t you take a look before deciding if you want it or not?"

    "No, take it away directly." The more Fu Han thought about He Xing¡¯s nasty attitude, the more she wanted to chase Liang Tao away with a broom, let alone check out those things.

    Liang Tao was greatly troubled, internallyining that his boss was indeed skilled in every martial art, and his greatest talent was setting traps for his staff.

    However, he knew very well that if he left just like this, He Xing would definitely make his life miserable.

    Now, without any concern for anything else, Liang Tao thickened his skin and approached Fu Han, pleading softly, "Miss Fu Han, I know our Boss was wrong, but you also know his temper; if you make me return this item, he won¡¯t be angry with you, but he will be angry with me, and I... I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t see any bonus this month."

    This tactic had been used by Liang Tao before, and Fu Han was well resistant to it by now. Furthermore, with all the anger inside her, there was no way she would care about Liang Tao¡¯s welfare. She snorted coldly without any politeness, "It¡¯s your own ineffectiveness at work that caused your bonus to be withheld, what does it have to do with me?"

    Liang Tao was stunned, as this tactic had always worked in the past, but today it was utterly ineffective.

    He stood there for a full two minutes, caught in an ufortably awkward situation of not knowing whether to advance or retreat.

    Suddenly, a manager came in to deliver documents to Fu Han and seeing Liang Tao, he pped his shoulder vigorously, "Liang Tao, myd, you¡¯re something else, following the Boss to ourpany a few times and you managed to whisk away our Zhao Ting. No way, you have to introduce me to a prettydy from He Group, or we won¡¯t let you in next time."

    Liang Taoughed heartily, his already small eyes turning into slits, almost as if he had the words "triumphant" written across his face.

    The two men joked around for a bit, and perhaps noticing Fu Han¡¯s unhappy face, the manager left dejectedly, his back dripping with sweat.

    On the contrary, Liang Tao¡¯s eyes brightened further. He took a couple of steps towards Fu Han, and pleaded in a low voice, "Miss Fu, you know how meager my sry is. If I don¡¯t get the bonus, my chance to visit Zhao Ting in M Country this month goes down the drain. You know how expensive the ne tickets are."

    His tone ofmentation was clearly ming Fu Han for costing him the opportunity to see his girlfriend.

    Fu Han thought that leaving a mess for Zhao Ting to clean up was somewhat mean, especially since next month was the new year. If Liang Tao couldn¡¯t visit Zhao Ting in M Country for the new year, it¡¯d be quite pitiful for her to be alone abroad.

    She sighed and said to Liang Tao with resignation, "When you go to M Country, take some local specialties to Zhao Ting for me. Give me the receipts, and I¡¯ll reimburse you."

    "Yes, yes, I¡¯ll definitely bring them." Liang Tao couldn¡¯t stop grinning, almost skipping out without even saying goodbye.

    After waiting a few minutes and Liang Tao hadn¡¯t returned, Fu Han became curious about what kind of gift He Xing had prepared today that took so long to bring over.

    Just as her curiosity peaked, Liang Tao¡¯s shouts echoed through the office, "Make way, please, step aside, I won¡¯t be responsible if I bump into anyone, okay?"

    In no time, several people brought in a sofa, followed by a coffee table, a desk, a cab...

    In the blink of an eye, Fu Han¡¯s office, which was not small, was crammed full, making even entry and exit difficult. Her delicate brows furrowed higher and higher.

    Liang Tao rubbed his hands together, approaching Fu Han with a smile that couldn¡¯t be more ingratiating, "Miss Fu Han, thank you for allowing me and Zhao Ting the chance to meet in M Country for the new year. Now, could you please do me another favor? Can you work outside for a few hours, and let us reorganize your office for you? I promise I won¡¯t misce any of your items."

    For a full minute, Fu Han red furiously at Liang Tao. Although the smile on Liang Tao¡¯s face had almost frozen, he still kept grinning.

    Eventually, Fu Han told herself that Liang Tao was just a small-time assistant. Since she had already decided to not make things difficult for him, why bother with such a trivial matter? Better topletely amodate Liang Tao and consider it a good deed done for the young couple.

    Three hours quickly passed, and the noise in Fu Han¡¯s office subsided, with peopleing in and out, discarding rubbish¡ªit seemed that the final touches were being made.

    Fu Han hammered on her keyboard in venting frustration, gritting her teeth internally. She wanted to see for herself how Liang Tao¡ªor rather, He Xing¡ªhad transformed her office into a disaster. No, what they had made of it.

    Another half an hour went by, and thest of the workers left. Liang Tao approached Fu Han, his face full of sycophancy, "Miss Fu Han, your office is all set. Would you like to take a look now?"

    "Look, of course I want to look," Fu Han snorted dismissively, "If you¡¯ve made a mess of my office, you¡¯ll be in for it."

    "No, no, certainly not," Liang Tao shrank back as if he had encountered something terrifying, but the smugness in his eyes was impossible to hide, and he seemed quite pleased with his handiwork.

 Chapter 524 - 525: The Transformed Office

    <h4>Chapter 524: Chapter 525: The Transformed Office</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han walked to the door of her office. Although she had tried very hard to appear calm, she still couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she had never left, she would have thought she had walked into the wrong ce. She really couldn¡¯t believe that in just a short three hours, her office hadpletely changed into a different style, utterly unlike what it had been before.

    Her office was a section partitioned off within the office area by Su Cheng, essentially creating a room inside a vacantrger space for her to use as an office.

    The space was not small, but at the time, Su Cheng had hastily arranged the office for Fu Han. Furthermore, as thepany had not had extra funds to expand the business, the setup was very simplistic.

    Fu Han had never been a person indulgent in luxury, so she hadn¡¯t felt that anything was amiss.

    But now that someone had tidied it up, she realized that her office could also be made so warm andfortable.

    The original walls were just in white paint. Now, they were covered with thick wallpaper, a very light pink as the base with light blue morning glory patterns. Thebination of these two colors gave a fresh and unique feeling that Fu Han liked at first sight.

    Across from the door was a wall full of cabs. To the left of the cab was a small water dispenser, a coffee machine, etc., in the middle were various awards belonging to Fu Han, and on the right were various files; above the cabs were Fu Han¡¯s books, not too high, reachable on tiptoe.

    In front of the cab was Fu Han¡¯s desk. Her old earthy-yellow desk had disappeared, reced by a white desk with pink trim in a duplex style. On the left side of the desk was a row ofpartments, suitable for cing some documents that might need to be essed temporarily, as well as for putting things like a makeup bag, a mirror, an aromatherapy cup, a penholder, etc.

    The four corners of the desk were rounded, so bumping into them wouldn¡¯t hurt. The area for theputer even had adjustable height to prevent issues like cervical spondylosis, making it much more upscale than her former in desk, though the price was probably much prettier too.

    What surprised Fu Han the most was that the matching office chair had a massage function. Due to their line of work, which often required finding awkward angles for photography, many suffered from problems like lumbar disc herniation and cervical spondylosis. Having a chair with a massage feature was great, as it allowed for rxation during breaks at the very least.

    Opposite Fu Han¡¯s desk and against the wall was a sofa set, the most popr style of fabric sofas at the time, both the long sofa and the two single sofas were designs that Fu Han liked.

    In front of the sofa was a coffee table, neither too big nor too small, perfectly fine for four people to dine on; it also had rounded corners, a design that felt heartwarming.

    Seeing Fu Han examine the sofa, Liang Tao immediately stepped forward to demonstrate, "Lady Fu Han, this sofa and coffee table are a set. Just press the button here on the sofa, and it will extend sideways, resting on the coffee table to be a bed. This way, you can sleep here during your afternoon breaks."

    "Wow, that¡¯s an impressive design." Fu Han watched wide-eyed as a one-and-a-half-meter-wide sofa transformed into a bed of the same width, her surprise practically written all over her face.

    In fact, she had thought before that sleeping on the desk during afternoon naps was not ideal. Although her office was not small, it was impossible to partition a separate room for her to rest. Now this sofa perfectly solved her dilemma.

    Liang Tao, feeling more proud after receiving thepliment, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window to show off, "Lady Fu Han, although your previous curtains looked nice, they didn¡¯t block out the light. This type of curtain, once drawn, will plunge the room intoplete darkness, ensuring you have a wonderful afternoon nap."

    Fu Han looked at the curtains; although the color was elegant and they may not have been particrly attractive, they weren¡¯t a disaster either, so she nodded in approval.

    Liang Tao moved to the wall near the entrance, pointing at the aluminum windows and speaking to Fu Han, "Manager Fu, your office is partitioned off from the outside with wood. We have installed a window here so you can discreetly observe if the staff outside are cking off. If you want to rest, this curtain and the one over there are the same,pletely blocking out light. Moreover, He Xing purchased the best ss for these windows, offering excellent soundproofing to ensure you won¡¯t be disturbed by anyone."

    Overall, apart from the door,puter, and files of Fu Han¡¯s office, none of the original items remained; the reason this particr door was kept was not due to the difficulty of recing it but because it was of good quality and aesthetically pleasing, with no need for recement.

    Hearing the name He Xing, Fu Han¡¯s mood grewplicated. She coughed awkwardly without making anyment. After all, she was now obliged to him, and although she held anger towards He Xing, it didn¡¯t seem quite right to unleash it now.

    Liang Tao was still chattering away, stating that He Xing had instructed for Fu Han¡¯s office to be made veryfortable. He could only think of so much for now, but if Fu Han needed anything else, she should message him, and he would promptly procure it and have it delivered.

    However, by this time, the novelty Fu Han initially felt when seeing her office had worn off. Though she still found her officefortable, her mind was consumed with the words He Xing had said earlier.

    Fu Han dismissed Liang Tao with a cold expression, fuming over the things He Xing had done, growing angrier and more aggrieved the more she thought about them.

    It was already time to leave work, and there was still a lot left undone by Fu Han for the day, but she was well aware that she wouldn¡¯t get any work done if she stayed, as she was no longer in the mood for it.

    Fortunately, she had alreadypleted all her urgent tasks, and the rest weren¡¯t pressing. She could take her time, what couldn¡¯t be done today could wait until tomorrow.

    Fu Han stood by the window next to the door, looking out. Not a single staff member had left; it seemed they wouldn¡¯t depart until she did.

    She turned back, picked up her bag from the cab, and left the office.

    While waiting for the elevator, she could hear the chatter of the staff in the office, many discussing their post-work ns.

    Fu Han smiled to herself. She was also thinking about what to do after work. He Xing had just sent a message saying he was already on his way home and would wait there to have dinner with her.

    But Fu Han really didn¡¯t like this arrangement. There had been a severe conflict between them, and yet He Xing always acted as if nothing had happened, treating her the same as before once it was over, as if their arguments had never existed.

    Fu Han felt this wasn¡¯t right; the conflict existed and wouldn¡¯t disappear just because you ignored it. The more you overlooked it, the more the conflict would grow until it became irreconcble, with no way back.

 Chapter 525 - 526: The Old Friend Returns

    <h4>Chapter 525: Chapter 526: The Old Friend Returns</h4><h4></h4>

    But if Fu Han were to take the initiative to talk to He Xing about the conflict between them, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it.

    It was clearly He Xing who was in the wrong, so why should she be the first to speak up?

    Fu Han had already sat in the car for a good ten minutes, still unsure of where to go. The He Family vi was indeed her home, but right now she truly didn¡¯t want to return.

    Suddenly, Fu Han¡¯s cell phone rang. She thought it was a call from He Xing or Grandpa, hesitating over whether or not to answer. When she took out her phone, she saw it was Nan Qing calling.

    Huating No.1, building one, apartment 2201, half an hourter.

    Fu Han hade in a hurry without her keys; she could only ring the doorbell.

    A few secondster, the door was opened from the inside. Nan Qing opened the door and hugged Fu Han tightly: "Fu Han, I¡¯m back, did you miss me?"

    Her enthusiasm was like a me, dissolving all the displeasure in Fu Han¡¯s heart caused by He Xing and Xia Ning.

    Like someone frozen through, Fu Han instinctively sought out any source of warmth.

    "Wee back, I did indeed miss you," said Fu Han, also patting Nan Qing¡¯s arm. Her personality had always been like this, neither cold nor hot, rarely lively like Nan Qing, but also not as aloof as He Xing; one could only say she was asionally as warm as me, and asionally as cold as ice; of course, her attitude toward you depended on your attitude toward her.

    "All right, how long are you going to stand at the door? Be careful not to catch a cold," Wang Yixuan¡¯s clear voice, like the call of a phoenix, suddenly rang out.

    The next second, he appeared behind Nan Qing, holding a knitted cardigan over her shoulders: "Why are you standing at the door like a little kid, where it¡¯s windy? What if you catch a cold?"

    Fu Han let go of Nan Qing and looked at Wang Yixuan with a smile: "Howe I find you¡¯ve be so caring now?"

    What should have been a simple teasingment made both Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing blush at the same time, leaving Fu Han utterly surprised.

    At the entrance, Fu Han found the slippers she used to wear. Fortunately, they were kept clean in the shoe cab and were ready to wear.

    This apartment had been where Fu Han and Nan Qing lived since Fu Han returned to the countryst year. Even though it wasn¡¯t a third of the size of the He Family vi, it was a small butplete home, more than enough for two girls to live in.

    Apart from the He Group, the Fu Family¡¯s vi in M Country, this was the only ce that could still feel like home to Fu Han, even if this homecked the liveliness of family life, it was indeed very warm.

    Fu Han and the others hadn¡¯t been here for almost half a year, and she thought Nan Qing had already given up the lease on this apartment. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, driven by curiosity.

    At that moment, Nan Qing was sitting on the sofa, drinking warm water. On hearing the question, she broke into a yful smile: "Ah, I didn¡¯t tell you? Less than a month after we rented this apartment, my parents paid for it in full as a purchase for me."

    Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly: "Did you tell me? I don¡¯t remember."

    In her memory, Nan Qing had said she directly rented it for half a year. After Fu Han moved in, she insisted on paying half the rent. At that time, she was working at apany in Su Cheng with a stable sry, and sometimes she would earn a nice sum when her photographs were sold, so supporting herself wasn¡¯t a problem, hence she insisted on contributing to the rent.

    Under Fu Han¡¯s sharp gaze, Nan Qing¡¯s face gradually reddened, and she coughed awkwardly, settling next to Fu Han and saying in a cating tone, "Well... it¡¯s like this, I knew you had such a strong sense of pride, I was afraid you¡¯d refuse to stay with me here if I told you the truth, so... "

    "Just like the young Lady of the wealthy Nangong Group," Fu Han said, tapping on Nan Qing¡¯s forehead with a finger, feigning anger: "You should have told me earlier this apartment was yours, then I wouldn¡¯t have contributed to the rent. I should have just lived in your ce for free."

    "Of course, you¡¯re wee," Nan Qing was initially worried Fu Han would be upset, and now she breathed a sigh of relief, her entire demeanor rxing considerably: "I promise there will always be a room for you here, let¡¯s call it... call it..."

    She stumbled and turned to Wang Yixuan for help.

    Wang Yixuan smiled indulgently, ying along: "This ce is Fu Han¡¯s maternal home."

    "Exactly, maternal home," Nan Qing pped her hands hard, unable to contain herughter: "Fu Han, if you ever fight with He Xing, you can juste and live here, let him be unable to find you."

    Fu Han¡¯s good mood was spoiled upon hearing the name He Xing, but seeing the genuine happiness on Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan¡¯s faces, she didn¡¯t want to dampen everyone¡¯s spirits and forced a smile back onto her face.

    Luckily, Nan Qing was chatting with Wang Yixuan, so neither of them noticed anything off about Fu Han.

    After the three of them chatted andughed for a while, Nan Qing coquettishly told Wang Yixuan she was hungry, and he immediately stood up and went to the kitchen, his behavior shockingly attentive, to Fu Han¡¯s disbelief.

    When only the two of them were left in the living room, Fu Han leaned in, curious: "What on earth did you give Wang Yixuan to drink? How did you get him to be like this?"

    Fu Han had known Wang Yixuan longer than Nan Qing and her memories of him remained mostly from when they first met.

    On that day, He Xing took Fu Han out for a meal, and Wang Yixuan yed the Wedding March on the piano, dressed in a white suit, his long hair casually tied into a small ponytail at the back, with some stray hairs framing his cheeks.

    Fu Han was truly stunned; she had never imagined a boy with long hair could look so attractive without seeming effeminate¡ªin fact, he looked as much a prince as any from a fairy tale might.

    To this day, the only man besides He Xing who had managed to dazzle Fu Han was Wang Yixuan.

    Even though Wang Yixuan wasn¡¯t Fu Han¡¯s type, she had to objectively and fairly admit, Wang Yixuan was like a box of ink, rich in musical literacy, capable ofposing, arranging, and writing lyrics; his painting prowess was also strong¡ªit was the kind you¡¯d look at and feel like you¡¯d stepped into the world within the painting.

    But even the most perfect people have ws, and Fu Han had never seen Wang Yixuan cook. However, it seemed she never had the opportunity to see him cook, so she instinctively felt Wang Yixuan wouldn¡¯t know how.

    Nan Qing¡¯s face grew redder and redder as she whispered, "Well... I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, but we... we¡¯re going to get married."

    "What?" Fu Han¡¯s voice rose eight decibels, her hands covering her mouth in shock as she stared at Nan Qing: "Are you joking with me?"

 Chapter 526 - 527: The Kitchen Explodes

    <h4>Chapter 526: Chapter 527: The Kitchen Explodes</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing¡¯s blush deepened, her teeth firmly biting her lip, looking as if she was struggling internally. A few secondster, she leaned in close to Fu Han and whispered, "Fu Han, actually I..."

    "Ah!" A scream shattered Nan Qing¡¯s words,ing from the kitchen.

    "Is something wrong?" Fu Han and Nan Qing exchanged nces, rushing towards the kitchen one after the other.

    They hadn¡¯t reached the kitchen when they smelled a pungent odor, a strange mix of various scents that included burnt food and burnt stic.

    The smell was overwhelmingly strong, and Fu Han covered her mouth before she even got to the kitchen. Once she saw what had happened, she eximed in surprise, "Wang Yixuan, were you nning to blow up the kitchen?"

    It was not an exaggeration on Fu Han¡¯s part, but a simple fact.

    The pot contained something unrecognizable, now turned into a ck mush; the countertop was a mess, with broken bowls and dishes scattered on the floor, and the automatic fire prevention system overhead was still spraying water, while Wang Yixuan had be a drenched chicken, as wretched as wretched could be.

    Nan Qing first made sure Wang Yixuan was alright. Seeing that he was just a mess, she finally couldn¡¯t help butugh, her hand covering her mouth. This guy had none of the awareness a girlfriend should have and seemed proficient at kicking someone when they were down.

    Fu Han had been too embarrassed tough at first, but seeing Nan Qingugh, she couldn¡¯t resist and burst outughing too, "It¡¯s just too funny, Wang Yixuan, you finally got youreuppance?"

    Theughter of the two girls was especially sweet and bell-like, making anyone listening involuntarily cheer up as well.

    However, the only audience to theirughter did not feel cheerful at all. His face grew darker and darker until he finally said with a cold face, "No more cooking, I¡¯ll go take a shower and buy something to eat for you."

    Soon, the sound of running water in the bathroom began.

    Fu Han and Nan Qingughed again, their heads together as they tapped on their phone, looking excited.

    Half an hourter, Wang Yixuan finally came out of the bathroom. Perhaps because Fu Han was there, he was dressed particrly neatly, aside from his wet hair, and looked ready to step out as soon as his hair was dry.

    Truth be told, although Fu Han didn¡¯t say it, she was somewhat worried that Wang Yixuan woulde out in just a bathrobe after showering. If that was the case, she would have felt very embarrassed.

    Seeing Wang Yixuan like this, she felt relieved and started to see him in a new light. Although sometimes brash, he was actually a very nice person, at least he knew to consider others.

    Nan Qing¡¯s behavior caught Fu Han off guard too. Upon seeing Wang Yixuan, she got up to look for a hairdryer, and then naturally began to dry Wang Yixuan¡¯s hair as he sat on the sofa.

    Fu Han¡¯s first reaction to this scene was that she had known He Xing for so many years and didn¡¯t remember ever drying his hair for him; her second thought was that she was an unwee third wheel and should voluntarily leave; finally, she realized she had nowhere else to go and settled back down on the sofa.

    She thought seriously, it had only been about three months since Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan met, but their interactions felt as if they had known each other for years or even decades.

    In a few minutes, Nan Qing had dried Wang Yixuan¡¯s hair. She patted his head andughed, "All done."

    Wang Yixuan haphazardly tied his hair into a small bun at the back of his head, then picked up his phone and headed towards the door, "You two wait here, I¡¯ll be back with dinner soon."

    "Okay," Nan Qing nodded her head, smiling, "You¡¯re going down just in time. I think the food delivery person is almost outside the building, and they can¡¯te in, so someone does need to go down and get it."

    Wang Yixuan cocked his head and looked at Nan Qing: "You¡¯ve already ordered?"

    "Of course," Nan Qing¡¯s smile was especially brilliant, showing off her white teeth, "If we waited for you to finish showering and then go buy it, Fu Han and I would probably starve."

    "Is that really an exaggeration?" Wang Yixuan scratched his head but didn¡¯t say anything more and, changing his shoes, went straight out.

    Fu Han watched from the sidelines, feeling that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan¡¯s rtionship had improved since she left M Country. Now, they seemed not just to be in the honeymoon phase but more like an old married couple, disying affection and a barrier in conversation that outsiders couldn¡¯t prate.

    Just like now, Nan Qing¡¯s gaze followed Wang Yixuan even after he had left, staring dreamily at the door.

    Fu Han felt happy for Nan Qing but couldn¡¯t resist teasing, "Stop looking, unless you have X-ray vision and super hearing, you won¡¯t be able to see Wang Yixuan."

    A blush appeared on Nan Qing¡¯s face as she lightly punched Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "I¡¯ve never made fun of you and He Xing before, you know. If you keep doing this, next time I¡¯ll follow your lead."

    "Alright, I admit my mistake, okay?" Fu Han immediately conceded, not wanting her rtionship with He Xing to be gossip fodder. To avoid further discussion on this topic, she quickly changed the subject, "By the way, Nan Qing, didn¡¯t you say you were going to continue your world tour when I left the country? Why did youe back so soon?"

    The two of them loved to travel, and their rtionship had been confirmed on such a journey. They went to M Country for Christmas partly by chance and partly because Nan Qing was concerned about Fu Han¡¯s face.

    Later, when Fu Han had to return to her country in a hurry, she didn¡¯t forget to call Nan Qing, who replied with what she had just said: their world tour wasn¡¯t over, and they would take a ne to the next country.

    Nan Qing¡¯s face flushed red, and she looked like she was holding back words again.

    Although Fu Han couldn¡¯t guess the reason, she sensed she might have touched on a sore spot for Nan Qing. Not wanting to make her ufortable, she immediately smiled and said, "Alright, I was just joking. You don¡¯t have to answer."

    To her surprise, Nan Qing shook her head and said earnestly, "No, I was never nning to hide it from you, and there¡¯s nothing to hide about this sort of thing."

    Nan Qing then told Fu Han everything that had happened after she left M Country. It was quite simple: Nan Qing began to vomit uncontrobly, and worried about her health, they took her to the hospital for a checkup, only to find out that she was pregnant.

    The two young people were at a loss, not knowing how to handle it, and ultimately it was Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian who advised them to return to their country and discuss it with their parents.

 Chapter 527 - 528: Being Threatened

    <h4>Chapter 527: Chapter 528: Being Threatened</h4><h4></h4>

    "Pregnant?" Fu Han¡¯s face lit up with shock and joy when she heard this. She reached out to touch Nan Qing¡¯s belly, which was as t as a in. Who could imagine that inside, there resided a tiny life?

    Blushing even more intensely, Nan Qing gathered her courage and spoke again, "Wang Yixuan really likes children, so he insists I give birth to ours. He said he wants to marry me, so we came back here."

    The temperature in the heated room was rising, and Fu Han¡¯s face turned a bright red, looking even happier than Nan Qing, the mother-to-be.

    But her merry face turned solemn as she spoke with uncertainty, "But... what did your parents say? Did they agree?"

    At that, the faint smile on Nan Qing¡¯s face copsedpletely, and she looked at Fu Han with a pained expression, "That¡¯s the problem. Wang Yixuan dislikes being tied down, so he will certainly not agree to work for Nangong Group. And my parents have made it clear that my husband is to inherit thepany. I... I..."

    The topic suddenly became heavy, and Fu Han looked at Nan Qing with a sympathetic gaze. Large families had theirrge-family troubles. As the only child of the Nangong family, Nan Qing was destined from birth to bear the burden of Nangong Group, yet she had no interest in taking over thepany.

    Eventually, Nan Qing¡¯s parents came up with apromise: Nan Qing¡¯s future husband would marry into the Nangong family and inherit the Nangong Group.

    Although Wang Yixuan was indeed outstanding, his excellence had no bearing on inheriting the conglomerate. If Nan Qing wasn¡¯t CEO material, then it was likely that Wang Yixuan had nothing to do with that role.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t look the part of a domineering CEO, but rather because he was like the wind, no one could keep him in one ce. All you could do was move forward alongside him.

    Fu Han was well aware of Nan Qing¡¯s predicament, but even she didn¡¯t know how to deal with the situation. All she could do was pat Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder in constion, "Things will work out when theye to a head. Your parents have been dreaming of you getting married, and now with a package offer of ¡¯buy one get one free¡¯, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll object too much."

    "Buy one get one free?" Nan Qing rolled her eyes helplessly, "Then you¡¯ve guessed wrong. ¡¯Buy one get one free¡¯ should apply to the Wang Family, since Wang Yixuan has never considered marrying into the Nangong family. He also said his child can only carry the Wang surname."

    "What do you think?" Fu Han asked, frowning prettily. The gravity of the situation wasn¡¯t major or minor, but mainly depended on the wishes of Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan.

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze fell on the balcony, where there was a hanging basket she loved to nest in and read books, creating a world of silence around Nan Qing.

    A few secondster, she turned to Fu Han, "As for the surname, I really don¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t care less about what surname my child carries. He¡¯s my child, and even if his surname is Wang, he will still be my child. That will never change."

    Fu Han wholly agreed with her words; she felt the same way.

    Many people care deeply about surnames, thinking that if a child bears their surname, they are truly theirs and can inherit the throne of the family.

    But what¡¯s important in life isn¡¯t the name, but the individual themselves.

    We often miss what we should pay attention to by getting distracted by other things.

    With a mix of joy and helplessness on her face, Nan Qing shook Fu Han¡¯s shoulders pleadingly, "Fu Han, I told my parents that I¡¯m bringing my boyfriend to meet them tomorrow, and we n toy everything out. I reckon my parents are going to be furious and give Wang Yixuan a hard time; but with you there, it won¡¯t be as awkward. You¡¯re my lifesaver; if you tell them you brought Wang Yixuan and me together, they¡¯ll surely consider the fact that you once saved my life. They won¡¯t want to embarrass you and won¡¯t make things too difficult for Wang Yixuan."

    "But have you considered one thing?" Fu Han replied with an air of resignation, "I might be able to help you out temporarily, but I can¡¯t do it for your whole life. If I¡¯m not around, your parents will still cause trouble if they feel like it."

    "That¡¯s a problem forter." With her amber eyes wide open, Nan Qing looked at Fu Han, her gaze incredibly persuasive, "That¡¯s where youe in again. As long as you stay with me until I get married, my parents won¡¯t voice their grievances, even if they¡¯re upset inside."

    "You really take advantage of me thoroughly, not shy at all," Fu Han sighed. She knew resistance was futile and might as well agree graciously, but she couldn¡¯t help airing her grievance, "I merely saved your life by coincidence; what makes you think your parents will do me any favors?"

    "Well..." Looking conflicted, Nan Qing prodded Fu Han¡¯s cheek, "I¡¯ll just have to grasp at straws. After all, the baby inside me is most important."

    Fu Han let out a deep sigh without responding, feeling truly that Nan Qing was a piece of work, and she wholeheartedly resisted getting involved.

    Unexpectedly, Nan Qing red and said sternly, "If you don¡¯t help me, you can forget about being a godmother."

    This was her trump card, at least for Fu Han.

    With a pained rub of her forehead, Fu Han responded in utter resignation, "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll do as you say. How would you like me to proceed?"

    "That¡¯s more like it." Nan Qing grinned, eyes turning into slits as she patted Fu Han¡¯s head, "There¡¯s another thing I need your help with. If my parents find out Wang Yixuan and I have been living together, they¡¯ll be livid. And since he¡¯s worried about me, he refuses to stay in a hotel... So could you stay here as well? That might convince my parents we haven¡¯t done anything improper."

    Fu Han rolled her eyes unabashedly at Nan Qing, "You¡¯re pregnant already. Do you think your parents will believe you¡¯re innocent? You want me here; isn¡¯t that just deceiving ourselves?"

    "So, do you want to be a godmother or what?" Nan Qing yed her trump card again, even more adeptly than before.

    Sighing, Fu Han conceded, "Fine, I¡¯ll do as you ask. But at night, I¡¯ll just stay in my own room, so don¡¯t involve me in any of your activities."

    Truthfully, she had had an argument with He Xing that day, and she didn¡¯t feel like returning to the He Family so quickly. Staying here was an agreeable option: it solved her amodation problem and helped Nan Qing.

    However, being a third wheel was utterly unpleasant, something she profoundly and extremely resisted.

    A knocking sound broke the silence, loud and insistent, as if fearful of not being heard.

    Excited, Nan Qing ran towards the door, calling out while running, "Wang Yixuan is back."

 Chapter 528 - 529: His Sudden Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 528: Chapter 529: His Sudden Appearance</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han didn¡¯t get up. The would-be bride and groom were over there ying out a scene of a sweet reunion like newlyweds, so she, a third wheel with an evident presence, decided it was best not to join themotion.

    Moreover, suchmotion would only serve to highlight the loneliness of her own love, so she not only didn¡¯t want to mingle, she even considered dining alone in her roomter, if only... she disliked the idea of her room absorbing the smell of food.

    The words Nan Qing said at the door were, "Wang Yixuan, you¡¯re finally back. You wanted to starve me to death, didn¡¯t you?"

    Then she immediately followed with, "He Xing, what are you doing here? I¡¯m just borrowing Fu Han for a few days, you don¡¯t have to be so desperate to follow her here, do you?"

    The moment Fu Han heard the name "He Xing", her heartbeat thundered like the beating of drums, drowning out all other sounds; her mind was filled with thoughts of why He Xing woulde and what he wanted to say.

    After receiving Nan Qing¡¯s call, Fu Han had called Mr. He to inform him she wouldn¡¯t be able to join him for dinner; but since Fu Han was only asked by Nan Qing to stay here for a while just now, she hadn¡¯t had the chance to update Mr. He about this new development.

    Fu Han sped her chest, fearing her heart might leap out; uncontrobly, her eyes drifted to the door, and a few secondster, sure enough, she saw He Xing, who had changed into slippers, walk in.

    As their gazes met in mid-air, sparks seemed to fly, and if one listened carefully, one could hear a crackling sound in the air.

    It wasn¡¯t until Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan had set the dinner table and called them over to eat that Fu Han got up from the sofa and went over, passing by He Xing without saying a word.

    The dinner was ordered by Nan Qing and Fu Han; it included many dishes that Fu Han liked. She had been busy all afternoon and was already starving, her stomach growling in protest.

    Yet, for some reason, looking at the full table of dishes, she felt no appetite at all.

    He Xing alsocked appetite, eating slowly and in small bites, vastly different from how he relished his meal at noon.

    In contrast, Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were particrly joyful eaters, with Wang Yixuan ceaselessly serving Nan Qing, continuously urging her to eat more, wishing she could eat three bowls in one meal.

    The two of them seemed to form their own barrier, urging each other on, both eating with contentment.

    Wang Yixuan acted as if he didn¡¯t notice Fu Han and He Xing the entire meal, while Nan Qing asionally prompted Fu Han to eat more; as for He Xing, Nan Qing had only greeted him when he arrived.

    A dinner of mixed emotions finally ended after nearly an hour, with Wang Yixuan telling Nan Qing to go rest while he started to clean up the table and kitchen.

    Nan Qing, having been declined when she offered to help, simply grabbed a chair and sat at the kitchen doorway chatting with Wang Yixuan, theirughter asionally drifting out.

    Seeing how good their rtionship was, Fu Han sincerely felt happy for them.

    It is said only those who have suffered can truly cherish what they have. Nan Qing had endured much hardship with Su Cheng, which is why she treasured what she found in Wang Yixuan even more; as for Wang Yixuan, Fu Han knew little about his romantic past, only that it was said to be simr to Ji Liangchuan¡¯s. But seeing Wang Yixuan¡¯s affection for Nan Qing, it appeared he truly held her in an important ce in his heart.

    Then there was herself; Fu Han always felt that her own love life was far from sessful. Before even understanding what love was, she had already told herself she would marry He Xing.

    But after being deeply hurt by He Xing, she wanted to escape, and she did, leaving the engagement ring and decisively walking away. During her three years abroad, many pursued her, including persistent young men like Su Cheng, yet Fu Han felt no desire to fall in love.

    She didn¡¯t understand why she couldn¡¯t be like Nan Qing, willing to look at the scenery outside after being hurt, open to letting a new person enter her life.

    Even today, as she felt so distressed, her heart still only held He Xing.

    One of life¡¯s greatest tragedies is that after you¡¯ve seen a person¡¯s cruelty, even when you realize that being with them won¡¯t result in a fairytale ending, you still can¡¯t bring yourself to let go.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze had been fixed on Fu Han; watching the destion on her face grow more intense, his mood grew heavier. He could no longer concern himself with anything else, walking to Fu Han¡¯s side and saying softly, "Xiaohan, there are some things I want to talk to you about. Come outside with me for a moment."

    Fu Han slowly lifted her head; under the warm light, He Xing¡¯s face seemed to be gilded with ayer of gold, so warm. Yet his eyes shone with a cold light that reflected off ice, making one¡¯s heart tremble with fear.

    Warmth and indifference, the two extremes, were present in He Xing¡¯s face like a yin-yang diagram, clear-cut ck and white without a hint of blending, yet harmoniously wless.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze once again fell towards the kitchen where the sounds of running water and conversation between a man and a woman mingled, filled with warmth.

    Her heart seemed to soften somewhat, and she nodded, slowly getting up, "You go ahead and wait for me, I¡¯ll get changed ande down."

    When she left in the morning, Fu Han had misjudged the temperature, thinking it wouldn¡¯t be cold with the sun out. But by the time she finished work at dusk, the sun had set, and the force of winter in City A made itself felt.

    He Xing nodded and went out first. Fu Han returned to her room and rummaged through her closet, finding a long ck down jacket.

    After putting on the jacket, she checked herself in the mirror. The beige sweater and ck down jacket were a perfect match, except her face was too pale,bined with her ck hair, she might be mistaken for a female ghost at night?

    After thinking it over, Fu Han applied a bit of rouge to her cheeks and a thinyer of lipstick, making her overall appearance much healthier.

    She had already reached the doorway, ready to change her shoes, when she decided it was better to let Nan Qing know, "Nan Qing, I... I have something to deal with downstairs, I¡¯ll be back in a bit."

    Nan Qing nodded and smiled, "Alright, I know."

    As Fu Han bent over to put on herst shoe, Nan Qing suddenly ran over to her side, whispering in her ear, "Fu Han, as long as two people love each other, there¡¯s no conflict that can¡¯t be resolved. So you two should have a good talk, clear things up, don¡¯t fight, okay?"

    After a pause, Nan Qing spoke again, "And... Fu Han, don¡¯t think I¡¯m meddling, but I can tell He Xing really cares about you. So if it¡¯s not a serious issue, you should forgive him. Finding someone who truly wants to love you is not easy."

 Chapter 529 - 530: He who Carries His Own Radiance

    <h4>Chapter 529: Chapter 530: He who Carries His Own Radiance</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han looked up and immediately saw the concern in Nan Qing¡¯s eyes that she couldn¡¯t hide. Her heart softened, and she nodded, "I know."

    Turns out even though Nan Qing never asked her about it, she still knew there was a problem between her and He Xing. And now, Nan Qing came to advise her with such worry. Real emotions and pretense, you really can tell them apart at a nce.

    Fu Han went downstairs, outside the main door was a simple garden built in the middle of themunity: a pavilion, a small square, awn, and some very ordinary flowers and nts.

    At first nce, she didn¡¯t see He Xing and wondered where on earth he might be.

    It was only after she thoroughly scanned the surroundings that she found He Xing sitting in the pavilion, leaning against the railing, his head slightly tilted as if lost in thought.

    The hazy light mixed with the ambient glow fell on He Xing, making him appear as if he radiated his own soft, albeit not intense, light that gave a warm strength.

    Mysteriously, Fu Han¡¯s heart grew tender, or to be precise, it softened after she heard those two sentences from Nan Qing.

    Step by step she walked toward He Xing. The closer she got to him, the more she felt like she was walking down the aisle; the unfinished wedding ceremony with He Xing once again surfaced in Fu Han¡¯s mind. If only she could have suppressed the grievances in her heart then andpleted the wedding.

    But in reality, as time went by, Fu Han had already made it clear that, as long as she was Fu Han, she would definitely not marry He Xing that day.

    Her view on love would never change: take it or leave it forever; and her eyes could tolerate no deceit. He Xing¡¯s behavior at the time was no different from wedding fraud. How could she still let him deceive her when she already knew?

    "Xiaohan, you¡¯re here?" He Xing¡¯s deep voice rang out, like wind brushing through leaves, a gentle and textured rustling sound drifting over.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt like it was cradled by a pair of warm hands, warmed in an instant.

    She nodded, thinking where she should sit. No matter whether they were to discuss matters or not, Fu Han didn¡¯t want to sit next to He Xing.

    To her surprise, He Xing suddenly stood up. He pulled Fu Han over and made her sit where he had been sitting, "This seat is warmed up, it¡¯s better for you to sit here."

    Fu Han finally remembered that the seats inside the pavilion were made of marble, which was fine for summer but extremely cold in winter. Many elderly people would even bring a cushion to prevent the cold when they came out for walks and needed to sit and rest.

    She nodded obediently and sat down, feeling the warmth growing inside her.

    He Xing settled himself less than ten centimeters away from Fu Han. This distance was neither too far nor too close. One could deliberately avoid the other, or sit close if desired.

    Fu Han seemed to show nothing on the surface, but she felt likeughing inside. She hadn¡¯t expected He Xing to be like this, wanting to get close yet cautiously maintaining an outward calm. His little thoughts were quite endearing.

    A gust of wind blew by. The wind in winter is always particrly cold, especially when the rustling sound of the wind passing through the trees made it feel even more bone-chilling.

    Seeing that Fu Han didn¡¯t seem inclined to speak, He Xing cleared his throat and slowly began, "Xiaohan, I need to apologize to you. I was a bit harsh when I spoke with you today, please don¡¯t be angry."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyelids lifted slightly, and she looked at He Xing with a hint of confusion. Honestly, she hadn¡¯t expected He Xing to be so direct.

    On the other side, He Xing waited for a while without getting a response from Fu Han. His heart was uneasy, and he couldn¡¯t help speaking again, "Xiaohan, it¡¯s not what I meant. I know Xia Ning can be quite willful at times, but she..."

    At this point, He Xing sighed, continuing with a tone that had both helplessness and a touch of impatience, "Sometimes I¡¯m also angry at what Xia Ning does, but Aunt Du Wanting is innocent. If she knew her daughter was missing her, she would be very happy. So you... I mean..."

    Fu Han had been silent before as she was thinking about how to respond to He Xing. But now, hearing what he said, she truly didn¡¯t want to answer.

    She looked at He Xing with eyes that were starting to fill with anger, but she was trying her best to suppress it.

    "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve said everything I want to say. Do you have anything you¡¯d like to say? Please tell me," He Xing said. Without getting a response from Fu Han, he became slightly irritable, his eyebrows furrowing.

    Fu Han tilted her head and looked at He Xing, voicing her first sentence sinceing down, "Alright, I understand what you mean."

    "And then?" He Xing stared at Fu Han with wide eyes, for the first time showing a look of shock on his face.

    "And then?" Fu Han¡¯s lips curved into a smile, "What else? We are all independent individuals, and everyone has their own opinions, which is normal. Grown-ups don¡¯t need to think about convincing others; what we need to do is convince ourselves to ept other people¡¯s points of view."

    A low sigh escaped from He Xing¡¯s lips, and in an instant, it seemed like mes were about to burst forth from his eyes, but he hid them away.

    A few secondster, his calm voice rang out again, "So I can interpret that you¡¯re convincing yourself to ept my point of view, right?"

    "Right," Fu Han nodded, her beautiful face expressionless, all the more radiant like a cold plum blossom.

    He Xing¡¯s hand resting on his knee slightly curved as he asked calmly, still coughing, "So, have you convinced yourself to ept my point of view?"

    Fu Han¡¯s lips curled up slightly, her smile somewhat mocking as she looked at He Xing, her words firm, "No!"

    Wrinkles crawled like serpents in the night along He Xing¡¯s trousers, and the prominent knuckles of his fingers showed tensely pulsing veins.

    Time ticked on, and Fu Han and He Xing faced each other in silence. The air seemed to be filled with invisible sparks flying¡ªa battle of wills, each eroding the other¡¯s defenses.

    In retrospect, this was probably the first time Fu Han had confronted He Xing from such a close distance. Under He Xing¡¯s immense pressure, she felt almost unable to breathe.

    Her hands clenched tightly into fists, her sharp nails pressing against her palms, as if drawing strength from an unseen source, forcing herself not to give in despite her exhaustion.

    How much time had passed, He Xing sighed deeply again, "Alright, Fu Han, I respect your decision."

    Truth be told, if He Xing had said anything else, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t be as angry as she was at that moment. Just the tone of his voice made her feel like she could explode on the spot.

 Chapter 530 - 531: Solving Problems by Escaping

    <h4>Chapter 530: Chapter 531: Solving Problems by Escaping</h4><h4></h4>

    Yet Fu Han still did not explode directly. Instead, she asked in a tone that didn¡¯t sound very friendly, "So He Xing, have you convinced yourself to ept my point of view?"

    This was thest chance Fu Han gave He Xing.

    If He Xing¡¯s answer was affirmative, she would definitely be willing to give He Xing another chance.

    Seconds went by and He Xing¡¯s voice, as calm as ever, began to ring out, "No!"

    At that moment, Fu Han¡¯splexion turned as pale as snow, and even her blush could not redeem a hint of color. Paired with her luscious red lips, she resembled a solitary traveler wandering alone in the darkness of night.

    Perhaps it was He Xing who noticed Fu Han¡¯s pallor. He cleared his throat and spoke again, attempting to exin, "Xiaohan, what I mean is, my thoughts are correct. A daughter missing her deceased mother is not wrong, and you never use your parents to prod Grandpa¡¯s wounds. You¡¯ve done well; but you can¡¯t expect everyone to act as excellently as you do."

    "Heh..." The anger in Fu Han¡¯s heart finally burst forth. She snorted coldly and said without politeness, "That¡¯s reallyughable. So you think what I do is right, but you don¡¯t think Xia Ning is wrong, is that what you mean?"

    He Xing¡¯s face was also not looking good, but he still tried to speak as calmly as possible, "Yes."

    Another gust of cold wind blew past, and Fu Han felt icy cold all over, as if she were surrounded by blocks of ice.

    She snorted coldly, herughter floating in the quiet of the night, "How funny. So this is basically ¡¯the squeaky wheel gets the grease,¡¯ right? The sensible are to be ignored, and the unreasonable can make endless demands."

    "Xiaohan, why would you say that?" He Xing tried to reach out and grab Fu Han¡¯s hand, "I have never indulged Xia Ning¡¯s unreasonable demands. I¡¯m just saying that I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong for her to talk about her mother in front of me."

    "Never satisfied her unreasonable demands?" These words were like a fuse, sessfully igniting the balloon of anger about to explode in Fu Han¡¯s heart, "Previously when I asked you to go to the movies with me, you said you had to work. But when Xia Ning needed you to apany her for a check-up, you were able to skip work?"

    "How can those be the same?" He Xing sighed, feeling as if he were tangled in a mess. Driven by sharp intuition, he grasped the crux of the issue, "Movie showings are avable all the time; they don¡¯t have to interrupt work hours. But after my workday ends, many hospital departments are already closed. How could we go for the check-up then?"

    "That sounds very reasonable." Fu Hanughed coldly again, shaking with anger but her thoughts umonly clear, "How hrious. So watching a movie can be done anytime, but hospital check-ups must be with you apanying her, right? No matter what, I¡¯m always the one who can be rearranged, and Xia Ning is the one who must be amodated."

    "Xiaohan, calm down a bit," He Xing, who had tried to grasp Fu Han¡¯s hand, had it shaken off. Now he firmly took hold of Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, "Xiaohan, you know that¡¯s not what I mean. Think about it. The person I like is you. Isn¡¯t that enough?"

    "Enough, He Xing, enough!" Fu Han didn¡¯t know where her strength came from, but she raised her hands and broke free from He Xing¡¯s hold, her beautiful face undisguised with anger, "He Xing, it seems I should feel satisfied, right? You like me and not Xia Ning, so to be fair, you indulge Xia Ning and not me. I should give way to Xia Ning and notpete with her for attention and jealousy. That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, isn¡¯t it?"

    "I..." He Xing instinctively wanted to argue, but the words "no" reached his lips and he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to say them.

    He suddenly realized that if he understood it the way Fu Han meant, she was indeed not wrong to say so.

    But that was not right. He Xing had never ced Xia Ning on the same level as Fu Han; he looked down and tried to speak to her.

    But Fu Han had already spoken again, "He Xing, that¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t need to exin so much anymore. You think by choosing me over Xia Ning, you¡¯re giving me your pity. Therefore, correspondingly, I should give way to Xia Ning to be fair. But He Xing, I do like you, that¡¯s true. But have I ever demanded that you must like me? I never have before, and I never will in the future."

    These words resonated as theynded, echoing without being blown away by the winter wind.

    He Xing¡¯splexion was already pale, but at this moment it seemed even paler than the moon above, with faint veins visible beneath the skin.

    Fu Han took steps toward the Pavilion¡¯s exit, her heart breaking with each step, as if she were stepping on her own heart.

    After a few steps, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning back, she saw He Xing following her. Just three steps away, less than a meter, so close yet so distant, like two different worlds.

    Seeing that Fu Han had stopped, He Xing also immediately halted. His emotions now calm, he spoke like oneforting a child, "Xiaohan, I know you¡¯re upset now. Let¡¯s not talk about this issue. I¡¯ll take you home now, okay? We can talk about this matterter."

    Escape, escape, always escape. It seemed that whenever they faced irreconcble conflicts, He Xing¡¯s trump card was always "we¡¯ll talk about itter."

    Fu Han truly couldn¡¯t describe her feelings with words¡ªshe had made her points so clear, yet He Xing still hadn¡¯t directly responded to her, always beating around the bush.

    It felt as if you threw a punch, only to find in the end that you had hit cotton¡ªpointless.

    If Fu Han had to choose, she would rather argue vehemently with He Xing so they could clear the air, instead of burying the conflict in their hearts.

    Another cold breeze swept through, the rustling of the leaves sounding like whispered voices.

    The boiling blood in Fu Han¡¯s veins cooled with the chill wind, and the rage on her face receded like a tide, leaving her expressionless.

    Only in her teary autumn eyes was there a trace of reluctant disappointment, "He Xing, we don¡¯t need to discuss this issue anymore. I¡¯ve seen it clearly enough¡ªwithout Xia Ning, we are the couple with the best rtionship in the world. But once Xia Ning is involved, whenever Xia Ning has any issues, as soon as Xia Ning mentions her mother, you¡¯ll undoubtedly follow her and leave me behind, without principles or boundaries. Will you never change in this, absolutely?"

    "I..." He Xing knew he had to say something. He started speaking with difficulty, trying as much as possible to remain calm, "Fu Han, it¡¯s not like that. In my heart, you are the most important. But we also have to understand the context, right? Like today, I already dined with you; apanying Xia Ning for the check-up didn¡¯t affect you in any way."

 Chapter 531 - 532: Donâ€™t Want to Hear Anymore

    <h4>Chapter 531: Chapter 532: Don¡¯t Want to Hear Anymore</h4><h4></h4>

    "No impact at all?" The wind was too strong, and Fu Han¡¯s eyes were on the verge of tearing up at any moment. She blinked hard twice, not wanting to appear so disheveled in front of He Xing: "He Xing, you think your actions have no impact on me now, but I hope that when the tables are turned one day, you¡¯ll also remain unchanged in how you¡¯re feeling right now."

    After saying that, Fu Han didn¡¯t stay any longer, turning around and heading straight for the main door on the first floor.

    One of her feet had already stepped inside when she turned back, holding the ss door, to say to He Xing, "I will be staying here for a bit, and I will call Grandpa myself to let him know. As for you, I hope you won¡¯t have the shamelessness to live across from me anymore¡ªI don¡¯t want to see you now."

    With a click, the ss door closed, perfectly sealed, not even a sliver of wind could pass through. She didn¡¯t know whether He Xing had said anything, and even if he had, she no longer wanted to hear it.

    Tears welled up and streamed down her face unrestrained, like pearls slipping from a broken thread. Fortunately, there was no one else in the elevator to witness Fu Han¡¯s current state of disarray.

    She wished she could stop crying before she got back to her room, but now she had lost control over her own body. She was like a person made of water¡ªher tears would be wiped away, only to immediately be reced by new ones.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t want Nan Qing to see her crying. Nan Qing was happily looking forward to bringing Wang Yixuan to meet her parents the next day, eagerly anticipating their uing wedding and the fruit of their love; Fu Han didn¡¯t want to dampen Nan Qing¡¯s happiness because of herself.

    She had reached the 22nd floor, but she didn¡¯t feel like going in, so she simply hid in the safety stairwell at the end of the corridor and sat there. There was only a dim, yellow light above the safety door. She couldn¡¯t see if the stairs were clean or not, but it hardly mattered at this point¡ªwho would still care about cleanliness?

    Fu Han took out her phone and painstakingly typed out a message to Grandpa. If she didn¡¯t return, he would not sleep, no matter howte it got, so she had to exin herself clearly to him.

    But she wouldn¡¯t say that the main reason she wasn¡¯t going back was because of a fight with He Xing. She simply said that Nan Qing had asked for her help to stay and keep herpany for a while. She knew that if she put it that way, Grandpa would surely not be angry.

    As expected, Grandpa instantly sent a voice message, telling Fu Han to take care of herself, to call if there was anything, and to visit him when she had the time.

    Fu Han dared not send a voice message because Grandpa would surely realize she was crying, so she could only type.

    ...

    He Xing stood outside the ss door on the first floor, watching as that slender figure gradually disappeared into the distance. He saw Fu Han enter the elevator without looking back, his frown deepening, not understanding what had gone wrong exactly.

    "How much longer do you n to stand here?" A familiar voice tinged with a hint of strangeness chimed in behind He Xing.

    He Xing slowly turned around and indeed saw an old acquaintance, Ji Liangchuan.

    At this moment, Ji Liangchuan was standing three meters away under a tree. Under the shelter of the tree shade, if you didn¡¯t look carefully, you might not even notice him.

    "What are you doing here?" He Xing¡¯s frown tightened, his voice tinged with mild confusion.

    Ji Liangchuan was pursuing Fu Han now, so He Xing had people watching him, but his informants hadn¡¯t told He Xing about Ji Liangchuan¡¯s return to the country.

    Ji Liangchuan smiled, hisrge, peach-blossom eyes slightly curving, as attractive as the bright moon above, his words equally gentle, "Of course, I am here because of Fu Han. I¡¯m pursuing her, so I am where she is."

    This statement almost instantly ignited He Xing¡¯s fury. He red at Ji Liangchuan, his voice filled with anger, "What exactly do you want? I¡¯ve told you I will never allow you to get near Fu Han. She is not someone else¡¯s recement."

    "You disapprove?" Ji Liangchuanughed, his face full of scorn, "On what grounds do you disapprove? Who do you think you are to Fu Han? In the end, you¡¯re just one of her suitors, like me."

    The final words "like me" echoed loudly, as if Ji Liangchuan was afraid He Xing wouldn¡¯t hear them.

    Indeed, He Xing¡¯s face grew furious, he said nothing but started walking towards Ji Liangchuan, each step increasing his imposing aura.

    Facing such an aura, Ji Liangchuan remained unusually calm, slightly raising his eyelids to look at He Xing, "We are all adults here; surely we won¡¯t resort to something as uncultured as fighting to resolve our differences, right?"

    He Xing scoffed rudely, "Fighting? I won¡¯t fight with you, because in my heart, you¡¯re not even as threatening as Su Cheng."

    After saying that, He Xing didn¡¯t linger any longer, walking past Ji Liangchuan and heading straight for his car.

    Ji Liangchuan clenched and then released his hand resting at his waist, his teeth even leaving a clear bite mark on his lips. A few secondster, a glint of cold light shed in his eyes as he stomped his foot and ran after He Xing. "He Xing, how about we have a drink and settle this once and for all? Whoever wins can demand one thing from the other."

    "Why should I drink with you?" He Xing¡¯s car door was already open, he supported himself on it and said coldly, "The wife of a friend is off-limits. You¡¯ve known all along I want nobody but Fu Han, yet you still wish to intervene. From that moment on, you lost the right to have a drink with me."

    The coldness in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes intensified, he scoffed and spoke again, "What if I tell you that if you drink me under the table, I¡¯ll never pester Fu Han again?"

    He Xing, who had already been bending down ready to get into the car, heard this and emerged again, looking at Ji Liangchuan with skepticism, "Are you serious?"

    "Of course." A proud look appeared on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s handsome face, "It¡¯s wrong to steal someone¡¯s love, but I truly like Fu Han. Or if you think you can¡¯t outdrink me, I won¡¯t ask you to stop pursuing Fu Han; I will only ask you topete fairly with me."

    Already frustrated, He Xing had been nning to find a ce to have a good drink today anyway. Now with stakes involved, he figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to deal with Ji Liangchuan, an irritating opponent.

    No, to be precise, Ji Liangchuan was not really an opponent for He Xing; his presence only served as proof of how blind He Xing had been in the past to have befriended such a person.

    The Lamborghini moved slowly forward, the light from streetmps shining on the window ss, with He Xing¡¯s face flickering between light and shadow, at times radiant like a deity, at other times dim like a noble vampire.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s car followed He Xing¡¯s, as they had agreed earlier to go to Ji Liangchuan¡¯s rose-colored bar topete in drinking prowess.

    He Xing didn¡¯t care where they drank; his alcohol tolerance was on par with Ji Liangchuan¡¯s, so the oue was anyone¡¯s guess.

 Chapter 532 - 533: Men Competing in a Drinking Contest

    <h4>Chapter 532: Chapter 533: Men Competing in a Drinking Contest</h4><h4></h4>

    The cars on the road at night in winter were not many, and the contests between men always started unexpectedly. Just one second ago, Ji Liangchuan had overtaken He Xing, but in the next second, He Xing fiercely pressed the elerator and chased after him like lightning.

    The final result was that they arrived in less than twenty minutes on a journey that would normally take half an hour.

    Now was the busiest time for the bars, with Peach Blossom Bar bustling with people, men and women energetically moving their bodies on the dance floor. Despite the winter season, they were dressed as coolly as in summer.

    The blinding lights shed wildly, making the exaggerated expressions of the men and women look like demons and monsters, making one feel as if this was a gathering ce for evil spirits.

    Upon entering, He Xing frowned, disliking the ce. However, it seemed that aside from such ces, there was nowhere else to have a drinkingpetition.

    As soon as Ji Liangchuan walked in, he was surrounded by a crowd, mainly scantily d beauties. These beauties swarmed him like bees to a flower, almost tearing him apart in their eagerness.

    The title of "Nightclub Prince" was well-deserved as Ji Liangchuan¡¯s arrival almost stole the attention of half the crowd, many of whom didn¡¯t hesitate to shove drinks into his hands.

    Although He Xing also attracted a lot of attention when entering, he exuded a standoffishness that kept people at bay, and his face carried an ascetic quality that even if one fostered inappropriate thoughts, they wouldn¡¯t dare actually approach him.

    He Xing, with the crowd¡¯s gaze upon him, walked to the table closest to the bar, and a staff member immediately came over to clear the empty bottles and such from the table.

    He leaned against the sofa, watching in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s direction. In this short time, Ji Liangchuan had already consumed five beers, yet appeared unfazed.

    However, no matter how much beer one drinks, it¡¯s not easy to get drunk. He Xing knew this too, so seeing Ji Liangchuan steadily drinking beer, he didn¡¯t feel at an advantage. Had Ji Liangchuan been drinking Vodka, perhaps He Xing would have felt thepetition was uneven.

    Ten minutes passed and Ji Liangchuan finally came to sit opposite He Xing. He pped his hands and a staff member approached. Soon, two cases of Vodka were delivered to them, one case at each person¡¯s feet.

    Ji Liangchuan swiftly grabbed a bottle from his case, opened it without a word, and began drinking heavily. In the blink of an eye, almost half the bottle of Vodka was gone.

    He Xing was somewhat surprised; he faintly felt that Ji Liangchuan might have deliberately concealed his alcohol tolerance before.

    With most of the Vodka bottle now on the table, Ji Liangchuan looked at He Xing with significant meaning and raised his eyebrows, "What¡¯s the matter, you don¡¯t like Vodka?"

    "I haven¡¯t eaten dinner, I don¡¯t like drinking on an empty stomach," He Xing replied indifferently. He curled a finger and tapped the table, saying coldly, "Aren¡¯t you going to order some appetizers? Or do you n on us both ending up with our guts rotted from drinking?"

    "Always such a fuss," Ji Liangchuan grumbled, but still instructed the staff to prepare some dishes.

    He Xing¡¯s hands, distinct in bone structure, looked exceptionally attractive under the flickering lights. He took a Vodka bottle in one hand and an opener in the other, and with a crisp sound, the bottle cap traced a beautiful arc through the air and flew off into the distance.

    He spun the jug in front of him, first filling up the small liquor jug and then pouring a cup into the little ss.

    Vodka had a high proof and was easy to get drunk on, especially when drunk fervently. Not only did it easily intoxicate, but it was also harsh on the stomach.

    He brought the small ss to his nose and sniffed, then tilted his head back slightly and downed it in one go, feeling a spicy sensation flooding his lips, sliding down his throat, reaching his stomach in the end.

    With just that one sip, He Xing acutely felt that his alcohol tolerance was off that day, and to beat Ji Liangchuan, he should drink even more carefully.

    Meanwhile, Ji Liangchuan drank like it was water. After another swig, half a bottle of Vodka was gone in the blink of an eye.

    He drank without using a small jug or a ss, simply blowing into the bottle. Watching him, one might truly think his drink was non-alcoholic.

    Proudly waving the half-empty bottle, Ji Liangchuan taunted He Xing, "You drink like a woman doing embroidery¡ªso slow. Are you nning to drink all night long?"

    At that moment, a staff member arrived with tes of snacks, filling the table with an array of foods: peanuts for drinkers, broad beans, lemon chicken feet, duck necks and corbones, and even a variety of grilled items.

    He Xing said thank you and began to pick at the food leisurely with chopsticks, his movements as elegant as if he were dining on the rarest delicacies.

    It seemed he possessed a kind of magic that made even the most ordinary things extraordinary once associated with him.

    At the moment, although He Xing was sitting in a noisy bar, one would feel as if he were seated in a high-end club.

    He had an innate nobility radiating from within, powerful enough to influence his surroundings.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s aura was entirely different from He Xing¡¯s. He possessed an equally powerful trait: no matter the environment, he could always blend in perfectly.

    If he were in a high-end club, he would be Upper-ss Society¡¯s young master; if he were in a nightclub, he would be the Prince of the Night.

    Both of them had their own impact¡ªone affecting the environment and the other weed by the environment. It was hard to say who was more charismatic.

    He Xing ate and drank in tandem. Now that he had somete-night snacks as a base, he no longer found Vodka hard to swallow. On the contrary, he drank more and more, gradually surpassing Ji Liangchuan.

    Though Ji Liangchuan started off drinking fiercely, after an entire bottle of Vodka on an empty stomach, he didn¡¯t show any outward signs of difort, just hisplexion was a bit paler than before.

    But after all, it was Ji Liangchuan, who had drunk more liquor than water in the first half of his life; how could this amount of alcohol faze him?

    After resting for just a few minutes, he could once again guzzle down half a bottle in gulps. Having finished thest sip from the bottle, he already had three empty bottles by his side.

    He Xing smoothly opened his fourth bottle. He quickly grabbed three skewers of beef and began eating, some residue smudging the corners of his mouth from eating too quickly, yet this only added to his untamed, aristocratic charm.

    "Is the food from my bar this delicious?" Ji Liangchuan said as he also took a Lamb Skewer and started eating. After one skewer, he felt the tumultuous feeling in his stomach subside considerably, and he eagerly took another to continue eating.

 Chapter 533 - 534: Will Not Be Fooled Again

    <h4>Chapter 533: Chapter 534: Will Not Be Fooled Again</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s stomach was already full, although he wasn¡¯t drunk yet, he was struggling to drink any more. He leaned slightly back, hesitating whether to continue drinking.

    He watched Ji Liangchuan gobbling down barbeque with a sneer in his heart. This guy had previously mocked him for needing to eat something with his drinks. Now it looked like he was about to give in, which is why he reached for food to settle his stomach.

    With that thought, He Xing felt quite pleased with himself. He smiled and was about to pour himself another drink when suddenly, a tumultuous wave surged within his stomach. If he hadn¡¯t covered his mouth with his hand, he feared he might have vomited on the spot.

    Ji Liangchuan, with his sharp eyes, caught sight of He Xing¡¯s embarrassing moment. Pointing at He Xing, he burst intoughter, "That¡¯s so embarrassing, He Xing. Are you going to vomit? Go ahead if you need to. Either way, you won¡¯t beat me."

    Who would have thought that no sooner had the words left his mouth, Ji Liangchuan himself threw up, in a worse state than He Xing.

    One after the other, they rushed toward the restroom, vomiting so violently it was as if they were about to bring up their bile.

    He Xing finished first. He rinsed his mouth with water and washed his face under the faucet with cold water, feeling much more refreshed. Indeed, vomiting had made him feel much better.

    Looking down from his height at Ji Liangchuan not far away, who was still hugging the toilet and vomiting ceaselessly, his stomach seemed like a bottomless pit.

    Pleased with himself, He Xing spoke in a chilly tone, "Ji Liangchuan, if you can¡¯t drink, then just quit. Giving up on pursuing Fu Han is a good thing. No matter how you chase her, she will never like you, so whether you pursue her or not really makes no difference."

    On hearing this, Ji Liangchuan seemed to suddenly gain tremendous energy. He abruptly stood up, his eyes wide as bells, "We both vomited; neither of us is better than the other. What right do you have to judge me? Let¡¯s go back and continue drinking. I want to see on what grounds you think you can outdrink me."

    "Then just wait and see," said He Xing, now brimming with confidence. He had just checked hisplexion in the mirror. Though pale, his face was still a bit better than Ji Liangchuan¡¯s, whose paleness made him look like he was about to go meet Yama at any moment.

    They walked back to the lobby, one after the other, still turning heads all the way. However, with "do not disturb" written all over He Xing¡¯s face, no one dared to bother him; but Ji Liangchuan was flirting with everyone he met as if they were all his boyfriends and girlfriends.

    Because people were greeting him, he fell a few meters behind He Xing; but he believed He Xing would not expect that he was doing so deliberately.

    At the corner of the corridor, he encountered a waiter. He whispered to the staff member, "Is it done?"

    The waiter replied right away, "All set, please rest assured."

    Those words seemed to work magic, energizing Ji Liangchuan instantly. He no longer felt a stomach ache and even believed he could drink even more Vodka.

    When he returned to his original position, He Xing was staring nkly at the bottle of booze in front of him. He picked up the bottle, looked at it, sniffed it, then pushed the bottle towards Ji Liangchuan, "I opened this bottle but didn¡¯t drink from it. Here, it¡¯s yours; you get your staff to bring two more bottles of Vodka over. That way, we¡¯ll be even."

    "Why?" Ji Liangchuan frowned deeply, pushing the bottle of Vodka back to He Xing, "You¡¯re the one who opened it. What are you worried about? We agreed on a crate each, let¡¯s finish the crate first."

    Initially, He Xing¡¯s eyes showed concern, but seeing Ji Liangchuan¡¯s reaction, his belief only strengthened. His voice cutting like ice, "Why? Do you think I¡¯m some greenhorn who¡¯s never been out in the real world? We were only gone for a few minutes. If someone added something to my bottle in that time, couldn¡¯t I suspect you instigated it?"

    "What did you say?" Ji Liangchuan got up quickly, looming over He Xing, "He Xing, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, is this what you think of me?"

    Their argument attracted a crowd. There¡¯s nothing a bar fears more than trouble, and for those whoe to bars to drink and enjoy themselves, witnessing a bar fight is like getting more than their money¡¯s worth, right?

    He Xing¡¯s gaze swept coldly across the crowd, and he handed the opened bottle of Vodka to Ji Liangchuan once more. "All your words are useless. Drink up this bottle, or I have every right to suspect you of cheating."

    Whistling erupted, someone in the crowd leading the chant followed by many others shouting, "Drink! Drink! Drink!"

    A flush crept up Ji Liangchuan¡¯s cheeks. For the first time, he experienced what it meant to be caught between a rock and a hard ce, what it felt like when stealing chickens does not lead to the gain of rice.

    The current scene before him was something he hadn¡¯t anticipated, nor had he foreseen He Xing¡¯s vignce.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s brain was whirring at full speed, but the audience was growingrger, the crowd¡¯s voices nearly flipping the roof off.

    Suddenly, a loud "smack" resounded. Bottles shattered, a rich aroma of alcohol wafting through the poorly ventted bar.

    Ji Liangchuan had just seized the bottle from He Xing¡¯s hands and smashed it to the ground, his eyes unusuallyrge as he looked at He Xing, not hiding his anger, "You suspect me of unfair y. Now I¡¯ll have someone bring you an unopened bottle of Vodka, okay?"

    "Of course that¡¯s not a problem." Compared to his anger, He Xing, speaking with a cool demeanor, almost seemed refreshing.

    They took their seats once more, this time surrounded by a horde of onlookers. The crowd had learned they were betting on alcohol, and the stakes included a woman; who wouldn¡¯t be curious to see the oue of a normal alcohol consumption PK?

    He Xing sat casually in his original spot. He took a bottle of Vodka from the crate, carefully checking the seal all over to ensure the bottle had not been opened before, before he felt a bit relieved.

    Just a few days ago, he had been tricked by a cup of coffee, so this time he was not going to be fooled again; therefore, before heading to vomit, He Xing had carefully noted the position of the bottle¡¯sbel, and on his return, he found the logo was facing the wrong way, which meant someone had tampered with it.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s reaction just then had confirmed He Xing¡¯s suspicion.

    In high spirits, He Xing naturally performed well. This time he finished a bottle first, and even when Ji Liangchuan was halfway through his third, He Xing had already taken amanding lead.

 Chapter 534 - 535: The Contest of Alcohol Tolerance

    <h4>Chapter 534: Chapter 535: The Contest of Alcohol Tolerance</h4><h4></h4>

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s anger grew stronger by the second, and as he chewed on peanut kernels, it seemed as though he was eating He Xing¡¯s flesh, his hatred vast and overwhelming.

    What infuriated him most was the barely perceptible sneer at the corner of He Xing¡¯s eyes and brows¡ªit was more unbearable than if He Xing had killed Ji Liangchuan.

    His memory drifted back to their childhood. Ji Liangchuan clearly remembered when He Xing transferred into their ss while he was in the fourth grade, and he even vividly recalled the scene when the homeroom teacher led He Xing into the ssroom.

    It was autumn then, and school had already been in session for over a week.

    It had been raining continuously for several days, washing the leaves outside the ssroom spotlessly clean, green as gems; yet the sky remained foggy, and although it was morning, the ssroom lights were still on, bright and clear¡ªJi Liangchuan could see the dandruff sprinkled atop a female ssmate¡¯s head in front of him.

    His seat was right in the middle of the ssroom, the best spot, and his ssmates always clustered around him like stars around the moon, after all, he was the most handsome boy in the ss¡ªno, even the girls weren¡¯t as good-looking as him.

    Therefore, many wanted to be his desk mate; some girls even fought over it, which led the teacher to decide that Ji Liangchuan¡¯s desk partner¡¯s spot would remain empty.

    The bell for ss rang, and the group of students surrounding Ji Liangchuan finally dispersed back to their seats; the mask-like fake smile on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face also disappeared, and he pulled out wet wipes to clean the desk meticulously.

    He had OCD, not wanting to touch ces others had been, yet he relished the feeling of being the center of attention, so some sacrifices had to be made.

    The sound of high heels echoed, signaling the arrival of the homeroom teacher, whom Ji Liangchuan could barely tolerate for her demeanor rather than her looks.

    He pulled the books he needed for ss out of his bag, adopting the facade of a dutiful student as he looked up toward the ssroom door, only to see He Xing following behind the teacher.

    The ssroom, which had quieted at the bell, erupted in excitement, especially among the girls, whose eyes almost popped out in their agitation.

    And less than a minute before, all these girls had been circling him like flies, but now...

    The young Ji Liangchuan clenched his fists tightly, faintly hearing the grinding of his teeth. Once he managed to control his emotions, he then earnestly scrutinized the boy following behind the teacher.

    He wore the school uniform, identical to all the other students¡¯, with ck pants, a white shirt, a burgundy tie, and ck leather shoes.

    Ji Liangchuan had privately mocked how ugly the uniform was countless times, dismissing the so-called aristocratic school as nothing special. Yet, at that moment, as he looked at He Xing, he felt as though that uniform looked like it was tailormade for him, inexplicably attractive.

    Back then, his knowledge was limited, and hispliments could only be expressed in simple words because he believed he was the most attractive person in the world. He only needed to bask in others¡¯ praise and didn¡¯t need topliment anyone else.

    But upon seeing He Xing, he felt he was wrong¡ªHe Xing was the most beautiful person in the world, with eyebrows dark as ink, eyes brighter than incandescent bulbs, a defined nose, thin yet vividly red lips, a perfect facial structure matched with fair skin, and a tall, erect posture; it was only natural for the girls in the ss to scream for him.

    He Xing, also a fourth-grade student, stood beside the homeroom teacher, not much shorter than her; Ji Liangchuan remembered being half a head shorter than the teacher. Height was the most significant concern for men, and that made Ji Liangchuan¡¯s mood worsen even more.

    The homeroom teacher rapped on the lectern, silencing all the students, but the excitement on their faces was unmistakable.

    "Students, we have a new ssmate joining us today. I hope that you can all get along with the new student and work together to learn and improve," she said.

    After delivering her message, she turned to He Xing and prompted, "He Xing, please introduce yourself."

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s homeroom teacher was very young, having just graduated from university. Maybe because she was a young woman, and fearing she wouldn¡¯tmand respect among these older children, she always acted quite strict.

    But now, she addressed He Xing with unusual gentleness, her caring gaze resembling one that looks upon a younger brother; the group of students below stared in amazement, not expecting their homeroom teacher to have such tender moments.

    He Xing looked emotionlessly at his new ssmates and stated coolly, "Hello, my name is He Xing."

    After a moment, the homeroom teacher, not receiving more from him, gently prodded, "He Xing, you can share more about yourself, like your hobbies or interests. That will help you make friends faster."

    "I don¡¯t have much to say," replied He Xing, his youthful face masking an iceberg¡¯s demeanor as he coldly said to the teacher, "May I know where my seat is?"

    The homeroom teacher¡¯s warm approach met a cold shoulder, making her somewhat unable to save face. The smile on her face vanished, and behind the sses, her gaze coldly swept the ssroom in search of an empty seat.

    The students all feared this homeroom teacher and, by tacit agreement, lowered their heads, not daring to meet the teacher¡¯s eye.

    Only Ji Liangchuan wasn¡¯t afraid of the teacher at all; he leaned back in his chair, his gaze on her clearly filled with schadenfreude.

    The teacher¡¯s expression darkened further as she pointed coldly to Ji Liangchuan¡¯s seat and said, "He Xing, you will sit there."

    He Xing followed where the teacher was pointing, marking the first exchange of nces between him and Ji Liangchuan¡ªtheir calm, steady gazes were asposed as those of grown adults.

    Desk mates¡ªthis was where the fate of Ji Liangchuan and He Xing began.

    Initially, Ji Liangchuan held animosity toward He Xing. Since He Xing¡¯s arrival, the attention from both the boys and the girls in the ss shifted noticeably more towards He Xing than Ji Liangchuan.

    Although Ji Liangchuan never took his ssmates seriously, he was ustomed to being the center of attention and found the sudden fall from grace somewhat unsettling.

    Both of their dispositions were aloof, capable of not speaking for days on end.

    Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t speak because he could converse with others. His neighboring ssmates would chat with him every day, sparing him from boredom; but He Xing truly didn¡¯t speak. Although the students always paid attention to He Xing, they were afraid of him, seldom daring to converse with him.

    How their rtionship improved over time, Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t really know.

    He only knew that the teacher thought it was good for them to be desk mates. So, although the seating arrangement in their elementary ss changed countless times, He Xing and Ji Liangchuan were always desk mates. They were like anchors, invariably sitting in the center of the ssroom, their positions never altered.

 Chapter 535 - 536: Childhood Memories

    <h4>Chapter 535: Chapter 536: Childhood Memories</h4><h4></h4>

    Three years is enough time for even the most unfamiliar pair to be good friends, let alone when their desks have always stood side by side.

    During these three years, both He Xing and Ji Liangchuan received enough love letters to fill a truck, and actually, He Xing received even more than Ji Liangchuan.

    Then, Ji Liangchuan went abroad to an utterly unfamiliar ce, with neither parent by his side and everything having to be managed on his own, the onlypany being the Servant who came along to take care of him.

    Being young, Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t settle in very well and started to miss his time back in his home country. He tentatively sent He Xing an email and, to his surprise, got a reply.

    That was when their true friendship began. While Ji Liangchuan hadn¡¯tpletely adjusted to his new environment, he would always email He Xing. Although He Xing didn¡¯t reply to every message, he would respond once or twice a week.

    It was these weekly replies that gave Ji Liangchuan tremendous strength. He quickly adapted to his new environment, made new ssmates and friends, and remained just as popr as he was before.

    The habit of emailing He Xing continued, and in their exchanges, they shared opinions, discussed popr topics, and shared snippets of their lives.

    Gradually, they really started to consider each other friends.

    But now, they were no longer friends.

    His memories abruptly cut off, Ji Liangchuan grabbed the half-bottle of Vodka and began gulping it down. With each sip, he felt an unbearable pain in his throat and a burning in his stomach as if mes were engulfing it.

    He was already behind, but he couldn¡¯t admit defeat, not least until that person arrived; and he had to figure out how to slip the substance into He Xing¡¯s ss, especially after He Xing had refused the opened bottle of Vodka when they returned, even going as far as to rece both the ss and the decanter, excessively cautious.

    He didn¡¯t know how long had passed when suddenly a girl¡¯s voice rang out, "What are you guys doing, drinking so much?"

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s taut nerves rxed somewhat, and he looked in the direction of the voice, indeed seeing Xia Ning¡¯s contorted face.

    Taking advantage of He Xing¡¯s blind spot, Ji Liangchuan made a gesture to Xia Ning, signaling failure.

    The smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face instantly faded. Her eyes darted around as she sat down beside He Xing, "He Xing Brother, what are you doing, why are you drinking so much?"

    By this time, He Xing had already drunk half of his fourth bottle of Vodka, and his head felt fuzzy. At her question, he frowned lightly and said, "It¡¯s nothing. Ji Liangchuan and I have something going on, don¡¯t disturb us."

    For a moment, Xia Ning¡¯s face turned cold, but she quickly regained her smile, stuck out her tongue cutely, and said, "Okay, He Xing Brother, I won¡¯t bother you. Shall I pour you some Hangover Tea?"

    Without waiting for a reply, she dashed off toward the bar.

    Ji Liangchuan, who had been drinking quite a bit, stopped and said with a meaningful tone, "He Xing, I see that Xia Ning¡¯s dedication to you is no less than Fu Han¡¯s. Why don¡¯t you consider Xia Ning? After all, the Xia Family has saved your life twice. It wouldn¡¯t be too much to ask for a marriage in return, right?"

    He Xing¡¯s face turned utterly dark. He mmed down his ss and said coldly, "I see you¡¯re quite popr in this bar as well. Should you want a girlfriend, there¡¯d surely be plenty of options for you too. Why don¡¯t you just pick someone?"

    Now it was Ji Liangchuan¡¯s turn to look upset. His face darkened, and he said angrily, "How can these people bepared to Fu Han?"

    "So you know these people can¡¯tpare to Fu Han?" He Xing scoffed, his eyes resolute, "In my heart, Fu Han is one-of-a-kind, irreceable. She is the only one for me."

    "That¡¯s a coincidence, so am I," Ji Liangchuan retorted, a sly smile ying at his lips, firmness mingled with profound meaning.

    "Then let¡¯s not talk anymore and just drink," He Xing lifted his ss with a cold expression, "We agreed, whoever finishes the bottle of Vodka first wins. If you¡¯re going to keep sipping slowly, I have no interest in sticking around."

    He spoke calmly, but he belched just as he finished, the strong scent of alcohol engulfing his throat. He nearly vomited.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face also darkened, and with a simple "Got it," he downed another series of gulps, visibly depleting more of the bottle¡¯s contents.

    Less than two minutester, Xia Ning returned, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She ced the Hangover Tea in front of He Xing with a beaming smile, "He Xing Brother, drink this quickly. Your stomach won¡¯t take much more if you keep at it."

    The hot tea was already by his lips, and at that moment, he truly craved something warm; but as the steam hit his nose, he recognized the familiar scent.

    At that point, He Xing¡¯s mind was quite muddled, and it took him a full two minutes of pondering before he remembered where he had smelled this scent before.

    A mocking smile appeared on He Xing¡¯s lips, his eyes turbulent as he stared at Xia Ning, "Who gave you this tea? Did you make it yourself?"

    Xia Ning felt a sudden pang of guilt. Her rational mind told her not to avert her eyes from He Xing¡¯s gaze but she couldn¡¯t control her own behavior. Feigning calmness, she pointed toward the bar and whispered, "They made it for me. This Hangover Tea always smells like this. My brother has drunk it before too."

    He Xing cast another nce at Xia Ning, then handed the tea cup to Ji Liangchuan, "Drink this. I¡¯ll get a new cup."

    The moment He Xing asked, Ji Liangchuan internally cursed their bad luck. Now, hearing He Xing¡¯s offer, he hesitated, avoiding the Hangover Tea, his handsome face flushed with anger, "This is for you from Xia Ning, if I wanted to drink, wouldn¡¯t I get it myself from the bar?"

    Xia Ning also chipped in hastily, "Yes, I brought this especially for you, if he wants to drink he can get his own."

    He Xing¡¯s gaze shuffled between Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning. Both were trying their best to remainposed, but a closer look revealed their unusual expressions, especially Xia Ning, who persistently dodged He Xing¡¯s gaze.

    "Then you drink this cup," He Xing pushed the Hangover Tea towards Xia Ning, "I don¡¯t want it. You must be cold aftering from outside; drink some tea to warm up."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned pale instantly. Her lips trembling, she looked at He Xing, "I... He Xing Brother, I... I don¡¯t want to drink, I¡¯m not thirsty."

    As she spoke, her body visibly shook, looking pitiful like a frail nt swaying in the storm.

 Chapter 536 - 537 Final Result

    <h4>Chapter 536: Chapter 537 Final Result</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hmph, not thirsty, or just afraid to drink, eh?" He Xing let out a cold snort and with a p, ced the teacup on the table. He looked at Xia Ning with a frosty gaze, "Do you take me for a fool? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what happened on the night of my return. I fired the cook, you must be aware of that, right?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face went from red to white, and she let out a forced chuckle, still stubbornly saying, "He Xing, brother, I... I don¡¯t know, what are you talking about, I... I don¡¯t understand?"

    "Don¡¯t understand?" He Xing lifted the now lukewarm Hangover Tea, appearing as if he were admiring a piece of art, "Xia Ning, you can pretend to y dumb with me here, but don¡¯t treat me like an idiot, okay? Do you think I would fall for the same trick twice?"

    Xia Ning went limp. If it weren¡¯t for her hands gripping the back of the sofa, she would probably have copsed to the floor; she was so frightened right now and had an overwhelming urge to turn and run away.

    He Xing didn¡¯t spare Xia Ning another nce, instead turning his head to look at Ji Liangchuan.

    It was as if he was seeing Ji Liangchuan for the first time, appraising him from head to toe before speaking with deep disdain, "Ji Liangchuan, I once truly thought you were my friend, but now it seems you don¡¯t deserve to be. My friends, even if they wanted topete with me for Xia Ning, would never stoop to such despicable means."

    These words struck Ji Liangchuan like a blow to the head, erasing all the feigned peace he had painted over his heart.

    Ever since he was young, he had always known that he was inferior to He Xing in every way: his family background wasn¡¯t as illustrious, he wasn¡¯t as tall and handsome, even his academic achievements weren¡¯t as good, let alone their business acumen.

    Yet he had always been He Xing¡¯s friend, a status that always gave Ji Liangchuan an illusion, making him feel that even if he wasn¡¯t as good as He Xing, he couldn¡¯t be that far behind.

    But now, He Xing was clearly telling Ji Liangchuan that he regretted ever considering him a friend because Ji Liangchuan wasn¡¯t worthy of that title.

    Although Ji Liangchuan had anticipated this day from the moment he officially decided to pursue Xia Ning, the total denunciation of his character by He Xing was still a heavy blow.

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s stomach was already in turmoil, and now it hurt so much that it felt as if it could explode, the pain piercing through to his heart.

    The color drained from his face, and with a scream, he copsed onto the table.

    In the moment he lost consciousness, he saw a swarm of people rushing towards him; without a doubt, they were there for the spectacle.

    Suddenly, Ji Liangchuan felt afraid and began to regret why he had tried to outdrink He Xing. He always thought his tolerance for alcohol, given his bar ownership, would surely be better than He Xing¡¯s, but it seemed he had once again misjudged He Xing¡¯s capacity for drink.

    Just as he had misjudged He Xing¡¯s intelligence. He thought that when He Xing was inebriated, Xia Ning could easily get him to drink the Hangover Tea with "something extra" in it.

    Amid the schadenfreude of the onlookers, Ji Liangchuan saw He Xing seize a server by the cor and bellow, "Aren¡¯t you going to call 120 immediately?"

    If he had a choice, Ji Liangchuan would definitely not want He Xing to rescue him, but if his life depended on it and He Xing didn¡¯t help, he had to let He Xing rescue him.

    Even though He Xing regretted having made a friend of him, Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t regret having made a friend of He Xing.

    Yes, the person who had wronged their friendship was always Ji Liangchuan. He knew the name Fu Han when he was abroad; it was Fu Han¡¯s eighteenth birthday and He Xing emailed him excitedly, saying Fu Han also liked him, and from then on, they were engaged.

    At that time, Ji Liangchuan got along well with Taozi, and he was genuinely happy for He Xing.

    Latter, He Xing told him that Fu Han had left, had gone abroad. He Xing said that no matter what happened, he would only ever love Fu Han, and he would only marry Fu Han.

    Ji Liangchuan was clearly a witness to the rtionship between He Xing and Fu Han, but now he had be a saboteur.

    He didn¡¯t want it this way, but many things don¡¯t just not happen because you don¡¯t want them to. Taozi was gone, and he couldn¡¯t lose Fu Han.

    In the moment Ji Liangchuan passed out in agony, all he could think about was that he absolutely couldn¡¯t lose Fu Han. He gave He Xing onest re with all his might, then lost consciousness.

    When He Xing left the bar, he already felt lightheaded, but the chill of the outside air quickly sobered him up a bit.

    Xia Ning followed closely behind, echoing, "He Xing, brother, you¡¯re drunk, you can¡¯t drive, let me take you home."

    "No need, I¡¯ll call a ride-hailing service," He Xing coldly refused, pulling out his phone to ce an order, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t seem to send out his request.

    Xia Ning had one hand in her wool coat; she moved closer to He Xing and pointed at his phone screen with her other hand, "He Xing, brother, maybe it¡¯s toote and the tform isn¡¯t taking orders anymore. Let me take you home, I promise to deliver you to the He Family¡¯s vi."

    He Xing ignored Xia Ning. After waiting another two minutes, his phone seemed to malfunction. Not only could he not send the ride-hailing request, he couldn¡¯t even get a signal.

    The cold wind of the winter night was growing stronger, and He Xing, heavy with drink, felt increasingly ufortable, as if his head might explode at any moment.

    His legs also began to shake, unsure whether it was due to being underdressed or overdrinking, he felt like he could fall to the ground at any time.

    Drawing on hisst ounce of willpower, He Xing quickly moved toward his car.

    Xia Ning, shouting "Be careful, He Xing, brother," hurried after him. Under the hazy light, one could see a smug smile on her face.

    Finally in the car, He Xing sat in the passenger seat and threw the keys to Xia Ning, his voice unusually frosty, "You take me to the He family vi, and if you take me anywhere dodgy again, I won¡¯t let you off the hook."

    It was the first time He Xing spoke to Xia Ning with such a threatening tone, not the usual yful threats but a genuine menace, as if to say if she didn¡¯tply, he would make her life hell.

    Xia Ning, pale-faced, agreed. Her calf muscles spasmed from pressing the elerator, so tense from nervousness that her knuckles stood out starkly white as she gripped the steering wheel, looking as thin as bones.

    The Lamborghini slowly moved forward, and He Xing, eyelids heavy, still mustered the strength to guide Xia Ning, "Turn right at the uing intersection, get closer."

 Chapter 537 - 538: Dare not Blaspheme the Gods

    <h4>Chapter 537: Chapter 538: Dare not spheme the Gods</h4><h4></h4>

    "Okay, I got it." Xia Ning obediently agreed and indeed turned right at the uing intersection, just as He Xing had instructed.

    Lanwan Mountain was already in the city center, and Ji Liangchuan¡¯s bar was not that remote. If they took the route He Xing suggested, it would take less than half an hour to get to Lanwan Mountain.

    He Xing¡¯s eyelids became heavier and heavier, forcing himself to focus on the road ahead for a few minutes. Seeing that Xia Ning was driving steadily, he closed his eyes.

    At the next intersection, to head back to Lanwan Mountain, they should turn right again.

    Xia Ning slowed down the car and nced at He Xing. He was leaning back, eyes tightly shut; Xia Ning swallowed nervously and mustered the courage to ask softly, "He Xing Brother, He Xing Brother, which way next?"

    After her call, there was no response. Not even He Xing¡¯s eyshes fluttered.

    Xia Ning¡¯s courage grew exponentially. She pulled the car over to the side of the road and tentatively reached out to touch He Xing¡¯s cheek; her touch was quick and retracting, as though she feared being caught red-handed by He Xing. Unexpectedly, He Xing didn¡¯t react at all.

    The street light shone through the window, casting its glow on He Xing. The warm light enshrouded him like a transparent bell jar. He was as handsome as a prince from a fairy tale, so beautiful it was hard to look away.

    Xia Ning swallowed hard; her hand stopped less than a centimeter away from He Xing. She didn¡¯t dare to touch him, feeling as though touching him would be like desecrating a deity.

    She despised her cowardly behavior, but then she thought, since He Xing was already out of it, why couldn¡¯t she do whatever she wanted tonight?

    With this thought, Xia Ning cheered up. She turned on the navigation, selected a five-star hotel operated by Xia Group, and started driving straight there.

    ...

    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when Fu Han finally stopped crying, or perhaps her tears had simply run dry. She opened the emergency door and went out, realizing that nearly two hours had passed since she had left, yet her conversation with He Xing hadsted less than half an hour. In essence, she had cried for over an hour and a half.

    Fu Han struggled to open her eyes wide, but they were already red and swollen, making it impossible to see clearly. She regretted not bringing her keys in her hurried exit.

    Had she brought her keys, she wouldn¡¯t have to knock on the door as she was now. Maybe then, Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan would not have witnessed the embarrassing scene of her crying.

    She stood outside the door for over a minute before she heard hurried footsteps approaching. Fu Han cleared her throat and tried to appearposed, already thinking of excuses for her swollen eyes.

    To her surprise, the person who opened the door was Wang Yixuan. She was stunned and, for a moment, didn¡¯t know what to say.

    "You¡¯re back. I thought you wouldn¡¯t return tonight," Wang Yixuan said, eyeing Fu Han. Two secondster, he pointed at Fu Han¡¯s eyes and asked, "What happened to you? Did someone hit you?"

    He was always so direct, never beating around the bush, with little regard for how his words could impact others.

    Fu Han¡¯s already anxious mood shattered immediately. She red fiercely at Wang Yixuan, with no intention of answering his question: "Where¡¯s Nan Qing?"

    "Taking a shower," Wang Yixuan calmly replied, his gaze falling back to Fu Han¡¯s face. "What¡¯s really going on with you, did He Xing bully you?"

    Although his question was offensive, somehow Fu Han heard a hint of concern in his words, and that familiar acidic feeling returned to her nose.

    She sniffled forcefully and said with as calm a voice as she could muster, "I¡¯m fine. Just don¡¯t tell Nan Qing about this."

    After speaking, she dashed off to her room, closed the door behind her, leaned against it, and felt her energy draining away; standing became difficult, and she slid to the floor.

    Less than two minutester, Nan Qing¡¯s voice traveled from the living room. She must have been speaking to Wang Yixuan: "Did Fu Han just get back?"

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s voice immediately replied: "Yeah, Fu Han¡¯s back. She said she didn¡¯t sleep wellst night and wants to go to bed early today."

    Upon hearing Nan Qing¡¯s words, Fu Han felt her heart leap to her throat. She was worried that Wang Yixuan, being blunt, would ignore her request and tell Nan Qing about her crying. Luckily, he seemed reliable.

    "I see." Nan Qing¡¯s voice paused for a second, a few secondster, she continued, "Then let¡¯s not watch a movie in the living room. We don¡¯t want to disturb Fu Han."

    They then heard footsteps, signaling Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were heading back to their room.

    Therge house quieted down. Fu Han knew that the one thing she worried about wouldn¡¯t happen¡ªNan Qing wouldn¡¯te to ask why she had been crying, and she wouldn¡¯t have to struggle to exin her situation with He Xing.

    It took considerable effort for Fu Han to finally take a shower and climb into bed. Lying there, she found she couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Her heart felt blocked by something, and the difort was indescribable.

    Her eyes stared at the ceiling where the light was already off, though shapes of the chandelier were visible due to the curtains not being drawn properly. She could also make out some of the room¡¯s decorations.

    Fu Han scanned the room, desperately trying to empty her mind, but her thoughts only became sharper. She knew she couldn¡¯t sleep, yet she didn¡¯t want to get up and find something to pass the time.

    She feared the moment she turned on the light, Nan Qing would notice from underneath the door that she wasn¡¯t asleep ande in to ask about her conversation with He Xing.

    For the umpteenth time, Fu Han fished her phone out from under her pillow to check for messages. None from He Xing¡ªno, still none from He Xing.

    Initially, Fu Han was certain He Xing would send a message after returning home, but it didn¡¯t happen.

    At first, she worried something might have happened to He Xing. But then she realized if anything had, it would be big news, and somebody would definitely inform her.

    He Xing had no connection with the entertainment circle, yet paparazzi still lurked at the foot of Lanwan Mountain every day, outside the He Group as well, snapping pictures of He Xing¡¯s daily life.

    Manyizens im that although He Xing isn¡¯t in the entertainment circle, his poprity has already surpassed many celebrities. Countless girls confess their love for He Xing online every day.

    Still unsettled, Fu Han checked Weibo, typing He Xing¡¯s name into the search. She scrolled through a string of his everyday photos and a variety of heart-fluttering essays.

    Randomly perusing a few posts, she found them pointless, even nauseating, and promptly quit Weibo, shoving the phone back under her pillow.

 Chapter 538 - 539: Rehearsing in Advance

    <h4>Chapter 538: Chapter 539: Rehearsing in Advance</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s habit was to power off her cell phone at night when sleeping, but out of fear that someone might not be able to reach her in case of an emergency, she uncharacteristically left her phone on.

    That night was excruciating for Fu Han; she forced herself to try to sleep but couldn¡¯t. Tossing and turning in bed, she just couldn¡¯t fall asleep.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know when she finally dozed off, but as soon as she heard footsteps in the living room in the early morning, her eyes snapped open.

    Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting arge swath of bright spots on the pristine floor, dazzling like diamonds.

    Without looking, she knew it was going to be a beautiful day.

    Thinking about her tasks for the day brightened Fu Han¡¯s mood a bit. Seeing it was already past eight, she thought it was better to get up since she couldn¡¯t sleep anyway. A shower and a bit of tidying up would make the time pass quickly.

    The noise earlier turned out to be Wang Yixuan getting up. After bing pregnant, Nan Qing became incredibly picky about food, and she suffered severe morning sickness. Therefore, Wang Yixuan was extremely amodating to her.

    Now, Nan Qing had a craving for Crab Dumplings, insisting on going to a particr ce that was at least a half-hour away by taxi.

    If it were Fu Han, she would have tly refused, unable to imagine traveling so far just for breakfast; but Wang Yixuan didn¡¯t seem to mind. He put on a hat and a mask, grabbed the thermos, and headed out the door.

    For a moment, only Fu Han and Nan Qing were left in the house. By that time, Fu Han had taken a shower and was blow-drying her hair.

    Dressed in a clumsy bear-like loungewear, Nan Qing shuffled over. She leaned against Fu Han¡¯s door, hemming and hawing as she watched her, almost as if the words "I have something to say" were written on her face.

    At first, Fu Han purposefully ignored Nan Qing, wanting to see what she would do for fun, but ultimately, her soft heart prevailed, and she couldn¡¯t help but speak first a few minutester, "All right, what do you need my help with?"

    "I..." Nan Qing twiddled her fingers and said in a low voice, blushing, "That is, Fu Han, this is my first time bringing a boyfriend home, and I don¡¯t have any experience. Can you... Can you tell me what I should do?"

    "Is that what you¡¯re worried about?" Fu Han chuckled, tilting her head and pondering for a bit, then said with some difficulty, "Nan Qing, although I really want to help you, I honestly don¡¯t have any experience in this regard."

    That was indeed the truth; Fu Han¡¯s parents had left the world early, and Old Master He was her guardian, who was also He Xing¡¯s biological grandfather. She and He Xing didn¡¯t have the usual couple concerns; the grandfather was dreaming of them being together and would never object to anything they did, not wanting to be the one to break up a loving couple.

    Nan Qing realized this as well, her already flushed face turning an even brighter red, "This... But who has the experience? I... I¡¯m really scared that my parents will get angry."

    "Bai Wei," said Fu Han as she applied makeup in front of the mirror, speaking quickly, "Bai Wei took Luo Qinghe to M Country for Christmas and New Year¡¯s Day, and they haven¡¯t returned yet. I think she has experience; you could ask her."

    "Uh..." Nan Qing¡¯s face stiffened, and she turned her head away, murmuring, "But... because of Luo Qinghe, my rtionship with Bai Wei isn¡¯t good."

    Thatment brought back memories for Fu Han of when Luo Qinghe had such a strong liking for Nan Qing.

    That¡¯s how feelings work, when you really, really like someone, if you can¡¯t be together, or if you are together but it doesn¡¯t work out in the end, you definitely can¡¯t be friends. Seeing each other would only remind you of those unpleasant memories.

    Fu Han felt that she and He Xing were in such a scenario; either they would be together properly or never interact again. There was certainly no middle ground for them.

    But now wasn¡¯t the time to ponder these issues. Fu Han remembered how Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were invited to the Fu Family for Christmas. She had never seen Nan Qing speak to Luo Qinghe, and even when Nan Qing asionally spoke to Bai Wei, it was with utmost politeness, with no superfluous chat.

    Thinking it over, Fu Han felt that consulting Bai Wei about this issue really wasn¡¯t appropriate. Drawing upon her own perspective as an onlooker, she concluded with difficulty, "Well... Nan Qing, I think, above all, it depends on the two of you. If both of you are resolute, your parents wille around even if they initially object; after all, we¡¯re not living in old times anymore, and arranged marriages are a thing of the past."

    "I know that," said Nan Qing, her face showing even more hesitance. She stamped her foot as if making up her mind, "The main problem is... previously, Su Cheng had spoken badly of Wang Yixuan in front of my parents. They have a poor impression of him, and I didn¡¯t dare tell them I was traveling with Wang Yixuan."

    As Fu Han used an eyebrow pencil, she paused in surprise upon hearing this, "So the issue now is, you not only traveled with Wang Yixuan behind your parents¡¯ backs but also, you two have a love child from going about things in such a secretive way?"

    Her words made the already quiet room even quieter, Nan Qing¡¯s face turning redder as if it would explode, her pleading and hopeful gaze bing more pronounced.

    Fu Han twisted the eyebrow pencil absentmindedly, her mind racing with thoughts. Atst, she spoke cautiously, "Nan Qing, untangling this knot requires the one who tied it. I think when you bring Wang Yixuan home today, you two should brace yourselves for your parents¡¯ initial reluctance."

    "I¡¯m aware of that," Nan Qing nodded eagerly.

    Fu Han smiled and continued, "Also, you should find an opportunity to talk with your parents alone, admit your mistakes candidly, and then express your feelings for Wang Yixuan. Clearly state your resolve that he¡¯s the only one for you. That way, even if your parents can¡¯t ept it in their hearts, they won¡¯t bepletely opposed to your rtionship."

    "You¡¯re right," Nan Qing nodded vigorously as if pounding garlic, "My parents are actually easy to talk to. Once they realize Wang Yixuan is an outstanding person, they will surely like him."

    Fu Han, seeing Nan Qing¡¯s blindly optimistic attitude and her immersion in her own fantasies, felt the need to give her one more precautionary word of advice.

    She cleared her throat hesitantly, "Nan Qing, I think you should also consider another issue... What if... I mean, what if your parents suggest that Wang Yixuan join Nangong Group and you both learn to manage thepany? What will you do?"

    "I..." Nan Qing¡¯s face paled instantly, her expression filled with confusion, "I don¡¯t know."

 Chapter 539 - 540: The Anxiety of Meeting the Parents

    <h4>Chapter 539: Chapter 540: The Anxiety of Meeting the Parents</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han looked at Nan Qing with some sympathy and finally said quietly, "I think... I think if you can solve the problem I just mentioned, you shouldn¡¯t have any major issues today."

    "I got it." Nan Qing nodded worriedly. She wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out, and she could only silently turn around and go back to her room.

    Before long, Fu Han finished her makeup. To say that she "did her makeup" might not be quite urate. She only applied a bit of concealer, fixed her eyebrows, and added a touch of lipstick.

    As for clothes, Fu Han rummaged through her wardrobe and chose a light green sweater, paired with a very ordinary pleated skirt, and a beige woolen coat over it.

    The design of the coat was simple, just an ordinary mid-length style, with the only decoration being a belt at the back.

    She was clear in her mind that she was not the main character today; she couldn¡¯t steal the limelight and only needed to apany Nan Qing, giving her emotional support.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Nan Qing was also ready, looking her best. She ran into Fu Han¡¯s room, turned around in a circle, and said expectantly, "Fu Han, what do you think of my outfit?"

    Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyes scanned Nan Qing from top to bottom, giving her a thorough once-over.

    Nan Qing looked very pretty today. She wore a white naval-style sweater on top and a matching knitted skirt on the bottom. The fur cor, cuffs, and the hem of the skirt were light blue, adding a touch of vitality to the ensemble.

    She wore a pair of long stockings that reached her calves and a pair of chunky leather shoes, at a nce resembling the beautiful, lovely girls one might find on a college campus.

    "Pretty," Fu Han nodded and said earnestly, "You look very nice today. Maybe your parents will feel like their hard-grown cabbage has been nudged by a pig."

    Nan Qing, who had been blushing not knowing what to say, was taken aback by thatment. A visible conflict crossed her beautiful face as she hesitated, "Fu Han, do you think I should change into something more ordinary?"

    Nan Qing, who was fully made up, looked especially gorgeous today. Now with her cheeks blushing, she appeared even more charming and attractive¡ªa different kind of beauty that was captivating.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, love truly is a woman¡¯s best nourishment. A woman surrounded by love is always the most beautiful.

    Unlike her, who had swollen eyes when she woke up this morning, almost losing sight of her double eyelids. In the end, Fu Han had to stick on double eyelid tape for an hour to barely conceal the redness and puffiness.

    Seeing that Nan Qing took her words seriously, Fu Han burst intoughter, "Alright, Nan Qing, you really are too nervous. You¡¯re taking every word to heart. Then let me ask you, if your parents find you¡¯re less sophisticated and pretty after being with Wang Yixuan, do you think they would agree to you being together?"

    The blush on Nan Qing¡¯s face deepened. She finally realized she had been teased by Fu Han. She punched Fu Han gruffly and said, "Fu Han, you¡¯re really annoying. I came to you in good faith because I don¡¯t have experience, and you... you just know how to make fun of me here."

    Fu Han clutched her arm andughed exaggeratedly, but after herughter, she looked at Nan Qing seriously and said, "I¡¯ve met your parents; they are very reasonable people. I can assure you that even if they have reservations about Wang Yixuan in their hearts, they would never directly express them. They definitely will not embarrass Wang Yixuan in person."

    "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s really good," Nan Qing patted her chest, looking even more nervous than when attending an arts examination. Sheined with palpable relief, "You don¡¯t know how much of a face-saving person Wang Yixuan is. If my parents really made him lose face on the spot, I think he¡¯d just leave without a word."

    Fu Han imagined it and thought Nan Qing had a point. Someone like Wang Yixuan, who was used to being unrestrained and held himself in high esteem, might indeed just walk away in such a situation.

    Thinking this, she too began to worry, but it was toote for regrets. Even if they knew their parents might disapprove, they would still try their hardest to obtain their blessing.

    As for the oue, Fu Han believed that as long as you give it your all, fate won¡¯t let you down, but first you must make the effort.

    Wang Yixuan wasn¡¯t long ining back, bearing the brunt of the chill, his hair seemingly damp from sweat.

    There was sunlight today, but the morning fog was severe. The winter fog was like ice water,yering onto you wave upon wave.

    Wang Yixuan took out a thermos from his chest and handed it to Nan Qing with a smile, "Eat it while it¡¯s still hot."

    After speaking, he turned to Fu Han and said, "I¡¯ve bought a generous portion, so there should be enough for two. If Nan Qing can¡¯t finish it, you have it. Don¡¯t be picky."

    Fu Han didn¡¯t mind at all, in fact, she found Wang Yixuan¡¯s proudly romantic words quite amusing.

    But before she could speak, Nan Qing had already red at Wang Yixuan, "What are you saying? If Fu Han and I are going to eat, we¡¯ll eat together. Why would Fu Han have to eat my leftovers? I¡¯m not a pig; I can¡¯t eat that much."

    Though she spoke sternly, Fu Han, as an outside observer, didn¡¯t think she was angry at all¡ªclearly, her heart and eyes were full of sweetness.

    And it seems she wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way. After hearing Nan Qing¡¯s words, Wang Yixuan indifferently curled his lips, a nonchnt expression on his face, "Got it, you two hurry up and eat, I¡¯ll tidy up a bit."

    Nan Qing instinctively grabbed Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand, cooing as she followed him toward his room, "No way, you promised me you won¡¯t talk like that again next time. Fu Han is my best friend, and I won¡¯t allow anyone to treat her that way."

    Their footsteps faded. Fu Han shook her head, chuckling as she picked up the hefty thermos and headed to the kitchen. It was full of Wang Yixuan¡¯s love for her¡ªeven the outside of the thermos was still warm from his body heat.

    Fu Han dished out the Crab Dumplings onto a te. She had heard that pregnant women can be picky eaters, so after some thought, she arranged the dumplings as neatly and appealingly as possible.

    Wang Yixuan was right; he had bought plenty, enough for two girls to eat. It was just unfortunate that, in typical male carelessness, he only bought the dumplings and forgot to take the sauce packet.

    But that was alright. In the distant past, when Fu Han had some interest in cooking, she had studied various breakfast sauce packets. Anyways, their kitchen was well stocked, so she could whip up some sauce; that would do.

 Chapter 540 - 541: The Feeling of Being in Love

    <h4>Chapter 540: Chapter 541: The Feeling of Being in Love</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing¡¯s appetite was very good for breakfast, she ate more than half by herself; towards the end, she even felt somewhat embarrassed, insisting that she ate so much that Fu Han wasn¡¯t able to get enough.

    But in fact, Fu Han really didn¡¯t have much of an appetite. She never had special feelings for Crab Dumplings, and whenever she looked at Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing together, she couldn¡¯t help but think of He Xing, which further diminished her desire to eat.

    However, seeing Nan Qing eat so happily, Fu Han¡¯s mood improved too. Happiness is contagious¡ªwhen the people around you are happy, you can¡¯t help but feel happy yourself.

    By the time they set off, Fu Han still hadn¡¯t received any message from He Xing.

    Her anger fromst night had now turned into disappointment.

    He Xing always said he had liked Fu Han for many, many years, but Fu Han never really felt the same way.

    Now that she thought about it, she realized there was a reason for that: the way she and He Xing interacted was different from how typical couples did.

    Take Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan, for example. It was as if there was a maic field between them, always drawing each other firmly to themselves.

    When Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan dated, they wanted nothing more than to stick together every second. Just like now, as they walked ahead of Fu Han, Wang Yixuan had one arm wrapped around Nan Qing¡¯s waist and carried arge and small bag of gifts for Nan Qing¡¯s parents with the other hand.

    Walking like this was actually quite ufortable, but Nan Qing still leaned her head on Wang Yixuan¡¯s shoulder.

    If it were He Xing... Fu Han sighed helplessly, thinking that He Xing seldom held her hand when walking on the main road. As for carrying things, Fu Han always carried her own things, and He Xing never helped her with her bags.

    Alright, even though Fu Han found it odd for boys to carry girls¡¯ bags, and she wouldn¡¯t want He Xing to do it even if he offered, the point wasn¡¯t whether she would allow him to carry her bag, but rather that he never offered at all.

    With these thoughts, a dim light settled in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, and she followed silently behind them,cking any desire to speak. As for what the two of them were saying, Fu Han didn¡¯t pay attention.

    The modified SUV sped along the road. This was Fu Han¡¯s first time riding in Wang Yixuan¡¯s car; before this, she didn¡¯t even know he had one.

    Truthfully, although Fu Han had known Wang Yixuan for some time, she knew almost nothing about his family.

    It wasn¡¯t until this morning, when Nan Qing talked to Fu Han about meeting with their parents, that Fu Han found out that Wang Yixuan¡¯s parents had both passed away in an ident, making him an orphan just like her.

    But Wang Yixuan¡¯s parents had the ident while he was studying abroad for university, and by the time Wang Yixuan rushed back, he only had time to see his parents¡¯ remains at the funeral home onest time before they were cremated.

    If you were to calcte it, Wang Yixuan¡¯s parents were with him for much longer than Fu Han¡¯s were with her. At least Wang Yixuan¡¯s parents didn¡¯t miss out on his childhood and adolescence, staying with him for twenty years and giving him aplete family until he was capable of looking after himself before they left.

    Not like Fu Han, who was so young when her parents passed away that she had no memories of them, only knowing that she would never see them again. As for whether or not her parents left her anything, neither she nor Grandpa He had any idea because it was an ident, leaving no time for her parents to make arrangements for their affairs.

    But really, thatparison was unnecessary. Being in the same boat, Fu Han genuinely hoped that Wang Yixuan would have a good ending with Nan Qing.

    Sitting in the back seat, Fu Han watched Wang Yixuan chatting andughing with Nan Qing in the front. She still felt that without Nan Qing mentioning it, she would never have guessed Wang Yixuan was an orphan because he seemed so exceptionally sunny when he smiled, showing not a trace of gloom.

    However, Fu Han knew very little about Wang Yixuan, and Nan Qing didn¡¯t say much today, so Fu Han felt that she might have harbored some prejudice against him in the past. At the very least, he now seemed genuinely kind to Nan Qing.

    Perhaps because Wang Yixuan has no parents, today¡¯s meeting with Nan Qing¡¯s parents was set at the Nangong family¡¯s vi in the suburbs. They were nning to have lunch there.

    Nan Qing was very happy about this as it meant her parents were directly approving of Wang Yixuaning to their house, which she thought was a very good sign.

    Only Fu Han felt an indescribable strange feeling in her heart. It was clear that the previous night, Nan Qing mentioned they would meet at the hotel today, and the hotel had already been booked. Yet this morning, just before they left, Nan Qing received a call from her parents asking them toe home and have lunch there instead.

    Wang Yixuan was indifferent to the change, consoling Nan Qing with a smile, saying that as long as Nan Qing was happy, it didn¡¯t matter to him where they met.

    Fu Han looked on with indifference, not detecting any signs of nervousness in Wang Yixuan, though normally a man about to meet his future inws would feel anxious.

    In the end, Fu Han concluded that Wang Yixuan was just used to being free, so he naturally appeared indifferent to everything.

    The number of cars on the roads began to dwindle, and the air became fresher; they had left the urban area and were on their way to the Nangong family¡¯s vi in the suburbs.

    It was Fu Han¡¯s first visit here. She nced at the navigation, just a few more minutes and they would arrive at their destination.

    She looked around, noting how different it was from the urban area. The trees lining the streets of the urban area were about the thickness of an adult¡¯s arm, with the thickest tree trunks being asrge as an adult¡¯s thigh.

    However, the trees near the Nangong¡¯s vi were all grand andrge, with each trunk thick as a bucket, their branches spreading far and wide. The intertwining branches met high above the road, creating a canopy that obscured the sky, and the car seemed to be driving under a dimmed sky as it passed through.

    It was winter, and most trees should have shed their leaves by now, but the leaves here had not fallen, probably due to the species.

    High walls lined both sides of the road, unevenly stered with cement and covered with dark green moss, casting an unconventional charm.

    While appreciating the picturesque scenery, Fu Han suddenly noticed a wedding photo shoot not far ahead. A group of people bustled about, with a grand production in progress.

    She remembered the wedding photos she and He Xing once took. Every outfit was beautiful, and she liked the makeup styles too. As the Photographer said, the pictures were good enough to be published without any retouching.

    But when selecting the location, she never thought of an outdoor green fairy tale setting like this one; the results would have been beautiful too. If there was anything to me, it was that everything looked so appealing back then that they hadn¡¯t considered this style.

 Chapter 541 - 542: Fueling in the Snow

    <h4>Chapter 541: Chapter 542: Fueling in the Snow</h4><h4></h4>

    Thinking about this, Fu Han¡¯s lips unconsciously curved into a smile. She patted the back of Nan Qing¡¯s chair andughed, "You can also have your wedding photoshoot here; the scenery is really beautiful."

    Nan Qing turned to look at Wang Yixuan, clearly wanting to hear what Wang Yixuan had to say.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes remained fixed forward as he reached out to ruffle Nan Qing¡¯s hair with a particrly tender smile, "Wherever you say to take the photos, we will. You get to decide, and that¡¯s enough."

    From the backseat, Fu Han only had one thought¡ªshe should have been under the car, not inside it. The way these two were unting their affection without a care for anyone else¡¯s feelings was just too much,pletely disregarding the feelings of an onlooker like herself.

    Well, considering she and Nan Qing would be lifelong friends, she decided not to mind it too much.

    ...

    The Huangpu family vi.

    Today was the weekend; there was no work, and Su Cheng was busily engaged in work inside the study room.

    The situation at the Huangpu Group had improved a lotpared to before; some departments were already operating normally. However, returning to the glory days before Mr. Huangpu had been arrested was impossible.

    For Su Cheng now, although things had not yet met his expectations, they were already much better than before. He was full of motivation and had gained more confidence in the future.

    As he was checking the financial information, a knock on the door suddenly interrupted him.

    Before the words "Come in" could leave Su Cheng¡¯s throat, the creaking sound of the door indicated that Mrs. Huangpu had already entered.

    Even though today¡¯s Su Cheng was in his twenties and entirely of age to start a family, in Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s eyes, he was still the same child who hadn¡¯t grown up, with no private space of his own, where his parents never needed to knock entering his room.

    Regarding this issue, Su Cheng hadined countless times, but to no avail. Nowadays, considering his mother¡¯s feelings, he was even less likely to speak to her about this matter; anyway, he had already developed the habit of locking his room as soon as he returned, so there would be no embarrassing situations.

    As usual, Su Cheng saved the document on hisputer before lifting his head to look at his mother, "Mom, is there something you need me for?"

    Looking up, he noticed that today¡¯s Mrs. Huangpu was dressed differently from the past few days. Previously, she didn¡¯t seem to be in the mood to dress up, wearing very casual clothes and no makeup, which exposed her true age.

    But today, Mrs. Huangpu was well-dressed in refined makeup, her hair meticulouslybed, as if the outstanding and beautifuldy of high status had returned.

    Su Cheng had always supported his mother dressing up well, as it made her look much more spirited.

    Without waiting for Mrs. Huangpu to respond, he spoke again, "Mom, you look very beautiful today. Do you have matters to attend to?"

    "No." Mrs. Huangpu might be Su Cheng¡¯s mother, but she was also a woman, and being praised made her mood very good. She nodded in approval, "Your Aunt Nangong invited us to their home for lunch, so I just... dressed up a bit."

    Su Chengpletely overlooked the word "us" in Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s statement, the smile on his face deepening a bit, "Godmother told mest time we chatted to take more care of you. You two have been good friends for many years; it¡¯s right to keep in touch."

    In fact, there were things Su Cheng hadn¡¯t mentioned to Mrs. Huangpu; not only had Mrs. Nangong contacted him, even Mr. Nangong had privately reached out to Su Cheng.

    They wanted to offer some help to the Huangpu Group, but Mrs. Huangpu had rejected all previous offers.

    Mrs. Huangpu had always been strong-willed. Although her family¡¯s circumstances were justfortable, her attractive appearance and excellent achievements had always made her stand out among her peers. She had been the center of attention from a young age.

    She met Mr. Huangpu before she even graduated from college, and despite therge gap between their family backgrounds, it was surprising that the entire Huangpu family liked her very much.

    From dating to engagement, to marriage, to having children, everything went smoothly. Even when they took over the Huangpu Group, they worked together to make it better and better.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that before Mr. Huangpu¡¯s incident, Mrs. Huangpu had not encountered any setbacks worth mentioning; her life had always been full of sess. Evenpared to others who had married into wealth, she was superior in many ways.

    Thus, after the Huangpu Group fell on hard times, Mrs. Nangong had sincerelye to her, wanting to know if there was anything they could do to help, but Mrs. Huangpu bluntly refused.

    This information was conveyed to Su Cheng by Mr. Nangong. During this period, Su Cheng had be acutely aware of the warmth and coldness of people¡¯s hearts. He could tell that Mr. Nangong meant it sincerely.

    As for Su Cheng, when he went to get that contract signed with He Xing, his proud self-esteem had vanished. He thought more about how to help Huangpu Group survive the current crisis.

    Therefore, Su Cheng did not reject the Nangong Group¡¯s offer of help. However, this so-called help was based on fair and just terms; Su Cheng did not take any advantage, and the transaction between Huangpu Group and Nangong Group was a fair one.

    Since there were not manyrge consortia willing to do business with the Huangpu Group, Su Cheng regarded the actions of the Nangong Group as "timely help during snowfall," something he would remember for a lifetime and would also repay when opportunity arises.

    This was also why he spoke well of the Nangong family to his mother; Mrs. Nangong repeatedly instructed him not to tell Mrs. Huangpu that they had helped the Huangpu Group. Mrs. Nangong was worried Mrs. Huangpu would feel ufortable seeing herter.

    Thus, while Su Cheng regretted not being able to share the good deeds of the Nangong family, he felt it was okay to speak a word or two in their favor.

    Sure enough, after hearing this, Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s smile deepened, her head nodding in agreement, "This incident has shown me the true faces of many people. Before, so many were eager to coborate with us, but now that your father has been implicated, they treat us like pests, avoiding us at all costs. Only your godfather and godmother have stayed as they always were, like real friends."

    Listening to this, Su Cheng nodded repeatedly, "Mom, you¡¯re right. So, if you feel bored, you can visit godmother forpany. You can go shopping or buy clothes together."

    "Buy clothes?" Mrs. Huangpuughed softly, trying to speak in a rxed tone, "Mom has enough clothes, no need to buy more. But you should hurry up and change into a new outfit; we shouldn¡¯t keep your godparents waiting."

    "Me?" Su Cheng looked down at himself; he was wearing a set of casual home clothes, having had no ns to go out today, "Mom, I don¡¯t need to go, it has nothing to do with me that Nan Qing is bringing her boyfriend home."

 Chapter 542 - 543: Change of Mindset

    <h4>Chapter 542: Chapter 543: Change of Mindset</h4><h4></h4>

    Several months ago, when Su Cheng learned that Nan Qing was dating Wang Yixuan, he was very angry and even made a special call to Mrs. Nangong toin.

    At that time, Su Cheng didn¡¯t know what his feelings for Nan Qing really were.

    In the past, he always told Nan Qing to find a boyfriend quickly so he wouldn¡¯t have to y the role and help her with this and that.

    But when Nan Qing actually got a boyfriend, his heart felt especially ufortable.

    Actually, after hearing in the elevator that day that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were a fake couple, his anger stemmed more from the fact that he had been deceived by Nan Qing; it took him a long time to realize that he was actually happy, happy that Nan Qing still liked him.

    But what did happiness matter? He was very clear that the person he truly loved in his heart was Fu Han, and as for Nan Qing, she was at most a fondness; but Su Cheng didn¡¯t understand, how could one person have room in their heart for two people at the same time?

    He couldn¡¯t ept this side of himself, so he told himself in his heart that the only person he loved was Fu Han, he simply didn¡¯t like Nan Qing dating, and it was only a matter of not being used to it, nothing more.

    The next time they met was in M Country, more than two months after the elevator incident, and this time Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan were still posing as a couple.

    Su Cheng¡¯s first impression was that they were deceiving him again. However, their every word and deed were clearly that of a couple in love; the interactions between the two couldn¡¯t be more genuine, by all appearances, they were a couple.

    Later, Su Cheng couldn¡¯t help but call Nan Qing up to the attic to confirm, and at that time, he even said that he was willing to be with Nan Qing and asked her to break up with Wang Yixuan.

    Although afterwards Su Cheng felt like he had been under a spell, looking back now, he didn¡¯t regret saying those words; it seemed... it seemed that after being rejected by Nan Qing when he said such words, he felt much lighter.

    To this day, Su Cheng couldn¡¯t exin his own feelings. His love for Fu Han was unquestionable, but it seemed he could never really let go of Nan Qing... But things were much better now, he was starting to ept that Nan Qing had a boyfriend, and that the boyfriend was Wang Yixuan.

    But being asked to go to the Nangong family today, he felt somewhat troubled. For some reason, Su Cheng was now a bit resistant to seeing Nan Qing.

    Mrs. Huangpu, not having received an answer from Su Cheng, couldn¡¯t help but speak, "Su Cheng, what are you thinking? I know you don¡¯t like Nan Qing, and I won¡¯t force you to break them up. Besides, Nan Qing is pregnant now, you¡¯re about to be an uncle, shouldn¡¯t you go see them?"

    "Pregnant?" Su Cheng struggled to utter these three words, his expression bing extremelyplex.

    Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s face also took on aplex look: "Your godparents are furious about this. They say that today is to see if that... that Wang Yixuan is reliable. If he¡¯s not, they will never let Nan Qing marry him. The Nangong family can afford to raise children, even ten wouldn¡¯t be an issue."

    Su Cheng had spoken ill of Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing in the past, and though he was shocked about Nan Qing¡¯s pregnancy, he also felt that since Nan Qing was pregnant and the two indeed had feelings for each other, it would be unkind to speak ill of them again.

    He cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Mother, this is their business, we should not get involved. Nan Qing is old enough, she has her own decisions, we should respect her decisions."

    Mrs. Huangpu looked deeply at Su Cheng, as if she was seeing him for the first time. After a long while, she said softly, "It¡¯s good that you¡¯vee to terms with it."

    Those simple words made Su Cheng¡¯s heart jolt, his breath stopped for a moment. He felt as if there was a stone pressing on his heart, wanting to say something but unable to speak, in the end, he could only pretend not to understand and said nothing.

    Mrs. Huangpu did not press on relentlessly. Instead, she subtly changed the topic, "You and Nan Qing grew up together. Even if there isn¡¯t the bond of husband and wife, the bond of siblings still remains. You two are both only children; when we old ones are gone, you two should still look after each other, right? You should go see them today, just like a member of Nan Qing¡¯s maternal family."

    The words ¡¯maternal family¡¯ sent Su Cheng into another spell of absent-mindedness, and it was only with Mrs. Huangpu¡¯s reminder that he came back to the present.

    "Alright, mother, I¡¯ll go change my clothes now. You wait for me downstairs for a while," Su Cheng finallypromised, not just because Mrs. Huangpu was insistent, and not just because she said he was part of the maternal family, but because he truly wanted to go and see for himself, even if it was for the inexplicable emotions in his heart.

    The Huangpu and Nangong families lived in the same upscale vi neighborhood, with only about a hundred meters separating their two vis. To be exact, there was an artificialke more than a hundred meters wide between their homes.

    If one walked, they would have to go around more than half of theke¡¯s edge, but it was only a few minutes¡¯ walk.

    Su Cheng left the work that was only half-finished and returned to his room to look through his wardrobe, eventually picking a tailor-made suit.

    Half an hourter, Su Cheng came downstairs, his handsome face tinged with a faint blush, as if he was somewhat embarrassed or awkward.

    Instead, it was Mrs. Huangpu who was very pleased when she saw him, repeatedly praising how handsome Su Cheng looked.

    No wonder Mrs. Huangpu was full of praise; not only was Su Cheng dressed appropriately today, but even his hair had been carefully styled, using almost half a bottle of hair gel to maintain the hairstyle, making him look exceptionally sharp.

    As the mother and son walked along theke, the sunshine of a winter day fell on them without reservation, which should have been warm, but the cold winter wind diluted the warm feeling.

    The undting blue of theke, with two pairs of mandarin ducks undeterred by the cold, were darting in and out of the water lilies, evidently foraging for food.

    Su Cheng¡¯s eyes recoiled as if burned; he told himself it must have been because the sunshine reflected off the water¡¯s surface in shimmering waves that caused such an effect.

    They had only just entered the Nangong family¡¯s courtyard when they heard a bustle ofughter and chattering from inside the house, with voices of both men and women, suggesting that it was quite lively inside.

    Mrs. Huangpu gave Su Cheng a look full ofplexity, which was met with Su Cheng¡¯s calm gaze. She sighed so subtly that it was barely perceptible, and then she took the lead and walked towards the entrance of the Nangong house.

    The first to greet them were Mr. and Mrs. Nangong, who greeted them with exceptional warmth, "You¡¯ve finallye over, I was about to call and urge you."

    Mrs. Huangpu, while warmly holding Su Cheng¡¯s hand, smiled and said, "It¡¯s all my fault for taking a little too long with makeup. I wanted to look proper for the first time meeting Nan Qing¡¯s boyfriend; I couldn¡¯t let our Nan Qing be embarrassed, could I?"

 Chapter 543 - 544 Unexpected Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 543: Chapter 544 Unexpected Encounter</h4><h4></h4>

    "Godmother, what are you talking about?" Nan Qing¡¯s voice came over before she was seen, carrying the buoyant shyness and joy of a young girl.

    Lady Huangpu looked behind Mrs. Nangong and sure enough, saw Nan Qinging over.

    She affectionately pulled Nan Qing to her side, "Xiaoqing, you¡¯re really getting prettier as you grow, but you¡¯re too thin. Girls shouldn¡¯t always be on diets; it¡¯s not good for your health."

    Nan Qing had been the treasure of both families since she was a child, and her rtionship with Lady Huangpu was genuinely close. She hooked Lady Huangpu¡¯s arm and, while pulling her toward the house,ughed, "Godmother, what are you saying? If I really did get fat, you¡¯d tell me to control my weight."

    Su Cheng followed behind them, a smile involuntarily forming on his lips as he listened to their conversation. His eyes casually swept around the room he was as familiar with as his own home. In fact, due to his parents being busy, he had spent most of his childhood here, so much so that it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he had spent more time in this house during his childhood than his own.

    After entering, Su Cheng immediately noticed Mr. Nangong and Wang Yixuan ying chess in the living room. At that moment, both men¡¯s gazes shifted to Su Cheng and his group.

    Su Cheng smiled and took the lead in greeting them, "Hello Godfather, hello Mr. Wang."

    Mr. Nangong smiled warmly, looking at Su Cheng just as he looked at Nan Qing, as if he were looking at his own son.

    Wang Yixuan stood up and politely greeted, "Hello Aunt Huangpu, hello Su Cheng, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you."

    His voice was crisp and clear when he spoke, as if his manner of speaking was professionally trained, enunciated and well-rounded. Moreover, Wang Yixuan¡¯s demeanor while speaking was remarkably appealing¡ªa bnce of humility and confidence, polite yet without giving off a hint of insincerity.

    Lady Huangpu sized up Wang Yixuan and smiled warmly, "No wonder our Xiaoqing likes you. You do have a handsome face and look every bit the artist."

    Today, Wang Yixuan was dressed sharply in a suit that stood out. The same standard suit, but the one he wore was eye-catching¡ªck with white Greek key patterns on the cor, cuffs, and hem. The three-row button jacket gave off a non-overly formal impression but exuded elegance nheless.

    Especially with his medium-length hair dyed chestnut, loosely held in ce by a ck hair clip, he looked both elegant and handsome.

    Even as a man, Su Cheng had to admit that Wang Yixuan indeed looked very handsome today.

    Despite being praised, Wang Yixuan remainedposed, smiling politely and graciously epting thepliment, "Thank you for thepliment, Auntie. You look very beautiful today as well. If I didn¡¯t know your true identities, I might think you and Mrs. Nangong are about Nan Qing¡¯s age."

    Nan Qing "red" at Wang Yixuan upon hearing this, then reflexively looked at Su Cheng.

    Su Cheng coughed awkwardly, intending to avoid Nan Qing¡¯s gaze.

    He understood all too well what Nan Qing meant, for Su Cheng was a true straight man who neverplimented any woman besides Fu Han, not even his own mother, godmother, or Nan Qing, who had hardly ever received praise from him.

    In fact, Su Cheng felt quite wronged. Having grown up with these three women, no matter how beautiful they were, he felt nothing, so looking at them was like looking at himself in the mirror¡ªhe knew they looked good, but he never voiced it.

    Thinking of this, Su Cheng felt a small grudge against Nan Qing¡¯s recent gaze. He moved closer to whisper to her, "I never realized before how good Wang Yixuan is at ttering."

    "Mind your own business." Nan Qing stepped firmly on Su Cheng¡¯s foot, not holding back in the slightest, thankfully she was wearing cotton slippers, so the step wasn¡¯t too painful, "Are you stingy with praising others and can¡¯t stand us receiving praise from someone else?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s face scrunched up. It wasn¡¯t that he truly felt the pain; rather, he captured a long-lost, familiar feeling. He was about to retort to Nan Qing when the figure of someone familiar appeared at the end of the living room, close to the corridor.

    If not for Fu Han, then who could that familiar, slender, and tall silhouette be?

    "Fu Han... Fu Han is back?" Su Cheng¡¯s eyes glued on Fu Han like they were stuck with adhesive. He elbowed Nan Qing instinctively, signaling her to answer his question.

    Nan Qing disdainfully snorted at Su Cheng¡¯s foolish demeanor, teasing, "Yeah, she returned a dayter than you. Didn¡¯t you know?"

    "Didn¡¯t know." Su Cheng¡¯s heartbeat noticeably quickened. Instinctively, he looked himself over, feeling relieved that he hadn¡¯t actuallye out in a set of loungewear, otherwise he would have wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground.

    Because Fu Han looked exceptionally beautiful today, it was evident she wore no make-up, but the light green sweater only made her face look whiter, like freshly fallen snow,plementing her ck grape-like eyes. Her beauty was captivating.

    If half an hour ago Su Cheng was still confused about his feelings for Fu Han and Nan Qing, then the moment he saw Fu Han, he was utterly certain that the one he liked was Fu Han, and only her.

    Then Nan Qing¡¯s low voice rose again, "Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, but Fu Han and He Xing seem to have had a fight. If you¡¯re still harboring intentions, this could be a good opportunity for you. But I don¡¯t see much hope for you. Naturally, it¡¯d be better if you¡¯re willing to give up."

    Su Cheng was no longer paying attention to Nan Qing, he stepped past her and others, heading straight for Fu Han with surprise written all over his face, "Fu Han, long time no see, when did you get back?"

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t expected to see Su Cheng here. She had some understanding of the situation at Huangpu Group and thought Su Cheng would be at thepany today.

    But she quickly regained herposure, wearing a polite smile, "I¡¯ve been back for a few days. I wanted to contact you, but I thought it¡¯d be better to tell you once I¡¯ve settled somepany issues."

    Her voice was calm, like a spring day without wind but full of sunshine, warmth without the chill, but her gaze held clear concern.

    However, that very concern pulled Su Cheng back from his daydream in a second, because Su Cheng interpreted it as Fu Han¡¯s sympathy for him.

    Anyone could extend sympathy to Su Cheng; he could even swallow his pride to ept their pity, but he could not ept Fu Han¡¯s. Once he did, hisst bit of self-respect would vanish.

    Su Cheng¡¯s face momentarily stiffened, but he quickly recovered, "I see, you¡¯ve been working hard on thepany stuff."

 Chapter 544 - 545: Awkward Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 544: Chapter 545: Awkward Meeting</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s not tiring, that¡¯s mypany after all," Fu Han said with a smile. It was a faint smile, yet it possessed a beauty that could captivate all beings and stir hearts.

    Fu Han was always the most unique presence. She knew she was beautiful, yet she never took her beauty seriously, or rather, she never thought of judging a person¡¯s worth by their appearance.

    In this moment, although there were many people in the room, Su Cheng¡¯s eyes could only see Fu Han. It was as if at this moment, Fu Han was the only person left in his world.

    After the Huangpu family incident, Su Cheng had thought about disposing of thepany he owned. He felt that since Fu Han had not visited in a long time, she might not care about thispany.

    Of course, a more significant reason Su Cheng wanted to dispose of thepany was that he felt it was a ce of heartache for him because he had promised He Xing to stay away from Fu Han. The existence of thepany would constantly remind him of how passionately he had once loved Fu Han.

    But at this moment, when he saw Fu Han¡¯s smile, he even felt that even if the Huangpu Group copsed, he would never let anything happen to Cheng Yihan Company.

    Of course, this thought was only a fleeting one in Su Cheng¡¯s mind, because he would never let the Huangpu Group fail. However, he now would also not let Cheng Yihan Company fail.

    He was staring at Fu Han absentmindedly until the zing stares of the people around him pulled him back to reality, and he finally realized how inappropriate his behavior had been.

    Fu Han¡¯s face had already turned red. She quietly tugged at Nan Qing¡¯s clothes, her plea for help was self-evident.

    Meanwhile, Nan Qing had been enjoying the spectacle, but she gave Fu Han an ironic look, her schadenfreude in to see, yet she still cooperated and alleviated the awkward situation, "Well, godmother, Su Cheng, let¡¯s not stand here any longer. Everyone, pleasee in and sit down."

    Finally, a group of people arrived in Nan Qing¡¯s living room. The living room, asrge as half a basketball court, suddenly became lively and vibrant.

    Servants bustled about in the living room, serving various precious fruits and pastries, and the aroma of coffee and tea wafted throughout the house.

    Moreover, with the heating turned up high, the ce felt like spring, warm and cozy, like the afternoon sun in the middle of spring.

    The temperature difference between inside and outside caused a thickyer of condensation on the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving this otherwise exceptionally bright room a feeling as if twilight was approaching.

    But Fu Han loved this kind of light the most. It wasn¡¯t overly harsh, nor too dim to hurt the eyes; it was like warm water,forting and soothing.

    Mr. Nangong and Wang Yixuan continued their chess match; Lady Huangpu was chatting animatedly with Nan Qing; Mrs. Nangong went to the kitchen to check on lunch preparations, leaving Fu Han and Su Cheng with nothing to do.

    When Fu Han was alone, she enjoyed the feeling of having nothing to do, briefly emptying her mind, not thinking about anything, and giving herself a proper rest.

    But now it was impossible. Su Cheng¡¯s gaze, like two fiery beams, focused intently on Fu Han, leaving her nowhere to hide. Where was there any chance of rxation?

    Several times she wanted to tell Su Cheng to stop staring at her, but she was worried that her words would draw everyone¡¯s attention, and they would all know Su Cheng was watching her.

    As Fu Han adjusted her position on the sofa, she touched the TV remote control. She had been wondering how to pass the time, so without hesitation, she turned on the TV.

    The TV was set to the entertainment channel, which Fu Han never watched. This channel broadcasted various celebrity entertainment news daily, which she felt had no relevance to her life.

    As she pointed the remote at the TV, ready to change the channel, the screen changed abruptly, showing two familiar figures in front of her.

    The host¡¯s voice came through the TV, "This morning, Mr. He Xing, the heir of He Group, was photographed leaving a hotel with Lady Xia Ning. They departed one after another in haste, their expressions unclear. A few days ago, journalists also captured Lady Xia Ning visiting the He Family¡¯s Lanwan Mountain vite at night, staying overnight until she left Lanwan Mountain in the morning."

    Suddenly, Fu Han felt as though countless flies were buzzing in her ears, the noise so annoying she wished she could p them all dead with a flyswatter.

    Without looking up, she knew Su Cheng had also heard the voice from the TV, and she knew his gaze had changed. As for whether Nan Qing and the others were looking at her at this moment, Fu Han didn¡¯t have the luxury to care.

    Her gaze was fixed on the TV, the screen changed again, disying the scene of her and He Xing¡¯s unfinished wedding. Originally a couple¡¯s photo of her and He Xing, a crack had now been superimposed between the two.

    Just as the host was saying, "Mr. He Xing and Lady Fu Han were once engaged, and they almost stepped into the marriage hall. But on the wedding day, a revtion of Mr. He Xing¡¯s deceit surfaced, prompting Lady Fu Han to call off the engagement in anger. Lady Fu Han returned to the country the day after Lady Xia Ning spent the night at the He Family¡¯s vi, and it remains uncertain whether she intends to win back Mr. He Xing or topletely break off with him."

    After these words from the host, the screen changed once more, showing images of He Xing and Xia Ning together. Despite the poor picture quality, Fu Han could still see them clearly.

    With a "snap," the TV screen went ck.

    It was Nan Qing who turned off the TV. She sat down next to Fu Han and said, "Fu Han, don¡¯t watch these entertainment news. It¡¯s all nonsense from gossip journalists with nothing better to say. If you believe them, you¡¯d be falling for their lies."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the TV, as if she hadn¡¯t heard a word.

    Nan Qing grew anxious and tugged at Fu Han¡¯s arm forcefully, yet her voice was exceptionally gentle, "Fu Han, did you hear what I said?"

    "Ah..." Fu Han finally turned around. Her usually lively eyes were filled with bewilderment, and it took her several seconds before she finally spoke, "I know, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t believe those things."

    As her gaze shifted, Fu Han saw a change in Su Cheng¡¯s expression ¨C a mix of relief and a trace of loss.

    Their eyes met unexpectedly, and after Su Cheng cleared his throat, he spoke softly, "Fu Han, I think Nan Qing makes a good point. He Xing... He Xing isn¡¯t that kind of person. If you have any doubts, I think it would be best for you to ask He Xing face to face, and not take the word of others as truth. The truth... the truth isn¡¯t always what your eyes see."

 Chapter 545 - 546: Lady Huangpu Apologizes

    <h4>Chapter 545: Chapter 546: Lady Huangpu Apologizes</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han thought back to theplex expression in Su Cheng¡¯s eyes that she had caught a glimpse of earlier. Perhaps if it were not for that nce, she would be surprised that Su Cheng would speak on behalf of the so-called "love rival". But now, her own heart was alreadyplex enough, and she simply did not have the spare energy to empathize with the equallyplex feelings of others.

    She nodded, indicating that she had heard him.

    Su Cheng¡¯s mouth opened as if he had more to say, but when he saw out of the corner of his eye that everyone¡¯s gaze had fallen on him and Fu Han, he swallowed his words back.

    The Huangpu madam was close to Nan Qing and saw her son¡¯s expression very clearly. A sh of heartache crossed her eyes before her expression finally returned to calm.

    She walked up behind Fu Han and patted her shoulder, "Fu Han, I¡¯ve said many unpleasant things to you in the past. I want to apologize here; can you forgive me?"

    No one expected the Huangpu madam to suddenly say this, Fu Han included, and everyone was stunned.

    Eventually, it was Fu Han who first came back to her senses. She hurriedly stood up, her face flushed, and said, "Auntie, you¡¯re being too serious. Please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m not angry with you."

    "Really?" The Huangpu madam¡¯s face lit up with surprise as she looked at Fu Han. After receiving Fu Han¡¯s affirmative response, she pointed at Su Cheng and spoke again, "Fu Han, since you¡¯ve forgiven me, my son Su Cheng really likes you. Can you give him a chance?"

    The Huangpu madam seemed to have made up her mind to shock everyone with her words today. She had first suddenly apologized, and then proceeded to confess her son¡¯s feelings on his behalf, which was truly surprising.

    Fu Han¡¯s face, already flush, turned even redder. Her gaze shifted past the Huangpu madam to someone behind her, a look of difficulty on her face.

    Actually, there was no need for her to look; as soon as Su Cheng heard what his mother had said, he had alreadye over. He grabbed the Huangpu madam¡¯s hand in haste and said, "Mom, what are you doing? Please don¡¯t make things more chaotic, okay?"

    The Huangpu madam broke free from Su Cheng¡¯s hand. Defiantly, she looked at her son and said, "How am I making a mess? You fool, I¡¯m helping you."

    "I don¡¯t want your help," Su Cheng responded, both angry and anxious, his voice unintentionally raising, "Mom, this is between me and Fu Han. Please don¡¯t meddle, okay?"

    It was clear to everyone that Su Cheng was angry, but the Huangpu madam persisted, "Su Cheng, you said before that if Fu Han liked He Xing, you would let them be. But now that you see He Xing is not treating Fu Han right, are you still willing to watch her marry He Xing?"

    Her words rang with undeniable force, silencing not only Su Cheng but also the previously helpless Fu Han.

    The Huangpu madam¡¯s statement rified something: everyone was aware of the issue between He Xing and Xia Ning. Everyone knew that what Nan Qing and Su Cheng had said earlier tofort Fu Han had been less than sincere.

    Suddenly, Fu Han felt a twinge of sourness in her nose.

    She looked up to find Su Cheng, his face flushed with urgency as he continuously berated his mother for speaking out of turn.

    The Nangong madam and Nan Qing inexplicably joined the fray as well, three women and Su Cheng turning the scene into not just a lively one, but tumultuous chaos.

    Only Mr. Nangong and Wang Yixuan acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. They were still engrossed in the chess game before them, seemingly oblivious to the explosive drama that had just unfolded on television.

    Fu Han stood there, watching as Nan Qing and the others argued over her matter, feeling like an onlooker with no emotional or mental response.

    Finally, after a few minutes, although the argument continued, Fu Han could no longer bear it.

    She cleared her throat lightly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. She turned to the Huangpu madam and said with sincerity, "Auntie, Su Cheng and I have been friends for years. I do not wish to change our rtionship. As for the matter between He Xing and me, I will handle that with He Xing. Thank you for your concern."

    The Huangpu madam¡¯s expression visibly dimmed, but as the wife of a renowned corporate chairman, she quickly regained control of her emotions.

    A gentle smile appeared on her stately face, faint with good intentions, restraint, and a hint of a plea, "Fu Han, you¡¯re a good girl, and I really like you. I respect your choice, but if one day you find yourself single, please consider my son first. I can¡¯t promise anything else, but he will definitely love you for a lifetime."

    The refusal was on the tip of Fu Han¡¯s tongue, but in the end, she didn¡¯t speak it.

    A mother, a mother who had once spoken harshly to her, a high and mightydy, was now speaking to her in a lowered tone, begging. Fu Han truly could not bring herself to be harsh in return.

    She nodded against her better judgment, "Auntie, your words will stay with me, and I sincerely hope that Su Cheng finds happiness."

    After she finished speaking, Fu Han looked at Su Cheng, conveying her true feelings through her gaze.

    Su Cheng¡¯s expression this time was not asplex as before; instead, he looked at Fu Han with gratitude. He truly appreciated Fu Han; no one understood better than he did how Fu Han felt about him.

    He knew that Fu Han wanted to decline the Huangpu madam¡¯s request, but Fu Han¡¯s kindness had still left a little hope for the Huangpu madam.

    Now, Su Cheng¡¯s biggest concerns, aside from the Huangpu Group, were his mother¡¯s well-being.

    His father¡¯s imprisonment had be a reality; the current struggle was merely about the length of the sentence, and his mother, though free, must be feeling particrly heavy-hearted.

    The topic concerning Fu Han and Su Cheng came to an abrupt halt, with no further mention made of it, as if it had been a mere interlude before lunch.

    Lunch was extravagant, therge round table filled withughter throughout. Nan Qing¡¯s parents seemed quite satisfied with Wang Yixuan, at least not intentionally making it difficult for him. However, Wang Yixuan drank quite a bit today, with Mr. Nangong and Su Cheng almost pressing him to drink ss after ss.

    Fu Han had previously heard the Nangong madam instructing Su Cheng to ensure Wang Yixuan got drunk, suggesting a person¡¯s true character is often revealed after they¡¯ve had too much to drink.

    She watched from a distance, making an effort to get Wang Yixuan to drink, but effort doesn¡¯t always result in oue. No one expected Wang Yixuan to handle his liquor so well; Mr. Nangong was drunk, while he was still sober.

    Normally, if Mr. Nangong drank half a ss, Wang Yixuan would need to drink a full one¡ªthe difference between them was not small.

 Chapter 546 - 547: Grandfather and Grandson Standoff

    <h4>Chapter 546: Chapter 547: Grandfather and Grandson Standoff</h4><h4></h4>

    As for Su Cheng, although he was notpletely drunk yet, he was not far from copsing. His speech had already begun to slur, and his gaze had be even bolder as it fell on Fu Han.

    However, because Fu Han was preupied the whole time, her mind fixated on what was happening between He Xing and Xia Ning, she did not notice this at all.

    ...

    He Family¡¯s vi.

    The He Family¡¯s vi was usually very quiet, only bing lively when Fu Han was present, but today, it was even quieter than usual, so much so that ¡¯quiet¡¯ did not quite capture the atmosphere¡ªit should be described as ¡¯silent.¡¯

    The expression on Old Master He¡¯s face was particrly ugly. He sat on the sofa, silently staring at He Xing, his normally kind face now covered with wrinkles: "He Xing, I told you a few days ago to keep your distance from Xia Ning. Sooner orter, she would ruin your reputation; you just wouldn¡¯t believe it. Look what happened now¡ªdidn¡¯t I say this would happen?"

    "Grandpa, you¡¯ve been saying this for over an hour," He Xing said, painfully massaging his forehead. Although he could hold his liquor, he was not immune to drunkenness, and after drinking too much the previous night, he felt like he could explode at any moment.

    "What¡¯s wrong with over an hour?" Old Master He red at He Xing with unrestrained fury: "Look at the mess you¡¯ve made! How could you be so foolish? What will you do if Fu Han finds out? After Xia Ning spent the night at the He vi, you asked me not to tell Fu Han, and I spent money to suppress your news. But what about today?"

    He Xing¡¯s face grew particrly unpleasant, and with a sigh of resignation, he said, "Grandpa, no matter how much you say, I still don¡¯t know. Last night I was drinking with Ji Liangchuan; I don¡¯t even remember why I woke up in the hotel."

    "So you¡¯re just palming me off with that, huh?" Old Master He paced angrily around the room, his face still filled with rage: "Is that the same excuse you¡¯re going to give to Fu Han?"

    He Xing¡¯s expression suddenly became unnatural, and he coughed awkwardly before saying, "This... I will handle it myself."

    "Alright, you said it," Old Master He replied, furiously tapping his finger on the table after He Xing infuriated him to the point of puffing his cheeks and ring: "If Fu Han doesn¡¯t want anything to do with you, don¡¯te looking to me for help."

    If He Xing had previously shown signs of impatience, now all the impatience had vanished, reced with a pleading look in his eyes as he looked at Old Master He.

    The Old Master, still visibly enraged, snorted and had no intention of paying He Xing any attention: "I¡¯ve told you many times to stay away from the Xia Family, especially Xia Ning. She always upsets Fu Han, and you just wouldn¡¯t listen. Now look, Fu Han is ignoring you. What are you going to do?"

    The already oppressive atmosphere in the living room became even more so after these words.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. He stood up and paced around the room, and after a fewps, he approached the Old Master and said, "Grandpa, could you please call Fu Han and ask her toe home for dinner tonight?"

    "As if you needed to say it?" Old Master He red at He Xing once more, his wrath unmitigated: "Don¡¯t I know to call Fu Han myself? But now she won¡¯t even answer my calls."

    He Xing¡¯s face fell immediately, as if struck by a bolt from the blue.

    Meanwhile, Old Master He red at He Xing fiercely again: "I sent Old Zhou to check at Huating No.1, and Fu Han wasn¡¯t there, so you better go out and bring Fu Han back to me pronto!"

    He Xing sighed. In truth, he was also very worried about Fu Han, but he still doubted whether what Old Master He said was true, so he kept a skeptical gaze on the Old Master.

    "What are you looking at?" Old Master He¡¯s anger intensified, ring at He Xing forcefully: "Let me tell you, don¡¯t think that just because I raised Fu Han, she won¡¯t leave you. I¡¯m telling you, with the way you are, I will absolutely not help you pursue Fu Han ever again. And in the future, if I meet any decent young men, I will introduce them to Fu Han."

    He Xing finally realized he had underestimated Old Master He¡¯s fury. He silently sighed and, reluctantly taking out his mobile phone, made ready to leave: "Grandpa, I¡¯ll go find Fu Han. If you have any news of her, give me a call."

    "What? You¡¯re in a condition to drive now?" Old Master He¡¯s words could be truly venomous when he felt like it. He looked coldly at He Xing and said, "Or are you nning to have Xia Ning be your driver again?"

    "I..." He Xing¡¯s face, already a bit red, flushed even more as he coughed and quickly replied, "I¡¯ll have the family driver take me. Is that satisfactory?"

    Old Master He snorted and turned away, seeming to tacitly consent.

    Knowing he was in the wrong, He Xing did not linger any longer and left promptly.

    No sooner had He Xing¡¯s foot crossed the threshold than Old Master He was making a call: "Old Zhou, He Xing is about to go out looking for Fu Han. Stay out of sight and don¡¯t let him see you."

    Minutester, the sound of a car starting up could be heard; the family driver was taking He Xing out. About ten minutes or so passed, and distant car noises approached, prompting Old Master He to immediately rise and go out to greet them.

    Indeed, in the He family¡¯s parking lot was parked Old Master He¡¯s usual limited edition vintage car, with Fu Han and Old Zhou emerging from the left and right doors respectively.

    Old Master He promptly greeted her: "Xiaohan, you¡¯re finally here."

    Fu Han had received a call from He Xing while dining at the Nangong Family, and after seeing the news, she had been pretending to keep calm. However, when He Xing¡¯s call came through, her anger red, and she not only hung up on him but also blocked his number.

    In the half-hour that followed, Old Master He called Fu Han, and although she guessed it might be about He Xing, she couldn¡¯t refuse her grandfather¡¯s call.

    Curiously, the grandfather didn¡¯t mention He Xing on the phone; he only asked Fu Han to make sure she came back, to have dinner at home in the evening.

    Lately, Old Master He had been in and out of the hospital several times. Though Fu Han hadn¡¯t said much, she was extremely worried about her grandfather¡¯s health. Consequently, as long as his request was not too much, she would not refuse.

    Therefore, after having lunch at Nan Qing¡¯s, Fu Han didn¡¯t stay long; Old Master He had sent Old Zhou to pick her up.

    Actually, Lady Huangpu had been eagerly inviting Fu Han and Nan Qing to have dinner at the Huangpu¡¯s that evening. Fu Han had been pondering how to refuse when Old Master He¡¯s call came at just the right time, serving as the perfect "excuse" for her not to stay and pretend she was oblivious to everyone¡¯s pity, not having to force a smile and act as if she didn¡¯t care.

 Chapter 547 - 548: Fu Han Returns Home

    <h4>Chapter 547: Chapter 548: Fu Han Returns Home</h4><h4></h4>

    So as soon as Old Zhou arrived, she immediately left. She truly wasn¡¯t fond of the excessive warmth from the Huangpu Lady, firstly because Fu Han had a deep impression of the overbearing Huangpu Lady of the past, and secondly, because the attentiveness of the Huangpu Lady towards her was overly deliberate, the kind that expected something in return, and she clearly understood that she couldn¡¯t give the Huangpu Lady the repayment she desired.

    However, Fu Han found it strange that although she had clearly already reached the foothills of Lanwan Mountain, Old Zhou was driving her around in circles at the base instead of taking her straight back home, and he didn¡¯t exin his reasons when asked.

    Master He was especially delighted to see Fu Han, and he took her to the garden to bask in the sun, while Old Zhou willingly went to the kitchen maid to prepare desserts for after mealtimes.

    The afternoon sunlightzily spilled down, shining on Fu Han¡¯s face and dispelling the cold of winter, warming her considerably.

    Her long, ck waterfall-like hair cascaded down, and when the sunlight hit it, it radiated a faint glow, much like a piece of ck jade.

    Fu Han squinted slightly and leaned back in the rattan chair, letting the sunshine fall on her face, and spoke in a soft, kitten-like voice, "Grandpa, do you have something you want to tell me?"

    "Cough cough cough..."

    Master He, who was drinking tea, choked violently from Fu Han¡¯s words, and nearly coughed up tears in an unguarded moment.

    His reaction was so intense that it startled Fu Han, who hurriedly stood up and while patting Master He¡¯s back she said, "Grandpa, you... what are you doing, I... I didn¡¯t say anything."

    Master He,forting, patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and smiled: "I¡¯m fine; I was just wondering why you would ask that all of a sudden."

    Seeing that Master He was alright, Fu Han silently returned to her seat. Her legs dangled in the air as she gently swung them, creating enchanting sceneries in the air.

    Just like her voice, which had now be clear and bright, "Grandpa, you don¡¯t have to hide it in front of me. You asked Uncle Zhou to bring me back, yet you didn¡¯t let me go directly up the mountain. Aren¡¯t you intentionally having me avoid He Xing?"

    As she spoke, Old Zhou had juste over carrying an agate fruit te, which was originally arranged beautifully like a painting; but upon hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, his hands trembled, and that perfect picture now had a slight crack.

    Under Master He¡¯s not too stern gaze, Old Zhou ced the fruit te on the stone round table, while wiping the sweat from his forehead, "Master, I... I didn¡¯t tell the Lady anything, I... I..."

    He stuttered for quite some time, unable to articte a proper reason, which instead made Fu Han burst intoughter at his side.

    After Fu Han had her fill ofughter, she tossed a plump grape into her mouth and said, "Grandpa, do I need Uncle Zhou to tell me something? Don¡¯t I know our family¡¯s cars? I saw our chauffeur driving out with He Xing¡¯s car, and He Xing was in the passenger seat."

    When He Xing was mentioned, despite Fu Han¡¯s face bearing a forced smile ofposure, her heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles, ufortable; yet she strove hard to hide her emotions.

    Master He gazed deeply at Fu Han: "Xiaohan, do you know who He Xing was withst night?"

    Fu Han never expected Master He to be so direct with his question, and due to her shock, she forgot to hide her emotions and simply stared at Master He with wide eyes.

    A breeze passed by, lightly stirring the leaves of the ivy. The pine trees dropped ayer of pine needles not too far away, and a nameless floral fragrance wafted over, faint yet carrying the unique chill of winter¡ªsomewhat simr to the scent of plum blossoms but richer.

    She wrinkled her nose and her attractive eyes searched the garden, trying to find out which flower¡¯s fragrance was so intense.

    Master He¡¯s voice, old yet weary, spoke up, "Fu Han, you know it, right? He Xing was with Xia Ningst night."

    A bitter smile crept onto Fu Han¡¯s lips, and sheughed, looking yfully at Master He: "Grandpa, you¡¯re really too much. You knew I was aware of this news, yet you still insist on bringing it up in front of me. Aren¡¯t you afraid it will make me sad?"

    "Sad?" Master Heughed as well, hisughter equally filled with bitterness: "When you think about it, it was He Xing who did something wrong to you. It¡¯s no use for me to hide it. I got He Xing out of the way because I wanted to ask you privately what you n to do?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Master He; she truly hadn¡¯t expected that at this point, Master He¡¯s concern would be what she intended to do.

    On her way back, Fu Han had already contemted that if Master He persuaded her to forgive He Xing, she wondered what she should do, whether she should give face to Master He.

    But it seemed now that her worries were unnecessary. Master He¡¯s kindness towards her had never been because He Xing liked her, but because Master He had always been so good to her.

    Fu Han¡¯s tense spirit rxed all at once. She took a deep breath and said with a bitter smile, "I really don¡¯t know what to do. Grandpa, I don¡¯t want to hide it from you. I indeed dislike He Xing being with Xia Ning, but it seems like He Xing and Xia Ning always have various ties that keep entangling them."

    A gust of wind came through, and someone¡¯s sigh filled the air, low and weeping, sounding like someone crying.

    Master He looked intently at Fu Han: "So what do you intend to do now? Are you going to kick He Xing to the curb or properly teach Xia Ning a lesson?"

    "Ah?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Master He, suspecting something might be wrong with her ears. Was Master He really He Xing¡¯s grandfather, to speak so lightly of such issues?

    Master He gave Fu Han a stern look and unapologetically said, "What are you looking at? What, you thought I was a senseless grandfather who only knows how to help He Xing?"

    "No... not at all, Grandpa. I didn¡¯t mean that." Fu Han¡¯s face turned red, not from nervousness, but from embarrassment.

    Master He humphed coldly, "Of course, I still hope you and He Xing can be together, but it¡¯s not the old times anymore. Having multiple wives and concubines is out of the question. He Xing must either stay properly with you, or he can get lost."

    "Then Grandpa, what do you n to do?" Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyes shined, and her whole person seemed to regain vitality.

    ...

    He Xing had driven nearly all over City A, searching every possible ce he could think of but had still not found a trace of Fu Han. Out of options, he could only have the chauffeur drive back to the He family¡¯s vi.

    By the time they returned to the vi, it was almost dusk. The sun¡¯s afterglow cast ayer of gold over Lanwan Mountain, and the road they took up the mountain seemed as if it was paved with golden light.

 Chapter 548 - 549 Grandpa Heâ€™s Plan

    <h4>Chapter 548: Chapter 549 Grandpa He¡¯s n</h4><h4></h4>

    When the sun rises in the early morning and sets in the evening, those are the two times when Lanwan Mountain is bathed in the most beautiful golden hues; even the winter scenery of Lanwan Mountain can be called unparalleled.

    When Fu Han first became interested in photography, she would often carry her camera around the mountain during these times and then stay upte into the night to edit her pictures.

    Whenever this happened, He Xing, who might also be working or studyingte into the night, would have a sumptuous supper prepared for him; the reason He Xing remembered this so vividly was because if Fu Han didn¡¯t stay up, the old master of the He Family definitely wouldn¡¯t remember to prepare a midnight snack for He Xing.

    Thinking of this, He Xing couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself. He took a deep breath as he watched the car slowly drive into the He Family¡¯s vipound.

    He got out of the car with some dejection, ready to walk towards the vi when the sight of someone sitting in the garden caught his eye out of the corner. Who could it be if not Fu Han?

    "Xiaohan, you¡¯re back?" He Xing walked over with a face full of surprise, a handsome smile adorning his face as if he had found a lost treasure.

    Fu Han slowly raised her head to look at He Xing, her beautiful eyes void of any emotion as if looking at a stranger: "Don¡¯t you have something to say to me?"

    He Xing¡¯s pupils dted, and for a moment, his face was full of surprise, but he quickly regained hisposure. With a cough, he tried to calm his expression: "Xiaohan, I really don¡¯t know what happenedst night. I asked Xia Ning to take me home, but she ended up taking me to a hotel. I assure you, nothing happened between us."

    The wind blew, shaking the hem of He Xing¡¯s clothes slightly. A mix of alcohol and perfume scents drifted over, particrly pungent.

    Fu Han covered her nose with disgust and took a few steps back: "Don¡¯te any closer to me; the smell makes me want to vomit."

    "Huh?" He Xing sniffed at his sleeve and, perhaps because he had been smelling it all day, didn¡¯t notice anything amiss. Instead, he said with confusion: "What are you talking about? I don¡¯t smell anything."

    "You smell of alcohol, and Xia Ning¡¯s perfume. Go away," Fu Han said with an expression of utter disgust on her face by thest three words.

    Every expression on He Xing¡¯s face crumbled in an instant. He stared at Fu Han as if seeing her for the first time.

    Fu Han remained unmoved, her delicate eyebrows furrowed as if she wanted to pinch a fly to death: "What¡¯s wrong, did I say something incorrect? Youe out of a hotel with another woman, and then you want to embrace me? It seems I wasn¡¯t wrong before; you really are trying to have it all."

    "I didn¡¯t!" He Xing¡¯s chest felt blocked as if it could explode at any second. He let out a roar like a trapped beast: "Fu Han, is it that no matter what I say, you won¡¯t believe me?"

    He could hardly remember thest time He Xing called Fu Han by her full name, perhaps four years ago, or even longer; yet, it wasn¡¯t long ago that He Xing had angrilyshed out at Fu Han.

    A cold huff escaped from the corners of Fu Han¡¯s lips as they curled up slightly: "Yes, no matter what you do, I won¡¯t ever believe you."

    "Then how about I rip my heart out for you to see?" He Xing called out, nearly insane, as he turned toward the vi, ready to charge.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart clenched tightly as if gripped in someone¡¯s hand, the pain making her feel faint. She didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, but she suddenly wrapped her arms around He Xing: "What are you trying to do? Are you going to grab a knife?"

    "If you don¡¯t believe me, this is all I can do," He Xing¡¯s voice was much calmer, but his roar still carried the ferocity of a cornered animal.

    The cold wind blew, making Fu Han feel as though her clothes were soaked through at her back. The pungent mix of alcohol and perfume was still there, but this time she dared not let go of He Xing¡¯s hand, fearing he would truly do something impulsive if she did.

    However, forgiving He Xing simply was not an option, as she tightly embraced him, saying, "There are many ways for you to prove your heart, you don¡¯t need to rip it out."

    "Then tell me what you want me to do," He Xing turned around, pulling Fu Han into his embrace with great force, as if he wanted to crush her bones: "Whatever you say, I will do."

    "Obviously, it depends on what you decide. You figure it out yourself," Fu Han struggled with all her might to break free from He Xing¡¯s embrace, but his arms were mped around her like iron tongs, immobilizing herpletely.

    The two of them were thus locked in a tense standstill, each demanding the other to decide what should be done, with one saying, "You figure it out," and the other finding it meaningless to instruct.

    Hiding in the living room, the old master of the He Family felt his head swell as he listened from behind the corner.

    Eventually, he didn¡¯t follow the n, instead bursting out to He Xing: "Are you an idiot? He Xing, can¡¯t you just have the Public Rtions Department issue an official statement, saying there¡¯s nothing between you and Xia Ning and then exin everything about yesterday and before?"

    He Xing suddenly felt as though he had been doused in cold water; he calmed down instantly and looked at his grandfather with an epiphany: "Grandfather, you¡¯re still the sharpest of us all. You always have a solution. I¡¯ll call the Public Rtions Department right away."

    After saying that, he left without looking back, his ck woolen coat pping in the air like butterfly wings.

    The old master of the He Family rubbed Fu Han¡¯s head, smiling so that his eyes disappeared into his face: "What do you think of He Xing¡¯s response?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face, already flushed, turned even redder. She stomped her foot and pretended to puff up in anger: "This idea was yours, Grandfather. It¡¯s cheating; it doesn¡¯t count."

    "Alright, alright," the old master of the He Family indulged her with a smile, patting Fu Han¡¯s head as ifforting a child: "Then let¡¯s move to the second step, shall we?"

    Fu Han nodded, her cheeks still warm but now tinged with shyness and a fear of her thoughts being read.

    Understanding the situation, the old master chuckled to himself, then turned aside and began to make a call. The phone was quickly answered: "Xia Ning, are you free tonight... thene over to my house for dinner... It¡¯s not a special asion, just a simple meal... alright, see you tonight."

    After hanging up, the old master of the He Family turned to Fu Han with the grin of a mischievous old man: "Done!"

    Fu Han wanted tough, but couldn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t fully in agreement with the old master¡¯s approach, yet she had no better solution herself.

    In less than five minutes, He Xing emerged, brimming with excitement. He habitually reached for Fu Han¡¯s hand: "Xiaohan, it¡¯s all sorted. In less than half an hour, the Public Rtions Department will issue the statement, and then no one will talk about Xia Ning and me anymore."

 Chapter 549 - 550: Dressing Up

    <h4>Chapter 549: Chapter 550: Dressing Up</h4><subtxt> Fu Han¡¯s hand trembled and she smacked away He Xing¡¯s hand very rudely, "We¡¯re talking, no need for any touching."

    He Xing looked at the red mark on the back of his hand and let out a helpless sigh, withdrawing his hand obediently and putting on the appearance of a henpecked wife, "Xiaohan, won¡¯t you forgive me? Tell me, what do I need to do for you to forgive me? I¡¯ll listen to you."

    This seemed to be the first time He Xing had spoken to Fu Han in such a tone and manner since she could remember. Her heart melted into a mess and she even started to feel guilty for being so harsh on He Xing.

    The words to forgive He Xing were on the tip of her tongue, but then she caught Grandfather He signaling to her from the corner of her eye, and she quickly held back.

    In the end, she just kept a stern face and said to He Xing, "What you did was really too much. If you think that¡¯s enough for my forgiveness, you¡¯re definitely mistaken. I¡¯ll see how you behave in the future."

    He Xing¡¯s face copsed instantly, and he looked at Grandfather He reproachfully, only to receive an even fiercer re in return.

    At that moment, He Xing had only one thought ¨C he dared not provoke his grandfather, since after all, it was Grandfather He who could get him back into Fu Han¡¯s good graces after she had blocked him.

    Of course, deep down, He Xing was also quite indignant. Clearly, Grandfather He had already contacted Fu Han, yet he hadn¡¯t called He Xing to inform him, instead making him look for Fu Han everywhere. It would be hard for anyone to believe that Grandfather He hadn¡¯t done it on purpose.

    But the problem was that not only could He Xing notin about his grandfather, he couldn¡¯t even show his dissatisfaction because... well, if he wanted to woo Fu Han back, he truly needed Grandfather He¡¯s help.

    The time that followed was really quite humorous, with Fu Han and Grandfather He chatting idly in the Pavilion as if He Xing was thin air.

    He Xing wasn¡¯t angry, either. He first went upstairs to shower, wash his hair, change his clothes, spray some perfume, and apply some hair gel, grooming himself to look exceptionally handsome as he strutted around Fu Han.

    Unfortunately for him, Fu Han continued to ignore him, and even Grandfather He pointed at He Xing as a bad example, "Fu Han, I¡¯ve heard that young people these days like to talk about yboys. Isn¡¯t He Xing dressed exactly like one today?"

    Fu Han burst intoughter at this, covering her mouth and nodding seriously, "Grandfather, you¡¯re really too fashionable. He Xing really is a yboy, especially the kind that flits about everywhere looking for flowers tond on."

    "How am I a yboy?" He Xing murmured gloomily, sizing himself up. ck jeans, a ck sweater, a ck coat.

    His outfit was just short of having "Keep out" written all over his face.

    Grandfather He was particrly irritated with He Xing today, and before Fu Han could respond, he retorted, "If Fu Han says you¡¯re a yboy, then you¡¯re a yboy. Just listen to whatever she says. Why all the talk?"

    With one sentence, Grandfather He sessfully shut He Xing up. He really wanted to exin that he wasn¡¯t arguing with Fu Han. Initially, it was Grandfather He himself who had called him a yboy, but while he thought this in his mind, he couldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    Meanwhile, Fu Han was covering her mouth,ughing uncontrobly. After she had had her fill ofughter, she pretended to be serious and coughed, "Even if you dress down, your face attracts bees and butterflies anyway. Those bees will fly towards you on their own."

    He Xing was even more distressed. He touched his face and said helplessly, "Then... next time I go out, I¡¯ll wear a mask. Will that be enough for you to forgive me?"

    "Forgive, forgive, you keep talking about forgiveness," Grandfather He took "singing a duet" to the extreme. He blew his beard and red at He Xing, "All those dastardly things you¡¯ve done, let me tell you, Fu Han will never forgive you for your whole life. This is a stain on your life. Fu Han is just giving you a chance now to see what you will do next time."

    In the cold of the early evening, Grandfather He¡¯s words resonated powerfully. Although He Xing knew he was doing it on purpose, he still felt a certain pressure from his words.

    Just as He Xing was about to ask Grandfather He what he meant, the roar of an engine echoed. The three turned their six eyes toward the direction of the gate.

    What first appeared in everyone¡¯s sight was a pair of slim, ck ankles, followed by the face of Xia Ning, already familiar to them all.

    Xia Ning wasn¡¯t expecting to see all three of them as soon as she stepped out of the car. Her expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly recovered, showing off her signature sickeningly sweet smile as she greeted, "Grandpa He, Brother He Xing, Sister Fu Han, hello."

    To be fair, Xia Ning was indeed dressed beautifully today. Her chestnut hair was curled into soft waves, adorned with two delicate hairpins.

    Her already quite attractive face was even more delicately made up. From a distance, Fu Han could see her long eyshes, high nose, cherry lips, and porcin white skin.

    If one had to point out ws on Xia Ning¡¯s face, it would be that her nostrils were toorge, and her skin wasn¡¯t all that fair, leading her to apply makeup with a heavy hand, resulting in her face looking exceedingly pale, as terrifying as those female ghosts in TV dramas.

    Today, Xia Ning had evidently made an all-out effort to dress up. A cream-colored sweater withce details, paired with a id skirt and making her legs look even more slender with tights, coupled with a pair of ck tform shoes; topped with a bright red short wool coat, she indeed radiated youthful vitality.

    Of course, all this was under the premise that Xia Ning didn¡¯t speak. The moment she opened her mouth, her feigned, pretentious voice and her demeanor, desperate to show off how pretty she was, were enough to make someone almost throw up yesterday¡¯s dinner.

    It was already somewhat chilly, but now Fu Han felt like she was on the verge of vomiting her dinner. Her expression darkened and she didn¡¯t bother to be polite, "Xia Ning, don¡¯t call me sister. I am not your sister."

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, obviously exaggerated by colored contacts to appear particrly pitiful, immediately sought help from He Xing, "Brother He Xing, didn¡¯t you say Sister Fu Han wouldn¡¯t be angry with me? Why is she being like this to me?"

    Listen to that, what¡¯s called ming others, what¡¯s called ying the victim first.

    Fu Han seldom rolled her eyes, but at this moment, she really couldn¡¯t help but give Xia Ning an extremely rude eye roll, "Xia Ning, what do you mean I shouldn¡¯t be angry? Let me tell you, with what you and He Xing have done, I¡¯m already being nice not to kick you out with a broom."

    He Xing was just about to scold Xia Ning when he heard Fu Han¡¯s words and immediately shut his mouth. His eyes shone as he looked at Fu Han; he had never imagined that one day, Fu Han would speak so fiercely and possessively.</subtxt>

 Chapter 550 - 551: Face to Face Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 550: Chapter 551: Face to Face Confrontation</h4><h4></h4>

    Before, He Xing had been worried that Fu Han was about to break up with him again, but now, listening to what Fu Han just said, she didn¡¯t seem to have that intention at all. Fu Han, this was implicitly saying she had always considered him her boyfriend.

    He Xing¡¯s mood suddenly improved, and he obediently sat in ce without uttering a word.

    On the other side, Xia Ning was infuriated upon hearing these words. Her anger was on the verge of erupting, but in the next second, she managed to hold it back. Stomping her feet and looking at the elderly Mr. He with a pitiful expression, she said, "Grandpa He, listen to what Fu Han is saying. This is your home; how can she speak like this? I was the one invited by you."

    Mr. He smiled and said, unperturbed, "This is also Fu Han¡¯s home. If she does not allow it, you cannot be here either."

    Xia Ning¡¯s eyes widened, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she had heard. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Mr. He and He Xing, as if trying to figure out who could help her.

    In the end, she directed her plea toward He Xing, "Brother He Xing, look at Fu Han. She¡¯s so rude just because Grandpa likes her. It will be the He Family that loses face if she goes out acting like this. You can¡¯t ignore this."

    He Xing cleared his throat with annoyance and said, "Who asked you toe? Last night I wanted you to drive me home, and you took me to a hotel. It¡¯s already good that Fu Han didn¡¯t hit you upon seeing you today."

    "But..." Tearful and wronged, Xia Ning¡¯s eyes began to well up.

    But before she could finish, He Xing cut her off, "But what? Although I don¡¯t know why Grandpa asked you toe, if you had any sense, you wouldn¡¯t havee today."

    This was the truth, but Fu Han still silently rolled her eyes inwardly. She really wanted to tell He Xing that he was underestimating Xia Ning. Was there anything she wouldn¡¯t do to join the He Family? Besides, Grandpa He had specifically asked her toe today; how could she possibly not show up?

    As expected, Xia Ning was so aggrieved upon hearing this that big tears began to fall, "Brother He Xing, how can you say that about me? I told you, your car was out of gas. I had no choice but to find a nearby hotel. If I really had intentions, I would have done ¡¯that¡¯ when you were drunkst night."

    By the end of her statement, Xia Ning¡¯s face had turned red, seemingly shy.

    Fu Han frowned deeply from the sideline. She still didn¡¯t know what had actually happenedst night. The information she had was merely bits and pieces she had put together from what she heard from Mr. He and seen on television. He Xing hadn¡¯t seriously talked to her about the incident yet.

    Truth be told, she did suspect that something indescribable had happened between Xia Ning and He Xingst night, but she had been too embarrassed to ask Mr. He, so she had kept silent. Now, hearing Xia Ning put it that way, Fu Han found her words surprisingly pleasant, though she didn¡¯t show it on her face.

    He Xing reflexively nced at Fu Han, and then red at Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, no one will think you¡¯re mute if you don¡¯t speak. If you don¡¯t want to be thrown out, then just stay put."

    Xia Ning was genuinely afraid of being thrown out, so she quickly stopped crying and stood there like a child who had done something wrong.

    For a moment, the garden became quiet with only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves.

    The sky began to darken, and the streetlights were already lit, their orange glow spreading warmth like a miniature sun.

    The outline of the garden was blurred, and it took a good look to discern the shapes of the flowers and nts.

    This garden was the ce where Fu Han spent the most time during her childhood. Even in pitch darkness, she would never get lost here; she knew every nt and flower.

    Just as Fu Han was searching for a certain morning glory vine, the authoritative voice of Mr. He rang out, "He Xing, while everyone is here, you two might as well clear things up. What exactly happened between you twost night?"

    Fu Han immediately stopped her inappropriate daydreaming, her eyes wide as she looked at Mr. He. Alright, she really did want to know what had happenedst night, but she never expected Mr. He to be so blunt in asking.

    If not for the swimming pool and the small club on the top floor, the He Family¡¯s vi had three stories. In front of the third floor, there was a massive incandescentmp that would light up when it got dark, illuminating the vast garden as if it were daylight.

    This was amp Mr. He had installed specifically for Fu Han after her parents had just left the world, and Fu Han was very distressed. She did not get along with the nanny that Mr. He had hired and would often hide alone in the garden.

    The young Fu Han was like a tender ball of flesh, truly hard to find when hidden behind the flower trees and thus making her difficult to locate.

    Toplicate things further, the young Fu Han had a rebellious streak and liked sneaking into the garden at night when no one was paying attention; but her courage was small, and she would cry bitterly if adults didn¡¯t find her quickly in the dark night.

    Later, Mr. He had a huge light installed, like a lighthouse by the sea, capable of illuminating everything. With this light, Fu Han no longer cried because of the night garden.

    Later on, as Fu Han grew up and adjusted to life without her parents, themp was rarely turned on. However, whenever Fu Han went out for a walk at night, Old Zhou would always instruct the servants to turn on themp, just in case Fu Han was afraid on her way home.

    Now, under thismp¡¯s illumination, everyone¡¯s faces were as clear as if they were under the midday sun, and she could even count the fuzz on He Xing¡¯s face.

    Thus, Fu Han saw clearly how He Xing¡¯splexion changed significantly after hearing Mr. He¡¯s words, making her heart sink as if a stone had been tied to it, endlessly descending towards the bottom of the sea.

    He Xing¡¯s fingers unconsciously tapped on the marble tabletop, his handsome face expressionless. Knowing him as Fu Han did, he was surely struggling fiercely inside.

    After nearly a few minutes, He Xing finally began to speak slowly, "Last night, after Fu Han and I... after we separated, I ran into Ji Liangchuan. He invited me for a drink; we both had a bit too much. I wanted to call a designated driver to take me back, but I couldn¡¯t get through on my phone, so I had Xia Ning drive me."

    "What does your drinking have to do with Xia Ning?" Mr. He cut in sharply, his keen eyes like an eagle zeroing in on its prey.

    He Xing turned to Xia Ning, his tone mirroring Mr. He¡¯s, "Tell me, what were you doing at Liangtao Bar? Don¡¯t tell me you just happened to be there."

 Chapter 551 - 552: There was a Plan Already

    <h4>Chapter 551: Chapter 552: There was a n Already</h4><h4></h4>

    "I..." Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed at once, but she had already prepared an answer for this question and said without a trace of redness or skipped heartbeat, "It was my friend who saw you drinking there and sent me the location, so that¡¯s why I went."

    Everything had been nned in advance; of course, they were not afraid of He Xing asking questions.

    "Which friend?" He Xing pressed on relentlessly, his face expressionless as he said, "Show me the chat history."

    Obediently, Xia Ning took out her phone, opened Whatsapp, and then handed it to He Xing.

    Fu Han leaned over curiously to look. Perhaps it was the poor lighting of the bar that made the video unclear, but asionally the blinding lights of the bar would illuminate He Xing, and indeed in the video, she saw He Xing downing one drink after another.

    She held back but couldn¡¯t help saying, "This doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re drinking with Ji Liangchuan, it looks more like you have a grudge against the alcohol."

    "They were having a drink-off," Xia Ning immediately interjected, her face full of adoring foolishness as she looked at He Xing and said, "He Xing is so impressive, he drank until Ji Liangchuan had a gastric bleed; Ji Liangchuan, you know, even in the circle he¡¯s known for handling his liquor well, but it turns out he still couldn¡¯t outdrink He Xing."

    Although Fu Han always felt something strange about the current Ji Liangchuan, when Xia Ning spoke with such disdain for Ji Liangchuan, she still thought Xia Ning¡¯s words were somewhat vicious.

    On the other side, He Xing¡¯s face turnedpletely cold; still expressionless, he looked at Xia Ning and said, "How did you know Ji Liangchuan and I were having a drink-off?"

    Xia Ning was still immersed in the beautiful dream where He Xing was even more formidable than the bar boss. On hearing his question, she replied without thinking, "That was, of course, Ji Liang... Ah, no, I mean, of course, my friend told me, and besides... besides, it¡¯s obvious from your posture that you were having a drink-off."

    He Xing continued to fix Xia Ning with a suspicious gaze. He had been woken up that morning by the knocking of room service, which was followed by a group of journalists. Everything happened so suddenly that he indeed had a moment of panic, especially when Xia Ning, wrapped in a bathrobe, came out of the restroom with a face full of panic and shyness, which startled him.

    Then, things got chaotic. Under the countless shes of the cameras, He Xing had no time to respond. He could only rudely shove the group of journalists out, then hastily help Xia Ning get dressed.

    While Xia Ning was changing, the journalists outside were pounding on the door frenziedly, as if they could chop it down with an axe the next second.

    He Xing knew very well that the longer the dy, the more it would work against him. He even regretted not following the journalists outside earlier.

    Now that the two of them were alone in the room, who knew what the journalists would say about the situation.

    Thus, the moment Xia Ning had changed her clothes, He Xing didn¡¯t waste even a second and immediately opened the door.

    Then he realized his second mistake: he should have asked Xia Ning exactly what had happened the night before before opening the door, so he could face the journalists more easily.

    With the situation being so chaotic, He Xing could only tell the numerous microphones that he had gotten drunk the previous night and remembered nothing.

    Then the journalists started targeting Xia Ning with all sorts of questions, and she just lowered her head, hiding shyly behind He Xing without saying a word.

    At that time, He Xing was annoyed that the journalists had followed too closely, so he didn¡¯t think much about it. But now he was furious, and he had no intention of making Xia Ning clear things up on the spot. He just took her and left.

    He immediately regretted it afterward, feeling that he should not have been so protective of Xia Ning because there were too many doubts surrounding the incident.

    Hearing Xia Ning say that, He Xing¡¯s suspicions only grew. His face was frozen with frost as he looked at Xia Ning and said, "Xia Ning, this is the first and thest time I¡¯m telling you, I hate deception the most. If I find out you¡¯re ying any tricks behind my back, I will definitely not let you off lightly."

    A cold wind blew, and Xia Ning suddenly realized her back was drenched in cold sweat; under He Xing¡¯s icy gaze, she even felt an impulse to confess everything.

    But that was just an impulse. Faced with huge temptation, she decided to take the risk. She put on a mask-like obedient smile and replied, "Brother He Xing, I swear I¡¯ve never lied to you, you must believe me."

    He Xing stared unblinkingly at Xia Ning, his sharp eyes filled with a judgmental light, and in those star-cold pupils swirled dark and turbulent waves, as if they could destroy the world at any moment.

    Under such gaze, Xia Ning¡¯s back wasn¡¯t the only thing sweating; even her forehead began to perspire. Her heart was pounding. She wanted to turn and flee countless times, but thest bit of rationality in her mind told her she absolutely must not run away. If she fled now, all their efforts would have been in vain.

    The silent confrontation seemed tost an eternity. Fu Han just sat quietly to one side, watching them. She wanted to know more than anyone what had really happenedst night, whether what Xia Ning just said was true.

    Finally, He Xing was the first to look away: "Fine, Xia Ning, remember you said nothing happened between usst night, so remember that in front of the journalists too, don¡¯t talk nonsense."

    A flicker of hurt crossed Xia Ning¡¯s face, but she still obediently nodded, "Brother He Xing, don¡¯t worry, I understand, even... even if something really happened between us, I would... I would definitely not b about it."

    Fu Han was feeling alright when she heard the first part, but when she heard thetter half, she literally saw red.

    With an angry flick of her sleeve, she couldn¡¯t stay a moment longer and turned towards the vi.

    What a fool. She had actually been expecting Xia Ning to clear up the ambiguity in her rtionship with He Xing of her own will. With someone like Xia Ning, Fu Han would find it strange if she didn¡¯t kick a person when they¡¯re down, let alone help clear up misunderstandings for He Xing.

    Based on Xia Ning¡¯s character, clinging to anything remotely rted to He Xing and turning trivial matters into something suspiciously intimate was exactly what Xia Ning would do.

    No sooner had Fu Han just stepped into the vi than He Xing followed, grabbing her wrist in an urgent tone, "Fu Han, don¡¯t go, listen to my exnation."

    "Exnation?" Fu Han fiercely shook off his grip, pushing his hand away: "So you¡¯re telling me you and Xia Ning stayed in the same room all night and nothing happened?"

    "Why don¡¯t you believe me?" He Xing suddenly reached out, his iron-grip hands firmly holding Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, his eyes piercingly bright as he looked at her, "Fu Han, I¡¯m telling you, I woke up this morning in my own clothes. Also, with how drunk I wasst night, tell me, how could I possibly take advantage of anyone?"

 Chapter 552 - 553: Sincerely Maintain

    <h4>Chapter 552: Chapter 553: Sincerely Maintain</h4><h4></h4>

    "I don¡¯t want to hear it, are you trying to say that even if something did happen, it was because you were drunk, and I can¡¯t me you?" Fu Han raised her arms, attempting to break free from He Xing¡¯s control, but her efforts were futile. She struggled to pry apart He Xing¡¯s arms, but the absolute disparity between male and female strength ensued, with He Xing still tightly grasping her shoulders.

    "Xiaohan, listen to me," He Xing¡¯s ck eyes were like surging waves, his chest heaving, breathing rushed; it was evident he was extremely agitated, "Don¡¯t be angry, this matter hasn¡¯t been cleared up yet, can you wait until I clear things up?"

    Before Fu Han could speak, Xia Ning had already followed, standing gracefully behind He Xing, her face full of smiles as she exined to Fu Han, "Sister Fu Han, don¡¯t be angry, He Xing really likes you, I...I...I¡¯m really envious, so don¡¯t be mad at He Xing."

    Her words sounded sincere, at first nce, it seemed like she was genuinely trying to make peace, but the words she spoke were so grating to the ears.

    Fu Han was like a balloon about to explode in anger, ring at Xia Ning, "Stop pretending to be the good person here. If you really wanted us to be together, you should have sent He Xing backst night. Wasn¡¯t it obvious enough taking him to the hotel?"

    "I..." Xia Ning¡¯s eyes reddened, looking at He Xing with a wronged expression, "He Xing, don¡¯t you trust me either? If I really had ulterior motives, wouldn¡¯t it have been easy for me to slip a few words to the journalists today?"

    He Xing didn¡¯t even nce at Xia Ning; his eyes were fixed on Fu Han¡¯s face, "Fu Han, don¡¯t overthink it, trust me..."

    His words were cut off by Elder He, who came over and unceremoniously interrupted He Xing, taking Fu Han with him firmly, "Alright, stop talking about all this nonsense. He Xing, remember, if you want Fu Han to forgive you, you should be thinking about what to do, not talking nonsense every day."

    His words left He Xing speechless, and instead, a hue of red rose on his face, pale as white jade.

    At that, Xia Ning¡¯s mouth fell open, her face full of defiance, "Grandfather, it¡¯s Fu Han who has been relentless, taking advantage of He Xing¡¯s affection for her..."

    "So you know He Xing likes her too, huh?" Elder He rudely cut off Xia Ning, "Then this is a matter between them, and you, an outsider, should not interfere."

    The volume of Elder He¡¯s voice when he said "outsider" was loud, his emphasis unmistakable.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face alternated between pale and flushed with shame, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

    Just then, Old Zhou came over, bending respectfully towards Elder He, "Sir, dinner is ready; you can take the young master, thedy, and Lady Xia Ning there now."

    Elder He cast another meaningful nce at Xia Ning, before affectionately patting Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Alright, hurry up and eat, or I¡¯ll worry you¡¯ll get too thin."

    ...

    First Hospital of City A.

    A ward bathed in white: white ceilings, white sheets, white cabs. Everywhere the eye could see was white, except for Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hospital gown with blue and white stripes.

    The hospital gowns here differed from other hospitals¡¯. The women¡¯s gowns were pink and white diagonal stripes, while the men¡¯s were light blue and white diagonal stripes.

    If it weren¡¯t for the different colors, many would mistake the hospital gowns here for prison uniforms.

    Ji Liangchuan looked at his own hospital gown with disdain, wishing he could rip the clothes right off; his extreme aversion to hospitals was one thing, but what mattered more was that his being here was due to losing to He Xing in a drinking contest, and getting himself hospitalized from the ordeal.

    When he had first suggested a drinking contest with He Xing, he was convinced he would win.

    The Ji family members could all hold their liquor. From a young age, as soon as they could hold a cup, they were drinking alcohol. It was no exaggeration to say that Ji Liangchuan had drunk more alcohol than water.

    It was precisely because drinking was as simple as drinking water for him that he chose to open a bar after returning to his country. Everything rted to "alcohol" was hisfort zone, and after losing Taozi, his life¡¯s goal had be to drift aimlessly, so staying in hisfort zone was the most suitable course of action.

    But after meeting Fu Han, he felt that there was another way of life open to him, and so he put in great effort to get closer to Fu Han, desiring to draw energy from her.

    Initially, Ji Liangchuan was content just being friends with Fu Han, but as they became more familiar with each other, her presence seemed maic, drawing him in deeper.

    Like a person insatiable for more, he found himself wanting more and more from her, and now his attitude towards Fu Han had be one of getting her by any means necessary.

    And He Xing was like an insurmountable river between Ji Liangchuan and Fu Han, a barrier he would have to ovee to get to her.

    The previous night, when Ji Liangchuan drank with He Xing, he had a n. He intended to use his strengths against He Xing¡¯s weaknesses, to create a rift between him and Fu Han using what he was best at.

    Yet, he never expected He Xing to win, especially at Ji Liangchuan¡¯s own game, and even more inconceivably, that he¡¯d drink himself sick enough to vomit blood and be taken to the hospital.

    Waking up in the hospital, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s first feeling was humiliation, enormous humiliation; his second, anger, after being told by the doctor that his gastritis was due to excessive drinking and mixing various types of alcohol, resulting in this predicament.

    Last night, after arriving at the bar, he was surrounded by a crowd egging him on to drink. At the time he didn¡¯t think much of it, but now looking back, he had drunk red wine, ice-cold beer, liquor, cocktails, among others, indeed a wide variety.

    Ji Liangchuan knew he had an ulcer, something he should have been aware of long before Taozi left. Feeling lifeless over the years, he never thought about taking care of his body, so his condition had worsened day by day. Unexpectedly, his body let him down at the worst time possible.

    His drinking contest with He Xing had a wager involved: if he lost, he¡¯d give up on Fu Han and stop pursuing her. But this was impossible for Ji Liangchuan; he never thought he¡¯d lose, and such a condition was uneptable, so he agreed without hesitation.

 Chapter 553 - 554: Hurry and Take Action

    <h4>Chapter 553: Chapter 554: Hurry and Take Action</h4><h4></h4>

    But the result was beyond his expectations, he lost that sure-winpetition in the most humiliating way, and he knew without looking that the news of his drinking and hospitalization had spread throughout the entire A-city.

    Ji Liangchuan was originally annoyed by this, but after thinking it through, he wasn¡¯t angry anymore; in fact, he was ready to make a big deal out of this incident.

    He nced at his phone, feeling slightly anxious, his hand tapping the table impatiently, faint beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.

    Finally, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and immediately answered the call, "How is it?"

    A deep male voice responded, "I¡¯ve found out, the He Family is already drafting a statement, what should we do?"

    "Act quickly," Ji Liangchuan¡¯s voice trembled as he spoke, his hand unconsciously tightening, making the sound of friction between his bones, "Also, spread the news we bought as fast as possible, the louder, the better."

    Before hanging up the phone he added, "We must achieve our goal, at any cost."

    "Understood," came the firm response from the deep male voice.

    Yet Ji Liangchuan¡¯s heart was not entirely soothed by this voice, even as he clutched his chest, he could still clearly hear the drum-like beating of his own heart.

    A few minutester, he received a text on his phone. After reading it, he burst intoughter, but theugh pulled at his wound, the immense pain abruptly halting hisughter.

    ...

    Huangpu Family¡¯s vi.

    Although Fu Han didn¡¯te here for dinner in the evenings, when Madam Huangpu invited Fu Han, she had also invited Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan.

    Therefore, after Fu Han left, the face-saving Madam Huangpu still semi-forced Nan Qing and the others toe to the Huangpu Family vi for dinner.

    Nan Qing had not visited the Huangpu Family for some days, and counting back, since her first formal confession failed, she intentionally reduced her visits to the Huangpu Family.

    Now, monthster, returning to the Huangpu Family, she felt a strong sense of alienation. This feeling made her act like a real guest here, but previously she knew this ce better than her own home.

    Aside from the unfamiliar feeling caused by her long absence, she still felt that the Huangpu Family had changed a lot.

    The old Huangpu Family could be described with splendor and magnificent. The Huangpu couple were famously vain, everything in their home was the finest, and any decorative item was a rare collectible.

    But today Nan Qing felt the vi had be empty. Many of the precious paintings and porcin she had seen before were gone.

    She knew this was because the Huangpu Group was now facing huge difficulties, it was uncertain whether they could survive; after learning of Mr. Huangpu¡¯s troubles, she had contacted her parents multiple times, insisting they help Su Cheng, even threatening that if they didn¡¯t help, she would never return.

    A few days ago, she received a call from her father, saying they had given appropriate help to the Huangpu Family, but helping them topletely get through the crisis might still not be possible.

    Nan Qing was dissatisfied at that moment, but her father berated her harshly, saying she was thoughtless in her actions.

    Saving people in an emergency is one thing, but considering the Nangong Group¡¯s capabilities, they were notpletely assured of being able to help the Huangpu Group. Let alone if Su Chengcked the ability, if they depleted all of the Nangong Family¡¯s wealth and resources, in the end, both groups might copse, leaving Su Cheng without a fallback.

    After hearing her father say this, Nan Qing understood her father was not unwilling to help Su Cheng, so she felt relieved and stopped pressuring him about it.

    However, today, when she saw the still luxuriously decorated, yet hollow vi that seemed like the furniture had not been fully moved in yet, she felt an unusual sadness.

    Especially when she saw Madam Huangpu¡¯s evidently saddened but feigned indifference, it pricked Nan Qing¡¯s heart like needles, one after another.

    Never before had she felt such an urgent desire to escape from the Huangpu Group.

    Fortunately, the winter afternoon passed quickly, and the scent of food wafted early from the kitchen, meals made by Liu Ma, which Nan Qing had grown up eating.

    Dinner started quickly, but the atmosphere was somewhat somber. Su Cheng didn¡¯t talk much during the afternoon, and aftering home, he went straight to the study room upstairs. He only came down for dinner, nowpletelycking the host¡¯s awareness, not only not taking care of the guests but also holding his bowl quietly, head down, eating, exuding a disposition of keeping people at a distance.

    Madam Huangpu hinted at Su Cheng several times, but he ignored them all.

    Unable to bear the overly grim dinner, Madam Huangpu turned on the TV hoping to lighten the mood, only to find entertainment news again.

    With the morning¡¯s incident, Madam Huangpu said while reaching for the remote, "Let¡¯s find a movie to watch together, there¡¯s nothing interesting in these gossips."

    Before she could finish, the image on the screen changed to a person they knew well, but this time there was an additional person on the screen¡ªJi Liangchuan.

    The host¡¯s voice, thick with curiosity, said, "The love and hate entanglement between the heir of the He Group and the daughter of the Xia Group is fascinating, involving Fu Han, the He Group heir¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e and childhood sweetheart, and now, the flirtatious young master Ji Liangchuan, who harbors unrequited love for Fu Han. It is reported thatst night, He Xing and Ji Liangchuan fought over Fu Han out of jealousy. Ji Liangchuan even ended up drinking until he had a gastric bleed and was hospitalized. We reached out to Young Master Ji today, and he stated that in this life, he will only love Fu Han, and will never give up no matter what happens."

    Nan Qing¡¯s brows furrowed in embarrassment, wishing she could dig a vi-sized hole right there. She tried to grab the remote while forcing a dryugh, "Is it because it¡¯s close to the end of the year, and these journalists have nothing better to talk about, so they¡¯re making up stories?"

    She had already taken the remote from Madam Huangpu¡¯s hand, but the image on the TV changed again to show Xia Ning being driven to Lanwan Mountain.

    "Journalists have learned that Grandfather He seems to be quite fond of Xia Ning. This afternoon, Grandfather He personally called Xia Ning to invite her to have dinner at the He Family. With what¡¯s happening, we wonder where He Xing¡¯s heart lies¡ªis it with his childhood sweetheart Fu Han, or Xia Ning, who once saved his life? As of the broadcast of this news, there has been no response from Young Master He Xing¡¯s side."

    Nan Qing waited a little longer, and seeing that there was no further news, she finally turned off the TV with a snap.

    The room was quiet for a moment. Nan Qing¡¯s first reaction was to look back at Su Cheng, worried about Fu Han, just as she was worried about Su Cheng. After all, Fu Han and Su Cheng were inparable positions, both her good friends.

    She and Su Cheng had known each other since birth, and their understanding of each other was no less than their own, but at this moment, Nan Qing had to admit that she could not understand Su Cheng¡¯s expression.

 Chapter 554 - 555 Personal Emotions

    <h4>Chapter 554: Chapter 555 Personal Emotions</h4><h4></h4>

    What aplex array of emotions that was,den with worry and bitterness, joy and sorrow, hope and despair.

    Nan Qing knew that the troubles, mixed emotions, and despair in Su Cheng¡¯s heart were all because of Fu Han, while the joy and hope, along with the bitterness, were his own true feelings.

    It was just a pity that all the emotions rted to Fu Hanpletely overpowered his personal feelings, meaning that his feelings for Fu Hanpletely dominated his own.

    For some reason, Nan Qing suddenly felt sympathy for Su Cheng. Previously, when Nan Qing liked Su Cheng, she focused more on her own feelings toward him, but now she suddenly realized that her feelings were not as deep as Su Cheng¡¯s for Fu Han.

    In the past, she had always believed that her fondness for Su Cheng surpassed his for Fu Han. She always felt that the fate and bond between her and Su Cheng existed from the moment of their birth, surpassing everyone, including their parents.

    But now, after everything that had happened, Nan Qing had to admit that feelings couldn¡¯t be measured by the length of time, and loving someone more didn¡¯t equate to loving them for longer.

    What matters between people is destiny. Feelings are a metaphysical issue, and love is the most difficult subject to study.

    To this day, Nan Qing still hadn¡¯t figured it out, and she knew that perhaps she may never fully understand it in her lifetime. But what did that matter, when she now had someone she liked, and that person also liked her back, and they were soon to wee the fruit of their love? She knew this was a blessing from heaven, and she would cherish it.

    Thinking this way, Nan Qing turned her head to look at Wang Yixuan, and sure enough, she saw that Wang Yixuan was also looking at her. It was clear that Wang Yixuan knew Nan Qing had just been looking at Su Cheng, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of jealousy or displeasure on his face. Instead, there was even a sense of pity in his eyes.

    When their gazes met, Nan Qing¡¯s heart softened. She knew that Wang Yixuan understood her feelings for Su Cheng, just as he never avoided Nan Qing¡¯s mentions of Su Cheng.

    With this interlude, the already quiet atmosphere of the dinner became even more subdued, no, ¡¯deadly silent¡¯ would be a better description.

    Everyone was an adult and could see clearly.

    After dinner, the Nangong couple had only one cup of tea before they excused themselves.

    Nan Qing asked her parents to take Wang Yixuan home first, as she proposed to take a walk outside with Su Cheng.

    Su Cheng was daydreaming when he heard the news, and he was stunned. He didn¡¯t immediately know how to respond.

    It was the Huangpu Madame, grateful, who spoke for Su Cheng without hesitating, "It¡¯s good to take a walk, it¡¯s good to take a walk. The New Year is almost here, and our area is beautifully decorated. It¡¯s just right for you two to go see it."

    Su Cheng¡¯s emotions today had been like a roller coaster. Seeing Fu Han at the Nangong Family was an instant high, no ascent needed, straight to the peak. However, two pieces of news broke out today, making Su Cheng incredibly sad.

    If he had to say what he wanted to do now, maybe what he most wanted was to see Fu Han, to be by Fu Han¡¯s side, to help Fu Han figure out what on earth was going on.

    So when Nan Qing asked him out at this moment, he actually really didn¡¯t want to; but his mother insisted on him going out, and he couldn¡¯t defy his mother, so he had toply with her arrangements.

    As the Huangpu Madame said, with the New Year approaching, the vi area was decorated beautifully, with various colored lights hanging on the trees along the path; the trees on either side of the road were even connected by ropes, withrge rednterns every ten centimeters or so on the ropes.

    It was just very ordinary, the mostmonce kind ofnterns. If Nan Qing sawnterns for sale on any usual day as she walked down the street, she wouldn¡¯t give them a second nce, but now she found them exceptionally beautiful.

    Thenterns looked like a series of stars arranged in the sky, as if by making a wish to the heavens, it woulde true instantly.

    During the day when Nan Qing returned, she didn¡¯t see many people, but there were more at night. There were young people walking side by side like them, there were jumping and bouncing children, and there were old people leaning on each other for support.

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze was drawn to a little girl in front of her¡ª an extremely pretty little girl with chestnut curly hair, snow-white skin, green eyes, a high nose bridge, looking cuter than the dolls in the disy window.

    Unconsciously, her hand caressed her belly, which was still t, not at all like someone who had been pregnant for over a month.

    Life really was miraculous, appearing in this world when you least expected it.

    A smile began to form at the corners of Nan Qing¡¯s lips, and she couldn¡¯t help but think to herself how wonderful it would be if the baby in her belly were also a pretty little girl.

    Su Cheng had walked about two meters before he realized that Nan Qing wasn¡¯t keeping up and slowed down his pace. He looked back and saw Nan Qing¡¯s silhouette, her profile illuminated by the lights and appearing exceptionally gentle, a stark contrast to her lively front.

    Following Nan Qing¡¯s gaze, he too saw the little girl squatting on the roadside picking up leaves, and he was stunned for a moment. Such a beautiful child, with wings, could be transformed into a fairy.

    Thinking this, Su Cheng¡¯s eyes softened as he looked back at Nan Qing, "You..."

    He paused, finding it difficult to vocalize the rest of his thoughts. After waiting for Nan Qing to look back at him, he continued, "You... Nan Qing, how have you been feeling since you got pregnant?"

    A smile slowly appeared on Nan Qing¡¯s face, and a few secondster, she tilted her head andughed, "Not bad, It feels... as if there¡¯s no difference at all."

    Su Cheng had expected Nan Qing to say something earth-shattering but was taken aback by such a response.

    He stood there stunned, his long, narrow eyes fixated on Nan Qing. Under the starry sky, her face seemed so beautiful.

    Su Cheng had never ¡¯gotten¡¯ Nan Qing¡¯s looks before; he always thought that she had nothing to do with beauty, at most that she was a cute girl. Even in the past, when male ssmates asked Su Cheng to deliver love letters for them to Nan Qing, he would bluntly rebuke if they had gone blind.

    In Su Cheng¡¯s opinion, Nan Qing was just an ordinary girl with big, round eyes and a round face, perhaps just a bit cuter than the average girl.

    His bond with Nan Qing had been sealed before he was even born. He was supposed to be born before Nan Qing ording to the predicted due date, but he was actually born a weekte, while Nan Qing was born a week early.

    In the end, the result was this miraculous: they shared the same birthday, with just an hour difference in their times of birth.

 Chapter 555 - 556: Godfather and Godmother

    <h4>Chapter 555: Chapter 556: Godfather and Godmother</h4><h4></h4>

    This torturous hour had pushed Su Cheng to the brink of copse, and he couldn¡¯t understand why he, who should have been the older brother, ended up being the younger one.

    What was more, the education he had received from a young age had always been that the younger brother should amodate his older sister, protect her, and let her choose the best things first before making his choice.

    Therefore, due to a boy¡¯s unspoken pride, Su Cheng¡¯s denial of Nan Qing¡¯s beauty was his only act of rebellion against their brother-sister rtionship throughout his life.

    But now, with the night sky lit up and shining behind Nan Qing, as he saw her face alongside that of the unbelievably beautiful little girl, he was surprised to find that Nan Qing was also very pretty, like arge, lovely doll.

    Nan Qing¡¯s amber eyes glittered like gems, somehow even prettier than the lights above, her beauty captivating and impossible to look away from.

    At this moment, Su Cheng finally faced his own heart honestly, admitting to himself that Nan Qing was more beautiful and much prettier than he had ever imagined.

    A sense of guilt welled up inside him, and with an awkward cough, he said unnaturally, "Um, Nan Qing, you... you and Wang Yixuan both look pretty good. The child you two have will definitely be very good-looking."

    "Has the sun risen from the west?" Nan Qing¡¯s smile grew even wider as she blinked at Su Cheng, "You¡¯re actuallyplimenting my looks? Didn¡¯t you always say I have a moon pie face before?"

    "That was then, this is now." Su Cheng¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, not sure if it was from Nan Qing¡¯s radiant smile or the ring lights overhead. As he instinctively avoided Nan Qing¡¯s gaze, he abruptly changed the subject, "Quickly tell me, what did you want to talk to me about by asking me out here?"

    Nan Qing looked around and spotted a small pavilion not far from them on the roadside with a table beneath. She pointed at the spot with a smile and said, "My legs are a bit numb; let¡¯s go sit over there and talk."

    "Are you alright?" Su Cheng¡¯s face went through an earth-shattering change. He stared at Nan Qing with wide eyes, looking as though he was ready to rush her to the hospital immediately.

    Nan Qing couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud as she vigorously patted Su Cheng¡¯s shoulder with glee, "Why are you just like Wang Yixuan? Your wife will surely be very lucky in the future."

    Her words caused Su Cheng to be momentarily stunned. Upon closer reflection, he realized that there was a lot of information in her statement. By praising Su Cheng, she also mentioned Wang Yixuan; was this an indirect way of saying that Wang Yixuan treated her well, and she was happy?

    By the time Su Cheng came back to his senses, Nan Qing was already under the pavilion. She took a step up the stairs and turned back, waving and smiling at Su Cheng, "Come over quickly."

    Perhaps it was because she was backlit, but Nan Qing¡¯s face was indistinct; however, her amber eyes shined even more intensely, resembling a cat¡¯s in the night.

    Something deep inside Su Cheng felt as though it had been hit hard, and he stood still, dumbfounded, for a few seconds. Then he began walking toward Nan Qing, but it felt as if something was tugging at his heart, the gap growing ever wider.

    Lying alone in his spacious andfortable room at the dead of night, Su Cheng was still tossing and turning, thinking about what Nan Qing had said that evening.

    In the pavilion, under the dim light, Nan Qing said, "Su Cheng, if you like Fu Han, then you should go all out to pursue her, even if you fail in the end; at least when you grow old and reminisce in your wicker chair, you won¡¯t have any regrets."

    Nan Qing also said, "Su Cheng, I think both you and He Xing genuinely like Fu Han; but your advantage is that you don¡¯t have so much melodramatic baggage, so life with you would be rtively simple for her."

    She spoke very earnestly, "Su Cheng, I know that Huangpu Group is facing difficulties, but don¡¯t worry, Nangong Group won¡¯t just stand by and watch. However, you also have to work hard yourself."

    In the end, Nan Qing, touching her belly and smiling at Su Cheng, said, "I want to give you a gift. When my child is born, you¡¯ll be the godfather, and Fu Han will be the godmother, okay?"

    "Godparents?"

    Su Cheng silently repeated the word in his mouth, a smile gradually appearing at the corners of his lips. Actually, if they were not meant to be together, but could still be connected in some way through a new life, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad.

    Just then... a sigh echoed through the pitch-ck room.

    "I wonder how Fu Han is doing now."

    Su Cheng had thought about sending a message to Fu Han, especially after seeing the news, but in the end, he refrained from contacting her.

    Fu Han was proud and independent. No matter what happened, Fu Han would have her own way of handling things. He believed in her, just as he knew that Fu Han wouldn¡¯t want any pity from anyone right now.

    Even if Su Cheng offered a passionate, burning heart, to today¡¯s Fu Han, concern from others would all feel like pity, no different from alms.

    The result was that Su Cheng held back from contacting Fu Han, but his worry for her was extraordinarily heavy.

    ...

    Let¡¯s rewind the clock back a few hours.

    The He Family had prepared avish dinner, and Xia Ning showcased her unique talent. She didn¡¯t stop praising everything ¨C if notplimenting the vigorous spirit of Old Mr. He, then exalting the deliciousness of the He Family¡¯s meal, with each dish boasted in an exaggerated eight hundred words of effusive praise.

    At first, Old Mr. He responded politely, but Xia Ning was the type of person who¡¯d open a dye shop once given some color. Eventually, Old Mr. He became so annoyed by her chatter that he outright ignored her.

    Yet Xia Ning¡¯s skin was not ordinarily thick. As Old Mr. He stopped paying attention to her, she turned to talk to He Xing. When He Xing ignored her, she simply struck up a conversation with Fu Han.

    However, the difference was that when Xia Ning spoke to Old Mr. He and He Xing, she was as sweet as sugar, but her tone became far less courteous when speaking to Fu Han. Her face wore a sweet smile, but her words were barbed.

    Fu Han already had a poor impression of Xia Ning. Seeing Xia Ning acting brash and iming that the reason for the sumptuous dinner was her visit to the He Family red up Fu Han¡¯s anger. She mmed down her chopsticks and red at Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, I have a question for you. Do you know why our family hired a new chef?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile momentarily stiffened. She stole a nce at Old Mr. He and He Xing, who both looked expressionless. Her heart started pounding loudly.

 Chapter 556 - 557: Listening to He Xing

    <h4>Chapter 556: Chapter 557: Listening to He Xing</h4><h4></h4>

    It took Xia Ning a full ten seconds before she finally spoke, "How... how would I know that?"

    "You don¡¯t know?" Fu Han tilted her head and smiled, looking particrly charming with her standard set of eight pearly white teeth showing, "But why did I hear from He Xing that it was you who bribed the cook, adding something to his coffee, which is why Brother He Xing fired her?"

    Indeed, someone had informed Fu Han of the matter, but it wasn¡¯t He Xing, it was the old Master He who had told her today, and it was not until today that Fu Han finally understood why the family suddenly changed cooks.

    She was somewhat angry about the cook¡¯s betrayal, but not excessively so.

    When she was very young and her parents had just left this world, shecked a sense of security and refused to eat. The previous cook¡¯s food tasted simr to her mother¡¯s, which is why Fu Han was very affectionate towards her while eating her meals.

    At that time, all of Master He¡¯s focus was on Fu Han. Seeing that Fu Han liked the cook, he asked her to spend extra time with Fu Han aside from cooking and even paid her an additional nanny¡¯s sry for this.

    Later on, as Fu Han grew up and epted the fact that her parents were gone, she gradually discovered that she didn¡¯t like the vulgarity that the cook inadvertently showed. Moreover, she grew fonder of old Master He and He Xing, and even her affection for old Zhou surpassed that of the cook, so she didn¡¯t seek out the cook¡¯spany as much.

    But ording to Uncle Zhou, even though the cook stopped looking after Fu Hanter on, old Master He still paid her double wages.

    No matter how you look at it, the He Family treated the previous cook very well; but oftentimes, being good to someone doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they will reciprocate.

    In this world, there are more often those who, upon receiving a favor, set up a dye shop; they take an inch and desire a mile, taking others¡¯ kindness for granted and even expecting more.

    The previous cook was one such person. In fact, one could say her dark human nature was even worse. Despite how well the He Family treated her, she still betrayed them and framed He Xing.

    When Fu Han heard about the cook¡¯s deed, her most significant thought was one of relief that she couldn¡¯t remember how much she had liked the cook when she was a child, thankful that as an adult, she felt only polite respect for her and nothing more; otherwise, she would be not only angry but also profoundly heartbroken.

    Xia Ning never dreamed that Fu Han would be so incisive. Just one second ago, she was full of triumph, ready to bully Fu Han verbally, but in the next second, shepletely lost her nerve, her heart pounding and unsure how to respond, she could only look at He Xing with a flushed face, the plea for help in her eyes was unmistakable, "Brother He Xing, I... I told you already, I really don¡¯t know about this matter."

    Meanwhile, He Xing was looking at Fu Han with a meaningful gaze, knowing full well he had never mentioned this matter to her. But he was even more aware that he wouldn¡¯t expose Fu Han.

    He was also acutely aware of what Fu Han¡¯s intention was in saying so. Faced with Xia Ning¡¯s pleading look, his face turned stone-cold, and he unapologetically said, "What¡¯s there to exin about this matter? It has been found out that it was the Xia Group who paid her, a done deal. You might as well stop being obstinate."

    Xia Ning¡¯s pale face instantly flushed blood red, blooming like a tomato, "I... Brother He Xing, that¡¯s not what I mean. I¡¯m saying I didn¡¯t know about what my father did. You know that I was just discharged from the hospital that day. When I said I wanted to visit you, my father had the driver bring me over. I really only wanted to see you that day."

    He Xing snorted coldly and unapologetically, "You can tell that to your father, I won¡¯t believe it."

    "But..." Xia Ning¡¯s eyes reddened, on the verge of tears as if she had suffered a grave injustice, tears already brimming, "But Brother He Xing, you know that I... wouldn¡¯t dare..."

    A mysterious flush appeared on He Xing¡¯s face as he recalled the scene from a few days ago. That day, he drank the coffee brought by the cook, which made him feel unbearably hot, as if... as if he couldn¡¯t control the need to seek someone out for passion.

    Xia Ning, on the other hand, clung to him like a snake, relentless in her pursuit. Relying on thest shred of sanity in his mind, He Xing eventually knocked Xia Ning out, knowing that if she were conscious, her pestering alone would make it impossible for him to escape.

    Ultimately, He Xing had to cut open his palm to let blood and filled the bathtub with cold water to resolve the issue sessfully, but he caught a cold the next day and had to receive IV drips morning and evening.

    Now with Xia Ning shamelessly iming her innocence, He Xing almost doubted his own ears.

    As he pondered his response, four intense gazes fell upon him, searing like they carried a certain energy, making He Xing ufortably fidgety.

    For the first time in his life, He Xing felt a chill down his spine, knowing full well that Fu Han had deliberately shifted the me onto him to see how he would handle the situation.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze hardened as he looked emotionlessly at Xia Ning, his voice cold and devoid of warmth, "Xia Ning, you don¡¯t have to say these things, but I am convinced that the whole affair was orchestrated by you, so it¡¯s useless to say more."

    Xia Ning turned ashen, the fire in her eyes dimming bit by bit. She sat upright beside He Xing, but now she seemed hunched and defeated.

    However, Fu Han felt no sympathy for Xia Ning. She came to visit the He Family but acted with arrogance, so she had no right to me Fu Han for dealing with her.

    After all, as Grandfather He had said, Fu Han was the mistress of this house, and she should indeed embody the aura befitting of that role.

    Yet, when Grandfather He said these things, Fu Han felt ufortable. She had not forgiven He Xing¡¯s actions from the previous night, especially knowing that Xia Ning had stayed overnight at the He Family vi.

    Whether or not to forgive He Xing was one thing, but whether to deal with Xia Ning was another; facts proved that He Xing was not easily forgivable, and Xia Ning needed to be harshly put in her ce.

    In that moment, seeing Xia Ning looking like a beaten eggnt, she could hardly contain her joy, wishing she could open champagne to celebrate.

    Holding onto old Master He¡¯s arm, she smiled from ear to ear, "Xia Ning, Brother He Xing has spoken, are you still going to act innocent here; you¡¯re really shameful. You dare to do something but won¡¯t admit it. If you were a bit braver, perhaps I would consider you as my rival, but now... forget it, you are just nothing."

    Xia Ning bit her lips hard, her red lips bearing a row of clear impressions from her teeth, and her teeth stained with lipstick, ring red as if freshly dipped in blood, resembling a vampire who had just feasted on human blood.

 Chapter 557 - 558: Killing with the Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 557: Chapter 558: Killing with the Eyes</h4><h4></h4>

    If looks could kill, Xia Ning would have already left Fu Han¡¯s bones to dust with her re.

    Just when Fu Han thought she hadpletely overpowered Xia Ning, suddenly there was a ding of a notification sound¡ªit was someone¡¯s phone receiving a new message.

    The sound wasn¡¯t loud, but the dining hall was so quiet at the moment that everyone could hear it.

    Upon hearing this sound, Xia Ning reacted greatly. She fumbled to get her phone out, and in the next second, she was as excited as if she¡¯d been injected with chicken blood, or rather, her whole being seemed to revive as if filled with chicken blood.

    Realizing that everyone¡¯s eyes were on her, Xia Ning felt a little embarrassed. She stuck out her tongue and whispered to Grandpa He, "Grandpa He, may I go watch TV, please?"

    It was not an unreasonable request, and even though Grandpa He couldn¡¯t even stand the sight of Xia Ning¡¯s hair, he really couldn¡¯t find an excuse to refuse her.

    Secondster, the TV was turned on. From Fu Han¡¯s angle, she could just see the screen clearly. A news broadcast was ying, but because of the distance, Fu Han couldn¡¯t make out the logo in the top right corner and didn¡¯t know which channel it was.

    At that moment, Fu Han had a strange feeling; she felt something off about Xia Ning¡¯s unusual behavior¡ªthe news at noon today reappeared in Fu Han¡¯s mind.

    There was a moment when she felt the impulse to smash the TV, but after all, an impulse is just an impulse; all Fu Han could do was say to He Xing, pale-faced, "I don¡¯t want to watch TV, please turn it off quickly."

    He Xing looked at Fu Han doubtfully, but when he saw herplexion, he didn¡¯t ask anything and stood up to walk toward the TV.

    But he was a second toote. He Xing had already bent over when He Xing¡¯s name came from the TV.

    It was the same annoying voice of the gossip show host: "He Xing, the heir to He Group, has an impressive resume, but his love life is equally fascinating. The quintessential eligible bachelor, He Xing is the dream lover of countless young girls, and his romantic exploits are just as splendid."

    He Xing¡¯s bent back gradually straightened. He stood less than thirty centimeters away from the TV, and with just a little more bending, he could turn it off, but he didn¡¯t.

    Fu Han, not knowing when, had walked over. Her beautiful eyes were still fixed on the TV, unblinking, as if staring at a flower.

    The host¡¯s voice continued, "Fu Han is a somewhat famous photographer. Many people online say she¡¯s the number one beauty of photography; Xia Ning is a rising star in the entertainment circle, and many call her the embodiment of a ¡¯white, rich, and beautiful¡¯ woman. Both of them are deeply fascinated by Mr. He Xing.

    Fu Han and Xia Ning both have no shortage of suitors, like the young master of Huangpu Group, Su Cheng and A City¡¯s mysterious elite, Ji Liangchuan; some also say that Yang Kaitai, the young master of Yang¡¯s Electrical, still refuses to give up on Xia Ning. He has behaved well in prison and has already earned a chance for parole."

    "Ji Liangchuan, in order to pursue Fu Han openly and legitimately, actually agreed to He Xing¡¯s unreasonable demand, drinking himself to the point of stomach bleeding, and is still in the hospital. Since ancient times, heroes have struggled with the barrier of love and beauty, and the entanglements of love and resentment among them are more thrilling than any drama..."

    The host kept talking incessantly, but Fu Han no longer took in what was said afterward; she was only aware that her body was gradually losing its warmth.

    In the dead of winter, it¡¯s normal for hands and feet to be cold, but the heating in the room was very sufficient, and yet her limbs were freezing¡ªa truly abnormal state.

    Just a few minutes ago, she was riding high, thinking that her sweater was a bit too thick and she was almost sweating; but now, she really wanted to run to the bed, bury her head under the covers, and sleep deeply.

    He Xing¡¯s face also didn¡¯t look good. He tried to reach out to grab Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I can exin aboutst night. It¡¯s not what you think. It was Liangchuan¡¯s idea; he said if I could outdrink him, he would stop bothering you, so that¡¯s why I agreed."

    "Fine, I got it." Fu Han was supposed to blow up, but for some reason, she was exceptionally calm now, so calm that it was scary. She turned her head slightly to look at Grandpa He, "Grandpa, Nan Qing is still waiting for me. I have to go back. Could you arrange a driver for me?"

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t driven to Nan Qing¡¯s house that day and was picked up directly by Old Zhou from the Nangong family to go there. Her car was still at the Huating No.1 residential area; but even if she had driven there today, she wouldn¡¯t have had the courage to drive back. She was afraid she wouldn¡¯t stay calm and something would happen.

    Grandpa He¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good either. He directly ignored He Xing¡¯s tant hint, "Alright, Xiaohan, I¡¯ll have Old Zhou take you back."

    "Thank you, Grandpa." Fu Han nodded. She turned and lowered her head to look at the hand that was resting on her arm, long and well-defined. The hand was pale, but not the tender whiteness of a girl, but a powerful pallor.

    She stared at He Xing¡¯s hand for several seconds before calmly looking up at him. Her bright eyes met He Xing¡¯s directly, "Please let go, I need to leave."

    Honestly, if Fu Han had cried and made a scene, He Xing could have embraced her without a second thought; he could haveforted her, pampered her like a child, but with Fu Han so cold now, no, so indifferent, He Xing suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say or what to do.

    By the time he realized Fu Han was leaving, he found his grip had already unconsciously loosened. He reached out, trying to grasp Fu Han again.

    At that moment, Fu Han had already stood up ready to leave. He Xing tried with all his might to grab her, but ultimately, he couldn¡¯t even touch her clothing; despite his efforts, his fingers only passed through Fu Han¡¯s long hair.

    In fact, if He Xing had wanted to stop Fu Han, he could have easily done so; he only needed to grab her hair to make her stop, but how could he bear to cause her such pain?

    He Xing rose and strode towards the doorway, Fu Han a little more than a meter in front of him. She ignored the calls from He Xing behind her, and without looking back, headed towards the car parked nearby.

    As she passed through the headlights, her already slender waist seemed even more delicate, as if the slightest pressure could snap it.

    The roar of the car engine was particrly jarring in the night, and the sound of the tires against the ground was already starting to rise. He Xing dashed over, heedless of anything.

    The sound of the emergency brake was like the roar of a dying beast, both desperate and tragic.

    Grandpa He had originally been standing at the doorway of the vi. When he saw the car start and He Xing rushing towards it without any hesitation, his heart skipped a beat with fear.

 Chapter 558 - 559: The Most Afraid of Deception

    <h4>Chapter 558: Chapter 559: The Most Afraid of Deception</h4><h4></h4>

    But Old Zhou, with his decades of driving experience, managed to maintain his record of zero idents since obtaining his driver¡¯s license, even under such circumstances.

    The car¡¯s front bumper had already touched He Xing¡¯s hem, but it did not actually hit him.

    Seated in the passenger seat, Fu Han¡¯s face was whiter than the streetlights,pletely bloodless. Before He Xing charged over, the only thought in her mind was to leave quickly.

    However, when He Xing blocked the car, her only thought was that as long as He Xing was alright, she would do anything he asked.

    Onlookers were petrified with fear, but He Xing himself seemed untroubled, or more urately, he waspletely unaware of what had just happened. He was simply pleased that he had sessfully stopped the car.

    Worried that the car might start moving again, He Xing quickly ran to the passenger side and knocked on the window.

    Old Zhou was quick to respond and immediately lowered the window ss. Cold air rushed in, and only then did he realize his back was drenched in cold sweat.

    Fu Han silently watched He Xing, her anger erupting a thousandfold with both fresh grievances and old animosities surfacing uncontrobly as sheshed out, "He Xing, what on earth do you want?"

    "I came to tell you that even if time could be rewound tost night, and given another chance, I would still go have a drink with Ji Liangchuan," He Xing knew that Fu Han was angry, and he knew that saying this would make her even angrier, but he added, "Because I don¡¯t like how he incessantly haunts you like a persistent ghost."

    A few steps away, Xia Ning¡¯s expression was exceptionally ugly. Her teeth clenched her red lips, the pressure increasing until the taste of blood filled her mouth, and only then did she realize that she had bitten through her own lip.

    Fu Han was equally unsettled. She only heard what He Xing said, but it didn¡¯t quite sink in; she just red at him with anger-filled eyes: "Do you have any idea how dangerous it was for you to rush over here recklessly? And about you drinkingst night, haven¡¯t you thought about what would happen if the person with the bleeding stomach was you?"

    "For you, even if I drank until my stomach bled, it wouldn¡¯t matter." Her question was a simple one for He Xing, who could answer without a second thought: "I just don¡¯t like those people acting foolish around you all day long."

    At this moment, much of the fury in Fu Han¡¯s heart had dissipated. After all, no matter how angry she was, she knew He Xing had acted to protect her. Just as she was about to say something, she caught a glimpse of Xia Ning standing in the tree shadows out of the corner of her eye.

    Xia Ning was still dressed in clothes that rivaled the Lolita style, her face half lit, half dark under the intery of tree shade and streetlights, yet her eyes were equally bright.

    How to describe Xia Ning at this moment? If the Xia Ning who had always been Fu Han¡¯s adversary from childhood wore a bright sign saying "I am the bad guy," the Xia Ning before her was not the same.

    This Xia Ning radiated a crazed aura as if she would blow herself up rather than let anyone else have an easy time of it.

    For the first time, when Xia Ning stared at Fu Han, she felt a chilling sensation down her spine.

    There she stood, like a dark sorceress hidden in the night, ready to wave her magic wand and obliterate you if you weren¡¯t careful.

    Fu Han forcibly shifted her gaze away from Xia Ning, sighing almost inaudibly: "He Xing, a lot has happened recently, and perhaps there are still more things that I don¡¯t know about. I hope we both take some time to think about what kind of love we want to stay with and whether we should be more dedicated to love?"

    As Fu Han spoke, she blinked hard, trying to force the tears back into her eyes: "He Xing, I don¡¯t like deception, and I like being deceived even less. Moreover, even if I love you as deeply as the ocean, such emotional expenditure is something I cannot afford."

    After she had spoken, she turned to Old Zhou and said, "Uncle Zhou, we can go now."

    After that incident, Old Zhou didn¡¯t dare to casually start the car again. He turned to look at He Xing, with an expression that said it all.

    He Xing took a slight step back and said nothing.

    The luxury car of the He Family¡¯s patriarch slowly passed in front of He Xing, and the window rose gradually.

    He Xing saw his reflection in the car window, an icy face and two ck pupils devoid of any vitality.

    The expansive yard was left with only the faint smell of gasoline, without any trace of their presence.

    A few secondster, a deep sigh echoed like the sigh of a soul crossing the Wangchuan River from the underworld, the prolonged sigh of the He Family patriarch: "He Xing, I can no longer help you with your issues with Fu Han. You¡¯ll have to figure it out on your own."

    After he had spoken, the He Family patriarch turned and walked away,pletely ignoring Xia Ning not far from him.

    The huge streetlight outside the third floor of the vi shone brightly, its light spilling below like a colossal ss dome enveloping He Xing.

    He stared at the ground, his thoughts unknown, his dark hair appearing almost golden, strikingly invible.

    Xia Ning watched He Xing for a long time, unblinkingly. Everything had been carefully nned, a perfect scheme. She had sessfully created a rift between Fu Han and He Xing.

    Now was the time to close the. Xia Ning silently cheered herself on, walking step by step towards He Xing. Each step she took felt as though she was treading on lotus flowers, exquisitely beautiful.

    Xia Ning disyed a sweet smile that she had practiced in the mirror a thousand times: "Brother He Xing, whether you believe it or not, I really didn¡¯t know about tonight¡¯s events. You can investigate; you... you have the capability."

    "Of course, I¡¯ll investigate," He Xing finally looked up, his piercing gazending on Xia Ning¡¯s face, and he stated emotionlessly: "It¡¯ste. You should hurry back. If it gets anyter, those journalists might start writing their own stories."

    "I... I¡¯ll leave right now." Xia Ning felt like she was soaked in cold water, swallowing hard and mustering her courage to say: "But Brother He Xing, could you give me a ride? My driver dropped me off here and left."

    As Xia Ning spoke these words, she braced for a protracted struggle, but to her astonishment, He Xing agreed swiftly, without a moment¡¯s hesitation: "Sure."

    Overwhelmed with immense joy, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t believe it. She bounced back to the He Family¡¯s vi to gather her coat and purse. When she came out, He Xing was already sitting in the car.

 Chapter 559 - 560 Send You Down the Mountain

    <h4>Chapter 559: Chapter 560 Send You Down the Mountain</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning¡¯s smile grew even brighter as she hurried to the passenger side, ready to open the door. Unexpectedly, it wouldn¡¯t budge when she pulled it, and she began to wonder.

    "Only Fu Han can sit in my passenger seat," He Xing stated expressionlessly, his eyes fixed straight ahead, not even sparing Xia Ning a nce.

    The joy in Xia Ning¡¯s heart was instantly halved. She listlessly walked to the back, opened the door, and obediently got in, even thanking He Xing with unusual politeness, "Thank you, Brother He Xing."

    The Lamborghini started slowly, its tires squealing against the pavement, a distinctive sound of a luxury car that was particrly jarring on the quiet night.

    Xia Ning loved that sound, and every time she rode in He Xing¡¯s car, she felt an indescribable excitement, like a child who had been anticipating all day and finally got to eat candy, her beautiful wish fulfilled.

    The night road winding up the mountain twisted ahead, nked by uniformly spaced streetlights, which from a distance looked like a long ribbon wrapped around Lanwan Mountain, exceptionally beautiful.

    Peering out the window, Xia Ning saw nothing but lush trees on both sides, save for the asional vi. However, in the night, the trees were pitch ck, looking like silent figures standing there, watching you.

    In just a few minutes, the Lamborghini had reached the foot of the mountain, but He Xing didn¡¯t continue forward; instead, he abruptly pulled over to the side of the road.

    From the back seat, Xia Ning saw He Xing take out his phone. Unsure of what he was doing, she guessed it might be some emergency business, so she sat very properly in the back, quiet and well-behaved.

    After a few minutes, He Xing finally put away his phone and slowly turned around to Xia Ning, "Get out."

    He Xing¡¯s turn fascinated Xia Ning deeply. His perfect side profile was dimly visible in the night, mysterious allure and striking handsomeness woven together. And the sophisticated quality of his face was captivating, making it hard for her to look away.

    This was the first time He Xing had spoken to Xia Ning since she got into the car, and it was just two words. But those words were so shocking that Xia Ning couldn¡¯t muster up a happy face, dampening the joy she had from looking at He Xing.

    It took her a moment to process what was happening, "But... Brother He Xing, didn¡¯t you say you were going to take me home?"

    Xia Ning had been thinking about making a video to show off on social media during the ride home. Of course, the main point was to upset Fu Han, to let her know that even if Fu Han was angry, He Xing would still look after her.

    But now, with no video, no photos, and nothing to boast about in her hands, He Xing was telling her to get out of the car.

    Just then, an ordinary sedan pulled up in front of He Xing¡¯s car, the driver honking the horn.

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows arched, his demeanor still merciless, "I called a car for you. This person will take you straight home."

    After a pause, he added, "You don¡¯t need to worry about safety. I called the car, and I have the license te number. Just message me when you get home."

    "But..." Xia Ning pouted, her voice filled with immense grievance, "This car is so old, I don¡¯t want to ride in it. Can¡¯t you take me home, Brother He Xing?"

    "Then you can walk home," He Xing retorted without a hint of courtesy, his cold face showing no emotion.

    Knowing that He Xing was angry, Xia Ning didn¡¯t dare say anything more and just picked up her things, dejectedly getting out of the car.

    ...

    The vintage car stopped right under Fu Han¡¯s building, and Lao Zhou got out to help her open the door.

    After getting out of the car, Fu Han politely spoke, "Uncle Zhou, thank you."

    Lao Zhou¡¯s bronze face turned beet red as he rubbed his hands nervously, chuckling with honest simplicity, "Lady, you¡¯re being too polite. It¡¯s my duty to do this for you."

    The chilly night breeze blew softly, causing Fu Han¡¯s hair to flutter slightly, but thankfully the wind wasn¡¯t strong enough to give her a headache.

    Fu Han straightened the hem of her wool coat, a faint smile on her face like a rose, "Uncle Zhou, you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me; we are all equal."

    "How can that be the same?" Uncle Zhou became earnest, saying word by word, "Lady, it¡¯s not like that. You¡¯re thedy, and I¡¯m just a servant of the old master. Whatever I do for you is my obligation."

    Fu Han knew Uncle Zhou had misunderstood her. Her point was that everyone is equal. Even if she were not genuinely ady, she and Uncle Zhou would still be equals.

    But at that moment, Fu Han was too drained to exin, her heart heavy with exhaustion. She just wanted to find a ce to hide and lick her wounds. How could she be in the mood to say more?

    She managed a weak smile, "Uncle Zhou, drive slowly on your way back, be safe, and... take good care of Grandpa. Call me if you need anything."

    Those words left Lao Zhou anxious and flustered until, urged by Fu Han, he finally drove away.

    Fu Han stood in ce for a while, her expression gradually emptying, before slowly turning to open the door and enter.

    ...

    Huating No.1, 22nd floor.

    Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan came back hand in hand. The moment they entered, Nan Qing immediately turned on the heating, "It¡¯s so cold, so cold, I¡¯m going to freeze to death."

    Wang Yixuan affectionately touched Nan Qing¡¯s head, "When I first met you, it was also winter, and you wore even less than now. Why didn¡¯t I hear youin about the cold back then?"

    "Well..." With yful charm, Nan Qing stuck out her tongue, making her already chubby round face even cuter, "You have to remember one thing: when a girl says she¡¯s not cold in the winter, it doesn¡¯t truly mean she¡¯s not cold. It means a girl is saying for the sake of beauty, I can endure the cold."

    "So that¡¯s how it is," Wang Yixuanughed softly, pulling Nan Qing into his embrace, "But I think you look good in a down jacket too."

    Nan Qing nestled her head into Wang Yixuan¡¯s neck, inhaling the faint scent of him¡ªit was the smell of shampoo and body wash mixed with Wang Yixuan¡¯s own aroma.

    Even though she had purposely chosen unscented products when buying the shampoo and body wash, once Wang Yixuan used them, they took on a sophisticated fragrance.

    Nan Qing¡¯s hand moved to her belly, enveloped in immense joy. She felt an unreal sensation, as if happiness hade too easily, creating a sense of emptiness after abundance and an unsettling fear of unreality.

 Chapter 560 - 561 You Run and I Chase

    <h4>Chapter 560: Chapter 561 You Run and I Chase</h4><h4></h4>

    She slowly opened her arms and wrapped them around Wang Yixuan¡¯s waist, and it was only then that she realized how slender he was despite looking strong; his waist was even thinner than many girls¡¯.

    "Why are you so thin?" Nan Qing gently rubbed Wang Yixuan¡¯s neck with a pained expression, "You need to put on some weight; being too skinny isn¡¯t good."

    "How is it not good?" Wang Yixuan chuckled, his hand resting on Nan Qing¡¯s waist. He gave it a slight pinch, and his breathing grew a bit heavy, "Are you trying to say I¡¯m not good in bed?"

    Nan Qing was already feeling upset, but upon hearing those words, her face instantly flushed red. Remembering the intimate moments they shared under the stars, she wished she could just crawl into a hole and hide from sheer embarrassment.

    Nan Qing would never forget that day. During their travels, local girls expressed their affection toward Wang Yixuan, which lead a sulking Nan Qing to turn and walk away, prompting Wang Yixuan to immediately chase after her.

    One ran while the other chased, and somehow they ended up in a meadow, not a golf course, but it was more beautiful than any golf course. The soft grass was like a thick carpet.

    After catching up to Nan Qing, Wang Yixuan held her hand and confessed his feelings, admitting he liked her, and asked if she felt the same. Naturally, the answer was affirmative.

    By that time, the night sky was strewn with stars, glittering like tiny diamonds against the deep blue velvet sky.

    And their kiss began at that moment, a long kiss that left Nan Qing breathless. Everything progressed so naturally, like the floral dress slipping off her shoulder, like their entwined feet tangled in the grass, like their gentle, lingering sighs.

    At that moment, Nan Qing wasn¡¯t thinking of anything. She was only aware that she liked Wang Yixuan, and he liked her; everything happening between them felt meant to be.

    It was that one and only time, Nan Qing¡¯s first kiss, her first time, a beautiful memory she would never forget, and also the time a small life began forming inside her.

    The memory abruptly ended there, as Nan Qing pushed Wang Yixuan, trying to break free from his embrace. She was no longer the na?ve girl she once was and had a faint premonition of what would happen next. She wasn¡¯t resisting; she was just too embarrassed, and she still remembered her mother¡¯s advice.

    But Wang Yixuan was prepared. He held Fu Han¡¯s waist tightly with one hand and lifted Nan Qing¡¯s chin with the other, kissing her deeply.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s lips were as soft as petals yet electrifying, swiftly melting away all of Nan Qing¡¯s resistance.

    In an instant, her mind went nk, void of thought, leaving her to respond passively, basking in the pleasant sensations.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand had wandered beneath Nan Qing¡¯s clothes. Perhaps due to working out, his fingers had fine calluses that felt oddly special, causing Nan Qing to shiver slightly.

    Suddenly, the sound of a key turning in the lock reached them. It wasn¡¯t loud, but to the two people inside the room, it was deafening, no less than the sound of gongs and drums.

    Nan Qing, not knowing where the strength came from, pushed Wang Yixuan away. Not that it was necessary, as he had already let go of her willingly.

    The door opened just as they steadied themselves, and indeed, it was Fu Haning back.

    She stood in the doorway, looking at the two, who were not far apart. Judging by the blush on their faces, Fu Han could tell that her timing was off.

    "Ahem..." A flush of red crept onto Fu Han¡¯s face, and she coughed awkwardly, "Did Ie back at a bad time?"

    "Not at all, not at all." Despite her flushed face, Nan Qing hurried over to Fu Han, "You¡¯re back just in time. My mom asked me to bring you the Red Dates and Bird¡¯s Nest Porridge; have some while it¡¯s still warm."

    Ever since Fu Han had saved Nan Qing, her mother had wanted to take Fu Han as a goddaughter. She was really good to Fu Han, often calling her and frequently buying her gifts which were mostly refused by Fu Han. Sometimes, when the gifts had already been purchased and Fu Han couldn¡¯t refuse, she would find an excuse to return the favorter.

    But gift reciprocation aside, Fu Han genuinely felt affection for Nan Qing¡¯s mother.

    Hearing Nan Qing¡¯s words, she smiled too, "Sure, you¡¯re pregnant and need to nourish yourself too. Let¡¯s have it together."

    Turning around, Fu Han went to the kitchen, and when she came back, she had three bowls and three spoons, clearly including Wang Yixuan in the count.

    Nan Qing spooned the Bird Nest Porridge, stealing nces at Fu Han as if trying to detect something different about her.

    On the other side, Fu Han sat by the dining table; although she was looking at Nan Qing, it seemed as if she wasn¡¯t really seeing her at all, her gaze empty and heartbreaking.

    Nan Qing tentatively spoke up, "Fu Han, how was your visit to the He Family today? Did you have fun?"

    Fu Han had been wondering if Nan Qing had heard the evening news, but there was no need to ask now; the question made it clear that Nan Qing knew.

    A bitter smile crossed Fu Han¡¯s face, and she tilted her head with augh, "I wouldn¡¯t say it was fun or not fun, just that Xia Ning was there when I watched the news."

    "Ah? She went to the He Family too? What was she doing there?" Nan Qing¡¯s voice suddenly rose eight degrees, unable to hide her disdain.

    Fu Han smiled calmly, "The He Family is like a second home to Xia Ning, and the Xia Family has been a benefactor to the He Family. She¡¯s wee to visit whenever she likes."

    What else could Fu Han say?

    Could she tell Nan Qing that it was Mr. He who invited Xia Ning?

    His intent was for Xia Ning to see who truly mattered in He Xing¡¯s heart; of course, Mr. He had ns as well, aiming to reveal Xia Ning¡¯s true colors to He Xing.

    But their n had barely started when the television broadcast theirplex rtionships with the intensity of a prime-time soap opera.

    Fu Han never felt that it was wrong to express the animosity between her and Xia Ning; she merely did not want to involve Mr. He, which is why she spoke to Nan Qing in this way.

    "Such thick skin." Nan Qingined bluntly. As she called Wang Yixuan over for the soup, she said to Fu Han, "Fu Han, I think even if there are issues between you and He Xing, you definitely shouldn¡¯t let Xia Ning off easy. First and foremost, you need to deal with Xia Ning well."

    "But..." Fu Han looked down at the white porcin bowl. The creamy Bird¡¯s Nest Porridge with two red dates floating on top looked particrly pleasing.

 Chapter 561 - 562: Youâ€™re Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 561: Chapter 562: You¡¯re Wrong</h4><h4></h4>

    She stirred idly, "But in the end, everything is He Xing¡¯s fault. If He Xing could have been clear-cut, it wouldn¡¯t havee to this."

    Nan Qing was about to drink her soup with her head lowered, but upon hearing this, she looked up at Fu Han very seriously, "Fu Han, I don¡¯t think what you¡¯re saying is right."

    Under the gazes of Fu Han and Wang Yixuan, Nan Qing¡¯s crisp voice rang out, melodious as if she was singing, yet the words she spoke were as cold as cutting ice.

    "I know a lot of people would say, when two womenpete over a man, that man must be at fault; but this doesn¡¯t apply to He Xing. Why? Because Xia Ning is He Xing¡¯s lifesaver, and that alone means He Xing can¡¯t treat her like he would other women he is not interested in. But think about it, when He Xing rejected Xia Ning, he was actually very firm. Yet with the debt of a life saved between them, what could He Xing do?"

    Even after Fu Han fell asleep that night, she was still thinking about what Nan Qing had said.

    Indeed, she always med He Xing for not being firm enough in rejecting Xia Ning, but now looking back, He Xing always kept his distance from Xia Ning, only helping her when she needed it.

    A deep sigh echoed in the room; Fu Han turned over in bed but was still unable to fall asleep, feeling as if she was trapped in a dead-end with no escape.

    In Nan Qing¡¯s room next door, neither she nor Wang Yixuan could sleep either.

    Once Wang Yixuan¡¯s room had been Nan Qing¡¯s studio, but that evening, Wang Yixuan had slipped into Nan Qing¡¯s room.

    With Fu Han also at home, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t just rudely send Wang Yixuan away, lest she startle Fu Han, which would cause the embarrassing scene of earlier that evening to rey. Besides, Nan Qing wasn¡¯t truly eager to send Wang Yixuan away.

    In the warmth of the room, the twoy quietly on the bed. Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand, which had been loosely around Nan Qing¡¯s waist, began to move up inch by inch, eventually, in barely suppressed eagerness, seizing a soft mound of flesh.

    Nan Qing let out a small yelp, nuzzling closer into Wang Yixuan¡¯s embrace as she whispered, "My mom told me that when you¡¯re pregnant, you can¡¯t... That it¡¯s bad for the... the baby."

    "Really?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s hands halted their motion; he gave Nan Qing a skeptical look and didn¡¯t quite trust her words. After Nan Qing nodded, he immediately took out his phone, "I¡¯ll look it up online."

    Two minutester, Wang Yixuan dumped his phone on the nightstand dejectedly and kissed Nan Qing¡¯s forehead, "Looks like I¡¯ll be living the life of a monk for quite a long time."

    Nan Qing burst intoughter at his jest, "I used to think you were an abstinent handsome guy, but it turns out you¡¯re actually... "

    "Abstinence depends on the person," replied Wang Yixuan without an ounce of embarrassment as his own nature was exposed. Heughed openly, "If I were still abstinent after getting together with you, wouldn¡¯t it imply that I don¡¯t like you enough?"

    Nan Qing¡¯s face flushed red. She just buried her head in Wang Yixuan¡¯s broad chest and couldn¡¯t say a word.

    The two of them snuggled close, each imagining the child in Nan Qing¡¯s belly. After a few minutes of bliss, Wang Yixuan kissed Nan Qing¡¯s forehead, "I forgot to ask, how did your parents rate me today?"

    Nan Qing looked up to see Wang Yixuan¡¯s exquisitely sculpted nose. No, that wasn¡¯t right. Wang Yixuan¡¯s features were wless, whether seen individually or together, they were incredibly attractive.

    If one were to rank the handsome men Nan Qing knew, Wang Yixuan would be either first or second, his only rival being He Xing.

    The reason why Wang Yixuan might lose to He Xing could be because Wang Yixuan¡¯s features were delicate; with a wig, he would be a bona fide beauty, while He Xing, also perfect, would only be praised for his handsomeness¡ªnever for looking excessively delicate.

    Nan Qing watched Wang Yixuan adoringly, "My dad said that one¡¯s character is like their chess game, so you must be quite good. My mom said, you¡¯re even more attractive than I, and there must be many who like you."

    "What does your mom mean by that?" Wang Yixuan sat up slightly, his beautiful phoenix eyes fixed intently on Nan Qing.

    In that moment, Nan Qing felt a cold sweat on her forehead, but she still mustered the courage to speak: "What my mom meant was, if I¡¯m determined to be with you, I should be mentally prepared since there may be many girls who like you, and it could be tough for me."

    "What do others who like me have to do with you?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s face lost all traces of a smile as he looked at Nan Qing with furrowed brows, "Isn¡¯t it enough that I like you? What does it have to do with others?"

    This was the first time Nan Qing saw Wang Yixuan angry. Despite his somewhat overly delicate appearance, his anger had an impressive presence¡ªit felt very... intimidating.

    Nan Qing couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved in her heart, thankful that she had withheld some of what she wanted to say. Otherwise, Wang Yixuan would have probably been even more upset had he known everything.

    Swallowing hard, she took the initiative to hug Wang Yixuan¡¯s arm, "Let¡¯s not think about these unhappy things, shall we? That¡¯s what I told my mom too, that you will handle other matters, and I shouldn¡¯t bother with too much."

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression finally softened somewhat. He sighed deeply and said to Nan Qing very seriously, "Nan Qing, some words I say only once. Remember them if you will, or forget them if you won¡¯t."

    "I¡¯ll remember, just say it," Nan Qing responded eagerly, nodding vigorously like a well-behaved student on her first day of school.

    Wang Yixuan stroked Nan Qing¡¯s hair, his tone much gentler, "I know you and Fu Han are good friends, and you¡¯ve witnessed the difficult rtionship between Fu Han and He Xing, so you might naturallyck confidence in our own rtionship. But I am not He Xing. I don¡¯t owe anyone a life debt; quite the opposite, I¡¯ve lived alone for so long. So in my heart, you," he ced his hand on Nan Qing¡¯s belly gently, "and our unborn child, are the most important people. I only care about the two of you, understand?"

    Tears overflowed from Nan Qing¡¯s eyes. She tried to control her tears, feeling embarrassed to cry at such a moment, yet they continued to escape uncontrobly.

    She wasn¡¯t crying for any other reason but because, even if she didn¡¯t say a word, Wang Yixuan would always easily guess what was on her mind and voice the unspoken words for her.

 Chapter 562 - 563: Parentsâ€™ Opinion

    <h4>Chapter 562: Chapter 563: Parents¡¯ Opinion</h4><h4></h4>

    Like now, she was indeed terrified by the love-hate entanglement between Fu Han and He Xing, fearing such things would happen to her.

    After all, just like her mother said, if Wang Yixuan was a man worth entrusting her life to, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he were an orphan or penniless.

    But her mother felt that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan had known each other for less than three months, and deciding to spend a lifetime together so quickly was too hasty a decision.

    Especially since the Nangong matriarch knew Nan Qing had harbored feelings for Su Cheng for over a decade; one spanned a decade, the other was three months¡ªthe contrast too stark.

    The Nangong matriarch wondered if Nan Qing could truly let go of those feelings after a decade.

    After all, marriage isn¡¯t child¡¯s y. Once married, you must take responsibility for each other and stand by each other for life, not just marry because of an idental pregnancy. After all, the Nangong Family had the means to ensure Nan Qing wouldn¡¯t suffer any grievances, even as a single mother.

    That¡¯s why Nan Qing had kept from Wang Yixuan the fact that her parents had no objection to him as a person, but theycked confidence in their rtionship and thus did not support a hasty marriage.

    Seeing Nan Qing cry, Wang Yixuan tenderly wiped her tears away and even apologized, saying he had been too harsh and frightened her.

    Nan Qing just clung tightly to Wang Yixuan¡¯s waist, as if this could convey her determination to him.

    She had made up her mind not to tell Wang Yixuan about her parents¡¯ opinion. After all, Wang Yixuan was a very proud man, and he might get very angry if he knew of their disapproval, which could lead to anything happening.

    Anyway, since her parents didn¡¯t disapprove of Wang Yixuan himself, Nan Qing felt that as long as she proved her resolve to them, everything would be fine.

    ...

    The days returned to calmness, with Fu Han getting up early to go to work, leaving on time if her work was done, or stayingte in the office to finish.

    As for Nan Qing, against her parents¡¯ wishes, she reopened her gallery, a hobby that Wang Yixuan fully supported.

    Wang Yixuan himself was busier than ever, leaving early and returningte and spending most of his evenings immersed in his art studio, engrossed in his works.

    Initially, Nan Qing was too shy to share a bed with Wang Yixuan, so he only slipped into her room after Fu Han had returned to hers.

    Then one morning, Fu Han, while changing shoes at the door, nonchntly suggested to Nan Qing, "I think you could get rid of that single bed in your studio. It collects too much dust, which is bad for a pregnant woman."

    It wasn¡¯t until Fu Han had entered the elevator that Nan Qing finally grasped the meaning of her words, blushing deeply, but that very day Wang Yixuan dismantled the single bed.

    Not only that, but he even gave it away to the old man collecting junk, iming it was good deeds; only Nan Qing knew it was because Wang Yixuan dreaded being kicked out again, thus he was cutting off all retreats.

    Some things remained unchanged, like He Xing lying in Fu Han¡¯s cklist for the past few days, meaning he could only see her by approaching her directly.

    At first, He Xing would visit Fu Han¡¯s office every day for lunch, but his workload was too great, requiring about three hours to see her, which meant he had to workte into the night.

    After two days of this routine, He Xing moved into Huating No.1, room 2202 the next day after work. This was the apartment he had bought previously to be close to Fu Han and had been empty for some time.

    Fu Han had moved into Huating the day before He Xing arranged for someone to clean his room, only for Liang Tao to forget about it, causing He Xing extra hassle.

    Initially, He Xing nned to deduct nearly a month¡¯s bonus from Liang Tao as punishment, but Liang Tao saved himself by mentioning Fu Han agreed to let him go to M Country with Zhao Ting for the New Year. With Fu Han as his shield, Liang Tao managed to keep his bonus.

    Even though He Xing moved to Huating No.1, Fu Han continued to treat him like air, ignoring his presence.

    Fu Han¡¯s attitude towards He Xing was a decision she made after a whole night of contemtion. She decided to focus on her work first, realizing nothing was more important than building her own strength. As for He Xing, she thought she¡¯d let him taste the bitterness of rejection for a while.

    Actually, Fu Han was quite angry about one thing. They had watched some gossip on TV, and He Xing had sent several messages to exin the situation, which Fu Han ignored. The next day, when they met, He Xing didn¡¯t bring it up again.

    Fu Han felt He Xing was always like this, as if everything was fine even though she hadn¡¯t fully forgiven him, so he didn¡¯t mention it anymore.

    But in reality, Fu Han misunderstood He Xing. Every time there was a misunderstanding, He Xing would exin, and he believed he had made things clear. Assuming Fu Han was still angry and would calm down in a few days, he didn¡¯t bring it up again.

    Over time, the issue had morphed into their current situation¡ªtheir misunderstanding over this matter deepened without either knowing the other¡¯s true thoughts.

    She was thinking of these things because she had just received a message from He Xing asking if she would return to the He Family for the New Year tomorrow.

    Upon seeing the message, Fu Han became furious. Aside from the fact that she was currently in A City, she had always made sure to return home to spend New Year¡¯s with the elderly Mr. He, even when she used to travel during the winter holidays.

    She replied with a single word "Yes" and tossed the phone aside, nervously resuming her work.

    Near the end of the year, there weren¡¯t many photoshoot assignments, with everyone busy preparing for the New Year.

    Fu Han understood many were looking forward to going home for the New Year, so she had let all the non-local staff go home a week earlier, and the local staff working in thepany were paid triple their wages.

    So, even though it was the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and not many people were in the Cheng Yihan Office Building, everyone¡¯s work was well organized, and they all dutifully stood theirst watch of the year.

    Fu Han was satisfied with everyone¡¯s performance and secretly decided to giverger red envelopes at the start of the next year as a sign of good fortune. Considering the small number of staff, the total expense wouldn¡¯t be too significant.

    By the time she had finished all her work, the sun had set behind the distant buildings, its orange glow spreading itsst warmth and transforming her office into a cozy little room.

 Chapter 563 - 564: The Last Working Day

    <h4>Chapter 563: Chapter 564: The Last Working Day</h4><h4></h4>

    But she knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before the room turned pitch ck¡ªin the winter, darkness always arrived so swiftly and abruptly.

    After shutting down herputer and packing up her things to leave work, Fu Han did a final check of the office to ensure all the power sources were disconnected before she locked the office door.

    It was only when she stepped out that she realized the expansive office area was already deserted; everyone had left.

    Because of thepany¡¯s lengthy Spring Festival holiday, most people had taken theirputers home, and their office desks were devoid of their usual nts and decorations.

    In the dim twilight, Fu Han looked over the office area and felt as if the ce was different from what it had been in the morning, no, perhaps it was more urate to say it had changed since she passed through after lunch.

    A strange feeling washed over her, and an unease began to stir inside her.

    During the morning meeting, she had mentioned that everyone could head home after finishing their work, without waiting till the end of the business day, but she hadn¡¯t expected that all the staff would leave before her, making her thest to leave.

    Fu Han fought the urge to turn around and leave immediately, but ultimately she stopped. She had to check the doors, windows, and switches for any potential safety hazards before leaving.

    Now alone in the building, the sound of her high heels echoed sharply across the floor as she checked these things.

    It felt like a scene out of a horror movie, where the protagonist finds what they think is a safe spot to hide, only for the sound of high heels to start approaching bit by bit, a terror beyond description.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t understand why she was thinking of horror films. She shook her head as if that would banish the chaotic thoughts from her mind.

    Atst, having checked both the office area and the Photography Studio, Fu Han locked the doors and headed toward the elevator, breathing a sigh of relief that she could finally go home.

    As she reached out to press the elevator button, she noticed an elevatoring up and paused, deciding to wait instead of pressing the button¡ªafter all, due to the Spring Festival, the property management had issued a notice that to save electricity, one elevator was temporarily shut down since there were fewer people using them, leaving only one elevator operational.

    This wasn¡¯t much of an inconvenience for Cheng Yihan Company since their office was on the sixth floor, and taking the stairs wasn¡¯t too difficult, it was just that the stairway climb could be a bit painful.

    Fu Han boredly thought this to herself, watching the elevator indicator light which had reached the sixth floor. It would undoubtedly continue upwards; she just didn¡¯t know whichpany was also off to ate start.

    She was about to distract herself with her phone when a "ding" sounded nearby; the elevator was unexpectedly stopping on the sixth floor, and its doors began to open slowly.

    Since Fu Han wasn¡¯t directly facing the elevator, she couldn¡¯t clearly see inside, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a ck garment and something shiny that shed briefly.

    In that moment, many thoughts rushed through Fu Han¡¯s mind. Theirpany was the only one on this floor, and all her coworkers had gone. It wasn¡¯t likely that anyone would being up here, and she hadn¡¯t called the elevator, so why would it stop on the sixth floor, and why was there someone inside?

    If she pieced everything together, there was only one exnation: the person in the elevator had intended toe to the sixth floor all along.

    The uneasy feeling she had earlier suppressed now reemerged, stronger than ever.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t dare think any further, turning around and rushing towards the safety door at the end of the hallway.

    She pulled the door open forcefully, and a pungent smell of oil paint greeted her; somepany must be renovating and left a paint can in the stairwell, filling the ce with the odor of paint.

    But now was not the time to worry about whether the paint fumes were toxic, as Fu Han could hear footsteps rapidly approaching.

    Without hesitating, she kicked off her high heels, shoved them into her bag, and began descending the stairs on foot, moving much faster than she had in heels.

    Just as Fu Han reached the fifth floor, the sound of the safety door being forcefully opened echoed from above, apanied by a coarse call: "Fu Han, don¡¯t run!"

    She had never heard that voice before and was certain she had never encountered it. Moreover, there was something unmistakably malicious in it.

    Fu Han knew better than to respond; instead, she ran downwards with all her might.

    Footsteps thundered down from above, clearly indicating that the person was in pursuit.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t reached the third floor when she risked a quick nce upstairs, but that brief look sent a jolt of fear through her, almost causing her to tumble down the stairs.

    She was now sure the person chasing her was a stranger, someone she didn¡¯t recognize at all, and more importantly, he held a dagger in his hand, his eyes gleaming with malevolence and an unspeakable purpose.

    Fu Han¡¯s legs weakened, nearly causing her to fall, which immediately shortened the distance between her and her pursuer.

    Frozen with terror, she wished she could sprout wings and fly away, but that was impossible. She gritted her teeth and increased her speed; she was nearly on the second floor¡ªjust one more level and she would be safe. There was a security guard on the first floor; that¡¯s where she needed to be.

    But before Fu Han could even catch her breath, a sudden sharp pain erupted across her back as the dark-clothed figure kicked her, sending her tumbling down the stairs from the second floor.

    Fu Han rolled straight down toward the bottom, her body aching all over; the only thing she could do was to try and protect her head as best as she could.

    However, when she stopped at thending, she quickly scrambled up, intending to keep moving down. She saw blood on the ground but had no chance to check where she was injured.

    "Still trying to run?" The coarse voice resounded, and the man charged at her, grabbing her hair and thrusting the dagger towards her heart.

    If that strikended, Fu Han would be heading straight to report to Yama.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know where the strength came from, perhaps it was just her survival instinct, but she swiftly reached out andnded a fierce punch to the man¡¯s waist.

    Caught off-guard, the man flinched in pain, his arm veering off course, and Fu Han rolled away, escaping in the opposite direction. Just as she was trying to get up, the man, quicker than her, had already swung the dagger at her again.

    Left with no other option, Fu Han rolled towards the stairwell entry¡ªit was her only chance of survival.

    Rolling down the stairs was an agonizing experience, making Fu Han feel like she was about to fall apart, but fortunately, she had made it to the bottom. She grabbed her throat and shouted desperately, "Help! Help!"

 Chapter 564 - 565: Paying Money to Save a Life

    <h4>Chapter 564: Chapter 565: Paying Money to Save a Life</h4><h4></h4>

    Her ear pressed against the ground, so she could clearly hear the muffled sound of sneakers stepping on the stairs, like the squishing of instant noodles, a muted noise.

    But for Fu Han at this moment, that sound was like the ghostly herald of death. She desperately tried to control her trembling body, striving to appear calm. She used her hands and feet to try to crawl up, but after tumbling down the stairs twice, her legs ached unbearably, immobile. She could only drag herself desperately toward the direction of the safety door with her hands.

    "Ha ha, still trying to run? Go on, run then!" Night Owl¡¯s call came from behind Fu Han, more terrifying than any midnight horror.

    Fu Han had no time nor dared to look back; she just kept crawling and said, "We have no grudge against each other, why are you doing this to me?"

    "Why?" The man in ck seemed intrigued by the cat-and-mouse game; he slowed down his pace and deliberately lowered his voice, "Of course, because someone paid for your life."

    "Who? Who paid for my life?" Fu Han¡¯s volume surged, she turned her head violently, but still, she could only see those two protruding, blood-red eyes; the man in ck¡¯s face was still steadfastly covered with a ck mask.

    Fu Han swallowed hard and said cautiously, "No matter how much others paid, I can pay double. Please, just don¡¯t kill me. We have no grievances against each other."

    "You think I¡¯m a three-year-old kid that¡¯s easy to fool?" The man in ck, furious upon hearing this, charged at her with a gleaming dagger and shed at Fu Han¡¯s arm saying, "If I really took your money, would you let me go?"

    He struck with vicious force, not only shing open Fu Han¡¯s wool coat and sweater sleeves but also delivering a severe pain as he cut her hand as well.

    She could only rely on her arms at this point, but now one of her hands was injured, with unknown severity, but definitely not a minor wound; she had no strength left to resist.

    The light in Fu Han¡¯s heart dimmed bit by bit. She watched in despair as the man in ck approached step by step, her lips quivering slightly, her mind screaming for He Xing. She hoped so dearly for He Xing to appear soon, hoping he could drive this person away.

    Looking down from above, the man in ck saw the craziness in his eyes intensify. He unexpectedly threw away his dagger and started to unbuckle the belt of his pants.

    Even though Fu Han was a girl who had never experienced such things, it wasn¡¯t because of her purity; it didn¡¯t mean she was clueless. She instantly understood what the other party intended to do.

    A wave of immense humiliation swept over Fu Han. Gritting her teeth, she said to the man in ck, "If you want to kill me, kill me, but if you dare to insult me, I will fight you to the end."

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, but she managed to struggle to her feet and charged at the man in ck, intent on fighting him with all she had.

    But how could she be his match? Before she even reached the man in ck, he grabbed her hair, pulled and dragged, and flung Fu Han to the ground, then pressed down upon her.

    Fu Han struggled desperately, but her struggles were not only futile, they seemed to make the man in ck¡¯s breathing grow even heavier, his lips through the mask already grazing Fu Han¡¯s cheek.

    This was more painful to Fu Han than if she had been killed. At that moment, in her mind, she wondered whether biting her tongue would allow her to die quickly and avoid further disgrace?

    Just when the man in ck was about to go further, Fu Han¡¯s phone rang.

    She always enjoyed silence, her ringtone was a simple guzheng melody, very pleasant-sounding, so it wouldn¡¯t disturb others even if it rang in the office.

    But at this moment, her ringtone seemed to have some sort of magic power, frightening the man in ck to the point of near incontinence.

    Yet, within a few seconds, the man in ck regainedposure. He rummaged through Fu Han¡¯s bag harshly, found the phone and hung up directly, then with a snap, flung Fu Han¡¯s phone far away; poor Fu Han didn¡¯t even know who had called.

    After discarding the phone, the man in ck again started tough lewdly, his eyes shining with the gleam of a beast, lunging at Fu Han once more.

    The sound of tearing clothes echoed piercingly in the empty stairwell.

    The sky had grown dark, or perhaps it wasn¡¯t fully dark, just that the light here wasn¡¯t strong enough to dispel the perception of nightfall.

    Fu Han stared at the disgusting face so close at hand, her heart engulfed in darkness. She wanted to die; she felt that she wouldn¡¯t survive this day anyway. It was better to die than to be vited.

    Her teeth clenched down on her tongue; she only needed to bite down to sever it. Whether biting off her tongue tomit suicide would work, she did not know; she somewhat regretted not looking it up when she had seen it on TV dramas.

    Suddenly, with a creak, the door was pushed open.

    Then came a familiar voice that Fu Han couldn¡¯t be more familiar with, "What are you doing?"

    The man in ck jolted up, giving Fu Han the chance to look over. She immediately saw Nan Qing, standing with her hand on the door frame, her beautiful face full of disgust.

    When Nan Qing¡¯s gaze met Fu Han¡¯s, all her disgust disappeared, and pointing at the man in ck, she shouted, "Who are you? Get lost!"

    Fu Han knew from Nan Qing¡¯s initial perspective she couldn¡¯t have seen her, probably mistaking the situation for some public indecency.

    Previously, Fu Han had desperately hoped someone would appear, but definitely not Nan Qing. She would rather be hurt herself than have Nan Qing get hurt.

    So, before Nan Qing could shout her name, Fu Han preemptively spoke harshly, "This is between us, none of your business, just get lost!"

    The man in ck, originally ready to stand up, looked at Fu Han confusedly upon hearing her words. Seizing the moment, Fu Han wrapped her arm around the man¡¯s neck, and with her head resting on his shoulder, bearing down on him, she desperately signaled with her eyes for Nan Qing to leave: "Hey, you¡¯re a grown woman. Watching people do this, don¡¯t you feel ashamed?"

    The man in ck could never have dreamt that Fu Han would be so proactive. Originally, his task was to kill Fu Han, but upon seeing her, he coveted her beauty and thought to rape before killing. Now, seeing Fu Han appear willing, he became consumed by his desires, wrapped his arm around her, and his other hand restlessly groped over her sweater, trying to slip inside.

    His eagerness made Fu Han so nauseated she nearly vomited out herst meal.

 Chapter 565 - 566: Fight to the Death to Protect Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 565: Chapter 566: Fight to the Death to Protect Each Other</h4><h4></h4>

    His movement blocked Fu Han¡¯s line of sight, preventing her from seeing what Nan Qing was doing, but she thought as long as she could hold onto the man in ck, Nan Qing would be safe.

    Suddenly, a "snap" rang out, and Fu Han had no idea what had happened; she only felt dirt pelting her face, forcing her eyes shut with pain, unable to open them.

    "Bitch, you dare hit me?" the man in ck¡¯s voice erupted as he let go of Fu Han.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes hurt terribly, but she astutely guessed that Nan Qing had probably hit the man in ck with a flowerpot or something simr.

    Ignoring the pain in her eyes, driven by instinct, she lunged forward and grabbed the man in ck¡¯s legs while desperately shouting, "Nan Qing, run! Don¡¯t worry about me."

    Fu Han always believed that self-preservation was a prerequisite for saving others. Now, Nan Qing was pregnant and had no ability to protect herself, how could she possibly rescue Fu Han from such a ruthless assant?

    Nan Qing had hoped the flowerpot would seriously injure the man in ck. But even with blood dripping from his forehead, he still managed to kick Fu Han away and rushed toward her with a dagger in hand.

    Realizing something was wrong, she regretted not using the opportunity that Fu Han had barely fought for to escape and seek help, instead of rashly charging at the enemy.

    She turned to run, but the man in ck, who was about one meter ny tall, didn¡¯t even need to step forward; with a single movement, he grabbed Nan Qing¡¯s hair.

    Having her hair pulled was incredibly painful, especially with this man¡¯s great strength. Nan Qing had been moving forward, and his pull sent her tumbling backward to the ground.

    The fall was truly painful, and without even a struggle, Nan Qing fainted on the spot.

    All Fu Han could hear was the pained scream from Nan Qing as her hair was pulled; she heard no other sounds, and with her inability to open her eyes, there was no difference between her and a blind person. All she could do was cry out, "Nan Qing, Nan Qing, how are you?"

    But the man in ck just offered a sinisterugh in return, "Nan Qing? So she was the one who made the phone call earlier. Good, I¡¯ll take care of both of them together, eliminating any future trouble."

    "I¡¯ll fight you to the end," Fu Han muttered as she frantically felt the ground for anything, grabbing a handful of dirt and throwing it towards the source of the voice. The next second, the man in ck¡¯s screams reached her ears, suggesting she had seeded in getting dirt in his eyes.

    Then she forced her eyes open and ran desperately towards the safety door, knowing it was herst chance. If she made it, not only would she be saved, but Nan Qing would be too; if she failed, both she and Nan Qing would leave this world, and the baby inside Nan Qing would nevere into being.

    Finally, she reached the safety door. She flung it open and screamed, her voice filled with despair, "Help! Help!"

    Fu Han could have run straight through the safety door, but she couldn¡¯t leave Nan Qing behind. She knew that as long as she was here, the man in ck would deal with her first. So, she kept one hand on the safety door but didn¡¯t leave the stairwell.

    Instead, she continued to provoke the man in ck, "What kind of man are you, being someone else¡¯sckey,mitting heartless deeds? You only bully women. You don¡¯t deserve to live in this world."

    "I will kill you." Footsteps began to approach Fu Han, step by step, bringing the man in ck closer¡ªit was obvious who it was.

    Fu Han silently counted in her heart. She nned to wait for the man in ck to get close to the door before running out of the stairwell, ensuring Nan Qing¡¯s safety.

    Finally, she smelled that familiar, vile odor mixed with a faint scent of blood. She knew it belonged to the man she detested with her entire being.

    She turned and fled through the safety door, her heart continuously encouraging herself. She had to make it this time because she was not alone; she had to protect Nan Qing.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes still ached unbearably. She couldn¡¯t see anything and could only rely on her memory to run towards the lobby. Regardless of whether she might bump into anyone, she had no choice but to rush forward.

    Atst, a middle-aged man¡¯s voice spoke up, "Who¡¯s there? What¡¯s going on?"

    The voice was utterly ordinary, but to Fu Han, it sounded like the most beautiful music. She knew she was rescued or more urately, she knew Nan Qing was rescued as for herself... the footsteps of the man in ck still neared, the oue uncertain.

    Blind to her surroundings, Fu Han¡¯s other senses sharpened. She felt a breeze blow past her from behind and, not daring to continue forward, she immediately bent over and fell to the ground.

    A secondter, someone ran past her; behind her, the sounds of a scuffle arose¡ªit was the man in ck wrestling with the security guard. Fu Han paid no attention to anything else and desperately tried to open her eyes, tears flowing freely.

    Atst, through her blurry tears, she saw another security guard had subdued the man in ck, and another had arrived upon hearing themotion.

    The fight was over!

    The fear that had risen to Fu Han¡¯s throat finally settled. She copsed onto the ground, having sustained herself on sheer willpower until now. With the danger gone, she truly had no strength left.

    Soon after, Fu Han and Nan Qing were loaded onto an ambnce. Fu Han looked at Nan Qing¡¯s pale, paper-like face, feeling an overwhelming sense of heaviness.

    The Doctor made a preliminary examination of Nan Qing and said she was bleeding, and the baby might not survive.

    Upon hearing this news, Fu Han was struck dumb. If Nan Qing¡¯s baby was lost, she would never forgive herself.

    ...

    City A is one of the most bustling cities in the country, and shopping centers are almost always crowded.

    However, there are exceptions, such as before the New Year, when many people working in the city return to their hometowns, leaving the city seemingly deserted.

    During the New Year period, walking the streets can give you the illusion that you¡¯ve identally entered the world of Sleeping Beauty, with no one around and everyone apparently asleep.

    There is an odd and eerie feeling about it that is unsettling, especially when the shops on both sides of the street are empty, either closed or, for the few still open, nearly customerless.

    At the street corner, there is a Cafe, one of the few stores that hasn¡¯t closed its doors.

    This Cafe is famous, a renowned spot popr on social media, and during holidays, anyone wanting to enjoy coffee or dessert needs to make a reservation in advance.

 Chapter 566 - 567: The CafÃ© from Years Ago

    <h4>Chapter 566: Chapter 567: The Caf¨¦ from Years Ago</h4><h4></h4>

    But today, this cafe was exceptionally quiet, with only one table upied by guests, two young girls who were both very beautiful.

    Their styles, however, were quite different: one wore a cream-colored sweater withce trim, paired with a id skirt and knee-high boots; the other, a form-fitting knitted dress with small leather boots; one had egg-curl hair, the other had waist-length big waves.

    These two were none other than the always adorable Xia Ning and the mature and charming Qin Nuan; together, they made a stunning scene, very pleasing to the eye, so much so that even the meticulously dressed female bartender couldn¡¯t help but give them frequent nces.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s neatlybed and especially curled eyshes fluttered like fans as she elegantly picked up her coffee for a sip, "Lady Xia, Yi Lixing has already arranged everything, you don¡¯t need to worry; I really don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need for you to drag me here to wait for news."

    "That won¡¯t work on me," Xia Ning¡¯s eyesnded on the coffee cup in front of her. The white porcin cup was adorned with gold threads, intricately woven into the shape of a gardenia, her gaze tracing the pattern with every line and stroke: "If Fu Han were really that easy to deal with, would I need to ask for your help?"

    Xia Ning spoke those words aloud, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.

    Du Wanting loved gardenias, so the Xia Family always grew gardenias, except back then they hadn¡¯t lived in a vi, and the gardenias were just potted in small flowerpots.

    After Du Wanting¡¯s ident, the He Family¡¯s assistance in business to the Xia Family grew ever greater, the Xia Family became increasingly wealthy, and finally moved into a luxurious vi.

    When moving, Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯te back at all; he just left one instruction: dispose of everything from the old house; make absolutely sure the new vi stays untainted by any shabbyness.

    In the end, Xia Ning packed all her princess dresses and dolls; Xia Cheng took all his various car toys, and they left everything else behind, including those two pots of gardenias that were blooming exceptionally vibrantly on the balcony.

    Oddly enough, ever since Du Wanting died, no one had cared for those two pots of gardenias, not even Xia Guoxiong, who often dumped tea leaves into the pots. Yet the gardenias remained vigorous, growing lusher and lusher without showing any signs of wilting.

    Xia Ning, under the influence of her mother, had actually liked gardenias as a child. Before she left the old house, she hesitated over whether to take the gardenias with her. But Xia Guoxiong called up to her from downstairs, threatening to leave without her if she didn¡¯te soon, and frightened, she ran downstairs without any thought to the gardenias swaying in the breeze on the balcony.

    When Xia Ning left the old house, her nose was filled with the scent of gardenias in her hands.

    The vi they moved into originally had no gardenias, but about a yearter, Xia Guoxiong suddenly had tworge gardenias transnted. They were lush with branches and leaves, the white blossoms had a texture to them, and their fragrance was as striking as ever.

    A few dayster, the elder Mr. He was invited over with He Xing to the Xia Family home. As Xia Guoxiong led He Xing around the yard, Xia Ning followed. She heard her father recounting to He Xing the story of Du Wanting and the gardenias, emphasizing how he had cared for her mother¡¯s gardenias after her death, so they had grown as tall as they were now.

    Listening to her father¡¯s lies as a child, Xia Ning had already learned to keep a straight face and y along, convincing He Xing that both Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning genuinely missed Du Wanting.

    Not long after that day, Xia Guoxiong suddenly gave Xia Ning a supplementary credit card as a reward.

    It was onlyter that Xia Ning found out that, with the He Family¡¯s help, Xia Group had secured a major project, and it was this project that established their current status.

    The Xia Family¡¯s rtionship with the He Family was never sincere; just like the two gardenias that still grew in the Xia Family¡¯s yard¡ªthey still looked good, but no one bothered to care for them.

    "Hey, are you even listening to me?" Qin Nuan¡¯s impatient voice rang out.

    Xia Ning immediately snapped out of her inappropriate reverie, coughing awkwardly, "What were you saying? I¡¯m sorry, could you repeat that? I didn¡¯t catch it just now."

    "It¡¯s nothing much." Qin Nuan smiled, extending her jade-like white fingers to point at the coffee cup in front of Xia Ning: "I see you like this cup, I can tell you they¡¯re for sale here, you can buy one directly."

    "I don¡¯t want it," Xia Ning declined decisively, even pushing the untouched coffee cup to one side to show her genuine dislike: "The coffee cups at my ce are all custom-made; what would I need that for?"

    When did she begin to dislike gardenias? Perhaps it was after they had all grown up, during one visit when He Xing stood gazing at the two luxuriantly blooming gardenias.

    Xia Ning, eager to please, had asked, "Brother He Xing, do you like gardenias?"

    "I like them," He Xing responded quickly.

    Joy flooded Xia Ning¡¯s heart, and she couldn¡¯t wait to say, "That¡¯s great, I also like..."

    Before she could finish, He Xing spoke again, "Gardenias are pure and unblemished, yet they possess a unique fragrance, just like Fu Han¡ªinnocent, radiating charm from the inside out."

    That was the first time He Xing had openly praised Fu Han in such a manner. Before that, Xia Ning had been certain that He Xing liked her, but his words dealt a huge blow to her confidence, and by now, she was absolutely sure that He Xing¡¯s affectionsy with Fu Han.

    Yet, in her heart, she clung to onest hope: if Fu Han no longer existed in this world, then surely He Xing would like her.

    At that thought, Xia Ning¡¯s expression turned particrly ugly as she turned to Qin Nuan, "Are you reliable or not? Why is there still no news?"

    It was unclear how many times Xia Ning had uttered these words, but Qin Nuan had gone from being initially impatient to now being calm. She took out her phone to check the time; indeed, it was past their expected time, and they should have seeded by now.

    Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sky had darkenedpletely, and the street lights had been lit one by one. The signs of the shops on both sides of the streets were also illuminated; the city, as always, had turned into a city that never sleeps.

    "I¡¯ll make a call and ask," Qin Nuan¡¯s face looked exceptionally beautiful under the light as she took out her phone from her small handbag and dialed a number.

    The phone rang for a long time with no answer, and Qin Nuan hung up, listless: "Yi Lixing might be driving right now."

 Chapter 567 - 568: One Step Behind in the Chess Game

    <h4>Chapter 567: Chapter 568: One Step Behind in the Chess Game</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning looked at Qin Nuan with disdain and said very impolitely, "Are you sure he¡¯s in a meeting? Couldn¡¯t he have gone out to chat with some girls?"

    "What nonsense are you talking about? He would never do that." Qin Nuan¡¯s face turned beet red, her saliva flying in her urgency, "Xia Ning, how can you be so despicable with your words?"

    "Despicable?" Xia Ning scoffed disdainfully, "Didn¡¯t I tell you? Last night, my brother saw Yi Lixing at the bar, surrounded by beauties on both sides."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face gradually lost its color, and her teeth left a row of clear marks on her lip. She bit her lip and finally said in a low voice, "He¡¯s very busy, socializing for work. Isn¡¯t it normal to go to bars?"

    "Only fools like you would say that," Xia Ning¡¯s aurapletely dominated the conversation, and she said proudly, "Who says you have to go to bars for business socializing? Look at He Xing, he rarely goes to bars, and he is way better than Yi Lixing."

    Qin Nuan had a look of furious rage in her eyes. The nails she had done the day before were stabbing into her palm like little knives, hurting terribly. But the words she uttered were much calmer than before, "Not everyone is He Xing, and not everyone can be as self-disciplined as he is. I think whatever messing around outside doesn¡¯t matter, as long as youe home."

    "He Xing is indeed the best man in the world." Xia Ning automatically ignored Qin Nuan¡¯stter words, because she felt what Qin Nuan said was too foolish. Just because a man fools around outside, that makes it okay when hees home?

    Xia Ning paused, feeling she should press her advantage, and said with schadenfreude, "Qin Nuan, I¡¯d say you¡¯re naive; after all, you had an abortion for Yi Lixing. Yet, he may look down on you for the affairs between your father and my brother. No, maybe it¡¯s not just my father and brother. You could¡¯ve had..."

    "Xia Ning!" Qin Nuan couldn¡¯t take it anymore and interrupted Xia Ning, facing her angry look. She suddenly remembered her primary purpose for today and coughed to soften her tone, "Xia Ning, I remember you had an assistant with thest name Qin, is that why you¡¯re holding such a grudge against me?"

    The change of topic caught Xia Ning off guard, and she was stunned for a moment before finally finding her words, "Why are you asking this? But... I do find you Qins very annoying, always seeking personal gains and stooping to any levels to achieve your goals."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s beautiful eyes shed with anger, but it was quickly extinguished. She casually flicked her hair on both cheeks and said offhandedly, "What¡¯s wrong? Did she like He Xing too, so you got angry and had her thrown in?"

    "Like He Xing? As if she was worthy?" Xia Ning¡¯s voice unconsciously rose several notches, her anger ring, "That Qin Xiaonian had such bad taste, she liked Luo Qinghe. She even asked for my help to chase after Luo Qinghe, but s, she was no match for Bai Wei."

    Now, Xia Ning straightened her clothes, smiling especially triumphantly, "Of course, having been master and servant, I would help when I could, but she was so hopeless. I gave her the drugs, yet she still failed. What could I do?"

    "Drugged?" Qin Nuan covered her mouth in feigned surprise, but the other hand resting on her knee pressed something secretly.

    Even now, it remained one of Xia Ning¡¯s proudest achievements. She wore a pleased smile, her talking boxpletely open, "Qin Xiaonian was so unattractive. How could she have a fling with Luo Qinghe without drugs? Stop pretending to be innocent in front of me. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that your burning passion with my father was fueled by these drugs, right?"

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face flushed red, and she coughed awkwardly, "What did you do to Qin Xiaonian afterward? Was it because she was ungrateful?"

    "You still have some brains." Xia Ning nced sideways at Qin Nuan and said arrogantly, "That Qin Xiaonian thought she had leverage over me and even dared to threaten me. I simply used a little trick, and the matter was dealt with. Now she has to spend a few more years inside."

    "What trick did you use?" Qin Nuan leaned forward slightly, her nostrils ring, her face showing a hint of nervousness.

    Xia Ning, however, was watching the music video on the cafe¡¯s jukebox. She didn¡¯t see Qin Nuan¡¯s unusual expression and said casually, "You¡¯ve been with my father for so long and you don¡¯t know these tricks? Ha..."

    Before she could finish, Qin Nuan¡¯s phone rang, sessfully interrupting Xia Ning¡¯s sentence.

    Qin Nuan felt an intense irritation, but rather than show any odd expression, she quickly pulled out her phone. When she saw the caller ID on the screen, Qin Nuan¡¯s heart began to race.

    Her hand shook as she answered the phone, but she forced herself to pick up, "Hello..."

    Xia Ning inadvertently saw the caller ID on Qin Nuan¡¯s phone was Yi Lixing. She knew this call must be rted to the matter she cared about most. She clenched her fist, her palms starting to sweat.

    Two minutester, Qin Nuan ended the call with a heavy expression, looking at Xia Ning. Her lips parted slightly, and she uttered three simple words, "It failed."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face immediately shifted, her beautiful visage contorting grotesquely, her expression vicious as she red at Qin Nuan, wishing she could tear her to pieces, "Didn¡¯t you say your man had been trailing for days, that their office building was unupied today? Didn¡¯t you say it was a sure sess? Are you lying to me?"

    "Do you think I¡¯m happy about the failure?" Qin Nuan retorted, though her tone was subdued and unconvincing, "Of course I wanted it to seed in one go, but I didn¡¯t expect that man to be distracted by Fu Han¡¯s beauty, dying him until the security guard showed up."

    Xia Ning was so angry her nose seemed crooked. She looked at Qin Nuan with gritted teeth, "Look at what a mess you¡¯ve made of things! I¡¯m telling you, either get rid of Fu Han for me or give me my money back. I¡¯m not in the mood to hear your griping."

    The warm light of the cafe shone on Xia Ning¡¯s face, making her look particrly terrifying. Not ugly, but rather like a hellish demon looking up, exposed to the sunlight.

    How could she not be angry? She had given all her money to Qin Nuan, and now Qin Nuan had not yet disposed of Fu Han after taking her money. Anyone would be furious in her ce.

    Qin Nuan¡¯splexion was also unsightly. She looked at Xia Ning with a gloomy face, giving her a single nce that somehow made Xia Ning swallow the words she was about to say.

 Chapter 568 - 569: Insurmountable Sky Gang

    <h4>Chapter 568: Chapter 569: Insurmountable Sky Gang</h4><h4></h4>

    After Qin Nuan intimidated Xia Ning, she slowly got up and walked towards the door, leaving only one sentence behind: "I¡¯ll take care of this matter, you just wait peacefully."

    It wasn¡¯t until Qin Nuan¡¯s figure had disappeared from view that Xia Ning finally reacted.

    She thought about how she had been bluffed by Qin Nuan, and she trembled with anger. For a moment, she really wanted to rush out and teach Qin Nuan a harsh lesson, but then she remembered that she still needed Qin Nuan to find someone to deal with Fu Han, so she forcefully held back.

    ...

    He Xing received the news and hurried to the hospital more than an hourter. By then, Fu Han was already out of the Emergency Room, and the wounds on her body had already been treated.

    The nurse raised her bed, and she sat up, leaning back, her eyes woodenly fixed on the door, not even noticing He Xing¡¯s arrival.

    Standing at the door of the Ward, He Xing felt a hesitance to enter upon seeing Fu Han.

    Though Fu Han was right in front of him, he felt she was so distant, as if there was a great divide that could not be crossed between them.

    It was still Fu Han, but the familiar feeling He Xing knew was gone from her.

    Her obsidian-like eyes were still clear, but they gave off a wooden and hollow impression; her face was mottled with bruises, looking like a dye shop, and her arm was wrapped in thick bandages.

    A fierce me burned in He Xing¡¯s eyes; he strode forward in long steps: "Xiaohan, you... How are you?"

    Fu Han continued to stare nkly ahead as if she heard nothing, to be precise, she looked just like a marite at that moment.

    He Xing reached out to touch Fu Han¡¯s face but hesitated at her bruisedplexion, and ultimately, he gently patted her shoulder that wasn¡¯t bound in bandages, speaking in the gentlest voice possible, "Xiaohan, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    "I... I¡¯m fine," Fu Han said nkly, looking up woodenly. "I¡¯m fine. Hurry and save Nan Qing, go save her, she¡¯s pregnant."

    He Xing tenderly extended his arm and pulled Fu Han into his embrace: "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve already found the best Doctor; Nan Qing will definitely be okay."

    "Really?" A faint light shone from Fu Han¡¯s eyes as she clutched onto He Xing like a lifeline. "You¡¯re telling the truth, right? Nan Qing will definitely be okay, right?"

    "Yes, she won¡¯t be in trouble. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to ensure it," He Xing hastily reassured her along with her words. However, in a ce where Fu Han couldn¡¯t see, deep worryy unfathomable in his eyes.

    He Xing knew about Nan Qing¡¯s condition as soon as he received the call. His dyed arrival was because he had driven out to fetch an Expert ¡ª reputed to be the best in gynecology throughout A city. If this Doctor was also unable to do anything, then the child within Nan Qing¡¯s womb was truly in danger...

    But such words could not be spoken to Fu Han now, who was as fragile as a porcin doll that could shatter with the slightest touch.

    He Xing neither could nor dared to tell the truth, as no one knew which straw would break the camel¡¯s back.

    The night was deep, and Fu Hany in bed, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, steadfastly refusing to sleep; Nan Qing was still in surgery, and she had to wait until the surgery was over.

    Unable to bear it any longer, He Xing sneaked out to get two sleeping pills from a nurse and tricked Fu Han into taking them.

    He sat beside Fu Han¡¯s bed without blinking, closely watching her for fear that she would flutter away like a butterfly in the blink of an eye.

    Finally, Fu Han¡¯s body gave out despite her will, and she slowly closed her eyes.

    He Xing let out a long sigh of relief. He bent down to tuck Fu Han in properly and touched her forehead, the only spot on her face besides her eyes and mouth that was unharmed.

    Her forehead was smooth and full, the kind of feature someone with a good life would possess, ording to Grandfather He. Yet He Xing couldn¡¯t understand why Fu Han always had to suffer and get injured so often.

    A slight knocking was heard at the door, and turning around, He Xing saw Old Zhou standing outside, apparently having something to say.

    Although He Xing had several Assistants, each had different responsibilities, and since New Year¡¯s was tomorrow, all his Assistants had already taken leave; Liang Tao, the one he found most reliable, had flown to M Country to visit his girlfriend just yesterday.

    Upon learning of Fu Han¡¯s injury, Grandfather He immediately came to the hospital, butter, seeing that it waste and Fu Han was not in any danger, He Xing half-forced Grandfather He to leave, with Old Zhou driving him home. Logically, Old Zhou should be at the He Family¡¯s residence right now.

    Thinking this, He Xing nced down at Fu Han to confirm she was still asleep before rising to leave: "Uncle Zhou, you wanted to see me about something?"

    Old Zhou¡¯s gaze shifted away from Fu Han¡¯s face, and his somber voice broke the silence: "The Old Master says you might be in need of assistance, and sent me over to help."

    "That¡¯s great." He Xing indeed needed help, so he agreed without a hint of hesitation, "Security has caught the criminal, and he had a phone with contact details on it. I don¡¯t have the time to investigate these matters, so I appreciate your help."

    "I¡¯ll take care of it right away." Old Zhou agreed readily and turned to leave. After a few steps, he suddenly turned back, concerned: "Young Master, the Old Master asked me to remind you, given these extraordinary circumstances, the men you¡¯ve hired for Miss Fu Han¡¯s protection shouldn¡¯t hide in the shadows anymore; it¡¯s ineffective. Better to have them serve openly as her bodyguards."

    "Alright, I understand," He Xing nodded as if he were a student listening to a teacher. "In a while, I¡¯ll have them stand guard outside the door; today¡¯s events won¡¯t happen again."

    Old Zhou nodded and, with a goodbye, promptly left; although He Xing hadn¡¯t noticed it before, he suddenly sensed that the otherwise tall and burly Old Zhou was now somewhat hunchbacked.

    He Xing was alone in the vast corridor, with yellow lights spaced at intervals along the stretch, giving the impression of a long, endless path.

    All around were Ward doors, and sote in the night, nearly every door was tightly shut, giving off the feeling that on this floor, apart from He Xing and Fu Han, there was no one else.

    He Xing reached for his phone, intending to walk to the other side of the corridor to make a call, but when he turned back to look at Fu Han, sleeping in tranquility, his heart tightened, and he decided to make his call right outside the Ward door instead.

    Yet as he made his call, he deliberately lowered his voice, covered his mouth with his hand, and turned his back to whisper, careful not to wake Fu Han who had just managed to fall asleep.

 Chapter 569 - 570: Painful Decision

    <h4>Chapter 569: Chapter 570: Painful Decision</h4><h4></h4>

    Long ago, He Xing asked Fu Han if she wanted two bodyguards, but she refused.

    She felt that she was not Mr. He, nor did she want to be a pampereddy with attendants, and she disliked having someone watching her every move, so He Xing eventuallypromised, only asking two mercenaries to follow Fu Han from a distance. Yet, he never expected that even such measures would fail to prevent an ident.

    Those two mercenaries were actually stationed outside thepany building where Fu Han worked that day because typically, no incidents would ur inside. If they were too conspicuous inside, they would attract too much attention, so they always patrolled outside the building when Fu Han was at work.

    If... if He Xing could have persuaded Fu Han to let them follow her closely on a regr basis, perhaps this situation would never have arisen.

    In less than two minutes, two tall men, each nearly one meter ny and muscr, approached. Upon seeing He Xing, they immediately bent over to greet him: "Good day, Mr. He."

    He Xing regained his usualposed demeanor, as if unfazed by the copse of Mount Tai before him, and nodded slowly, "From now on you must protect Lady Fu Han every step of the way. What happened today must never happen again."

    "Yes," although the two men deliberately lowered their voices, their utterances still rang loudly and echoed in the empty corridor.

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly: "Lady Fu Han is sleeping, keep your voices down."

    Strangely enough, although He Xing, who was just over one meter eighty, clearly had no height advantage in front of them, his presencepletely overshadowed the two towering bodyguards.

    He Xing returned to the ward to check on Fu Han, then left without looking back; there were matters he had to attend to, whether it was for himself or to help Fu Han. He had no excuse to avoid them.

    ...

    Outside the Operating Room.

    Wang Yixuan stood by the wall next to the Operating Room, maintaining the same position for three hours. In those three hours, the only parts of him that moved were his eyelids and his heart.

    Across from Wang Yixuan, against the wall, there was a row of benches, where Mr. and Mrs. Nangong took up two seats. The empty seat beside them looked deste and somehow pitiful.

    Since Nan Qing had been taken into the Operating Room, no one hade out, and in the past three hours, several nurses had delivered bags of blood, and the Expert invited by He Xing had also entered.

    Mrs. Nangong¡¯s face was so pale it was even whiter than the wall behind her. She leaned on Mr. Nangong¡¯s shoulder, her body trembling uncontrobly.

    Mr. Nangong wasn¡¯t trembling, but he wasn¡¯t faring much better.

    He had always prided himself on hisposure, able to let go of any matter, but at this moment, his face was devoid of any color, making him and Mrs. Nangong look like a vampire couple.

    Initially, Mr. Nangong was able to muster a word to Wang Yixuan not to worry too much and to sit and wait; but now, Mr. Nangong¡¯s eyes were void of Wang Yixuan, full only with thoughts of Nan Qing, whose life hung in the bnce in the Operating Room.

    With a squeak, the door of the Operating Room was pushed open, and a Doctor in a white coat and mask came out, rushing toward Mr. and Mrs. Nangong: "The situation is bad, the patient is continuously bleeding. If you still insist on saving the child, we may also lose the adult."

    "Save the adult," a clear male voice rang out; it was Wang Yixuan.

    He rushed to the Doctor, speaking anxiously: "At all costs, please save the adult¡¯s life."

    Mr. and Mrs. Nangong exchanged a nce, seeing surprise and emotion in each other¡¯s eyes; naturally, as Nan Qing¡¯s parents, they would choose to protect Nan Qing, but they hadn¡¯t expected Wang Yixuan to be just as resolute in choosing her.

    The decision of the three was quickly unified, and the Doctor re-entered the Operating Room, restarting a long wait. This time, their worry had diminished significantly, but their grief had multiplied, as it was now certain that the child was lost.

    They maintained their previous postures, all three silent, no one speaking a word.

    When He Xing arrived, what he saw was exactly this scene. He cleared his throat, uncertain of whom to greet first.

    When six eyes from the three people all fixed on He Xing, he politely began: "Uncle, Auntie, Mr. Wang, hello."

    Mrs. Nangong turned away, trying to hide the tears in her eyes from He Xing.

    Mr. Nangong cleared his throat and spoke briefly: "He Xing, you¡¯vee."

    He Xing nodded his head and asked softly, "How is Nan Qing doing now?"

    Before the couple could speak, Wang Yixuan blurted out without any courtesy: "How else would it be? We couldn¡¯t save the child, and the adult is being resuscitated."

    He Xing¡¯s previously strong posture suddenly copsed; he looked as if he had received a massive blow, and his face turned a shade paler: "I... I¡¯m very sorry."

    Those simple words were extremely difficult for He Xing to utter, enunciated as if something were stuck in his throat.

    He was genuinely in pain because, after all, Nan Qing was inside because she tried to save Fu Han, and Fu Han¡¯s affairs were his own. He wished he could do something on behalf of Fu Han.

    Mr. and Mrs. Nangong sighed, remaining silent.

    Wang Yixuan, however, suddenly lunged forward and grabbed He Xing¡¯s cor: "Didn¡¯t you say you would protect Fu Han? Why was there no one to protect her, forcing Nan Qing to step in?"

    "I¡¯m sorry." He Xing offered no resistance, just standing there while Wang Yixuan clutched his cor, the unchanged frost in his expression now reflected with sincere regret.

    "What use is your apology to me?" Wang Yixuan couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer, throwing a punch straight at He Xing¡¯s face. The punchnded squarely on He Xing¡¯s jaw, immediately swelling his cheek.

    He Xing still did not respond, and he remained silent.

    If their positions were reversed, if he were Wang Yixuan, his heart, too, would be filled with such pain that he might wish the world destroyed.

    "Don¡¯t think that just because you don¡¯t fight back, I will forgive you." Wang Yixuan swung another punch, this one with even more force, which could have had serious consequences had it reached He Xing¡¯s face.

    But just as his hand was about to touch He Xing¡¯s face, Mr. Nangong appeared out of nowhere beside them, grabbing Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand tightly: "Yixuan, stop hitting him."

    "Why?" Wang Yixuan did not release He Xing¡¯s cor, his forehead throbbing with veins, his handsome face consumed with rage as if he wanted to engulf the world.

    "Because Fu Han once saved Nan Qing¡¯s life as well," Mr. Nangong¡¯s low voice came with a raspy and heavy sadness: "Now it is... only right that Nan Qing saved Fu Han."

 Chapter 570 - 571: Itâ€™s Not Her Fault

    <h4>Chapter 570: Chapter 571: It¡¯s Not Her Fault</h4><h4></h4>

    Nangong¡¯s wife hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, this is not Fu Han¡¯s fault, nor He Xing¡¯s. Besides, didn¡¯t He Xing already bring over an expert? Please don¡¯t be like this."

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand slowly loosened, and he stepped back two steps to take a look at He Xing. Without a word, he turned and returned to his original spot, standing as immovable as a tree that had grown from the soil.

    The hospital was quiet at night, and even quieter outside the Emergency Room where no one else was present.

    A cold wind swept through from somewhere, growing cooler by the moment, making one¡¯s scalp tingle and hands and feet icy.

    All four of them remained silent, the only sound being the red light on top of the Operating Room that kept flickering, intensifying the palpable distress.

    After thinking for a moment, Nangong¡¯s wife asked, "He Xing, how is Fu Han doing now?"

    "She..." He Xing sighed softly and then regained hisposure, "Fu Han only has superficial wounds, except for the shoulder injury which is more serious, but it¡¯s not life-threatening. She was originally waiting for Nan Qing to finish her surgery. I asked the doctor for two sleeping pills and secretly gave them to her; she¡¯s already asleep now."

    "That¡¯s good to hear," Nangong¡¯s wife visibly relieved, took another look at the Operating Room and then, with a note of guilt, said, "I can¡¯t leave at the moment, so I can¡¯t visit Fu Han. Please take good care of her."

    After a pause, Nangong¡¯s wife¡¯s gentle voice rose again, "You... tell Fu Han that no one wished for this to happen. But what¡¯s done is done, and no one will me her. Tell her not to be too hard on herself."

    "Understood," He Xing looked deeply at Nangong¡¯s wife, "Auntie, thank you. I think Fu Han will feel better hearing these words. She... she mes herself for not being able to protect Nan Qing."

    "This isn¡¯t Fu Han¡¯s fault," Mr. Nangong, who had been silent all along, also spoke up, his deep voice carrying the authority of someone long inmand, "Ultimately, the child wasn¡¯t meant to be with Nan Qing. Now, all I hope is that Nan Qing¡¯s health recovers soon. Fu Han is also a poor child. You must investigate this matter thoroughly and seek justice for the two of them."

    "Certainly," He Xing¡¯s eyes sparkled like cold stars as he looked at Mr. and Mrs. Nangong, "Uncle, Auntie, rest assured, I will inform you as soon as there¡¯s any news."

    "Hmm," Nangong¡¯s wife nodded and patted He Xing¡¯s shoulder, "Fu Han still needs you... you should go back and be with her now. We¡¯re here, and I¡¯ll call you if anything happens."

    Earlier, when He Xing had brought the Head Doctor over, he also gave his business card to Nangong¡¯s wife, so they could easily contact him.

    Although Fu Han was sleeping, today¡¯s events had frightened He Xing. He was indeed worried about her. Without further ado, he said his goodbyes and quickly left.

    Once again, only three people remained in the corridor. Nangong¡¯s wife nced at Wang Yixuan¡¯s distressed face and sighed, saying helplessly, "Yixuan, I know you¡¯re devastated about losing the child, but really, you can¡¯t me Fu Han. I was about to ask the servant to send Fu Han the key, but Nan Qing insisted on delivering it herself, and she was staying at Huating No.1 tonight as well."

    "I know," Wang Yixuan clenched his fist and, in a painful blow, hit the wall, "It¡¯s my fault for not protecting Nan Qing, not protecting our child."

    After finding out she was pregnant, Nan Qing wanted to return to A-City to nurture her baby. Even though Wang Yixuan was used to a wanderer¡¯s life, soon he would have a wife and child, and settling down in A-City didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to him.

    If one settles down, one should have their own business, their own home.

    Wang Yixuan had been looking at houses and shops recently. After buying the house and the shop, he had to oversee the decorations, so he was incredibly busy all these days.

    As for Nan Qing, Wang Yixuan arranged for her to spend her days with her mother at her parents¡¯ home and in the evenings, after he finished work, he would pick up Nan Qing and stay overnight at Huating No.1.

    Today was like any other day, except Fu Han found out at lunch that she had forgotten her keys, so she sent Nan Qing a message asking her toe home early to let her in.

    Having nothing better to do, Nan Qing agreed to Fu Han¡¯s request, timing her visit to coincide with Fu Han¡¯s end of work.

    Nan Qing had nned to drag Fu Han to a barbecue after finding her. Since her pregnancy, she was under strict dietary control, with Wang Yixuan checking everything before she ate it, especially prohibiting her from eating barbecue.

    As for Nan Qing¡¯s parents, they had the cook prepare a special meal n for pregnant women¡ªnutritious but nd, and nd food just didn¡¯t appeal to Nan Qing¡¯s appetite at all.

    Thus, she came up with this idea, using the excuse of delivering the keys to Fu Han to enjoy a barbecue together. s, she hadn¡¯t anticipated this turn of events.

    Certainly, Nan Qing¡¯s n was unbeknownst to her parents and Wang Yixuan. They only knew that Nan Qing was bringing the keys to Fu Han herself, and then this incident urred.

    Halted in his recollections, Wang Yixuan slightly lifted his head to view the light above the Emergency Room; it was still red, as ring as fresh blood.

    Avoiding the light, he sighed deeply, "If I had seen Fu Han being chased today, I would have also unhesitatingly saved her. But Nan Qing... she was pregnant, I really didn¡¯t want to..."

    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but both Mr. and Mrs. Nangong understood what he meant.

    Yet, fate is often cruel in its irony, the thing you think won¡¯t happen happens right beside you, and the path you think will be smooth is often filled with obstacles.

    What is destined to ur will happen; you can¡¯t hide from it, nor can you escape it.

    "Yixuan, stop thinking about those things, let the past be past," Mrs. Nangong said, looking at Wang Yixuan with a mixture of heartache.

    Just as she was about to say more, the red light abruptly went out, and the door to the Operating Room opened.

    The three of them became agitated and rushed to the door, anxiously asking the first Doctor who came out, "Doctor, how is Nan Qing?"

    The first to emerge was the white-haired expert He Xing had invited, who was removing his mask as he said, "I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save the baby, but her health is fine. With proper care, she can get pregnant again in the future."

    At the door, the three of them breathed a synchronized sigh of relief. At this moment, Nan Qing was being wheeled out, and Mrs. Nangong and Wang Yixuan immediately went to her side, while Mr. Nangong expressed his gratitude to the elderly expert, who had hurried over from home to operate on Nan Qing.

 Chapter 571 - 572: Reluctant to Part with Child

    <h4>Chapter 571: Chapter 572: Reluctant to Part with Child</h4><h4></h4>

    Although this is First Hospital in City A, the best hospital in the area, the beds here are especially scarce during festivals and holidays, but He Xing still managed to arrange a luxurious private room for both Fu Han and Nan Qing, and their rooms were next to each other.

    Nan Qing¡¯s surgery ended in the middle of the night, and by the time the anesthesia wore off, daylight had broken. By then, she already knew that the child in her stomach was gone, and she felt only sorrow with no surprise.

    In fact, when she had opened the door to the stairwell and seen Fu Han, her heart had guessed that if she rushed forward, she might lose her own child.

    At that time, Fu Han denied knowing Nan Qing and even grabbed the thug¡¯s neck to divert his attention, but actually, Nan Qing knew that Fu Han was signaling her to quickly leave and not mind her.

    The best course of action would have been for Nan Qing to leave then and there to look for help, but when she first entered, she hadn¡¯t encountered any security, and if because of her own fear and avoidance Fu Han was vited, Nan Qing knew she would never forgive herself for the rest of her life.

    All these thoughts were just fleeting instants in Nan Qing¡¯s heart, and she quickly made her decision, lifting a dusty flower pot from the corner of the stairwell and smashing it onto the thug¡¯s head.

    She saw with her own eyes the blood trickling down from his forehead, and she thought she had sessfully saved Fu Han, but her tion vanished in less than a second as the man stood up and overpowered her with a single blow.

    Before losing consciousness, the greatest sensation Nan Qing felt was pain in her belly, and perhaps it was because of the agonizing pain that she fainted.

    Her hand touched her lower abdomen which remained t, as if nothing had ever happened; it was an incredibly saddening thing¡ªshe hadn¡¯t even felt the child¡¯s presence before it had departed from her world.

    Tears slid from the corners of Nan Qing¡¯s eyes, clear and sparkling like pearls rolling down a lotus leaf.

    Immediately, a hand reached over to wipe the tear from Nan Qing¡¯s eye corner.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s face loomedrge before Nan Qing, "Xiaoqing, what¡¯s wrong, does something hurt?"

    Nan Qing shook her head. She was still using the pain relief stick, and couldn¡¯t feel any pain. She sniffled, looking particrly aggrieved, "I still can¡¯t bear to let go of our child."

    Her words sessfully made Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes redden. Upon closer inspection, one could see his eyes beginning to fill with tears, but he still coaxed Nan Qing with a gentle voice, "It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t be sad, we will definitely have our own children in the future, for sure."

    Originally, Nan Qing¡¯s tears were just welling up, but upon hearing these words, she couldn¡¯t control herself and burst into loud sobs, "But even if we have another child, it won¡¯t be the same one."

    She was not a three-year-old who, having dropped a piece of candy, would be satisfied with a new one, or whose broken toy could simply be reced. But a child lost is really and truly lost.

    Wang Yixuan truly didn¡¯t know how tofort Nan Qing anymore. He sniffled and quickly wiped away his tears before turning to pull out a tissue to wipe Nan Qing¡¯s tears, "Alright, be good, don¡¯t cry anymore. The doctor said you need to maintain a peaceful state of mind, that¡¯s what¡¯s really good for your body."

    The more he tried to console her, the more Nan Qing¡¯s tears flowed like beads broken from a string, unstoppable.

    In the end, Wang Yixuan stopped trying to persuade her; he just apanied Nan Qing in her tears.

    This was the first time Nan Qing saw Wang Yixuan cry. She had never imagined that the child¡¯s departure would make Wang Yixuan so upset, which waspletely at odds with his usual carefree demeanor. This huge discrepancy made Nan Qing feel even more distressed.

    If previously Nan Qing had wanted to marry Wang Yixuan, half because of love and half because of the pregnancy, now her wish to marry Wang Yixuan was a hundred percent because of love.

    Because at this moment, thepassion she felt for Wang Yixuan came from the bottom of her heart, even more profound than the feelings she had for Su Cheng at her most affectionate.

    Nan Qing struggled to stretch her hand from under the nket to grasp Wang Yixuan¡¯s, "When I¡¯m discharged, let¡¯s go get married, alright? After we¡¯re married, let¡¯s have a few more babies, and give them twice the love, okay?"

    Wang Yixuan looked at Nan Qing in surprise; he really couldn¡¯tprehend the thought process of a woman, wondering how she could think of this at such a time¡ªthe leap in her thinking was unparalleled.

    On the other end, after waiting a while without getting a response, Nan Qing¡¯s pale face blushed with embarrassment. She coughed shyly and looked at Wang Yixuan, "You... you don¡¯t want to marry me?"

    "Of course, I do," Wang Yixuan said, though his tone was calm and he didn¡¯t hesitate too much. But his next words struck Nan Qing like a thunderp, "Nan Qing, I must be honest with you. If it weren¡¯t for the child, I wouldn¡¯t have married you so soon, and I think you feel the same. Now that the child is gone, I think you should consider the marriage more carefully. After all, it¡¯s for a lifetime, so we should be more cautious."

    "You..." Nan Qing looked at Wang Yixuan incredulously, as if at a stranger, and spoke word by word, "Are you saying that you don¡¯t want to marry me?"

    "Not at all," Wang Yixuan quickly refuted this time, speaking rapidly, "What I mean is, I¡¯m willing to marry you, but since we haven¡¯t known each other very long, I think it¡¯s better for us to understand each other more."

    "But..." Nan Qing opened her mouth wanting to say more.

    However, just then, there was a knock on the door, causing both to turn their gaze towards the entrance; Nangong and his wife had returned from breakfast. Within the same scene, Nan Qing clearly saw that her parents looked much happier than Wang Yixuan.

    That intricate, heartfelt feeling surfaced again. Nan Qing pulled on Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand and smiled, "You should go have your meal, get some sleep afterward, and I¡¯ll call you if anythinges up."

    Wang Yixuan originally had more to say, but after ncing at Nan Qing¡¯s parents, he silently took their breakfast and left.

    Only Nan Qing and her parents remained in the ward. Her mother came to sit by the bed and asked softly, "Xiaoqing, mom bought you some Seafood Porridge, do you want to eat a little?"

    "I don¡¯t want to eat," Nan Qing turned her head away to look out the window.

    Around her parents, Nan Qing acted nothing like she did with Wang Yixuan, where she wouldfort him. In front of her parents, there were no pretenses¡ªwhat she felt in her heart was reflected on her face, and the negative emotions deep inside were inly visible.

    "Try to eat a little," Mrs. Nangong¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, but she still spoke in a voice as gentle as possible, "How can your body recover if you don¡¯t eat?"

 Chapter 572 - 573: Cruel Equality

    <h4>Chapter 572: Chapter 573: Cruel Equality</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing seemed to have not heard her mother¡¯s words at all, her eyes remained fixed on the window outside, where a tall tree stood, now bare of any leaves due to winter, leaving only the light brown trunk.

    Leaves turn green only to be yellow, just like people are born and will one day face death.

    This is aw of nature that cannot be changed, like time, which flows indifferently, never giving anyone an exception, regardless of whether it¡¯s cherished or not.

    But...

    In her heart, Nan Qing thought that death by nature¡¯sw was eptable, but what if it wasn¡¯t natural? She didn¡¯t regret saving Fu Han, but the loss of the child in her womb, this grudge...

    Seeing Nan Qing drift into a daze again, Lady Nangong felt a heartbreaking sadness. She wiped her tears away on her face, then smiled and said, "Xiaoqing, I know you¡¯re upset, but the child is gone, and you have to ept reality. You need to take care of your body, or else the child would be upset too."

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes shifted, her heart full of sorrow, but she obediently took the Seafood Porridge from her mother¡¯s hand and started to eat it in small bites.

    Not just Lady Nangong, Mr. Nangong¡¯s eyes were also circled with red, as if tears could fall at any moment.

    Overnight, the Nangong couple seemed to have aged ten years, with a few strands of white hair visible at the temples and more pronounced wrinkles at the corners of their eyes, a sight that soured the heart of anyone who saw it.

    Under the expectant gaze of her parents¡¯ four eyes, Nan Qing managed to eat only half a bowl of Seafood Porridge. She handed the remaining half bowl to her mother, "Mom, I really can¡¯t eat anymore."

    "If you don¡¯t want to eat, then don¡¯t eat," Lady Nangong said, tears falling again, as she quickly turned her head away, not daring to let Nan Qing see.

    Seeing her mother cry, Nan Qing felt numb, wanting to cry herself, but when facing her parents she couldn¡¯t shed any tears, yet in her heart surged an inexplicable resentment.

    Lady Nangong and Mr. Nangong exchanged nces, and finally, Lady Nangong bit her lip and asked in a low voice, "Nan Qing, don¡¯t me me for being nosy, but do you have any ns now?"

    "ns?" Nan Qing¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, irritation evident on her face, "Just say what you want to say, don¡¯t beat around the bush here."

    "I..." Lady Nangong swallowed, but still mustered the courage to continue, "We just overheard your conversation with Wang Yixuan, and... we think he makes some sense. You two... you haven¡¯t known each other for that long, and you were going to get married early because of the pregnancy, now... maybe you should wait?"

    "Why don¡¯t you just tell me to break up with Wang Yixuan?" Nan Qing¡¯s face, previously so pale, was now flushed with anger. She red furiously at her mother and father, "Are you dissatisfied with Wang Yixuan? Are you happy that the child is gone?"

    "Xiaoqing, don¡¯t get agitated," Lady Nangong instinctively nced toward the door before trying to take Nan Qing¡¯s hand. "Your dad and I have nothing against Wang Yixuan. We think marriage is a lifelong matter, and you two need to understand each other better. Don¡¯t get married on a whim, understand?"

    "This is my business, it¡¯s not for you to intervene!" Nan Qing shot back sharply, her voice only growing louder.

    The same words from Wang Yixuan were enough to break her heart, yet she didn¡¯t expect to hear them again from her parents, pouring salt into her wound.

    Now, no matter what her parents said, she couldn¡¯t listen, nor did she want to hear any more.

    She looked up at her parents and said desperately, "Get out, all of you, I don¡¯t want to see you."

    Mr. Nangong and his wife looked at each other, obviously unwilling to leave. They still had things to say, but they could tell that Nan Qing wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen.

    Suddenly, footsteps sounded, thudding loudly, as if someone wearing leather shoes was walking without fully lifting their feet, creating friction against the floor.

    All three turned their gaze towards the door. As the footsteps drew nearer, Wang Yixuan¡¯s face came into view.

    Despite being up all night, he still looked fresh. His shoulder-length, slightly curled hair was casually tied atop his head, and stray strands fell across his cheeks, making his face even more delicate.

    His excessively good-looking face wore a faint smile, "I¡¯ve finished eating. I can take care of Nan Qing here. Uncle, auntie, why don¡¯t you go and rest for a while, thene back when you¡¯ve rested."

    The Nangong couple looked at each other, both hesitant.

    They nced at Nan Qing, and although her face had improved somewhat since Wang Yixuan¡¯s arrival, it was still troubled.

    The couple knew that staying would be of no use and silently left after a sigh.

    The ward was left with only Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan. Wang Yixuan pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Nan Qing¡¯s hospital bed. He touched the Seafood Porridge on the bedside table, still warm, and took a spoonful to Nan Qing¡¯s lips, "The Doctor said you can only have liquids today; you¡¯ll get very hungry if you don¡¯t eat more. Be good, eat a bit more?"

    Nan Qing turned to look at Wang Yixuan, neither agreeing to eat nor refusing. She just stubbornly stared him down with eyes full of coercion.

    "Not eating?" Wang Yixuan waited for a minute and then silently put the bowl down, "If you don¡¯t feel like eating, that¡¯s fine. If you get hungryter, I¡¯ll go buy you something."

    While he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Nan Qing¡¯s face, tender, pitiful, and full of affection. His expression remained calm as if he noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

    Finally, thest strand holding Nan Qing together snapped. She let the tears fall as she spoke word by word, "You¡¯ve been standing outside the whole time, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ve heard everything, haven¡¯t you?"

    "Alright, don¡¯t be sad," Wang Yixuan said, taking out a tissue to tenderly wipe Nan Qing¡¯s tears. He didn¡¯t say anything, yet it was as if he said everything.

    Nan Qing had only suspected it before, but now she was certain Wang Yixuan must have overheard her conversation with her parents. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have suddenly started calling her "Nan Qing," since after confirming their rtionship, he had always addressed her as "Xiaoqing."

    Nan Qing grabbed Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand, her tear-filled eyes gazing at him, "So you and my parents discussed this, didn¡¯t you? You don¡¯t want me anymore, you had them persuade me, right? You are all in this together, you¡¯re all bullying me."

 Chapter 573 - 574: Iâ€™ll Persuade Them for You

    <h4>Chapter 573: Chapter 574: I¡¯ll Persuade Them for You</h4><h4></h4>

    "I..." Wang Yixuan started to speak with difficulty but couldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    Nan Qing reached out and frantically pounded on Wang Yixuan¡¯s chest, her tears falling like beads off a broken string: "Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d be with me forever? Why did you give up so easily?"

    Wang Yixuan let her beat on him, not fighting back or talking back. He just sat there in silence, saying nothing, neither stopping Nan Qing nor drawing her into his embrace.

    Suddenly a crisp voice rang out: "Um... is this a bad time?"

    Nan Qing¡¯s tears stopped. She and Wang Yixuan turned to look at the door, where if not Fu Han then who else could it be? And behind Fu Han were two burly men, their expressions severe.

    "How did you get here?" Nan Qing¡¯s tears were still on her cheeks, and she widened her eyes at Fu Han. Perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed, her face flushed red.

    Fu Han¡¯s expression was as colorful as a dye shop, difficult to discern any particr emotion, but her eyes had regained their luster. She said to Nan Qing with full remorse: "I overheard your argument from next door. I guessed it might have something to do with me, so... so I came to check."

    "I..." Nan Qing¡¯s face turned even redder, mixed with shyness and guilt: "Fu Han, our argument has nothing to do with you, don¡¯t overthink it."

    Fu Han still stood at the door, not entering. She looked deeply at Nan Qing and finally nodded, "That¡¯s good then. You should rest up well, I¡¯ll be going out."

    "Don¡¯t go!" Nan Qing¡¯s voice rose several octaves in her urgency: "Fu Han, wait a minute, I have a lot to say to you, don¡¯t leave."

    Fu Han truly halted in her steps, but she only came to the center of the ward, not approaching Nan Qing¡¯s bed.

    Nan Qing nced at Wang Yixuan and said in a low voice: "Could you step out for a bit? Fu Han and I, as sisters, have something to discuss."

    Wang Yixuan nodded his head, slowly rising and walking towards the door. As he passed by Fu Han, he said in a low voice: "I¡¯ll be outside, just call if you need anything."

    "Got it." Fu Han nodded, then walked over to Nan Qing.

    The sunlight streamed in through the window, and as Fu Han walked toward the bed, the sunlight gradually enveloped her, from her legs up to her cheeks.

    It¡¯s strange to say, but today Fu Han looked nothing like her usual beautiful self. However, as she moved, it was as if she was cloaked in light, carrying aforting power that soothed the heart.

    At that, Nan Qing¡¯s frantic heart calmed down considerably. She reached out and took Fu Han¡¯s hand, insisting she sit on the bed¡¯s edge¡ªa privilege neither her mother nor Wang Yixuan had been granted before.

    The two girls who had known each other for years looked at each other, neither starting the conversation, yet it felt as if they had exchanged thousands of words.

    Time dragged on for several minutes, or was it only a few seconds? Finally, Fu Han slowly spoke up: "Nan Qing, I¡¯m sorry about yesterday, and thank you. It¡¯s all my fault you lost the baby."

    "Don¡¯t talk like that anymore." Nan Qing¡¯s eyes blinked twice, concealing the sadness within as she whispered: "Because I believe if it were me in yesterday¡¯s situation, you would have saved me without a second thought."

    Indeed, Fu Han knew she would have done so; Nan Qing was her friend. But when the roles were reversed, Fu Han felt an immense guilt, believing she had harmed Nan Qing.

    Over there, Nan Qing shook Fu Han¡¯s arm: "Fu Han, do you remember what I just said? From now on, don¡¯t apologize to me again. Only you would think that way, I definitely wouldn¡¯t."

    "But..." Fu Han thought for a moment before mustering the courage to speak: "But I just saw you arguing with Wang Yixuan. Does your fight have something to do with yesterday¡¯s incident?"

    Nan Qing wanted to deny it, but the attitudes of her parents and Wang Yixuan were like thest straw breaking the camel¡¯s back.

    Her tears flowed freely as she choked out: "My parents, and Wang Yixuan, they¡¯re all saying we should put off the wedding."

    Fu Han had anticipated conflict because of yesterday¡¯s events, but she didn¡¯t expect the issue to be quite like this.

    In that moment, breathing itself became difficult for her. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to ask: "Nan Qing, what do you think about all this?"

    Nan Qing smiled, but her smile, though beautiful, was bittersweet: "I never thought about getting married so early. But when I found out I was pregnant, I asked Wang Yixuan what we should do, whether we should abort the baby. Wang Yixuan said not to terminate the pregnancy; we could just get married. So since then, I had set my heart on marrying Wang Yixuan. But now he¡¯s saying we shouldn¡¯t, and I... I..."

    Nan Qing couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and burst into sobs on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, crying and saying: "We had agreed, my parents had agreed, they said we¡¯d get engaged after the new year, marry on May Day. Why has it changed now?"

    Although Fu Han had never experienced something simr, she couldpletely rte to Nan Qing¡¯s feelings. It was like watching your sense of value copse, realizing that things aren¡¯t as you believed.

    Like her - after her eighteenth birthday, she thought she had an engagement, and that being with He Xing was simple. But after years of twists and turns, they still hadn¡¯t managed to be together.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know how tofort Nan Qing. She could only hold her, gently pat her back, and softly persuade: "Alright, don¡¯t think about these things for now. Focus on getting better first, then you can deal with them, okay?"

    Her words might as well have sunk into the ocean, failing to provoke any reaction, and Nan Qing¡¯s sobs grew louder.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart ached as if it were being stabbed, and after some thought, she spoke again: "If you promise to stop crying, I can talk to Wang Yixuan for you. I can also speak to your mother."

    "Really?" Nan Qing suddenly opened her eyes wide as if she¡¯d heard the greatest news, her tears still hanging at the corners of her mouth but her face already sporting a smile: "You must mean it."

    Fu Han burst intoughter at that, reaching out a finger to lightly touch Nan Qing¡¯s nose: "When have I ever lied to you?"

    "I love you, Fu Han." Nan Qing hugged Fu Han tightly and nted a kiss on her cheek.

    "Hey, you got all your tears and snot on me." Fu Han chuckled bitter-sweetly, hurrying to pull out a tissue to wipe her cheek. The wetness was quite ufortable.

 Chapter 574 - 575: Special Circumstances

    <h4>Chapter 574: Chapter 575: Special Circumstances</h4><h4></h4>

    The atmosphere in the ward was no longer oppressive, but Fu Han, looking at Nan Qing¡¯s paleplexion, felt distressed, and Nan Qing, looking at Fu Han¡¯s face from opening the dye shop and her arm wrapped in bandages, also felt a heartache.

    This time, however, they seemed to be in perfect sync, neither of them bringing up the events of the previous day, as if they had be a thing of the past, unrted to the present.

    When Nan Qing¡¯s IV bag ran out of fluid, she looked at Fu Han and asked in a low voice, "Are those two men outside your bodyguards?"

    Fu Han turned to look, the two nearly two-meter-tall men stood like mountains at the door, maintaining expressionless faces as steadfast as always, like robots.

    She sighed helplessly and said, "He Xing said it¡¯s just in case I¡¯m in danger, so he hired two bodyguards to follow me, but I don¡¯t like it at all."

    Nan Qing also sighed, saying resignedly, "With the situation being special, you don¡¯t know who might want to harm you, and you can never be too careful. It¡¯s better to have someone protect you, in case something like this happens again, then... the consequences would be unimaginable."

    That was indeed the case, ever since Fu Han had returned to the country, idents seemed to follow her, and there had been several attempts on her life.

    But Fu Han still didn¡¯t know who was behind these attempts. He Xing said he would find out, and Fu Han believed himpletely. He Xing hadn¡¯t discussed these matters with her, and she had forgotten to ask herself.

    She sighed deeply in her heart, thinking that some things still had to be investigated personally. Although He Xing was very concerned about her affairs, he was also busy with work every day, and there could be oversights.

    As much as she thought so, Fu Han felt as if her heart was blocked by something, so ufortable it was hard to express.

    Today was New Year¡¯s Day, and it was a longstanding tradition for the He Family to visit the cemetery for ancestral worship early in the morning, an unbreakable rule unless a major event urred that necessitated rescheduling.

    The intention of the He family patriarch was for He Xing to skip ancestral worship this year, as He Xing also wanted to stay in the hospital with Fu Han.

    However, the thought of He Xing¡¯s parents, who had died unexpectedly, not receiving their son¡¯s worship tugged at Fu Han¡¯s heartstrings. Thus, she used the excuse of asking He Xing to visit her own parents¡¯ graves, convincing He Xing to apany the He family patriarch to the cemetery.

    After all, if He Xing did not go, it would mean the He family patriarch visiting his son and daughter-inw¡¯s graves alone¡ªno, he would also be visiting Fu Han¡¯s parents¡¯ graves, and that would mean subjecting the patriarch to the sorrow of an elder burying the young all over again.

    In fact, as soon as He Xing had left, Fu Han had gone to visit Nan Qing, unable to get Nan Qing out of her mind, feeling as though she owed Nan Qing a life. Fortunately, Nan Qing held no grudge against Fu Han, which made Fu Han feel much better.

    She advised Nan Qing to rest well and then left her ward. When Fu Han exited Nan Qing¡¯s ward, she saw Wang Yixuan, who was squatting outside.

    A tall man of over one-eighty, yet when he squatted there, it seemed as though he was a child abandoned by the roadside or, perhaps more urately, a cat that had lost its owner.

    Hearing footsteps, he nced up to see Fu Han. His eyes, with their stark contrast of ck and white, shifted, and he nodded expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened.

    Fu Han thought it over and then spoke in a hushed voice, "I know you and Nan Qing are having disagreements because of some issues, but right now, Nan Qing¡¯s health is the most important thing. I think that if you have anything you need to discuss, you should wait until Nan Qing¡¯s health improves and she is discharged from the hospital, right?"

    Waves rolled in Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes, and the air around them grew tense. One stood while the other squatted, locked in a silent confrontation.

    Finally, Wang Yixuan was the first to speak, "I understand, I¡¯ll be mindful of it in the future."

    Fu Han nodded and headed towards the adjacent ward of her own, her two bodyguards immediately following her.

    Wang Yixuan watched Fu Han¡¯s receding figure, the turmoil in his eyes intensifying for a few seconds before settling back into calmness. He then slowly stood up and entered Nan Qing¡¯s ward.

    Upon entering, he saw Nan Qing¡¯s eyes shimmering with tears, and at that moment, both anger and heartache in his heart surged like two growing ck holes, desperately trying to consume each other.

    Heartache prevailed in the end, and Wang Yixuan smiled at Nan Qing, speaking in a gentle voice, "Nan Qing, forget what I said just now. What¡¯s most important now is for you to take care of your health, alright?"

    Nan Qing had seen with her own eyes how Fu Han had stopped at the door to talk in the direction of the wall, just unable to hear what Fu Han had said. But now, seeing how Wang Yixuan was speaking, she guessed Fu Han must have sessfully persuaded him.

    Her smile spread across her face like ripples on ake stirred by the wind, brightening her expression for the first time since waking up that morning, "Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you."

    Nan Qing¡¯s smile was so beautiful, yet it looked so ring in Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes, causing a stinging sensation, which he quickly concealed.

    ...

    After leaving Nan Qing¡¯s ward, Fu Han returned to her own, the two bodyguards once again taking their posts outside her door, exuding a chilling air from within to without.

    She didn¡¯t like being watched at every turn, but it seemed not to be a question of whether she wanted it or not, but something she must get used to, because He Xing didn¡¯t consult her but informed her.

    Fu Han thought about Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression; something about it didn¡¯t sit right with her. This was not the Wang Yixuan she knew, who always seemed to radiate light, devoid of darkness.

    Yet the Wang Yixuan who had crouched in the corner just then seemed like an angel with broken wings, no longer a divine being above, but a person fallen to the ground, covered in the grime of defeat.

    In short, no matter how she looked at him, Wang Yixuan seemed to have suffered a severe blow. But who could have dealt such a blow to him?

    Could it be because Nan Qing had failed to protect their child, that resentment toward Fu Han festered in Wang Yixuan¡¯s heart? Resentful that Fu Han was the reason Nan Qing lost the baby, and had to spend the New Year in hospital?

    Fu Han stood at the window looking down at the hospital grounds. On New Year¡¯s Eve, the hospital was unusually quiet, with few patients and even fewer doctors; the roads were also less busy.

    She again saw in her mind¡¯s eye the look in Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes as they had faced each other. His mood was not at all calm, and even... Fu Han touched her arm, noticing a fineyer of goosebumps had formed at some point.

 Chapter 575 - 576: Uninvited Guest

    <h4>Chapter 575: Chapter 576: Uninvited Guest</h4><h4></h4>

    It turns out Wang Yixuan had just been exerting his pressure moments ago, but under He Xing¡¯s "training," Fu Han had learned topletely ignore the pressure exerted by most people. That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier.

    Actually, it was quite normal. Put yourself in her shoes, if Fu Han were Wang Yixuan, it would be hard for her to face herself calmly.

    "Fu Han, you really carry quite the air about you." A sharp voice rang out, so grating that it made one want to cover their ears.

    She frowned and looked towards the door, as expected, she saw Xia Ning¡¯s meticulously crafted face. She frowned and said in an annoyed tone, "What are you doing here?"

    While squeezing through the two bodyguards, Xia Ning said mockingly, "What else could I be here for? I heard you were hospitalized, so of course I came to see you."

    "See me? You would be that kind-hearted?" Fu Han snorted coldly, her delicate eyebrows furrowed as she bluntly gave the order to leave: "Please leave. You are not wee here."

    "Don¡¯t be like that." Xia Ning had thick skin as she made her way to Fu Han to look her over, her expression exaggerated as she said, "Fu Han, I must say, your face is really unfortunate, getting hurt again after such a short time. You¡¯re not going to need stic surgery again, are you?"

    Yesterday, when Xia Ning learned that the assassin hired by Qin Nuan had failed, she was very angry and almost didn¡¯t sleep all night.

    But today, she hade to terms with it, since anyway Qin Nuan said she would find another opportunity to strike. All she needed to do was wait patiently.

    Having understood this, how could she miss the opportunity of Fu Han¡¯s injury? Therefore, after taking a shower, washing her hair, applying a face mask, and going through a whole set of makeup rituals, she came straight to the hospital to mock and gloat over Fu Han.

    If there was something she longed for most at this moment, it was definitely Fu Han¡¯s disfigurement, the kind that couldn¡¯t be fixed.

    No girl would be indifferent about her own face, and Fu Han was no exception.

    In fact, when she woke up, aside from Nan Qing¡¯s safety, what concerned her most was her own face. She was truly afraid of turning into an ugly monster again.

    But luckily, fortune smiled upon Fu Han this time. Her face might have been bruised and swollen, but these injuries were only superficial, caused by her running blindly and drawing the attention of the man in ck. They were merely superficial wounds that would heal in a few days with proper care.

    She snorted coldly and said with mockery to Xia Ning, "I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to be disappointed. There¡¯s nothing wrong with my face, and in a few days, I¡¯ll be able to outshine you with ease again."

    "You outshine me?" Xia Ning exploded like a lit firecracker, raising her voice shrilly, "Do you think you¡¯re so beautiful? You¡¯re just passable in looks, that¡¯s all."

    If this had been the Fu Han from four years ago, such words would have easily enraged her, but the Fu Han of now had grown. Her personality had settled, and words of this caliber could no longer provoke her.

    Not only that, she even smiled faintly and replied, "Really? If I¡¯m just passable, then you must look absolutely horrendous."

    "What did you say?" Xia Ning¡¯s face twisted as she red at Nan Qing, her teeth clenched so hard they made a grating noise, wishing she could tear Fu Han to pieces, "How dare you call me ugly!"

    Fu Han extended a slender finger towards the door and said calmly, "Don¡¯t me me for not warning you. If you dare toy a hand on me, I¡¯ll make you regret it!"

    The bodyguards at the door turned their heads slowly, all four eyes fixed on Xia Ning, their gaze as fierce as monsters starved for three days and nights eyeing their prey.

    Xia Ning had already struggled to get in, and now, seeing such a gaze, she instinctively jumped in fright, her legs turning to lead, unable to move.

    Meanwhile, Fu Han had already walked over to Xia Ning. Circling around her, her face was the epitome of mockery as she said, "Xia Ning, you won¡¯t admit you¡¯re ugly when I call it out? But take a look at yourself, your double eyelids have been altered, haven¡¯t they? I remember your original double eyelids weren¡¯t this wide; and your jawbone has been worked on too, remember how severe your jowls were? You were the epitome of a square-faced girl."

    "What are you saying? If you dare talk nonsense, I... I¡¯ll fight it out with you." Although Xia Ning was trembling with fear in her heart, she was still seething with hatred, wishing she could devour Fu Han alive.

    Xia Ning had indeed had stic surgery because she did have several noticeable defects on her face, mostly because she had inherited abination of features from both her parents.

    For instance, her small yet refined nose and cherry-like lips came from her mother; the puffy eyelids and square face were traits from her father.

    Xia Ning¡¯s stic surgery journey began early, probably before she was of age, and she recalled that her first eyelid surgery took ce the year her father took them on an overseas trip.

    She honestly thought it was just a simple trip, but to her surprise, once they arrived in Xia Country, Xia Guoxiong took her straight to the hospital.

    However, Xia Ning was quite rational about the stic surgery. She didn¡¯t rush into it but rather slowly and methodically underwent surgery, like her double eyelids which took three procedures before they finally resembled Du Wanting¡¯s as if they were a copy.

    As for Xia Ning¡¯s jawbone, it went through many operations, almost every time she went abroad was for stic surgery, gradually transitioning from a square face to the current standard melon seed face.

    Because the transformation was gradual, people around her never realized that Xia Ning had undergone stic surgery. Many thought she had simply lost her baby fat, which slimmed her round face into a palm-sized one.

    Sometimes Xia Ning didn¡¯t understand why her father was so keen on her getting stic surgery, even more so than herself.

    stic surgery was a painful ordeal. When Xia Ning was young, she had thought about giving up, but each time Xia Guoxiong would forcefully scare her into following through. He also strictly forbade her from telling anyone about her stic surgeries, including He Xing.

    Over the years, Xia Ning transitioned from initial resistance to now being quite willing to undergo cosmetic procedures. After all, a stic face isn¡¯t permanent, and sometimes it might need reshaping, but each time she proceeded discreetly, confident that no one knew.

    Fu Han¡¯s cold snort interrupted Xia Ning¡¯s reminiscing: "If you don¡¯t want people to know, don¡¯t do it. You parade around as a beauty every day, but let¡¯s not forget, you¡¯re a man-made beauty; I underwent surgery because you destroyed my face, I only restored my own looks, that¡¯s the difference."

    "You..." Xia Ning was choked up, trying to muster aplete sentence, but in the end, she could only weakly utter, "How did you find out? Who... who told you?"

 Chapter 576 - 577: Now You Know

    <h4>Chapter 576: Chapter 577: Now You Know</h4><h4></h4>

    "I didn¡¯t know before, but I do now," Fu Han said with a sweet smile, her mouth opening slightly. "As for who told me, it was you, of course."

    Only at this moment did Xia Ning realize she had been tricked, her face which was already pale from fear turned a sudden flush as if it was about to explode.

    But before she could speak, Fu Han¡¯s cherry lips curled up slightly as she spoke again, "Xia Ning, I ask you, how did you know I was injured and hospitalized?"

    "Of course someone told me." Xia Ning, still furious about being yed by Fu Han just now, was shaking all over with anger. With an especially arrogant tone she said, "Fu Han, with your terrible poprity, there are many who wish to see you in trouble. Everyone is thinking how you haven¡¯t been stabbed to death with a knife."

    "Who told you?" Fu Han was not angry, but rather became much calmer, her bright eyes staring unblinkingly at Xia Ning.

    For a moment, Xia Ning was stunned as she stared nkly at Fu Han. It took her a while to think of a reply, "Who... Why should I tell you?"

    "Then I¡¯ll ask you, how do you know I was stabbed? Besides the doctors and He Xing, no one else knows. He Xing promised he wouldn¡¯t tell you."

    Xia Ning was intimidated, stepping back several steps in fright, "I... I guessed, if you... if you were injured, what else could it be? Of course, someone thought you were too arrogant and wanted to teach you a lesson. Isn¡¯t getting stabbed quite normal?"

    "Normal?" Fu Han extended a finger and pointed at Xia Ning from a distance, "I think you are the one with terrible poprity who needs to be stabbed. Now I reasonably suspect you are the one who stabbed me. Just wait, when He Xinges back, I¡¯ll tell him."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned from purple to pale white, her tongue beginning to tie itself in knots, "No... not me, I don¡¯t know anything, you... you mustn¡¯t talk nonsense. Otherwise... otherwise I¡¯ll sue you for nder."

    "Fine, I¡¯ll wait for you to sue me." Fu Han tilted her head and chuckled, looking particrly mischievously cute, "Remember, if you don¡¯t dare to sue me, it means you¡¯re guilty."

    Xia Ning hated Fu Han so much that she gritted her teeth, but she couldn¡¯t say anything now and could only re at Fu Han, wishing she could skin her alive.

    But Fu Han was in a very good mood. She casually yed with a stray hair falling over her cheek and said with a smiling eye, "Xia Ning, you¡¯re still not leaving? nning to have me dig out something more?"

    Xia Ning stomped her foot in anger but still didn¡¯t dare to say anything and left with her pride in the dust.

    No sooner had she left Fu Han¡¯s ward than she heard Fu Han¡¯sughter trailing far behind, as arrogant as it could be.

    Xia Ning¡¯s rage felt like a balloon ready to burst. She had been furious all ofst night, and today she had intended to relish Fu Han¡¯s miserable state and make herself feel better with some mockery, but not only did she fail, she was even scolded by Fu Han.

    What was most critical was that Fu Han knew about her cosmetic surgery; she even suspected that it was Xia Ning who had someone go after her yesterday.

    Xia Ning clenched her fists tightly, her exquisite nails digging into her palms, yet she seemed immune to the pain, "Fu Han, you and I are irreconcble. There¡¯s room for only one of us."

    Her words, juxtaposed with Fu Han¡¯sughter, seemed so eerie, as if something was about to burst forth. If she weren¡¯t afraid of being sent to a mental hospital, she really would grab a knife andsh out.

    On the opposite emotional spectrum was Fu Han, who was so excited she almost rolled around on the bed.

    How long had it been since she felt this way?

    Four years, five years, or even longer?

    Since she turned eighteen, she had been He Xing¡¯s fianc¨¦e, but over the years, Xia Ning had alwayse to provoke her, making the old Fu Han extremely self-conscious, mostly on the receiving end of bullying.

    When Fu Han returned to the country, she wanted to sever ties with He Xing, so when Xia Ning came to be nasty, she rarely found it interesting to really confront Xia Ning.

    But today, after seeing Nan Qing¡¯s refusal to give up on love, it was like she had suddenly opened a door. Some things she couldn¡¯t understand before suddenly became clear.

    This world is so big, every person an independent, vivid individual. Each has their own character, and when people interact, it¡¯s like two hedgehogs embracing. It¡¯s either you prick me or I prick you.

    But then, isn¡¯t it extremely rare to find two hedgehogs willing to embrace each other? It¡¯s like two people in love, how low are the chances of that happening?

    Fu Han hadn¡¯tpletely forgiven He Xing for his support of Xia Ning a few days ago, but at least she had rified one thing: from He Xing¡¯s perspective, he had two reasons to defend Xia Ning. One was due to the guilt he felt towards the Xia Family, and second, because Fu Han¡¯s words had shed with He Xing¡¯s world view. He Xing felt he was not helping Xia Ning, but rather standing up for what¡¯s right over family ties.

    Having understood this, Fu Han felt much lighter. Therefore, today when Xia Ning came looking for trouble, she was able to confront her with a clear mind.

    It turned out she was right. Her gains today were substantial: first, Xia Ning was a man-made beauty, not the natural beauty she imed to be; and second, it was very likely that yesterday¡¯s assassination attempt was rted to Xia Ning, and maybe even past injuries suffered by Fu Han had ties to her.

    The more Fu Han thought about it, the more excited she became. For a moment, she wanted to call He Xing right away to tell him about it, wanting him to investigate.

    Her phone was already in her hand, but in the end, Fu Han put it down. She felt that with He Xing¡¯s rtionship with the Xia Family, he would never really believe her after hearing her out. Instead, he might even think Fu Han was being paranoid all day.

    But if she didn¡¯t ask He Xing for help, whom could she turn to?

    Now, she constantly had two bodyguards with her, and she knew without thinking too hard that He Xing knew her every move. If she tried to hire a private investigator on her own, how would that be any different from telling He Xing directly?

    Fu Han bit her little finger painfully, nearly worried to death.

    "Howe the habit of biting your finger hasn¡¯t changed?" A man¡¯s voice with a hint ofughter rang out, like the warmth of the afternoon sun on a summer day shining through the window.

    Blushing, Fu Han put down her finger and looked towards the door. There stood Su Cheng; the time of his arrival was unknown. nked by two bodyguards who made the nearly two-meter-tall Su Cheng look exceptionally petite. Indeed, some contrasts are rather endearing.

 Chapter 577 - 578: My Friend

    <h4>Chapter 577: Chapter 578: My Friend</h4><h4></h4>

    She cleared her throat and said to the two bodyguards at the door, "He is my friend, let him in."

    Honestly, Fu Han had always suspected He Xing had another purpose for assigning her these two bodyguards, and she had observed it today. If it was a girling to see Fu Han, they wouldn¡¯t stop her, just like Xia Ning before; but if it was a boy, the bodyguards would block him from entering.

    After hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, the two bodyguards moved aside a little, creating a gap less than twenty centimeters wide for Su Cheng.

    He entered sideways like a crab.

    Su Cheng looked Fu Han up and down for a long time, his bright eyes filled with barely hidden concern and distress, "How did you get hurt so badly?"

    "This..." Fu Han scratched her head somewhat embarrassed¡ªit was somewhat humiliating to admit that the injury on her face was self-inflicted, "My eyes were blinded by sand at that time and I couldn¡¯t see; I bumped into something by myself. However, the injuries on my arms were caused by someone else."

    Su Cheng clenched his fist, the sound of cracking knuckles filled the air as he asked sternly, word by word, "Who hurt you? I will avenge you!"

    Originally, Fu Han was going to refute, but suddenly her eyes lit up, and she excitedly said, "Su Cheng, can I ask you for a favor?"

    Right now, she couldn¡¯t think of anyone more suitable than Su Cheng. First, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse¡ªthe Huangpu family might be weaker than before, but Fu Han believed that Su Cheng could definitely handle this matter; second, Su Cheng was one of the few people she trusted.

    She also trusted Nan Qing and the Nangong family had the ability to help her, but now she would never ask Nan Qing for help. The blows she had taken were already severe enough; Fu Han wanted to find the mastermind behind this, to avenge both herself and Nan Qing.

    Needless to say, Su Cheng readily agreed. Fu Han selectively ryed the conversation between herself and Xia Ning as well as the previous incidents when she had been injured.

    Su Cheng¡¯s expression grew increasingly ugly, and in the end, he nodded vigorously, promising to help Fu Han investigate thoroughly. He looked as earnest as if he were swearing an oath.

    Moreover, it was evident that Su Cheng took Fu Han¡¯s matter to heart. After promising her, he immediately left in such a hurry it was as if someone was chasing him with a whip.

    But before he left, he didn¡¯t forget to remind Fu Han to rest well and said he woulde see her again when he had time.

    For some reason, Fu Han felt that since returning to the country, Su Cheng¡¯s attitude towards her had changed. She couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what had changed, but she felt as if Su Cheng had be much less talkative, and a sense of distance had grown between them.

    However, there were exceptions. For example, when Fu Han went to Nan Qing¡¯s house that day, the Huangpu matriarch had helped Su Cheng with his confession; Fu Han could clearly feel Su Cheng¡¯s burning gaze, like a moth to me.

    But thinking back now, Fu Han felt that the way Su Cheng looked at her that day was more like the fleeting resurgence of a dying person.

    The morning passed quickly, and Fu Han never knew that thinking could also be a way to pass the time.

    Soon, He Xing returned, apanied by Old Master He.

    When Fu Han saw Grandfather He, she felt extraordinarily guilty. Today, she was supposed to return to the He family and spend the New Year with Grandfather He. She had nned to make it more lively this year to cheer up Grandfather He.

    Yet, the result was that she was lying in a hospital, making Grandfather He visit her on New Year¡¯s Day.

    Nevertheless, Grandfather He did not seem particrly sad; instead, heforted Fu Han not to overthink and to rest well to leave the hospital as soon as possible.

    Mr. Zhou had booked lunch at a hotel early on, and before noon, steaming dishes were delivered to Fu Han¡¯s ward, filling a small table to the brim.

    Grandfather He pulled Fu Han to sit with him on the long sofa, "Xiaohan, where you spend the New Year is a formality; the most important thing is who you spend it with. Wherever you are, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll celebrate the New Year."

    "Mmm, I understand," Fu Han said as she fought back tears while pretending to pick food for Grandfather He¡ªshe didn¡¯t want him to see her cry during the festive season.

    "Xiaohan, have a drumstick," He Xing offered. He picked arge drumstick from the pot and ced it in Fu Han¡¯s bowl, his handsome face full of pity, "You¡¯re too thin; you need to eat more."

    "Right, girls should be a bit chubbier to look good. What¡¯s the use of being so thin?" Grandfather He also started to chuckle, and picked another drumstick for Fu Han, "Eat both of them."

    Fu Han looked at her bowl, bemused, "But I¡¯m not a pig. If I really finish both, how can I still have room for other delicious food?"

    "Well... should I help you with one?" He Xing broke into a grin, his arm extending to take the other drumstick away.

    Fu Han found herself staring at his smile, entranced. He Xing rarely smiled, but when he did, it had a special infectious power¡ªlike a spring breeze melting the frozenke, or an autumn wind turning the rice fields golden.

    His smile exuded an active, uplifting, vibrant energy.

    Grandfather He motioned to Mr. Zhou standing aside, "Come join us. You¡¯ve been busy all day too. It¡¯s more lively to eat together."

    Mr. Zhou initially tried to refuse, but Grandfather He frowned in displeasure and said sternly, "Come here right now."

    Fu Han and He Xing joined in the persuasion, and Mr. Zhou finally took a seat on the empty armchair, his face flushed.

    For Fu Han, this was the first time she was spending the New Year¡¯s Day in a ward, but with He Xing and Grandfather He there, she felt extraordinarily warm and cozy.

    She had just looked in on Nan Qing next door, and Nan Qing¡¯s ward was also lively¡ªthe Nangong matriarch had ordered arge table of dishes as well, and the four of them were eating joyfully together.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t had much appetite in the morning and only ate a little, bute lunchtime she felt in good spirits and had a hearty appetite. She not only finished a bowl of rice but also enjoyed many dishes. At He Xing¡¯s prompting, she even had two bowls of soup, the most she had eaten in one sitting for a while.

    After lunch, Mr. Zhou stepped out, saying he was going to brew tea for Grandfather He.

    Grandfather He had a habit that couldn¡¯t be disrupted: he must drink tea after a meal, and he only drank green tea, iming it cut through the grease and was good for the stomach.

    Grandfather He was also in excellent health; he neverined of being unable to sleep after drinking tea in the evening.

    In just about ten minutes, Mr. Zhou had arranged aplete set of tea equipment on the coffee table. The gentle fragrance of tea began to fill the ward, greatly reducing the smell of disinfectant.

    Thanks to Grandfather He, Fu Han had been arranged to take tea art sses when she was younger, and her tea art was acknowledged to be excellent. She had shown off her skills in public on behalf of Grandfather He on several asions.

 Chapter 578 - 579 The Use of Bodyguards

    <h4>Chapter 578: Chapter 579 The Use of Bodyguards</h4><h4></h4>

    But she never expected that Old Zhou would have such great tea-making skills, washing, boiling, and serving tea, each step done with remarkable precision.

    Yet despite Old Zhou¡¯s towering and muscr build, suggesting a driver who looked more like a bodyguard, he had also once been a national Sanshou champion.

    Old Zhou¡¯s appearance was of a burly man who would seem only capable of solving problems with strength, yet now he handled the delicate task with such precision, creating a delightful contrast that took people by surprise and pleasure.

    "Uncle Zhou, I¡¯ve realized you¡¯re like the ultimate master that appears at the end of a TV series, what seems one way on the outside is another matter entirely. You¡¯re simply amazing," said Fu Han teasingly while examining the small tea cup in her hand.

    "Lady, please stop making fun of me," Old Zhou said, smiling as he continued his meticulous tea art ceremony, "This little skill of mine is only good enough to barely make a pot of tea for the master, not for the elegant halls."

    He Laozhu zipped a sip of tea gently and followed with a smile, "Indeed, Old Zhou¡¯s tea-making can only be considered barely passable, Fu Han¡¯s tea is truly authentic."

    "Then... when I¡¯m better, shall I make it for you a few more times?" Fu Han offered with a smile and without a hint of embarrassment.

    He Laozhu was stating the facts, and she was indeed very skilled; there was no need for false modesty here.

    As soon as He Laozhu finished his tea, Fu Han suggested that he go home.

    The He Family had many traditions, and there was so much to do on New Year¡¯s day; all tasks requiring great effort and care, and she truly feared for Grandpa He¡¯s well-being.

    In just a few minutes, the spacious Ward was left with only Fu Han and He Xing, and even the bodyguards at the door had disappeared.

    Without those two imposing ¡¯door gods,¡¯ Fu Han suddenly felt that her field of view had widened substantially, a feeling to which she was unustomed, her eyes roamed everywhere, unsure of where to look.

    After He Xing tidied up the Ward a bit, he brought a chair over to sit in front of Fu Han, "I heard that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan had a fight, what about?"

    "Because..." Fu Han pondered whether she should tell He Xing about Nan Qing¡¯s issues, after all, it involved Nan Qing¡¯s privacy.

    However, she felt conflicted, recalling her promise to Nan Qing.

    Today, she keenly felt Wang Yixuan¡¯s animosity toward her, or rather, his dissatisfaction; Fu Han could understand Wang Yixuan¡¯s feelings. Under such circumstances, it probably wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to intervene.

    After a moment, Fu Han ryed the day¡¯s events to He Xing, eager for his opinion, considering they were both men.

    He Xing¡¯s handsome brows furrowed, and after a few minutes, he spoke in a deep voice, "It¡¯s not suitable for you to get involved in this matter, it would embarrass Wang Yixuan. It¡¯s better if I talk to him."

    "But..." Fu Han was worried, especially sincest night Wang Yixuan had punched He Xing, leaving some swelling on his face still visible now.

    "There¡¯s no ¡¯but¡¯ about it," He Xing said, affectionately stroking Fu Han¡¯s head with a smile, "For you, a girl, to interfere would only make it seem like you¡¯re meddling. It¡¯s better if I handle it."

    Fu Han relished the warmth of He Xing¡¯s palm, as cozy as basking in the winter sun, the kind that makes one¡¯s hair warm to the touch. Her heart was suddenly overflowing with warmth, filled as if she¡¯d just had arge bowl of hot soup.

    "Silly girl, don¡¯t worry too much about Nan Qing," He Xing said, noticing Fu Han didn¡¯t pull away like she did in the morning, so he took the opportunity to draw her closer into his embrace, "If I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s probably because Nan Qing¡¯s parents don¡¯t really approve of her marrying Wang Yixuan, and he happened to find out, prompting him to say those words."

    That exnation suddenly enlightened Fu Han. She had been bewildered why Wang Yixuan would say such things when Nan Qing was so distressed but realizing the parents¡¯ disapproval made Wang Yixuan¡¯s reaction seem all too normal.

    Fu Han had known Wang Yixuan earlier than Nan Qing. Wang Yixuan, with his superior appearance and talent, was exceedingly proud by nature; yet due to his family background, he may also have underlying feelings of inferiority that manifested as aplex of both pride and insecurity.

    A man like him couldn¡¯t resist someone like Nan Qing, a princess who¡¯d always lived in the sunshine. Unconsciously, he was drawn to her, but once they were together, the pressure would mount, making him feel unworthy of her.

    He Xing¡¯s chin rubbed against Fu Han¡¯s forehead with each movement, his voice gentle yet strong, "If you truly want to do something, you could talk to Nan Qing¡¯s parents. I think Wang Yixuan¡¯s attitude will change along with theirs."

    "Alright." It was quite a coincidence, for Fu Han had been thinking the same thing.

    She was eager to make amends to Nan Qing, and helping her fulfill wishes was one way to do so, at least that¡¯s what Fu Han believed.

    Having addressed a major concern, Fu Han felt much more at ease. Leaning against He Xing¡¯s chest, she gazed around the simple Ward and felt an extraordinary sense of contentment.

    What could be more fulfilling than having the one in front of you be the one in your heart?

    Her eyelids began to grow heavy with sleepiness creeping upon her.

    Just as she was about to close her eyes, He Xing¡¯s gentle voice arose, "Xiaohan, did Su Chenge to see you today? What did he want?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes, which had yet to fully close, snapped open. She pushed He Xing away at once, and as she left his embrace, a chill wind blew over her, causing an involuntary shiver.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" He Xing said with a soft smile, as if soothing a child, "You don¡¯t like me asking, right? Then I¡¯ll stop."

    But even with He Xing hiding it well, Fu Han could still spot a flicker of panic and unease in his eyes. In fact, his expression wasplicated for an instant; it was too transient for Fu Han to fully perceive.

    She gazed intently at He Xing, saying word by word, "You¡¯re so concerned about what Su Cheng talked to me about, why don¡¯t you also care about what Xia Ning said to me."

    "Xia Ning..." He Xing¡¯s smile was momentarily rigid, and he opened his mouth with difficulty, unsure of what to say.

    Just as He Xing was about to speak again, Fu Han suddenly interrupted with a hint of sarcasm, "Surely your people didn¡¯t only report to you about Su Cheng¡¯s visit; they should have notified you about Xia Ning¡¯s visit as well."

    "I..." He Xing cleared his throat awkwardly, a trace of redness appearing on his cheeks as he struggled to speak, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t misunderstand. I didn¡¯t have them here to monitor you; I just don¡¯t want you to go through what happened yesterday again. I... I don¡¯t want to see you hurt."

 Chapter 579 - 580: Telling You the Truth

    <h4>Chapter 579: Chapter 580: Telling You the Truth</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hmm, I know you¡¯re telling the truth." Fu Han¡¯s lips curved into a smile, but it was one of mockery, "But, that¡¯s not the whole truth, is it? Their main job may be to protect me, but at the same time, they¡¯re also helping you keep an eye on me, reporting my every word and action back to you."

    He Xing¡¯s mouth struggled open, as if he wanted to exin something, but in the end, all he said was, "I¡¯m sorry."

    The volume of those three words was low, like snowkes falling to the ground, creating no ripple at all.

    But... but just a single snowke can trigger an avnche, an undeniable fact; for Fu Han right now, He Xing¡¯s words were indeed that snowke causing the avnche.

    Thest glimmer of hope in Fu Han¡¯s eyes vanished as she looked at He Xing with disappointment, wanting to say something yet not knowing where to start.

    He Xing clearly felt Fu Han¡¯s mood as well, reaching out to try to grasp her hand, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have ignored your feelings. I promise this won¡¯t happen again, can we get past this?"

    "No need." Fu Han pped his hand away, speaking in an incredibly calm voice, "He Xing, since you want to know what they told me, I¡¯ll tell you. Xia Ning came to me to enjoy the show; she¡¯s very regretful that I wasn¡¯t killed. Su Cheng came to visit me; he¡¯s angry that you didn¡¯t protect me. Now that I¡¯ve told you everything, you can leave."

    "Xiaohan..." The sorrow in He Xing¡¯s eyes was so vast, it was like a stone thrown into ake, causing ripples to spread outward in waves, "Xiaohan, I know you and Su Cheng are good friends, and I won¡¯t ask about what goes on between you two in the future. As for Xia Ning... Xia Ning may be a bit willful, but I believe she wouldn¡¯t say such things, and in the future... you won¡¯t speak such cruel words to curse yourself again."

    Truthfully, having lost all hope, Fu Han found it less painful to hear such words.

    She looked calmly at He Xing, even revealing a sweet smile, "You see, when you ask and I answer, you don¡¯t believe me, so what¡¯s the point in asking? Next time, you might as well just put a bug on me, so that without your bodyguards having to ry messages, you can know exactly what I do and say every day."

    He Xing looked at Fu Han in distress, the ck storms in his eyes sweeping towards himself and swiftly drowning him.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing, her heart aching like a needle prick. There was a moment when she really wanted to embrace him, but she restrained herself.

    Turning her head towards the window, she said expressionlessly, "I¡¯m tired, I want to sleep, please leave."

    He Xing sighed softly, murmuring, "Xiaohan, can we just talk this through, please?"

    "Sure." Fu Han tilted her head, looking at He Xing with her beautiful eyes, her gaze filled with unmistakable mockery, "Speak then, I¡¯m listening."

    He Xing licked his lips and bit them, trying to speak in asposed a voice as possible, "Fu Han, first of all I must rify that I arranged for these two bodyguards to be at your side when you returned to the country. Grandfather knows about this, you can ask him."

    "Alright, I¡¯ll ask when I have the chance." Fu Han nodded, a sense of irritation rising within her, but she responded to He Xing as calmly as possible.

    He Xing nodded and continued, "My main, in fact, only intention in hiring them was to take care of you. Beyond that, I had no other thoughts. If I had wanted to use them to keep tabs on you, I would have done so a long time ago, not wait until now to let you know about them."

    "About that..." Fu Han¡¯s voice rose slowly, "Just as you don¡¯t believe my ims about Xia Ning¡¯s curse, I also don¡¯t fully believe what you¡¯re telling me."

    He Xing¡¯s face grew even paler, knowing Fu Han as well as he did, he understood that no matter what he said now, it was futile. Fu Han could be stubborn, and once she got an idea into her head, no force could sway her.

    He sighed again with resignation, "Alright, Fu Han, I know no amount of talking will help right now, so I won¡¯t pressure you. I just hope you can think about this issue calmly, seriously, okay?"

    The anger in Fu Han¡¯s heart was getting uncontroble, yet her face became even more serene, as if nothing had happened, her earlier mocking demeanor gone without a trace.

    She looked at He Xing expressionlessly, her clear autumn eyes as undisturbed as a calmke, "Fine, I¡¯ll think about it deeply, and I hope you do the same, especially regarding your trust in me."

    Right then, He Xing felt as if his heart was being scorched by mes, an agony indescribable.

    He would have preferred Fu Han tosh out at him rather than treat him with the distant courtesy of a stranger. In his heart, Fu Han was the only exception, and he hoped he was the same for her.

    It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that if anyone could break He Xing¡¯s principles, that person would definitely be Fu Han, and, if another were to be added, it would be Grandfather; likewise, he hoped that he could also be the one to break Fu Han¡¯s principles.

    But now, it did not seem that way, and he became more and more perplexed as to why Fu Han was angry, just as he didn¡¯t understand why she would im that Xia Ning¡¯s concern for her mother was false.

    He Xing sighed deeply in his heart, deciding to make one more effort. With a tender smile, he said in a tone one would use to soothe a child, "Xiaohan, I know Xia Ning always gives you a hard time, you two have been like this since you were kids, always arguing upon meeting. Xia Ning may have bad motives, but even she wouldn¡¯t wish for your death."

    Seeing Fu Han¡¯s face turning ugly, He Xing quickly spoke again, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m not saying this to suggest you¡¯ve lied to me or anything, it¡¯s just that, Xia Ning might have said such words, but she probably didn¡¯t mean them in her heart. And... and the person who hurt you yesterday has nothing to do with Xia Ning."

    "How do you know there¡¯s no connection?" Fu Han had recently asked Su Cheng to investigate whether the incident had anything to do with Xia Ning, and now He Xing hade up with a conclusion, how could she not be shocked.

    He Xing rubbed Fu Han¡¯s head affectionately since her attitude had shifted, and his mood unconsciously brightened.

    Speaking gently, he said, "Xiaohan, I didn¡¯t want to tell you this so soon, but I was afraid you would continue to misunderstand Xia Ning, so I decided to tell you ahead of time."

 Chapter 580 - 581: Old News, New Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 580: Chapter 581: Old News, New Knowledge</h4><h4></h4>

    Before the security guard from Fu Han¡¯s office building made an appearance, Fu Han and Nan Qing had already injured the man in ck, especially Nan Qing who used a flowerpot to strike the assant¡¯s head directly. The man in ck was already at the end of his rope, and the security guard managed to capture him without much effort.

    He Xing obtained some information through his connections, and with Old Zhou¡¯s help, he found some clues linking Yi Lixing to the man in ck. However, these were mere traces, and there was still no concrete evidence to prove that the person behind the attack on Fu Han was instructed by Yi Lixing.

    Somehow, after hearing what He Xing said, Fu Han¡¯s mood didn¡¯t lighten; instead, she felt as if a stone was pressing on her heart, making it hard to breathe.

    After pondering for a while, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, "But... I always feel something is not right. Don¡¯t you find it strange? I have no grudges with Yi Lixing, so why would he want to harm me?"

    "It¡¯s probably because of me," He Xing said with a face full of apology. "There¡¯s some bad blood between Yi Lixing and me. He was an employee of mypany, and because he sold ourmercial secrets, causing thepany to suffer huge losses, I fired him and disclosed all his deeds. So, he might hold a grudge against me."

    "Sellingmercial secrets?" Fu Han widened her eyes, "When did this happen? How do I not know about it? To whom did he sell the He Group¡¯smercial secrets?"

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t very clear about business matters in the past, but recently, she has been handling all the affairs of Cheng Yihan¡¯spany, especially with the end of the year approaching, there were many issues to deal with, including many that were rted to thew.

    It¡¯s only during this time that she learned how careful one must be when running apany; a single misstep could lead to legal vitions, and once thew is broken, one could sue the other party forpensation or even face prison.

    The leakage ofmercial secrets is a serious matter, depending on the severity of the case, not only could you be liable forpensation, but you might also face prison time.

    And the fact that mercial secrets" came out of He Xing¡¯s mouth, coupled with the background of the He Group, Fu Han knew without asking that the matter was severe and involved a substantial amount of money.

    He Xing looked indulgently at Fu Han and nonchntly said: "It¡¯s not a significant issue. It happened shortly after you returned from abroad. He sold our tender documents to Xia... to Xia Ning¡¯s father."

    In the past, He Xing never discussedpany matters with Fu Han. Even just now, he had only nned to gloss over it. But he suddenly had a realization¡ªif he didn¡¯te clean now, Fu Han might get angryter if she found out.

    After mulling over it silently, Fu Han excitedly said, "You said Yi Lixing sold the He Group¡¯s secrets to Xia Guoxiong... Uncle, is it possible that yesterday¡¯s incident was arranged by Uncle Xia Guoxiong?"

    "I knew as soon as I mentioned this, you would have suspicions," He Xing said with a smile tinged with bitterness and helplessness. "I¡¯ve also investigated it, but I have not found any connection between Yi Lixing and them."

    Fu Han opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found herself unable to voice her thoughts. She really wanted to tell He Xing that just because he hadn¡¯t discovered it didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t exist.

    But expressing that would be to question He Xing¡¯s capabilities, and he would certainly be very angry.

    Therefore, she ultimately held back, saying only: "It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve looked into it. I don¡¯t care about the rest, but I will not let this matter rest. I must avenge Nan Qing¡¯s lost child."

    "I know," He Xing was about to embrace Fu Han again, but seeing her face full of indifference, he eventually dropped the hand he had already raised.

    Fu Han leaned back slightly, resting against the pillow, tiredly looking out of the window and said, "I¡¯m tired and want to sleep now. Please do as you wish."

    "Xiaohan, are you still trying to send me away?" He Xing couldn¡¯t hide the hurt in his eyes.

    Fu Han originally didn¡¯t want to look at He Xing, but her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of him, and she felt stuck, unable to avert her gaze.

    Honestly, He Xing gave off the impression of a blind box. When he was angry, his aura was cold and unapproachable, intimidating to others; when he was expressionless, he resembled an aloof and distant European noble of thest century; when he smiled, he was dazzling like the summer sun, making you want to offer him the best things this world has to offer.

    But the most heart-wrenching was He Xing¡¯s injured expression, which was like a wounded beast licking its wounds alone in the darkness of a cave. Even though he was the king of the forest, when you looked at him, your heart would fill with pity.

    Fu Han felt exactly like this at the moment. She was truly furious, but facing He Xing in this state, she found the anger within her couldn¡¯te forth.

    She bit her lip but eventually couldn¡¯t help but whisper softly, "Don¡¯t you still have to deal with yesterday¡¯s incident? Can¡¯t youe back after you¡¯ve finished handling it?"

    "Alright, alright." He Xing, as if he had obtained the sacred scriptures from his pilgrimage, excitedly cupped Fu Han¡¯s cheeks and kissed her lips forcefully: "Xiaohan, leave this matter to me. I will handle it to your satisfaction."

    Fu Han watched He Xing leave. As his footsteps faded, Fu Han¡¯s mood grew heavier.

    Her feelings towards He Xing were strange now. She clearly loved He Xing very much, but she couldn¡¯t convince herself to be with him carefree as she had been when she was younger.

    Yet she found it impossible to treat He Xing harshly.

    ...

    Qin Nuan¡¯s ce.

    It looked the same as before, a spacious three-bedroom apartment, reasonably tidy inside, but there was a faint, post-intimacy scent lingering.

    From the entrance to the innermost bedroom, clothes were strewn all over the floor¡ªbelonging to both men and women.

    The bedroom door wasn¡¯t closed. Faint amorous sounds continued to echo; for a brief moment, those heart-fluttering noises finally ceased, followed shortly by the sound of running water from the restroom.

    Half an hourter, the sound of water finally stopped, and a man and a woman emerged from the restroom, clinging to each other like conjoined twins, ready to copse onto therge round bed again.

    Suddenly, a phone rang. Yi Lixing adjusted the bathrobe tied around his waist and followed the ringing towards its source¡ªhis phone had been left inside the gaping mouth of a decorative fish by the entrance.

    He fished the phone out from a pile of small items and nced at the screen. The indifference on his face vanished, and his spine stiffened involuntarily as he went from a state of rxation to one of tension.

 Chapter 581 - 582: A Sudden Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 581: Chapter 582: A Sudden Phone Call</h4><h4></h4>

    Qin Nuan had already keenly sensed something wrong with him. She didn¡¯t even have time to put on shoes; she ran over and asked anxiously, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    While speaking, the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of the noticeable words on the phone screen: "He Xing."

    Herplexion turned pale in an instant, and her lips began to tremble, "He Xing has found you so quickly?"

    "With his abilities, it¡¯s quite normal." Yi Lixing made a silencing gesture and then picked up the call, "Hello, President He, how do you find the time to call me?"

    Men always have their pride. If Qin Nuan hadn¡¯t run over and seen the call, Yi Lixing probably wouldn¡¯t have had the guts to pick it up; you might say he was forced into a corner. If you listened carefully, you could even hear his voice shaking as he spoke.

    But at this moment, Qin Nuan felt as if she¡¯d been struck by lightning. Where would she have the mood to analyze the tone of Yi Lixing¡¯s voice? She just sat dumbly on the sofa, staring nkly at Yi Lixing.

    Two minutester, maybe even less, Yi Lixing hung up the phone.

    Qin Nuan immediately asked nervously, "What¡¯s going on, what does He Xing want from you?"

    "He didn¡¯t say on the phone." In front of his woman, Yi Lixing¡¯s male ego resurfaced, and he said with forced calm, "He wants to meet to discuss something. You just wait for me at home."

    Having said that, Yi Lixing walked toward the bedroom, probably to change his clothes.

    Qin Nuan still sat on the sofa, but her gaze followed Yi Lixing tirelessly, as if she wanted to etch his image deeply into her memory.

    At that moment, or perhaps at many moments, Yi Lixing was the only one in Qin Nuan¡¯s heart. She had thought countless times of giving up her revenge for Yi Lixing, but he said they couldn¡¯tpromise with this dirty world, so she stopped mentioning giving up on revenge.

    In just a few minutes, Yi Lixing had changed his clothes. He stood at the doorway and beckoned Qin Nuan, "Xiao Nuan,e help me fix my hair. I can¡¯t do it myself."

    Perhaps because Yi Lixing had been working in the Public Rtions Department since graduating from school, he was very strict about his image. Whenever he went out, he had to be suited and booted, looking handsome, polite, and scented.

    Qin Nuan herself was beautiful and had always been a stickler for good looks; although Yi Lixing¡¯s facial features were ordinary, his persistence in fitness and an above-average sense of style in clothing made him quite a handsome man.

    Though he didn¡¯tpare to the likes of He Xing and Su Cheng, he was far better than a profligate son like Xia Cheng.

    Qin Nuan, beautiful since childhood, knew in her heart that she did not belong in the same world as the He Xing and Su Cheng and deeply scorned people like Xia Cheng.

    So, when she got together with Yi Lixing, it was indeed more for benefit than affection, which is why she was willing to follow Yi Lixing¡¯s advice to stoke the discord between Xia Guoxiong and his son, Xia Cheng.

    But women are emotional creatures; the longer they¡¯re together, the deeper their feelings grow.

    Now, in Qin Nuan¡¯s heart, Yi Lixing had be an important person. Secretly, she even hoped that after everything was over, she could marry Yi Lixing.

    At this thought, Qin Nuan¡¯s movements became gentler. Her slender, ivory fingers moved through Yi Lixing¡¯s hair.

    She thought silently to herself that his hair was thick and coarse; he probably wouldn¡¯t be at risk of balding, unlike Xia Guoxiong, who was only in his fifties yet already balding at the front.

    After using almost half a bottle of hair gel, Qin Nuan finally got Yi Lixing¡¯s hairstyle right. It was his usual spirited style.

    Yi Lixing looked at himself from left to right, and finally nodded with satisfaction, "Xiao Nuan, you¡¯re really good at this."

    He grabbed a bottle of men¡¯s cologne and sprayed himself liberally, then with his phone and car keys in hand, he walked straight toward the door, "I¡¯m off. You can stay at home or go shopping."

    Qin Nuan quickly followed him to the door, "Today is New Year¡¯s Eve. I¡¯ll stay home and prepare our reunion dinner for when you return."

    "Okay." Yi Lixing wasn¡¯t particrly invested in the New Year¡¯s spirit, but he still hugged Qin Nuan and gave her a kiss before leaving, "I¡¯ll try toe back early."

    He said it as easily as if he were asking, "Have you eaten?" That sentence had be a programmed response, etched into his bones.

    However, Qin Nuan was especially touched. She tiptoed and kissed Yi Lixing¡¯s cheek, and seeing his changed expression, she quickly added, "I didn¡¯t wear lipstick, don¡¯t worry."

    Yi Lixing then smiled. He touched Qin Nuan¡¯s hair, opened the door, and left without looking back.

    Qin Nuan watched Yi Lixing until he entered the elevator before returning. Unfortunately, until the moment Yi Lixing stepped into the elevator, he had not looked back at her, as if unaware that Qin Nuan was watching him from behind.

    Qin Nuan didn¡¯t mind, though. She closed the door, changed into a set of house clothes, casually tied up her long hair, and then, donning an apron, she dove into the kitchen.

    Since... since her sister went to that ce, Qin Nuan became alone.

    It was detestable that she wasn¡¯t there at that time; otherwise, she would never have watched her sister being sent to a ce of disrepute.

    But by the time she returned, everything was already decided, and with her capabilities, she couldn¡¯t change the status quo. All she could do was lie low, looking for an opportunity, a way out.

    It was in such circumstances that she met Yi Lixing.

    One could say Yi Lixing was the light that appeared in the darkest moment of her life, illuminating her otherwise rugged path.

    It was also because of Yi Lixing¡¯s encouragement that even though she felt disgusting enough to vomit every time she saw Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng, she could still smile sweetly at them and manipte them in conversation, ying them like pieces on a chessboard.

    But no matter when, no matter how times change, the fact that Qin Nuan had once simultaneously dated a father and his son, that was an indelible shame.

    As a result, whenever Yi Lixing mentioned anyone from the Xia Family, Qin Nuan wished she could crawl into a hole.

    Speaking of which, it was as if fate had shown her mercy; the child in Qin Nuan¡¯s belly was gone.

    Actually, as soon as she found out she was pregnant, she had wanted to get rid of the child but was stopped by Yi Lixing, who advised her to use it as leverage against Xia Guoxiong and his son.

    Later, when the elder Mr. He was kidnapped, she was raped, which was another shadow over her heart. She couldn¡¯t report the perpetrator because it had been her own scheme, but the unwanted consequence was lost too. She was relieved that she no longer needed to endure nightmares every night.

    Honestly, without Yi Lixing¡¯s help, even if Qin Nuan resented the Xia Family members to her core, she would never have thought to get such argepensation with an empty womb.

 Chapter 582 - 583: Past Entanglements

    <h4>Chapter 582: Chapter 583: Past Entanglements</h4><h4></h4>

    Lixing truly had remarkable abilities; not only did he secure a heftypensation for Qin Nuan, but he also got Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng to promise that they would not do anything to harm Qin Nuan in the future.

    Indeed, after Qin Nuan left the Xia Group, Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng stopped looking for her.

    However, Lixing mentioned that the Xia Family was still useful to them, so Qin Nuan still had to maintain the rtionship from time to time; but things were already much better than before. At least now, Qin Nuan had the initiative¡ªshe could meet with the father and son of the Xia Family whenever she wanted, and avoid them when she didn¡¯t, with no one able to say anything about it.

    Everything will get better, everything must get better.

    Qin Nuan silently cheered herself up inside her heart and then happily began to deal with the pile of ingredients in front of her, intending to prepare a sumptuous New Year¡¯s Eve dinner for Lixing.

    ...

    A City was very quiet on New Year¡¯s Eve, resembling a ghost town where one might only see a person after walking a fair distance.

    Lixing drove into the underground parking lot of the mall, where only a few cars were sparsely parked, and he immediately spotted He Xing¡¯s Lamborghini.

    Because of some ridiculous male pride, Lixing intentionally parked his car far away from He Xing¡¯s vehicle.

    It took a few minutes to wait for the elevator, and inside the capacious elevator he was alone, with its nging sounds echoing, his heart beating rapidly in sync. For reasons unknown, a chilling feeling crept up on him.

    He was aware of the cafe that He Xing had mentioned; they had drunk coffee there in the past.

    Back then, He Xing had just joined the He Group. Both were young men with dreams and ambitions, and not much difference in age, so they were full of vigor.

    They often negotiated with people over and over again for a project, and sometimes when the other party asked them to modify the contract, they would find a quiet cafe to make the changes on the spot.

    This cafe was one of the ces they had visited before.

    Lixing did not know whether He Xing had asked to meet him here today on purpose or by coincidence.

    Honestly, even though He Xing was several years younger than Lixing, and Lixing considered himself experienced in reading people, he could not figure out He Xing, or he felt that He Xing¡¯s thoughts were too profound.

    As soon as he exited the elevator, he saw He Xing sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window with a cup of coffee in front of him, his expression indifferent and revealing no particr emotion.

    Lixing mentally reviewed the previous day¡¯s events in his heart. Unable to think of any slip-ups, his confidence surged as he stepped forward and walked in.

    The wind chime at the entrance sounded pleasantly, but the sound startled Lixing so much that he almost turned and fled.

    Upon hearing the noise, He Xing looked up slowly and, with a neutral expression, said to Lixing, "Aren¡¯t you going toe in for a cup of coffee?"

    It was a simple question, yet Lixing felt something he knew all too well from the past but hadn¡¯t felt in a long time: the absolute domination of a superior over an inferior.

    The sensation of being entirely suppressed in terms of presence was unpleasant, and Lixing frowned deeply as he walked crisply to sit opposite He Xing, "President He, I wonder what you wanted to discuss with me."

    "You don¡¯t know?" He Xing¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, implying depth, "You should be very clear, what else could I possibly be seeking you for, if not for that matter?"

    "Provocation?" Lixing, after all, had been steeped in the Public Rtions Department for many years, and almost instantly exposed He Xing¡¯s provocative tactic. He scoffed mockingly, "President He, it seems you¡¯re underestimating me by using tactics meant for underlings."

    In the face of scorn, He Xing was not angered in the slightest. Instead, he spoke calmly, "The fact that I¡¯m willing to deal with you is the greatest honor I could give you."

    Anger uncontrobly red up in Lixing¡¯s heart. He knew very well that he hade to engage in a psychological battle with He Xing; he reminded himself over and over to stay calm.

    Yet when he spoke again, his voice still carried a mocking tone, "If that¡¯s the case, President He, there was no need for you to seek me out. After all, I¡¯m quite busy every day."

    "Indeed busy," He Xing¡¯s smile grew even more profound as he said in a meaningful tone, "what else do you have to do every day besides engaging in sweet nothings with Qin Nuan?"

    "What did you say?" Lixing red furiously at He Xing, as if he wished he could shatter his bones and consume him, "He Xing, what I hate most is your presumptuous attitude. Do you think you¡¯re so great, and you know everything?"

    "Not at all," He Xing began slowly, in stark contrast to the impatient Lixing. Maintaining his consistently deep but serious tone, he said, "But I do have the ability to know anything I wish to learn about."

    Lixing wanted to refute what He Xing had said, but he discovered that even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t, because he simply did not know what to say. Moreover, what He Xing said was true; whether He Xing knew something or not depended not on others, but on whether he wished to know.

    Across from him, He Xing slowly set down his coffee cup, his gaze significant as he looked at Lixing, "Do you know what happened yesterday?"

    Though prepared, Lixing was still caught off guard and cleared his throat awkwardly, "How would I know that?"

    "You don¡¯t know?" He Xing¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, "Under your instigation, someone nearly killed Fu Han. And now you im you don¡¯t know?"

    "I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about," Lixing struggled to maintain hisposure, but his eyes darted around, desperately avoiding He Xing¡¯s gaze. "If something happened to Fu Han, it¡¯s because you failed to protect her. What does that have to do with me?"

    "Really nothing to do with you?" He Xing tapped the marble table methodically with his fingers. Along with the crisp, pleasing sound was his cold voice, "Why did I hear that the arrested person has already confessed to acting on your orders?"

    "Impossible." Lixing¡¯sst line of defense was on the verge of copse as he stared angrily at He Xing, "Let me tell you, don¡¯t fabricate stories. Otherwise, I¡¯ll sue you for defamation."

    "Sure," He Xing grinned, revealing his teeth, "If you sue me for defamation, you¡¯ll need to provide evidence that I defamed you. But do you have that evidence? I¡¯m worried you might incriminate yourself while trying to provide it."

    Lixing, trembling with rage and breathing rapidly, mmed the table with fury, "He Xing, do you know why Fu Han was targeted? It¡¯s because she is your fianc¨¦e, setting up enemies against her with your ostentatious ways as her fianc¨¦, do you think she can have peaceful days?"

 Chapter 583 - 584: Police Car on the Street

    <h4>Chapter 583: Chapter 584: Police Car on the Street</h4><h4></h4>

    "So..." He Xing¡¯s gaze turned cold, and he looked at Yi Lixing expressionlessly, "You still won¡¯t admit that yesterday¡¯s incident was rted to you?"

    "I..." It was only now that Yi Lixing realized he had been tricked. He was so frightened that he nearly trembled uncontrobly; a gust of cold wind blew, and his back was already drenched with sweat.

    But he absolutely would not just admit it, so he feigned ignorance with a cough: "What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand."

    He Xing smiled again, but his smile didn¡¯t carry any warmth, it was more like the cold wind that blows over a frozenke in winter, biting to the core, "Yi Lixing, originally I was prepared to give you a way out, but you shouldn¡¯t have touched Fu Han. I called you here today to tell you one thing, we need to settle our ounts properly."

    As if a st of cold wind had swept through, Yi Lixing began to shiver all over. He suddenly started to regret why he had opposed He Xing.

    For the first time, he introspected about the matters between him and He Xing, and for the first time, he seriously considered who had wronged whom.

    In fact, when you get right down to it, He Xing was Yi Lixing¡¯s patron. Without He Xing, Yi Lixing would probably still be a conceited yet helpless and obscure individual.

    In their initial conversation, He Xing, amidst pressure, offered him a high sry and a high position, providing him the opportunity to make his mark, and eventually he became the most renowned Public Rtions Director in A City.

    Once, Yi Lixing had thought that he would stay in He Group for life and fight alongside He Xing forever.

    But determination wears thin under the allure of money. In the end, he sumbed to the sugar-coated bullets offered by Xia Guoxiong, betraying thepany¡¯s secrets time after time.

    Ordinary people would have directly called the police with such conclusive evidence, but He Xing didn¡¯t. He simply exposed Yi Lixing¡¯s misdeeds, still affording him a sliver of hope.

    In fact, when his scheme was exposed, Yi Lixing was afraid, and he was grateful that He Xing didn¡¯t call the police or demandpensation; but his gratitude was shallower than his resolve.

    Xia Guoxiong had introduced him to Yang Kaitai, and he bounced back and forth between Xia Group and Yang Group, sinking deeper and deeper, bing more and more muddled, harboring deeper resentment towards He Xing than before.

    But it seemed he never thought about the fact that his downfall wasn¡¯t He Xing¡¯s fault, and all along, he was the one who had wronged He Xing, not the other way around.

    While Yi Lixing was lost in his thoughts, the bell of the cafe rang again, and instinctively, he turned his head to look. The ones entering were two police officers in uniform.

    "Did you call them?" Yi Lixing trembled all over,rge beads of sweat streaming down like raindrops.

    He Xing slowly stood up, fastening the buttons on his suit jacket as he spoke, "Of course, you took my leniency for indulgence. If I don¡¯t make you pay some price, wouldn¡¯t you be even more unrestrained in the future?"

    In the midst of Yi Lixing¡¯s desperate struggle, he was still taken away by the police.

    Before leaving, he looked back and saw He Xing still standing in the same ce, his profile as relentlessly sharp as ever, like a sculpture in its exquisite detail.

    At the sight of He Xing¡¯s face, Yi Lixing suddenly understood why he had been so antagonistic towards He Xing. The reason was nothing else but his unspoken jealousy towards He Xing.

    He was excellent, but if he continued with He Xing, he would always be overshadowed by He Xing¡¯s brilliance, and no one would ever notice him.

    It¡¯s strange when you think about it; Yi Lixing always had a high opinion of himself, believing that no man in the world could match him, yet he knew all too well that he would never be as outstanding as He Xing.

    The wailing of the police car sped across the deste streets. People heard the noise and poked their heads out of the windows to look.

    Many shook their heads in pity. What crime had the manmitted, to be taken away by the police during the New Year celebrations?

    ...

    Xia Family¡¯s vi.

    Xia Ning was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the room.

    Xia Chengy on the sofa like a boneless creature, with his legs propped up, chewing betel nut, and browsing through pictures of beautiful women on his phone.

    Xia Ning became increasingly irritable as she listened, and she rushed forward to snatch the phone from Xia Cheng¡¯s hand, "All you ever do is look at beautiful women all day long. Is that all you know how to do besides chasing after them?"

    "What else do I need to do?" Xia Cheng pointed at the not-so-obvious scar on his forehead and said sarcastically, "You tell me, if I do something else to upset the old man, will I still be alive?"

    Xia Ning sighed helplessly. Ever since the incident with Qin Nuan, the rtionship between the father and son of the Xia Family, Xia Cheng and Xia Guoxiong, had be very delicate, with both of them growing increasingly displeased with each other.

    As for Xia Ning, she had never had a good impression of Qin Nuan, and objectively speaking, she thought that thetter was more to me.

    Put bluntly, Xia Cheng, knowing full well about the affair between Qin Nuan and Xia Guoxiong, still couldn¡¯t control himself and got involved with Qin Nuan. It was normal for Xia Guoxiong to be angry.

    This was also why Xia Guoxiong thought Xia Ning was on his side, so for the past few months, Xia Guoxiong had doubled the allowance he gave to Xia Ning, while he had halved Xia Cheng¡¯s pocket money.

    Thinking of this, Xia Ning kicked the sofa, "This was clearly your fault. What¡¯s wrong with apologizing to Dad? You should call him now and ask where he is, tell him toe back quickly, it¡¯s almost time for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner."

    Xia Cheng initially didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Xia Ning, but now he couldn¡¯t help but be angry, "What did I do wrong? Qin Nuan is just a whore, and Dad does not n to marry her. What¡¯s wrong with us having fun together?"

    Xia Ning, her nose crooked with rage, looked at Xia Cheng with disappointment, "Are you an idiot? What good does offending Dad do you? Qin Nuan can bear him a child, can you guarantee no other woman will bear him a child? Do you really think he must leave the family inheritance to you?"

    "Enough," Xia Cheng said,pletely dismissive. "Don¡¯t con me here. Qin Nuan said my dad can¡¯t do it. How can he get another woman pregnant? If his woman gets pregnant, you can be sure it¡¯s not his."

    Being a girl, Xia Ning blushed with embarrassment instantly, coughed to cover it up, and spat, "Xia Cheng, let me tell you, you better not talk nonsense, or you¡¯ll ultimately be the one to suffer."

    "What am I afraid of, he¡¯s not here," Xia Cheng said dismissively, scorn and schadenfreude evident on his otherwise delicate face.

    Looking down from above, Xia Ning rarely scrutinized Xia Cheng seriously, but today, as she did so, she realized that Xia Cheng was practically the male version of herself.

    More precisely, if Xia Ning hadn¡¯t had stic surgery, she and Xia Cheng would be the type of siblings who others could tell were rted at a nce.

 Chapter 584 - 585: Father and Son Standoff

    <h4>Chapter 584: Chapter 585: Father and Son Standoff</h4><h4></h4>

    They had the same square faces, the same puffy single eyelids¡ªall inherited from Xia Guoxiong.

    The only features that redeemed Xia Cheng¡¯s appearance were his high-bridged nose, thin lips, and what could pass for fair skin.

    Today, as Fu Han¡¯s mocking words about Xia Ning¡¯s appearance once again surfaced in her mind, she had desperately wanted to retort. But now, seeing her brother¡¯s state, she felt that her decision to get stic surgery early on was absolutely correct.

    She told herself that after all, she had modeled her surgery after her mother¡¯s features¡ªthere was nothing wrong with that. She hadn¡¯t gone for an extreme makeover; it was just a subtle refinement.

    Suddenly, she remembered a message she had received not long ago and, feeling anxious and knowing she couldn¡¯t rely on Xia Cheng, pulled out her phone, ready to call Xia Guoxiong once more.

    But before she could dial, the sound of a car approached and both of them turned to look. Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car was slowly entering the gate.

    Xia Ning joyfully ran to the door, like a child left at home eagerly awaiting a long-desired candy from a parent¡¯s return.

    In stark contrast was Xia Cheng¡¯s indifference, as if the person returning had nothing to do with him. He continued to lie on the sofa, resuming his prior position, and turned on his phone once again. However, this time he put on headphones instead of ying the audio out loud.

    Two minutester, Xia Ning entered, arm in arm with Xia Guoxiong, wearing a charming smile that Xia Cheng was all too familiar with¡ªa look she donned whenever she needed a favor.

    Xia Guoxiong stood by the sofa and looked at Xia Cheng with a face full of disdain and said, "Xia Cheng, tell me what you¡¯ve aplished. All day long, if you¡¯re not lying around at home, you¡¯re out chasing girls. Don¡¯t you have any ambition..."

    "Enough, don¡¯t bother." Xia Cheng impolitely cut him off with a hint of sarcasm, "I know that at my age you had already started apany, and you¡¯d also be a father, but you are you and I am me. Could you please not measure me by your standards?"

    They had had simr confrontations before, and Xia Ning knew they were just exchanging harsh words and that it wouldn¡¯t escte to a real fight, so she just silently watched without speaking.

    As expected, Xia Guoxiong looked at him with disappointment, "Look at yourself¡ªyou y all day and perform even worse than your sister. If I handed the Xia Group over to you, you would probably squander it all away."

    Xia Ning, caught in the crossfire, wore a face full of helplessness. She wanted to speak but couldn¡¯t find the words, ultimately just turning her head away, pretending she hadn¡¯t heard.

    On the other hand, Xia Cheng was fuming inside, especially since his ns to meet a girl had been rejected that day, and he wasn¡¯t willing to hold back like he usually did.

    He mmed his foot down and abruptly sat up, "That¡¯s easy for you to say. I might not even see the family fortune by the time it¡¯s in my hands."

    "What did you say?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s anger red instantly, surging to his head.

    The more angered one bes over a matter, the more it shows their concern about it; today was supposed to be for the New Year¡¯s celebration, but Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t return until night fell¡ªnot because he was out with another woman, but due to a problem at thepany. Xia Cheng¡¯s words inadvertently hit a sore spot.

    Xia Cheng had wanted to throw out more provokingments, but seeing Xia Guoxiong truly enraged, he felt a chill down his back and shrank his neck, deciding not to continue.

    Unfortunately, this act not only failed to quell Xia Guoxiong¡¯s rage but actually added fuel to the fire.

    At a simr age, and in fact older than He Xing, He Xing had made the He Group thrive while Xia Cheng knew only how to indulge in leisure, contributing nothing of substance.

    Many a night, Xia Guoxiong had wondered why his children had turned out this way, unable to aid him in any way.

    Normally, Xia Guoxiong might not have been so agitated, but today Mr. Ji discovered some matters that, for the Xia Group, were adding insult to injury, and Xia Guoxiong couldn¡¯t help but get angry.

    Xia Guoxiong pointed at Xia Cheng¡¯s nose, "Starting next year, you won¡¯t have any allowance. If you want money, you¡¯ll have to work at thepany¡ªearn what you work for. Tardiness, leaving early, and not taking your work seriously will result in pay deductions."

    "Old man, that¡¯s too much," Xia Cheng retorted, anger driving him to kick the coffee table, "Even if I became the general manager, my monthly pay wouldn¡¯t even reach a hundred thousand. You give me such a paltry sum, are you treating me like a beggar?"

    "Even when I give money to beggars, they at least thank me," Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice rose in anger, his square face flushing red, trembling with rage. "But look at you¡ªyou eat mine, you take mine, and you do nothing but make me angry all day long. How could I have fathered such a son?"

    "Did I ask you to bring me into this world?" Xia Cheng¡¯s face wasn¡¯t looking any better, especially when he noticed a few servants sneaking looks from the kitchen, making him feel even more humiliated, "If not for you, maybe my mom would have found a richer old man, and I wouldn¡¯t have to be groveling for money all the time, would I?"

    "Alright, alright, you said it," Xia Guoxiong paced back and forth in front of the sofa, visibly agitated. After twops, he stopped and said, "You said it¡ªyou don¡¯t want to be my son. Well then, get out. From today onwards, I no longer consider you my son."

    "Fine, I¡¯m leaving." Xia Cheng hadn¡¯t really expected things to reach this point, but backed into a corner with nowhere else to turn, it wasn¡¯t like he could admit defeat at this moment. He stomped his foot hard and said, "Before I go, let¡¯s be clear¡ªit¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t want me as a son, not the other way around."

    He moved to grab his car keys, appearing serious about leaving.

    All this time, Xia Ning had been an observer, intending to stay out of whatever happened. But now, she couldn¡¯t stand aside any longer and grabbed Xia Cheng, saying with great reluctance, "Are you really going to leave? It¡¯s the New Year, and if you go it will be just Dad and me left."

    "You saw yourself, it¡¯s him who¡¯s driving me away," Xia Cheng¡¯s voice was defiant, yet he did not pull away from Xia Ning¡¯s grasp but instead stopped in his tracks.

    Xia Ning looked back at Xia Guoxiong; his face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, yet he remained silent.

    She urged Xia Cheng, "Dad was just joking with you, and you took it seriously. If Dad really wanted you gone, he could have done so long ago. Why wait until now?"

 Chapter 585 - 586: The Loud Slap

    <h4>Chapter 585: Chapter 586: The Loud p</h4><h4></h4>

    Father and son both fell silent, not uttering a word, and Xia Ning knew they were giving each other a way out.

    She tugged at Xia Cheng¡¯s sleeve, "Brother, go check on the kitchen and see how the preparations for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner areing along. I need to talk to dad."

    The Xia Cheng of the past would never set foot in the kitchen, thinking the smell of cooking fumes would sh with the sharp scent of his cologne, but today, after ncing at Xia Guoxiong, he obediently went.

    Xia Ning looked at Xia Guoxiong. Her father¡¯splexion was still grim. She cleared her throat uneasily and said, "Dad, well, I... I have something I want to discuss with you."

    Less than two minutester, Xia Cheng, who was ying with his phone in the dining room, heard Xia Guoxiong¡¯s roar: "Are you an idiot? You did something like this without discussing it first?"

    Then came Xia Ning¡¯s earth-shattering cries, which in the empty vi sounded like the ominous toll of a midnight bell, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine.

    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration on Xia Cheng¡¯s part¡ªthe deliberate crying that Xia Ning put on was indeed intolerable, like a fake baby doll¡¯s whimpers, small and sobbing, giving one the creeps.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s yelling continued: "Even if you wanted to deal with Fu Han, you should have found someone reliable. You turned to Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing¡ªdo you think our family doesn¡¯t have enough leverage in his hands?"

    "But..." Xia Ning swallowed hard, mustering courage to say, "But at that time, Fu Han was abroad, and I thought it was the best opportunity to deal with her. I asked you, but you ignored me, so I just... I just..."

    Seeing Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face growing darker, Xia Ning quickly spoke up again: "Dad, it was Qin Nuan who contacted me first. She said she had connections abroad, so I gave her the money; I¡¯ve asked her for the money back, but she refused to return it, saying she would take care of Fu Han for me."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face grew even darker, his rage swirling within him like a tornado, clearing away everything in its path.

    He just looked at Xia Ning without speaking. How to describe the way he looked at her? It was definitely not the gaze of a father looking at his daughter but more like one looking at an enemy.

    p!

    The loud sound of a p rang out, piercingly sharp in the not-so-quiet vi, causing Xia Cheng to shudder almost instinctively.

    But the p wasn¡¯t without effect¡ªat least Xia Ning¡¯s crying stopped immediately.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to cry but that she had been intimidated by Xia Guoxiong and didn¡¯t dare to. Herrge, tear-filled eyes looked at Xia Guoxiong: "Dad, I know I was wrong."

    "What use is knowing you were wrong?" Xia Guoxiong was still furious: "Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing colluded to swindle a lot of money from me, and here you are, foolishly giving them more. You¡¯re indeed a good daughter of mine. If it weren¡¯t for Yi Lixing being caught, you wouldn¡¯t have nned to tell me about this, right?"

    After dropping those words, Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t give Xia Ning another nce and headed straight for the exit.

    Just then, Xia Cheng came out from the dining hall and hurriedly called out to Xia Guoxiong, "Dad, we¡¯re about to have the reunion dinner, where are you going?"

    "I¡¯m off to clean up your sister¡¯s mess," Xia Guoxiong said furiously, ring at Xia Cheng: "Keep an eye on your sister and make sure she doesn¡¯t go out and cause more trouble."

    One minute, Xia Cheng was the unreliable son about to be thrown out, and the next, he was the guardian tasked with watching over his sister. This shift in status pleased him greatly.

    He crossed his arms and walked up to Xia Ning with a certain schadenfreude, "Xia Ning, I really couldn¡¯t tell. You always act so obedient, who¡¯d have thought you¡¯d do something so shocking? Tell me, what have you done to make the old man this angry? I should learn from you."

    "What¡¯s it to you?" Xia Ning red fiercely at Xia Cheng, and the tears in her eyes disappeared just like that.

    Although her mind was in turmoil, she knew that the fewer people who knew about her hiring someone tomit murder, the better. Therefore, when she had spoken to Xia Guoxiong about it, she had been very quiet, and Xia Cheng was not aware; of course, she didn¡¯t n to tell him now either.

    "If you want to know so badly, go ask Qin Nuan yourself," Xia Ning retorted before turning and storming towards the stairs; her back radiated intense anger.

    "Hmph, it¡¯s not a big deal; if I have to ask, I¡¯ll ask on my own," Xia Cheng spat out in disgust, his phlegmnding on the gold-embellished tile, looking particrly revolting.

    The cook approached cautiously and asked with utmost respect, "Young master, the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner is ready. When shall we begin?"

    "Are you blind, didn¡¯t you see the old man left?" Xia Cheng snapped, whirling around to re venomously at the cook as if he was about to kill her.

    "I... I understand," the cook turned pale, so frightened she almost sat down on the ground.

    Watching her terror pleased Xia Cheng immensely, and he burst into sinisterughter, sounding particrly eerie in the empty vi, likeing upon a ghost in broad daylight.

    He stroked his chin, as if he had an idea, grabbed his car keys, and walked away.

    ...

    Around the corner from the hospital, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s luxury car slowly came to a stop. He lit a cigar, its glow shining intermittently. In the dim light, his face looked somewhat terrifying¡ªrigid like a block of ice, though his eyes were bright, their whites marbled with bloodshot veins, like the most frightening scene in a horror movie.

    Usually, this ce had a constant stream of traffic, even at the early hours of the morning; but today the road was deserted. The cars parked on both sides resembled soldiers standing at attention, exuding an eerie and foreboding aura.

    This area can be considered the starting point for the city¡¯s development, with only twones; the roadside trees showed their age, each as thick as a water barrel, their leaves forming a dense canopy, and their branches extending everywhere like innumerable octopus tentacles.

    A gentle breeze blew by. Although it was still winter, it no longer felt very cool; instead, it calmed Xia Guoxiong¡¯s restless heart.

    He looked grimly towards the right side of the road, where the Inpatient Department was and where he would be heading shortly.

    If there were any other choice, he would never set foot in that ce, not even one step. s, there were no if¡¯s.

 Chapter 586 - 587: Memories of the Past

    <h4>Chapter 586: Chapter 587: Memories of the Past</h4><h4></h4>

    The rustling of the leaves sounded akin to someone weeping, like a mournfulment, exceptionally intive and mncholy.

    This sound had been drifting through Xia Guoxiong¡¯s mind for more than a decade, specifically since Du Wanting had died, to the point where almost every deep night he could hear it.

    For so many years, on New Year¡¯s Eve, he seriously contemted for the first time whether what he did was right or not.

    Xia Guoxiong himself was a genuine pauper, with average looks and a bit of cleverness, yet he harbored grand ambitions, determined to achieve fame and sess.

    Twenty years ago, he resolutely came to A City, lured to the ce rumored to be paved with gold; however, life quickly dealt him a harsh blow¡ªwithout capital, trying to make something out of nothing was absolutely impossible.

    After much thought, he ended up at the home of a wealthy family to work as a servant, with the objective of winning over thedy of the house.

    Du Wanting, the pampereddy of a wealthy family, used to seeing people fawn over her, was taken aback by Xia Guoxiong, a man who would asionally tter, show temper, had a bit of smarts, and some capability; she fell for him.

    Her naivety didn¡¯t mean her parents were naive as well¡ªher parents had kicked Xia Guoxiong out of their house as soon as they noticed something was brewing between Du Wanting and him.

    But a gentleman is always at a loss when dealing with a viin, as malice lurks everywhere, waiting to slip through the cracks.

    Xia Guoxiong, having bet everything on Du Wanting, wouldn¡¯t leave himself without a backup n; before he was thrown out of the Du Family, he had already bought off several of their servants.

    Whenever Du Wanting¡¯s parents and brothers were out, he would sneak in for a secret rendezvous; for young lovers inmed by passion, brief separations always intensify affection, and soon enough Du Wanting, under Xia Guoxiong¡¯s seduction, became intimate with him and got pregnant.

    Such things cannot be hidden forever, and Du Wanting, along with Xia Guoxiong, knelt before her parents begging to be wed, but the Du Family still refused. They had seen through Xia Guoxiong¡¯s true nature, nning for their daughter to abort the child and then for the entire family to leave A City.

    But how could Xia Guoxiong give up so easily? While the Du Family sought peace, he had taken the money given by Du Wanting to bribe the Newspaper Office, coercing them to spread the news of Du Wanting¡¯s pregnancy.

    In the era of two decades ago, unwed pregnancy was much more grave than it is now, subject to lifetime stigma and endless gossip.

    At that time, Du Wanting was so wrapped up in the fantasy Xia Guoxiong had spun for her that she regarded her own parents and brother as enemies. Far from ming Xia Guoxiong for ruining her reputation, she thought him clever and even told the visiting journalists, as Xia Guoxiong had instructed, that everything was her choice alone and that she would marry no one but Xia Guoxiong.

    Left with no options, the Du Family agreed to marry their daughter into the Xia Family.

    Yet, the Du Family still didn¡¯t let Xia Guoxiong get his way entirely. They stipted that once Du Wanting was married to Xia Guoxiong, she would no longer be a daughter of the Du Family.

    His cunning n foiled, Xia Guoxiong was stunned; but Du Wanting, already seeing her parents and kin as enemies under Xia Guoxiong¡¯s influence, agreed without a second thought, even dering they would never see each other again.

    If Du Wanting had been a bit more amiable and spoken some kind words, through her status as the Du Family¡¯s youngest and only daughter and the affection of her parents and three brothers, they would never have truly abandoned her.

    In the end, Xia Guoxiong took Du Wanting, pregnant and heavy, back to his rented digs, a notorious slum in A City where the rooms were so cramped turning around was difficult, a single bed felt crowded for two, rats could be seen in broad daylight, and clothes could never bask in the sunlight.

    And as Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯t gotten what he wanted, he treated Du Wanting with increasing contempt, no longer even bothering tofort her.

    At that time, news came that the Du Family had emigrated overseas, liquidating all their assets, never to return.

    Finally facing reality, Du Wanting was shattered and acknowledged that life was different from dreams; she cried day and night, nearly to the point of blindness.

    A turning point came on the night before the Du Family¡¯s departure, when thedy of the Du Family, led by a servant, arrived at their ce, and upon seeing their living conditions, could not hold back her tears.

    In the end, a mother¡¯s love prevailed. She gave Du Wanting a house and all her private savings umted over the years.

    Xia Guoxiong finally left the squalid gutter where he had lived for over a year, and with that first pot of gold¡ªcourtesy of thedy of the Du Family¡ªhe began to fight for his career in A City.

    As for their love, it was merely a fantasy he had woven for Du Wanting. After he swindled the money given by thedy of the Du Family from Du Wanting, his impatience with her only grew.

    But Du Wanting seemed quite content. Perhaps because they had moved from a cramped hovel, where not even the rats lingered, to a reasonably tidy house, she felt her life was improving; or maybe because Xia Guoxiong¡¯s business was flourishing, she trusted her own judgment.

    Yet, Du Wanting fell ill with cancer, the cause being that during the birth of Xia Cheng and her convalescence postpartum, she had received no care, leading to a host of health issues. She then fell pregnant with Xia Ning before her strength had returned.

    She had taken care of both Xia Cheng and Xia Ning by herself, from pregnancy to postpartum recovery to their growing up, with Xia Guoxiong doing nothing to help. Worse, he would take out on her the frustrations he encountered elsewhere.

    Strangely, no matter how terribly Xia Guoxiong treated her, Du Wanting never seemed to mind. She always tried to understand and sympathize with him from his perspective.

    Upon getting the diagnosis, Du Wanting wasn¡¯t excessively grief-stricken. She was more concerned about her young children and worried whether anyone would care for Xia Guoxiong afterward, never mentioning trying treatment.

    Although Du Wanting¡¯s illness was severe, it wasn¡¯tpletely hopeless with a substantial investment of money, but Xia Guoxiong was too sparing with funds, while Du Wanting assumed he had none.

    Xia Guoxiong had never loved Du Wanting, a fact better known to him than to anyone else.

    If the Du Family were still in A City, he could have feigned deep affection for Du Wanting, but with the Du Family gone, having provided no assistance, he refused to acknowledge that his first fortune hade from them. He felt entitled to the money he had taken.

    So, whenever he saw Du Wanting, he only thought of his own humiliating past as a fawning servile fool; deep inside, he wished for her to die quickly. After Du Wanting¡¯s diagnosis, he was ted inside.

    How could he not be? His life was on track, and with continued effort, he could achieve his dreams.

 Chapter 587 - 588: The Lonely New Yearâ€™s Eve

    <h4>Chapter 587: Chapter 588: The Lonely New Year¡¯s Eve</h4><h4></h4>

    Only with Du Wanting¡¯s death could his humiliating past disappear along with her; just like now, decadester, many people talk about how impressive it is that he built his fortune from scratch. Who remembers how he once kissed up to ady for money?

    But at this moment, on the deserted street,

    Xia Guoxiong for the first time looked straight into his own heart. Just between him and Du Wanting, he knew he owed her an apology. Even in death, Du Wanting still helped him.

    It could be said that if Du Wanting hadn¡¯t saved He Xing, the Xia Group would be nothing more than a passable business today, definitely not as expansive as it is now.

    As he was thinking, suddenly there came a knocking on his window.

    A short man stood by his car window, his triangr, drooping eyes staring unblinkingly at him like a snake lurking in the night, silently harboring ill intentions.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s heart jumped; he hadn¡¯t noticed when Mr. Ji had arrived, nor how long he had been there. Had he been silently observing him for a long time? For the first time, he harbored great suspicion towards Mr. Ji.

    Yet his expression remained unchanged as he asked in his usual grim tone, "How did your investigation go?"

    Mr. Ji¡¯s voice, rough as a crow¡¯s, rose in the night, sending shivers down the spine: "I¡¯ve looked into it. As of now, there¡¯s no substantial evidence to prove that Yi Lixing orchestrated this. The assassin who was caught has yet to confess Yi Lixing¡¯s involvement."

    "Didn¡¯t expect Yi Lixing to have some ability after all," a sinister smile crept onto Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face as he offered the remaining half of his cigar to Mr. Ji, "Do you think I still need to make a trip up there, then?"

    "Yes!" Mr. Ji took a puff of the cigar, perhaps too eagerly, which led to a severe coughing fit; it sounded like his lungs might cough up, and after he finally stopped coughing, he spat out a thick glob of phlegm: "I¡¯ve found out something else."

    Leaning forward, he motioned Xia Guoxiong toe closer; Xia Guoxiong immediately poked half his head through the car window.

    A few minutester, Xia Guoxiong asked with a face full of shock: "Are you telling the truth?"

    "It¡¯s true," Mr. Ji¡¯s smile was crafty: "That Yi Lixing, driven by lust, now has a pair of handles in the grasp of the Huangpu Group, and since the Huangpu Group has formed a partnership with the He Group, he is like a ticking bomb. You must cut ties with him as soon as possible."

    "No wonder..." Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face twisted, he gritted his teeth and said: "I was wondering why he suddenly told us to stop going after the Huangpu Group, so it was because of this rtionship."

    "Exactly," Mr. Ji¡¯s pockmarked face beamed with pride: "You did well not to listen to him. Otherwise, how could we have snatched so many orders from the Huangpu Group?"

    "You¡¯re reliable," Xia Guoxiong extended a hand and patted Mr. Ji¡¯s shoulder: "Starting next year, your sry will double. As long as you serve me well, I will never mistreat you."

    "Thank you, Director Xia," Mr. Ji bowed respectfully: "The fruit basket and flowers are already in your trunk, all bought from the finest at the import store; you can go up and visit Miss Fu Han right now."

    "Alright," Xia Guoxiong agreed but did not get up immediately; instead, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

    The ember of Mr. Ji¡¯s cigar glowed faintly between his fingers, revealing his bony, stick-like fingers as raw skin and bones.

    Out of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s view, Mr. Ji¡¯s eyes became extraordinarilyplex, like a monster lurking in the brush eyeing its prey, or like a hunter, thrilled with the catch in hand.

    Before leaving, he gave Xia Guoxiong another look, then lifted his foot and silently walked away.

    As he turned, Xia Guoxiong opened his eyes. He scrutinized closely but couldn¡¯t see where Mr. Ji was; in the darkness, he seemed to have vanished, invisible even though the street was lit, without a sound of footsteps.

    Xia Guoxiong could only gauge Mr. Ji¡¯s position by the slight glow from the cigar.

    He looked around; the street was empty, devoid of people. An absurd thought crossed his mind: if he floored the elerator now, would Mr. Ji simply drop dead on the spot?

    But in the end, he did not do it. Mr. Ji was still useful, and although he had blood on his hands from various incidents, none had implicated him directly. Even if Mr. Ji needed to be dealt with, Xia Guoxiong could not do it himself.

    With that thought, Xia Guoxiong pulled open the car door and got out. His ck woolen coat pped in the wind, creating a dark wave carrying a chill with it.

    ...

    Outside the window, the twilight was deepening, without stars or moon in sight, but in the distance, there were thousands of household lights, a scene one might consider beautiful.

    Fu Han had been standing by the window for a while now, a gentle breeze drifting in, not cold, barely enough to stir her hair.

    Today is New Year¡¯s Eve. It¡¯s the first time she¡¯s spent it alone in her memory.

    When her parents were alive, they were with her;ter, it was He Xing and Grandfather He; after going abroad, it was Nan Qing and Su Cheng.

    When there were others, she hadn¡¯t felt it, but now suddenly alone, an overwhelming loneliness swept over her, engulfing her in an instant.

    Just ten minutes ago, her uncle had video called her. Her aunt and Bai Wei had traveled out of the country, even Luo Qinghe had sent her wishes; of course, because Fu Han didn¡¯t want them to know she was in the hospital, she turned off the camera.

    During that video chat, her uncle told her they would return soon, asked her not to miss them, and said they would bring back New Year¡¯s gifts for her.

    As joyous as everyone was in that video, Fu Han felt just as deste now.

    It was as if nothing and no one in the world was rted to her anymore. Since her parents¡¯ deaths, a sense of belonging had never again been present in her heart.

    He Xing and Grandfather He were her blood rtives; her uncle, aunt, and Bai Wei were a family; Su Cheng and Nan Qing had their own families as well.

    Lady Nangong and Nan Qing hade to visit her, wanting to take her to Nan Qing¡¯s ward to celebrate the reunion, but Fu Han declined.

    They would be a happy family of three along with Wang Yixuan; Fu Han felt she would be an extra person if she went, not only failing to liven the atmosphere but possibly making their already joyless New Year even less cheerful.

    So Fu Han fabricated a lie; she told them He Xing would soon return to spend New Year¡¯s with her.

    But the truth wasn¡¯t like that at all. Fu Han had received a call from He Xing around five o¡¯clock, insisting that he should stay at home and have the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner with Grandfather He, certainly not to let him eat alone in the vi.

 Chapter 588 - 589: The Attitude of Seeking Forgiveness

    <h4>Chapter 588: Chapter 589: The Attitude of Seeking Forgiveness</h4><h4></h4>

    The New Year¡¯s Eve dinner is different from lunch; the He Family also has a set of procedures for worshipping ancestors. Fu Han had participated for many years; the process was intricate and strenuous, and she didn¡¯t want grandfather to go through such hardships alone.

    It was still early, and Fu Han couldn¡¯t sleep, so she thought about finding something to do. She turned around and wanted to rummage through the cab to take out the sketchbook He Xing brought over today and draw.

    However, when she turned around, she was startled to see someone standing silently at her door. Caught off guard, she yelped and clutched her chest with a loud cry.

    It wasn¡¯t that Fu Han¡¯s scream was too exaggerated because when she looked over, Xia Guoxiong was standing at the door, silently staring at her, sizing her up. It was hard to tell whether the deep look in his eyes was benign or malevolent.

    "Fu Han, don¡¯t be afraid, I just came to see you," Xia Guoxiong immediately smiled. He pointed at the two bodyguards at the door and said, "I just arrived and was about to call you, but you turned around unexpectedly. I¡¯m sorry, uncle owes you an apology."

    Only then did Fu Han remember that there were two bodyguards outside her door; even if someone came at her with a knife, she wouldn¡¯t be in any danger.

    Thinking this, she felt much calmer, and she felt embarrassed about her initial reaction. She coughed unnaturally and asked, "Uncle Xia, what are you doing here?"

    Today, Xia Ning hade over and although Fu Han had gained the upper hand and made Xia Ning leave in a huff, that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to see anyone from the Xia Family. She had never had any fondness for the Xia Family¡¯s people.

    Let alone now, when she was spending the New Year¡¯s alone, she suspected that the Xia Family was involved in all of this.

    Xia Guoxiong, who had put on weight in middle age, and with the two bodyguards showing no intention of moving aside, squeezed through the door gap with difficulty, and said to Fu Han with a smile stered on his face, "Well, Fu Han, I only found out about your injury and hospitalization tonight, so I didn¡¯t even care about the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner and came to see you right away."

    "Thank you, Uncle Xia," Fu Han, although she would have preferred to immediately have Xia Guoxiong leave, recognized that ultimately he hadn¡¯t overtly done anything to her, so she couldn¡¯t be too excessive.

    Fu Han¡¯s clever eyes whirled around as she smiled and said, "Uncle Xia, the Ward is quiet, and I don¡¯t have anything to offer you here. I appreciate your intention to visit, but if there¡¯s nothing else, you should head back now to avoid missing the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner."

    "Uh..." Xia Guoxiong turned his head, ncing around, "Where is He Xing? Why isn¡¯t he here with you?"

    Some things Xia Guoxiong wanted to say to Fu Han, but they meant nothing if He Xing wasn¡¯t there to listen¡ªthey were meant for He Xing¡¯s ears since it was because of him that Xia Guoxiong was willing to speak those words.

    Fu Han¡¯s delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she felt dissatisfied that Xia Guoxiong refused to leave. She sniffed and said with annoyance, "Today is New Year¡¯s, of course He Xing needs to be home apanying grandfather."

    Her words rendered Xia Guoxiong speechless, as he remembered that he had only instructed Mr. Ji to inquire about Fu Han¡¯s Ward, and indeed had not confirmed if He Xing was there at the moment.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s bronze-colored face turned purplish-red with embarrassment as he coughed unnaturally and said, "Well... then alright. The fruits I brought are imported, you should eat more... strive for a speedy recovery."

    After finishing his words, he turned and walked towards the door, unwilling to stay even a second longer.

    Thinking she had sessfully sent him off, Fu Han breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to find her sketchbook in the cab, but then she heard the surprised voice of Xia Guoxiong, "He Xing? How did you get here, aren¡¯t you at home having New Year¡¯s Eve dinner with your grandfather?"

    He Xing¡¯s cool voice then followed, "Uncle Xia, Grandfather asked me toe here to the hospital to apany Fu Han. What are you doing here?"

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice was noticeably more excited, "I... I only found out tonight that Fu Han was injured and hospitalized, so I immediately came to see Xiaohan."

    As he spoke, He Xing had already arrived at the Ward, naturally taking Fu Han¡¯s hand and sitting down on the sofa while politely offering to Xia Guoxiong, "Uncle Xia, please have a seat."

    Xia Guoxiong immediately sat down, and he specially circled around to choose the single sofa next to He Xing, "He Xing, I was just about to call you. I said to myself how distressed Xiaohan must be, injured and hospitalized over the New Year, and you, how could you not stay with her?"

    Upon hearing this, He Xing couldn¡¯t help butugh, turning affectionately to Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry, I came over right after I was done. Grandfather has Uncle Zhou forpany, it¡¯s alright. I will also go back to see him tomorrow."

    Although he didn¡¯t directly answer Xia Guoxiong, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s smile became even brighter, "He Xing, you¡¯re doing well. Among the young people I know, you¡¯re the best. I always tell Xia Cheng to learn more from you."

    This bootlicking made Fu Han, sitting aside, feel incredibly awkward. She held back but still couldn¡¯t resist speaking up, "Uncle Xia, your family¡¯s aesthetic isn¡¯t bad. Everyone thinks highly of He Xing, everyone is fond of him."

    "Uh..." Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯t expected the formerly polite Fu Han to be so confrontational, and surprised, he was momentarily at a loss for words, only managing tough awkwardly, "Xiaohan, you¡¯re getting more and more humorous. That¡¯s good, good."

    Fu Han shrugged but said nothing, certain in her mind that Xia Guoxiong hade with a request for He Xing.

    As expected, after Xia Guoxiong exchanged a few pleasantries with He Xing, he finally said, "He Xing, you mustn¡¯t me your Uncle Xia for adding to your troubles during the New Year. I couldn¡¯t enjoy my New Year¡¯s Eve dinner without saying these things."

    He Xing had a clear understanding in his heart as well, he smiled calmly and looked at Xia Guoxiong, "Uncle Xia, just speak frankly. If there¡¯s something I can help you with, I will."

    "It¡¯s not about asking for help, not asking for help," Xia Guoxiong hastily waved his hands, his actions somewhat resembled the cartoon pigs that Fu Han had seen, except the pigs were much cuter than Xia Guoxiong.

    Then he began to speak with a troubled expression, "He Xing, originally I was swayed by the Yang Family, only thinking of growing the Xia Family, so I colluded with Yi Lixing to do some things that hurt the He Group, I... I want to apologize to you."

    Fu Han was very aware of the atmosphere¡ªthe mood of He Xing darkened immediately. Although the Ward was air-conditioned, it began to feel cooler but thankfully, not to the point of a frozen wilderness.

    But the color drained from Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face, "He Xing, I know I let you down, I didn¡¯t think it through then. Yi Lixing convinced me He Group was big and wouldn¡¯t be affected by a few small projects getting taken, so that¡¯s why I... I know I was blinded, you can be angry, you may continue to ignore Xia Group, but you have to forgive me."

 Chapter 589 - 590 Pleading for Forgiveness Shamelessly

    <h4>Chapter 589: Chapter 590 Pleading for Forgiveness Shamelessly</h4><h4></h4>

    If Xia Ning hadn¡¯t been so determined to control her expressions, she truly would not have been able to stop herself from bursting outughing.

    She had never seen anyone with such a thick skin before, clearly having done something wrong yet shamelessly expecting others to forgive him, even demanding it, how shameless could he be?

    Fu Han looked at He Xing to see his reaction, and unsurprisingly saw that his face had darkened too, the temperature in the room plummeting once again, revealing how infuriated he also was.

    All they heard was He Xing¡¯s icy voice ringing out, "Uncle Xia, let¡¯s leave the past in the past. I don¡¯t want to mention it again."

    "Alright, alright, we won¡¯t bring it up. You¡¯re saying that, I¡¯ll take it as you¡¯ve forgiven me," Xia Guoxiong was indeed thick-skinned and had his way of dealing. He Xing seemed only a step away from wearing his bad mood on his face, and yet, Xia Guoxiong acted as if he didn¡¯t notice anything.

    He Xing ced his hand on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, speaking indifferently, "Uncle Xia, it¡¯s gettingte, so I won¡¯t see you out."

    This was a clear order to leave. Naturally, Xia Guoxiong got the hint and urgently said, "He Xing, don¡¯t rush. I still have something to say to you."

    He paused, his eyes shifting between He Xing and Fu Han, and finally, with great embarrassment, said, "He Xing, I... I heard that it was Yi Lixing who paid someone to try to kill Fu Han. Is that true?"

    Fu Han and He Xing both turned to look at Xia Guoxiong with unfriendly gazes.

    Xia Guoxiong swallowed hard, his anxiety apparent as he said, "I... He Xing, I really only found out about this recently. It was Xia Ning who told me, and then I immediately came to find you both."

    Then Xia Guoxiong proceeded to narrate a long and vivid story.

    He said that Xia Ning was young and didn¡¯t understand things; seeing that He Xing only liked Fu Han and not her, she felt unhappy and wanted to make Fu Han suffer.

    Qin Nuan, knowing this, came to Xia Ning, saying she could help her get revenge, and tricked her into giving money to her.

    Later, the more Xia Ning thought about it, the more frightened she became. She went to Qin Nuan, intending to get her money back and drop the idea of teaching Fu Han a lesson. However, Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing refused to return the money and even said they¡¯d always found He Xing disagreeable and wanted to teach Fu Han a lesson to get back at He Xing.

    Xia Ning tried to persuade them, but not being their match, she could only leave in disgrace.

    Xia Guoxiong repeatedly assured that Xia Ning never truly intended to take Fu Han¡¯s life. He mentioned the incident about Xia Ning going to im her money back from Yi Lixing and Qin Nuan, suggesting they could verify this with Yi Lixing and Qin Nuan themselves.

    After he finished exining everything, Xia Guoxiong looked at He Xing with eyes brimming with sincerity, almost as though he was about to swear an oath, "He Xing, I¡¯m not lying to you, this matter truly has nothing to do with Xia Ning. She¡¯s so scared, she doesn¡¯t even dare to step out of the house now; you¡¯re aware of your own enmity with Yi Lixing, right? Please don¡¯t take your anger out on Xia Ning."

    He Xing¡¯s countenance had turned beyond description. He coldly looked at Xia Guoxiong and slowly articted, "Do you have anything else to say?"

    Even though He Xing just uttered a simple line, sweat beaded on Xia Guoxiong¡¯s forehead, "He Xing, I know I¡¯ve done some unforgivable things to you in the past, but I¡¯ve long since repented. To show my sincerity, I broke off with Yi Lixing early on, which is why he¡¯s been making all these covert moves against me. You folks know, Yi Lixing¡¯s current girlfriend is my former... lover."

    He originally wanted to say his former secretary but thought that wouldn¡¯t be aspelling, especially since his intent was to sever any connection he had with Yi Lixing.

    He Xing was silent as he considered the veracity of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words.

    A few secondster, Xia Guoxiong spoke again with conviction, "He Xing, I swear on the future of Xia Group, if this assassination attempt on Fu Han is rted to me, He Group will copse immediately, and I will die a horrible death."

    Finally, He Xing¡¯s expression softened slightly as he spoke with a hint of urgency, "Uncle Xia, I believe you, you don¡¯t have to make such vows."

    "I¡¯m afraid you think I want to harm Fu Han," Xia Guoxiong said with a wronged expression like a child suffering a great injustice, yet his facecked the innocence or charm of a child¡¯s, utterlycking in aesthetics.

    After finally sending Xia Guoxiong away, He Xing took both of Fu Han¡¯s hands into his and gently shook them, speaking warmly, "Xiaohan, you heard what Uncle Xia said just now. I think what happened to you yesterday really has nothing to do with him, or else he wouldn¡¯t have sworn such oaths."

    This was also something Fu Han was pondering. Although she had almost never been involved in business matters over the past decade, she knew how much Xia Guoxiong valued the Xia Group.

    And today, Xia Guoxiong had sworn an oath on the Xia Group, which surprised her as well. It was this fact that started to make her question whether her own feelings could indeed be true.

    After all, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning were known in City A as giant babies who couldn¡¯t stand on their own without Xia Guoxiong and He Xing. If Xia Ning truly wished to assassinate Fu Han, she would definitely seek Xia Guoxiong¡¯s help.

    Feeling two pairs of eyes on her, Fu Han let out a deep sigh, barely managing to smile, "I understand, but we need to investigate this matter thoroughly to ensure that no innocent person is wronged, and no criminal gets away."

    "I know," He Xing responded as he reached out to pull Fu Han into his arms, "Don¡¯t worry. I will sort this out for you and ensure that anyone who tried to hurt you will pay."

    Not long after Xia Guoxiong left, the hotel staff delivered the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.

    Though it was already past eight, and most New Year¡¯s Eve dinners would have already begun, the sight of the steaming feast before her and He Xing¡¯s face through the steam brought a sense of togetherness to her heart.

    Her feelings now were strange; the previous sense of being adrift had vanished, reced with the sensation of a ship finally mooring at the harbor.

    On the other side, He Xing had already prepared a seat for Fu Han. To make her morefortable, he had even ced two cushions behind her chair.

    Since there were only the two of them, the New Year¡¯s Eve meal wasn¡¯t borate, just five dishes and a soup, but all were Fu Han¡¯s favorites.

    Some dishes were ones she liked before moving abroad, while others she grew fond of during her three years overseas. It was rare for her to have a proper meal with He Xing sinceing back to the country, but she didn¡¯t expect him to know hertest preferences so well.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart felt warm, and her earlier dissatisfaction with He Xing had mostly faded away. She told herself that for tonight, New Year¡¯s Eve, she would set aside everyone and everything else.

 Chapter 590 - 591: The First Date

    <h4>Chapter 590: Chapter 591: The First Date</h4><h4></h4>

    As for the distance between her and He Xing, that would be a matter for the future. At least for now, they were still together, after all, dealing with everything rted to the Xia Family was not something that could be resolved in a short period of time; it would be a protracted battle.

    On the eve of the Chinese New Year, Fu Han had a delightful dinner, she and He Xing turned it into the effect of a candlelit dinner.

    Even though there was no wine and no fruit juice for tonight¡¯s dinner, just dishes and soup, both of their cheeks were still rosy.

    It felt like the first date, where all you did was walk along the curb, and even though you didn¡¯t even hold hands, you found the date utterly enchanting¡ªthe sweetest memory of your lives.

    After the meal, He Xing had the dishes cleared away, and the hotel staff quickly filled the table with various fruits and pastries, bringing the feeling of the New Year instantly.

    He Xing pulled Fu Han to sit on the sofa, fondly rubbing her head, "Feeling sleepy? Do you want to take a nap first?"

    Staying upte on New Year¡¯s Eve is something Fu Han had done from a young age; it¡¯s said that if you express your wishes on New Year¡¯s Eve, they will certainlye true.

    In the past, Fu Han¡¯s wish every year was to marry He Xing as soon as possible, but this year she hadn¡¯t yet decided what her wish would be.

    She hoped that her love life could go a bit more smoothly, and also that her career could reach new heights.

    "I... I want to watch the Spring Festival TV program." Fu Han said with a yful smile, the corner of her mouth held the smile of a little scheme¡¯s aplishment.

    Actually, she intentionally proposed something she thought would be difficult for the moment; she wanted to see He Xing in distress, as she always found him incredibly cute at such times.

    "Sure." Unexpectedly, He Xing agreed very readily. He stood up and walked over to Fu Han¡¯s wardrobe. In no more than a few seconds, he took out a small projector, "I bought this mini projector when I was overseasst time; it has excellent projection quality, perfect for watching the Spring Festival program."

    Fu Han leaned in to see, and it indeed was a very precisely made projector, advanced as if it were a vital prop crafted with a great budget in a TV drama.

    She watched as He Xing fiddled with it for a few minutes, and to her surprise, the Spring Festival program appeared on the wall, the picture clear as a cinema¡¯srge screen, a very good viewing experience.

    "You¡¯re really amazing," Fu Han raised a thumb unreservedly.

    Though only a day had passed, while the signs of bruises were still visible on Fu Han¡¯s face, they had already improved since she was brought in the day before. And evenpared to the morning, her face was no longer as swollen as it appeared.

    The ward¡¯s lights were off, the faint glow from the projector shone on Fu Han¡¯s face, casting a delicate sheen, simr to the luster of jade strung on her face, and it was unexpectedly beautiful.

    As he watched, He Xing¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed unconsciously. He approached Fu Han step by step, and with a stretch of his long arm, he embraced Fu Han in his arms, speaking low and tenderly, "Xiaohan, I love you, do you know that?"

    Fu Han had not anticipated such a sudden deration from He Xing. Startled, she thought to push him away, but when she saw the profound affection in his eyes, her hand froze, as did she.

    How could one describe He Xing¡¯s expression at this moment?¡ªlike a sunflower always turned towards the sun, like a beauty dancing under the moonlight, like the Earth eternally orbiting the sun.

    Although He Xing only spoke a simple sentence, his eyes had alreadymunicated so much. His gaze, intense andplicated, rested on Fu Han, who felt as though she had seen a thousand words within them.

    She nestled softly against He Xing¡¯s shoulder, looking up at him with a low, tender voice, "I know, I know it all."

    "Do you love me then?" He Xing leaned in closer, reducing the space between them. His handsome face was filled with an irresistible aggression and anticipation.

    Fu Han¡¯s already blushing face deepened in color as she let out an unnatural cough, "Why are you suddenly asking this? The Spring Festival program has started, let¡¯s hurry and watch."

    "No rush." He Xing¡¯s voice was deep, maic, with a resonating seductive quality, "Xiaohan, I really want to know the answer to this question."

    Without any movement, he simply looked at Fu Han, and she obediently met his gaze. Her bright eyes fell squarely into He Xing¡¯s.

    At first nce, those eyes seemed like a starry sea, but upon a closer look, they resembled a mire, deeply drawing Fu Han in, surrounded by countless stars as if innumerable butterflies were dancing around her.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart meltedpletely, her lips parted slightly, and she confessed earnestly, "He Xing, I love you too."

    With her words spoken, thest bit of trepidation in the depth of He Xing¡¯s eyes finally vanished. He looked at Fu Han with immense excitement, as though he had found treasure, "Xiaohan, I... I love you, certainly more than you love me. I will pamper you like a princess, ensuring that in this life you will only experience joy without bearing any pain; that your eyes will witness beauty without having to bear sadness."

    Fu Han smiled, her smile blossoming like a rose garden caressed by the spring breeze, glorious beyondpare.

    If she recalled correctly, those were the sweetest words He Xing ever spoke. She nodded vigorously, replying obediently, "I know, I¡¯ve always known."

    Listen, whose heartbeat resonates so quietly into the peaceful night, bustling as if drums and gongs were being yed.

    Kisses fell like raindrops, set against the lively Spring Festival program, exquisite like wildflowers blooming far and wide.

    Fu Han stood on tiptoes responding to He Xing, her uninjured hand tightly wrapped around his shoulders, with unprecedented eagerness.

    Each of her movements encouraged He Xing, who held her ever tighter, as if wishing to meld her into his own body.

    Whose deft hands roamed across Fu Han¡¯s back, effortlessly undoing the buttons of her underwear; whose body reacted, as though something was ready to emerge.

    Although Fu Han had never had such an experience, she wasn¡¯t a naive girl. During her time studying abroad, she had identally seen her roommate watching something simr, a romance film with explicit scenes.

    She was clear on what would happen next. But should she resist? Should she refuse?

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t sure, but what she did know was that she felt an anticipation within her own heart, as if everything was falling into ce naturally, and all she needed to do was follow her heart.

 Chapter 591 - 592: The More you Hide, the More Apparent it Becomes

    <h4>Chapter 591: Chapter 592: The More you Hide, the More Apparent it Bes</h4><h4></h4>

    The buttons of her hospital gown gradually came undone, and Fu Han felt a chill sweeping in. She shivered slightly, instinctively seeking warmth nearby, moving even closer to He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯s breathing became heavier, and his breaths louder, his hand slowly moving downward.

    But suddenly the sound of firecrackers erupted, and the two separated as if electrocuted, both their faces blushing deeply.

    He Xing immediately apologized, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry, I... It wasn¡¯t on purpose, I just wanted to kiss you."

    "Don¡¯t talk about it anymore." Fu Han was so embarrassed she wished she could crawl into a hole.

    If everything had proceeded smoothly, it would have been fine, but the sudden brake right before the final step was too much to bear. What more, He Xing¡¯s immediate apology was akin to admitting guilt without provocation, wasn¡¯t it?

    The heating was on in the room, and now He Xing felt the entire room even warmer, filled with a sweet atmosphere.

    He couldn¡¯t be sure what Fu Han really meant, but seeing that she wasn¡¯t genuinely angry, he smiled and reached out to pull her closer, "Xiaohan, I remember you said the most precious things should be left for the wedding day, we¡¯re not in a rush."

    However, before Fu Han could respond, a loud bang resounded and fireworks began once again, blossoming in the night sky.

    "Who is setting off fireworks so early?" Girls just can¡¯t resist such things. Like Fu Han, she immediately forgot the previous incident and rushed to the window to watch.

    The splendid fireworks exploded in the air, dyeing the inky sky a jewel-blue, as if it were made of the finest blue velvet.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help walking to the window to look; her face, regaining its beauty, was filled with delight. What could be more romantic than watching beautiful fireworks on New Year¡¯s Eve?

    He Xing moved behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry, I forgot to bring fireworks over. How about I put on a good show for you at home once you¡¯re out of the hospital?"

    His body pressed against hers, and she could distinctly feel a certain part of his body still in a state of excitement.

    Flushed with embarrassment, she struggled to break free, "You¡¯re a dangerous person right now, stay away from me."

    "How am I dangerous?" As He Xing spoke, his lips caught Fu Han¡¯s ear. He gently licked her earlobe and exhaled hot breath like a branding iron, "Stop moving, or I can¡¯t guarantee what I might do."

    Fu Han was truly frightened by him and stayed still in He Xing¡¯s embrace, but she could clearly hear his breathing bing hotter and hotter.

    In the distance, the fireworks continued, changing into various shapes ¡ª chrysanthemums, peonies, gardenias, and... Fu Han even saw a lotus.

    She pointed excitedly to the huge lotus blooming in the sky, "Look, that¡¯s a lotus! When it¡¯s not blooming, it¡¯s also called a ¡¯han¡¯. That¡¯s the ¡¯han¡¯ in my name, Fu Han."

    "I know." He Xing smiled, feeling inside his wool coat and, like magic, produced a ne, "Xiaohan, you¡¯re the owner of this ne. Will you take back what¡¯s yours?"

    Fu Han recognized it ¡ª this was indeed the ne He Xing had given her before, right after she returned to the country and confirmed her rtionship with him, precisely one year ago yesterday.

    She was captivated by the diamond lotus at first nce and wore the ne every day after receiving it. However, following an argument with He Xing, she broke the ne in a fit of anger and returned it to He Xing.

    Over the span of a year, many things transpired, and Fu Han often thought about taking back the ne. But their rtionship seemed specially uneven, always agitated by one thing or another. She could never quite open her heart fully to ept He Xing, which is why she never brought up the token of their love again.

    Fu Han took the ne and spread it out on her palm. The cool touch of her pale hand contrasted with the warmth of the almost-blooming lotus under the soft light.

    She examined it carefully, reminiscing about the moments when she received this ne. After a few seconds, she looked up at He Xing with her beautiful eyes sparkling, "I really like it. Will you put it on for me?"

    "Of course." He Xing affectionately tousled Fu Han¡¯s hair, took the ne, and fastened it around her neck.

    The lotus the size of an adult¡¯s thumb shone brightly on Fu Han¡¯s chest,plementing her gleaming eyes, each enhancing the beauty of the other.

    Her heart swelled with happiness, and she leaned into He Xing¡¯s chest.

    Thest lotus in the window faded away, and the sky turned back to pitch ck. If you looked closely, you could still make out a few faint stars hanging in the distant sky.

    "Looks like the fireworks show is over; let¡¯s go watch the New Year¡¯s G," said Fu Han with a smile as she turned around.

    But suddenly, a loud bang rang out, and another set of fireworks began to bloom.

    Fu Han immediately stopped and turned back, and sure enough, fireworks continued to rise in the distant sky, like fountains starting one by one from the center of ake.

    Under Fu Han¡¯s gaze, the fireworks formed and froze in the sky, finally coalescing into two words: "Fu Han."

    Fu Han heard a heart beating like drums, unsure if it was hers or He Xing¡¯s. She knew this had to be arranged by He Xing; otherwise, howe it was so timely right after their dinner?

    Feeling a faint expectation of what was toe, she watched the sky intently,pletely unaware of the subtle force He Xing applied to the hand on her shoulder, his expression fluctuating.

    A few secondster, the two words vanished, and a new round of fireworks bloomed, forming three words: "I Love You."

    The third round of fireworks formed another phrase: "Marry Me?"

    Surrounded by enormous happiness, Fu Han wanted to turn around and tell He Xing she was willing, but the fireworks blossomed anew.

    Under Fu Han¡¯s watch, countless fireworks merged to create three words: "Ji Liangchuan."

    If Fu Han was ecstatic the second before, she was astonished the next.

    She turned to He Xing, bewildered, "I... I thought you had arranged these fireworks for me."

    He Xing, with the icy demeanor of a millennium-old iceberg, looked past Fu Han towards the window, where the traces of fireworks faded away and the words "Ji Liangchuan" grew lighter until they disappeared.

    The sky returned to its original state ¡ª pitch-ck, like ink, and empty.

 Chapter 592 - 593: A Trace to Follow

    <h4>Chapter 592: Chapter 593: A Trace to Follow</h4><h4></h4>

    But is there really nothing at all?

    Even if there are no traces now, if it existed, there must be clues left behind.

    He Xing felt someone pulling at his sleeve, looked down at Fu Han, and smiled somewhat helplessly, "I thought Ji Liangchuan was a man of his word, that if I won the drinking bet with him, he wouldn¡¯t pester you anymore."

    About the drinking incident, the knots in Fu Han¡¯s heart were still there, she turned her face away with a hint of anger and said, "Don¡¯t talk about it anymore."

    "Okay," He Xing agreed, his thickshes slightly drooping, concealing the light in his eyes, making it unclear what he was thinking about.

    Fu Han, finally realizing she had been too harsh just now, coughed awkwardly and said unnaturally, "That¡¯s not what I meant, I just..."

    She didn¡¯t finish her words because she was worried that if she did, He Xing would get even angrier, and she was not in the mood to argue with He Xing, nor did she want to.

    The atmosphere in the ward suddenly became oppressive, while the Spring Festival G program continued to y in the background.

    On the screen, several people were dressed in bright red clothes, uttering all kinds of auspicious words and singing songs filled with the New Year spirit, as jubnt as ever.

    But since they had muted it during the fireworks earlier, it now looked quite eerie, as if the people on the screen were performing a mime show.

    Fu Han had no intention of turning the sound on, she just sat on the sofa, facing the direction of the projector, her eyes unblinking as she watched the screen, as if absorbed in a thrilling show.

    After standing in ce for a few minutes, He Xing walked toward Fu Han and eventually chose to sit on the sofa about twenty centimeters away from her.

    His gaze was fixed on Fu Han, unblinking, with dark storms churning within, carrying a force that seemed capable of destroying everything in the world at any moment.

    But on closer inspection, one could clearly see restraint and endurance in his eyes; how could there be such deep emotion without deep love?

    A few minutester, He Xing finally spoke with difficulty, "Xiaohan, can we have a proper talk?"

    Long before He Xing spoke, Fu Han had already felt his intense gaze fixed on her, giving her the feeling of being caught cking off in ss by the teacher.

    Now, hearing He Xing¡¯s words, the unease in her heart vanished, reced by a somewhat inexplicable anger, she turned her head to look at He Xing, "Sure, but let¡¯s get one thing straight, if you want to talk, let¡¯s have a good talk. Don¡¯t just get angry suddenly."

    He Xing was sessfully amused by Fu Han, he let out a puff ofughter, "Who gets angry more easily? You¡¯re much harder to deal with than me."

    "What did you say?" Fu Han posed menacingly, hands on hips, ring at He Xing with inmed anger, "Go ahead and speak. My time is precious. If you don¡¯t start talking now, I¡¯ll stop listening."

    "I¡¯m saying," He Xing smiled, his demeanor suddenly softened, as if something had smoothed all the edges on him, "Xiaohan, I know you haven¡¯tpletely forgiven me. Are you still angry about me drinking with Ji Liangchuan?"

    Truthfully, had He Xing not smiled, Fu Han might have still retained some of her anger. But his smile seemed to warm up the whole world, and the anger in Fu Han¡¯s heart dissipated by half on the spot.

    But as much as she wasn¡¯t angry anymore, what needed to be said still had to be said.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing seriously and said, "No, He Xing, my anger has nothing to do with Ji Liangchuan. What bothers me the most is why every time you experience a little mishap, it¡¯s Xia Ning by your side; plus, since I came backst year, there have been three reported instances of you staying overnight together in the media. Three times! Have you ever considered my feelings?"

    He Xing, who had been smiling, immediately lost his smile upon hearing this.

    He gazed intently at Fu Han and spoke word by word, "You¡¯ve never said these things to me before."

    For Fu Han, this was like adding fuel to a burning fire, setting off an explosive reaction. The scant rage in her heart inted exponentially, and grievances umted over the years surged forth. Her eyes almost instantly moistened, but stubbornly, she refused to let the tears fall.

    Fu Han just looked at He Xing and said in a tone that was strikingly at odds with how she was feeling, "Would it have made a difference if I said anything? Ever since we were children, you¡¯ve had your own opinions on everything. When I asionally voiced a suggestion, you just thought I was being childish, and you never really took the time to consider why I did what I did."

    As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t control her tears anymore, and they started falling heavily. She brushed away He Xing¡¯s hand, which had attempted to wipe her tears, and haphazardly wiped her tears with her own hand.

    The cold tears instantly soaked the back of her hand, as chilly as her mood at that moment, "Every time it¡¯s something rted to Xia Ning, you always defend her, telling me to let it go. When have you ever truly understood how I feel?"

    "It¡¯s not like that," the pain from He Xing¡¯s hand was faint, but the pain in his heart was immeasurable inparison. He stammered, "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve told Xia Ning many times not to provoke you."

    This was the first time He Xing realized the depth of Fu Han¡¯s hurt might be greater than he had imagined.

    A bitter, sarcastic smile appeared on Fu Han¡¯s lips, and the corners of her thin, rosy mouth curled up, "But what good has it done? Over the years, far from holding back, Xia Ning has be more and more outrageous. And you... those words you spoke were just selffort, nothing but your acquiescence to the conflict between me and Xia Ning. You did something, whether it had an effect or not, that¡¯s beyond your control."

    If Fu Han¡¯s first statement was impactful, her current words were like a piercing arrow.

    With piercing lucidity, she pointed out the indecisive thoughts hidden beneath He Xing¡¯s ostensibly candid heart, or perhaps ones he had never noticed before¡ªthose dark corners in his heart untouched by the light.

    Although He Xing and Fu Han were both raised by Old Master He, his attitude towards the two children couldn¡¯t be more different; he doted on Fu Han as a princess, but was incredibly strict with He Xing.

    And because He Xing always had a strong sense of responsibility from a young age, he couldn¡¯t tolerate any shorings in himself. Thus, he devoted the majority of his life to studying and working, which took up at least ny percent of his time.

 Chapter 593 - 594: Revisiting the Past

    <h4>Chapter 593: Chapter 594: Revisiting the Past</h4><h4></h4>

    In fact, he had always been much more mature than his peers, which is why he saw the disputes between Xia Ning and Fu Han as nothing more than two ignorant children squabbling over a piece of candy.

    As the three of them grew up little by little, the rivalry and jealousy between Fu Han and Xia Ning escted; regrettably, He Xing¡¯s deep-seated belief was that they were just two kids arguing, nothing more.

    It wasn¡¯t until this moment that he finally realized how much harm his incorrect attitude had caused Fu Han.

    Thinking of this, the guilt on his face grew even more evident, and he slowly reached out to pull Fu Han towards him.

    Although Fu Han clearly resisted on the surface, she still let He Xing take her hand.

    He Xing pulled Fu Han tightly into his arms, gently rubbed her forehead with his chin, and whispered tenderly, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry, I never considered your feelings before, I¡¯ll never do that again, can you forgive me?"

    He Xing¡¯s words were sincere, yet for some reason, they sounded strange to Fu Han.

    It felt as if she were a child who had her candy stolen, and He Xing¡¯s way of appeasing her was to offer her a new piece of candy¡ªit seemed like the problem was solved, but was it really?

    Fu Han¡¯s already uneasy heart felt even more shackled, and she sighed inaudibly, "Alright, I understand."

    Normally, her response would have indicated that the problem was resolved, but He Xing keenly sensed an unusual message.

    He put his hands on Fu Han¡¯s shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes, "Xiaohan, didn¡¯t we agree to have a proper talk? Tell me everything that¡¯s in your heart."

    For some reason, the irritation within Fu Han¡¯s heart erupted like a geyser. She red fiercely at He Xing, instinctively wanting to shove his hands away. Her hands had already started to exert force; however, in the end, she still allowed He Xing to hold her like that.

    It wasn¡¯t for any other reason but that she saw the clear plea in He Xing¡¯s eyes, for the first time, she clearly noticed a vivid plea in his eyes.

    Proud as He Xing was, he always appeared superior, his gaze upon anything always seemed like that of an Olympian god looking down upon the multitude of mortals with disdain and pity.

    Yet here was a man who had pride in his marrow, now looking at Fu Han with an attitude verging on humility; how could she just reject He Xing outright?

    She sighed softly, silently telling herself since He Xing insisted on asking, then she shouldy everything bare, whether their rtionship would change after such disclosure, that was in the hands of fate.

    A crisp voice rang out in the quiet ward, melodious as if someone were singing¡ªbut this song wasced with indescribable valiance.

    "He Xing, actually, I have a question I really want to ask you. Since I¡¯vee back for a little over a year, there have been three instances of you and Xia Ning staying overnight together and being photographed; so I want to ask you, in the three years I was absent, how many days and nights did you spend together? Also, there are three times that were photographed, but how many times were there that weren¡¯t?"

    With each sentence she spoke, He Xing¡¯s face grew a few shades paler; by the time she finished, his face was as pale as paper.

    He gazed deeply at Fu Han, his eyes revealing the genuine feelings he tried but failed to conceal.

    Even so, he still exined earnestly, "Xiaohan, whether you believe it or not, I saw Xia Ning very rarely during those three years you were gone, we never stayed overnight outside; regarding this year since you¡¯ve been back, it¡¯s true I¡¯ve been photographed three times staying out with Xia Ning, but nothing happened between us, not once!"

    He Xing had said such things before, but he always glossed over them, and with Fu Han¡¯s anger welling up at the time, she never probed further.

    Today, however, by rare chance, she bit her lip and decided to get a clear answer, "Really?"

    A blush appeared on He Xing¡¯s face, and he sighed helplessly, "Of course it¡¯s true. The first time we were photographed was when Xia Ning was drunk, her dad and brother weren¡¯t at home, it was veryte, so I booked 2 rooms in a hotel. You can check the room registration records and the surveince cameras."

    A touch of joy emerged in Fu Han¡¯s heart, but her face remained expressionless as she calmly asked, "And the other two times?"

    "The second time was the day I came back from M Country. Our housekeeper had been bribed by the Xia Family, and something was added to my coffee, something that could arouse one¡¯s desires. Then Xia Ning came to the He Family house. I... I knocked her out before I lost control, then I cut my wrist to bleed out and soaked in cold water for more than two hours."

 Chapter 594 - 595: Happy Times

    <h4>Chapter 594: Chapter 595: Happy Times</h4><h4></h4>

    Speaking of this, He Xing extended his palm to Fu Han for her to see, "Look, I still have a scar here. Grandpa knew about this, and so did the doctor at home. At that time, this was his method of teaching me."

    "Alright, I¡¯ll take your word for it." Fu Han said stiffly, but there was still a faint smile on her face, clearly, her mood had improved a lot.

    As Fu Han¡¯s mood shifted, so did He Xing¡¯s. He grasped her hand in his palm and shook it, "The third time was just a few days ago, when you kicked me out of Huating No.1. I happened to run into Ji Liangchuan who came looking for you. He challenged me to a drinking contest, saying that if I won, he wouldn¡¯t pester you anymore, so I agreed; but I drank too much, and he ended up with a bleeding stomach. I must be honest with you, I really didn¡¯t know why Xia Ning showed up when I was drunk, and I also don¡¯t know how I ended up in the hotel."

    "So, in fact, you also don¡¯t know if anything happened between you two this time," Fu Han¡¯s face sank once again as she tried to pull her hand away from He Xing¡¯s grasp.

    "No." He Xing held onto Fu Han¡¯s hand even more tightly, his cheek pressed against the back of her hand, he said anxiously, "Xiaohan, you... you¡¯re really too innocent. Don¡¯t you know that apletely drunk man cannot... cannot do that?"

    A rush of blush overwhelmed her, and Fu Han felt her cheeks burning hotly. She yanked her hand out of He Xing¡¯s palm, "Who knows if what you are saying is true. The two of you came out of the same room this time, a whole night is a long time, anything could have happened, don¡¯t try to fool me here."

    "Then..." He Xing was in a difficult position. After thinking for a moment, he leaned close to Fu Han¡¯s ear and whispered, "Then how about I go to the hospital for a check-up to see if I am still a virgin?"

    "You!" Fu Han never dreamed He Xing would say such a thing. She was so embarrassed she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, "You really are getting more and more indecent."

    In contrast to her embarrassment, He Xing appeared exceptionally openhearted. He looked at Fu Han with eyes as ck as obsidian, his tone brimming with grievance, "What else can I do when you don¡¯t believe me? This is the only idea I cane up with, after all, Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t testify for me."

    One sentence sessfully amused Fu Han. She poked He Xing¡¯s forehead with her finger and said with disbelief, "You still know that Xia Ning won¡¯t testify for you, huh? I think you know everything but just refuse to say it."

    "I..." Seeing Fu Han¡¯s anger on the verge of erupting, He Xing quickly surrendered, "Xiaohan, I swear to heaven, I¡¯ve told Xia Ning countless times that I like you, I only like you; but Xia Ning just won¡¯t give up, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. After all, you know that I owe the Xia Family two lives."

    Fu Han sighed softly. She also knew very well that she couldn¡¯t truly break up with He Xing.

    Moreover, she wasn¡¯t a fool. She could tell that everything He Xing said today was true, so the barriers in her heart had already began to crumble.

    Now there was only onest thing that made Fu Han feel ufortable. She sniffled, her cute and delicate nose wrinkling slightly, "Then let me ask you, do you admit that every time Xia Ning wanted something from you, she would use her mother to put psychological pressure on you?"

    He Xing¡¯s face changed, but he quickly responded, "I admit it."

    "Do you know,st time you even said that to me?" Fu Han felt wronged instantly, and tears welled up in her eyes.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry." He Xing panicked, pulling Fu Han into his arms. He kissed her forehead gently and cooed likeforting a child, "But Xiaohan, knowing is one thing and saying it is another. The debt I owe to the Xia Family is known to anyone who wants to find out. As long as the Xia Family doesn¡¯t do anything too outrageous, I can¡¯tpletely cut ties with them in this lifetime, you know that, right?"

    Even though Fu Han knew what He Xing said was true, the image of He Xing talking about Xia Guoxiong and Yi Lixing conspiring to steal corporate secrets from the He Group crossed her mind.

    She pouted, her voice a mix of helplessness and defiance, "But you¡¯ve already done enough for them over the years, would you let them bleed you dry for a lifetime?"

    "Money and life are not the same thing, right?" He Xing persuaded gently, "Xiaohan, how do outsiders view the He Family? They only say that what the He Family doesn¡¯tck is money. If I use money to repay a debt, what do you think others will think?"

    Fu Han fell silent. She felt He Xing was wrong, but at that moment, she couldn¡¯t think of a way to refute him.

    Noticing that Fu Han didn¡¯t respond, He Xing quickly turned up the sound of the projector, "Alright, Xiaohan, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to watch the New Year¡¯s Eve celebration? If we don¡¯t start watching now, we might miss the end."

    The lively singing filled the room, and the people on the projector were dressed festively, singing songs appropriate for the asion, stirring up excitement in the listener¡¯s mood.

    Fu Han nced at the time; it was nearly the end of the year.

    The simplest happiness in life is having the one before your eyes also be the one in your heart, and having that person participate in every significant moment of your life.

    Although Fu Han couldn¡¯t spend New Year¡¯s Eve with Grandpa He this year, she felt content with He Xing by her side.

    She leaned obediently against He Xing¡¯s shoulder, watching the Spring Festival G with great interest; she couldn¡¯t remember thest time she felt this satisfied.

    "He Xing, it¡¯s so nice to have you with me to celebrate New Year¡¯s Eve," Fu Han said.

    "Xiaohan, you got it wrong, it¡¯s you who are spending New Year¡¯s Eve with me, and that makes me feel very blessed," He Xing said as he kissed her on the cheek, his movements extra tender.

    ...

    After hours of busy preparation, Qin Nuan finally had the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner ready; she took off her apron while looking for her phone.

    She had numerous unread messages on her phone, but sadly, not a single one was from Yi Lixing; this caused her smile to fade a bit.

    Yi Lixing had previously told her not to call him unless it was important; therefore, Qin Nuan rarely initiated calls to him.

    She calcted in her mind, it had been nearly three hours since Yi Lixing left. Even if he had matters to discuss, they should have finished by now, considering that He Xing also had to celebrate the New Year.

    After pondering, she decided to call Yi Lixing anyway; the phone rang for a long time with no answer.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s smile faded considerably, her eyes and brows showed a trace of mild concern, though not too intense; she sat at the dining table and typed a message to Yi Lixing word by word: "The New Year¡¯s Eve dinner is ready, pleasee home early to eat."

    The dining table was so clean it could serve as a mirror, thanks to Qin Nuan¡¯s cleaning; at the center of the table was a white porcin vase with a rose Qin Nuan had picked up that morning while shopping for groceries.

    The rosebud, not yet fully open, had petals red as blood, looking beautifully textured under the light.

    She stared at the rose for several minutes in a daze; then, she touched her cheek, feeling its slick, oily surface, and brought her nose to her sleeve, detecting a strong smell of cooking oil.

    Ever since she grew up and began studying, Qin Nuan had been particrly concerned with her appearance, never tolerating the scent of grease on her; she untied her apron and headed to her room, nning to take a shower before Yi Lixing returned, so he would find her fresh and clean.

    Soon, the sound of water sshing loudly filled the room, and through the frosted ss door, one could vaguely see a curvaceous figure moving inside.

    Suddenly, a loud knocking, thud thud thud, broke through the air, so loud that even the sound of the running water couldn¡¯t drown it out.

    Qin Nuan thought it was Yi Lixing returning; he often forgot his keys, and knocking was not unusual.

    She quickly rinsed off the soap from her body, wrapped herself in a bath towel, and went barefoot to open the door, chiding in sweetint, "Why do you always leave without your keys?"

    But on opening the door, she was shocked and instinctively tried to close it, yet the person outside had anticipated this, a foot already lodged in the doorway: "Qin Nuan, what¡¯s the matter, aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?"

    Indeed, it was Xia Cheng, who had inadvertently learned of Yi Lixing being taken by the police and was oblivious to the situation; he came looking for Qin Nuan not for any particr reason other than his libido andck of a beautiful woman at hand.

    "I don¡¯t wee you here!" Qin Nuan pushed against the door, refusing to let Xia Cheng in; she was all too aware of the kind of men the Xia family father and son were. Given her scant attire, she knew too well what could happen should Xia Cheng get in.

    "You don¡¯t wee me? Aren¡¯t you curious about Yi Lixing¡¯s whereabouts?" Xia Cheng had seen that Qin Nuan was only wearing a bathrobe as he opened the door, and almost instantly, his body reacted.

 Chapter 595 - 596: Forced or Voluntary

    <h4>Chapter 595: Chapter 596: Forced or Voluntary</h4><h4></h4>

    Objectively speaking, Qin Nuan had an immense attraction to Xia Cheng, her appearance almost wlessly aligned with Xia Cheng¡¯s aesthetic preferences, and most importantly, Qin Nuan had a figure that could make anyone¡¯s blood race upon a single nce.

    Before Xia Cheng seeded in winning her over, he oftenined to his cronies that such a beautiful girl as Qin Nuan was wasted on an old man.

    Even now, he and Qin Nuan hadn¡¯tpletely severed ties; after all, less than a month ago, Qin Nuan had tumbled between the sheets with him, right in his hospital ward.

    But for some reason, no matter how hard he tried to arrange meetings with Qin Nuan recently, she just refused to show up, not even swayed by money, which left Xia Cheng nearly in a state of constant agitation, seeking out women daily to relieve his frustration.

    With such a ripe opportunity before him now, how could Xia Cheng possibly let it go? Even ignorant of Yi Lixing¡¯s situation, he still made full use of his talent for spouting nonsense.

    It proved effective; Qin Nuan no longer fiercely resisted at the door but instead poked out half her head and asked with suspicion, "Do you really know?"

    "Of course!" Xia Cheng¡¯s eyes shone as he looked at Qin Nuan, nearly wearing his desire on his face, "I¡¯ve got something very important to tell you, you wouldn¡¯t make me say it here, would you?"

    Qin Nuan was all too aware of Xia Cheng¡¯s character. She knew that she wouldn¡¯t get anything out of him today without giving something up; and considering Xia Cheng¡¯s shamelessness, if she didn¡¯t let him in, he would definitely barge in regardless!

    Finally, she opened the door but said seriously to Xia Cheng, "I only care about how Yi Lixing is doing right now. Please don¡¯t have any ulterior motives toward me."

    Xia Cheng dropped his usual impatient demeanor and took a seat on the couch as if he owned the ce, though his words were unapologetically brash, "Pour me some wine; I want red wine."

    "I¡¯m going to change clothes!" Qin Nuan¡¯s delicate brows furrowed deeply, wishing she could gouge out Xia Cheng¡¯s roving eyes, which made her feel exceedingly ufortable as they lingered on her.

    "Don¡¯t change; you look just fine." Xia Cheng, tantly ogling Qin Nuan, caressed his chin and smacked his lips, "If you¡¯re going to change, put on that bunny lingerie you wore before."

    Qin Nuan was irked to the point of itching; ignoring him, she turned and headed to the kitchen, calling Yi Lixing again, only to find the phone still unanswered.

    Her heart began to sink. As much as she didn¡¯t want to admit it, things seemed dire; otherwise, Yi Lixing would not be gone for so long without any contact. As for Xia Cheng, the lech outside, he definitely knew something, which is why he came to take advantage of the situation.

    As Qin Nuan fetched the red wine, her mind raced with ns; that¡¯s how women are, the more frantic the situation, the calmer and more serious their consideration of the issue.

    Two minutester, she emerged, holding a bottle of newly uncorked red wine in one hand and two wine sses in the other, her hips swaying, now wearing a smile, "Xia Cheng, this is my treasured red wine. I didn¡¯t even serve it to your father when he visited. Give it a try."

    Xia Cheng grabbed a ss, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp, smacking his lips while his eyes lingered unabashedly on Qin Nuan¡¯s chest, "Indeed good wine. Another, please."

    "Sure, you can drink it all if you like," Qin Nuan said, her voice dripping with honey. She rose gracefully to pour him another ss, and as she did, the bunnies on her chest seemed to quiver, as if on the verge of breaking free from her bathrobe.

    Xia Cheng¡¯s pupils dted involuntarily, his eyes practically burrowing into Qin Nuan¡¯s bathrobe.

    As he took the ss of wine, he made sure to brush Qin Nuan¡¯s hand, his smilescivious, "Qin Nuan, it¡¯s been a while, and you¡¯re even naughtier than before."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face flushed thoroughly. Shooting Xia Cheng a re, she tucked away all her disgust, "What are you saying, Xia Cheng? With so many beauties around you, I thought you must have forgotten about me by now?"

    The remark almost instantly aroused Xia Cheng; with a reach of his hand, he tried to pull Qin Nuan into his embrace, "Even with all the women I have, you¡¯re still the one I like the most."

    Unfortunately for him, Qin Nuan anticipated this. She daintily sidestepped, her smile radiant, "Xia Cheng, didn¡¯t you say you came to tell me about Yi Lixing? Why haven¡¯t you started talking?"

    "You don¡¯t even let me touch you, and you expect me to share information I went through so much trouble to find out?" Xia Cheng sneered before downing the wine and mming the ss on the coffee table.

    A momentary stiffness crossed Qin Nuan¡¯s smiling face; she cursed Xia Cheng¡¯s ancestors in her mind, but outwardly maintained a coquettish smile, "Why would you say that? Once you tell me what I want to know, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask."

    "I don¡¯t believe you!" burst out Xia Cheng as he stood up fiercely, pulling Qin Nuan into his embrace, his hands roaming freely over her body, "You little temptress, you¡¯ve made me suffer. You¡¯re going to have to please me today."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s body stiffened momentarily, but a secondter, she smiled again, "Then you have to promise me, if Yi Lixing is in trouble, you¡¯ll help him."

    "You¡¯re with me and still thinking of another man? Are you afraid I haven¡¯t taught you a harsh enough lesson?" Xia Cheng, on fire, ripped off the only towel on Qin Nuan¡¯s body.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s pristine body was exposed to the air; it glistened like the finest jade, tempting with its radiance.

    She let out a soft cry, instinctively covering her chest while turning to flee.

    But Xia Cheng gave her no chance, grabbing her and pinning her down on the couch, wasting no time inying atop her.

    All throughout, Qin Nuan put up a fierce resistance, pleading with Xia Cheng to let her go.

    But the more she cried out, the more aroused Xia Cheng became, not willing to let go of the catch within his grasp.

    An hourter, Xia Cheng, thoroughly satisfied, headed to the restroom for a shower, leaving Qin Nuan alone in the living room.

    Her expression numb, she picked up her bathrobe from the floor, wrapping it around herself; her eyes then shifted toward a concealed corner of the living room¡¯s upper region, a cruel smile ying on her lips.

    By the time Xia Cheng came out of the restroom, Qin Nuan had already changed into neat attire and sat properly on the couch.

    Surprised, Xia Cheng asked, "Why did you get dressed? Aren¡¯t you going to take a shower?"

 Chapter 596 - 597 Beautiful Morning

    <h4>Chapter 596: Chapter 597 Beautiful Morning</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> "I¡¯ll wash after you leave," Qin Nuan said, opening her clear ck and white eyes wide as she looked at Xia Cheng. "Now you can tell me what exactly happened to Yi Lixing, right?"

    Without a care, Xia Cheng poured himself a ss of red wine and said, "What else could have happened? He was taken to the police station by He Xing."

    "What?" Qin Nuan¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. She widened her eyes in shock and said excitedly, "You¡¯re not lying to me, are you? Why would He Xing do that to him?"

    "Well, about that question..." Finally remembering another reason he hade, Xia Cheng moved closer and whispered in Qin Nuan¡¯s ear, "You probably know better than I do, don¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you tell me, and I¡¯ll see if I can help."

    "I..." Qin Nuan¡¯s face turned beet red. She had indeed let her guard down and was about to spill everything. Fortunately, she was ustomed to looking at people when she spoke, and when she saw Xia Cheng¡¯s malicious gaze, she immediately sensed something was wrong and stopped herself: "How would I know that? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d handle it for me? Then go and investigate it."

    Of course, Xia Cheng didn¡¯t believe this exnation. He circled around Qin Nuan, asking several questions.

    But Qin Nuan¡¯s defenses were like an iron wall, unyielding to Xia Cheng¡¯s questioning, always shaking her head in ignorance; she even managed to extract quite a bit of information from Xia Cheng.

    She learned things like Xia Cheng only found out about Yi Lixing being arrested after Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning had an argument, and that Xia Cheng himself was clueless about the incident.

    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t dig anything out, Qin Nuan directly shooed Xia Cheng away.

    She lingered by the window until she was sure Xia Cheng had truly left, then she took out her phone and dialed 110: "Hello, I¡¯d like to report a rape."

    ...

    Fu Han was woken up by the doctor¡¯s ward rounds in the morning. She had stayed upte watching the Spring Festival G the night before and found it really hard to wake up.

    Last night, she had asked He Xing to go home to sleep, but unusually for him, he was insistent on staying here to apany her, even wanting to share the same bed with her.

    He went to great lengthsst night just to share the same bed with Fu Han. After shepromised and agreed to let him stay the night, he shamelessly imed he could catch a cold sleeping on the sofa.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t think much of it,pletely forgetting that her ward was heated and unlikely to result in a cold. When He Xing promised not to take any liberties, she agreed to share the bed with him.

    Indeed, He Xing respected Fu Han and kept his promise. Despite an obvious physical reaction, he didn¡¯ty a hand on Fu Han. All night, he just stayed close to her.

    But... when Fu Han woke up in the morning, she found several doctors and nurses already standing in her room, all witnessing her and He Xing poking their heads out from under the same nket.

    The situation was beyond embarrassing; it was the kind of moment where she wished the ground would swallow her up.

    What made it worse was that He Xing had been so tantalizingly close yet untouchable throughout the night, which had made for a restless sleep. When he was awakened by the noise in the morning, he was in a haze and instinctively pulled Fu Han into his arms. Like a man caught in the act, he struggled to exin to the doctors, "Don¡¯t misunderstand, we just slept together, nothing happened."

    Fu Han, who had been wavering between sleepiness and alertness, snapped wide awake upon hearing this. She looked around at all the doctors and nurses, wishing she could hide in a hole, especially with everyone giving her looks as if to say, "No need to exin, we understand."

    The results of the morning check-up were quite satisfying. Fu Han¡¯s swelling had gone down, though some areas were still a patchwork of blues and purples, which would only fade slowly over time.

    As for the wound on Fu Han¡¯s arm, it was more serious, but fortunately, it hadn¡¯t damaged any tendons. She would receive another day of antibiotics before being discharged.

    This news delighted Fu Han, and she ate more breakfast than usual.

    But her good mood was short-lived because Nan Qing visited after breakfast, bringing explosive news.

    Last night, Ji Liangchuan put on an extravagant fireworks show that someone uploaded online, andbined with the plex enmity" between Fu Han, He Xing, and others, their affairs were causing a stir on the inte.

    Fu Han had been preupied with watching the Spring Festival G the night before and hadn¡¯t looked at her phone.

    Now, opening her phone, she was greeted with videos ofst night¡¯s fireworks show. Although she had already seen them once, she still found the dazzling fireworks beautiful and mesmerizing today, provided she ignored the parts rted to her.

    He Xing¡¯s face darkened with each passing moment, and he said nothing.

    Nan Qing was curious, having never seen He Xing jealous. She was eager to witness it, which was why she was so proactive in delivering the news.

    However, Fu Han also didn¡¯t look pleased. She stared at her phone with a fiery gaze, like a balloon ready to explode.

    Within less than a minute, He Xing put down the phone and patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, reassuring her, "Don¡¯t worry about it; I¡¯ll take care of this matter."

    True to his word, Fu Han dropped the matter, tossing her phone under the pillow. Then she looked up at He Xing and said ungraciously, "I¡¯m hungry and want to eat. Go and buy me something."

    After a pause, she turned to Nan Qing and said, "How many of you are there? Let He Xing bring breakfast back for everyone."

    "Two," Nan Qing responded without any hesitation, yfully sticking out her tongue and smiling, "Thank you. I have the same tastes as Fu Han, while Wang Yixuan prefers spicy food."

    He Xing nodded and left immediately, without a word.

    With only Fu Han and Nan Qing left in the ward, Nan Qing patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder and asked eagerly, "Fu Han, have you talked to Wang Yixuan yet?"

    Recalling the task she had undertaken the previous morning, Fu Han was startled by Nan Qing¡¯s question and felt a rush of guilt. "I¡¯m sorry, Nan Qing. He Xing said it would be more appropriate for him to talk to Wang Yixuan, so I didn¡¯t go to find him."

    "He Xing is willing to help?" Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    Fu Han nodded earnestly: "Yes, he said that since they¡¯re both men, whatever they discuss might be more fitting. Wang Yixuan might not listen if I went."

    "Right, right, He Xing has thought this through more carefully," Nan Qing agreed, nodding vigorously, then she dropped a casual, "Wait for me," before leaving Fu Han¡¯s ward without waiting for a response.</subtxt>

 Chapter 597 - 598: Take the Opportunity to Have a Good Talk

    <h4>Chapter 597: Chapter 598: Take the Opportunity to Have a Good Talk</h4><h4></h4>

    Just as the doctor came in to administer Fu Han¡¯s IV infusion, she didn¡¯t have time to think about what Nan Qing was going to do, only staring with some fear at the needle. She had been terrified of injections since she was a child, and she belonged to the sort that couldn¡¯t bear to watch at all.

    Yesterday, when He Xing was here, she cried while being injected, but today, with He Xing absent, she surprisingly became much calmer and simply gritted her teeth and got through it.

    Drip by drip, the fluid flowed down the tube and into Fu Han¡¯s body.

    As each droplet of liquid fell like beads of oil, it seemed eternal, as if it would never change.

    Fu Han leaned back slightly, feeling that some things being eternal and unchanging wasn¡¯t such a bad thing after all, like the feelings between her and He Xing¡ªif they were eternal, it meant they would always be in love.

    A few minutester, Nan Qing returned happily and urged Fu Han anxiously, "Call He Xing and tell him to wait at the hospital entrance for Wang Yixuan, so the two of them can go buy some food together."

    Fu Han¡¯s lips curved into a smile as she immediately grasped what Nan Qing meant.

    After making the call, she said to Nan Qing with a smile, "There, are you relieved now? I also made sure to specially instruct him to really persuade Wang Yixuan."

    "Of course I¡¯m relieved." A faint blush colored Nan Qing¡¯s cheeks, and her eyes darted around restlessly, unwilling to meet Fu Han¡¯s gaze: "I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s gotten into my parents. Their way of thinking is actually the same as Wang Yixuan¡¯s. s..."

    After a long sigh, Nan Qing spoke with particr helplessness: "I just don¡¯t get it. Why is it that others find love so easy, yet for me, it¡¯s so difficult? I like Wang Yixuan, and he likes me too. Why can¡¯t we just be together?"

    Fu Han reached out to pat Nan Qing on the shoulder, but suddenly realized she still had a needle in her hand, and a piercing pain shot through her as she moved.

    She hastily stopped her movements and said with an apologetic face, "I¡¯m sorry, Nan Qing. If it weren¡¯t for me, you and Wang Yixuan wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. Perhaps you would already be discussing marriage by now."

    "It¡¯s not your fault," Nan Qing sighed, resting her head against the back of the chair and staring at the ceiling: "Actually, I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you. My parents were not very supportive of us being together from the day they first saw Wang Yixuan."

    "Why?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in shock, hearing such news for the first time and finding it quite astonishing.

    After all, she was present as a guest that day, and Nan Qing¡¯s parents seemed very warm and showed no signs of dissatisfaction with Wang Yixuan.

    "That¡¯s not what I meant." Nan Qing hastily waved her hands, speaking anxiously: "It¡¯s not that my parents think poorly of Wang Yixuan; on the contrary, they think Wang Yixuan is too good. They believe I¡¯m not good enough for him, that I might not be able to hold him down, and that I won¡¯t be able to have him stay with me for a lifetime."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Nan Qing, almost doubting her own ears: "So being excellent is also a mistake?"

    "How would I know." Nan Qing shrugged with a helpless expression: "My parents think my overall qualifications are mediocre and that I¡¯m reaching too high by being with Wang Yixuan, which is why they oppose our rtionship."

    Fu Han wanted to console Nan Qing, but she suddenly thought of herself and He Xing.

    If she were to go by Nan Qing¡¯s parents¡¯ logic, then even her rtionship with He Xing would be deemed unsuitable. She couldn¡¯t match up to He Xing in any aspect. Wasn¡¯t there also the suspicion that she, a toad, was trying to eat swan meat?

    Hadn¡¯t Xia Ning, Xia Cheng, and their bunch of cronies always been saying the same about Fu Han for years? Saying she was just a servant¡¯s child and didn¡¯t deserve He Xing, assuming she didn¡¯t know her ce.

    Meanwhile, Nan Qing continued rambling: "Actually, my parents were thinking of having me give birth first, to live with Wang Yixuan for a few years without marriage to see how things go. If our rtionship is still good after a few years, then we can get married."

    Fu Han was about to reply when she was stunned by this remark, leaving her subsequent words unspoken.

    Nan Qing¡¯s crisp voice never ceased: "Actually, I never told my parents that there¡¯s a high chance I won¡¯t be able to carry the baby to term. The doctor said my progesterone levels are severely low, and it¡¯s likely the pregnancy won¡¯t survive the first trimester."

    "What?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Nan Qing: "But I¡¯ve never heard you mention this before. You¡¯re not just saying this tofort me, are you?"

    Nan Qing¡¯s blush deepened, and she spoke somewhat embarrassedly: "No one knows about this except Wang Yixuan and me. I didn¡¯t tell you because I was afraid that if I did, my parents would make me terminate the pregnancy; plus, it was only when I realized I was pregnant that I understood how much I truly liked Wang Yixuan and wanted to marry him."

    "So..." Fu Han felt like she hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night, or perhaps there had been too much happening that morning, making her mind somewhat muddled. She spoke haltingly: "So, knowing your parents might not support your marriage, you brought Wang Yixuan back in such a hurry. You wanted to get married before your parents found out about the baby, right?"

    "Exactly, that¡¯s the idea." Nan Qing¡¯s face brightened with more smiles, and she leaned in towards Fu Han, batting her eyshes twice: "What do you think? I¡¯ve been pretty thoughtful, haven¡¯t I?"

    "Heh, very." Fu Han gave a forced smile, saying with a certain helplessness: "You¡¯ve fooled even your parents. What can I say? You truly are... exceptional!"

    As if Nan Qing didn¡¯t notice the teasing hidden in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, sheughed, then her expression turned bitter after a few seconds: "But I never expected things would turn out to be the very scenario I feared most."

    The atmosphere in the room grew somewhat stifling for a moment, and Fu Han knew she shouldfort Nan Qing, but she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    After thinking it over, she said earnestly, "Nan Qing, I think as long as your parents don¡¯t dislike Wang Yixuan, there¡¯s still a chance for things to improve. It mostlyes down to your and Wang Yixuan¡¯s attitude. I know you¡¯re determined, and He Xing has promised me he¡¯ll talk to Wang Yixuan, so don¡¯t be too pessimistic."

    Nan Qing nodded, a smile gradually returning to her face. She looked meaningfully at Fu Han: "Fu Han, even though you¡¯ve always been more popr with the opposite sex than me, I never expected your charm to extend this far. I knew about He Xing and Su Cheng pursuing you, but I really hadn¡¯t noticed Ji Liangchuan."

    "What¡¯s the use of having so many unwee admirers? A person has only one heart to give to one person. Finding someone who truly likes you is enough." Nan Qing looked up slightly; the IV bag still dripped steadily, the tiny droplets crystalline and clear. Bathed in sunlight, they shimmered with a luster like that of jade.

 Chapter 598 - 599: Love and Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 598: Chapter 599: Love and Freedom</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing nodded in agreement, and with a slight turn of her head, she looked at Fu Han with a concerned expression, "But what do you n to do about Ji Liangchuan? He put on such a big show yesterday, and so many people know about it now. It¡¯s impossible for you to pretend you don¡¯t know."

    "Didn¡¯t He Xing say he would handle it?" Fu Han shrugged nonchntly and smiled, "Let him deal with it then. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for He Xing, I wouldn¡¯t have met Ji Liangchuan."

    Upon hearing this, Nan Qing grew curious and insisted that Fu Han must tell her about her rtionship with Ji Liangchuan.

    With nowhere to escape, Fu Han knew He Xing and Wang Yixuan wouldn¡¯t being back anytime soon, so she decided to treat it as telling a story to Nan Qing.

    She then recounted the entire story between her and Ji Liangchuan.

    In truth, their interactions had been very limited. After all, they met each otherte and hadn¡¯t seen each other often; even with the romantic moment from the night before, Fu Han still felt that Ji Liangchuan couldn¡¯t possibly like her.

    ...

    The hospital was exceptionally quiet on the first day of the New Year, especially so in the morning.

    There was a thick fog today, with visibility less than twenty meters. It felt as if one was looking at a scene with dry ice effects on a TV screen.

    A shadowy figure could faintly be spotted standing beside arge tree not far from the back door of the hospital. The figure¡¯s expression was obscured by the mist; only a vague outline was discernible.

    Even though it was just a blurry silhouette, the figure still stood tall and proud like a stalwart pine, exuding an air of defiance, as if he would not sway even if the sky were to fall.

    Amidst the rising fog, Wang Yixuan walked step by step towards the dark shadow, aplete drawing forming in his mind. It was a pity he had no paper or pencil at hand to capture it.

    As he drew closer, he indeed saw it was He Xing. Wang Yixuan cleared his throat to draw his attention, "Mr. He, we can go buy breakfast now."

    Wang Yixuan had already asked Nan Qing what she wanted for breakfast; she said she would wait for her parents to bring something over. However, Nan Qing suddenly changed her mind and asked Wang Yixuan to buy breakfast with He Xing, to which he agreed without a second thought.

    He Xing turned slowly, like a slow-motion scene from a movie. His backdrop was ethereal as if in a void, but he himself was the sole presence of reality. His face, clearer now in the mist, was striking with well-defined features and piercing eyes.

    He smiled, "Alright, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s Day; many breakfast shops are closed. We might need to look around a little."

    Wang Yixuan nodded, and they kept a distance of one person¡¯s width between them as they walked forward, neither speaking.

    Wang Yixuan always had a high opinion of himself; since childhood, he knew he was handsome and always thought of himself as the most handsome man in the world. But in front of He Xing, he didn¡¯t have the courage to utter these words.

    It wasn¡¯t that he thought he wasn¡¯t as handsome as He Xing; he knew he was attractive, but he also thought He Xing was good-looking. Their charms were different; judgments depended on personal taste.

    Exiting the hospital, they found the street which was formerly a bustling food strip. Residents and hospital patients woulde here for food, resulting in a street wide for two cars regrly clogged with traffic.

    However, the typically lively street was exceptionally quiet today. Not a single shop had its doors open; the street felt expansive but was not what He Xing and Wang Yixuan were hoping for.

    He Xing looked around and chose to head left, suggesting as they walked, "Let¡¯s check over there, there should be a ce selling breakfast."

    Wang Yixuan wasn¡¯t familiar with the area; otherwise, he would not have agreed to join He Xing in buying breakfast. After all, he could have managed it on his own.

    The street on the left was one of the bustling streets of A City. Despite most shops being closed, a few were still open.

    They took a few steps in that direction, He Xing¡¯s eyes flickering several times before he said slowly, "Mr. Wang, may I have a chat with you?"

    Surprise flickered across Wang Yixuan¡¯s face, but he quickly masked it and nodded politely, "Of course, feel free to speak your mind, I am all ears."

    He Xing took a couple of steps and then paused, standing in the middle of a fourne street devoid of people, eerily still like frozen time.

    The morning sun hung high, its orange-yellow rays almost harmless, and while the mist lingered, visibility had improved to several dozen meters.

    The sunlight stretched their shadows long across the ground, spanning over a dozen meters.

    A crack appeared on He Xing¡¯s icy facade, and he looked deeply at Wang Yixuan, "Actually, I¡¯ve always felt that the issues between you and Nan Qing are your own, and outsiders shouldn¡¯t interfere. But it seems to me that you might be stuck, and since Nan Qing and Fu Han are best friends, I... I¡¯ve given it some thought and decided to talk to you."

    "Did Nan Qing send you to talk to me?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyebrows knit together, his displeasure inly written on his face.

    "No," He Xing spoke, a warm mist shrouding half of his face, making his eyes shine like stars in the night, "Nan Qing hasn¡¯t spoken about your affairs with anyone. It¡¯s just that I happened to overhear her parents discussing the matter, so I came to you."

    Wang Yixuan stared at He Xing for nearly two minutes, as if trying to make sure he was telling the truth.

    Eventually, the resistance on his face faded, but his expression remained t: "Oh, I see. Then just say whatever you want to say."

    He Xing blinked subtly, just once and no more than that, fleeting.

    And in that instant, he suppressed all the guilt within his heart; his guess was correct, Wang Yixuan was an extremely proud individual, who had his own opinions on everything and didn¡¯t want others to judge his affairs.

    If Wang Yixuan knew that he was there at Nan Qing¡¯s request, the conversation might have been over before it even started.

    He Xing silently reviewed the script he had prepared in his mind, then spoke in the most casual tone, "In life, one encounters many things. At the moment they ur, you may not know which matters most. But time will give you the answer. Perhaps in the distant past, you might regret some decisions you made."

    "What exactly are you trying to say?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression shifted slightly, but he still bluntly interrupted He Xing, forcibly suppressing the turmoil within him.

    "What I want to say is simple," He Xing smiled, "it¡¯s a matter of what you think is most important. Is it love or freedom?"

 Chapter 599 - 600: Who Is The Most Important

    <h4>Chapter 599: Chapter 600: Who Is The Most Important</h4><h4></h4>

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s face instantly stiffened. He was silent for a full two minutes before he finally spoke in a disdainful tone, "Love and freedom are both very important to me."

    "Let me ask you in a different way." He Xing¡¯s eyes were as icy as frost as he looked at Wang Yixuan, as if he wanted to see right through him, "Is there anything in this world that is more important to you than Nan Qing? Like the freedom you yearn for, or the beautiful scenery from all around the world that you enjoy?"

    At that moment, Wang Yixuan felt like a fish being roasted on a fire, freshly gutted and not yet fully dead; the pain was just too unbearable.

    He Xing waited for two minutes but didn¡¯t receive a response from Wang Yixuan. He clenched and then rxed the hand in his trouser pocket, "Is this question too difficult for you? Then let me ask you differently, is there anyone more important in this world to you than Nan Qing?"

    This time, Wang Yixuan didn¡¯t hesitate much before he promptly answered, "Of course, Nan Qing is the most important."

    Ever since his parents died, he had seen how wicked this world could be. His rtives each imed they would treat him well, but their ultimate goal was thepensation money he had in his hands and the inheritance left by his parents.

    Actually, Wang Yixuan was lucky; he was already eighteen when his parents passed away. He could manage his property on his own and didn¡¯t need a so-called guardian.

    Right after his parents passed away, he had thought about keeping good rtions with his former friends and rtives, even considering them family.

    But that¡¯s the thing about rtionships¡ªonce money gets involved, they deteriorate, just like those rtives of his who were rted by blood.

    In the end, he sold all the fixed assets in his hometown and continued his studies abroad with a hefty sum.

    In the first few years, rtives would asionally call to check on him. But as years passed and they realized Wang Yixuan had no intention to return, they stopped calling him.

    Wang Yixuan didn¡¯t mind this at all; on the contrary, he was d to be left undisturbed; free to do whatever he wanted. At least he was absolutely free, without anyone nagging at his ear.

    It was said that his reputation back home was very poor, the reason being those so-called rtives of his spreading rumors that he was a spendthrift, squandering all the money his parents left him.

    But in reality, Wang Yixuan hardly touched the money his parents left unless absolutely necessary, as he felt he was fully capable of supporting himself without using his parents¡¯ money.

    In the years after graduation, Wang Yixuan mostly traveled around. He traveled leisurely, staying in a city long enough to fully appreciate its beauty.

    And this was beneficial too, as the long stays allowed him to set up street stalls and earn enough for his travels to the next city.

    It was for this reason that during his travels in M Country, he applied for the job as Fu Han¡¯s painter.

    Come to think of it, if he hadn¡¯t be Fu Han¡¯s painter, he wouldn¡¯t have epted Fu Xingbo¡¯smission to return to his home country, and he wouldn¡¯t have met Nan Qing.

    When he first saw Nan Qing, he was dazzled. Her round face was not the sought-after oval face of the era, but her eyes were so clear and distinct, just like those of a newborn baby.

    Having seen too much of humanity¡¯s dark side, Wang Yixuan knew at first nce that Nan Qing must have had a smooth-sailing life; otherwise, how could she have such eyes?

    Now, looking back, it seemed inevitable for Wang Yixuan to be attracted to Nan Qing.

    Someone who had struggled in hell yearns for beauty instinctively, and there was a gentle, radiant light about Nan Qing that he simply could not evade, no matter how hard he tried.

    So, the question He Xing posed was really too naive. Wang Yixuan had long regarded Nan Qing as the most important person in his world.

    The sun rose higher, the thick fog on the ground dispersed, and visibility greatly improved.

    Both He Xing and Wang Yixuan, clear in each other¡¯s sight, were equally handsome and stood tall with an air of strength about them. Even the way they kept their hands in their pockets echoed the same cool demeanor.

    A light smile appeared on He Xing¡¯s face as he looked at Wang Yixuan approvingly, "It seems you already have the answer in your heart, so just follow it."

    After saying this, he no longer looked at Wang Yixuan and turned to walk toward the direction indicated by his earphones.

    A breeze had just passed by, bringing with it the scent of breakfast from afar.

    It was unclear who took the first step, but they walked towards it together.

    It seems that¡¯s how conversations between men are, simple and to the point; a touch is enough, unlike girls whopete and insist on the other adopting the same viewpoint.

    There was only one Breakfast shop open on therge street, so there wasn¡¯t much of a choice. Even the one that was open only had a few breakfast options avable.

    He Xing and Wang Yixuan each bought one of everything, to avoid anyints from Fu Han and Nan Qing.

    As they neared the hospital, He Xing¡¯s phone rang. He took it out, nced at it, and his expression instantly changed. He swiped and answered the call immediately, "Hello, Uncle Xia, what¡¯s up?"

    Wang Yixuan was taught it was impolite to eavesdrop on someone else¡¯s phone conversation, but under the current circumstances, even if he did not intend to listen, he could hear it. After all, he was busy with his hands and truly could not spare one to cover his ear.

    It was strange, as He Xing spoke, the temperature of the air seemed to drop suddenly, as if it had turned into and of ice and snow, with the temperature plummeting straight down.

    He Xing¡¯s chilly voice came through again, "This matter is Xia Cheng¡¯s fault to begin with. He¡¯s an adult now and should take responsibility for his actions. I won¡¯t get involved."

    With that, the call ended with a snap. He continued to walk ahead, his face stretched especially long, looking as if someone owed him five million.

    Just as they were about to reach the Inpatient Department, Wang Yixuan finally spoke up, "He Xing, was that call just now from Xia Ning?"

    "No." There was no warmth in He Xing¡¯s words, but after saying those two words, he spoke up again, his tone awkward as if trying to exin, "It was Xia Ning¡¯s father... Xia Ning¡¯s brother has gotten into some trouble, and they called me hoping I would help."

    "I¡¯ve heard they once saved you, so helping them is only right," Wang Yixuan casually remarked as he walked into the building. "A life-saving favor is indeed different; even if the other party has unreasonable demands, it is difficult for you to refuse."

 Chapter 600 - 601: Must Avenge a "Grudge

    <h4>Chapter 600: Chapter 601: Must Avenge a "Grudge</h4><h4></h4>

    This was a simple sentence, but it felt particrly different to He Xing; it was as if there was a different meaning hidden in his words.

    He Xing¡¯s already low spirits sank even further, and he responded with a "hmm."

    The two entered the elevator, one after the other; the hospital was eerily quiet on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and therge elevator car held only the two of them.

    The aluminum walls of the elevator and the mirror were no different, allowing them to clearly see each other¡¯s expressions.

    Wang Yixuan caught a glimpse of He Xing¡¯splexion unintentionally, which really bore no difference to an iceberg, exuding an air of keep-away.

    After a moment of thought, he decided to speak up, "Mr. He Xing, since you discussed my affairs, you wouldn¡¯t mind if I talk about yours, right?"

    "What do you want to say?" He Xing turned his head toward Wang Yixuan, confusion on his handsome face rather than distaste.

    Wang Yixuan was quite surprised by the reaction; his earlierment had been somewhat petty, for he disliked others directing him and was equally averse to meddling in other people¡¯s business.

    Indeed, he had his opinions about He Xing¡¯s recent phone call, but under normal circumstances, he would never have voiced them.

    Wang Yixuan steadied himself and spoke in as calm a voice as possible, "Even a life-saving favor does not mean you should take responsibility for the Xia Family for a lifetime. Anyone in this world who does wrong must face punishment, especially since this is something they ought to bear."

    "I know," He Xing said bluntly, his voice but two words. There was a moment when He Xing even wanted to ask Wang Yixuan if Fu Han had asked him to say what he just said.

    However, just as he was about to speak, He Xing suddenly remembered that the recent phone call had been unexpected, and it was impossible for Fu Han to have predicted it beforehand. Besides, it was Fu Han who had asked him to help talk to Wang Yixuan today. Therefore, he restrained himself and did not utter any hurtful words.

    Unfortunately, thest thread of bnce in Wang Yixuan¡¯s mind was shattered by He Xing¡¯s terse response. He thought, irritated, why is it that when you talk to me, I have to listen calmly, but when I try to talk to you, you barely acknowledge me?

    With a cough, Wang Yixuan spoke again, "Mr. He, when I met Fu Han, she was very sad. Iter found out that she had been hurt during that time, because someone from the Xia Family had harmed her, yet because of your own obligation of a life-saving favor, you morally bound Fu Han, preventing her from seeking justice for herself!"

    These words struck like thunder in He Xing¡¯s ears, and he immediately recalled the first time Fu Han went to M Country, indeed heartbroken, out on a trip with her aunt and uncle to clear her mind.

    Later, missing Fu Han terribly, He Xing used the same tactic, using his grandfather as leverage to "coerce" Fu Han to return, to "deceive" her into marrying him, wanting to keep her by his side forever in this way.

    And after that, what he brought Fu Han was one hurt after another, indeed not inflicted by his own hands, but by repeatedly pleading on behalf of the culpable Xia siblings, allowing them to be aggrieved again and again.

    He Xing¡¯s already dark expression grew even darker; he was silent as he looked at Wang Yixuan, his icy eyes filled with towering waves, but it was uncertain whether those waves were sweeping over himself or someone else.

    Ding!

    The elevator doors opened.

    Wang Yixuan was the first to walk out; he took a few steps before turning back to address He Xing with a voice devoid of any emotion, "I remember when I first knew Fu Han, she was very unhappy every day. Her aunt and uncle often came to me for help in private; I think even now that you¡¯re a couple, or in the future a married couple, the debt you owe for the life saved is not Fu Han¡¯s burden ¡ª she doesn¡¯t need to repay it for you. I hope you can see that clearly for yourself."

    After speaking, Wang Yixuan didn¡¯t linger; he turned and walked straight to Nan Qing¡¯s ward.

    The vast corridor had only He Xing; even doctors and nurses were nowhere to be seen.

    The long hallway was lined with stark white walls, doors tightly shut on either side, with only a small skylight at the end of the hallway where sunlight poured in.

    But even during the day, even with the sun outside, the small skylight could hardly satisfy the need for light in the ce, so the overhead intelligent lights were still on.

    However, daylight was not like night; the overhead lights were not as bright, giving off an orange hue, looking like many suns overhead at first nce.

    He Xing leaned against the cold wall, his mind still on the words Wang Yixuan had spoken.

    Many of the principles He Xing understood, like the fact that he owed the Xia Family¡¯s people, not Fu Han.

    He knew too that the Xia Family had hurt Fu Han again and again, and yet he always asked Fu Han to let it slide for various reasons.

    He wasn¡¯t clueless; he used to always hope that Fu Han would forgive the Xia Family, thinking he would make it up to her by being doubly good to her in the future, not allowing her to be wronged.

    But from another perspective, if Fu Han was unwilling to let go of the grudge against the Xia Family, would he stop being good to Fu Han?

    Four years ago, because He Xing didn¡¯t get it, Fu Han had left him.

    Three years of solitude, three years of longing ¡ª hadn¡¯t he figured it out yet?

    Now, with time and circumstances changed, his feelings for Fu Han had deepened, and at the same time, he knew Fu Han was deeply in love with him. So should the favored becent?

    All this came down to one thing ¡ª what right did he have to ask Fu Han to forgive those who had wronged him? None, he had no such right.

    The jarring ring of the phone broke the silence, feeling like a scene from a horror movie in the broad daylight, with He Xing being slightly startled by the unexpected sound.

    He pulled his phone from his woolen coat pocket; it was Xia Ning¡¯s call. He knew what Xia Ning would say without having to guess, so he hung up immediately.

    It wasn¡¯t that Xia Ning was calling out of genuine concern for Xia Cheng, but rather because it was an opportunity for her to contact He Xing legitimately, nothing more.

    There were a bunch of unread messages on the phone, mostly from Xia Ning and Xia Guoxiong. The former expressed a desire to see He Xing; thetter, as always, used moral coercion, implying that He Xing could not neglect Xia Cheng.

    The more he read, the more irritated he became; disregarding Xia Guoxiong¡¯s text, he simply told Xia Ning that he was busy today and would see her another time.

    Among the clutter of messages, there was only one from Fu Han, standing out starkly from the unread ones.

    The content was simple: "He Xing, I heard that Wang Yixuan has returned. Where are you, why haven¡¯t youe back yet? Did something happen?"

 Chapter 601 - 602: The Xia Familyâ€™s Careful Consideration

    <h4>Chapter 601: Chapter 602: The Xia Family¡¯s Careful Consideration</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing hesitated no longer and hurried toward Fu Han¡¯s ward. The moment he opened the door, a smile was already on his face, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m back. Are you hungry?"

    "You¡¯re back," Fu Han smiled. Today, the bruises on her face had vanished, reced by her usual fairplexion, smooth like a peeled egg.

    Sunlight streamed in through the window behind Fu Han, casting a golden halo on her, making her look as pure and lovely as a fairy.

    It was as if a warm breeze had blown through, instantly soothing He Xing¡¯s restless heart.

    He opened the breakfast he had bought, smiling like a breathe of spring, "There¡¯s not much to choose from for breakfast on New Year¡¯s Day, so you¡¯ll just have to make do."

    "Sure," Fu Han¡¯s smile brightened even more, yfully sticking out her tongue, "The most important thing about eating is the mood, and... eating with someone you like is a happy thing."

    Having said that, Fu Han dared not look at He Xing any longer and lowered her head to start eating.

    The conversation with Nan Qing had greatly encouraged Fu Han. If you like someone, you should shine a light on them under the sun, letting the whole world know how in love they are.

    The true nature of love should withstand the test of sunlight.

    He Xing¡¯s heart melted; as he skillfully ced some of the beef noodles from his bowl into Fu Han¡¯s, he looked up at her with utmost seriousness, "Xiaohan, just remember one thing, forever and ever, I will always love you more than you love me, and I will never let you struggle with loving me."

    "Mm!" Fu Hanughed, grabbing a piece of beef and putting it in her mouth, finding it as sweet as honey.

    ...

    Xia Family¡¯s vi.

    Xia Guoxiong, wearing a dark blue pajama, paced back and forth in front of the sofa, his face flushed with anger. His phone was incessantly making calls without any pause.

    He contacted everyone he could think of, repeating the New Year greetings and the obsequious ttery over and over again.

    But it was no use. As soon as people clearly understood the reason for the call, they allughed it off and refused, as if afraid of getting contaminated; they hung up before Xia Guoxiong could finish his sentence. When he tried to call back, they simply rejected the call directly.

    Xia Ning sat on the sofa, watching her father¡¯s frantic state. She wasn¡¯t idle either, constantly sending messages to He Xing, sending another one as soon as one went unanswered, even sending several videos of Xia Guoxiong in desperate need of help.

    Unfortunately, apart from an initial response of "powerless to help," He Xing didn¡¯t reply to any messages afterward.

    On the other side, Xia Guoxiong exhausted his contacts to no avail. Irritated, he threw his phone on the sofa, eximing in frustration, "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have taken this bastard in the first ce. He only brings me trouble all the time, it¡¯s infuriating!"

    Xia Guoxiong had said this countless times, to be precise, every time Xia Cheng got into trouble. Xia Ning had grown so ustomed to it that she barely took notice anymore.

    Over the years, Xia Guoxiong had had numerous women, and his physical health wasn¡¯t too bad either. Plus, he was a widower in midlife. If he wanted more children, he could have had an entire ser team by now.

    Unfortunately, when he was younger, Xia Guoxiong was so caught up in his career that he didn¡¯t spare a thought for chivalry. He was a true scoundrel, a leech of the worst kind.

    Therefore, after the Xia Family hadtched onto the He Group, in order not to let hisvish rewards crumble, he might have been indulgent in various pleasures and mistresses, but he was impassively determined not to remarry or have more children.

    Because he was a true scoundrel, with a clear vision of human nature. If he were to remarry and have children again, the He Family¡¯s guilt and support would surely diminish significantly.

    So, over the many years, although there were women who became pregnant with his child, each was deceived by Xia Guoxiong into terminating the pregnancy, and to this day, there was only the sibling duo, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning.

    Although he felt annoyed at the sight of Xia Cheng, who had never brought him any pride, Xia Guoxiong couldn¡¯t neglect his own child, and so...

    Xia Guoxiong turned around and stopped in front of Xia Ning, looking down on her from his height, "If we can¡¯t rely on He Xing, we¡¯ll go straight to Old Mr. He then. I refuse to believe they have no connection."

    "Shouldn¡¯t we go to the hospital to find He Xing first?" Xia Ning still wanted to see He Xing first, her mind filled with him. The thought of He Xing constantly apanying Fu Han at the hospital made her heart particrly ufortable.

    "Fool," Xia Guoxiong said with irritation, as if scolding one who doesn¡¯t meet his expectations, "As long as we go to the He Family, are you afraid He Xing won¡¯te back?"

    "Yes, He Xing will definitelye back," Xia Ning¡¯s eyes brightened as she immediately got up and ran upstairs, "Dad, wait for me. I¡¯ll be right down after I change."

    If it were a normal day, Xia Guoxiong would have never waited patiently for Xia Ning, but whenever it concerned He Xing, he treated the matter differently. Not only did he not show any impatience, but he also advised her, seemingly concerned, "Dress up nicely, make sure you look pretty."

    ...

    Liangtao Bar.

    Perhaps in the entire A City, Liangtao Bar was the only one open in broad daylight on New Year¡¯s Day.

    This bar was Ji Liangchuan¡¯s only establishment in the country, and he had opened it in memory of his former girlfriend. Ji Liangchuan and Taozibined give the name Liangtao Bar.

    Normally, the bar wouldn¡¯t open until four or five in the afternoon, and because of the dazzling lights inside, few people noticed the paintings on the walls.

    At around noon, the ss doors of the bar were wide open, and the bar was unexpectedly bright and clean.

    Ji Liangchuan, dressed in a blue one-piece work suit, stood in the center of the bar, looking around thoughtfully with his hand propping his chin.

    This bar held significant meaning to him because he had personally done all the renovations. Doing everything himself had taken him half a year just to refurbish the ce.

    But that half year was agony for him, for he undertook the renovation only to give himself an excuse to escape reality. He had just lost Taozi, his life had lost all hope, and he was no different from the living dead. It was during the refurbishment of this bar that he slowly healed himself.

 Chapter 602 - 603: The Painting on the Wall

    <h4>Chapter 602: Chapter 603: The Painting on the Wall</h4><h4></h4>

    He spent the better part of a year incorporating everything rted to Taozi into this bar, but it seemed like no one ever noticed what he painted on the walls¡ªeveryone who came to the bar was preupied with how crowded it was, whether there were many beauties around, and whether the drinks were good or not.

    Today, Ji Liangchuan opened all the windows and doors, making the space exceptionally bright.

    The yearning he had deeply buried in his heart could finally be exposed to the sunlight.

    It turned out the walls were covered with oil paintings, one after another, depicting a girl whose every smile and frown was exquisitely beautiful. Upon closer inspection, her features indeed bore a strong resemnce to Fu Han.

    But there were differences too; the woman in the oil paintings had that gentle demeanor unique to the water towns of Jiangnan, a tenderness that indicated at first nce she was destined to be a good wife and mother.

    By contrast, Fu Han¡¯s features were more rhythmic; she could be tenacious like a small nt struggling to survive in the storm, yful like a butterfly flitting through flowers, or aloof like a celestial fairy beyond reach.

    As Ji Liangchuan stared at the wall at the girlfriend he had depicted stroke by stroke, he felt as if he was worlds away, as if something had changed, yet everything remained the same; the person before him was so familiar, yet so foreign.

    He stood motionless, gazing for nearly half an hour before whispering, "Taozi, why haven¡¯t youe into my dreams after all this time? Don¡¯t you know I miss you so much?"

    Those words were faint, barely there¡ªdispersing into the air without a breeze.

    A sorrowful expression emerged on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face, his eyes fixated on the paintings on the wall, filled with endless longing: "Taozi, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve tried, but I can¡¯t forget you like you told me to; but now it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve met a girl who looks a lot like you, I can marry her, and I will be good to her, making up for all the regrets I have with you."

    Ji Liangchuan bent down briefly; it turned out he had ced many painting tools at his feet, and there was adder already set up by the wall.

    He climbed thedder, holding a palette in one hand and stabilizing himself with the other, beginning to make changes to the mural.

    Under Ji Liangchuan¡¯s touches, the face of the woman on the wall began to change¡ªthe gentleness in her features faded, being reced with some of the resilience that often graced Fu Han¡¯s face.

    A few days earlier, Ji Liangchuan had a drinkingpetition with He Xing, and surprisingly, as a bar owner, he lost. He bled from his stomach and had to be rushed to the hospital.

    Their drinking bout made small waves in their circle.

    Yet, no one knew the real reason they drank so desperately, perhaps because neither He Xing nor Ji Liangchuan had publicly disclosed the cause for their duel.

    When Ji Liangchuan awoke in the hospital, he was humiliated, unwilling to ept defeat¡ªgiving up had never crossed his mind since he went into thepetition believing in victory.

    Moreover, Xia Ning had sent Ji Liangchuan a video of He Xing drunk.

    With this in his possession, Ji Liangchuan could shamelessly im that He Xing was also drunk that day, and they tied. It¡¯s likely no one would say much about it.

    So, after being discharged from the hospital, Ji Liangchuan immediately went ahead with organizing a fireworks show. The only surprise was, he had initially secured connections to set off fireworks outside the He Family¡¯s vi, to propose to Fu Han in person and confront He Xing; but he didn¡¯t expect Fu Han to end up hospitalized with injuries.

    Hence, he changed his ns at thest minute. He found out the location of Fu Han¡¯s ward and deliberately chose to set off the fireworks right in front of it; and to make sure nothing went wrong, he even enlisted the help of a nurse.

    In fact, even if Fu Han hadn¡¯t seen the fireworks that day, there was a nurse assigned to remind her to watch them.

    There were not so many coincidences; everything had been nned well in advance, all for Ji Liangchuan¡¯s grand yet unrequited marriage proposal.

    When the fireworks disy started, a photographer who was ready and waiting took pictures of all the scenes and immediately posted them online, letting everyone see them.

    Ji Liangchuan was well aware of what he wanted to do¡ªhe wanted the whole world to know that he intended to marry Fu Han, and whether Fu Han agreed or not was still premature.

    After busying himself for several hours, he finallypleted the transformation of all the paintings on the walls, turning every image of Taozi into Fu Han¡¯s likeness.

    But the Fu Han he painted always gave off a strange feeling, the images depicting her frowning carried an awkward rejection, while the smiling ones bore a somewhat world-weary air.

    If Fu Han herself were here, she would instantly see the root of the problem; Ji Liangchuan had failed to capture her true essence, and most of his images were based on his subjective assumptions.

    To be precise, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s impression of Fu Han stemmed more from his subjective interpretation than from the real Fu Han; one might even say that none of the Fu Hans he painted were really her.

    Nevertheless, Ji Liangchuan was satisfied with his work. After having the bar cleaned up, he took pictures with a DSLR, capturing every painted image.

    The proposal from yesterday was just the beginning; today, he painted a roomful of images for Fu Han as his next step. As for what to do next, he would n it freely.

    ...

    Fu Han had just finished her IV drip. After pulling out the needle, she got up and headed towards the wardrobe at the entrance. She and He Xing had agreed to go out for a walk and have lunch outside after her drip. The doctor had already given his consent.

    She carried the clothes she had picked out to the restroom. No sooner had she closed the door than she heard He Xing¡¯s phone ring.

    The restroom door was not soundproof, but since Fu Han disliked eavesdropping on others¡¯ phone calls, she simply went on changing without paying any attention to what He Xing was saying.

    A few minutester, Fu Han emerged from the restroom all dressed, smiling at He Xing, "All set, we can go. I feel like having coconut chicken today, I wonder if it¡¯s avable."

    She took a couple of steps before realizing that He Xing wasn¡¯t following. She turned back, puzzled, and looked at him, "What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?"

    He Xing¡¯s face looked troubled. He cleared his throat unnaturally and said, "Well, Xiaohan, I¡¯ll order coconut chicken for you through delivery. I must get back home... something came up unexpectedly at home, I need to go back for a bit."

    "Ah, what happened? How is Grandpa?" The color drained from Fu Han¡¯s face instantly; her heart began to race as she searched for her phone while saying, "I¡¯ll go back with you to check on Grandpa."

 Chapter 603 - 604: An Unforgettable Oath

    <h4>Chapter 603: Chapter 604: An Unforgettable Oath</h4><h4></h4>

    "No need, no need," He Xing said urgently, speaking more than twice as fast as usual, "Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa is fine. There¡¯s just a minor issue at home, a business matter that Grandpa isn¡¯t too familiar with, so I must go back and handle it."

    "So that¡¯s what it is," Fu Han said, her heart finally settling as she stopped in her tracks and looked at He Xing with concern, whispering, "Then you better hurry back. Have lunch at home, I can just order some takeout."

    "Okay," He Xing had already reached the door, but after thinking it over, he turned back and kissed Fu Han on the forehead.

    Fu Han wrapped her arms around He Xing¡¯s neck and tiptoed to kiss his cheek, "Call me if there¡¯s anything."

    Whenever she kissed He Xing like this, he always felt as if he were taking care of a daughter, and indeed that was the case. In his heart, Fu Han was like a daughter to him, and he wanted to dote on her as one.

    Before he left, he took a deep look at Fu Han, her beautiful eyes sparkling, shining with love, unforgettable even if one tried.

    In the blink of an eye, the ward was left with only Fu Han by herself. She hummed a song while opening her phone to order takeout, feeling very happy today, even eating lunch alone.

    "Fu Han, have you had lunch?" Suddenly, a gentle voice rang out.

    Fu Han looked up following the direction of the voice. It was Mrs. Nangong standing at the door withouting in, her gentle face showing genuine concern.

    "Hi, Auntie, I was just about to order some takeout," Fu Han said, warmth flowing slowly through her heart. She always felt an unconscious sense of closeness when she saw Mrs. Nangong, perhaps because Mrs. Nangong¡¯s warmth was reminiscent of her mother¡¯s, or maybe all mothers in the world looked alike.

    "Then it¡¯s perfect,e and join us for lunch," Mrs. Nangong¡¯s smile deepened as she gently took Fu Han¡¯s hand, "I had the servant make coconut chicken today, I remember you really liked itst time."

    "But..." Fu Han hesitated, it always felt awkward for her to join the Nangong family for meals, as if she were intruding.

    Mrs. Nangong immediately saw the thoughts behind Fu Han¡¯s hesitation and patted her back affectionately, her smile especially gentle, "In my heart, you and Nan Qing are the same, you¡¯re both my daughters. If you really don¡¯t want to eat with us, how about I bring some dishes over for you?"

    With things put this way, Fu Han couldn¡¯t refuse any longer and quickly waved her hand, "Auntie, you¡¯re making too much of it. I¡¯lle and join you for lunch. It¡¯s more lively to eat together."

    "That¡¯s wonderful, let¡¯s head over together," Mrs. Nangong warmly linked arms with Fu Han, nning to lead her.

    Yet, Fu Han abruptly remembered something and tugged at Mrs. Nangong¡¯s arm, whispering, "Auntie, I have something to say to you. Could you give me two minutes of your time?"

    "Of course," Mrs. Nangong stopped immediately, looking at Fu Han tenderly and asked softly, "Fu Han, what do you want to talk about?"

    "I..." Looking at Mrs. Nangong¡¯s full-faced concern, Fu Han suddenly felt at a loss for words. But remembering what Nan Qing had asked of her earlier that morning, she still mustered the courage to speak up, "Auntie, I just want to ask you, what exactly do you think of Wang Yixuan?"

    "Are you asking about that?" Mrs. Nangong chuckled, herugh breaking the tension as she yfully nudged Fu Han¡¯s nose, her affection quite evident, "I know what you¡¯re getting at. Are you worried because both Nan Qing¡¯s dad and I disapprove of Nan Qing being with Wang Yixuan?"

    "I... I didn¡¯t think that." Indeed, Fu Han spoke truthfully; on Wang Yixuan¡¯s first visit to Nan Qing¡¯s home, she had clearly felt that Nan Qing¡¯s parents quite liked him.

    Mrs. Nangong¡¯s smile grew even brighter, and she patted Fu Han¡¯s hand, her voice warm and soft, "Nan Qing¡¯s dad and I both like Wang Yixuan. We just think that marriage is an important matter and that once married, a couple should spend their lives together. But they¡¯ve only known each other for such a short time, and their understanding of each other isn¡¯t clear. To get married under these circumstances would be disrespectful to each other."

    "Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease," Fu Han smiled, herrge eyes fixed on Mrs. Nangong, "So, Auntie, you mean to say that as long as Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan understand each other and don¡¯t treat marriage lightly, you and Uncle won¡¯t object, right?"

    "Exactly," Mrs. Nangong beamed, ruffling Fu Han¡¯s hair gently and speaking softly, "Nan Qing certainly didn¡¯t make a mistake befriending you; you really care about her."

    "She¡¯s been good to me too," Fu Han smiled, but then her smile faded, and she said with evident sadness, "But... Auntie, I haven¡¯t had the chance to say I¡¯m sorry."

    "About the child?" Mrs. Nangong asked, puzzled. After receiving an affirmative nod, she gave a wistful smile, "If I said it didn¡¯t hurt, that would be a lie. I¡¯m even more heartbroken than Nan Qing, but I must tell you, Fu Han, I don¡¯t think Nan Qing did anything wrong. She¡¯s your friend, and it¡¯s only right for her to help you when you¡¯re in danger."

    Fu Han looked down silently, unsure what to say. If Nan Qing hadn¡¯t appeared, if she hadn¡¯t taken that flowerpot to the assant without a second thought, she might be dead by now¡ªdead in the worst way imaginable.

    She was grateful to Nan Qing, her empathy and life-saving heroism were immeasurable; but from another perspective, hadn¡¯t Nan Qing risked her own life to save hers? This left her at a loss on how to view Nan Qing¡¯s actions.

    Mrs. Nangong¡¯s eyes also welled with tears; she sniffled before speaking again, "Fu Han, Nan Qing is an only child. Right now, we¡¯re here to protect and apany her, but one day we will be gone. I just hope that even though you and Nan Qing are not blood sisters, you can be good sisters who help each other, and treat each other like family."

    "I will, Auntie, I promise. No matter what difficulties Nan Qing faces, I will never stand by idly. I will help her with all my might," Fu Han pledged, her voice low yet determined.

    "Good child, thank you." Tears slipped from Mrs. Nangong¡¯s eyes.

    Although Fu Han didn¡¯t cry, she was just as emotional as Mrs. Nangong. Her promise wasn¡¯t just to Mrs. Nangong; it was a deepmitment etched into her heart, unforgotten for a lifetime¡ªher debt to Nan Qing, a duty, and a willingness to protect her as a sister.

 Chapter 604 - 605: Fire in the Heart

    <h4>Chapter 604: Chapter 605: Fire in the Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    The Lamborghini raced down the road, and although there were other vehicles, they were sparse, allowing He Xing to press the elerator to the floor.

    There was no hurry to return home, but the rage in his heart was especially intense, overwhelming, like a bomb about to explode.

    How could he not be angry? He had refused to help Xia Cheng, yet Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning had gone straight to the He Family¡¯s mansion in Lanwan Mountain.

    It was partly He Xing¡¯s fault for not informing his grandfather ahead of time, which led to Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning sessfully visiting the He Family¡¯s elder under the pretext of celebrating the New Year.

    The more He Xing thought about it, the more his anger rose, the faster his car sped, the tires screeching loudly on the empty streets.

    The drive from the hospital to Lanwan Mountain usually took about half an hour, but today, fueled by his seething anger, He Xing made it back in less than twenty minutes.

    The servants, having heard the car from afar, had the gate wide open in advance; He Xing didn¡¯t stop for a second, driving straight in.

    Inside the spacious living room of the He Family, there were four people: the He Family¡¯s elder, Old Zhou, and father and daughter Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning.

    When He Xing entered, all eight eyes turned to him, each person wearing a different expression: concern, worry, calction, and starry-eyed.

    The first to speak was the He Family elder, who immediately asked upon seeing He Xing, "Xiao Xing, why have youe back? Weren¡¯t you taking care of Fu Han at the hospital?"

    Old Zhou, standing behind him, changed in expression but remained silent, his eyes filled with pleading.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze lightly swept over Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning, and with aposed demeanor, he said, "I came back to get something for Fu Han. I didn¡¯t expect we had guests."

    The person who called He Xing was Old Zhou, but in fact, Xia Guoxiong had also sent He Xing a message more than ten minutes prior, informing him of their presence at the He Family¡¯s estate.

    Thus, even though it was Old Zhou who summoned him back, both Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng thought that it was at their behest that He Xing had returned.

    When they heard what He Xing said, no one objected. Besides the He Family elder, everyone knew it was just an excuse they found for He Xing.

    The elder of the He Family nodded after hearing his response, "That¡¯s true, it¡¯s pitiful to stay in a hospital during the New Year, andcking something to use, one wouldn¡¯t know where to buy it. Next time you need anything, just call, and I¡¯ll have Old Zhou send it to you."

    "Yes, Grandpa," He Xing replied, his eyes falling on Xia Guoxiong as he cut straight to the point, "Uncle Xia, have youe merely to celebrate the New Year with Grandpa, or is there another matter?"

    Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t expect He Xing to be so direct, caught off guard, he hesitated, his face showing embarrassment, "This... this is both... both."

    "If it¡¯s for the New Year, we wee you; but if you¡¯re here because of Xia Cheng¡¯s affair, I¡¯m sorry, I can do nothing," He Xing said, his handsome face expressionless. His cold voice was like a wind blowing over a frozenke, "It¡¯s true that the He Family has some property, but we are just merchants with no power, nor do we exercise any privileges."

    The elder of the He Family nodded, saying nothing. Due to his age, his eyes were somewhat cloudy, but at times his ck pupils shone even brighter than He Xing¡¯s; when he looked at you, you felt as if you were prey under the gaze of a beast.

    And at that moment, he was looking at Xia Guoxiong with that exact gaze, making Xia Guoxiong feel his back soaked with sweat.

    While avoiding the elder He¡¯s gaze, Xia Guoxiong thickened his skin and chuckled, "He Xing, I understand you. I know it¡¯s all because Xia Cheng is unworthy, but as you also know, he is my only foolish son. I can¡¯t just ignore him."

    He Xing¡¯s face remained displeased, and though he hummed in response without a word, the anger on his face spoke volumes. He was silently using Xia Cheng, a yboy who constantly caused trouble, of getting what he deserved.

    Suddenly, the spacious living room fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

    The elder of the He Family leaned back slightly on the sofa, his piercing eyes narrowing slightly, making it hard to decipher his expression.

    Old Zhou reverted to his usual impassive state, like a blind and deaf man, seeing and hearing nothing.

    Xia Ning, meanwhile, looked at He Xing nervously, quietly regretting why she hade along with her father to join in themotion. She could have sought other ways to see He Xing, but to truly offend him would be a loss too substantial for her to bear.

    Only Xia Guoxiong¡¯s narrow eyes were shifting back and forth as if he were contemting something.

    After about two minutes of silence, Xia Guoxiong spoke up with his low, slightly hoarse voice, "He Xing, I¡¯m not asking you to bail out Xia Cheng, I¡¯m saying perhaps you can think of some other way. I know Qin Nuan very well; she¡¯s nothing but a whore. We can just give her some money, and that should settle it. There¡¯s no need to send Xia Cheng to jail, right?"

    Upon hearing the word "whore," He Xing frowned, his voice turning even colder, "So, what¡¯s the result of your negotiation with Qin Nuan?"

    "We... did indeed talk," admitted Xia Guoxiong reluctantly, "Qin Nuan said she would let off Xia Cheng, but you also have to let Yi Lixing go."

    "So Qin Nuan didn¡¯t want money?" The elder He, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly opened his eyes, speaking with interest, "This matter seems quite intriguing. Qin Nuan must have some real affection for Yi Lixing."

    Although the elder of the He Family spoke in a very calm tone, even showing some kindness, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned bright red; he understood that the elder¡¯s sympathetic words were for Qin Nuan, not for him or Xia Cheng.

    Truly shameful, the scandals of Xia Guoxiong and son were the talk of the town. Even now, many were feasting on their embarrassment.

    Because of this scandal, the stock price of Xia Group fell two percentage points, losing close to ten million.

    That wasn¡¯t even the worst of it. Many had brought up the issue to Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face, clearly relishing in the Xia Family¡¯s troubles.

    Xia Guoxiong was seething because of this, and that was why he hadn¡¯tpletely forgiven Xia Cheng. This also exined his harsh tone towards Xia Cheng the day before.

    The truth proved hisck of ruthlessness towards Xia Cheng; if he had been, Xia Cheng wouldn¡¯t have dared seek out Qin Nuan, only to be sent to the police station by her in the end.

 Chapter 605 - 606: No Grudges or Resentment

    <h4>Chapter 605: Chapter 606: No Grudges or Resentment</h4><h4></h4>

    Truthfully, if Xia Guoxiong had another son, or if Xia Ning were a boy, he really wouldn¡¯t bother with Xia Cheng, but...

    But even before Xia Guoxiong rose to prominence, he was just the most ordinary ofmoners, and though he changed his name after bing wealthy, what he couldn¡¯t change was the deep-rooted preference for sons over daughters in his bones; his estate was definitely to be inherited by Xia Cheng.

    So, even if Xia Cheng trampled on his pride time and again, he still couldn¡¯t ignore Xia Cheng.

    At this moment, hearing what the old Master He had said, Xia Guoxiong thought for a moment and then spoke in a toneced with a mix of resentment and helplessness, "They don¡¯t have any real sincerity. Qin Nuan and Yi Lixing are simply in cahoots. If it weren¡¯t for Yi Lixing stirring up trouble constantly, why would I have cooperated with Huangpu Group?"

    Having said this, he stole a nce at He Xing and then continued, "After I learned of Yi Lixing¡¯s character, I fired him. Unexpectedly, he found Qin Nuan, and together they schemed against me and took a lot of money from me."

    While he was speaking, He Xing¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the bracketnt beside the television, its deep blue leaves hanging down, as if they would only be tender green in spring.

    Suddenly, his eyes lit up when he noticed a flower bud the size of a thumbnail, ready to bloom¡ªspring was indeed about to arrive.

    With Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words having finished to no response, hisplexion grew increasingly embarrassed, but he was the one seeking help, so how could he just give up?

    He cleared his throat unnaturally and said, "He Xing, I really didn¡¯t want to trouble you, but I went to Qin Nuan and told her to ask for any amount of money, but she¡¯s been as stubborn as a mule, insisting on a trade-off. I really had no other choice."

    On the other side, the old Master He, disturbed by the noise and clearly exasperated, asked, "What exactly did Yi Lixing do wrong?"

    In fact, even up to now, Grandpa He knew very little about the incident of Fu Han being attacked. He only knew that Fu Han was chased and that the person behind the attack was unknown to him.

    That was because He Xing had been conducting the investigation himself. Although he had asked Old Zhou to help He Xing with these matters, He Xing, worried about affecting Grandpa He¡¯s mood, had specifically instructed Old Zhou not to tell Grandpa He until the situation was conclusively resolved, lest it trouble him.

    He Xing turned his head to look at his grandfather, his gaze inadvertently meeting Old Zhou¡¯s, who wore a look of helplessness as if silently telling He Xing that he too was unsure how to proceed.

    A low sigh resounded, and He Xing¡¯s clear voice filled the living room, sharp yet exceptionally captivating, "Grandpa, the man who tried to kill Fu Han has connections with Yi Lixing. It seems that Yi Lixing hired someone to assassinate Fu Han.

    "Him?" Grandpa He¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply, "But why, what does he have against Fu Han to want someone to harm her?"

    This was also what He Xing could not figure out to this point. Although Yi Lixing¡¯s own exnation was that he hadmissioned the hit on Fu Han just because he couldn¡¯t stand He Xing.

    But murder is a sin against heaven. If there weren¡¯t deep hatred or grievance, who wouldmit such an act; true, He Xing had once given Yi Lixing a way out, but it seemed Yi Lixing still saw him as an enemy.

    It¡¯s just that Yi Lixing wanting to kill He Xing, in his view, was not problematic; but to harm the innocent Fu Han out of hatred for He Xing seemed to him like a plot from a novel.

    He turned his head to Grandpa He and said in the calmest and simplest tone possible, "Grandpa, this is what Yi Lixing said, he hurt Fu Han because he hates me."

    As his words fell, suddenly the temperature in the room plummeted, with everyone feeling as if they had fallen into and of ice and snow.

    It wasn¡¯t He Xing¡¯s aura, but the aura radiating from Grandpa He from within.

    Since Grandpa He had handed over thepany to He Xing, he rarely disyed his aura like this; if He Xing wasn¡¯t mistaken, this was probably the first time in many years that Grandpa He had shown such anger.

    It must be said that experiencees with age; Grandpa He¡¯s aura not only made Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face pale with fright, but even Xia Ning standing behind him trembled, as if she might faint at any moment.

    Grandpa He no longer had thatzy look of someone reclining on a sofa, his sharp gaze swept over everyone present before finally settling on He Xing.

    "He Xing, remember this, as long as I live, no one can bully Fu Han; and if I¡¯m gone, you must protect her with your life. Can you do it?"

    "I can!" Since bing an adult, this was probably the most obedient He Xing had ever been to Grandpa He, his simple response sounding like thunderps in the room.

    "At least you know what¡¯s important," Grandpa He nodded, the suffocating pressure subsiding considerably, but his words remained cold, "He Xing, I don¡¯t care about what grievances others have with Yi Lixing, but if you find out for sure that it was Yi Lixing who hurt Fu Han, I absolutely will not allow you to let him off because of any debts of gratitude."

    "I understand," He Xing¡¯s reply was resolute and forceful, like a soldier suddenly assigned an important mission, earnestly vowing to fulfil his duty.

    Xia Guoxiong, although now able to breathe freely, turned paper-white.

    All of them had been mixing in the mall for many years, and Xia Guoxiong had spent half his life figuring out how to not offend people, so naturally, he could tell that Grandpa He¡¯s words were actually directed at him.

    He knew that if he didn¡¯t speak up now, He Xing would really leave Xia Cheng to face the consequences; then it would truly be as Chairman Yang had said, what was happening to Yang Kaitai was Xia Cheng¡¯s future.

    Xia Guoxiong sneaked a nce at Grandpa He, who had an iron-hard expression and was clearly in a bad mood, but Xia Guoxiong still mustered the courage to speak up, "Grandpa He, He Xing, I¡¯m asking for your help onest time. I swear that from now on, I will never let Xia Cheng misbehave again. If ites to it, once he¡¯s out, I... I¡¯ll send him to study abroad."

    "What did you say?" He Xing turned around sharply, an air of chill emanating from him, like a sword drawn from its sheath. His piercing gaze fixed onto Xia Guoxiong, his voice raised unintentionally, "So your solution is to send Xia Cheng abroad? Are you not worried that Xia Cheng will cause trouble overseas, beyond your reach, and that you¡¯ll deeply regret it if anything happens?"

    "This..." Xia Guoxiongpletely missed the implicit meaning in He Xing¡¯s words, and even pondered earnestly for a moment before saying hesitantly, "Well... rest assured, when the timees, I will arrange for someone to go with him to ensure he doesn¡¯t cause any trouble."

 Chapter 606 - 607: The More We Speak, The More Insecure We Feel

    <h4>Chapter 606: Chapter 607: The More We Speak, The More Insecure We Feel</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hmph!" He Xing snorted coldly, his expression growing even uglier. He hid all the disappointment in his eyes and said with disdain, "So, you never actually thought about solving the problem? Your solution is just to send Xia Cheng abroad? How do you figure Xia Cheng will behave once he¡¯s out of the country?"

    Xia Guoxiong originally had a bit of hope, but his face flushed with embarrassment after hearing those words.

    On the other side, He Xing¡¯s anger was far from exhausted. His crisp voice was exceptionally loud, "I¡¯m going to say something you won¡¯t like to hear. You¡¯re responsible for Xia Cheng¡¯s plight as well. You always say you¡¯re too busy with work to teach them. Can¡¯t you discipline them after you finish work? If you had paid more attention to them, would Xia Cheng and Xia Ning have turned out this way? I¡¯m going to say something you won¡¯t like, but right now your health is good and it¡¯s not a problem. But what about after you pass away? Do you think Xia Cheng and Xia Ning have the ability to support themselves?"

    Every word he spoke was like a little hammer, pounding Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning until they turned pale.

    It took a full two minutes before Xia Guoxiong finally managed to reply weakly, "I know I¡¯m responsible for the children turning out this way. But you know the situation in our family; I raised them all by myself from when they were in diapers. They might be a bitcking, but with your guidance, surely they won¡¯t have to live miserably, right?"

    Here we go again.

    At this moment, He Xing only felt one thing: extreme irritation. Every time they got to the crux of the matter, Xia Guoxiong would always divert the issue to Du Wanting, attempting to morally bind He Xing; Xia Guoxiong wasn¡¯t tired, but He Xing felt exhausted.

    Suddenly, it dawned on him. Just yesterday, he was discussing with Fu Han how Xia Ning always brought up her mother. Now that he thought about it, Xia Ning¡¯s way of mentioning her mother was just like how Xia Guoxiong brought up Du Wanting.

    Perhaps, as Fu Han said, they were not actually missing Du Wanting; they wanted to use their longing for her to achieve some unreliable goals.

    He Xing caught a glimpse of Grandfather He¡¯s face out of the corner of his eye. It was very unsightly, his mouth agape as if he was about to speak.

    Rushing to speak before his grandfather, He Xing said, "Uncle Xia, I know these aren¡¯t the oues you hoped for, but no matter how many times you contact me, my answer won¡¯t change. One thing is one thing; Xia Cheng vited Qin Nuan, and he has to take responsibility for that. If Qin Nuan wants money, I can pay, but letting Yi Lixing off is absolutely impossible. I won¡¯t let off anyone who dares to harm Fu Han."

    There was no clearer way to say it. Thest glimmer of hope in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s heart had been extinguished, and he could only sigh deeply, reluctantly epting it.

    After seeing the Xia father and daughter off, He Xing felt as drained as if he had been skinned. Truth be told, dealing with the monthly Shareholders Meeting was less difficult than dealing with Xia Guoxiong.

    The man was insatiably greedy and thick-skinned, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals. Every time he came to see He Xing, He Xing felt a dual difort in both body and soul.

    However, today was an exception. Although He Xing usually wanted to refuse the Xia family¡¯s unreasonable demands, in the end, he would alwayspromise. But today, he firmly refused¡ªfor Fu Han.

    For the first time, he discovered how satisfying it was to reject someone. As long as you are resolute, you can say no to everything you dislike or that makes you ufortable.

    Lunch was quickly prepared. The vast dining hall was upied only by Grandfather He and He Xing. Despite the table being full of dishes, the meal felt unusually cold and quiet.

    As they ate, they casually chatted. Grandfather He strongly supported He Xing¡¯s recent actions; he had long found the Xia family disagreeable.

    He Xing, encouraged by his grandfather, was quite happy, continuously urging his grandfather to eat more and stay healthy for Fu Han¡¯s return.

    Near the end of lunch, Grandfather He suddenly asked He Xing, "What birthday gift did you prepare for Fu Han for the New Year?"

    This question caught He Xing off guard, leaving him stunned for a few seconds. Once he recovered, he coughed awkwardly and said unconvincingly, "I... I had the ne I gave her forst year¡¯s New Year repaired, and I gave it to her again."

    Truth be told, He Xing felt he had been very considerate. The ne had been repaired a long time ago, but he deliberately chose the same day asst year to give it to Fu Han, thinking he was being thoughtful.

    But for some reason, the more he spoke, the guiltier he felt, as if he had done something wrong.

    Sure enough, Grandfather He pped his hand down after hearing him, "You silly boy, you don¡¯t know how to court a girl. If you keep this up, Fu Han might just be swept away by Ji Liangchuan."

    The sudden change in topic startled He Xing. He was taken aback and didn¡¯t know what to say, his face gradually turning red.

    On the other side, Grandfather He red at He Xing irritably, "Don¡¯t think that just because I¡¯m up in the mountains and don¡¯te down, I don¡¯t know anything. Yesterday, Ji Liangchuan set off a firework show and confessed to Fu Han. Today, he¡¯s doing something with a hundred and one paintings to confess to her. Look at how people chase after girls, then look at yourself."

    He Xing had already seen it the night before. Ji Liangchuan had announced he would paint a hundred oil paintings for Fu Han within a day, with the results to be revealed by this evening at thetest.

    He was disdainful of it. Liking someone was a magical feeling, and no matter how much Ji Liangchuan did, if Fu Han didn¡¯t like him, that wouldn¡¯t change.

    Grandfather He pped He Xing on the forehead again, exasperatedly saying, "What are you still doing here? Hurry back and stay with Fu Han. What if Ji Liangchuan goes to the hospital to harass her?"

    There¡¯s probably only Grandfather He in the world who dared to p He Xing on the head, and Grandfather He hadn¡¯t pped He Xing¡¯s forehead for many years.

    As such, Grandfather He didn¡¯t hold back, and the p was a bit too hard, almost making He Xing ck out on the spot.

    As he dodged Grandfather He¡¯s ps, He Xing exined with a bitter smile, "Grandfather, there are bodyguards at the hospital protecting Fu Han. Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t let Ji Liangchuan in."

    Although he said this, He Xing thought he really needed to hurry back and stay by Fu Han¡¯s side. After all, there were too manypetitors. Plus, he indeed should prepare a New Year¡¯s gift for Fu Han to suppress Ji Liangchuan¡¯s crooked intentions.

    He rushed the rest of his half-bowl of food down his throat, and while wiping his mouth with a napkin, he muttered indistinctly, "Grandfather, Happy New Year. Please take care of yourself at home. I¡¯m heading back to take care of Fu Han."

 Chapter 607 - 608 Try to Satisfy

    <h4>Chapter 607: Chapter 608 Try to Satisfy</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han had a great time at lunch, proving that as long as the atmosphere was harmonious, there was no need to feel awkward.

    Although Mr. Nangong and Wang Yixuan spoke less, Nan Qing and Mrs. Nangong were constantly livening up the atmosphere. Their efforts were not about deliberately cueing Fu Han but maintaining a good bnce, which made her feel veryfortable.

    The chefs at the Nangong residence indeed had excellent skills. Fu Han had enjoyed a lot of coconut chickenst time, and today she still ate with relish.

    Home-cooked meals indeed tasted better than restaurant food. While the initial taste of restaurant dishes might seem good, it tended to be cloying after a while.

    As everyone ate and chatted, Fu Han unconsciously finished a small bowl of rice and then filled her bowl with soup, sipping it slowly as the doctor had advised her to drink more soup for her health.

    Perhaps to take Fu Han¡¯s feelings into ount, Nan Qing and Mrs. Nangong sat on either side of her, sharing a long couch between the three of them.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Nangong and Wang Yixuan each sat on their own armchairs.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel that it might be her misconception, but she sensed Wang Yixuan¡¯s gaze often resting on her, as if he had something to say but hesitated.

    He Xing had apanied Wang Yixuan to buy breakfast in the morning and promised to persuade Wang Yixuan about something. Fu Han didn¡¯t know the oue of their conversation because that morning... she was so filled with girlish joy that she entirely forgot to ask He Xing.

    While eating, Fu Han observed Wang Yixuan and thought he acted a bit strangely today. Although he did serve Nan Qing, his manner contained a sense of distance, a stark contrast to their initial close rtionship after going public in the United States.

    She couldn¡¯t help but specte in her heart, perhaps He Xing had not seeded in persuading Wang Yixuan?

    However, observing Nan Qing¡¯s behavior from a detached perspective, Nan Qing maintained her role as the ever-cheerful one, asionally cracking witty remarks that caused everyone to burst intoughter. She would also casually pat Wang Yixuan¡¯s arm.

    Although Wang Yixuan rarely responded to Nan Qing, Fu Han didn¡¯t notice any signs of him avoiding her either.

    She silently resolved to ask He Xing about their talk once he returned. If he hadn¡¯t persuaded Wang Yixuan, she would feel even more apologetic towards Nan Qing.

    Finally, the lengthy lunch concluded, and caregivers immediately came to clear the leftover food and dishes from the table.

    It was Mr. and Mrs. Nangong¡¯s habit to go for a walk after meals, and the couple excused themselves before heading out directly.

    Once they left, Fu Han felt like an obvious third wheel, as if she were glowing like a gigantic light bulb. She yfully dusted off non-existent dirt from her clothes and feigned a yawn, exaggeratingly saying, "You two carry on talking. I¡¯m going to take a nap."

    She walked towards the door step by step, a gentle smile gracing her beautiful face, inwardly hoping Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan would grow closer after she left.

    But before she could reach the door, Wang Yixuan suddenly spoke up, "Fu Han, do you know why He Xing suddenly left?"

    At his simple question, Fu Han felt her heartbeat elerating uncontrobly. She managed to suppress the throbbing in her chest and responded as calmly as possible, "He said there was a family issue, but I don¡¯t know the details. I usually don¡¯t get involved in his family matters."

    "I think it might be better for you to get involved in the future," said Wang Yixuan with clear implication.

    Fu Han¡¯s beautiful brows knitted slightly, unsure of what to say. She disliked it when people spoke in half-truths and she could sense that Wang Yixuan had more tomunicate. However, a voice in her head reminded her not to probe further.

    But if she refrained from asking, someone else would inevitably do so. Nan Qing naturally took Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand and said, "Yixuan, do you know something? If you do, please tell Fu Han, so she won¡¯t overthink it."

    "I don¡¯t know much," Wang Yixuan replied, biting his lip and looking unnaturally stern. "I just overheard He Xing talking on the phone with someone he called ¡¯Uncle Zhou.¡¯ He was told that Xia Guoxiong was refusing to leave the He Family home and was demanding the release of Yi Lixing."

    Fu Han was aware that Yi Lixing had been taken away by the police the night before. Although she had always felt that Yi Lixing was not the mastermind, his role as an aplice was undeniable.

    This had be clear to Fu Han during her life-threatening moment¡ªshould she survive, she would never be the forgiving person she once was. For some people, your generosity only invited their further insolence.

    Thus, at the instant she was rescued, she had decided: if she made it out alive, she would reveal the true mastermind and seek revenge for herself.

    It seemed she had been exceptionally lucky this time; within a day, He Xing had pinpointed Yi Lixing and even managed to have him taken to the police station.

    Even though Fu Han didn¡¯t think Yi Lixing was the brains of the operation, she was nheless pleased by his arrest, certain it would unnerve the real culprit, who might slip up in a moment of panic.

    But now, Wang Yixuan was telling her that the Xia Family wanted He Xing to release Yi Lixing.

    Fu Han truly wasn¡¯t certain that He Xing would refuse the Xia Family¡¯s request, as he had always catered to the Xia Family¡¯s demands, even the most unreasonable ones, as much as possible.

    Nan Qing, noticing something was amiss with Fu Han, gently patted her shoulder to offerfort, "Nobody knows what exactly happened. I think you should stop worrying about it and wait for He Xing toe back. Besides, we¡¯re the victims here. It doesn¡¯t matter if He Xing agrees to release Yi Lixing; it would need our consent to happen."

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t remember what Nan Qing said next, nor what she herself responded. She just vaguely made her way back to her room, her mind a jumbled mess, knowing nothing at all.

    Upon returning to her room, Fu Han tried to distract herself by randomly picking up a book, yet she didn¡¯t even realize she was holding it upside down.

    When He Xing returned, this was the sight that greeted him: Fu Han sitting alone on the couch, nkly staring at the book without turning a page for a long time, the book held upside down.

    "Xiaohan, what¡¯s wrong?" He Xing immediately sensed that something was off and hurriedly rushed over, embracing Fu Han in his arms.

    It took Fu Han several seconds to recognize that the person speaking was He Xing. She pushed him away, "Tell me, did you agree to release Yi Lixing?"

    Expecting some serious matter, He Xingughed out loud when he heard her question, "Who told you I agreed to release Yi Lixing? Not only did I not release him, but I also made it clear to Uncle Xia and Xia Ning that anyone who dares to bully you, I won¡¯t spare a single one."

 Chapter 608 - 609: Any Demand

    <h4>Chapter 608: Chapter 609: Any Demand</h4><h4></h4>

    Immense joy flooded Fu Han¡¯s heart, making her doubt for a moment if she had heard wrong.

    It wasn¡¯t until He Xing repeated it once more that Fu Han believed it was true. She hugged He Xing¡¯s neck and kissed him forcefully on the cheek, "He Xing, you¡¯re amazing, I love you."

    "I love you too," He Xing held Fu Han tightly around the waist, as though embracing a treasure that could be whisked away by the wind at any moment.

    In fact, on the way back to the hospital, He Xing had also hesitated whether what he was doing was right or not. But now, sitting in front of Fu Han and feeling her joy, he thought what he had done was correct. At the same time, he felt an extra pang of heartache for Fu Han.

    When she sat alone in the ward waiting for He Xing, how anxious she must have been, how chaotic her thoughts, how scared.

    But what did she have to be scared of, really? She was the one who had been hurt. As long as she didn¡¯t forgive, there was nothing He Xing could do even if he had agreed, right?

    But in fact, when thinking of it from another perspective, He Xing had made Fu Han suffer a lot for the sake of the Xia Family.

    The one who was hurt was Fu Han, yet it was always He Xing who stepped forward, ying the good guy, asking Fu Han not to mind.

    He Xing even knew clearly that if he insisted on releasing Yi Lixing, although Fu Han would be very sad, she would still agree, just like she had forgiven the people of the Xia Family every time before.

    He Xing had always thought he loved Fu Han more than she loved him, but today he clearly felt that Fu Han¡¯s love for him was much more intense than his for her.

    True love is considering the other, preferring to be wronged oneself rather than letting the other person suffer.

    Fu Han had done it, He Xing had not done it before, but from now on he would, he had confidence in himself.

    ...

    This was probably the loneliest New Year Xia Ning had ever had. She didn¡¯t have the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, and on the first day of the year, she followed her father around, not even managing to eat a bite of food. She finally saw He Xing, and before she could say two words, she was rushed out.

    At this moment, she was following behind Xia Guoxiong, waiting to meet with Yi Lixing.

    This was Xia Ning¡¯s first visit to a detention center. She was curious and a bit scared; everything here was so strange that she looked around with a fearful gaze.

    The detention center was in the suburbs, in a very open location, with nothing around but this building.

    Outside the detention center was a wide-open space, covered with weeds at some distance, and behind it was arge area enclosed by iron railings, forming a big yard.

    Xia Guoxiong told Xia Ning that this was where the inmates were allowed to exercise.

    A gust of wind blew from over there, and the faint sounds of shouting could be heard. Following the direction of the sounds, a group of people in gray and white prison uniforms were seen marching in step.

    They were the female inmates, each with very short hair, exposing ears and necks, their uniformly cut hair, and uniforms made them look like a batch of defective products from an assembly line.

    Xia Ning imagined what Yi Lixing¡¯s days inside were like and worried whether he would turn her in. If she were sold out, would she be one of those female inmates?

    If this had been before, she would never have thought this way, as He Xing would always have been able to smooth things over no matter how she mistreated Fu Han.

    But today, she heard the bad news: He Xing was no longer willing to condone their mistakes unconditionally. Even though Fu Han was only injured and not killed, He Xing still refused to trade Xia Cheng for Yi Lixing.

    She began to regret why she ever asked Yi Lixing and Qin Nuan to help her get rid of Fu Han. Those two were already scheming, and expecting them to keep her secret was utterly impossible.

    A prison guard came out and told Xia Guoxiong they could go in for the visit now.

    Xia Guoxiong cleared his throat and led the way inside, with Xia Ning quickly trotting to keep up.

    Although there was sunshine outside, the detention center was quite dim, almost like dusk.

    Perhaps because the buildings inside were unusually tall, much higher than ordinary residential houses, and the only light source was the windows near the ceiling. The windows, not even fifty centimeters wide, had a very limited ability to let in light.

    A prison guard led the way. They went deeper inside, passing several checkpoints where they were scrutinized at every one. By the time they reached the innermost visitation room, Xia Ning had nothing on her but the clothes she was wearing.

    The narrow, cramped room was just like what was shown on TV, a table divided in half by thick ss; on one side, the confinement within walls meant loss of freedom and dignity, on the other, the outside world, full of whatever one wished for.

    If it were you, how would you choose?

    Within minutes, Yi Lixing was led in, and as expected, he was dressed in prison garb, handcuffs and shackles on his wrists and ankles.

    It hadn¡¯t been long since Xia Ningst saw Yi Lixing. Seeing him now, she almost thought the guards had brought the wrong person.

    Where was the refined and stylish middle-aged man? A buzz-cut, a waxen face, bloodshot eyes, and a scrawny body tucked inside loose clothes¡ªanyone might think they had recognized the wrong person.

    Xia Guoxiong picked up the handset and said, "Mr. Yi, I trust you¡¯re well."

    He wasn¡¯t panicked like his daughter; he even seemed exceptionally indifferent. However, that made sense, as Xia Guoxiong had visited here the night before to negotiate terms with Yi Lixing.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s waxen face showed no emotion as he looked at Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning through the ss, like a beast eyeing its prey.

    He sized up the Xia father and daughter for a full two minutes. Finally, his low voice broke the silence, "I saw Xia Cheng today¡ªhe got beaten up."

    The little color on Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face faded as he just looked at Yi Lixing without speaking.

    Yi Lixing¡¯s mouth twisted into a malicious smile, "You don¡¯t know, do you? Rapists are the most despised in prison, anyone can beat them. If Xia Cheng doesn¡¯t get out soon, it won¡¯t be just beatings he¡¯ll have to worry about; he might start serving the prison boss. By then, he¡¯ll be sick all over."

    Yi Lixing¡¯s years in the Public Rtions Department weren¡¯t for naught. Without Xia Guoxiong saying anything, he guessed that Xia Guoxiong hade back empty-handed, so he immediately started provoking him.

    But what he said was true; rapists indeed get bullied by many in prison, whereas a "murderer" like him was the most feared presence¡ªin the day he had been there, no one dared bully him.

    After a few seconds, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice finally emerged, "Yi Lixing, apart from getting you out, you can ask for anything else!"

 Chapter 609 - 610: Frightening Place

    <h4>Chapter 609: Chapter 610: Frightening ce</h4><h4></h4>

    "Hmph, are you joking?" Yi Lixing¡¯s pupils dted suddenly as if he had heard a huge joke. He looked at Xia Guoxiong through the ss as if looking at a fool, "Then let me tell you, if you can¡¯t get me out, I¡¯ll make sure your son and daughter both end up in here."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned pale in an instant, and he left with the words, "Give me a few more days."

    Then, he walked away with Xia Ning, not looking back, which was why they didn¡¯t see the ghostly and gloomy expression on Yi Lixing¡¯s face.

    The father and daughter followed behind the prison guard, walking along a narrow and cramped corridor. In broad daylight, the ce was as dim as night, lit only by smallmps at intervals above their heads.

    But because the corridor was so high, about two stories tall, the light felt especially distant as it fell, like stars dropping from the sky, providing light but with a very limited range.

    Since it had been only Xia Guoxiong speaking with Yi Lixing on the phone, Xia Ning was unaware of their conversation.

    Even though she heard nothing, Xia Ning could tell from Xia Guoxiong¡¯s ugly expression that the talk had not gone smoothly; what made her most ufortable was the look Yi Lixing gave her. It felt like she was walking alone on the streette at night, with a venomous snake eyeing her nearby, ready to spring at any moment and bite her, poisoned to death.

    Stepping out of the detention center, the cold wind hit them head-on, bone-chillingly cold, yet Xia Ning found it much morefortable. The oppressive sensation that had made it hard to breathe was finally gone, and she could breathe again.

    Their car was parked not far away, and Xia Guoxiong hastened towards it, not waiting for Xia Ning.

    Outside the detention center, only a small portion of the ground was cemented; farther away, it was all sandy and muddy roads. Moreover, since Xia Ning wore high heels all year round for the sake of beauty, she found it quite difficult to walk and nearly twisted her ankle several times, almost stumbling.

    She wanted to ask her father to wait for her, but seeing his retreating figure, she dared not speak up. Instead, she silently followed behind him, gritting her teeth, trying to catch up.

    Finally, she got into the passenger seat of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car. Before she could even fasten her seatbelt, Xia Guoxiong already hit the elerator to the floor, and the car sped away.

    Unprepared, Xia Ning¡¯s head mmed into the dashboard, and she cried out in pain but didn¡¯t dare to speak again.

    If it were any other time, she would have made a big deal out of any bump or scrape. But today, she behaved this way entirely because she knew Xia Guoxiong was angry, very angry.

    Yi Lixing had already been captured, and if he confessed and implicated Xia Ning, she would be arrested too. Although Xia Ning¡¯s legal knowledge was limited, she was well aware that her actions constituted soliciting murder. She was the mastermind, while Yi Lixing was merely an aplice.

    The deeper she thought, the colder Xia Ning felt on her back, as if she could already feel the time when she would lose her freedom behind bars.

    Her heart ached. She wanted to ask Xia Guoxiong what they had discussed, but seeing his extremely displeased face, she didn¡¯t dare say anything and could only quietly endure the fear in her heart.

    After a long and deste drive, the car slowly entered the city center of A City. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, A City was like a ghost town, with very few people on the streets and most of the shops tightly shut.

    It was supposed to be a festive time, yet the city wasn¡¯t as lively as usual, which was rather disheartening.

    Xia Ning gazed at the empty streets on both sides, her heart overwhelmed with a sense of alienation. This didn¡¯t feel like the city where she had grown up; it seemed more like she had inadvertently entered a strange world.

    Suddenly, the car stopped by the roadside. Xia Guoxiong¡¯s narrowed eyes fixed on the road ahead, he spoke emotionlessly to Xia Ning, "I have other matters to deal with. You take a taxi back home."

    "Ah?" Xia Ning was stunned, her mind seemingly rusted and not turning properly. She stared with innocent eyes at Xia Guoxiong: "Daddy, where do you have to go?"

    As soon as the words left her mouth, Xia Ning regretted them, but it was toote.

    As expected, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face darkened immediately, ring at Xia Ning almost viciously, "What do you think I can do? If it weren¡¯t for the mess you¡¯ve made, would I need to go around looking for trouble?"

    Tears immediately gathered in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes; she knew she couldn¡¯t cry now, so she bit her lip hard and forced the tears back.

    On the other side, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s anger was already erupting, and there was no way he would stop there.

    He mmed his fist on the steering wheel, his words filled with deep loathing, "I used to think you were sensible, but look at what you¡¯ve done? Weren¡¯t you smarter when you had someone attempt Fu Han¡¯s life? Howe what you¡¯re doing now is increasingly idiotic?"

    "I... I didn¡¯t want to... At that time, I wanted to deal with Fu Han overseas, so that¡¯s why I reached out to them." Xia Ning¡¯s tears could no longer be held back, streaming down her face as she looked at Xia Guoxiong with innocent eyes, "Daddy, how did it go with Yi Lixing? Is he going to turn me in?"

    "Not good at all!" Xia Guoxiong snorted from his nose, speaking irritably, "Yi Lixing made it very clear today, if we can¡¯t get him out, not only will Xia Cheng go to jail, but you won¡¯t escape either."

    Xia Ning felt as if her head had exploded, as if all her fears were about toe true, and she too would be wearing unattractive clothes in prison, with her beloved hair mercilessly chopped off.

    Xia Guoxiong grew increasingly irritated as he watched Xia Ning cry; his irritation wasn¡¯t solely because of Xia Ning, but also because of the person who resembled her.

    Xia Guoxiong wasn¡¯t just a thorough viin; he was also someone who strongly controlled risks. Thus, long before Xia Ning had grown up, he had already nned for her to marry He Xing.

    However, there was one thing that dumbfounded Xia Guoxiong: Xia Ning¡¯s cuteness as a child didn¡¯t show a strong resemnce, but as she grew, her mother¡¯s features faded while her father¡¯s became more pronounced.

    Even though Xia Guoxiong always believed he was more than what he seemed, he was quite self-aware about his appearance; he only looked passable when dressed impably.

    For various shared reasons, Xia Guoxiong started to ¡¯fine-tune¡¯ Xia Ning quite early on; by now, she had been undergoing minor adjustments for nearly ten years. By the time she was underage, she had already begun the path of cosmetic surgery under her father¡¯s influence.

 Chapter 610 - 611: Crying is a Weapon

    <h4>Chapter 610: Chapter 611: Crying is a Weapon</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Guoxiong used to feel immense pride when he looked at Xia Ning¡¯s face, which increasingly resembled that of Du Wanting, because Du Wanting¡¯s beauty had been acknowledged in her era.

    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that from the time Du Wanting was fifteen, plenty of people hade knocking, seeking her hand in marriage.

    Unfortunately, the na?ve youngdy fell into a wellid trap, and she was never able to extricate herself from it thereafter.

    In fact, most people had already seen through Xia Guoxiong¡¯s true intentions at that time, but Xia Guoxiong was very good at concealing them from Du Wanting, and with his years of brainwashing, she grew to love Xia Guoxiong more and more. She increasingly viewed her own parents and rtives as enemies, thinking they couldn¡¯t stand to see her find a happy man.

    "Daddy..." Xia Ning looked at Xia Guoxiong with tear-filled eyes, "Daddy, you must help me. I don¡¯t want to go to prison. Daddy, please don¡¯t ignore me."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s train of thought was interrupted, and his irritation grew even stronger.

    He began to regret why he had Xia Ning undergo stic surgery to look like Du Wanting. His original intention was to constantly remind He Xing not to forget the life-saving grace, but now it seemed that he had harmed himself severely in the attempt to hurt his enemy.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s feelings for Du Wanting were veryplex. Of course, he liked Du Wanting¡ªa pure and beautiful person like her was like an angel to him.

    Even when his business improvedter on, Xia Guoxiong always felt inferior in Du Wanting¡¯s presence, like amon man gazing up at an angel, embarrassed by his own unworthiness.

    It was also because of the dark side of his humanity that he gave up spending money to prolong Du Wanting¡¯s life, for only with her death would there be no one to remind him of his shameful past.

    Now, as Xia Guoxiong looked at Xia Ning¡¯s tearful appearance, he truly felt as if he had shot himself in the foot. Displeased that Xia Ning wasn¡¯t attractive enough for He Xing to like her, he wondered why he had chosen to have her undergo stic surgery to resemble Du Wanting.

    At this moment, as he watched Xia Ning cry, his mind was filled with the memory of Du Wanting, who years ago raised two children alone, often tormented by them. He recalled her solitary weeping figure on the balconyte at night.

    Back then, Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t have the extra money to hire a nanny, and since Du Wanting kept stopping him, he just let it be, thinking he couldn¡¯t afford one anyway.

    As a result, Xia Guoxiong could only watch as Du Wanting struggled day and night. Just when the children had started growing up a bit, her own health began to fail.

    Once, Xia Guoxiong had thought that if he had insisted on hiring a nanny back then, maybe Du Wanting¡¯s health wouldn¡¯t have deteriorated.

    But this thoughtsted only a second in his heart, because the next second he would tell himself that even if he had truly been willing to spend the money for Du Wanting¡¯s treatment, given her character, she would never have let He Xing die in a car ident, so she would have died anyway.

    Xia Guoxiong forcefully suppressed the rage in his heart and looked at Xia Ning expressionlessly. "Crying all the time, can your tears solve the problem? Think about what you¡¯ve done, consider if there¡¯s still a way out, or maybe you can go beg He Xing again."

    After saying this, Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t stay any longer; he turned around and left directly.

    On the empty street, Xia Ning was left alone; her tears evaporated in the cold wind. She watched the direction in which Xia Guoxiong¡¯s car had disappeared, her face full of unwillingness.

    For Xia Ning, crying had always been her weapon. Her experiences from childhood had taught her that as long as she cried, she would certainly get what she wanted.

    The wind grew stronger, and Xia Ning, who had just cried, felt some difort in her eyes. She sniffed, feeling a bit cold, and was uncertain about whom to approach to solve her problem.

    This was probably the first time in Xia Ning¡¯s memory that she felt utterly helpless and realized the world did not revolve around her¡ªan epiphany that caused her some panic.

    ...

    On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Fu Han and Nan Qing were discharged from the hospital together. Although both were injured, they were young and had recovered considerably after a few days of treatment.

    The main reason for their early discharge was because of the holiday season, so once the doctor checked and found no issues with them, they were allowed to leave the hospital a day or two earlier, though they would still need follow-up checkups.

    However, other issues arose, such as where the two of them would stay after being discharged.

    The elder Mr. He and He Xing both hoped Fu Han would return to live in the He Family¡¯s vi on Lanwan Mountain, since it was the holiday season and Fu Han was also willing to go back and keep her grandfatherpany.

    Nan Qing¡¯s parents had the same wish, hoping that Nan Qing would return to the Nangong Family¡¯s vi to spend the Spring Festival with them. Of course, they also invited Wang Yixuan to stay at the Nangong Family vi as well.

    But Wang Yixuan was adamant about his decision; he would either stay at Huating No.1 or find a hotel, but he absolutely refused to stay at the Nangong Family residence.

    Because of this, Nan Qing even asked Fu Han for help in persuading Wang Yixuan, but Fu Han refused straightforwardly.

    The reason was simple: if it weren¡¯t for the fact that Fu Han had been raised by Mr. He himself, if it weren¡¯t for her considering the He Family¡¯s house, where she had lived for nearly twenty years, as her home, she definitely wouldn¡¯t go there to stay.

    She and He Xing were not married yet but living together, and although many people do so nowadays, Fu Han still felt ufortable with it.

    She believed that each step in life should be taken in an orderly manner, and there were significant differences between marriage and dating; boundaries must exist.

    If she herself, a woman, was unwilling to live in the house of a fianc¨¦ to whom she was not yet married, all the more so for men; especially someone like Wang Yixuan, who obviously had a strong sense of pride and would definitely not agree.

    After hearing Fu Han¡¯s opinion, Nan Qing did not insist further. She felt Fu Han had a point but also made a request of her, which was to move in with her to Huating No.1 after the Spring Festival holiday was over.

    Speaking of which, Fu Han, Nan Qing, and Wang Yixuan had already lived together for quite a few days. Although Fu Han¡¯s room had its own restroom and balcony, she still felt a bit awkward; she did not like the life of three people living together.

    However, seeing Nan Qing¡¯s pleading eyes, the words of refusal somehow couldn¡¯t be spoken; after all, if it hadn¡¯t been for Nan Qing saving her, she wouldn¡¯t now be going to such lengths to keep the "awkward" Wang Yixuan by her side.

    ordingly, although He Xing made clear his refusal with a look, even giving Fu Han a threatening nce, Fu Han still agreed to Nan Qing¡¯s request and consented to move to Huating No.1 that very day.

    Having gotten Fu Han¡¯s agreement, Nan Qing excitedly went back to her parents and convinced them that, due to workmitments, once the Spring Festival holiday ended and work resumed, Fu Han would need to return to Huating No.1. To avoid the awkwardness of Fu Han and Wang Yixuan living together as just two persons, she too would move back there.

 Chapter 611 - 612: Crystal Clear

    <h4>Chapter 611: Chapter 612: Crystal Clear</h4><h4></h4>

    Lady Nangong gave Nan Qing a meaningful look, the corner of her eye drifting to Fu Han.

    When their eyes met, Fu Han¡¯s face reddened, and she guiltily looked away, still unustomed to aiding Nan Qing in deceiving their parents.

    Lady Nangong¡¯s benevolentughter rang out, surprisingly agreeing to Nan Qing¡¯s request quite readily.

    Unintentionally, Fu Han caught a glimpse of Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression, which she saw change distinctly¡ªshock mingled with emotion.

    This discovery pleased Fu Han; although Wang Yixuan said nothing, his expression now more than clearly disclosed one thing¡ªhe liked Nan Qing.

    As for the extent of his affection for Nan Qing, Fu Han couldn¡¯t say; however, she believed that as long as Nan Qing didn¡¯t give up, Wang Yixuan would surely grow fonder of her.

    After all, Nan Qing was indeed a very likable girl¡ªhadn¡¯t Luo Qinghe harbored an unspoken love for her for years? Only Su Cheng, that blockhead, didn¡¯t know how to cherish Nan Qing.

    Reflecting on this, Fu Han let out a deep sigh; she had always felt that Nan Qing and Su Cheng were well-matched, with simr family backgrounds and being family friends since childhood, ying together as they grew up¡ªthey seemed destined for each other.

    Unfortunately, Su Cheng acted as if he were in a dead end, dead set on crashing against the tree that was Fu Han.

    Fu Han had also believed Su Cheng was very fond of her, butst year, during Christmas in M Country, she and Wang Yixuan heard a conversation between Su Cheng and Nan Qing outside a door. It was this conversation that led her to feel that Su Cheng¡¯s disdain for Nan Qing, as expressed, was far from the truth; he actually cared about her much more than he let on.

    It was just too bad that Fu Han discovered this toote¡ªif only she had realized sooner, perhaps she would have tried every means to bring them together.

    But byst Christmas, Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan had already confirmed their romantic rtionship.

    Love was always a matter of choice; Nan Qing chose Wang Yixuan, and Wang Yixuan chose Nan Qing. They were mutually in love, something many longed for yet never found.

    Fu Han was sincerely happy for Nan Qing. Although she agreed with Lady Nangong that marriage should be based on a deep understanding, she believed dating was fine too; the longer they dated, the more they would naturally understand each other.

    After leaving the hospital, Fu Han took several deep breaths of the outside air¡ªthis past year, she had visited the hospital more often than in the previous decadesbined. She truly hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to go again.

    On the way back to the He Family vi, Fu Han, sitting in the passenger seat, mused over the entangled grievances of their group, and, lost in thought, couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Earth was a circle, and they were all within it, constantly revolving, their circle alwaysprising the same people, yet it was unknown what the oue would be for this set of people.

    Compared to the emptiness of the previous days, today¡¯s streets were bustling with more vehicles, and the sidewalks were crowded with pedestrians; most of the shops had opened.

    Though it couldn¡¯tpare with normal times, A City had e to life" again, like a spring breeze reviving the earth, with tender green shoots sprouting and bringing vibrant vitality.

    As He Xing drove, he watched Fu Han out of the corner of his eye, and just looking at her quietly, his heart melted.

    He drove with one hand on the steering wheel, freeing the other to gently ruffle Fu Han¡¯s hair.

    Her hair was soft, silky like satin, long and lush, and when sunlight shone upon it, it gleamed like a piece of ck jade.

    In his memory, Fu Han never dyed her hair, only asionally permed it, but not much¡ªmost of the time, her hair was long, ck, and straight, falling to her waist.

    He was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. He took it out, nced at it, and then hung up directly.

    Fu Han, ever polite, turned her head away instead of looking at He Xing¡¯s phone screen. Noticing he didn¡¯t take the call, her curiosity got the better of her, "Who was calling? Why didn¡¯t you answer it?"

    He Xing¡¯s expression changed subtly, his heartbeat briefly erratic, but then he spoke with an even tone, "It was a call from Xia Ning. I thought it wasn¡¯t anything urgent, so I just hung up."

    His words were half-true; the call was indeed from Xia Ning, but contrary to what He Xing stated, she did need his assistance¡ªonly He Xing was neither willing nor inclined to help, so he simply hung up.

    "Oh, I see," Fu Han smiled, her smile as warm andforting as the sun above, orange-tinted, bringing exceptional warmth: "If it really isn¡¯t important, then don¡¯t answer it. I don¡¯t want Xia Ning to interfere every time I¡¯m with you."

    "That won¡¯t happen..." He Xing coughed awkwardly, his face flushed with embarrassment: "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve indeed made you suffer before, but I promise it will never happen again."

    Right as He Xing spoke, they reached a red light where he stopped the car smoothly. He gently caressed Fu Han¡¯s cheek with his free hand, his movements as delicate as if he were handling a rare treasure.

    Fu Han leaned forward briefly, nting a kiss on He Xing¡¯s cheek like a dragonfly touching water, then promptly settled back in her seat: "I know, I trust you."

    She uttered just seven words, but to He Xing, they were more enchanting than any sweet nothings in the world.

    He Xing remained silent, gazing deeply at Fu Han, as if engraving this very moment of her deep within his mind.

    Sunlight streamed through the car window, casting a golden glow on them; coupled with their wless features, the scene was as perfect as any masterfully crafted artwork.

    The light turned green, He Xing caressed Fu Han¡¯s head once more, then elerated the car away.

    Pale yellow leaves lifted by the wheels fluttered in the chilly wind, dancing like butterflies¡ªeverything was beautiful, beautifully just right.

    Coincidentally, there was a Photographer nearby scouting for a scene and captured the moment He Xing touched Fu Han¡¯s head, along with the fluttering leaves.

    The wind turned gentle,cking the previous sharp chill when it brushed against the face. asionally, one could spot tender green shoots breaking through the crevices of stones; the evergreens on the roadside were a touch greener than before¡ªspring had arrived.

 Chapter 612 - 613: Necklace Hidden in the Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 612: Chapter 613: Ne Hidden in the Mountains</h4><h4></h4>

    Lanwan was, as always, like a hidden treasure within City A. From a distance, you could see lush greenery surrounding clusters of ivory vis.

    Herey the true castles in the air, boasting beautiful scenery and air that was much better than at the foot of the mountain, truly fresh and crisp.

    As the He Family¡¯s vi drew nearer, Fu Han¡¯s sense of returning home intensified. Her eyes roamed curiously through the car window.

    This was where Fu Han had grown up, where all her memories rted to home took ce. She loved it here as if it were fated.

    The winding mountain road was like a jade ribbon wrapped around Lanwan Mountain, perfectly hidden among the trees from a distance, and feeling like a coiled ne up close.

    One after another, the trees were left far behind, and the He Family¡¯s vi was now right in front of them.

    Fu Han turned to look at He Xing, who, sensing her gaze, also turned to look at her. Their eyes met in mid-air, as if something had changed between them, apanied by the faint sizzle of electricity.

    For some reason, the two of them were as shy as a new couple, nervously avoiding each other¡¯s gaze.

    Fu Han felt her face burning. She rolled down the car window, and a cool breeze came through, seemingly carrying the sweet scent of candy.

    The gate to the He Family¡¯s vi was already open, and without pausing for even a second, He Xing drove straight into the garage.

    He got out of the car first and jogged to the passenger side, opening the door for Fu Han with extra courtesy.

    Fu Han¡¯s smile deepened, "Since when have you be so considerate?"

    "Then I¡¯ll keep improving," He Xing replied unabashed, going with the flow, "Next time, just sit in the car and wait for me to open the door for you."

    Fu Han smiled. After getting out of the car, she took the initiative to hold He Xing¡¯s hand, "I wonder what grandpa is doing. I really miss him."

    Chatting andughing, they walked out of the garage. Fu Han keenly felt that He Xing¡¯s palm was sweaty. She nced at him, puzzled at what he could be nervous about.

    Her question was soon answered when they rounded a corner to enter the He Family¡¯s garden, which should have been wilted, but was instead bursting with blooms, rivaling even the most splendid spring day.

    The staff standing at the entrance to the garden were astounded by Fu Han¡¯s reaction; she was unsure if she had wandered into the wrong ce or stumbled into a secret garden by chance.

    Fresh flowers were everywhere in the garden: pink, dark red, yellow, and blue roses. There were lilies, gardenias, and peonies, every bloom radiant and gently swaying in the breeze.

    On the left side of the courtyard was a small pond with pale pink and rose-pink lotuses, stunning against the green leaves, captivating one¡¯s gaze.

    And in the center of the yard, where grapevines once grew, now there were swathes of pale blue morning glories, like little trumpets hidden among the green leaves.

    Excited, Fu Han turned to He Xing, "How... How did you do this? Are they real flowers or fake?"

    He Xing had been worried that Fu Han might find his gesture too extravagant and not to her liking, but seeing the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes, he felt all his efforts were worth it.

    He tightened his grasp on Fu Han¡¯s hand, and despite the joy swelling in his heart, he feigned nonchnce, "Some are real, some are fake. The roses are real; the others are not."

    A breeze blew by, and Fu Han realized that although there were flowers everywhere in the garden, she couldn¡¯t smell their fragrance.

    Roses don¡¯t have a scent, and while other types of flowers would be fragrant if real, fake ones just...

    Even if they were fake, the disy was still stunning.

    The entire yard was filled with artificial flowers, but there was no sense of falsehood to them. On the contrary, they looked incredibly realistic, indistinguishable from real flowers, with no visible signs of human assembly.

    "It¡¯s so beautiful; I love it so much," Fu Han beamed, her eyes curving like crescents, radiant as the moon, "This is the best Spring Festival gift I¡¯ve ever received."

    He Xing finally rxed, wrapping his arms around Fu Han¡¯s waist and leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Do you like it more than the fireworks show?"

    His breath on Fu Han¡¯s neck was warm, turning her cheeks and neck red with a blush as if ignited by sparks.

    Subtly shifting, Fu Han tentatively tried to wriggle out of He Xing¡¯s embrace. She wasn¡¯t actually trying to escape, and He Xing was prepared.

    Thus, Fu Han not only failed to "get her way," but was instead pulled tightly into He Xing¡¯s arms, identally brushing her forehead against his chin in the process.

    His chin had a circle of fine stubble, light and unobtrusive, but it gave Fu Han an unusual sensation. She swallowed hard, her eyes dodging He Xing¡¯s gaze in flustered confusion.

    It wasn¡¯t until He Xing pinched her waist that she remembered she hadn¡¯t answered his question.

    Thanks to his pinch, which pulled her wandering thoughts back, she put on a sly smile and yfully asked, "Does that mean if Ji Liangchuan hadn¡¯t prepared a fireworks show, you wouldn¡¯t have given me this gift?"

    Caught off guard by the question, He Xing was momentarily stunned, but quickly put on a smile, "My preparation for this has nothing to do with Ji Liangchuan. I just wanted to make you happy."

    Without a doubt, it was a perfect answer, but somehow, Fu Han felt an odd sense of detion, her joy diminishing somewhat.

    Still, she smiled, batting her eyshes yfully, "If you want the truth, I think both the fireworks show and this artificial garden are beautiful. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t like what Ji Liangchuan did at the fireworks show."

    Once again, He Xing¡¯s smile faltered. This wasn¡¯t the response he was hoping for; he had expected Fu Han to prefer his garden over the fireworks. However, Fu Han didn¡¯t y along with his expectations, making him slightly ufortable¡ªespecially since her question had been so surprisingly pointed.

    But no matter, He Xing thought, as long as Fu Han liked what he did, that was what counted. He touched her nose with a finger, "As long as you like it, that¡¯s all that matters. I had bought fireworks and stored them away earlier, but we had to postpone due to you being in the hospital, so I prepared this garden surprise for you instead."

 Chapter 613 - 614: Proposing Again

    <h4>Chapter 613: Chapter 614: Proposing Again</h4><h4></h4>

    "I really like it." Fu Han smiled and leaned her head on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, her smile particrly radiant, "I¡¯m very happy to receive this gift."

    "Then..." a blush shed across He Xing¡¯s face as he coughed unnaturally, "How about I take some photos for you?"

    Fu Han looked at He Xing with some surprise; the He Xing of the past would definitely not have said such a thing.

    A blush passed fleetingly across He Xing¡¯s face; he coughed awkwardly, trying to sound natural as he said, "You always used to ask me to take photos for you, and I was impatient. But I¡¯vee to realize that time flies, and I should take more nice photos of you, so thatter, when we... when we¡¯re both old, we can sit under the grape vines and remember how we looked when we were young."

    Hearing He Xing¡¯s words made Fu Han¡¯s heart soften; he remembered everything.

    The sun was warm today, the sunshine splendid. Although it was winter, it was as warm as spring, especially with the garden full of flowers that made it seem like a fairy¡¯s backyard.

    He Xing did great today; to take photos of Fu Han, he even went upstairs specifically to get her SLR camera. Under He Xing¡¯s doting gaze, Fu Han also took out her makeup bag to touch up her makeup.

    What¡¯s the best kind of affection?

    A thousand people might have a thousand answers, but Fu Han¡¯s answer is that when they are together, they can be immature, they can be childish; they can even do things that others find illogical.

    Today, that¡¯s exactly what they were like¡ªtwo people in their twenties, acting like children, taking photos all over the garden. The poses didn¡¯t matter as long as they were happy with their smiles.

    Upon hearing themotion, old Master He asked Lao Zhou to move a chair onto the corridor for him to sit and sunbathe while watching He Xing and Fu Han busy in the garden.

    At one point, Fu Han pulled him to join their photo-taking, and Lao Zhou used Fu Han¡¯s SLR camera to take many pictures of them.

    Old Master He originally came out to watch the fun, but in the end, he joined in too, and his mood improved greatly.

    After messing around in the garden for the better part of the day, it was not until the servants came to remind them that it was time for lunch that they realized their stomachs had started growling at some unknown point.

    Old Master He waved his hand authoritatively, instructing Lao Zhou to fit the ss wind guards onto the Octagonal Gaze Pavilion, and they decided to eat their meal right there in the pavilion, surrounded by real and fake blossoms.

    Before Fu Han had finished a bowl of rice, old Master He suddenly asked, "Fu Han, do you like our garden as it is now?"

    "I like it." Fu Han stuck out her tongue and smiled endearingly, "Although most of the flowers here are fake, I think fake flowers can be pretty too."

    Old Master He was amused by Fu Han and smiled, giving He Xing a meaningful look before turning back to Fu Han, "Don¡¯t be fooled by its beauty; He Xing actually put a lot of thought into it. Those roses were specially flown in by chartered ne from F Country, arriving this morning."

    "Over there..." old Master He pointed at the morning glory flowers not far from them and said, "You won¡¯t find blooming morning glories this season, so He Xing had someone specially make these fake ones. Don¡¯t think these flowers are simple; actually, they¡¯re hand-crafted replicas of the entire nt. I think it¡¯s quite a hassle, but He Xing said you like them, so he insisted on having them. I don¡¯t understand young people¡¯s affairs, but this is called romance, isn¡¯t it?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face had turned red the moment old Master He started talking, but she remembered every word he said.

    No matter the oue, the effort is what¡¯s most important; what¡¯s more, Fu Han truly liked the gift He Xing had given her.

    Compared to the fleeting fireworks, He Xing had given her a spring season. Yes, she felt He Xing bestowed spring upon her, bringing a beautiful spring right before her eyes.

    She cherished the garden of the moment but even more, she cherished He Xing¡¯s thoughtfulness.

    Fu Han held He Xing¡¯s hand of her own ord, and she confidently told old Master He, "Exactly, Grandpa, that¡¯s what romance is, the romance He Xing has given me."

    If He Xing had any worries that his performance today wasn¡¯t good enough, those concerns now vanishedpletely.

    He patted the back of Fu Han¡¯s hand, then slowly rose to one knee before her, conjuring a ring box from his pocket like magic, "Xiaohan, this is a pink diamond ring I went abroad to buy especially for you. Would you marry me?"

    Fu Han never dreamed He Xing would propose here; no, to be precise, she never expected He Xing would propose again, as she felt marrying He Xing was something destined to happen.

    She looked at the pink diamond, resting quietly in the ring box, about the size of her little finger¡¯s nail. The shape of this pink diamond was somewhat simr to the yellow diamond ring He Xing had used to proposest time, both in the shape of a lotus, just differing in contours.

    "Why are you proposing again?" Fu Han, suddenly yful, did not directly answer He Xing¡¯s question. Instead, she watched him with a mischievous smile, sly as a little fox scampering through the snow.

    Looking at Fu Han like this, He Xing¡¯s heart meltedpletely, "Xiaohan, I want to marry you sooner, but suddenly talking about marriage doesn¡¯t seem quite right, so I made this ring especially for you, hoping... hoping you would marry me soon."

    "Okay." Fu Han agreed without any hesitation, all she had was a sweet smile, "I wouldn¡¯t marry anyone else except you, anyway."

    Old Master He, perhaps not expecting everything to go so smoothly,posed himself and watched Fu Han with a beaming smile, "Then let¡¯s get married, the sooner the better."

    Before Fu Han could speak, old Master He took the lead, "Lao Zhou, go find a master to calcte when would be a good time for them to get married."

    Lao Zhou agreed with a loud voice and trotted off.

    Fu Han wanted to call him back but it was already toote. She could only flush red and say to old Master He, "Grandpa, I... I don¡¯t remember, let¡¯s just eat... eat our meal."

    "Some are in a hurry even if you are not," old Master He chuckled, unabashedly pointing at He Xing, "If you don¡¯t marry He Xing soon, I¡¯m afraid the tight string he¡¯s on is going to snap."

    He Xing¡¯s face turned red, but rather than argue with old Master He, he just looked at Fu Han with an extra touch of fondness, quite unlike his usual self.

    Fu Han, her hand still under the table, gave He Xing¡¯s arm a squeeze. She then addressed old Master He with an exceptionally sweet smile, "Grandpa, I think there¡¯s no rush with the marriage. We couldn¡¯t get marriedst time because everything was too hurried. This time we should be more cautious, deal with all the things we need to, and then consider marriage."

 Chapter 614 - 615: Marry Him Tomorrow

    <h4>Chapter 614: Chapter 615: Marry Him Tomorrow</h4><h4></h4>

    After she had spoken, there was a moment when no one else said a word, only the warm breeze blew by, with a faint coolness, just like the wind thates in springtime.

    The flowers in the garden fluttered gently with the breeze, but there was no sound of wind, leaving even the most beautiful garden with scentless flowers to feel somewhat unreal to the onlookers, as if it were a false world.

    Fu Han saw it clearly, the obvious signs of hurt in He Xing¡¯s eyes; she also saw clearly the disappointment and sadness on the old man He¡¯s face.

    For a moment, Fu Han really wanted to take back what she had just said; she even thought about dering recklessly that as long as it was He Xing, she could marry him tomorrow.

    But, oh, but...

    What Fu Han actually thought of was the phone call He Xing had hung up on their way back, that call from Xia Ning.

    The present Fu Han no longer doubted He Xing¡¯s love, or rather, she had stopped doubting it a long time ago; but judging by actions rather than intentions, He Xing did love her, there was no question, but beside He Xing, there was always a string of burdens, which often made Fu Han feel troubled, and that was why she was not willing to marry He Xing so soon.

    Several long minutes passed, or maybe only a few seconds had gone by.

    A kind smile appeared on old man He¡¯s face, and he patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder infort, "It¡¯s alright, you¡¯re still young, you can have more fun for a few years, after all, you¡¯re not the one who¡¯s in a hurry."

    "Grandpa, whose side are you on?" He Xing, who had been holding himself together, furrowed his brow upon hearing this, "Do you still want grandchildren or not?"

    "Oh, so marrying me is just so you can have children?" Fu Han feigned anger; she felt relieved inside, as the topic could finally be put to rest, "He Xing, let me tell you, I¡¯m not a sow, I don¡¯t want to be a childbearing machine."

    "No, no, that¡¯s not what I meant," He Xing was indeed in a hurry, grabbing Fu Han¡¯s hand in his, saying with unusual seriousness, "Xiaohan, I didn¡¯t think like that, it was Grandpa who said it."

    "You little brat!" The old man He punched He Xing¡¯s shoulder, enraged and ring, "I¡¯ve truly brought you up for nothing, you¡¯re such an ingrate, how can you sell out your grandpa like that?"

    "Grandpa, go easy, it really hurts!" He Xing¡¯s face was wrinkled in pain, suggesting that the punch was indeed forceful, or else he wouldn¡¯t have been in such distress.

    Lightheartedughter and voices filled the Garden,plementing the sun overhead and the dreamlike flowers that surrounded them, creating scenes so beautiful that Fu Han felt they could only belong in dreams.

    Fu Han had a particr habit of being picky with beds, not sleeping well in hospitals; thus, after lunch, she became drowsy and was swinging in the Garden¡¯s swing, about to fall asleep.

    "Xiaohan, go upstairs and sleep, be careful not to catch a cold," came He Xing¡¯s gentle voice by Fu Han¡¯s ear, almost softer than the breeze.

    Fu Han felt her eyelids were heavy, she nodded but refused to budge; she truly wished she could teleport straight to her bed.

    Suddenly, the world spun, and Fu Han¡¯s feet left the ground, her sleepiness greatly diminished as she burst her eyes open, to see He Xing¡¯s face erged before her.

    He Xing had, in fact, picked her up in his arms.

    "Put me down, I can walk by myself!" Fu Han, flustered with a flushed face, was still unustomed to showing such intimacy in front of others, suspecting it of being a show of affection that felt strange.

    "Don¡¯t move around, if you fall, I won¡¯t take care of you," He Xing said, threatening Fu Han as heughed, unfazed.

    Fu Han was truly frightened and immediately clung to He Xing¡¯s neck; only when she saw the amusement in He Xing¡¯s eyes did she realize she had been tricked.

    But He Xing had already stood up, carrying her toward the vi, and without any way to struggle free from He Xing¡¯s embrace for fear of falling, she could only continue to hold onto his neck obediently.

    As they passed through the corridor, old man He was there ying chess with Elder Zhou, and upon seeing them, heughed, "It¡¯s the young folks of today who know how to have fun, back in our day, we didn¡¯t even dare hold hands when we met."

    Fu Han, mortified, wished she could find a hole to crawl into; luckily, from her position, she couldn¡¯t see Grandpa¡¯s facial expression, so she simply buried her head in He Xing¡¯s chest, deciding to go all in.

    Many people think that He Xing¡¯s small face must mean he¡¯s very thin, but He Xing works out every day, and his physique is very good.

    Although He Xing is not the type that¡¯s all muscle, he does have a six-pack; also, he¡¯s the kind where the right ces have the right amount of muscle, and the ces that don¡¯t need it are lean.

    In the past, Fu Han even teased him, saying He Xing¡¯s body was better than many celebrities¡¯ bodies.

    However, three years of living abroad made Fu Han stop making such semi-meaty jokes, and even after returning to the country, when she asionally saw He Xing¡¯s body, she couldn¡¯t admire it enough; she almost wished she could just find a hole to crawl into.

    Now, with her head resting on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, Fu Han distinctly felt He Xing¡¯s broad shoulders, strong arms, and solid chest muscles.

    Her face grew redder and her heartbeat faster, unconsciously imagining the night of the bridal chamber.

    Isn¡¯t that how they show it in TV dramas? On the wedding night, the groom lifts the bride¡¯s red veil, carries her horizontally toward the bedroom.

    While the typical TV drama won¡¯t film what happens next, it leaves viewers with a lot of room for imagination, naturally filling in that what follows must be passionate, a tangled embrace until death.

    The vi¡¯s heating was turned up high, releasing He Xing¡¯s scent.

    Fu Han knew that He Xing rarely used perfume, yet there was always a kind of fragrance about him, light, a bit like the scent of shampoo or shower gel, but also mixed with a scent that matched He Xing¡¯s temperament, the aroma of male hormones, and it smelled good.

    She was already sleepy, and now lying in He Xing¡¯s arms made her feel even more like her head was full of mush, and she only knew to stay still and rely on He Xing¡¯s chest.

    Finally, they reached Fu Han¡¯s room, and He Xing bent down to ce Fu Han on the bed while he squatted in front of her, reaching for her chest.

    Fu Han, startled, pped He Xing¡¯s hand away, on high alert, "What are you doing?"

    Instead of getting angry, He Xing burst outughing, "I¡¯m helping you undress, do you want to sleep with your coat on?"

    "I..." Fu Han¡¯s face turned crimson, she felt she had just lost so much face, and said huffily, "You don¡¯t need to help, I can undress myself, I¡¯m going to sleep now, you can leave."

 Chapter 615 - 616: Sharing the Same Bed and Pillow

    <h4>Chapter 615: Chapter 616: Sharing the Same Bed and Pillow</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing did not insist further but rose from his seat with a smile. Smiling, he walked towards the door, then... under Fu Han¡¯s gaze, he turned around at the end of the bed with a smile, made a detour to the other side of the bed, and casually sat down on it.

    Feeling the bed shake, Fu Han¡¯s face turned even redder, and she said angrily, "What are you doing? I¡¯m going to sleep."

    "I¡¯m going to sleep too," He Xing said as he began to undo the buttons of his shirt, speaking naturally, "After all, we¡¯ve been sleeping like this in the hospital. You should be used to it by now."

    When Fu Han was hospitalized, He Xing did indeed spend the first night dutifully sleeping on the sofa; but from the second night on, he started making various excuses to join Fu Han in bed.

    Such as the sofa being too cold, or iming he was just temporarily keeping herpany in bed until she fell asleep and then he would leave, any excuse Fu Han could or could not think of he conjured up, desperately finding ways to sleep beside her in bed.

    Fu Han initially struggled fiercely, but then she realized no matter what, she could not oust He Xing with his thick skin. So, eventually, she gave up the struggle and tacitly allowed He Xing to sleep in the bed.

    That said, it was onlyst night that Fu Han truly gave up resisting, because she figured there was no need for all the fuss since she was being discharged today.

    After all, she didn¡¯t believe He Xing would dare to be so shameless once they got home.

    It turned out Fu Han was wrong, He Xing indeed could be so shameless. Today, not only did he propose, but he also carried her in his arms like a princess in front of Grandpa He, and now he was brazenly sitting on her bed, intending to nap together with her.

    Fu Han rubbed her forehead in agony and said helplessly, "You... you go out first. Let me change my clothes, and then you cane back in."

    "I¡¯m not falling for that." By then, He Xing had already taken off his outer clothes and slipped adeptly under Fu Han¡¯s quilt with a grin that showed his teeth but not his eyes: "I know if I go out, you¡¯ll definitely lock the door immediately. Would I still have a chance toe in?"

    Having her ploy exposed, Fu Han was so infuriated that she trembled, yet she was utterly helpless.

    He Xing had already resumed speaking, "If you want to change clothes, you could go to your dressing room. That¡¯s the ce for you to change."

    Fu Han¡¯sst trick was defeated by He Xing, and she stared at him furiously, wondering if there was any way she could throw this man, who was over 1.8 meters tall, out with her own strength.

    The result was negative, in the face of her almost 1.7 meters, she was so delicate.

    He Xing then pulled the quilt up to his chin, revealing only an innocent face as he looked at Fu Han: "Xiaohan,st night you kept kicking your quilt off, and I woke up several times to cover you. I¡¯m really tired, would youe and sleep with me for a bit? I promise not to misbehave."

    Fu Han¡¯s heart immediately melted. Dropping the line, "You sleep first, I¡¯m going to change," she then went to her own dressing room.

    She had a habit of always wearing pajamas to sleep; otherwise, she felt ufortable all over.

    As she shut the door to the dressing room, He Xing shouted extra loudly, "Xiaohan, be quick. Don¡¯t keep me waiting too long."

    Changing clothes only took a few minutes, but by the time Fu Han returned, He Xing had already closed his eyes.

    Given how unpredictable He Xing had been over the past couple of days, she didn¡¯t know if he was genuinely asleep or faking, so at first, she didn¡¯t pay him any mind, merely walked over to her side of the bed, blushed, and gently lifted the quilt to sit down.

    But after waiting for two minutes without He Xing stirring, she thought he might actually be asleep, and she leaned forward slightly to take a closer look.

    So close, there wasn¡¯t a single w on He Xing¡¯s face; if you didn¡¯t look carefully, you¡¯d think his skin was so perfect it had no pores.

    Fu Hany on the bed, covering herself with the quilt, propped up on her elbows, staring at He Xing.

    His eyshes were so long, and extremely dense, like they were fake; and then there were his lips...

    Fu Han touched them lightly with her hand. She looked down at her clean fingertips, no trace of lipstick, and couldn¡¯t help but smile gently. This man was barefaced yet seemed to have a visage that bore makeup.

    In the future, if anyone said that fate was not biased, she decided to bring that person to see He Xing, who had such a perfect face, was so smart, and had such strong working capabilities¡ªit was as if all the good things in the world had been given to him.

    She was extremely tired, but looking at He Xing, sleep escaped her. She even thought it would be nice to keep staring at him like this¡ªafter all, it was pleasing to the eyes, wasn¡¯t it?

    Suddenly, a smile appeared at the corner of He Xing¡¯s lips, and Fu Han mentally cursed her luck. Before He Xing could open his eyes, she flipped over and copsed onto the bed.

    She knew she had been tricked again, but this time she nned to brazen it out, after all, it was He Xing who had tricked her first.

    And sure enough, the next second, He Xing¡¯s hand reached over, urately resting on Fu Han¡¯s waist, his voice apanied byughter: "You were watching quite intently just now, why pretend to be asleep now?"

    Fu Han felt the hand on her waist, scorching like a branding iron, imbuing an unusual sensation.

    She heard her heartbeat grow stronger, craving to move, yet she dared not, for she keenly felt He Xing¡¯s face just above her own, his breath softly falling on her face.

    Minutes passed, or perhaps less than that, before He Xing¡¯s long arm wrapped around her, pulling Fu Han into his embrace, kissing her hair: "Okay, no more teasing, let¡¯s go to sleep."

    Fu Han¡¯s back rested against He Xing¡¯s chest; she could clearly feel his strong heartbeat; she could also sense her own thumping.

    Gradually, their heartbeats melded into one, eventually syncing up as if sharing the same beat.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart became calm. Like an unborn baby tucked in He Xing¡¯s arms, she was tightly enveloped by him.

    It seemed like since her mother¡¯s death, Fu Han had never felt such a sense of security, that all-epassing feeling,yer uponyer, like donning heavy armor, impervious to any assault.

    A smile unconsciously formed on her face. She moved slightly, settled into afortable position, and fell into a deep sleep.

    ...

    In the darkest corner of the Cafe, at a table that could seat four, there sat two patrons with waist-length hair, dressed impably in woollen coats that glowed with a faint halo, clearly of great value.

 Chapter 616 - 617: Room for Maneuver

    <h4>Chapter 616: Chapter 617: Room for Maneuver</h4><h4></h4>

    Facing the door sat Qin Nuan, d in a dark green wool coat. She seemed to have a particr fondness for such shades, and it had to be said, she looked indeed stunning in it.

    Her voluminous curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, every tip seemingly exuding gentleness.

    Xia Ning was dressed in a light pink woolen garment. Although she looked attractive, next to Qin Nuan, she appeared rather petty, especially with the day¡¯s outfit which carried a hint of trying to look younger.

    Before long, the server brought over their coffee and desserts. The fragrance of the hot coffee wafted through the air, bringing with it a mild warmth amidst the swirling steam.

    Qin Nuan pinched a golden Petal Spoon between two fingers, stirring her coffee deliberately.

    She slightly bowed her head, the light from a dim, amber-huedntern above casting a glow upon her.

    As much as Xia Ning hated to admit it, she couldn¡¯t deny that Qin Nuan was very beautiful. Among all the women Xia Ning knew, perhaps only Fu Han¡¯s beauty could rival Qin Nuan¡¯s, or maybe Bai Wei¡¯s.

    But the three of them were of different styles. Qin Nuan radiated a seductive charm, like the vivid, golden fruits of autumn, so luscious they made one long for a taste.

    Although Bai Wei¡¯s features fell slightly shortpared to the other two, she possessed a unique aura that beautifully merged girlish naivet¨¦ with a spirited elegance; Xia Ning had never seen such an aura on anyone else, which might well be why Bai Wei became a superstar.

    As for Fu Han, she was the girl with the delicate features, yet she exuded a faint aloofness. To put it nicely, it was a sort of cold elegance, but in Xia Ning¡¯s own words, Fu Han was just putting on airs.

    Truth be told, Xia Ning didn¡¯t like any of those three women.

    She looked at Qin Nuan with evident hostility, "Just say it, what exactly do you need to let my brother go?"

    Although Xia Ning knew that Xia Guoxiong had already approached Qin Nuan, she still refused to give up;tely, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s attitude toward her had noticeably worsened, which made her anxious.

    Originally, Xia Ning hadn¡¯t been particrly concerned about Xia Cheng¡¯s affairs; after all, if only she knew, Xia Cheng had forced himself upon several girls already.

    But those girls were all hushed with money by Xia Cheng or Xia Guoxiong, never bringing the incidents to light.

    Qin Nuan, however, was different. After Xia Cheng left that day, she went straight to the police, supposedly carrying with her the house¡¯s surveince footage which clearly showed Qin Nuan resisting throughout; Xia Cheng had vited her will and forced himself upon her.

    Xia Guoxiong had sought a renownedwyer for the case, but after examining the situation, thewyer outright refused, saying the evidence was rock-solid. Unless time could be rewound to stop Xia Cheng, there was no solution.

    Before leaving, thewyer told Xia Guoxiong that since it was he who tied the bell, only he could untie it. If Qin Nuan was willing to drop the charges and resolve things privately, Xia Cheng might not be entirely without hope.

    Therefore, although Xia Ning knew her father had repeatedly failed, she still arranged a meeting with Qin Nuan.

    Thinking of this, Xia Ning sighed deeply within her heart. She spoke in the calmest voice she could muster, "Qin Nuan, I believe you know why I asked you out."

    "I know." Qin Nuan elegantly lifted her coffee cup with two fingers and took a sip, smiling at Xia Ning in a way that suggested she was done talking.

    Her demeanor fueled a fire in Xia Ning, a sensation of being overpowered by Qin Nuan.

    Xia Ning bit her lip, suppressed the rising anger, and spoke, "You agreeing to meet me indicates there¡¯s still a chance to turn things around for my brother, right?"

    "Of course," Qin Nuan replied with a smile, as captivating as the red of a sunset that bathes the sky in hues of crimson, extremely dazzling, "I made my demands clear long ago, just get He Xing to back off from Lixing, and I can let Xia Cheng off."

    Xia Ning took a deep breath and despite trying to hold back, spoke impatiently, "If we could have done it, we would have by now. The problem is that slut Fu Han disagrees, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it."

    "Fu Han disagrees?" Qin Nuan took interest, lifting her hand to admire her freshly done nails, shaking her head with feigned regret, "Then there¡¯s nothing to be done. If Lixing can¡¯t get out, let Xia Cheng keep himpany. After all, they know each other, it¡¯s better to havepany."

    "You!" Xia Ning trembled with rage, her beautiful face aze with fury, "Don¡¯t be so self-righteous. Haven¡¯t you slept with Xia Cheng before? Why are you insisting on suing him this time?"

    Her voice was loud. Although the Cafe was not crowded, the cleaning server still overheard and nced their way.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s expression instantly hardened, and after a few seconds, she red viciously at Xia Ning, "Who I sleep with and when is my right. Xia Cheng broke into my home and forced himself on me; it¡¯s all on camera. Since you think he¡¯s done nothing wrong, go tell that to the judge."

    "I..." Xia Ning¡¯s building momentum immediately faltered. She loathed Qin Nuan so much it made her teeth itch, yet frustratingly, she was the one needing favors.

    She gulped down her coffee in one go and then said in the calmest voice she could, "Qin Nuan, there¡¯s really no need for us to be at such loggerheads. We could very well cooperate in another manner, right?"

    "What way?" Qin Nuan smirked, not without sarcasm, "Are you talking about money?"

    "No." A faint smile touched Xia Ning¡¯s lips, appearing as if she had gained the upper hand as she watched Qin Nuan with amusement, "Qin Xiaonian is also a form of currency for us to trade with, isn¡¯t she?"

    At the mention of "Qin Xiaonian," Qin Nuan¡¯splexion immediately changed, her pupils involuntarily dting and her voice starting to tremble, "What... What are you talking about, I don¡¯t know."

    "You don¡¯t know?" The power firmly in her grasp, Xia Ning looked meaningfully at Qin Nuan, "You think because you changed your household registration, I wouldn¡¯t know? Such a matter only takes a little investigation by a private detective to beid bare."

    Without response, Qin Nuan red at Xia Ning with eyes full of hatred, as if wishing she could rip Xia Ning apart; her deepest secret was now exposed by Xia Ning, and under such circumstances, no less.

    Under such a daunting gaze, Xia Ning was not the least bit intimidated. On the contrary, her smile only brightened, "So of course I came here prepared today. I¡¯ll assume your love for Yi Lixing is genuine, but you can¡¯t just neglect your own sister, can you?"

    "What do you want to do?" Qin Nuan frowned, her eyes fixating on Xia Ning like a beast eyeing its prey, barely containing her loathing.

 Chapter 617 - 618: The Game of Switching People

    <h4>Chapter 617: Chapter 618: The Game of Switching People</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile gleefully, sensing that she finally had the upper hand, or perhaps, feeling that she had atst endured through several days of being repressed.

    She curled her fingers and rhythmically tapped on the table, her smile extraordinarily joyful, "Qin Nuan, since it¡¯s all a game of exchanging people, using Xia Cheng to swap with Qin Xiaonian should be okay, right? Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯te to Xia Group to save your sister Qin Xiaonian? Or are you saying that having a man means you no longer care about your own sister?"

    Qin Nuan trembled with rage, but she couldn¡¯t find the words to speak.

    Indeed, as Xia Ning had pointed out, Qin Nuan hade to Xia Group to save Qin Xiaonian. If Yi Lixing hadn¡¯t been incarcerated, she would certainly have chosen to save Qin Xiaonian this time.

    But the problem was that now Yi Lixing was also facing charges, increasing the number of people she needed to save to two, yet she only had Xia Cheng as leverage...

    Suddenly, a lightning bolt of an idea struck her mind, and her face, once filled with anger, became calm, "Xia Ning, don¡¯t get too smug. I have your transfer records. If I hand them over to the police, not only will your brother have to stay inside, but you will too, right?"

    "What do you want to do?" Xia Ning¡¯s face changed dramatically, looking at Qin Nuan as if she was insane, "If you turn me in, you won¡¯t be able to escape involvement either, since I assigned those tasks to you. Think it through clearly, unless you¡¯re willing to join me inside."

    "Why not?" Qin Nuan smiled faintly, her beautiful face disying a kind of do-or-die courage, "If Yi Lixing can¡¯t get out, there¡¯s no point for me staying outside. I might as well go in and be with my sister. Just that..."

    She startedughing at that point, a chilling, sinisterugh that could easily pass for a demon¡¯s, "Just that your time inside will definitely be much longer than ours; and you like He Xing so much, do you think he¡¯d still respect you after he sees your true colors?"

    With each word, Xia Ning¡¯s face grew a shade paler until Qin Nuan finished speaking, and Xia Ning¡¯s face had bepletely ashen. In contrast, Qin Nuan¡¯s smile grew brighter and more beautiful.

    Qin Nuan slowly stood up, ced her hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and whispered to Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, I have a lot of things in my hand that you wouldn¡¯t want He Xing to see. If you want me to destroy them, you better obediently get my sister out."

    "Don¡¯t try to scare me; I won¡¯t be intimidated," Xia Ning said, even as her uncontrobly darting eyes betrayed her true thoughts.

    "Don¡¯t believe me?" Qin Nuan smiled again, her smile as radiant as a blooming rose, "You probably don¡¯t know that to win me over, your brother gave me something. Among them were videos of you and Yang Kaitai in bed, tsk tsk tsk..."

    She lowered her head, looking meaningfully at Xia Ning, "What were you saying about me earlier? That I should be ashamed to say I like Yi Lixing after sleeping with so many people? What about you? You seemed pretty happy under Yang Kaitai, yet you shamelessly say you like He Xing?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned scarlet in an instant. Originally, when Yang Kaitai was caught buying his position and attacked Fu Han online, and it all came out, Xia Ning had sought him out, begging him to take the fall for everything.

    Once Yang Kaitai was out of prison, he demanded Xia Ning¡¯s body aspensation; Xia Ning didn¡¯t dare resist because the leverage was in Yang Kaitai¡¯s hands.

    This incident had always been the most humiliating thing in Xia Ning¡¯s heart, and that¡¯s why sheter painstakingly gathered evidence of Yang Kaitai¡¯s crimes, finally sending Yang Kaitai back to jail on the day they were engaged.

    However, this was only a temporary solution, since Yang Kaitai would being back out in a few years.

    To keep Yang Kaitai stable, Xia Ning had to visit him in jail regrly and even promised to marry him once he was released.

    Initially, Yang Kaitai suspected that Xia Ning was the one who had him sent to jail again. He had thought about exposing the Xia Family¡¯s deeds.

    But Xia Ning was just too good at ying innocent, and besides, Yang Kaitai was hopelessly in love with her. Thus, after several rounds of Xia Ning¡¯s brainwashing, Yang Kaitai genuinely believed that Xia Ning loved him too and would wait for him.

    Eventually, Yang Kaitai stopped listening to his own father and didn¡¯t speak a word about the illegal activities of the Xia Family, opting to take all the me on himself.

    There was still a potential risk, though. Yang Kaitai wouldn¡¯t be out anytime soon, but what if he were released early on reduced sentence?

    So, Xia Ning was eager to marry He Xing. She felt that once she married him, she wouldn¡¯t have to fear Yang Kaitai¡¯s return; with He Xing¡¯s protection, Yang Kaitai couldn¡¯t do anything to her.

    With these thoughts, Xia Ning¡¯s face underwent a tremendous change as she coldly said to Qin Nuan, "Stop trying to scare me. I don¡¯t believe my brother would give you such things. I¡¯ve never filmed stuff like that, you¡¯re bluffing."

    "Never filmed?" Qin Nuan chuckled and, taking out her phone, began to tap on it, "I knew you¡¯d say that, so let me send you something for a look."

    Xia Ning¡¯s phone pinged with a few small videos from Qin Nuan. She casually opened one and immediately shut it after just a nce.

    Just as Qin Nuan said, the video indeed depicted Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai¡¯s intimate moments.

    Then came Qin Nuan¡¯s gloating voice, "Xia Ning, you never expected this, right? Yang Kaitai recorded this and gave it to your brother, who himself gave it to me, suggesting that I learn from you how to be more seductive in bed, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have this nice material."

    Xia Ning clenched her teeth in hatred but was powerless against Qin Nuan. She hadpletely lost the upper hand and was utterly controlled by Qin Nuan.

    Then Qin Nuan¡¯s voice resonated again, "Xia Ning, what do you think would happen if I sent these to He Xing? Do you think you and He Xing will still have a chance?"

    "What exactly do you want?" Xia Ning ground out, every word seething with anger.

    Qin Nuan idly stroked her chin, her smile even wider, "It¡¯s very simple. I have just two requests. First, Qin Xiaonian was framed by you and sent to jail; you need to get her out. Second, no matter what you do, Yi Lixing must be released too."

    The sun still dangled far in the sky, emitting no warmth, one might even say it was bone-chillingly cold.

    Xia Ning remained dressed in her light pink woolen clothes, with her egg-curled hair as meticulous as ever, yet she appeared like a soulless, exquisite doll.

 Chapter 618 - 619 - Marry Me Earlier

    <h4>Chapter 618: Chapter 619 - Marry Me Earlier</h4><h4></h4>

    Step by step, she walked forward, the sparklepletely gone from herrge eyes.

    Xia Ning stood on the street, looking around, feeling the world so vast yet without a ce for herself¡ªthere was a moment when she even felt that she should not havee into this world.

    Upon reflection, it seemed she had not received much love in her life.

    When her mother was around, she truly loved her, and children with mothers were indeed fortunate. Xia Ning was dressed like a princess every day, and she was the most popr child in the yard where they lived.

    But after her mother left, Xia Guoxiong, busy with his work and having no time to take care of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, simply hired a nanny to look after them.

    The nanny, who was in her forties or fifties, despised Xia Ning¡¯s hair for being difficult to manage and cut it off to sell,ter telling Xia Guoxiong that it was Xia Cheng who had cut it.

    Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, frightened by the nanny, knew it was pointless toin, as the more they did, the harsher the beatings became, and so Xia Ning¡¯s long hair was never spoken of again.

    The hair cutting was just the beginning; the nanny, not in the mood to dress Xia Ning, would hastily throw clothes on her, leading to a sheer drop in her looks¡ªsoon, the other children in the yard stopped ying with her and shifted their attention to other pretty little girls.

    When did the situation begin to change? It happened roughly the day Grandfather He unexpectedly brought He Xing to visit them.

    Xia Guoxiong was, as always, not at home, leaving only the nanny to look after the siblings. Coincidentally, that day Xia Cheng mischievously broke something, prompting the nanny to beat him with a broom.

    The younger Xia Ning was terrified and burst into tears; annoyed, the nanny, without a word, beat her as well.

    This scene was, by chance, witnessed by Grandfather He and his group. Under Grandfather He¡¯smand, Old Zhou taught the nanny a lesson, and then called to bring Xia Guoxiong back home.

    Grandfather He was livid, questioning Xia Guoxiong on his way of parenting.

    It was also then that Xia Guoxiong found out what his children endured daily. He appeared heartbroken, but more than that, heined about being too busy with work to care for them, which he med for their plight.

    That day Grandfather He took Xia Cheng and Xia Ning back to the He Family estate, saying Xia Guoxiong could retrieve the children once he¡¯d found a reliable nanny.

    From that day on, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning lived at the He Family home for a full half-year; if not for the Spring Festival, it¡¯s likely Xia Guoxiong would have kept the children there even longer.

    Honestly, even after many years, Xia Ning¡¯s most cherished memories are still those six months spent with the He family. Grandfather He was very kind to her and Xia Cheng¡ªnot as much as Fu Han, but still very, very kind.

    As for He Xing, since they were the daughters of Du Wanting, he always acted like a big brother to them, taking care of every little thing.

    Perhaps it was precisely because those six months were too beautiful that Xia Ning became so firmly infatuated with He Xing and resolved to marry him.

    Without exaggeration, the He family was Xia Ning¡¯s Utopia¡ªher lifelong dream, and only by marrying into the He family would she feel like a true princess.

    With these thoughts, Xia Ning felt as if she had been injected with a shot of adrenaline¡ªshe knew that even though Qin Nuan held incriminating information on her, as long as Qin Nuan needed something from her, there was still room for negotiation.

    Xia Ning took out her cellphone and dialed a number; a few minutester, she hung up with a cruel smile on her lips.

    ...

    The Spring Festival vacation passed quickly, and for Fu Han it felt like the progress bar had been set at double speed¡ªbefore she had even had time to enjoy it, the vacation was over.

    Actually, this Spring Festival was the most boring one Fu Han had ever experienced because this year they had not gone on a trip, and even after being discharged from the hospital, she hadn¡¯t left Lanwan Mountain once.

    But this Spring Festival turned out to be the happiest one Fu Han had ever had from childhood; the world suddenly seemed simpler, with just Grandfather He, He Xing, and her¡ªeveryone she loved.

    The only trouble was that He Xing would try every possible way to slip into Fu Han¡¯s room to sleep each night.

    At first, Fu Han was worried about the grandfather finding out and adamantly refused; but after an incident where He Xing almost fell off the balcony trying to get in, Fu Han didn¡¯t dare to tly rebuff him anymore. She had to "reluctantly" agree to let He Xing into her room.

    The vast He Family vi was like a tiny fermenting vessel, and the news that He Xing was staying in Fu Han¡¯s room spread through the entire house instantly.

    Many servants looked at Fu Han differently¡ªnot with mockery, but with an amiable yet teasing gaze, although it seemed like a silent agreement as none mentioned it openly.

    Only one person was the exception, and that was the esteemed Grandfather He of the He Family, who specially instructed the cook to prepare more dishes rich in protein during a breakfast.

    He also spoke with meaningful depth to He Xing, advising him to be temperate and not over-indulge at such a young age, neglecting his health.

    When he said this, Fu Han felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole; how had she not noticed He Xing¡¯s dark circles? Before she could look for a hiding ce, she carefully examined He Xing and indeed, there was a faint bruise under his eyes.

    She tried to signal with her eyes for He Xing to exin, to rify that what was between them was innocent, that they had kept that final line intact.

    But even though He Xing clearly received Fu Han¡¯s message, he answered in such an obedient manner, "Okay, Grandpa, I got it, I¡¯ll be careful,"

    That¡¯s it, Fu Han felt like it was no longer about finding a crack in the ground but wishing she could just hit her head on a block of tofu and be done with it.

    Later, when she confronted He Xing about it, he put on an irresistibly pitiful face: "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve told you, grandpa dreams of holding a great-grandchild, and yes, we are innocent, but can¡¯t we give him a little hope, right?"

    Fu Han felt He Xing was terribly wrong but believed there was nothing wrong with giving the grandfather a bit of hope. She sincerely wished for Grandfather He to live a long and healthy life.

    Meanwhile, He Xing continued his gentle persuasion, "Xiaohan, besides, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to exin, it¡¯s that if I did, it would be no use, like trying to wash clean in the Yellow River. Do you want me to tell grandpa that I have dark circles because I¡¯m tormented at night, struggling with desires but untouchable?"

    Fu Han almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She punched him straight in the chest, wishing she could bury him in the dirt.

    However, He Xing waspletely oblivious to thendmines he had stepped on multiple times. He grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand while continuing a topic he¡¯d repeated several times over thest few days: "Xiaohan, you¡¯re still young, I know, but I¡¯m not anymore. In a few years, I won¡¯t be much of a catch, won¡¯t you consider marrying me sooner rather thanter?"

 Chapter 619 - 620: Sweet Vacation

    <h4>Chapter 619: Chapter 620: Sweet Vacation</h4><h4></h4>

    Every time it came to this, Fu Han would wonder if the person standing before her was really who they appeared to be¡ªwas it truly He Xing?

    The He Xing of the past would have never uttered such words, not even slightly gentle ones, let alone so tantly shameless now. It seemed he had reached new heights in his trickery.

    Although it wasn¡¯t to the point of being peerless in his attitude, Fu Han found it unforgettable at the very least.

    Even though Fu Han wasn¡¯t as adept at ying dirty as He Xing, she remained steadfast in her own principles. No matter how alluring He Xing¡¯s words, her stance was unwavering: marriage was possible, but definitely not now.

    In the end, neither could persuade the other. Dragging their feet, the Spring Festival holiday thus came to an end.

    However, although they didn¡¯te to an agreement about marriage, at least they spent an exceptionally clingy Spring Festival together¡ªto the point where even Old Master He couldn¡¯t stand to watch.

    They would sleep in every day until it was almost lunchtime when they woke up. After lunch, Fu Han would either go out with her camera to capture scenes or sunbathe in the garden.

    Whenever Fu Han did this, He Xing would be her tag-along. Wherever she went, he followed; if she sat down, he made sure to sit right next to her. In short, he was determined not to be apart from her.

    Initially, Old Master He admired He Xing¡¯s clinginess, but eventually, he couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore. Each time He Xing acted like a tag-along, the old man would tactfully switch locations with Old Zhou to y chess or drink tea elsewhere, far from their presence.

    Today marked thest day of the Spring Festival holiday, as well as the day Fu Han would leave Lanwan Mountain Vi to stay at Huating No. 1.

    Truth be told, Fu Han had grown ustomed to the conjoined days she shared with He Xing and was actually somewhat reluctant to leave the He family.

    But there was no helping it. Nan Qing, like clockwork, reminded Fu Han to return to Huating No. 1 with the regrity of three meals a day. She also tempted Fu Han with various delicious foods, promising to cook for her upon her return to Huating No. 1.

    Indeed, Nan Qing hadn¡¯t been idle over her Spring Festival holiday. She had been learning how to cook with the family chef at home.

    Passion is the best teacher, and although it had only been for a short seven days, due to Nan Qing¡¯s diligent learning day and night, her cooking had reached the point where it was quite presentable.

    Having never tasted Nan Qing¡¯s cooking, Fu Han could only judge from the increasingly appetizing appearance that Nan Qing¡¯s culinary skills were getting better, and Nan Qing herself was bursting with confidence, always praising her own achievements. It made Fu Han go from initially doubting her cooking skills to now looking forward to them.

    When Fu Han opened her eyes today, as usual, she woke up in He Xing¡¯s arms.

    Unlike before, where Fu Han would normally wake up before He Xing did, today she opened her eyes to fall into a pair of eyes as bright as cold stars.

    With such close proximity between them, Fu Han clearly felt the breath exhaled from He Xing, causing her face to immediately blush.

    Fu Han blushed easily. In spite of waking up next to He Xing every day for some time, she still blushed every time she saw him.

    "What¡¯s wrong, have a fever?" He Xing asked with his mouth, though his face showed none of the concern his words suggested; instead, he deliberately touched Fu Han¡¯s cheek and leaned in closer.

    Just as He Xing¡¯s lips were about to touch Fu Han¡¯s, she covered her mouth with her hand and murmured drowsily, "Don¡¯t kiss, I haven¡¯t brushed my teeth."

    "I don¡¯t mind." He Xing moved his hand and easily pried Fu Han¡¯s hand away.

    Gentle morning kisses rained down intensely as if a shower of petals surrounded her, Fu Han thought as she closed her eyes.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for her inability to breathe, that long kiss might have never ended.

    Unsurprisingly, by the time they both got ready and went downstairs, the kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of food¡ªit was almost lunchtime.

    Lunch started soon, as always, rich and made up entirely of dishes that Fu Han liked.

    Regarding this, Fu Han felt a bit embarrassed. She was a picky eater, perhaps even more so than the average person. There were very few dishes she liked and many she disliked; moreover, she was stubborn to the core¡ªif she didn¡¯t like a dish, no matter how much you forced her, she would absolutely refuse to take a single bite.

    But on the flip side, she wasn¡¯t particrly fussy with food she did like; even if they weren¡¯t prepared very well, she would still be willing to eat them.

    In contrast, food was merely a necessity to fill their stomachs for Old Master He and He Xing, without any other significance.

    So, whenever Fu Han was at home, the chef only needed to cater to her pte; and when she wasn¡¯t around, the dishes prepared by the chef were mainly about the vor.

    Old Master He sat at the head of the table as usual, with Fu Han and He Xing sitting opposite each other. Following Old Master He¡¯smand, Old Zhou took a seat at the end of the table.

    With a table full of delicious food, Fu Han¡¯s stomach cooperatively rumbled loudly.

    Old Master He looked at Fu Han with affection and chuckled, then gave the order, "Everyone, start eating," and served Fu Han a piece of her favorite salt and pepper fish fillet.

    The rules at the He family were strict. No one could touch their chopsticks until an elder said to start eating, there was no scrambling for dishes in the dishware; you had to eat whatever you picked up. Moreover, there was no talking during meals; if you wanted to speak, you had to finish the food in your mouth first.

    "Thank you, Grandpa," Fu Han sweetly replied. She bit into the fish fillet, finding it delightfully crispy on the outside and tender inside¡ªjust the way she liked it. She enjoyed her meal with particr zeal.

    Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw He Xing watching her, and the lingering kiss from earlier shed through her mind.

    Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly served He Xing a piece of fish fillet, chiding him softly, "Eat your meal, don¡¯t look around when eating."

    He Xing chuckled, but he said nothing, obediently taking small bites of the fish fillet.

    Before long, the chef brought out the freshly made chicken soup. Old Master He put down his chopsticks and asked nonchntly, "Is everything prepared for thedy ready?"

    "Master, rest assured, everything has been sorted out. When thedy leavester, she can just take them with her," the chef replied promptly, with a sincere smile on her honest face.

    "Well, that¡¯s good," Old Master He nodded.

    Fu Han listened, utterly confused. With innocent eyes, she looked toward Old Master He, "Grandpa, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand a single word you¡¯re saying."

 Chapter 620 - 621: Grandfatherâ€™s Care

    <h4>Chapter 620: Chapter 621: Grandfather¡¯s Care</h4><h4></h4>

    "A few days ago, I saw you seemed to enjoy preserved sausage and meat, so I thought when you move to Huating No.1, no one will be there to cook for you. That¡¯s why I had the cook prepare some in advance for you. When the timees, you can cook it yourself," Grandfather He said with an exceptionally benevolent smile. "Although these things aren¡¯t much, right now many restaurants aren¡¯t open yet. Taking some food back with you, you won¡¯t have to worry about going hungry."

    These words truly moved Fu Han to the verge of tears. She had lost her parents at a young age, but Grandfather He had raised her alone, taking on the role of both father and mother. Now he was still concerned about whether she would have meals once she returned to Huating No.1.

    But in fact, she wasn¡¯t particrly fond of preserved meat or sausage; thest few times were simply because she hadn¡¯t had them in a while and had eaten a bit more out of curiosity.

    However, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t say such things out loud.

    She smiled sweetly at Grandfather He, "Thank you, Grandpa. Take good care of yourself at home. I wille back to visit you every weekend."

    "Very good, very good." Grandfather He showed no signs of sorrow from the farewell, smiling with great happiness. "No wonder they say girls are like ¡¯sweet little jackets¡¯ close to the heart. Fu Han is much more sensible than He Xing."

    Suddenly put on the spot, He Xing¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at them, his expression all but spelling out, "What does this have to do with me?"

    Fu Han covered her mouth andughed, her delight in He Xing¡¯s misfortune all too apparent.

    Grandfather He thought for a moment and pointed to He Xing, saying, "Didn¡¯t you buy an apartment right across from Fu Han? You should move in and live with her."

    "I..." He Xing¡¯s response was cut short after a single word, not that he was unwilling to talk, but because he felt intimidated by the presence of others, with some things better left unsaid. In the end, all he could muster was, "The ce there isn¡¯t ready. I¡¯ll move in once it¡¯s sorted out."

    Actually, He Xing himself was adamant about moving in with Fu Han to Huating No.1, but had been firmly rejected by her.

    There were two reasons for Fu Han¡¯s refusal. One was that she felt Grandfather He, being advanced in years, neededpany and having He Xing at home would be good for conversation. The other reason was that she felt the trio of herself, Nan Qing, and Wang Yixuan were already enough trouble; adding He Xing to the mix would surely turn their world upside down.

    So, despite He Xing¡¯s persistent attempts to convince her to let him move with her to Huating No.1, Fu Han¡¯s stance was incredibly firm, and she refused.

    It wasn¡¯t until Fu Han truly got angry that He Xing reluctantly gave up on the idea of moving to Huating No.1 with her.

    As for whether He Xing should move to Huating No.1, Fu Han had mixed feelings about it. She had told him the reasons she was willing to express, but there were also those she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say.

    She felt that the situation with Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan was alreadyplicated enough; at this stage, she just wanted to help stabilize Nan Qing¡¯s emotions. But if He Xing moved in too, she¡¯d have to deal with her own romantic entanglements, fearing life would be aplete mess.

    ...

    Airport

    Another international flightnded on schedule, and soon a throng of people emerged, each face beaming with smiles.

    If Fu Han were here, she would instantly recognize that this group was full of acquaintances. But if she were here, she¡¯d also be surprised¡ªwhy was someone who had agreed to return in a week already back?

    Today¡¯s arrivals included Bai Wei¡¯s family of three and the Luo Qinghe family of five, who were holidaying in M Country, along with He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s Assistants Liang Tao and Zhao Ting.

    Li Huazhi had the cars ready early on, with ten people heading off in three vehicles to different destinations.

    Today marked the end of Liang Tao¡¯s Spring Festival holiday, so his return was a must. The businesses in M Country were on track, and Fu Xingbo had found reliable managers to take care of the Studio for Fu Han and Su Cheng, so everything was manageable.

    As for Bai Wei¡¯s early return, it was due to her agent signing her up for a film project against her wishes, which was about to begin shooting soon. Her professionalism wouldn¡¯t allow her to dy work.

    So they had to change their ns ande back to their home country ahead of schedule.

    As for the Luo Qinghe family, they nned to return with Bai Wei¡¯s family, naturally having no objections, and so the group returned home in high spirits.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that based on the financial capabilities of Liang Tao and Zhao Ting, they would typically fly in economy ss. However, Bai Wei insisted it wouldn¡¯t be right for some to be in first ss while others in economy, so she had their seats upgraded to first ss for everyone.

    In the car carrying Bai Wei¡¯s family and Luo Qinghe, Luo Qinghe imed that his own car wouldn¡¯t fit everyone, which was why he shared a ride with Bai Wei.

    Whilst Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, his wife, didn¡¯t say anything, it was quite obvious to them that the young couple was simply ying tricks to spend more time together.

    When Bai Wei first returned to the country to develop her career, Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo, worrying about her safety living in a hotel, bought her a duplex penthouse in a high-endmunity in the city center for her to live in.

    But due to Bai Wei¡¯sziness and Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo¡¯s distance in M Country, the duplex in the heart of the city had remained unrenovated.

    It wasn¡¯t untilst year, during the premiere of the movie Spring Thoughts Return, when Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian came back to the country that the renovation process got underway.

    Moreover, if it wasn¡¯t for Fu Xingbo¡¯s efficiency and generous spending, the duplex might still not be ready for habitation now.

    However, if it were up to Bai Qian, she would have preferred buying a new detached vi to live in, thinking it would be better for the house to berger with Bai Wei and Fu Han around in the future.

    In the end, Bai Wei was exasperated by their various thoughts, saying she and Fu Han were not giants and wouldn¡¯t need such arge house. All she wanted was for the inside of the duplex to be well-furnished.

    It¡¯s quite amusing that although this duplex of nearly 300 square meters had been purchased years ago, today was the first time Bai Wei came to see the house.

    She really used to have poor self-care abilities, and the purchase was handled directly by Bai Wei¡¯s financial manager on Bai Qian¡¯s instruction. Aside from the owner¡¯s name being Bai Wei, she had nothing to do with the property.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe sat in the back, chatting with each other with voices kept low. Even Bai Qian, sitting next to them, couldn¡¯t really hear what they were saying.

    The car slowly drove from the airport in the suburbs towards the city center. The houses on both sides of the road became more numerous, people more abundant. The city bustled once again, brimming with vitality.

 Chapter 621 - 622: The Main Forces Return Home

    <h4>Chapter 621: Chapter 622: The Main Forces Return Home</h4><h4></h4>

    Perhaps it was because this was the city where Luo Qinghe was born and raised, Bai Wei now found it exceptionally endearing. This feeling intensified after her return, making everything she saw feel particrly close to her heart.

    When passing by a restaurant, Bai Wei excitedly pointed to the now-open establishment and said, "I¡¯ve eaten here before, the food is pretty good."

    Luo Qinghe followed her pointing hand and looked over, smiling. "You¡¯ve got quite an eye, this belongs to the Li Family. If you want to eat here, you can, anytime, free of charge."

    His words turned Bai Wei¡¯s face beet red. She really wished she could crawl into a hole and hide. She had meant to share a nice dining spot, never expecting to unwittingly y the expert in the presence of its owner.

    Meanwhile, Luo Qinghe continued, "Xiaohan, since you like this ce, how about we choose this hotel for our engagement? It¡¯s also a five-star hotel."

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed even more. She poked Luo Qinghe¡¯s waist and murmured, "You can decide."

    The next second, both of them wereughing together, extra sticky sweet, almost like conjoined twins.

    Bai Wei shuddered at their side, full of disdain. "Bai Wei, couldn¡¯t you be a little more demure? You¡¯re a girl, okay? Don¡¯t make everyone think you¡¯re the one eager to get married."

    "But..." Bai Wei turned her head with an innocent look at her mother. "Mom, have you forgotten? I went through so much trouble to chase down Luo Qinghe."

    Having grown up in M Country, Bai Wei¡¯s lifestyle was hugely influenced by her surroundings there. She liked what she liked, disliked what she didn¡¯t, and her rity of feeling often made her seem unapproachable.

    She was used to being straightforward, and even now that Luo Qinghe doted on her, she still didn¡¯t shy away from talking about the lengths she went to chase after him.

    To Bai Wei, the fact that she sessfully won Luo Qinghe was a source of pride, and what mattered most was that he proposed on his own, which to her felt like reaching the pinnacle of her life.

    However, just because she felt this way didn¡¯t mean Bai Qian did too. Bai Qian had received a very systematic education from China, and deep down, she believed that a girl should be reserved, subtle, and graceful, gentle even if not d in a Cheongsam.

    Unfortunately for her, her child only met her expectations in terms of gender; nothing else about Bai Wei was what Bai Qian had hoped for.

    For instance, Bai Qian had envisioned Bai Wei as a properdy, but Bai Wei grew up climbing trees and raiding bird nests with the boys, her nature utterly devoid of any hint of "properdy"; and while Bai Qian hoped Bai Wei would be talented in many ways, her daughter blundered through countless sses without mastering any skill worth showing off.

    Furthermore, Bai Qian hoped for Bai Wei to marry someone like Fu Xingbo, who could provide for his family and shelter his wife and daughter from hardships, never being an absent figure at home, and always finding time for them no matter how busy.

    But Luo Qinghe was vastly different from Fu Xingbo, from his appearance to his soul, exuding the wild, indomitable spirit of a stallion no ordinary person could tame.

    The most crucial point was that there were almost no simrities between Luo Qinghe and Fu Xingbo.

    Nevertheless, Bai Qian wasn¡¯t overly sad about these things. She was open-minded: as long as Bai Wei liked the person, and he genuinely liked Bai Wei and treated her well, Bai Qian could ept him.

    Thinking this way, Bai Qian reached out and gently stroked Bai Wei¡¯s hair, sadness tinged in her eyes. "In just over ten days, it¡¯s your engagement, and before that, you still have a few days of filming left. Can you manage the time? Maybe take some leave, let them shoot the other scenes first?"

    "Not possible!" Bai Wei shifted and rested her head on Bai Qian¡¯s shoulder, whining a bit, "Do you think filming a movie is that simple? All the prep work is ready, and right before shooting starts, if the lead actress isn¡¯t there, the daily losses will be huge. And..."

    At this point, Bai Wei leaned in and whispered something in Bai Qian¡¯s ear, to which Bai Qian asked with surprise, "Is that true?"

    "Of course it¡¯s true," Bai Wei boasted, shaking her head confidently. "How could I dare to lie to you about something like this? If it were someone else¡¯s film, taking a leave wouldn¡¯t matter too much, but it¡¯s his film, and it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to lead by taking leave, would it?"

    Bai Qian nodded solemnly, "Then just work hard, and just take a day off for the engagement ceremony."

    "Mom, you¡¯re the best." Bai Wei wrapped her arms around Bai Qian¡¯s neck and nted a firm kiss on her mother¡¯s cheek.

    Fu Xingbo, who sat in the passenger seat, had been silent the whole time until, after covering some distance, he suddenly spoke up, "This is Huating No.1, right?"

    His words caused everyone in the car to look outside the window, but unfortunately, with many tall buildings in City A, most looking quite simr, they had already missed the entrance to theplex. None of them were familiar with the area, or rather, not familiar with Huating No.1, so they couldn¡¯t answer Fu Xingbo¡¯s question.

    But Fu Xingbo wasn¡¯t really expecting a response. He shifted his gaze away from the window, his expression calm as he said, "A few days ago, we video called Xiaohan. She said she couldn¡¯t stay at home for now, but since we live so close, we could have here home for meals every day."

    "Right," Bai Qian agreed immediately, "When we were in M Country, it took quite an effort for me to fatten Xiaohan up a bit. I hope she hasn¡¯t lost weight when we see her next, He Xing should be taking good care of her."

    Bai Wei didn¡¯t want to join the conversation, but she couldn¡¯t help herself and finally spoke up, "Um, Mom and Dad, you know about Ji Liangchuan, right? And Fu Han was injured and hospitalized. She¡¯s the type who¡¯d lose weight after staying upte for one night, so she¡¯ll definitely lose weight this time, too."

    "As if you know so much," Bai Qian flicked Bai Wei¡¯s forehead with her finger and sighed to herself, "Fu Han really is... a life full of hardships."

    Bai Wei initially wanted to scream out loud, but upon hearing these words, she choked back her outburst and started to feel sorry for Fu Han.

    The initially cheerful atmosphere in the car instantly quieted down as everyone exchanged nces in silence, all recalling the domestic news they had seen over the past few days as well as the messages from Fu Xingbo¡¯s staff in China.

    Even though they were in M Country, they still kept up with news from home, such as how Ji Liangchuan had been making grandiose public confessions to Fu Han every day during the Spring Festival, causing quite a stir.

    And though Fu Han tried her best to keep it a secret, someone had informed Fu Xingbo and the rest, making her secrecy futile, nothing more than an attempt to hide in in sight.

 Chapter 622 - 623: Going to the Fu Family for Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 622: Chapter 623: Going to the Fu Family for Dinner</h4><h4></h4>

    But in M Country, they had an unspoken agreement not to intrude on each other¡¯s territory without permission. Since Fu Han herself had kept it a secret, they felt they should respect Fu Han.

    Several minutester, Fu Xingbo finally spoke up, "I think God makes you go through hardships before treating you to honey. Now she¡¯s hurt and it¡¯s tough, but in the future, she¡¯ll be thankful for not giving up on herself at this moment."

    Bai Qian and Bai Wei always yed along with what Fu Xingbo said, and even Luo Qinghe nodded in agreement.

    ...

    When Fu Han received the call from Fu Xingbo, she had just barely finished tidying up her room at Huating No.1¡ªor more precisely, Fu Han was sitting in a wicker chair reading a book while He Xing was packing up her belongings.

    She was both surprised and delighted to hear about Fu Xingbo¡¯s return, eximing in astonishment.

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice was as indulgent as ever when he spoke to her, "Xiaohan, your aunt is cooking dinner personally today, soe over for the meal. If He Xing is with you, you can bring him too."

    By the time she hung up the phone, He Xing had already approached her and naturally embraced Fu Han, "What¡¯s wrong, did something happen?"

    "My uncle and auntie are back, and they¡¯ve invited me over for dinner," said Fu Han with an especially joyful smile, herrge eyes turning into beautiful crescents.

    Regaining something you thought was lost is one of the most beautiful things in the world, and to Fu Han, Fu Xingbo and his family represented just that.

    Before meeting Fu Xingbo, she had always believed she had no blood rtives in this world. But fortune had smiled upon her when he entered her life. After all, he was her uncle, confirmed through a DNA test¡ªa bond that truly thrilled her.

    "Oh, then I¡¯ll get ready and go with you," said He Xing, agreeing readily and quite forthrightly.

    "You... why would you go?" Fu Han pretended to be calm, using an even tone to say, "They didn¡¯t invite you; wouldn¡¯t your presence be unwee?"

    "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to." He Xing pinched Fu Han¡¯s nose and wiggled it slightly, "You think I¡¯m not aware of your little thoughts? Besides, they¡¯re my aunt and uncle; do you think they would turn me away?"

    Fu Han stuck her tongue out, realizing she had indeed forgotten about He Xing¡¯s rtionship with Bai Qian. But her initial response was merely in jest¡ªshe never seriously thought about not allowing He Xing toe. She was just teasing him on purpose.

    When the two emerged from the room, they happened to see Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan snuggled up watching a movie on the living room sofa, looking incredibly cozy.

    It turned out Nan Qing would stop at nothing to return to Huating No.1, and cooking was just an incrediblyme excuse she used. What she truly wanted was to start a shameless cohabitation with Wang Yixuan.

    Fu Han cleared her throat when her presence failed to draw Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan¡¯s attention. Once the couple blushed and turned away, Fu Han smiled extra... suggestively.

    But Nan Qing¡¯sposure and thick skin couldn¡¯t be underestimated, for even with a red face, she continued to cuddle with Wang Yixuan, "Fu Han, what would you like to eat tonight? I can cook for you?"

    "You¡¯re going to cook?" Wang Yixuan immediately voiced his discontent, "Strictly speaking, you¡¯re still in your ¡¯confinement period,¡¯ you shouldn¡¯t be doing any work."

    "Alright then," Nan Qing agreed without any principle, poking Wang Yixuan¡¯s cheek with a gleeful smile, "Then you¡¯ll have to cook, otherwise we¡¯ll have nothing to eat."

    "Me?" Wang Yixuan actually took it seriously, pondering, "Okay, as long as you¡¯re not afraid that I¡¯ll poison you, I could indeed cook."

    The image of Wang Yixuan almost blowing up the kitchen one time shed through Fu Han¡¯s mind, and she shuddered with relief that she wouldn¡¯t be dining at home that evening.

    Sheughed unabashedly, "You guys enjoy such delicious food yourselves. My uncle and aunt are back, so I won¡¯t be eating at home tonight."

    Nan Qing agreed briskly without any mental preparation, waving her off, "Then go early ande back early, and remember you have toe back tonight because my parents will be checking in."

    "Got it, I won¡¯t hold anything up," Fu Han smiled and left with He Xing¡¯s arm in hers.

    It¡¯s funny that even though Nan Qing¡¯s parents knew she was moving into Huating No.1 because of Wang Yixuan, they insisted that Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan not stay in the same room and that they needed to see Fu Han was also staying there, or else they would make Nan Qing move back home.

    Following through with hermitment to help, Fu Han readily agreed.

    Even in the dark, the Lamborghini stood out, and as Fu Han sat in the passenger seat looking out the window, she noticed that many people would stop to gaze at the luxurious car as it passed.

    Maybe it was because Grandfather He had given her so many things that her material desires were minimal; she even felt that money didn¡¯t need to be abundant, just enough to spend was fine.

    Of course, her view on "money" was turned upside down during her three years abroad, leading her to strongly agree with the saying that while money isn¡¯t everything, without it, you¡¯re utterly powerless.

    This was also why Fu Han always worked hard to maintain her financial independence.

    She thought the best state of life was when everything you have is the result of your efforts, what you wish for is what you yearn for, and, ideally, the money you spend is what you¡¯ve earned yourself.

    Fu Han leaned her head in her hand, her beautiful eyes gazing out the window, unlike the somber days before, the city had once again turned into a city that never sleeps, with neon lights everywhere and bustling people all around.

    As she was lost in thought, He Xing¡¯s deep voice suddenly spoke up, "Xiaohan, we¡¯ve arrived. You can get out now."

    "We¡¯re this close?" Fu Han was surprised; Fu Xingbo had sent her the address, which she didn¡¯t even check before forwarding it directly to He Xing¡¯s phone.

    She had assumed that the Fu family¡¯s purchase would surely be a vi, which would be more remote and might require a long travel time, but now it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.

    It appeared that Fu Xingbo had arranged everything in advance, as they easily entered themunity and came to the Fu family¡¯s building.

    As Fu Han exited the elevator, she was still marveling. The Fu family¡¯s vi in M Country was like a castle, and she didn¡¯t expect that back home they would buy just an apartment in amunity that was barely considered upscale.

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t too demanding about housing herself; she felt that as long as it was livable, it was fine. However, she thought that the three members of the Fu family would certainly have higher expectations, as they tended to prefer luxury lifestyles.

    Finally, the elevator doors opened, and Fu Han stepped out. She immediately saw arge door to the left, but, worried about taking the wrong turn, she looked to see if there were any other residences.

 Chapter 623 - 624: Strong Backing

    <h4>Chapter 623: Chapter 624: Strong Backing</h4><h4></h4>

    Upon closer inspection, she noticed that this entire floor had only one entrance. So it meant that the Fu Family had purchased an entire floor.

    Fu Han secretly stuck out her tongue, feeling embarrassed about the negative thoughts she had about the house earlier. Indeed, it was typical of Fu Xingbo to buy an entire floor¡ªit was quitepetitive.

    Soon after the doorbell rang, someone came to open the door. Seeing Bai Wei, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in almost a month, Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly, "Bai Wei, hello there."

    Bai Wei nced at Fu Han and then at He Xing standing behind her. She smiled teasingly, "Oh, have you two be conjoined twins, inseparable wherever you go?"

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned red, but she still managed to catch the slip in Bai Wei¡¯s words, "Conjoined twins? Who else is like that? You and Luo Qinghe?"

    Now it was Bai Wei¡¯s turn to blush. She shook off Fu Han¡¯s hand and said annoyedly, "Why are you like this? Here I was, thinking you were a good person. It seems I was mistaken."

    Bai Wei¡¯s voice carried from a distance, "Bai Wei, what¡¯s going on? Why aren¡¯t you letting Xiaohan in? What are you doing blocking the door?"

    As Bai Wei spoke, she already came over, opened the shoe cab at the door, and took out two pairs of cotton slippers, cing them on the doormat, "These are for you, new and unworn. Change into them ande on in; it¡¯s cold outside."

    Fu Han looked down at the slippers; her pair was pink, and each had the embroidered character "Han" at the back. He Xing¡¯s pair was in light blue with a "Xing" on them. Bai Wei and Bai Qian also had pink slippers, one embroidered with "Wei," and the other with "Qian."

    She thought the design was quite clever since everyone was roughly the same height, and their shoe sizes were simr. Without a marker, it would be easy to mix up the slippers. She could not tolerate wearing someone else¡¯s shoes, nor could she bear to wear shoes someone else had worn.

    After changing into their slippers, they went inside.

    If they were merely astonished by the Fu Family buying an entire floor outside, stepping in made Fu Han feel like she had entered a gigantic exhibition hall.

    The first thought Fu Han had about the house was that it wasrge, with a living room half the size of a ser field,plete with genuine leather sofas, an oval coffee table, bonsai, disy cabs for collectibles, wine cabs, and all of them were particrlyrge.

    What was most exaggerated was the swing installed in the living room, right in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. When Fu Han saw it, she couldn¡¯t help but think to herself that swinging here required quite a high tolerance for adrenaline, as each forward swing felt like flying out the window.

    Seeing Fu Han take a tour on the ground floor, Bai Qian reached out, took her hand with a smile, "Your room is upstairs; let me show you."

    "There¡¯s an upstairs?" Fu Han was shocked. She had always thought buying one floor was extravagant enough, never expecting the Fu Family to have bought two.

    The spiral staircase in the corner was not very conspicuous and had been decorated so that at first nce, it looked like a fan-shaped shelving unit in the living room. She really hadn¡¯t expected it to be a staircase.

    Reaching the second floor, there was a gym with all sorts of fitness equipment, and on the other side were three tightly closed doors.

    Bai Qian opened the door to the room on the far right and proudly said to Fu Han, "Here is your room; do you like it?"

    The room had been turned into a suite, with what looked like a reception room at the entrance. There was a fabric sofa that could amodate five people, and the match of pale green with ck and white lines looked very stylish.

    The wallpaper was the same color scheme, aqua-green with dandelions drifting in the wind, which Fu Han also liked.

    Through a white porcin door was Fu Han¡¯s bedroom. The overall theme was light pink, but the wallpaper was that kind of pink with ck and white checks mixed with white, which instantly gave the pink a more sophisticated feel.

    Just like her study room in M Country, her bedroom here was arranged with extra coziness¡ªthere was a floor-to-ceiling window, a spacious restroom, and a reception room. It was simply the kind of one-bedroom apartment that a single young woman would love.

    Fu Han felt that such borate decor was really too much trouble, and she looked apologetically at Bai Qian, "Auntie, you didn¡¯t have to decorate my room so nicely. I might not stay here very often."

    Her n was to stay with Nan Qing in Huating No. 1. They would be morefortable there, as they were friends of a simr age with no elders to restrict them, free to do as they wished.

    "Who says that? This room is yours, it always will be yours, and you can stay here whenever you want," Bai Qian said emphatically as she tidied Fu Han¡¯s slightly disheveled hair.

    Moved, Fu Han had some words she wanted to say but dared not, fearing it would upset everyone. She cleared her throat and decided to change the subject, "Thank you, Auntie. I understand."

    Regrettably, before she could change the topic, Bai Qian continued, looking earnestly at Fu Han, "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve been a girl myself. Although your uncle and I are very loving, we¡¯ve had our quarrels too. When we fought, I always thought, why did I go to M Country? If I were in our home country with my parents around, couldn¡¯t I just go back to my parents¡¯ home?"

    Fu Han already had an inkling of what she was going to say and took Bai Qian¡¯s hand, attempting to steer the conversation elsewhere, "But Auntie, I¡¯ve never seen you and uncle argue."

    "Of course you haven¡¯t," Bai Qianughed lightly, her gaze filled with warmth as she looked at Fu Han, "Your uncle and I do have a good rtionship. We may argue at the head of the bed but reconcile at the foot of the bed. Plus, at our age, it wouldn¡¯t look good to quarrel in front of the younger ones¡ªit¡¯s quite embarrassing."

    Her words managed to make Fu Han burst intoughter, covering her mouth as she giggled uncontrobly.

    Bai Qian spoke up again, "Xiaohan, I know you and He Xing have a great rtionship, but even the best rtionships have their arguments. We hurried to finish decorating this ce because we thought, if you or Bai Wei ever feel wronged, you should have a ce to cry."

    Fu Han saw Bai Qian¡¯s eyes redden as she spoke, and she also felt a sourness in her nose, so she turned her head away, not wanting to keep looking at Bai Qian.

    Bai Wei then deftly slipped a small key into Fu Han¡¯s hand, her smile enigmatic, "Fu Han, this is the key to your room. The main door¡¯s key is your six-digit birthday, so you won¡¯t get confused."

    "Okay, thank you, Auntie," Fu Han replied, unmistakably sniffling as she spoke.

    On the verge of tears, Bai Qian blinked hard to hold them back, "Your uncle and I¡¯s greatest wish is to be your strong support for a lifetime."

 Chapter 624 - 625: This is Our Home

    <h4>Chapter 624: Chapter 625: This is Our Home</h4><h4></h4>

    The words delivered a shock to Fu Han that was far stronger than ever before, or rather, they endowed her with tremendous energy, making her feel no longer like a weed in a raging storm but rather beneath a bright, sunny meadow.

    Bai Qian took Fu Han upstairs, and that¡¯s when Fu Han realized that the Fu Family had bought a duplex that came with a top floor for free rein in remodeling.

    As soon as they ascended, they were met with the warmth of the sun, and for the first time, Fu Han truly felt that spring wasing soon; the cold was noticeably less severe than before.

    "Auntie, your Garden looks so beautiful," Fu Han said, eyes sparkling with delight. She truly loved it here, having fallen for it at first sight.

    "It¡¯s ¡¯our¡¯ Garden," Bai Qian said, patting Fu Han¡¯s shoulder with an especially tender smile, "We¡¯re a family. This is also your home, so you can¡¯t say what you just said anymore, okay?"

    Fu Han stuck out her tongue and obediently replied, "Okay, I got it, I won¡¯t say it like that next time."

    "That¡¯s a good girl." Just like soothing a child, Bai Qian gently stroked Fu Han¡¯s head, smiling with exceptional warmth: "Xiaohan, though we share no blood rtion, I took a liking to you the moment I saw you. Later, when I found out you were actually my niece, it only made me cherish you as much as Bai Wei in my heart."

    Fu Han could tell Bai Qian meant every word, and it moved her greatly.

    For the first time, she took the initiative to hug Bai Qian: "Auntie, you are like a mother in my heart as well, the two kindest women in this world to me are you and mom."

    "Good child," Bai Qian said, patting Fu Han¡¯s back, her voice brimming with gentleness.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart melted, and she leaned on Bai Qian¡¯s shoulder, basking in the gentle embrace of the sunlight. For a moment, she felt transported back to her childhood, remembering her mother holding her in the same way.

    Suddenly, a light cough sounded. Fu Han and Bai Qian turned around to see He Xing at the entrance to the rooftop, his eyes exceptionally bright against the backlight.

    "You kid, howe you didn¡¯t make a sound when you came up?" Bai Qianughed upon seeing He Xing and patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Why don¡¯t you take He Xing for a tour around our house?"

    "Sure," Fu Han replied, her smile radiantly happy, her beautiful face full of life, almost outshining the sun itself.

    Bai Qian walked toward the staircase, and as she passed by He Xing, she yfully punched him in the arm: "Don¡¯t you dare bully Xiaohan, or else I¡¯ll deal with you."

    "As if I would dare to bully her," He Xing looked past Bai Qian towards Fu Han, his eyes rippling with warmth, "She¡¯s the treasure I hold in the palm of my hand."

    Fu Han could feel her heartbeat quickening, throbbing in her chest like the pounding of drums, as if in the next second it might leap out of her throat.

    She couldn¡¯t recall when Bai Qian had left. She only knew she stood there foolishly, staring unblinkingly at He Xing as he approached step by step.

    Stopping in front of her, He Xing reached out to touch her head, smiling with exceptional warmth, "Xiaohan, what are you thinking about?"

    That question immediately snapped Fu Han back to reality. Her face turned a deep red; while averting He Xing¡¯s gaze, she protested, "I wasn¡¯t thinking anything, and don¡¯t look at me with those eyes again."

    Expecting a retort from He Xing, she was taken aback to see him obediently nod, then casually take her hand, "Alright, whatever you say goes. I remember everything."

    Hand in hand, the two began to stroll through the Fu Family¡¯s rooftop Garden.

    The rooftop was evidently well-nned, with a designated area for a swimming pool. Although not asrge as a standard pool, it was spacious enough for around ten people.

    The other half of the rooftop was filled with many nts. Although it wasn¡¯t springtime yet for blossoms, the greenery was lush and pleasant to the eye.

    To Fu Han¡¯s surprise, there was even a small vegetable patch where, amid the soil, a few lonely cabbages stood, nothing else in sight.

    She thought she was seeing things and bent down to touch them, only to realize they were, indeed, real. This amused He Xing, who teased that she could pluck one to cook and eat.

    ...

    This was Bai Wei¡¯s first visit to the house, though she had arrived a few hours ahead of Fu Han and had already thoroughly explored the ce.

    The evening meal wasn¡¯t ready yet; outside, the sky was darkening rapidly, and the sunset was slowly disappearing into the distance, with only a few final streaks of light shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

    She shifted slightly, finding a morefortable position leaning against Luo Qinghe. Before them stood a television set, ying a youthful campus film.

    After a prolonged sigh, Bai Wei said with a touch of helplessness, "I really can¡¯t understand movies anymore. Why do these youthful angst films seem to require either abortions or sexual rtionships?"

    "You have to look at it this way," Luo Qinghe said, his arm nonchntly wrapped around Bai Wei¡¯s waist, his face with a hint of stubble, looking mischievous yet handsome, "If movies just depicted the average life, what would be the point? People enjoy films with plots full of ups and downs."

    "Still..." Bai Wei, rarely questioning Luo Qinghe, sat up straight and looked at him seriously: "But audiences aren¡¯t fools. If a movie can¡¯t resonate with viewers and instead relies on exaggerated, improbable storylines to seed, I don¡¯t think such a film can be called a good work."

    Luo Qinghe too sat up, his expression unusually serious: "Art imitates life, and the charm of art lies in magnifying the minutiae of daily existence. A good piece of art has value to offer. Those magnified details are precisely the points it wishes to express."

    "Alright, I admit you¡¯re right," Bai Wei tilted her head, smiling brilliantly, "But I still think I don¡¯t like this kind of clich¨¦d, painful literature of youth."

    "Coincidentally, I don¡¯t like it either," Luo Qinghe also smiled, naturally giving Bai Wei a way out of the debate.

    Bai Wei reclined against Luo Qinghe again, then, recalling something, she looked up at him, "Did you know, Nan Qing had an incident a few days ago; she had a miscarriage."

    "I didn¡¯t know," Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression shifted subtly, and he leaned back slightly, creating distance between them: "I¡¯m only finding out now that she was pregnant."

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you?" Bai Wei frowned in surprise, sounding a bit distressed, "Nan Qing hurried back from abroad because she was pregnant and needed to prepare for the wedding."

 Chapter 625 - 626: The Lion with Spiked Hair

    <h4>Chapter 625: Chapter 626: The Lion with Spiked Hair</h4><h4></h4>

    "How do you know that?" Luo Qinghe frowned as he looked at Bai Wei. "I never knew the two of you were so close."

    Bai Wei was about to say something, but Luo Qinghe¡¯s tone had angered her, and she became like a lion with bristled fur, her face full of rage as she said, "What do you mean by that? Do you think I¡¯ve been prying into other people¡¯s business, wanting to see Nan Qing¡¯s misfortune?"

    "I didn¡¯t mean that." Luo Qinghe realized that his words were not quite appropriate, and he quickly tried to exin, "I think pregnancy is a very private matter, and given the rtionship between the two of you, she shouldn¡¯t have told you."

    "Why wouldn¡¯t she tell me about it, given our rtionship?" Bai Wei moved slightly away, putting an arm¡¯s length between her and Luo Qinghe, her voiceced with irritation. "Is it not just because you used to really like Nan Qing, so you assume I could never be friends with her?"

    "That¡¯s not something I brought up." Luo Qinghe¡¯s face fell, and his tone was no longer as pleasant as before. He said irritably, "I did like Nan Qing before, and even now, I hope Nan Qing can have her own wonderful life. Is there anything wrong with that?"

    "Of course, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that, since you like her so much, right?" Bai Wei barked out augh in extreme anger. She snorted derisively, "You surely have something on your mind that you haven¡¯t said, don¡¯t you? Deep down, what you¡¯re really hoping for is that Nan Qing¡¯s happinesses from you, right?"

    "Bai Wei, can you stop being so unreasonable?" Luo Qinghe raised his voice by several decibels, his expression nk as he looked at Bai Wei as if she were a stranger. "I beg you toe to your senses. I did like Nan Qing in the past, but all of that is over. Just because Nan Qing doesn¡¯t like me, should I then hope she doesn¡¯t have a good life?"

    "I didn¡¯t say that." Bai Wei¡¯s confidence deted, mainly because she herself felt somewhat guilty. She hadn¡¯t meant to express that, but once the words left her mouth, they seemed uncontroble.

    Luo Qinghe was clearly still angry on the other end, and it looked like he had more to say, but in the end, he managed to hold back without uttering a word, his face darkening nevertheless.

    In front of Luo Qinghe, Bai Wei had always tried to maintain a humble posture, suppressing the dissatisfaction in her heart. She slowly reached out to take Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand, her voice softening as she said, "Qinghe, don¡¯t be angry. Can we stop talking about this?"

    The sky outside the window hadpletely darkened, and it was pitch-ck beyond the floor-to-ceiling ss. The night was the best cover, making it feel as if something was lurking in the darkness, watching them with ill intent.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze was as dark as ink upon Bai Wei, telling himself not to escte matters. However, when he saw Bai Wei¡¯s cautious demeanor, he felt as if his heart were trapped in a cage, heavy and struggling for breath.

    He managed to restrain his emotions, but abruptly brushed off Bai Wei¡¯s hand, his voice tinged with impatience. "Bai Wei, can you not do this every time? You can stand up to me with your points, you don¡¯t always have to appease me. You¡¯re an independent person with your thoughts; you¡¯re not anyone¡¯s essory, you know that?"

    "What... what are you saying?" Bai Wei stared at Luo Qinghe with wide eyes, hiding her hand that he had pped away behind her back, and asked him in as calm a voice as possible. However, anyone could hear the tremble in her voice.

    Luo Qinghe turned his head away, his expression extremely cold and chillingly frosty. "Bai Wei, what I mean is, even if we¡¯re married, we should still maintain our individuality. But you..."

    Here he sighed deeply, a sigh filled with utter helplessness. "But Bai Wei, can¡¯t you see that you act differently around me than you do around others?"

    Tears had started to gather in Bai Wei¡¯s eyes. In order not to let them fall, she kept her eyes wide open. "What¡¯s different? I haven¡¯t noticed."

    "Bai Wei, would you stop ying dumb?" Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice grew a little louder, and his tone more severe than before. "In front of others, you say whatever you want, without a care, speaking your mind freely, so lively; but when you speak to me, you¡¯re always worried you¡¯ll say something that will anger me, so you keep all you want to say hidden inside. I don¡¯t like this¡ªyou guessing my thoughts, and I guessing yours. Aren¡¯t you tired? I am."

    "So that¡¯s it." Bai Wei nodded, tears brimming in her eyes, yet her face was masked with a broad smile.

    That smile was like a rose blooming in a deserted graveyard, with no sign of life¡ªlonely, beautiful, and aloof, yet also conveying a sense that, with just one look, one knew it was destined to wither.

    A vast feeling of remorse spread throughout Luo Qinghe¡¯s heart. He felt a strong impulse to hold Bai Wei in his arms andfort her, but something deep inside him, a tiny stubborn persistence, prevented him. In the end, he still didn¡¯t reach out his hand.

    Finally mastering her emotions, Bai Wei spoke again, her face still bearing a smile but now filled with greater scorn, self-mockery. "Luo Qinghe, I think what you said makes sense; but have you ever thought why I¡¯m different with you than with others? It¡¯s because you¡¯re the person I like. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll say something wrong by ident, and you¡¯ll get angry and ignore me. Just like earlier, I really didn¡¯t think I said anything wrong, yet you acted as if I had made a terrible mistake."

    The atmosphere in the living room became more oppressive, especially with Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, the couple¡¯sughter echoing asionally from the kitchen, underscoring the coldness here.

    Luo Qinghe instinctively wanted to say something, but when the words came to the tip of his tongue, he couldn¡¯t say a thing, as if he had a belly full of retorts that he just couldn¡¯t voice.

    Bai Wei had been watching Luo Qinghe the whole time, hoping he would contradict her, but there was no response¡ªherst bit of hope was finally shattered, like thest drop of oil in a kerosenemp, extinguishing even the unwilling wick.

    For the first time, a sense of despair invaded Bai Wei¡¯s feelings toward this rtionship.

    Strictly speaking of this rtionship, there were times in the past when she felt sad and disappointed, but she was like a tightly wound motor, doggedly moving toward a goal.

 Chapter 626 - 627: Coupleâ€™s Quarrel

    <h4>Chapter 626: Chapter 627: Couple¡¯s Quarrel</h4><h4></h4>

    Her goals used to be simple, to win over Luo Qinghe and be his legitimate girlfriend. She hadn¡¯t initially considered marrying Luo Qinghe, not because she didn¡¯t want to, but because she dared not to.

    But when Luo Qinghe proposed, of course she had to ept.

    However, the problem was that once she started imagining herself as Luo Qinghe¡¯s future girlfriend, things began to getplicated. She pursued more and desired more.

    Gradually, she realized she wanted to be closer to Luo Qinghe, but he had built an invisible wall between them, leaving her hovering outside a certain distance at all times.

    Bai Wei sighed softly, feeling that the argument with Luo Qinghe was rather pointless. She couldn¡¯t persuade him, but she couldn¡¯t leave him either, so what was the point of this internal struggle?

    "Okay, let¡¯s put this matter to rest for today. You..." Bai Wei adjusted her emotions and tried to speak in the gentlest tone possible, "Qinghe, if you¡¯re concerned about Nan Qing¡¯s health, you can go see her. It¡¯s..."

    She intended to say, "It¡¯s alright, I won¡¯t mind," but Luo Qinghe rudely cut her off before she could finish.

    "Who said I¡¯m going to see Nan Qing? Why would I go see her? Her boyfriend will take good care of her." Luo Qinghe¡¯s face turned red with anger as he spoke, not just his face but also his neck¡ªtruly a flush of frustration.

    Bai Wei was caught off guard, stepping back slightly and instinctively distancing herself from Luo Qinghe.

    This action infuriated Luo Qinghepletely. He stood up abruptly and loomed over her, "Bai Wei, can you stop acting like this all the time? Tell me what you really want, will you? I protect Nan Qing, and you use me of holding onto the past; I ignore her, and you call me cold-hearted, right?"

    "I didn¡¯t say that." Although Bai Wei had never seen Luo Qinghe like this, she gathered her courage to defend herself, "You¡¯re the one saying that, don¡¯t put those words on me."

    "You didn¡¯t say it?" Luo Qingheughed bitterly in his rage, "Sure, you didn¡¯t say it. But isn¡¯t that what all your words imply? I¡¯m simply voicing your thoughts. Why do you deny it?"

    Bai Wei, holding back her tears for so long, could no longer restrain them. They fell like dewdrops on a lotus leaf,rge and sparkling¡ªtears on a beauty¡¯s face were just like this.

    "Crying, crying, can you just stop crying?" Luo Qinghe¡¯s emotions were so intense that his fists creaked, "Bai Wei, you¡¯re always so strong and independent in front of others, but you¡¯re never like that with me. I don¡¯t like how you are with me. You better think about how we¡¯re supposed to get along."

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Luo Qinghe as if he were a stranger. The shock stopped her tears right in their tracks, leaving them hanging in her eyes, making them even more glistening.

    The irritation in Luo Qinghe¡¯s heart intensified. He turned away and finally said to Bai Wei, "I don¡¯t want to say anything more, think about it yourself. I¡¯m leaving."

    After finishing his words, he turned around and walked out without looking back at Bai Wei.

    As Luo Qinghe reached the door, Bai Qian just happened toe out from the kitchen and greeted him with a smile, "Qinghe, dinner is about to start. Where are you going?"

    "I..." Luo Qinghe struggled to control his emotions and spoke as calmly as possible, "I suddenly have some matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t be eating here tonight. You... you have more, I¡¯lle to visit another day."

    Then, under Bai Qian¡¯s surprised gaze, he opened the door and left.

    Looking somewhat puzzled, Bai Qian went to the living room to ask Bai Wei what had happened, only to find Bai Wei wiping tears from her cheeks. Bai Qian paused for a moment and ultimately went back to the kitchen without saying anything.

    When all the streetlights were on, Fu Han and He Xing received a call and came downstairs. It was finally time for dinner.

    In the vast dining room, only Bai Wei and her parents were seated. Fu Han sat down opposite Bai Wei, unable to help but ask, "Bai Wei, where¡¯s Luo Qinghe? Why isn¡¯t heing to dinner?"

    "He... he had to leave because of some urgent business," Bai Wei replied quietly without looking up.

    Fu Han nced at her aunt and uncle with a puzzled look and instantly noticed Bai Qian¡¯splex expression. She immediately understood there must be more to the story.

    But seeing Bai Wei¡¯s reluctance to talk, she didn¡¯t want to ask in front of so many people.

    The dinner was entirely prepared by Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo, both of whom I have eaten with in M Country. Their cooking skills are indeed excellent, especially Bai Qian, who had attended cooking sses, her culinary skills were no less than those of a hotel chef.

    Knowing she was going to have dinner here tonight, Fu Han was really looking forward to it. She did miss Bai Qian¡¯s cooking.

    But the mood was dampened by Bai Wei¡¯s emotions which affected everyone¡¯s appetite. Although Fu Han still ate quite a bit, it was lesspared to her usual.

    The only unaffected person was He Xing. Men are often oblivious, and since his eyes were constantly fixed on Fu Han, he didn¡¯t notice Bai Wei¡¯s unusual state at all.

    Plus, He Xing really enjoyed Bai Qian¡¯s cooking. He was feasting heartily while tirelessly serving dishes to Fu Han, constantly encouraging her to eat more.

    However, to Fu Han¡¯s surprise, despite not being as extraverted as usual, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian consumed just as much as before. It was as if nothing had changed¡ª the only slight difference was Bai Wei, who kept her head down without speaking throughout the meal, so everyone else grew quiet as well.

    When it was time to clean up after the meal, Fu Han slipped into the kitchen under the pretext of helping to ask Bai Qian what had happened.

    Bai Qian shrugged her shoulders and smiled innocently, "It¡¯s nothing serious, probably just a lovers¡¯ quarrel. Let¡¯s not interfere; they¡¯ll be fine on their own."

    "I see," Fu Han nodded, and without furtherment, she walked out of the kitchen.

    It was gettingte. He Xing sat on the sofa waiting for Fu Han. He nned to drop her off at Huating No.1 first, then drive back to Lanwan Mountain himself.

    Seeing Fu Haning out of the kitchen, He Xing immediately stood up, "Xiaohan, can we go now?"

    Fu Han walked toward He Xing and tugged at his sleeve. He Xing immediately cooperated by bending down, and Fu Han whispered something to him. He nodded and returned to his previous seat to sit down.

 Chapter 627 - 628: A Quiet Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 627: Chapter 628: A Quiet Dinner</h4><h4></h4>

    The white porcin spiral staircase was extravagant, covered with a light grey cashmere carpet patterned in squared spirals, which added to its luxurious appearance.

    But in fact, the carpet¡¯s primary function wasn¡¯t for aesthetics, but rather for slip resistance and noise reduction. There wasn¡¯t a sound when walking on it.

    Fu Han ascended the stairs step by step in her pink slippers embroidered with the character "Han," as quietly as a cat, without making any noise.

    On the first floor were the kitchen and the living room. Additionally, each of the four of them had a studio arranged for them. Fu Xingbo¡¯s space was set up like a study, with shelves full of various books covering an entire wall. The room belonging to Bai Qian was entirely devoted to cultivating oneself with a tea room, floral arts, and decorative textiles; everything was there. Bai Wei¡¯s room featured arge television, a big sofa, and a hanging basket.

    Fu Han¡¯s room was divided into two sections, a light room and a dark room, which aremon in photographers¡¯ studios; she was very satisfied with it.

    The gym and their personal restrooms were on the second floor. Funnily enough, the resting rooms were also one per person, four rooms in total. Bai Qian had strongly demanded this, saying that if they ever fought with Fu Xingbo, she could send him to sleep in another room.

    Fu Xingbo was speechless about this, but he had no way to deal with Bai Qian and could only indulge her.

    Fu Han stopped outside Bai Wei¡¯s door and knocked on it gently with two fingers, neither hurriedly nor slowly. After knocking twice, she stopped to wait for the owner¡¯s response. After a while with no movement, she knocked three more times, this time a little harder.

    Soon footsteps could be heard from inside the room, and a few secondster, Bai Wei opened the door. She looked at Fu Han expressionlessly, "What are you here for?"

    Fu Han sighed helplessly, "What else could it be? I came to ask what happened, so I can help you take revenge."

    Bai Wei just stared at Fu Han, and as she did, her tears began to fall uncontrobly.

    "Alright, don¡¯t cry," Fu Han said, disliking the sight of girls crying in front of her. Perhaps because Xia Ning had cried in front of her too many times since childhood, she was thoroughly annoyed by it.

    But Bai Wei was different from Xia Ning, so Fu Han still tried to keep her voice as calm as possible, "Even if you have to cry, you should have let me in first, then cry, right?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s room was decorated a bit like Fu Han¡¯s, also pink-themed, only Fu Han¡¯s reception room was at least grass green, while Bai Wei¡¯s space was pink through and through.

    The two girls sat down on a pale pink fabric sofa, and Bai Wei eagerly recounted the argument with Luo Qinghe, without leaving out a single detail.

    After she finally finished, and Fu Han listened to it all, Bai Wei locked her arms across her chest and red at Fu Han with red eyes, "It¡¯s Luo Qinghe¡¯s fault, isn¡¯t it?"

    "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" Fu Han raised an eyebrow, her look pregnant with meaning as she watched Bai Wei.

    Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks flushed, and she cleared her throat unnaturally, "Well, I¡¯m telling you, of course, I want to hear the truth."

    "The truth is, both of you are at fault, but Luo Qinghe is more to me," Fu Han said earnestly, "Actually, I really think some of Luo Qinghe¡¯s words were quite urate, and you should think about them yourself."

    "Like what?" Bai Wei¡¯s expression stiffened, but she still asked slowly.

    "Like your attitude towards Luo Qinghe," Fu Han said with a smile, teasingly, "I always feel that you¡¯re too nice to Luo Qinghe. If you truly marry him, you¡¯ll be like his mother, fussing over every little thing, always afraid that if you do something wrong, he¡¯ll get angry."

    "I... I¡¯m just not confident in myself," Bai Wei twiddled with the hem of her garment nervously, again and again, like twisting a rope, "You know how hard I worked to catch up with Luo Qinghe. I don¡¯t want him to leave me."

    "But..." Fu Han sighed earnestly, "But have you ever considered that perhaps your rtionship with him really isn¡¯t equal, yet the moment Luo Qinghe recognized you as his girlfriend, your rtionship became equal, and you shouldn¡¯t ce yourself in such a humble position anymore? After all, his liking for you is the reason he wants to be with you."

    "I... alright, that is indeed my problem, and I¡¯ll try to avoid it in the future," Bai Wei admitted reluctantly but ultimately epted what Fu Han said.

    Fu Han thought Bai Wei wasn¡¯t beyond help and took a deep breath before continuing, "There¡¯s another issue. What exactly is Nan Qing to the both of you? Is she a presence that can be casually mentioned or an untouchable taboo topic in your conversations?"

    "That..." Bai Wei¡¯s face turned red instantly, she said sheepishly, "We never talk about Nan Qing, not until today."

    "No wonder then," Fu Han smiled, looking at Bai Wei with a gaze akin to one caring for a child with special needs, "You never talked about Nan Qing in front of Luo Qinghe before, and now that Nan Qing has had a miscarriage, you suddenly brought her up. No surprise that Luo Qinghe reacted."

    "That¡¯s not just a reaction, he is clearly bothered by a sore spot in his heart. He¡¯s guilty," Bai Wei blurted out angrily, her suppressed rage erupting like a geyser as she waved her fists vigorously, "Inside, Luo Qinghe still can¡¯t forget about Nan Qing. I know it."

    "Do you have any proof when you say that?" Fu Han looked at Bai Wei, a mix of incredulity and amusement, "Just because you mentioned Nan Qing, Luo Qinghe told you off?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned red, but she nodded, staying silent this time.

    Fu Han struggled to hold back but ended up poking Bai Wei¡¯s forehead with a finger, "Oh you, you seem so smart most of the time, how can you be so foolish now? Is Luo Qinghe angry because you mentioned Nan Qing? No, he¡¯s angry about the timing of your mention, and your overcautious attitude in front of him."

    After these words, the room quieted down significantly.

    Minutester, Bai Wei nodded, "You make sense."

    "So," Fu Han smiled earnestly, "what you need to do now is to find yourself again, because the original you is whom Luo Qinghe likes, not the you who acquiesces to his every whim in front of him. Frankly, you act like a thoughtless marite around him."

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed a deep red, clearly embarrassed, but in the end, she said nothing. Instead, she bit her lip harder, leaving a clear set of teeth marks there.

    Fu Han slowly stood up, bent over and patted Bai Wei¡¯s shoulder, "Alright, now that I know what difficulties you¡¯re facing, do you want to handle this yourself, or do you need my help?"

 Chapter 628 - 629: A Beautiful Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 628: Chapter 629: A Beautiful Kiss</h4><h4></h4>

    "I... Luo Qinghe left on his own, I¡¯m certainly not going to look for him," Bai Wei¡¯s face turned bright red as she awkwardly turned away.

    Fu Han covered her mouth,ughing: "Okay, I get it, you want me to y peacemaker and gomunicate with Luo Qinghe for you, right?"

    "You¡¯re so annoying, asking when you already know?" Bai Wei¡¯s face was so red it almost dripped blood as she stood up, pushing Fu Han toward the door: "Hurry up and take He Xing with you. You know I¡¯m not happy, yet you two still unt your affection in front of me, without any consideration for my feelings."

    "ming me?" Fu Han shrugged her shoulders, her eyes smiling as she looked at Bai Wei, feeling very good.

    Stomping her feet, Bai Wei grumbled: "Showy love leads to quick death, unts of affection summon lightning strikes, don¡¯t you know? Better to keep it low-key."

    "You¡¯re talking about yourself, aren¡¯t you? In the past, you were much more nauseatingly sweet than we are," Fu Hanughed heartily, not giving Bai Wei a chance to retort, and dashed away.

    She went downstairs to the living room where He Xing sat on the sofa. Even outside work hours, He Xing always sat up straight, proper and dignified, exuding energy and vigor no matter the time or ce.

    Fu Han approached He Xing step by step, her heart growing softer as she got closer. When she was near, she saw the light reflecting on He Xing¡¯s forehead, casting a dazzling halo through his hair, making her heart melt. She reached out unconsciously to ruffle He Xing¡¯s hair.

    He Xing looked up at Fu Han, his long arm reaching out to pull her into his embrace: "You¡¯ve finally finished. If you hadn¡¯te down, I would have fallen asleep."

    "Alright, let¡¯s go home," Fu Han said, her hand caressing He Xing¡¯s cheek. The skin on his cheek was delicate, and the stubble on his chin added a touch of rough charm, a contradiction that was filled with masculine allure. Fu Han could clearly feel her heartbeat pounding like drums.

    Bowing his head, He Xing kissed Fu Han¡¯s cheek firmly before letting her go. Hand in hand, they bid farewell to Fu Xingbo and his wife and left the Fu Family¡¯s ce.

    The Lamborghini raced through the night, with trees and streetmps speeding past in reverse.

    He Xing wasn¡¯t driving fast, instead, he drove at a regr pace; the night deepened, and in the early winter, there weren¡¯t many people on the streets.

    The ride back was mostly silent, but the temperature inside the car rose higher and higher.

    Not for any other reason, but because Fu Han spent the entire journey shamelessly staring at He Xing; her gaze was very special, pure adoration, full of emotion yet devoid of lust.

    Every time he was waiting at a red light, He Xing would reach back and rub Fu Han¡¯s head, his eyes and brows filled with tenderness and a love that ran deep to the bone.

    Fu Han truly enjoyed this way of being together, with no forced small talk, no tooth-achingly sweet nothings, and no ambiguous physical gestures.

    Yet her heart was very sweet. She was absolutely certain of He Xing¡¯s love for her, just as she had examined her own heart countless times and knew her love for He Xing reached deep into her bones.

    If it were possible, Fu Han truly wished they could continue like this, until the end of time.

    Unfortunately, there are no ifs. The distance from the Fu Family home to Huating No.1 was very short, and it didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive at their destination.

    Unlike the usual mboyance, He Xing did not park the car at the dropping point of Fu Han¡¯s residence, but in a parking spot not too far away.

    There was only a dim light there, its range of illumination limited, beyond a meter, it was all darkness.

    Once the car stopped, Fu Han reached for the door: "Okay, I¡¯m here, you can head home. Be careful on the road."

    "Wait a moment." He Xing quickly locked the door with a swift motion, extending his long arm to pull Fu Han back into his embrace, the next second his gentle kiss fell upon her.

    This was not the first time Fu Han kissed He Xing, and she couldn¡¯t even recall how many times they had kissed; nor did she remember when their first kiss was.

    She often kissed He Xing in her memories, always in secluded ces, or in their own private spaces.

    He Xing had always been cold-hearted and stern-faced since he was young, but when they were alone, especially when it was just him and Fu Han, he would often make audacious moves, with kissing being amon urrence, evening close to breaching the final barrier several times.

    Those past kisses were many and sweet.

    But today¡¯s kiss was different from the past ones. If the previous kisses mixed liking with a bit of desire, today¡¯s kiss was more about the spiritual convergence between them.

    Love has always been like this; you are not drawn to someone¡¯s shell, but their true inner self, their soul.

    And tonight¡¯s kiss was just that ¨C a union of souls.

    He Xing¡¯s kiss was at times gentle, at times wild, at times sparse, at times dense, at times giving, at other times asking; Fu Han responded to him with all her might.

    A voice inside her told her that this was the closest she had ever been to He Xing¡¯s soul, and if she missed this chance, there would never be another.

    After what seemed like an eternity, He Xing finally released Fu Han.

    This was also the only time they had kissed without He Xing¡¯s hands wandering, Fu Han¡¯s clothes were still neat, and her hair was not in disarray.

    Fu Han leaned softly against He Xing¡¯s shoulder: "Be careful on the way back when you drive, okay?"

    "Got it."

    "Don¡¯t drive too fast just because you¡¯re in a hurry."

    "Alright."

    "Go to sleep early tonight, you must sleep before midnight!"

    "What about you?"

    "Me too."

    "Then I¡¯ll sleep with you."

    "I¡¯m going up now, you go first. I¡¯ll watch you leave."

    "No, I need to watch you go up. You go first."

    Fu Han knew she could never outstubborn He Xing, and besides, her mood was so good today, she didn¡¯t want to make He Xing unhappy over such a small matter. Thus, she obediently got out of the car and walked to the door, looking back at each step.

    When she reached the front door, two figures appeared out of nowhere like ghosts. They were the bodyguards He Xing had hired for Fu Han; they always had the ability to vanish when you didn¡¯t need them and appear when you did.

    And Fu Han knew that He Xing had be frightened and needed someone to ensure her safety absolutely.

    Although Fu Han herself didn¡¯t like it, to reassure He Xing and her grandfather, she had now be quite indifferent towards the matter of bodyguards.

    She entered the door, turned around, and waved again in the direction of the Lamborghini. Even though she could no longer see He Xing¡¯s face, she knew he was watching her.

    After waving, Fu Han turned and headed toward the elevator room, passing by the sofa area set up by the property management on the first floor for people to rest. She was nning to walk straight past, but a glimpse from the corner of her eye caught sight of someone sitting on the sofa, and furthermore, it was someone she knew.

 Chapter 629 - 630: Iâ€™m Waiting for You

    <h4>Chapter 629: Chapter 630: I¡¯m Waiting for You</h4><h4></h4>

    And, coincidentally, this person was exactly the one Fu Han was about to contact on Whatsapp¡ªLuo Qinghe.

    Luo Qinghe, clearly over one meter eighty, seemed to shrink into the corner of the sofa, giving off the impression of a corner-crouched, abandoned kitty.

    Somewhat unexpectedly, Fu Han felt a surge of sympathy; she thought Luo Qinghe seemed a bit miserable.

    "What are you doing here?" Fu Han was surprised, and after speaking, she felt her words a bit too harsh, so she coughed and awkwardly said again, "I mean, what brings you here?"

    For some reason, at this moment, Fu Han had a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as if this scene had happened before, and while she remembered seeing Luo Qinghe in such a setting, she couldn¡¯t recall what exactly transpired.

    Luo Qinghe slowly raised his head, and when he saw Fu Han, there was no trace of surprise on his face. His eyebrows lifted in calm as he said, "I¡¯m here waiting for you."

    "Waiting for me?" Fu Han¡¯s expression grew odd, and she nced towards the elevator, trying to restrain herself but still ended up asking, "Shouldn¡¯t the person you are looking for be Nan Qing?"

    Actually, saying this made Fu Han feel somewhat guilty¡ªshe thought Luo Qinghe was a bit pitiful, but if that were the case, wouldn¡¯t Bai Wei be even more pitiable?

    Thinking this, Fu Han¡¯s gaze turned from firm to angry, like tangible usations.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s facial expression was exceedinglyplex, resembling a drowning person grasping at straws, yet that drowning person clearly knew that the straw wouldn¡¯t save them.

    Full of hope, yet brimming with despair.

    Who knows how long passed, a few minutes or maybe more, when Luo Qinghe calmly beganughing, "I haven¡¯t had dinner;e with me for somete-night food."

    Fu Han raised her eyebrows towards the direction of the elevator, saying meaningfully, "Aren¡¯t you going to see Nan Qing? Or are you telling me you¡¯ve already seen her, and you¡¯re actually here waiting for me? I find that hard to believe."

    "Do you want to join me forte-night food or not?" Luo Qinghe¡¯s face took on a hint of impatience, "Don¡¯t tell me He Xing won¡¯t let you dine out with other men; if that¡¯s the case, your romance is quite the loss, devoid of any personal freedom."

    Fu Han knew he was using reverse psychology; she wasn¡¯t angry at all; but seeing Luo Qinghe like this, Fu Han still decided to join him forte-night food.

    She covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, "Let¡¯s get this straight, I¡¯m not drinking, so don¡¯t try to provoke me into doing itter. Also, I¡¯m more familiar with this ce than you are, so I¡¯ll pick where we go forte-night food."

    Luo Qinghe agreed immediately, stood up, and walked towards the door without looking back.

    Fu Han turned and followed him. Not far behind her, two bodyguards promptly followed suit, like guardian deities.

    Over these days, everyone who had seen Fu Han had also seen her two bodyguards, so everyone was used to it, and no one thought it was strange anymore.

    Huating No.1 is located in the city center; it¡¯s a bustling area with many shops open 24 hours a day. As long as you want to buy something, you can always find it, anytime, anywhere.

    Moreover, there arete-night eateries everywhere at night. Just a stroll down the street, and one returns with their clothes carrying a rich blend of various food aromas.

    Fu Han, well-acquainted with the area, led Luo Qinghe towards the direction of themunity¡¯s west gate, where a university was located¡ªalso the area with the most diverse food selections.

    Upon exiting themunity gate, they were immediately greeted with a bustling hubbub of noise.

    The term "student" embodies youthful vitality, beauty, and liveliness. Although Fu Han was only a few years older than these students, she felt a profound distance from these energetic, young faces.

    Honestly, if we¡¯re talking appearances, Fu Han didn¡¯t look much different from these students, but in terms of mentality, she felt she could be their elder.

    She was envious and nostalgic for her own college days; her university was in a suburb of City A, a new campus with excellent and beautiful facilities and advanced equipment.

    If there had to be one downside to the new campus, it might be the numerous young trees andck ofrge, shaded paths, making umbres essential in summer due to the scarcity of shaded walkways throughout therge campus.

    Fu Han¡¯s regret was that, during her college years, Old Master He had sent He Xing to work and learn in a subsidiarypany, and the vi He Xing lived in was close to her school.

    Her favorite time with He Xing was during college, which was when she became his fianc¨¦e.

    Back then, she loved He Xing so much that she lost herself, eager to take good care of him, even finding the idea of being a full-time housewife perfectly eptable. Daily after sses, she would hurry to He Xing¡¯s vi and wait for him to finish work, then the two would have dinner together.

    Fu Han put so much focus on He Xing that she didn¡¯t make a single friend in college; she only exchanged greetings with her dorm mates every day, and their rtionship didn¡¯t even qualify as that of ordinary friends.

    After being hurt by He Xing and Xia Ning, Fu Han went abroad right after college graduation, changed her contact information, andpletely lost touch with her college ssmates.

    Looking back, her college life was pretty joyful. Because she was beautiful, approachable, and down-to-earth, many ssmates were willing to chat with her, especially the boys.

    She had boys confessing their affection for her on the first day of school, and even more during military training. Later, He Xing somehow found out and turned up to apany Fu Han in sses for a week straight. The word spread quickly that Fu Han had a boyfriend, and everyone in the school knew.

    And since He Xing himself was an excellent catch, after making ateralparison, many boys felt it would be demeaning to continue pursuing Fu Han, and nobody confessed their love for her again.

    Nevertheless, she was popr in her ss and served as the culture and entertainment officer until graduation. She could have been ss president based on votes, but He Xing thought it would be too tiresome, so she opted for the culture and entertainment officer instead.

    However, being likable is one thing; having confidants is another.

    Old Master He had always looked after Fu Hanprehensively from a young age. Her upbringing was very sheltered, and when she first arrived at the school, she couldn¡¯t distinguish between good and bad people. Some girls would seek herpany daily, insisting on dining with her.

    Fu Han thought they were truly friends, and after their persistent requests, she even threw a party at the vi where she and He Xing were temporarily staying.

    The oue of that party opened Fu Han¡¯s eyes to their true colors¡ªthey were getting close to her just to get close to He Xing. Once He Xing returned, they would all crowd around him.

 Chapter 630 - 631: Unpleasant Memories

    <h4>Chapter 630: Chapter 631: Unpleasant Memories</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han looked on in anger, feeling deceived. Since then she developed a natural wariness towards any woman that approached her, convinced that any woman getting close to her was doing so to get to He Xing; this mindset persisted until she finally started to change after meeting Nan Qing.

    About that barbecue, He Xing mindful of Fu Han¡¯s dignity, kept a cool face and coped throughout; no sooner had the party ended than heshed out at her, telling her she was blind when it came to making friends, dragging any Tom, Dick, or Harry home without caution, and that one day she¡¯d be sold out without even realizing it.

    Fu Han still remembers how sad she felt when she first heard those words from He Xing, but looking back now, she feels it was a precious memory.

    It was only at this moment that Fu Han finally realized, He Xing must have liked her a lot already at that time; he was angry because he thought Fu Han knew those girls were interested in He Xing, yet she still brought them home for a party.

    Chatter from the small vendors filled Fu Han¡¯s ears, one wave after another.

    Waves of appetizing aromas hit the nose, carrying heat and the thick smoke produced by the BBQ stands; it was like a snapshot of the bustling metropolis, brimming with vitality as well as the scent of money.

    In fact, Fu Han was already full that evening, but suddenly, the smell of roastedmb made her feel as if she could eat a bit more.

    She asked Luo Qinghe what he wanted to eat, and when he said barbecue, Fu Han took him to a BBQ shop they had visited before¡ªa pricier option on that street, but with vors that truly justified the cost.

    They casually picked an empty table to sit down, and a friendly waiter immediately brought the menu.

    Luo Qinghe passed the menu to Fu Han, "You chose the ce, you order."

    The pencil swiftly traveled over the paper, and in less than two minutes, Fu Han had ced the order. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Luo Qinghe and asked, "Do you drink?"

    Luo Qinghe nodded silently.

    Fu Han rolled her eyes inwardly, wanting to ask what type of alcohol Luo Qinghe preferred. She told herself to be patient, and then she spoke again in the calmest voice possible, "Do you want liquor or beer?"

    She quickly added, worried about any moreplications, "They only have these two kinds here. I think it¡¯s better if you drink beer; it¡¯s not as easy to get drunk, and I can¡¯t handle you if you do."

    Luo Qinghe nodded again, still without saying a word.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but criticize in her mind, It was you who asked me toe out for a midnight snack, and now you¡¯re as tight-lipped as if your mouth was sewn up with a needle. How will you even fit food inter?

    Perhaps because the Spring Festival holiday had just ended and the students hadn¡¯t returned to school yet, there weren¡¯t many people in the shop¡ªa lot fewer than when Fu Han and the others had visited previously.

    But that also had its benefits¡ªtheir order arrived swiftly.

    When the grilled meat was served, it sizzled with oil, the smell of cumin mingling with the aroma of meat, making one¡¯s mouth water.

    Luo Qinghe must have been really hungry; he grabbed a handful of skewers and devoured them one after another, soon finishing off the first batch brought by the waiter.

    Fu Han had eaten with Luo Qinghe several times before, but this was the first she had seen him eat so inelegantly.

    His wolfing down was as though he hadn¡¯t eaten a full meal in eight lifetimes; or rather, Luo Qinghe ate as if he bore a grudge against the food itself, as if he wanted to swallow all that he abhorred into his stomach.

    Fu Han covered half of her face with her hand, feeling as if Luo Qinghe¡¯s eating manner was somehow... enticing. The few customers in the shop had all turned their attention towards them, especially since many were looking at Fu Han with sympathetic eyes.

    She guessed that they might see Luo Qinghe as a poor ssmate she was treating to a meal, or perhaps they thought Luo Qinghe was tarnishing her reputation.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know for whom Luo Qinghe¡¯s considerable anger was intended¡ªBai Wei? Nan Qing? Wang Yixuan? It couldn¡¯t possibly be directed at Fu Han, could it?

    As Luo Qinghe single-handedly devoured a vast amount of barbecue and drank an entire case of beer in what seemed like venting, eventually he couldn¡¯t fit any more into his stomach and finally stopped.

    During this time, Fu Han also ate some barbecue, but she didn¡¯t drink the cold beer, instead, she ordered a ss of freshly squeezed juice for herself.

    Then Luo Qinghe downed arge mug of beer in one breath and finally turned his gaze to Fu Han, saying with some resentment, "What did she tell you?"

    This was the first sentence Luo Qinghe had spoken since they entered the BBQ shop, and it was a sentence without context, but Fu Han understood it.

    However, Fu Han deliberately pretended not to understand, calmly looking at Luo Qinghe, "Who are you referring to?"

    As expected, Luo Qinghe¡¯s face grew even uglier, his brows and eyes full of rage. He suppressed his anger and squeezed a sentence from his throat, "Bai Wei."

    "Oh, Bai Wei. You still remember her name, huh? I thought from now on you would just call her ¡¯her,¡¯" the anger in Fu Han¡¯s voice was barely contained, and her words carried barbs.

    "What did you say?" Luo Qinghe mmed the table fiercely, his face turning crimson with rage. He red at Fu Han, angrily enunciating each word, "What exactly did Bai Wei say to you?"

    The customers in the shop and the waiter delivering food all turned to look at them. The atmosphere had been quite merry, but with such outburst, people were scared into silence, and some even looked concerned for Fu Han.

    "Hmph!" Fu Han was far from intimidated; she stared back at Luo Qinghe with her clear, distinct eyes, "If you¡¯re so interested in what Bai Wei said, why don¡¯t you go ask her yourself? Why are you asking me here? I have the right not to tell you."

    "What did you say?" Luo Qinghe¡¯s face turned from red to purple, veins throbbing on his forehead, looking like he might explode any second. His ice-cold voice, devoid of any emotion, rose up, "Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t hit a woman. I¡¯m no gentleman."

    It was an unabashed threat. The fury in Fu Han¡¯s heart intensified; she trembled with anger, her fists clenched so tight that her not particrly sharp nails dug painfully into her flesh.

    Never had she been so infuriated as she was today.

    Her mind raced, filled with thoughts of how to retaliate against Luo Qinghe. Although this matter had nothing to do with her, she would not stand by idly if something happened to Nan Qing or Bai Wei; as for Luo Qinghe, at best they could be considered mere acquaintances.

    Suddenly, her phone rang with an iing message.

 Chapter 631 - 632: On Tenterhooks

    <h4>Chapter 631: Chapter 632: On Tenterhooks</h4><h4></h4>

    The BBQ shop was unusually quiet at the moment; most people had even stopped eating, making the new message notification seem particrly jarring.

    But it was this brief news alert that easily eased the tense atmosphere inside, and the other customers began to eat their food again, though they still cast nces at Fu Han now and then.

    It seemed everyone had a love for gossip, especially when it happened right beside them.

    Fu Han took out her phone from her bag, and only then did she realize that besides the unread messages from He Xing, there were also Whatsapp messages and texts from Nan Qing; it was probably because Nan Qing didn¡¯t get a reply on Whatsapp that she sent a text message, triggering the notification.

    Nan Qing¡¯s message was asking Fu Han why she hadn¡¯te back yet, that it was toote and unsafe to be outside.

    The feeling that someone was concerned about her was truly nice; a warmth spread in Fu Han¡¯s heart. Her slender fingers tapped on the screen, and she quickly sent a reply: "I¡¯m just near the neighborhood, dealing with something, I¡¯ll be back soon. The bodyguards are with me, don¡¯t worry."

    Speaking of which, Fu Han¡¯s two bodyguards were indeed quite reliable. When Fu Han came to eat here, they followed her in; Fu Han casually ordered a lot of BBQ and beer for them, but they only ate the BBQ, swapping the beer for juice.

    If anyone said these two burly men didn¡¯t drink, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t believe it. The only reason they were not drinking was that alcohol could lead to mishaps.

    Moreover, when Luo Qinghe mmed the table earlier, the two bodyguards also stood up, as if they were ready to rush to Fu Han¡¯s protection; in the end, Fu Han shook her head to stop them, and they sat back down, but all their four eyes were fixed on Luo Qinghe, ready to jump to action at any moment.

    Fu Han¡¯s anxious heart suddenly calmed down. She ignored the bloodshot eyes of Luo Qinghe and looked straight into his eyes: "Did you go to find Nan Qing today?"

    "No," Luo Qinghe said, seemingly frustrated with theck of force behind his words. He irritably shook his hand and added with a cold face, "I didn¡¯t not go to find Nan Qing just because of Bai Wei. I just... just... "

    He stuttered "just" several times, but couldn¡¯t finish the sentence; a mysterious blush appeared on his face.

    Fu Han could hardly contain her joy seeing his guilty-as-charged expression; she only regretted not being able to take out her phone to take a photo, otherwise, she would have definitely shown it to Bai Wei.

    Luo Qinghe, sensing Fu Han¡¯s schadenfreude, felt embarrassed and said irritably, "What are youughing at? My situation with Nan Qing is one thing, and Bai Wei is another. Don¡¯t mix them up like Bai Wei does."

    "All right, I won¡¯t mix them up," Fu Hanughed again, her gaze deep as she looked at Luo Qinghe. "Can I interpret your words to mean that there¡¯s no Nan Qing between you and Bai Wei, right?"

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face reddened further, looking like a teenager unable to hide his thoughts, he awkwardly turned his head away from Fu Han: "Think whatever you want, it¡¯s none of my business."

    "Okay, then I¡¯ll ask you, do you still like Nan Qing?" This was the question that concerned Fu Han the most. In fact, Fu Han could have asked it differently, but she felt that the more crucial the question, the more serious the answer ought to be, so being straightforward was better.

    Luo Qinghe clearly hadn¡¯t expected Fu Han to ask this; he was stunned, unsure of what to say, especially when facing Fu Han¡¯s clear eyes, Luo Qinghe feltpletely exposed.

    As time ticked away, Fu Han¡¯s heart sank lower and lower; she grew increasingly disappointed with Luo Qinghe. Shaking her head, she said, "Since you can¡¯t answer this question, then please think carefully about your rtionship with Bai Wei. Bai Wei is an independent individual; she¡¯s not something to heal wounds with, nor is she a substitute for someone else."

    "I haven¡¯t treated Bai Wei as a substitute," Luo Qinghe replied quickly this time, his speech faltering due to his agitation.

    Fu Han felt slightly relieved, but she deliberately put on an even angrier face: "Luo Qinghe, don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of the games you men y. The best way to forget a failed rtionship is to start a new one. Bai Wei pursued you just when you were rejected by Nan Qing. Perhaps out of pride or some other reason, you epted Bai Wei. I won¡¯t look down on you for telling the truth here today, but if you deny it while refusing to ept reality, I won¡¯t stand by and watch."

    After considering Fu Han¡¯s words several times, Luo Qinghe felt awkward but had to admit Fu Han was speaking the truth, the kind he didn¡¯t know how to refute.

    Fu Han waited a few more minutes without getting a response from Luo Qinghe. Strangely enough, she wasn¡¯t disappointed; instead, she felt very calm.

    Looking at Luo Qinghe sitting alone, with two tall bodyguards not far behind him, Fu Han suddenly thought Luo Qinghe looked somewhat frail.

    It was like a small boat lost at sea during a storm, where the waves take it, it goes, without any control of its own.

    Fu Han cleared her throat and adopted a sincere expression: "I haven¡¯t sorted out the mess between He Xing, Xia Ning, and myself, so I¡¯m not in a position to give you any advice. Maybe only after you truly figure out in your heart what needs to be let go and what should be cherished, can you make a final decision."

    "Let go?" Luo Qinghe jumped up like a cat with its tail stepped on, baring his teeth at Fu Han: "Nan Qing is a beautiful memory for me; I will never let go."

    "So that¡¯s to say you still like Nan Qing?" Fu Han had asked this earlier without getting an answer, but now she asked again, knowing this response could solve all problems.

    Another suffocating silence ensued, as if an eternity had passed, Luo Qinghe finally spoke: "I don¡¯t know."

    Four simple words only made the already tangled situation worse.

    "Alright," Fu Han shrugged helplessly, resignedly saying, "I really didn¡¯t expect that after being with Bai Wei for half a year, you would still tell me you don¡¯t know if you still like Nan Qing."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face showed shame; he opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately shut it tight.

 Chapter 632 - 633: There Are Lights at Home

    <h4>Chapter 632: Chapter 633: There Are Lights at Home</h4><h4></h4>

    Disappointment flooded Fu Han¡¯s heart like a tidal wave as she remembered Bai Wei, her head buried in her knees, crying. Her thin shoulders twitched up and down, looking so pitiful.

    She felt it was so undeserved on Bai Wei¡¯s part, where anger raged in her for this man before her who didn¡¯t know his own heart. With a tone steeped in sarcasm she said, "So that also means you don¡¯t even know whether you like Bai Wei or not, huh?"

    "I..." Luo Qinghe started with difficulty, struggling to say, "I¡¯m happy when I¡¯m with Bai Wei, but I don¡¯t like it when she deliberately tries to please me, I..."

    "Alright, you don¡¯t have to say more." The fury in Fu Han¡¯s heart finally could no longer be contained, and she stood up abruptly, looking down on Luo Qinghe from above: "Before, I thought you were a person with clear affections and hatreds. I thought you were, just like Wang Yixuan, a free-spirited artist. Now it seems I was wrong."

    "Wang Yixuan?" Luo Qinghe repeated the name with aplex look, which was the name of the man who got Nan Qing. How could he not be conflicted?

    "Yes, that¡¯s right, Wang Yixuan." Fu Han¡¯s voice was crystal clear and prating: "I don¡¯t care what Wang Yixuan has been through in the past, but when he likes Nan Qing, it¡¯s wholeheartedly for her. He won¡¯t think of other women when he¡¯s with Nan Qing."

    "He wouldn¡¯t dare!" Luo Qinghe clenched his fists tightly, his teeth gritted with hatred: "If he dares to do anything to wrong Nan Qing, I will never forgive him."

    "So, Luo Qinghe, face the reality. This is the difference between love and non-love." Thest glimmer of hope in Fu Han¡¯s heart vanished, and she looked at Luo Qinghe with a face full of disappointment: "Because you like Nan Qing, you can¡¯t bear to see her bullied. You don¡¯t like Bai Wei, so you can squander her true feelings without treasuring them; as Bai Wei¡¯s sister, I ask you to break up with Bai Wei right now. Our Bai Wei isn¡¯tcking love, and our family will definitely not let her be with someone like you."

    "Someone like me?" Luo Qinghe asked with a bitter smile on his lips, coldly questioning, "What kind of person is that? Howe I don¡¯t know myself?"

    "You... a grown man who¡¯s a child at heart." Fu Han¡¯s lips curved up slightly with a degree of mockery: "You can¡¯t even figure out who you like, and you still want to get married? Getting married isn¡¯t harming Bai Wei for a while, it¡¯s harming her for a lifetime. You should do the right thing and let her go. I¡¯m also going to tell Bai Wei about our conversation today, and tell her not to be delusional about you anymore."

    Having said this, Fu Han didn¡¯t stay any longer. She grabbed her stuff and turned to leave.

    She really didn¡¯t want to spend another second there; staying any longer might truly drive her mad. It was really the first time that she felt disgusted by someone, especially someone she¡¯d known for a long time.

    Escorted by her bodyguards, Fu Han made it home smoothly.

    Fu Han fished out her keys and opened the door. The originally pitch-ck room was suddenly filled with light. When the lights came on, she saw Nan Qing standing by the switch.

    "You¡¯re back." Nan Qing smiled, her round face exceptionally cute, but her beautiful big eyes betrayed an indescribable weariness.

    "Why aren¡¯t you asleep?" Fu Han knew that Nan Qing was waiting for her, but she still asked the question, as though speaking it out wouldfort her just a bit.

    People chase many things in this life, but what you really need is very few; most of the time what you seek is not what you truly want.

    Like wanting to earn lots of money, when you won¡¯t actually use that much; desiring many houses, when you¡¯ll only live in one; longing for many people¡¯s love, when what your heart truly craves is for that one person to love you.

    A sincere love, a cozy home, a hot meal upon getting off work, lights to warmly wee you back in the evening, aforting embrace when you¡¯re tired, a soft bed when you¡¯re sleepy.

    Nan Qing walked to the kitchen and poured a ss of warm water for both herself and Fu Han. Taking a slow sip, she spoke softly, "I was a bit worried about you since you hadn¡¯te back."

    It was a simple sentence, but it eased the rage in Fu Han¡¯s heart caused by Luo Qinghe. As the warm water flowed into her mouth, her tone softened considerably, "I¡¯m back now. It¡¯ste, you should go to sleep. You need to take good care of yourself right now."

    Nan Qing yawned appropriately and smiled: "I¡¯m actually sleepy, so I¡¯ll go to bed now. Goodnight."

    As she watched Nan Qing move step by step toward the kitchen, Fu Han was torn inside, her mind like a battlefield where two little people were fighting.

    Ultimately, Fu Han still called out to Nan Qing, "Nan Qing, wait... I have something I want to ask you."

    Nan Qing¡¯s hand was already on the doorknob when she slowly turned around, her slightly plump and cute face looked very delicate: "Sure, Fu Han, what do you want to ask?"

    "Today..." Fu Han felt exasperated about what she was about to say. Biting her red lips hard enough to draw blood into her mouth, it was with this taste of sharp pain that she finally spoke: "This is not the right ce to talk,e with me."

    Nan Qing looked puzzled as she followed Fu Han¡¯s gaze. When she saw her own room door, she thought of something and obediently followed Fu Han to the living room balcony. This was the spot furthest from Nan Qing¡¯s room and also the ce with the best view.

    Outside the window was the vast expanse of night, dyed like ink. asionally, a few stars fell upon the sky, shining like diamonds.

    Looking down, not far away was the bright neon-lit A-city bustling with life. Yet although one could inly see the lights of the city, no sound could be heard, as if the world had be a silent one.

    A warm hand rested on Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, the heat seeping through her sweater right into her heart, apanied by Nan Qing¡¯s exceptionally gentle voice: "Fu Han, just say what you want to say."

    Fu Han had already moved past the initial awkwardness of not knowing how to begin. Centering herself, she spoke in as calm a voice as possible, "Has Luo Qinghee to look for you?"

    She always felt that there was something off about Luo Qinghe today, and even if Luo Qinghe himself said he hadn¡¯t seen Nan Qing, Fu Han still thought it necessary to rify some things.

    When Nan Qing heard the name "Luo Qinghe," she froze, looking at Fu Han in surprise: "Brother Qinghe came over? Why don¡¯t I know about that?"

    "That¡¯s good then," Fu Han smiled. While Nan Qing was speaking, she had been watching her closely and saw no hint of deception in her eyes, meaning that if Luo Qinghe really did like Nan Qing, it was unrequited.

 Chapter 633 - 634: I Once Hated You

    <h4>Chapter 633: Chapter 634: I Once Hated You</h4><h4></h4>

    The living room¡¯s warm gaze fell on Nan Qing¡¯s cheeks, making her already gentle features look even more tender.

    She tilted her head slightly, looking at Fu Han, "Fu Han, why have you suddenly asked this?"

    "Because..." Fu Han managed to squeeze out a smile, and in as calm a voice as possible, she said, "Because I actually came back earlier, but I saw Luo Qinghe downstairs and he dragged me to have barbecue."

    Amid Nan Qing¡¯s astonished gaze, Fu Han recounted her conversation with Luo Qinghe.

    However, when Fu Han spoke, her tone was very calm, as if she was talking about somethingpletely irrelevant to her, and she didn¡¯ty out the entire conversation from tonight, but rather, she spoke selectively.

    For example, she only mentioned that Luo Qinghe might not have let go of Nan Qing, without mentioning the quarrel between Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei; because Fu Han felt that was a matter between Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, and although she knew about it, she couldn¡¯t ry it to others¡ªthat was basic human decency.

    Nan Qing¡¯s frown deepened as she listened; she looked over Fu Han¡¯s shoulder towards the room behind her, which was Nan Qing¡¯s bedroom, where there was someone named Wang Yixuan.

    It was only a simple door, yet Nan Qing¡¯s gaze softened more and more as she looked, and her expression became more resolute.

    A few minutester, she turned her head towards Fu Han, "Fu Han, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I want to tell you, please rest assured, I will absolutely not get involved between Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe."

    Fu Han felt a twinge of embarrassment and guilt, as she was touched by Nan Qing¡¯s forthrightness, whereas she herself was not so open.

    She said sincerely, "Nan Qing, actually, I didn¡¯t mean it in the way you think, I¡¯ve always believed that everyone has the right to pursue love, if you... if you think Luo Qinghe is better, I will also respect your choice."

    "Whether it was in the past, now, or in the future, Brother Qinghe will always be my brother in my heart," Nan Qing said, feeling a bit guilty as she looked at Fu Han, "Fu Han, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve tried my best to keep my distance from Brother Qinghe, but after all, we grew up together, and our families are old family friends, some connections aren¡¯t so easily severed, but rest assured, he is only my brother."

    "Of course, I trust you," Fu Han was shocked by Nan Qing¡¯s kindness, and she also felt pity for Nan Qing¡¯spromises, hugging her all at once, "Nan Qing, I¡¯m sorry for bringing this up, not to pressure you, but really just to give you a heads-up."

    "It¡¯s okay," Nan Qing patted Fu Han¡¯s back, speaking in a low voice as ifforting a child, "Do I not know you? Since we¡¯re on the subject, let me be honest. It¡¯s absolutely impossible for me to be with Brother Qinghe. I used to be so infatuated with Su Cheng, and Brother Qinghe knew it; if we got together, that matter would be a perpetual thorn in his heart, and we would not be happy. Instead, a cinnabar mole would turn into a mosquito bloodstain."

    Fu Han realized for the first time that Nan Qing also thought things through clearly, and apart from nodding, she didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    Nan Qing turned and nced at the firmly closed bedroom door, a slight smile appearing on the corner of her mouth, "Moreover, I now have someone I truly like. I¡¯m very clear about wanting to be with him, to never be apart for a lifetime."

    "I think you¡¯re quite good together," Fu Han tilted her head slightly, looking out the window at the same few sporadic stars in the sky, seeming as if nothing had changed, yet feeling as if everything had.

    "Actually..." Nan Qing turned her head to look at Fu Han, a bitter smile on her beautiful face, "Actually, Fu Han, you might not know this, but I used to hate you."

    "Ah?" Fu Han genuinely did not know; her surprise wasn¡¯t feigned, but she quicklyughed, "It¡¯s normal for you to hate me, I won¡¯t be mad."

    Of course it was normal. Nan Qing was always a person with clear-cut love and hate; she loved Su Cheng in such a way, and Su Cheng was madly infatuated with Fu Han. Wasn¡¯t it very normal for Nan Qing to hate Fu Han?

    Indeed, Nan Qing¡¯s voice rang out, "The first time I saw you, I thought you were so beautiful. I wanted you to be my model, that¡¯s why I approached you. I didn¡¯t expect that Su Cheng and I would share the same taste. He too thought you were beautiful at first sight, then uncontrobly fell into it; Fu Han, back then I didn¡¯t know you well, and I truly regretted approaching you."

    "I understand," Fu Han was not the least bit angry. Almost every girl that came close to her did so to get closer to He Xing, and while they were nice to her on the surface, they were insanely jealous of Fu Han in their hearts; but Nan Qing was an exception.

    Fu Han leaned forward and patted Nan Qing on the shoulder, "But I will never forget the help you gave me, when my part-time job didn¡¯t pay out on time, you would lend me money before I even asked, you always included me when you went out for fancy meals, regardless of whether Su Cheng was there or not; all the kindness you¡¯ve shown me over the years, I keep it in my heart and won¡¯t forget."

    Nan Qing¡¯s eyes reddened, knowing she didn¡¯t need to exin anything more, because Fu Han must understand her true intentions; Fu Han must know she had never really hated her.

    The two girls who had known each other for four years hugged and said goodnight, heading towards their respective rooms.

    The living room light turned off, leaving darkness as if nothing had happened at all.

    By the time Fu Han got out of the bath andy in bed, it was veryte; she widened her eyes as she looked at the ceiling, admiring the distinctively designed chandelier that looked especially stunning.

    She had just responded to He Xing¡¯s message, and now she was waiting for He Xing¡¯s reply; if He Xing wasn¡¯t asleep, she would video call him.

    The vibration from her phone broke the silence, Fu Han swiftly grabbed the phone from under her pillow¡ªit was a video call from He Xing.

    Fu Han found her Bluetooth earphones and put them on, watching He Xing on her phone screen with a heart full of sweetness.

    He had also taken a bath, dressed in a dark blue sleepwear that typically only middle-aged men wore; yet it looked extraordinarily elegant on He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯s semi-long hair hung loosely on his head, illuminated with a halo by the light from above, looking especially attractive.

    Usually, He Xing used hair gel to style his hair sharply, and Fu Han rarely saw him with his hair down. Every time he did, Fu Han felt her heart soften to a mush.

    She propped her phone with one hand and her chin with the other, watching He Xing without listening to a word he said, her mind filled with thoughts of how cute He Xing looked and how much she wanted to hug him.

    Even though they had been apart for only a few hours, Fu Han felt as if they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a century. She began to regret not agreeing to He Xing moving in; that way, they could meet within a few minutes.

 Chapter 634 - 635: Want to Bring You Breakfast

    <h4>Chapter 634: Chapter 635: Want to Bring You Breakfast</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s voice came through, "Xiaohan, are you listening to me?"

    Fu Han immediately snapped out of her untimely reverie and looked at the screen at He Xing, her beautiful face slightly flushed, "You... Sorry, I didn¡¯t catch that. Could you say it again?"

    A heartyugh came through. He Xing was exceptionally happy; his icy face suddenly burst into life, radiant as the midday winter sun, making one¡¯s mood lift unconsciously.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes instantly turned into crescent moons; her mind again became mush, losing the ability to think.

    "I was asking you," He Xing¡¯s gentle voice said through the phone, his gaze growing especially tender: "I¡¯ll bring you breakfast tomorrow morning. What would you like to eat?"

    "Ah? Breakfast delivery?" Fu Han¡¯s small head shook like a bobblehead as she hurriedly said, "No need, no need, I have to go to thepany to check on things tomorrow. I¡¯ll just buy something downstairs."

    "How could that be okay?" He Xing immediately put on a stern face: "When I delivered it today, I saw many shops weren¡¯t open yet, and even if there are ones serving breakfast, who knows if they¡¯re good."

    "But..." Fu Han¡¯s face reddened thoroughly, and she stuttered anxiously, "If you bring me breakfast, you¡¯ll have to get up early. I want you to sleep in a bit."

    "I don¡¯t need to sleep thatte." He Xing¡¯s face unconsciously softened, and he said with a smile, like cajoling a child, "I¡¯ve already told the maid to prepare extra breakfast tomorrow morning, so I¡¯m letting you know, not asking for your opinion, understand?"

    Where is there such a gentle notification?

    Fu Han felt her heart soften; she sweetly smiled, "Then okay, I¡¯ll do as you say. Just wait for me at the office; don¡¯te to the apartment."

    "Alright." He Xing nodded, his face erged on the screen, making a kissing gesture and saying with a touch of regret, "Ah, since you left, I¡¯m not used to sleeping alone, my feet are always cold."

    Fu Han¡¯s face flushed even more, and she coughed unnaturally, "If you¡¯re not used to it, you can sleep in my room. I won¡¯t charge you rent."

    "Is it a room Ick or someone to sleep with me?" He Xing looked at Fu Han, amused yet exasperated, "Everyone else forgets their friends when they see color, but why are friends more important to you than me?"

    Though he was joking, Fu Han still heard the seriousness that he couldn¡¯t hide in his words.

    Her smile disappeared as she spoke with equal sincerity, "He Xing, it¡¯s not like that. In my heart, you are the most important, but right now, Nan Qing needs me more, so of course, I came here to be with her."

    This was the first time Fu Han had said something like this and the first time He Xing had heard it.

    Upon hearing these words, his expression grewical; at first disbelief, his face devoid of all expression; then his face lit with ecstasy. Once his emotions had calmed a bit, he looked at Fu Han earnestly and said with unprecedented seriousness, "Fu Han, that¡¯s exactly how I feel, you are the most important person in my heart."

    Although they were currently separated by a distance immeasurable by an arm¡¯s length, although they couldn¡¯t turn their heads and embrace each other, at that moment their hearts were extraordinarily close. They reaffirmed each other¡¯s feelings and confirmed once more that they would always be together.

    The two chatted for a long time on topics thatcked substance, but they talked with gusto, growing happier and more excited.

    Seeing it was nearly time for the clock to chime, Fu Han, mindful that He Xing had to rise early tomorrow, wanted to hang up. But suddenly, she remembered the night¡¯s events.

    She immediately told He Xing everything that happened that evening, including her conversations with Bai Wei, Luo Qinghe, and Nan Qing.

    Fu Han knew she had been impulsive today; she couldn¡¯t be sure her words were right. She worried that a single sentence might harm Bai Wei, Nan Qing or Luo Qinghe.

    They say it¡¯s better to wreck ten temples than destroy one marriage; from the bottom of her heart, she hoped they would all find happiness.

    He Xing¡¯s brows grew more furrowed, a hand stroking his chin. Fu Han knew this was his habit when mulling over problems, so she waited patiently on her end of the phone.

    After a while, He Xing finally spoke slowly, "Xiaohan, actually, if I were to follow my selfish desires, I wouldn¡¯t want you to get involved in their affairs, whether it¡¯s Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei or Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing. I think they can handle their own matters."

    Fu Han¡¯s heart sank bit by bit; she had anticipated some opposition from He Xing about her actions, but she didn¡¯t expect him to wholly negate them.

    Seeing the change in Fu Han¡¯s expression, He Xing on the other end of the phone hastened to speak again, "Xiaohan, listen to me, I didn¡¯t mean that. I don¡¯t want you to tire yourself out. But they are your friends, and there¡¯s absolutely no reason for you to stand idly by. I understand that."

    "Yeah, that¡¯s what I think too." Fu Han nodded, feeling somewhat aggrieved as she looked at He Xing, the corners of her eyes slightly sour.

    A smile spread across He Xing¡¯s cheeks like ink in water; he chuckled and said in an even gentler tone, "Xiaohan, I think what you did today was right. What you said is just and sensible, so don¡¯t worry about being wrong. Sometimes truth can be harsh like that. It¡¯s fine. The key is whether Luo Qinghe can ept it."

    Fu Han brightened up again, nodding vigorously, "I know, thank you forforting me. Actually, I feel the same way. I don¡¯t want Bai Wei and Nan Qing to be unhappy because of Luo Qinghe¡¯s actions."

    They wished each other good night and hung up the video call, reluctantly.

    Fu Han turned off the light andy in bed. Her mood had lightened a lot, and she knew that without the words He Xing had just said, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to sleep tonight.

    As for now, she felt she had done what she should, and not wrongly so. Therefore, she should sleep well without worrying about all these possibilities.

    She was at ease, even happily spinning around in bed; the thought of seeing He Xing first thing in the morning made her feel unprecedentedly rxed.

    Drowsiness, like the night itself, swept over her overwhelmingly. Fu Han closed her eyes, with a smile still on her beautiful face.

    The hazy moonlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, highlighting the sleeping Fu Han¡ªwho looked as captivating as a fairy.

    The corners of her mouth turned up slightly as if she were smiling; it seemed she was indeed having a wonderful dream, allowing her to smile even in her sleep.

 Chapter 635 - 636: Painful Night

    <h4>Chapter 635: Chapter 636: Painful Night</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Family vi.

    Since Xia Cheng was imprisoned, the vi had been as silent as a deserted ind. No, to be urate, even if Xia Cheng had not been arrested, the vi would always feel vacant like an abandoned castle since Xia Ning was usually the only one living there.

    But don¡¯t think for a moment that Xia Ning was fond of this home. Her daily return was merely to maintain a good reputation in upper-ss society and to make it seem that she and He Xing were well-matched.

    If it weren¡¯t for getting close to He Xing, Xia Ning would probably spend every night ying in inte cafes until dawn before returning home to sleep during the day.

    Xia Ning was displeased all day long today. The private detective she had hired didn¡¯t uncover anything beyond confirming Qin Nuan and Qin Xiaonian¡¯s sibling rtionship.

    It could be said that Xia Ning had no advantage in this standoff, but giving up was also out of the question. She knew all too well that once she gave up, she would never have another chance with He Xing for the rest of her life.

    It waste into the night, and the vast vi seemed as if upied by Xia Ning alone. The servants had already retreated to their rooms to rest, leaving only Xia Ning sitting on the living room sofa.

    In the dining room adjacent to the living room, a full table of untouched dishes sat exactly as they were when served, not a morsel disturbed.

    The cook routinely prepared dinner at six o¡¯clock, but it was unfortunate that Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯te back, and the only Xia Ning there ignored the cook¡¯s summons.

    The cook had even mustered the courage to call Xia Ning a few times, but seeing Xia Ning¡¯s increasingly displeased expression, she eventually dared not disturb Xia Ning and silently withdrew.

    As a result, it was now eleven or twelve o¡¯clock, yet Xia Ning showed no intention of eating.

    ording to Xia Family rules, the cook had to wait until the family had finished eating before she could have her meal and clean the kitchen before she could rest.

    But exuding an aura of ¡¯keep away,¡¯ Xia Ning discouraged the cook from approaching her. Hunger pangs finally getting the better of her, the cook stealthily ate her dinner at nine o¡¯clock. At this moment, peeking out from the kitchen, the cook saw Xia Ning still looking furious and decided to silently leave.

    If Xia Ning wanted to eatter, the cook could simply reheat the dishes. If no one called for her by night, she nned to get up early the next morning to clean up.

    Catching a glimpse of the cook¡¯s covert action from the corner of her eye, Xia Ning fumed but ultimately said nothing. She wasn¡¯t without the desire to vent on the cook; she simply couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with her, considering she had more pressing matters on hand.

    Just a few minutes ago, the private detective she had hired called her and talked about Qin Nuan, but it was all trivial matters of no help to Xia Ning.

    Only now did Xia Ning learn about Qin Nuan¡¯s life: Qin Nuan and Qin Xiaonian¡¯s parents had died early, and their rtives, seeing their helplessness, had nearly stripped them of their parental inheritance. Their lives could be described as miserable, with no parents and only each other for support.

    Xia Ning had initially thought of using Qin Nuan¡¯s other rtives to threaten her, but this approach now seemed futile.

    ncing at her phone, it was almost midnight, and Xia Guoxiong still hadn¡¯t returned or sent any message to Xia Ning.

    It had been days since she had seen her father. Sometimes they would talk on the phone, but such calls never touched on anything significant.

    Yesterday, Xia Guoxiong had mentioned on the phone that he woulde home tonight, so Xia Ning hadn¡¯t gone out, waiting at home instead. Now she felt terribly ufortable from sitting so long.

    What¡¯s worse, she didn¡¯t know when her father would return, or even if he would return at all.

    Suddenly, her phone rang. Xia Ning hastily grabbed it, but upon ncing at the screen, her expression darkened. The call wasn¡¯t from Xia Guoxiong, but from Qin Nuan.

    Xia Ning looked out through the floor-to-ceiling window at the Xia Family garden. At night, themps on the courtyard walls would light up, brightening the garden enough topare to the soft glow of moonlight from a full moon above.

    Describing the winter garden as ¡¯beautiful¡¯ would be a stretch¡ªit was already decent if it wasn¡¯t unsightly.

    The Xia Family garden was at least decent looking, lush with various green nts, though Xia Ning couldn¡¯t recognize any of them.

    Along the courtyard wall grew Begonia flowers, Osmanthus, Pomegranate Trees, and other varieties, nearly all of which were bare in the winter unless adorned with artificial leaves and blossoms.

    These bare trees stood there as if people were motionless, ndestinely watching Xia Ning.

    A chilling sensation arose,pounded by the exceptionally loud ringtone, startling Xia Ning.

    Every pore in her body resisted answering Qin Nuan¡¯s call, but there was no choice, and she could only ept it. Ignoring the call would lead to consequences she couldn¡¯t bear.

    "Hello, Qin Nuan, what matter do you have with me?" Xia Ning¡¯s voice was filled with impatience, yet she couldn¡¯t conceal the fear lurking in her eyes.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s voice was as sweet as ever, but now that sweetness sounded like hell¡¯s demons singing, "Xia Ning, I¡¯m reminding you, Xia Cheng¡¯s trial is approaching soon. Do you really have no intention of saving him?"

    "I...," Xia Ning bit her lip hard, saying with resentment, "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to save him. Haven¡¯t I been trying to find a way? Can¡¯t you wait a little longer?"

    What Xia Ning truly wanted to say was she had little interest in whether Xia Cheng stayed in prison or continued to wreak havoc outside; her real fear was that Yi Lixing might turn her in, and then she would be the one to suffer.

    That¡¯s how people are: unless misfortune is at their doorstep, who can truly empathize with the pain of others? Even when disaster strikes, one would only care about themselves, so how could they possibly concern themselves with someone else?

    If Xia Ning had no looming dangers behind her, she would surely hope earnestly for Xia Cheng¡¯s safety and think of ways to help him. But there was no ¡¯if,¡¯ and her own welfare was always her primary concern.

    "Wait?" Qin Nuan scoffed coldly, cutting to the heart of the matter, "Don¡¯t try to fool me here. Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to these days? I gave you time to think of a solution, but you¡¯ve been using a private detective to track and investigate me. Tell me, what are you trying to do?"

    A shiver ran through Xia Ning, quickly spreading to her limbs, rooting her to the spot as if doused with a bucket of cold water, chilling her to the core¡ªQin Nuan knew everything.

 Chapter 636 - 637: The Failed Do-or-Die Attempt

    <h4>Chapter 636: Chapter 637: The Failed Do-or-Die Attempt</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning knew she should say something, but in that moment, her hands and feet felt icy cold, and her mind was aplete blur. In the end, she simply said nothing, maintaining her silence.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s voice rang out once more, "Xia Ning, I¡¯m giving you one more week. If Yi Lixing doesn¡¯te back within a week, then brace yourself for jail."

    "No!" Xia Ning finally showed her fear, her face pale as she said, "I¡¯ve already made arrangements for Qin Xiaonian¡¯s issue. Yi Lixing¡¯s matter is more troublesome. Could you give me a little more time?"

    A brazenugh came through the phone¡ªit was Qin Nuan mocking her.

    Xia Ning¡¯s lips were almost bitten bloody as she said with difficulty, "Qin Nuan, I¡¯m already making concessions. If you keep pushing me this hard, then let¡¯s just destroy each other. I won¡¯t stand for this injustice anymore."

    As soon as she expressed these words, Xia Ning felt relief in her heart, as if the pent-up frustration had finally been vented. She felt a significant release.

    Regrettably, her good mood didn¡¯tst long before Qin Nuan shattered it again.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s voice, devoid of any warmth, came through, "This is your own doing, Xia Ning. Make sure you don¡¯t regret it. Whatever happens, I won¡¯t be affected. At worst, my sister and Yi Lixing will just have to spend a few more years inside; but you and your brother will likely spend many, many years behind bars."

    After that sentence, there was a long silence. Qin Nuan only heard Xia Ning¡¯s increasingly heavy breathing and could not discern any more of the conversation.

    Qin Nuan spoke up again, "Xia Ning, I¡¯m warning you. I¡¯m giving you an extra week. If you don¡¯t find a way to get my sister and Yi Lixing out and instead try to y tricks behind my back, I will make you regret ever being born."

    It wasn¡¯t until the phone call ended that Xia Ning felt the weight that had been pressing down on her finally lift temporarily.

    An unknown breeze blew by, causing Xia Ning to shiver. She realized that the back of her shirt was already soaked with sweat, and the stray hairs on her cheeks were wet and clung to her skin.

    When had the proud youngdy of the Xia Family ever been in such a sorry state?

    Xia Ning could clearly hear her own teeth grinding, but with the protection of her father and He Xing, even in the Upper-ss Society of City A, she had been like a star encircled by the moon.

    From childhood, only she had bullied others as the unruly princess, and no one dared to bully her; the rage in her heart erupted like a geyser, wishing she could devour Qin Nuan alive.

    In the past, the only person Xia Ning detested was Fu Han, but now the hatred included Qin Nuan as well; she would pay any price to erase Qin Nuan from existence.

    With that thought, a cold glint shot from Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, and if looks could kill, Qin Nuan would have been pierced by a thousand arrows and dead by now.

    The sound of a car starting brought Xia Ning back to reality. Knowing that her father had returned, the crazy light in her eyes finally faded. She rushed excitedly toward the door, forgetting even to put on shoes.

    Not even a minuteter, Xia Guoxiong emerged from the garage. Seeing Xia Ning waiting at the door, he asked with furrowed brows and an expressionless face, "Why aren¡¯t you asleep at thiste hour?"

    "Dad, I was waiting for you toe back," Xia Ning disregarded Xia Guoxiong¡¯s indifference, affectionately taking his hand as they headed inside together, "Dad, I haven¡¯t seen you for days. Where have you been?"

    Closer now, Xia Ning keenly smelled the scent of tobo on Xia Guoxiong, heavy with smoke from his speech and breathing, but without a trace of women¡¯s perfume.

    Xia Ning felt somewhat relieved. As long as Xia Guoxiong wasn¡¯t with other women during this time, she could rest easier knowing he wouldn¡¯t abandon her and Xia Cheng.

    Xia Guoxiong took off his coat at the door and began to change his shoes. Xia Ning quickly bent down to fetch his slippers from the shoe cab and ced them at his feet.

    "If there¡¯s something to talk about, we can discuss itter. I¡¯m hungry. Go have the cook prepare a meal for me," Xia Guoxiong said, heading toward the sofa, his hoarse voice tinged with an unmistakable weariness.

    "Alright, right away," Xia Ning immediately agreed with a smile, so eager to perform well in front of Xia Guoxiong that she didn¡¯t even take the time to put on her own shoes, racing barefoot over the tiles to the cook¡¯s quarters in the back courtyard.

    The cook was roused from sleep but didn¡¯t dare show any annoyance, painfully aware of the strange atmosphere in the Xia Family, especially since Xia Cheng had been taken to the detention center.

    The meal was prepared swiftly; in less than half an hour, the dishes on the table were steaming hot once more, the only difference being that the reheated food looked less appetizing than when fresh.

    Fortunately, Xia Guoxiong wasn¡¯t particrly fussy about his meals; he simply liked meat, especially pork belly, and today the cook just happened to make her specialty, braised pork belly with dried tofu.

    Xia Ning was quite picky about her food, always treating herself with the utmost scrutiny in all matters of living. If things did not please her, she made sure everyone¡¯s mood was spoilt.

    But that day, even though she hadn¡¯t had dinner, she felt no appetite looking at the table full of dishes. In fact, the sight of the food made her feel slightly nauseous.

    No, it was more the sight of Xia Guoxiong devouring his meat that made her feel sick.

    Xia Guoxiong, who had climbed up from the lower ranks, could only afford meat during holidays before arriving in City A, and due to his upbringing, he couldn¡¯t shake the habit of eating greedily, always ending up with a greasy face, showing a totalck of refinement while eating.

    However, there was an exception: at social gatherings or business meetings, Xia Guoxiong could perfectly hide his inherent coarseness, so outsiders were unaware of his crude mannerisms at home.

    Xia Ning silently watched Xia Guoxiong eat, desperately hiding her own revulsion, especially when she remembered how elegantly He Xing and Old Master He ate, her dislike for Xia Guoxiong¡¯s way of eating deepened from the bottom of her heart.

    If she could, Xia Ning truly wished she could escape the Xia Family at that very moment, but there were no such options¡ªher desired partner did not want to marry her, and she was unwilling to marry those who did.

    The feeling of revulsion inside Xia Ning grew stronger. She knew she would vomit if she lingered any longer. Without dy and using the excuse of making tea for Xia Guoxiong, she fled.

    She ran into the yard, breathing deeply. The cold night air finally quelled the tumultuous feeling in her stomach.

 Chapter 637 - 638: What Have You Been up to These Days

    <h4>Chapter 637: Chapter 638: What Have You Been up to These Days</h4><h4></h4>

    She finally managed to return to the living room with a calm demeanor and began brewing tea for Xia Guoxiong.

    She had also studied the art of tea, for two reasons. First, she wanted to appear more noble and elegant, more like ady of stature; secondly, it was because Fu Han had mastered this craft and had even been the star of the show at a He Family soir¨¦e. Xia Ning felt she couldn¡¯t fall behind, so she learned it as well.

    Unfortunately, Xia Ning¡¯s approach to learning about tea was sporadic at best, engaging in it whenever she remembered or found time.

    By the end of a training course, she was far from proficient; she hadn¡¯t even mastered the basics. In the end, it was Xia Guoxiong who used his money and connections to buy her a certificate.

    Later, when the Xia Family hosted an evening party, Xia Guoxiong was keen for Xia Ning to show off and bring honor to the family, but instead of gaining prestige, she managed to embarrass both herself and Xia Guoxiong.

    The mey entirely with Fu Han. On that day, despite Xia Ning¡¯s preparations, she messed up the sequence from the beginning, yet no one pointed it out.

    There just happened to be Fu Han, who couldn¡¯t get along with Xia Ning, present at the event. She mercilessly pointed out Xia Ning¡¯s basic mistake, triggering a roar ofughter from the crowd.

    To make matters worse, He Xing was there as well. To this day, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t forget the look he gave her, a mix of disappointment and disdain.

    From then on, neither Xia Ning nor Xia Guoxiong ever mentioned her tea ceremony skills in public, and Xia Ning never showed off her tea brewing in public again.

    But whenever Xia Ning wanted to please Xia Guoxiong, she would brew tea for him with the family¡¯s best tea set, each time boasting of her improvement.

    However, for someone like Xia Guoxiong, who preferred to drink heavily and eat heartily, the quality of tea artistry was lost on him, so fooling him was no issue for Xia Ning.

    The water had boiled, and Xia Ning used a tan wood tongs to ce a small piece of Pu¡¯er Tea into the bowl, then she poured in the hot water directly, covered the bowl, and mentally counted to herself for about ten seconds before pouring out the tea.

    Yes, her way of brewing tea was as simple and crude as you could get, skipping all the steps like waking the tea and rinsing it.

    Xia Guoxiong came over in less than two minutes with a toothpick in hand, picking his teeth¡ªa habit Xia Ning couldn¡¯t ept. Every time Xia Guoxiong finished a meal, he had to pick his teeth, spitting out bits and pieces from between his teeth, which was quite disgusting.

    Xia Ning instinctively felt ufortable and busied herself with her phone to divert her attention. She often wondered why she couldn¡¯t have been born into a truly upper-ss society and couldn¡¯t understand why she had such a vulgar father and such a disappointing brother.

    While sheined about her father and brother and felt dissatisfied with her family, she never considered whether she was the daughter they had hoped for. Nor did she think about whether her father and brother felt ufortable every time she acted coy and cutesy.

    Finally, Xia Guoxiong finished picking his teeth. He pointed at therge-lid bowl on the tea table and asked, "Is this the tea you brewed for me?"

    "Yes, I brewed it especially for you," Xia Ning said, promptly stuffing her phone under the sofa cushion and smiling broadly at Xia Guoxiong, her intention to please clear as day.

    Xia Guoxiong chuckled and opened the bowl, drinking it all in just a few gulps, his loud gulping noises as if he wanted everyone to know he was drinking.

    Xia Ning felt a deep-seated repulsion yet managed to ovee her difort and immediately put on a smiling face and said, "Dad, would you like some more? I¡¯ll brew it for you again."

    "Yes, I¡¯ve been driving for hours and am about to die of thirst," Xia Guoxiong said excitedly, his spittle flying everywhere.

    If Xia Ning had been any slower in taking the bowl, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s saliva might have sprayed all over the back of her hand.

    In less than two minutes, Xia Ning returned with therge-lid bowl in her hands and ced it in front of Xia Guoxiong with a radiant smile, "Dad, please have some tea."

    After gulping down three cups of tea, Xia Guoxiong finally stopped and leaned back, lookingpletely sated.

    "Dad..." Xia Ning looked at Xia Guoxiong and cautiously began, "Dad, I haven¡¯t seen you for several days. Where have you been?"

    What Xia Ning genuinely cared about was not where Xia Guoxiong had been, but whether he had dealt with the issues between her and Xia Cheng. However, she couldn¡¯t just blurt out the question and had to employ a roundabout strategy.

    Unexpectedly, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s temper red at her question, his face immediately turning cold. Using a voice devoid of any warmth, he said to Xia Ning, "Where do you think I went? Use your brain, where do you think I could have gone?"

    An immense pressure radiated outward from Xia Guoxiong, surging towards Xia Ning like a geyser, nearly suffocating her.

    Of course, the pressure exerted by Xia Guoxiong paled inparison to that of He Xing¡¯s, but given Xia Ning¡¯s weak resilience, she was easily overwhelmed by her father.

    If there had been a crack in the ground, Xia Ning would have dived into it without hesitation; sadly, there was none.

    So, she had no choice but to steel herself and follow Xia Guoxiong¡¯s lead, "So... Dad, you went to deal with the issues between my brother and me? How did it go?"

    Xia Guoxiong red at her again and said impatiently, "If I aplished nothing in the past three days, why would I evene back?"

    A smile slowly appeared on Xia Ning¡¯s face; she didn¡¯t even mind the cigarette mped between Xia Guoxiong¡¯s fingers anymore. She eagerly leaned in and asked, "Dad, did you really seed? You¡¯re so amazing. Please tell me how you did it?"

    Xia Guoxiong took a deep drag of his cigarette, blowing out the smoke through his nostrils, looking like a pig snout with a crooked scallion sticking out of it.

    Xia Ning was curious why she still had such thoughts and suppressed her urge tough, striving to look admiringly at Xia Guoxiong.

    Finally, having finished his cigarette, Xia Guoxiong flicked the butt into the ashtray and then began detailing his actions over the past few days.

    It turned out that once Xia Guoxiong knew Yi Lixing and Qin Nuan were at a dead end, Mr. Ji came up with an idea¡ªto target the failed assassin who tried to kill Fu Han.

    After investing a massive amount of resources, Xia Guoxiong painstakingly traced the roots to the assassin¡¯s remote home vige.

    To describe just how out-of-the-way it was, one had to take a bus after getting off the train, then hire a car, and finally a motorcycle. The cecked even a paved road, it was so wind-blown in winter that dust filled the air.

    Hyperbolically speaking, on his way to that forsaken backwater, Xia Guoxiong repeatedly thought that if he had another son, he would not care about the fate of the anakputih children, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning.

 Chapter 638 - 639: Midnight Terror

    <h4>Chapter 638: Chapter 639: Midnight Terror</h4><h4></h4>

    The difficulty of this journey made him think of Tangseng¡¯s pilgrimage to the West to retrieve the scriptures. It truly rivaled the ny-nine eighty-one tribtions.

    But the oue was positive. The mountain vigers had neverid eyes on a big shot like Xia Guoxiong, and they looked at him as if he were a Bodhisattva.

    Taking advantage of nobody being around, Xia Guoxiong had a private talk with the assassin¡¯s parents and proposed that the assassin alone take the me, in exchange for a heftypensation.

    The parents had never considered that their son, charged with attempted murder and attempted rape, would spend how many years in prison.

    What they thought was, with Xia Guoxiong¡¯s money, they could buy a bride for their younger son, and then their family could continue to grow and prosper.

    Xia Ning was extremely shocked to hear what Xia Guoxiong said. It was a world she had never been exposed to, something that never appeared in her worldview.

    Yet Xia Guoxiong was particrly calm about it, and the family¡¯s response waspletely within his expectations.

    After all, had his parents faced the same choice, they would surely have opted for the money over Xia Guoxiong without a second thought.

    The saying that cunning folkse out of remote and impoverished areas is true: the poorer they are, the less they value life. When you have several sons and someone tells you that sacrificing one means the others won¡¯t have to remain bachelors, no parent would reject that choice.

    That¡¯s also why Xia Guoxiong, after arriving in City A, preferred to sleep under a bridge with no money rather than return to his old home, even though the air there was fresh. But that ce was truly despairing, truly not fit for a person to live in.

    In the blink of an eye, he had left his hometown for thirty years without ever going back, and in all that time his family never came looking for him.

    Even now, if you called Xia Guoxiong back, he wouldn¡¯t remember where his home was; he had forgotten what his parents looked like, forgotten the names of his siblings.

    And even if he remembered what his hometown looked like, he wouldn¡¯t go back.

    He knew all too well what his bunch of poor rtives would do upon his return. They would pester him the same way he pestered Du Wanting, demanding money, jobs, houses, brides.

    In a strict sense, there was no difference between Xia Guoxiong and the assassin¡¯s parents; they were both extreme egoists, always thinking of themselves first.

    Xia Ning¡¯s voice, both excited and timid, rang out, "Daddy, does that mean you can get Yi Lixing out tomorrow?"

    Xia Ning could handle Qin Xiaonian¡¯s release from prison by herself. Now, all she needed to do was get Yi Lixing out, and the sword hanging over her head would be removed.

    "It won¡¯t be that fast," Xia Guoxiong red at Xia Ning and said irritably, "You have to eat your rice one bite at a time. Do you think you can be fat in one gulp? Yi Lixing was personally sent in by He Xing; do you think He Xing doesn¡¯t have backup ns?"

    The conversation, going round and round, eventually came back to the problem with He Xing.

    Xia Ning sighed deeply; she really did not know how to deal with this matter.

    These days, she had made many phone calls to He Xing, sent countless messages, and visited Lanwan Mountain several times; but every time He Xing picked up her calls, he would ask if there was any matter, and just as Xia Ning tried to exchange pleasantries before getting to the point, He Xing would hang up. As for the messages she sent, He Xing had not replied at all these days.

    What left Xia Ning speechless was that in the past, when she visited Lanwan Mountain, the gatekeepers never stopped her; but during this time, no matter when she went, she wasn¡¯t allowed to go up. If she said she wanted to see He Xing or Elder He, the response was always that they were not at home and told Xia Ning to call He Xing herself.

    It was a vicious cycle. The gatekeepers said He Xing was not at home, so she should call him; when she called He Xing, he either didn¡¯t answer, or he would hang up in a few seconds. Thus, Xia Ning hadn¡¯t seen He Xing at all these days, and she felt utterly helpless.

    Then, Xia Guoxiong spoke up again, his voice carrying a sinister chill, "Xia Ning, don¡¯t me me for not helping you. Now I¡¯ve taken care of the assassin, you go deal with He Xing. You look exactly like your mother. Aren¡¯t you afraid that He Xing won¡¯t be soft-hearted? Just say Yi Lixing has decided to burn both bridges, that you were framed by them. Can¡¯t youe up with that story?"

    Xia Ning knew she had no other choices. She quietly nodded, not saying a word.

    ...

    When the phone rang, He Xing thought it was his set rm. He took off his eye mask, but was still greeted by darkness, realizing then it was not yet dawn.

    The phone rang insistently, line after line, exceptionally urgent. The three characters on the screen reading "Uncle Xia" were ringly bright.

    A bad premonition arose in He Xing¡¯s heart, and he slowly answered the call.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s distinctive loud voice transmitted from the phone, "He Xing, it¡¯s bad, Xia Ning has attempted suicide!"

    After hanging up, He Xing instantly got out of bed and searched for clothes in his wardrobe. He had just put on his dress shirt and hadn¡¯t yet buttoned it up when the phone rang again.

    He Xing¡¯s hand involuntarily trembled, identally brushing against his own robust pectorals, and that¡¯s when he realized his hand was ice-cold like iron.

    It was a video from Xia Guoxiong. In it, Xia Ningy bloodied in a bathtub, her eyes tightly closed, and eyebrows scrunched up; the water in the tub had turned red with her blood, and more continued to gush out from her wrists like a spring.

    Suddenly, a blood-soaked face appeared before He Xing¡¯s eyes, a face identical to Xia Ning¡¯s ¡ª it was her mother, Du Wanting.

    That year, not yet ten years old, He Xing watched helplessly as his parents vanished before his eyes, and Du Wanting¡¯s blood flowed on the highway like a stream.

    He swore in his heart then, if he could survive this disaster, he never wanted to witness such a scene again.

    He Xing couldn¡¯t believe Xia Guoxiong still had the mood to send him a video at this time. Furious and trembling, he sent several voice messages demanding Xia Guoxiong take Xia Ning to the hospital immediately, saying he was on his way.

    Five minutester, the Lamborghini revved up. To avoid waking Elder He, He Xing left the He Family home at a slow pace, but once he was on the mountain road, the screeching of the tires against the ground nearly tore open the night sky.

    The mountain road was scenic but perilously dangerous. Even though He Xing had driven it several times, during a ny-degree turn, he still grazed the protective barriers on the right; without them, the Lamborghini might have tumbled right off the mountain road.

 Chapter 639 - 640: Confidence At Heart

    <h4>Chapter 639: Chapter 640: Confidence At Heart</h4><h4></h4>

    As the Lamborghini nearly flipped over, He Xing felt for the first time what was fear. He wasn¡¯t afraid of death, but of what would happen to Fu Han and Grandpa He if he died.

    The rest of the journey saw He Xing being much more cautious, and even though he had alreadye down from the mountain road, he didn¡¯t speed like a maniac again, though he was still going faster than usual.

    The hospital soon came into view, and whether by coincidence or not, it happened to be the same hospital Fu Han and Nan Qing had visited a few days ago.

    He Xing remembered that ording to the Xia Family¡¯s location, they should have been in the new wing on the suburb side, since the time to rescue Xia Ning from her suicide was crucial, and the ambnce should have allocated the nearest hospital, it made no sense to bring her here instead.

    But now was not the time to think about these things. He Xing took two steps at a time as he entered the hospital, and without hesitation made his way to the outside of the Emergency Room, where Fu Han had received emergency treatmentst time as well.

    When he arrived, Xia Guoxiong was standing alone outside the Emergency Room. From afar, his back was hunched as if a great mountain weighed upon him, making it hard for him to breathe.

    Moreover, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s hair was unkempt, looking as if he hadn¡¯t washed it in many days, and his dark blue coat was stained inrge patches, adding to his disheveled appearance.

    He Xing¡¯s mood became incrediblyplex as he approached Xia Guoxiong, and when he was two meters away, he cleared his throat, "Uncle Xia."

    Xia Guoxiong turned around, and upon seeing He Xing, the tears immediately started spilling from his eyes.

    They say a man¡¯s tears should not be easily shed, but Xia Guoxiong¡¯s tears were always more plentiful than most men¡¯s, and He Xing had seen him cry on several asions.

    However, with the flickering lights above the Emergency Room, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s tears brought an extra pang of heartache to He Xing.

    He Xingposed himself, and with as calm of a tone as possible, he asked, "Uncle Xia, how is Xia Ning doing?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Xia Guoxiong haphazardly wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve, speaking with a profound sense of grievance, as if He Xing had wronged him in some way.

    He Xing chose to ignore Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression. At that moment, he felt an unexpected calm, as he looked at Xia Guoxiong with an unfathomable gaze and asked, "Uncle Xia, why did Xia Ning attempt suicide?"

    Indeed, He Xing¡¯s reason was telling him not to ask this question, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask, driven by his emotions and his gratitude towards Du Wanting.

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s tears started flowing again as he cried out, "Isn¡¯t it because Xia Ning is a fool? A few days ago, Qin Nuan got in touch with Xia Ning, iming that if she did not find a way to save Yi Lixing, Qin Nuan would go to you."

    "To me?" He Xing¡¯s handsome eyebrows knitted together as he looked at Xia Guoxiong in confusion, genuinely surprised that this matter could be rted to him.

    Xia Guoxiong spoke through his sobs, "Isn¡¯t it just because Xia Ning adores you too much? You know she and Fu Han have always been at odds. Once, Xia Ning spoke out of anger, saying she wished Fu Han was gone. Qin Nuan overheard that, and now she is using those words to threaten Xia Ning, iming if Xia Ning doesn¡¯t get Yi Lixing released, Qin Nuan will have Yi Lixing use her of being the mastermind behind it all."

    "Even if she wanted to mastermind, how could she?" He Xing¡¯s bright eyes met Xia Guoxiong¡¯s, his words measured, "Even if Yi Lixing were to make such an usation, he¡¯d need to provide evidence."

    Under He Xing¡¯s gaze, Xia Guoxiong felt utterly exposed,pelled to turn away from those prating eyes, yet his rational mind told him he couldn¡¯t.

    Xia Guoxiong steeled himself, meeting He Xing¡¯s eyes as he stated each word carefully, "It¡¯s a long story... You know about the mess between me, Xia Cheng, and Qin Nuan. Originally... to get Qin Nuan to abort the child, I gave her money in the name of Xia Ning. Now she¡¯s nning to use that money to frame Xia Ning."

    The hospital was quiette at night, and the Emergency Room was a ce no one normally wished to visit.

    The narrow corridor was upied by only the two of them, the dim light overhead casting a soft glow, highlighting every detail of their figures.

    He Xing scrutinized Xia Guoxiong closely, trying to decide whether what he said was true, knowing that his own investigations had turned up information that didn¡¯t align with Xia Guoxiong¡¯s ount.

    After several stifling minutes passed, He Xing finally broke the silence, "I understand what you¡¯ve said, and I will investigate this thoroughly. Like I¡¯ve always stated, no one is allowed to harm Fu Han."

    Xia Guoxiong, not anticipating that his words would have no impact on He Xing¡¯s steadfast resolve, felt his heart sink, at a loss about what to do next.

    Just then, the door of the Emergency Room opened, and the doctors and nurses wheeled Xia Ning out.

    Upon the stark white hospital bed, Xia Ning looked even paler than before, devoid of any color in her face; her eyes tightly closed, she appeared to be deeply asleep.

    The doctor spoke with an emotionless voice tinged with indifference, "The patient has lost too much blood, and because she wasn¡¯t brought here in time, even though we¡¯ve managed to resuscitate her, no one can predict the final oue."

    "What?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s voice rose several notches as he anxiously retorted, "I brought her over immediately, and you¡¯re telling me I wasn¡¯t prompt enough?"

    The doctor, in the process of removing his face mask, paused upon hearing this and replied expressionlessly, "I¡¯m merely stating the facts; you can confirm with the relevant authorities if you don¡¯t believe me."

    He Xing inwardly sighed deeply, and finally spoke, "Uncle Xia, let¡¯s not quarrel over this with the doctor. Let¡¯s get Xia Ning to the ward."

    Hearing He Xing¡¯s words, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s expression slightly eased, and looking up, he directed the nearby nurse through his nostrils, "Hurry up and take my daughter to the ward. If anything happens to her, I won¡¯t let you off the hook."

    He Xing¡¯s brows furrowed, always feeling that Xia Guoxiong¡¯s attitude towards his children, Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, was odd¡ªnot necessarily bad, but it always seemed like a show to others.

    But these were not the matters to dwell on at the moment. He Xing still followed the nurses as they escorted Xia Ning towards the Inpatient Department, and then, the second coincidence of the day urred¡ªthe room assigned to Xia Ning by the doctor was the very same ward Fu Han had stayed in.

    He Xing looked around the ward, not even a week had passed since hest left this room, and now here he was back again. Truly, one could only say that the world is vast, yet at times, the world seems incredibly small.

 Chapter 640 - 641: Unpleasant Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 640: Chapter 641: Unpleasant Conversation</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Guoxiong walked around the ward, voicing all kinds ofints¡ªthe ward was too small, the furniture was very shabby, the sofa was worn out, the ss coffee table was not wiped clean¡ªin short, he was unsatisfied with everything.

    He Xing honestly found this very annoying. Why so fussy when staying in the hospital, especially since this was the VIP Ward, and the conditions were indeed not bad.

    But he couldn¡¯t refute Xia Guoxiong, he could only pretend not to hear. Anyway, what He Xing thought was that no matter what Xia Guoxiong said, he wouldn¡¯t respond.

    Xia Guoxiong kept talking by himself, but soon found it meaningless, and lethargically shut his mouth.

    When he saw He Xing sitting by the bed, yet pulling out his phone and seemingly doing something else, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face twisted again.

    He bit his lip hard and pinched himself savagely, and immediately shiny tears moistened his eyes. "Why is my life so tough? I lost my wife at a young age, and on my own, I raised two children through all the hardships. Now that they have grown up, I¡¯m not destined to enjoy life. One has been framed by Qin Nuan and ended up in the Detention Center. He might even be jailed; the other fell for someone who doesn¡¯t love her back and even attempted suicide because of that person. What sins did Imit? Does the Almighty want me to end my life in solitude?"

    Initially, He Xing was determined not to respond to anything he said. However, some of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words were true and rted to him. He couldn¡¯t just ignore them.

    He Xing adjusted his emotions and said with as calm a voice as possible, "Uncle Xia, don¡¯t say that. The doctor said Xia Ning will be fine; and as for Xia Cheng, if he recognizes his mistakes and behaves well in jail, he might get released earlier."

    "What are you talking about?" Xia Guoxiong red at He Xing as if looking at a stranger and said with indignant righteousness, "He Xing, you promised me before that if I died, you would take care of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?"

    He Xing had indeed made such a promise, but that was because a few years ago, Xia Guoxiong needed surgery for a perforated stomach from too much drinking. Even though everyone assured him that the surgery had a low risk, Xia Guoxiong still insisted on having He Xing promise to take care of Xia Cheng and Xia Ning and the Xia Group if anything were to happen to him.

    He Xing thought to himself that he had found the best doctor for Xia Guoxiong. The chances of a mishap were very slim, so his "promise" had not been particrly important. He made that promise tofort Xia Guoxiong.

    But he never expected Xia Guoxiong to bring it up against him now.

    He wanted to argue back, but he felt it was difficult to do so in front of the unconscious Xia Ning, especially when she still bore a face simr to Du Wanting¡¯s.

    He Xing¡¯s sigh finally couldn¡¯t be suppressed anymore. He spoke with a hint of helplessness, "Uncle Xia, if you have any good ideas, please share them. Maybe I can help."

    A glint of hope appeared in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He had been waiting for these words and finally heard them.

    "Cough cough..." Xia Guoxiong adopted the pompous tone he had used for decades and said, "He Xing, your uncle isn¡¯t trying to make things difficult for you, but could you spare Yi Lixing? By doing so, you save both Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. If Auntie Du knew in theherworld, she would be grateful to you."

    "That¡¯s not the way it works." He Xing¡¯s willpower was incredibly strong, and he almost instantly pinpointed the crux of the problem. He said expressionlessly, word by word, "Uncle Xia, no matter how many times you ask me, I¡¯ll still say the same thing: Yi Lixing hurt Fu Han, and I have no right to forgive anyone on her behalf."

    "So you¡¯ll just ignore Xia Cheng and Xia Ning?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face fell, and his tears, not yet dry, added to his aggrieved look. He said resentfully, "Yes, Fu Han was hurt, but hasn¡¯t she recovered? Now the most important thing is to save Xia Cheng and Xia Ning. By choosing an already healed Fu Han over Xia Cheng and Xia Ning, are you really doing justice to their mother?"

    He Xing did not want to be so blunt, but Xia Guoxiong was determined to push this issue with him to the end, causing thest bit of patience in Xia Guoxiong¡¯s heart to evaporatepletely.

    His face also darkened, and he said coldly, "Uncle Xia, you¡¯re constantly equivocating, trying to convince me that forgiving Yi Lixing will solve Xia Cheng¡¯s and Xia Ning¡¯s problems. So in your heart, only Xia Cheng and Xia Ning are humans worthy of being saved? What about Fu Han? She¡¯s clearly an innocent party. Why shouldn¡¯t she be allowed to seek legitimate redress for her injuries?"

    "I..." Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face momentarily betrayed guilt, but the next second, his tears started flowing again. "He Xing, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m saying that now Yi Lixing¡¯s life can save two lives. This is a good deal. As for Fu Han, I¡¯m aware of the injustice she¡¯s faced. I will certainlypensate herter."

    "Compensation? There¡¯s no need for that." He Xing was now thoroughly enraged and looked coldly at Xia Guoxiong, saying, "One thing at a time, Xia Cheng has only himself to me for his current situation; as for Xia Ning, I believe that falsehoods cannot turn into truth. If Xia Ning hasn¡¯t done anything to harm Fu Han, I assure you she¡¯ll be fine."

    Xia Guoxiong felt hope slowly draining from his heart as he knew that no matter what he said, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sway He Xing. He muttered, "Is there really no room for maneuver? I went to see Xia Cheng at the Detention Center a few days ago, and he truly realizes his mistake; and as you know his past rtionship with Qin Nuan, they were lovers, so what they did was consensual, not rape."

    "Telling these things to me is pointless. Take it up with the judge and see if they believe you," He Xing retorted, no longer as calm as before and even bearing a clear hint of fury.

    Xia Guoxiong was full of discontent. As he was about to speak, something he saw out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and ultimately he held back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

    After a suffocating silence, Xia Guoxiong suddenly yawned loudly and abruptly changed the subject. "He Xing, I¡¯m getting old and can¡¯t stay upte. Plus, I haven¡¯t been sleeping welltely because of the trouble with those siblings. I¡¯m going to go and lie down for a while. Xia Ning is in your hands, and I¡¯lle relieve you when the day breaks."

    There was no w in what he said, and since He Xing had no intention of leaving anyway, he readily agreed, "Uncle Xia, you should go back and get some good rest. I¡¯ll be here, and I¡¯ll give you a call if anything happens. You don¡¯t have to hurry over tomorrow morning; it¡¯s most important that you rest well."

 Chapter 641 - 642: Sensible Child

    <h4>Chapter 641: Chapter 642: Sensible Child</h4><h4></h4>

    "She¡¯s such a sensible child," Xia Guoxiong nodded in satisfaction, and with a turn, he was already out of the door, not even looking back, as if whaty behind him was a hot potato he couldn¡¯t wait to throw away, the faster the better.

    He Xing shook his head slightly and reached into his pocket for his phone, intending to update Fu Han about the situation. It looked like he wouldn¡¯t be able to bring Fu Han breakfast today, considering it was already past three in the morning.

    But before he could finish typing his message, a weak voice reached his ear: "He Xing... Brother?"

    He Xing swiftly turned around and, indeed, saw that Xia Ning had opened her eyes. Although they were dull and listless, at least she was awake.

    "You¡¯re awake?" He Xing approached the bedside and bent down to check on her, wanting to ascertain Xia Ning¡¯s mother¡¯s condition.

    Xia Ning looked at He Xing with a puzzled face: "He Xing Brother? Are you really my Brother He Xing?"

    "Yes, it¡¯s me." He Xing faced the face that looked exactly like Du Wanting¡¯s especially at this moment ¨C Xia Ning¡¯s lifeless eyes reminded him so much of Du Wanting¡¯s at the moment she left this world; he truly couldn¡¯t bring himself to be cruel.

    He Xing tried topose himself and said in as calm a voice as possible: "Xia Ning, how do you feel? Are you in pain? I¡¯ll call the doctor to check on you."

    "Don¡¯t!" Xia Ning reacted strongly, suddenly stretching a hand to cover her head with the nket, screaming loudly, "I don¡¯t want, I don¡¯t want, Brother He Xing, save me, someone wants to drag me to prison."

    Half an hourter, the doctor finally finished the examination, speaking to He Xing with a grave expression: "Lady Xia Ning might have suffered a severe shock, which is why she¡¯s experiencing memory disorder."

    Before this, He Xing never imagined Xia Ning would attempt suicide. He had nned to wait for her to wake up and then ask her what had happened. Now that seemed out of the question, at least for the moment.

    He Xing nced back at Xia Ning; her head was still covered with the nket, only her eyes peeking out tentatively, watching ¨C more precisely, watching He Xing.

    "Doctor, is there a way to cure this condition?" He Xing sighed deeply, his eyes expressing undeniable exhaustion.

    "I can¡¯t give you an exact time frame right now. Even in medicine, this condition is rare," said the doctor while rapidly writing on his notepad, "In a few days, a neurology expert will being to our hospital to give a lecture. At that time, we can have the expert take a look at Lady Xia Ning."

    Thetter part of the statement wasn¡¯t much use to He Xing; if it wasn¡¯t for the team of experts, with his capability, he could have the best experts from across the country or even the worlde to treat Xia Ning.

    After the doctor left, He Xing sat back down in his original seat, looking down at Xia Ning from his higher vantage point while she, in turn, was watching him. Their gazes met in mid-air, one calm, the other timid.

    In He Xing¡¯s memory, Xia Ning¡¯s gaze always gave off an ufortable feeling. When she looked at you, you would think she had ulterior motives. But now, her eyes were surprisingly clear, as innocent as a newborn baby, sharply defined in ck and white.

    At first, He Xing did worry that Xia Ning was faking it, and even after the doctors made their diagnosis, he didn¡¯t drop his suspicion. But looking at Xia Ning now, he knew that there might truly be something wrong with her psyche. After all, the former Xia Ning would never have such an expression in her eyes.

    After who knows how long, Xia Ning¡¯s timid voice spoke up: "Brother He Xing, what¡¯s wrong with me? Don¡¯t you want me anymore?"

    In the past, whenever Xia Ning said something like this, He Xing would tremble with anger. Yet today, he actually found Xia Ning pitiful and felt a twinge of heartache for her.

    With a rare gentleness, He Xing said to Xia Ning: "Xia Ning, don¡¯t think nonsense. I won¡¯t neglect you. And you still have your dad and... rest assured, your dad would never abandon you."

    He had wanted to say, "you still have your dad and brother," but at that moment he thought of Xia Cheng in the detention center, uncertain when he would be out, so he improvised.

    Fortunately, the current Xia Ning was easy to persuade. Even though there were obvious holes in He Xing¡¯s words, she nodded vigorously. But after a few seconds, she hesitated before speaking again: "But Brother He Xing, I don¡¯t want to be with dad. I only want to be with you."

    "Why?" He Xing¡¯s tone became gentler, but his eyes were as cold as frost, like the eyes of a cat stalking alone through the night, filled with calm and vignce.

    Xia Ning still looked at He Xing with wide eyes, like a little animal lost in the forest, unafraid upon seeing humans.

    With an extremely innocent tone, she said: "Because my dad doesn¡¯t like me at all. He only likes my brother, and he always yells at me."

    Her words sounded like those of a little girl who had faced a great injustice. Having finally found someone to talk to, she opened up without reservation, sharing her innermost thoughts.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze became much deeper all of a sudden. He realized that although he always said he would take care of Du Wanting¡¯s children while visiting her grave, his care had been far from attentive.

    His care wasn¡¯t care at all but rather just the minimum effort within his capabilities, like buying clothes and jewelry Xia Ning liked, or asionally backing up Xia Cheng¡¯s pretensions when he was in a good mood.

    In the past, He Xing always thought that it was Xia Guoxiong¡¯sck of proper upbringing that made Xia Cheng and Xia Ning turn out the way they were ¨C utterly useless and shallow heirs of wealth.

    But on reflection, He Xing himself had never considered how to rectify the ws in Xia Cheng and Xia Ning.

    Take Fu Han as an example ¨C she would argue with Xia Ning and Xia Cheng every other day. Although He Xing would mediate at the moment, he would analyze the reasons for the quarrel with Fu Han afterwards, teaching her the logic.

    Even if most times he tactlessly lectured Fu Han when she was least receptive, causing her to be upset and uncooperative...

    Over the years, persistence wore down resistance; Fu Han¡¯s character improved, slowly blossoming into a rose¡ªbeautiful, graceful, and cultured, with a hint of thorns. More and more people began to say that Fu Han was a truedy of distinction.

    Yet with Xia Ning, any friction with Fu Han was met by He Xing with an impartial punishment. Xia Ning never felt wronged by this; perhaps knowing that He Xing favored someone else, she was even happy that he was not biased towards Fu Han.

 Chapter 642 - 643: A Beautiful Morning

    <h4>Chapter 642: Chapter 643: A Beautiful Morning</h4><h4></h4>

    This side also has been umting over the years, and Xia Ning had virtually no good qualities left, bing increasingly presumptuous, spoiled and capricious, and increasingly oblivious to what was good for her.

    To be fair, He Xing had long been aware of Xia Ning¡¯s little shorings, and even knew clearly when Xia Ning was telling the truth and when she was lying.

    It was just that his mind had never been on Xia Ning, and coupled with his substantial support for Xia Group, he subconsciously felt that he had done Du Wanting justice, and thus no longer cared about Xia Cheng and Xia Ning¡¯s upbringing, after all, their ages weren¡¯t that different from his.

    Now, looking back, He Xing felt that if he had treated Xia Ning like his own sister from the start, perhaps none of this would have happened.

    Thinking of this, He Xing¡¯s mood became even heavier, seemingly heavier than the night outside the window.

    He Xing had taken great effort to coax Xia Ning to sleep, but her sleeping position made him feel very ufortable.

    No matter how she was persuaded, Xia Ning wouldn¡¯t listen and insisted on holding on to He Xing¡¯s sleeve before she would agree to sleep; originally, Xia Ning wanted to hold He Xing¡¯s hand, but he strongly opposed it, and finally, they chose a middle ground, allowing Xia Ning to hold onto his sleeve.

    Several times he thought Xia Ning had fallen asleep and tried to pull his sleeve away, but Xia Ning immediately woke up; left with no choice, He Xing could only let Xia Ning hold onto his sleeve, and feeling a bit sleepy himself, he rested his head and drifted off.

    ...

    Fu Han surprisingly got up early, disregarding the cold winter morning and rushing to the restroom to wash her hair and take a shower.

    After a whole night, her anticipation to see He Xing intensified; she wanted to be in her best condition when meeting him, and hoped to always look beautiful in front of him.

    When Fu Han was leaving, she almost ran into Wang Yixuan, who was justing out of Nan Qing¡¯s room.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s hair was naturally curly, and with its length almost reaching his chin, it had turned into a bird¡¯s nest after a night¡¯s sleep.

    Usually, Wang Yixuan was always immacte, with perfect features, and long hair that didn¡¯t make him look effeminate but rather emphasized his masculinity, giving off the aura of a handsome man with both valor and good looks.

    Compared with the usual Wang Yixuan, today¡¯s Wang Yixuan was simply... too hard to ept, with a ring of fine blue stubble on his chin, turning into a rugged man.

    On the other side, Wang Yixuan was sizing up Fu Han, and after one look, he calmly said, "You¡¯re dressed up pretty nicely today."

    Wang Yixuan was notoriously conceited, even to the point of arrogance, which had once made Fu Han think he was naturally disinclined topliment others, and today was truly a rare first.

    But, truth be told, being praised by someone who neverplimented her did feel quite nice.

    With a yful tongue click, Fu Han replied unapologetically, "Thanks for thepliment, though you look very... very manly today."

    That was truly the only somewhat suitable phrase she could scrape together from the bottom of her heart.

    Wang Yixuan,pletely indifferent, shook his head and nced sideways at Fu Han, "I¡¯m going out to buy breakfast for Nan Qing. What will you eat? I can bring something back for you too."

    "No need," replied Fu Han, tired of watching their daily disys of affection, and now having a rare chance to retort, she would not miss it, thus she straightforwardly said, "He Xing is going to bring me breakfast today, to mypany."

    "Wow, so He Xing is that good, huh?" Wang Yixuan returned to his usual sarcasm, ying with his unruly hair as he teased, "No wonder you dressed up so nicely, but be careful in case he gets held up and can¡¯t bring you breakfast."

    "He Xing will definitely keep his promise," retorted Fu Han, ring daggers at Wang Yixuan before bypassing him to get to the door and change her shoes.

    Today was the first day back at work after the Spring Festival holiday, and the neighborhood, quiet just yesterday, was noticeably livelier today, with early risers, old men and women, carrying thermal lunch boxes heading towards the gate, presumably to buy breakfast for their still-slumbering children at home.

    Younger folks, undaunted by the cold, were running around the neighborhood in spring and autumn sportswear; elders were practicing Tai Chi in the Square, the volume of the speakers kept low, likely to avoid disturbing others.

    Everything was bursting with vitality, and the trees in the neighborhood were as green as ever, with the careful observer noting fresh green leaves emerging.

    Fu Han¡¯s head-turning rate was as high as ever, and she had long sincee to terms with it, knowing that excessive modesty is, after all, a form of pride.

    Ever since Fu Han became aware of the concept of beauty, she knew she was beautiful, and not just average, but even more beautiful than that.

    Thus, from a young age she had grown ustomed to people staring at her, secretly sizing her up as she walked; aware of her beauty, she felt it was the best state for a beautiful person to be in.

    Especially today, after Fu Han had dressed up meticulously, she looked even lovelier, like pearls and gems on disy.

    Today, Fu Han had her waist-length ck curly hair tied up in a high ponytail, adorned with arge ck velvet bow decorated with pearls. The ponytail bounced with her movements, adding an extra dose of liveliness.

    She wore a short light green and white idmbswool jacket on her upper body; ck and white id shorts on the bottom, with ck fleece-lined leggings underneath, finished with boots that reached mid-calf.

    This outfit perfectly showcased Fu Han¡¯s physique, highlighting her tall and well-proportioned figure, with curves in all the right ces and not an ounce of excess fat where it shouldn¡¯t be.

    Most importantly, Fu Han was also wearing makeup; eyebrows, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick ¨C not a detail was missed, making her face look even more exquisite, as though a princess from a fairy tale had stepped into the real world.

    Today, Fu Han did not want to take the subway as she usually did whenever she rode the subway, someone would ask for her contact information, and when she refused, some would persistently pester her; and others always tried to take pictures of her, which disturbed her mood. Today, she didn¡¯t want such things to spoil her spirits.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t driven her car in days and was pleasantly surprised to find it still had fuel, and despite the weather not being particrly cold, she started it up with ease.

    The drive from Huating No.1 to Cheng Yihan¡¯spany wouldn¡¯t normally take much time, but as both locations were in the bustling city center of City A, and today being the first day back to work, she was unsurprised to find herself stuck in a traffic jam.

    The cars on the road were as packed as canned sardines, moving slower than a tortoise.

    Fu Han watched as the time ticked by and became increasingly anxious, dreading that she might bete and He Xing would get upset.

 Chapter 643 - 644: The Company in the Early Morning

    <h4>Chapter 643: Chapter 644: The Company in the Early Morning</h4><h4></h4>

    The most critical issue was that she had tried to call He Xing several times to exin the situation, but each time before she could even fish out her phone from her bag, the car behind would start honking, signaling that she could move on; and with Fu Han¡¯s driving skills, clearly she did not possess the ability to drive with one hand.

    Finally, after taking more than double the usual time, Fu Han arrived at thepany.

    She ran so fast that for the first time the two bodyguards couldn¡¯t keep up with her, and this was even with her wearing three centimeter heels.

    While standing in the elevator, Fu Han was already thinking about what she was going to say to He Xing, and she was even looking forward to seeing him as soon as the elevator doors opened.

    With a ding, Fu Han stepped out, a bit excited, but where was He Xing? Not even a shadow was in sight.

    Fu Han felt as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her bubbling enthusiasm, instantly dampening her high spirits, but she quicklyforted herself, thinking that perhaps He Xing was also stuck in traffic, which was why he waste.

    "That must be it." Fu Han nodded vigorously, reassuring herself in her heart, "Safety is important, it¡¯s okay to be slow; after all, I¡¯m not hungry."

    With that mindset, Fu Han arrived at the office, and was about to fish out her keys to unlock the door when she suddenly discovered the door was already open.

    For the sake of having ample time for breakfast with He Xing, she had arrived at the office nearly an hour early. It made no sense for someone to havee in before her.

    At that moment, many thoughts shed through her mind. The most likely possibility was that she had forgotten to lock the door when she leftst year, and their office had remained unlocked since then.

    If a thief knew about it, theirpany would probably have been cleaned out by now.

    Another possibility was that the door had been opened by someone today, perhaps a criminal who was now waiting for her inside.

    A cold sweat broke out on Fu Han¡¯s forehead, and she hesitated, unsure whether to just go in, when at that moment, she heard the sound of the elevator doors opening nearby.

    Fu Han was a mix of shock, delight, and fear, instinctively taking two steps back, hoping to see who wasing up, ideally He Xing.

    To Fu Han¡¯s eager anticipation, the two bodyguards appointed by He Xing emerged from the elevator. Six eyes met, and the bodyguards immediately addressed her, "Lady Fu Han, may we assist you with anything?"

    "Come in with me. I want to see who opened the door," Fu Han said, calming herself down, her heart had been racing only moments before.

    For the first time, Fu Han felt that the bodyguards weren¡¯t too bad, as they provided her with a sense of security when it mattered most.

    The three of them entered one after the other like thieves, crouching low through the open door gap; Fu Han led the way, her fear unfounded as she was determined to see which tomcat or mongrel had opened it.

    Therge office area was dark, as the lights weren¡¯t on and the curtains weren¡¯t drawn, making the lighting in Fu Han¡¯s office dim, with many things unclear.

    As soon as she entered, she turned on the lights, and the room suddenly became much brighter.

    Fu Han scanned her office, and everything seemed undisturbed, at least she couldn¡¯t tell if anything was out of ce; she had also locked her office door before leaving for the New Year.

    At this point, one of the bodyguards came, who Fu Han had directed to check outside for intruders.

    After entering, he promptly stated, "Lady Fu Han, it¡¯s not a criminal who hase in, it¡¯s Mr. Su Cheng working in his own office."

    "Su Cheng?" Fu Han replied with a puzzled expression, "Su Cheng should be at Huangpu Group right now. What is he doing in this smallpany?"

    Naturally, the bodyguard had no way to answer Fu Han¡¯s questions, but she hadn¡¯t expected an answer from him anyway.

    And now that she was the first to arrive before He Xing, she wasn¡¯t in a hurry anymore; she simply walked out the door and headed straight for Su Cheng¡¯s office.

    Their offices were separated by a wall, but because Su Cheng knew Fu Han didn¡¯t like being watched all day, theyout of their offices waspletely different, with doors not facing the same direction.

    Fu Han had to make a round before reaching the door of Su Cheng¡¯s office. She nced inside and indeed saw Su Cheng sitting at his desk, deeply engrossed in his work.

    Seeing the level of his concentration, Fu Han felt somewhat reluctant to interrupt him, so she turned to leave.

    But the sound of her high heels on the tile caught his attention immediately.

    "Fu Han, why are you here so early?" Su Cheng, overly excited, stood up in surprise, his eyes glued to her as if they¡¯d been coated in glue.

    "Something came up, so I came early," Fu Han replied, unable to simply tell anyone that she had gotten up early to have breakfast with He Xing. She offered a kind lie and subtly shifted the topic, "What about you, why are you here so early? Don¡¯t you have to work at Huangpu Group today?"

    "I¡¯ll be going there in a bit," Su Cheng said with a smile. His facial muscles moved just like before when he smiled, but somehow it felt like a big change, as his tone became more and more mature, "I came here to deal with some matters."

    Fu Han had no interest in prying into other people¡¯s privacy, He Xing being the exception, so instinctively, she didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation.

    She mustered a smile on her face, "Alright, then you¡¯re busy, I should go work too."

    Unexpectedly, before she could turn around, Su Cheng rushed out, calling after her. He caught up with her outside his office, saying anxiously, "Fu Han, don¡¯t hurry away, I have something to tell you."

    "What is it?" Fu Han smiled, her voice gentle, "Tell me, I¡¯ll definitely help if I can."

    Ever since she learned about the financial issues at Huangpu Group, Fu Han had felt a sincere sympathy for Su Cheng.

    Unfortunately, thest thing Su Cheng wanted was Fu Han¡¯s sympathy, so his face that had been flushed a second ago turned pale the next.

    He then revealed a self-deprecating smile, saying somewhat helplessly, "You know I can¡¯t manage thispany anymore, so I¡¯m thinking of transferring all my equity to you. I¡¯ve already printed out the documents; we just need to sign, and it¡¯s done."

    Fu Han nodded, unsurprised, "That¡¯s a good idea. We¡¯ll go by the market price for the quote, and I¡¯ll transfer the money to you immediately. I also have some cash on hand that I can give you..."

    "No!" However, before she could finish, Su Cheng interrupted her curtly, "I don¡¯t want your money; I don¡¯t want thispany either. Just take it all, and run it well."

 Chapter 644 - 645: The Missed Breakfast

    <h4>Chapter 644: Chapter 645: The Missed Breakfast</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han took several seconds to finally process what Su Cheng had said and when she did, her face turnedpletely stern as she looked at Su Cheng expressionlessly, "What did you say? Say it again!"

    Although Fu Han¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t very loud, and her tone wasn¡¯t particrly harsh, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became oppressive once she spoke.

    Su Cheng waspletely overwhelmed by Fu Han¡¯s presence and his eyes darted everywhere, avoiding her gaze, but he still muttered stubbornly, "You know my situation. I really can¡¯t take care of things here anymore, so I can only leave thepany to you."

    "I don¡¯t have a problem managing thepany; that¡¯s what I did at the end ofst year," Fu Han¡¯s volume rose slightly, her usually gentle voice became icily sharp, "But when you say you want to give me thepany, what do you mean by that?"

    "This..." Su Cheng squeezed out a smile and in as calm a voice as possible said, "How about we treat this as a New Year¡¯s gift from me?"

    "That gift is a bit too precious," Fu Han bluntly expressed her disappointment. "Su Cheng, I¡¯m very disappointed in you. So in your eyes, I¡¯m someone who likes to gain without working for it; if you continue to think this way, then from today onward we¡¯re no longer friends. Here, this is for you."

    With those words, Fu Han took a bracelet off her wrist and handed it over.

    It was a golden bracelet, delicately less than a centimeter wide, with the outline of a lotus drawn in simple lines. The center of the blossom featured tiny, sparkling diamonds¡ªit was exceptionally beautiful, and Fu Han liked it very much.

    To what extent did she like it? Despite knowing she shouldn¡¯t wear Su Cheng¡¯s gift often, she wore this one frequently.

    Fortunately, even though He Xing knew this gift was from Su Cheng to Fu Han, he didn¡¯t show any jealousy. Perhaps because he knew Fu Han only liked the gift itself, regardless of the giver.

    One second, Su Cheng¡¯s face was purple with strain, and the next, it had turned snow white.

    His lips trembled several times before he finally couldn¡¯t contain his surprise and joy, "Fu Han, you... are you wearing the bracelet I gave you today?"

    "Yes, what¡¯s wrong, is that not allowed?" Fu Han said with a sideward twist of her mouth, suggesting something deeper, "But I don¡¯t want this bracelet anymore, and I won¡¯t wear it on my wrist again."

    "Don¡¯t!" Su Cheng, as if thest straw on his back was broken, cried out excitedly, "Fu Han, this is my gift to you, please don¡¯t return it. Consider it a plea from me."

    Looking at Su Cheng humbling himself like this, Fu Han felt a rush of mixed emotions. She didn¡¯t want toe across as heartless, but it was Su Cheng who had angered her first.

    The corners of Fu Han¡¯s mouth curved, and she spoke calmly, "In my heart, this object represents our friendship. But what you did today has deeply betrayed that friendship, so I won¡¯t ept it anymore unless..."

    "Unless what?" Su Cheng¡¯s eyes, which had been filled with despair, suddenly sparked with excitement, like a drowning man who had just seen a lifebuoy, "Fu Han, tell me what to do, and I¡¯ll do it."

    Fu Han smiled and looked at Su Cheng calmly, "To me, friends should share weal and woe. The Huangpu family is facing tough times, and I regret that I can¡¯t help you. I¡¯m happy to manage thepany you built from scratch, and that¡¯s enough for me. But I don¡¯t like the way you want to ¡¯cut the Gordian knot¡¯ to solve the problem."

    "Then, I won¡¯t do it like that," Su Cheng grabbed the printed agreement that was ready and tore it to pieces, his eyes alight as he looked at Fu Han, "I was just worried that you were taking on too much managing thepany alone, and I wanted to give you more in return."

    Fu Han knew that Su Cheng meant what he said, and she was also aware of his hardships during this period. Feeling pity, she no longer wanted to pressure him and slipped the bracelet back onto her wrist.

    Su Cheng¡¯s eyes darted around for a while before he mustered the courage to suggest giving Fu Han more shares. He felt the pressure on Fu Han managing thepany alone was huge, and wanted to redistribute their shares.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t resist Su Cheng¡¯s insistence. Originally, her thirty percent share was purchased by herself, but now Su Cheng wanted to give her an additional fifteen percent as a reward for her hard work.

    In the end, Fu Han persuaded Su Cheng and bought thirty percent of the shares from him, bing thergest shareholder of Cheng Yihan Company.

    Her n had been to use all her savings to help Su Cheng, but he refused; so she took a legitimate way to move her savings by buying Cheng Yihan¡¯s shares, thus transferring her money into Su Cheng¡¯s hands.

    An hourter, everything waspleted. Thepany staff had already been arriving steadily, but He Xing still had not shown up or sent any messages.

    Fu Han was getting worried. She was supposed to distribute red envelopes to the staff with Su Cheng for the New Year, but she simply asked Su Cheng to do it alone.

    She returned to her office, bolted the door, and pulled out her phone to call He Xing.

    The call connected quickly, and He Xing¡¯s voice came through, sounding flustered and guilty, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m sorry, I forgot to tell you, I have something urgent today and can¡¯t bring you breakfast. Have you eaten yet? Should I order you some takeout?"

    Before Fu Han could respond, Xia Ning¡¯s voice could be heard from the phone, "He Xing brother, what are you doing? Who are you talking to? Don¡¯t go, He Xing brother..."

    What followed was crying and wailing¡ªXia Ning¡¯s, as always, affected and melodramatic sobs.

    Whether it was Xia Ning¡¯s voice or her crying, Fu Han would never mistake them. Without exaggeration, even if Xia Ning turned to ash, Fu Han would never mistake her.

    The two were natural enemies; from the time they met as children to now, not a day had passed without conflict. Whenever they met, it was an intense confrontation with no room for reconciliation.

    Fu Han had been truly worried about He Xing, but to think he was with Xia Ning! Her anger erupted like a volcano.

    She raised her voice and said into the phone, "He Xing, you said you were busy, is being with Xia Ning what you called busy?"

    He Xing hurriedly exined, "Xiaohan, listen to me, it¡¯s not what you think. Xia Ning got hurtst night, so I came to check on her..."

 Chapter 645 - 646: Full Outbreak

    <h4>Chapter 645: Chapter 646: Full Outbreak</h4><h4></h4>

    "Injured? Hmph, He Xing, where on earth is your brain? Just because Xia Ning says she¡¯s injured, you believe she actually is? Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s always been like this, stopping at nothing just to have you by her side." The moment Fu Han heard his exnation, she was livid, grinding her teeth in anger: "So you were with Xia Ning the entire night yesterday, weren¡¯t you?"

    "Xiaohan, listen to me..." He Xing¡¯s tone rose slightly, he was anxious to exin: "It¡¯s not what you think, I only came over after getting a call in the middle of the night."

    "Then let me ask you, how is Xia Ning right now, is she in any danger?" Fu Han forced herself to calm down, her voice might not show it, but her beautiful face was full of rage.

    He Xing¡¯s voice came quickly: "There¡¯s no danger to her life, but..."

    However, before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted, but this time it was not Fu Han but Xia Ning.

    After being silent for less than a minute, Xia Ning began to wail again: "Brother He Xing, who are you calling? Come back quickly, I¡¯m scared."

    The next second, He Xing soothed her like he would a child: "Okay, okay, just wait a little longer, I¡¯ming right back."

    If there was any rationality left in Fu Han¡¯s heart, it was consumed by a sweeping fury after hearing this sentence, and it couldn¡¯t be hidden.

    She finally exploded, screaming into the phone: "He Xing, you make me sick. You might as well hurry back and take care of Xia Ning."

    After saying that, she hung up the phone directly, denying He Xing any chance to speak.

    Yet, within just a few seconds, He Xing¡¯s call came again. Fu Han was so furious that she almost smashed her phone but ultimately managed to restrain herself from this irrational action.

    Not only did she hang up on He Xing, but she immediately cklisted all of his contact information.

    The more Fu Han thought about it, the angrier she became. It wasn¡¯t that she suspected something would happen between He Xing and Xia Ning, but even with her toes, she could tell that it must be one of Xia Ning¡¯s tricks. What made her angry was, why did He Xing always fall for it?

    Wait? Was it really He Xing being fooled? He was so clever; could it be that he couldn¡¯t see through Xia Ning¡¯s petty schemes? Couldn¡¯t it be that He Xing was just going with the flow?

    Fu Han pictured He Xing¡¯s gentle and soothing tone while speaking to Xia Ning, and she felt so furious she could explode. This wasn¡¯t He Xing being deceived at all; he clearly reveled in it.

    What should she do now, how should she proceed? Fu Han paced restlessly around the room, her mind in turmoil.

    Given Fu Han¡¯s usual temperament, she would definitely sever ties with He Xing. She intended not only to break up but to broadcast it for the whole world to see.

    But then she thought, wouldn¡¯t that be letting Xia Ning off too easily? After all, she firmly believed her feelings couldn¡¯t be wrong, that He Xing must love Fu Han; alright, even if he felt differently about Xia Ning, he definitely didn¡¯t like her as much as he liked Fu Han, of that Fu Han was confident.

    But no, a wed love was something Fu Han couldn¡¯t ept; her view of love had always been: either don¡¯t want it at all or want it whole. If she could ept He Xing holding two women in his heart at the same time, she wouldn¡¯t have left in huff four years ago.

    Some issues could bepromised, and some issues could absolutely not, especially when ites to matters of principle.

    The deeper Fu Han thought, the more she couldn¡¯t stand it. She had to see He Xing immediately; she needed to make it clear to his face, either be wholly dedicated or get lost.

    With that thought, Fu Han went straight to her cab, grabbed her bag, and prepared to confront He Xing for rity.

    However, before she could reach the door, there was a knock. She steadied herself, striving to sound asposed as possible: "Pleasee in."

    The door creaked open, and in came Fu Han¡¯s assistant, Zhao Ting. Last year, when Fu Han went to M Country for facial reconstructive surgery, she nned to expand the market there.

    After the store in M Country officially started business, Fu Han, concerned about He Xing, returned to her own country. Since then, Zhao Ting had been managing the business in M Country.

    Zhao Ting was a young woman who had graduated less than two years ago, but actually, Fu Han was quite satisfied with her ability. She was smart, adaptable, and had ambition; moreover, she was willing to fight for her career and eager to learn.

    Hence, Fu Han¡¯s original intention was to let Zhao Ting handle the market in M Country; she had even discussed this notion with Zhao Ting, who hadn¡¯t opposed the idea.

    But sincest New Year¡¯s, or more urately, since Zhao Ting and Liang Tao formally started dating, Zhao Ting had taken several opportunities to inquire about returning to her own country.

    And Liang Tao, with his thick skin, woulde to "harass" Fu Han every so often, imploring her not to let Zhao Ting continue to stay in M Country. He wouldment that it wasn¡¯t easy for him to finally find stability, and before making any progress, he had to start a long-distance rtionship, which was rather pitiful.

    At times, Liang Tao would shamelessly say that there were many in M Country who had their eyes on Zhao Ting, and he was worried she wouldn¡¯t resist the temptation. If he ended up single again, he would me Fu Han.

    The turning point camest year, just before New Year¡¯s. One day, He Xing came to see Fu Han, carrying a contract for "Yearn for Return 2."

    As "Yearn for Return" was a big sess after its release, overturning the financial difficulties of the He Group, the script for the sequel had already begun preparations.

    Many people online were hoping for the original cast to be in the sequel, but Luo Qinghe, after causing a stir at the premiere of the first movie, adamantly refused to act in the sequel.

    Bai Wei had initially agreed to act in the movie with the aim of dealing with Luo Qinghe, so when he refused to act, she too lost interest in acting.

    As per the information Fu Han got from Liang Tao, Xia Ning was very interested in participating in this movie, and she even tried a few times tond the leading female role. Unfortunately, He Xing hadn¡¯t given the green light yet.

    Then... then came the days just before the New Year¡¯s, when He Xing turned up with the contract, stating that Bai Wei had already confirmed her participation in the sequel, and naturally, Bai Wei would handle Luo Qinghe.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t really asked why Bai Wei had suddenly agreed to act, mainly because the person who said that Bai Wei was unwilling to act was Liang Tao; in Fu Han¡¯s mind, Liang Tao was someone who frequently exaggerated, so she usually only listened to his words and didn¡¯t take them seriously.

    Despite some ups and downs in their rtionshipst year, Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s bond was generally stable, which is why Fu Han agreed readily to continue as the photographer for the second movie.

    After all, she had won an award while shooting the first movie, and although she hadn¡¯t thought about winning any awards for the sequel, she was still happy to help He Xing with the "original team."

 Chapter 646 - 647: Embarrassingly Awkward

    <h4>Chapter 646: Chapter 647: Embarrassingly Awkward</h4><h4></h4>

    The most important thing was, He Xing offered a very generouspensation, not reducing the price at all because she was his fianc¨¦e.

    The second part of the film "Longing for Return" would start shooting soon after the Spring Festival; the problem was, Su Cheng was now busy with the affairs of Huangpu Group, definitely having neither the mood nor the energy to take care of these matters. Therefore, it was necessary to find a reliable person to stay at thepany and act as Fu Han¡¯s mouthpiece.

    It was for this reason that Zhao Ting, who was originally supposed to stay in M Country for about a year, was called back by Fu Han in less than two months.

    In fact, before Liang Tao went to M Country, Fu Han had already decided to have Zhao Ting return, but she did not tell Liang Tao this.

    Although her experience with love was not very extensive, she felt that the trope of crossing oceans to see someone was really moving, especially for a young girl like Zhao Ting who had only graduated a few years ago.

    Sure enough, judging by the frequency of Liang Tao¡¯s updates in his circle of friends after he went to M Country as well as the content, if they told Fu Han they were getting married tomorrow, Fu Han certainly wouldn¡¯t be surprised.

    "President Fu, are you listening to me?" Zhao Ting¡¯s gentle voice rang out, carrying undeniable respect.

    Fu Han immediately stopped her untimely daydreaming, cleared her throat, and returned to her leather chair, then gestured for Zhao Ting to sit on the chair opposite her desk, "Sorry, I was just spacing out. Could you please repeat that?"

    Zhao Ting smiled without any mind, handing over the materials in her hand to Fu Han, "President Fu, I was reporting work to you. This is the work summary I¡¯ve prepared, you can take a look when you have time."

    "Alright, do you have anything else?" Fu Han¡¯s gaze fell on Zhao Ting, her eyes sweeping up and down.

    Although Zhao Ting seemed unchanged, with an average face shape, ordinary features, standard yellow skin, the only memorable thing was her pair of eyes¡ªbeautiful and wless.

    Fu Han remembered that when Zhao Ting first joined thepany, she wore casual outfits and sneakers every day, her ck hair casually tied into a ponytail, not high or low, at the back of her head. Though not slovenly, her look had nothing to do with that of an elite.

    But the Zhao Ting standing before Fu Han today had chestnut-colored wavy curls elegantly draped over her shoulders, wearing a fitting business suit, ck shiny leather shoes on her feet, and light makeup on her face¡ªa standard office white-cor attire.

    Maybe because Fu Han had been used to sparring with Xia Ning since childhood, she was someone who really valued appearances; if before Fu Han only saw Zhao Ting as raw talent, now Fu Han felt Zhao Ting had been polished into a fine jade.

    On the other side, Zhao Ting¡¯s voice rang out again: "President Fu, I don¡¯t have any other work to report for the moment, you¡¯re busy, so I¡¯ll go out now."

    "Wait a moment." Fu Han hurriedly stopped Zhao Ting, and once she sat down again, Fu Han opened the materials Zhao Ting had brought and thoroughly reviewed them.

    Shemented while reading, "Your spreadsheet skills have improved; this report is very well done, clear at a nce; you¡¯vepleted your work in M Country very satisfactorily, starting from this month your sry will increase by fifty percent, and if your subsequent work is done well, we will continue to adjust your sry."

    Fu Han was absolutely clear about rewards and punishments at work. Since Zhao Ting had grown so quickly, if Fu Han didn¡¯t offer a sry that matched Zhao Ting¡¯s abilities, it was very likely that Zhao Ting would jump ship.

    Then, wouldn¡¯t Fu Han¡¯s effort in training Zhao Ting for over a year be for naught, like making a wedding dress for someone else? What¡¯s more, who could guarantee that any assistant she foundter would have the capabilities of Zhao Ting?

    Since there were none, it was only natural to give Zhao Ting a raise.

    Zhao Ting¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Fu Han, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. When she finally reacted, her face flushed with excitement, incessantly expressing her thanks.

    Fu Han wanted to find He Xing right away, so she arrangedpany matters with Zhao Ting, instructing Zhao Ting to call her if anything came up, and then she hurriedly grabbed her things and left.

    But as she waited for the elevator, Su Cheng happened toe out from the Photography Studio.

    They ran into each other unexpectedly in front of the elevator, and the instant their eyes met, they both felt a bit awkward, and it was that indefinable kind of awkwardness.

    In the end, it was Su Cheng who spoke first, "Fu Han, are you going out?"

    "Yes." After Fu Han finished speaking, she felt as though her words were dismissive, so she thought about it and added, "I thought you had already left, why are you still here?"

    "There was a problem with some equipment in the Photography Studio, someone came to ask me to help with the tuning," Su Cheng¡¯splexion had returned to normal, and he hesitated a bit as he spoke, dusting off his hands, "I... You probably haven¡¯t had breakfast, right, how about we grab something to eat together?"

    Honestly, every time Su Cheng looked at Fu Han, it was a lot of pressure¡ªnot for any other reason but because even though Su Cheng tried very hard to hide it, the deep affection in his eyes could not be concealed.

    This emotion that Su Cheng himself wanted to hide yet couldn¡¯t, was indeed very touching; hence, every time Fu Han saw Su Cheng, she genuinely felt guilty inside.

    Thus, even though Fu Han had the words of refusal on the tip of her tongue, she found it somewhat hard to articte, especially as Su Cheng¡¯s request was not excessive, and since the time they had dinner at Nan Qing¡¯s ce, this was the first time they met.

    Everyone in the world knew that Su Cheng liked Fu Han; but Su Cheng has never caused any trouble for Fu Han, that too was known to everyone.

    It was because of this that, although they both liked Fu Han, she was kinder to Su Cheng than to Ji Liangchuan.

    For example, during the Spring Festival period, Ji Liangchuan contacted Fu Han several times wanting to meet her, but Fu Han relentlessly declined.

    Ultimately, she still refused with an apology, "I¡¯m sorry Su Cheng, I have matters to deal with, so I can¡¯t have breakfast, maybe next time we can have it together."

    "Okay." Su Cheng¡¯s face showed not the slightest displeasure, and when the elevator door opened, he still extended his hand politely to let Fu Han enter first, following her in afterward.

    In the elevator, they exchanged a few simple, calm topics, and upon reaching the underground parking lot, they politely waved goodbye to each other.

    Fu Han failed to start the car on the first try, thinking it was a mistake on her part, but after several attempts, it still wouldn¡¯t start; that¡¯s when she realized she was out of gas, although she was sure it had fuel when she arrived.

    She got out of the car to check, only to find that her fuel tank was leaking, the ground already stained with a puddle of gasoline, emitting a strange odor.

    This was truly a case of misfortune striking at an inopportune time, Fu Han sighed, preparing to leave to hail a cab, when suddenly a horn sounded.

 Chapter 647 - 648: The Car Broke Down

    <h4>Chapter 647: Chapter 648: The Car Broke Down</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han looked in the direction of the voice, only to find that it was Su Cheng, who was supposed to have left.

    He poked half of his head out of the car window, and asked with concern, "Fu Han, what¡¯s wrong, is there a problem with your car?"

    Fu Han felt a surge of anger inside, but she maintained a calm demeanor on the surface. She shrugged in a feigned yful manner, "My car ran out of gas, but it¡¯s okay, I can just take a taxi."

    "It¡¯s hard to hail a taxi today," Su Cheng said earnestly, "It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not busy today."

    Fu Han was hesitant. She felt that if Su Cheng found out she was going to see He Xing and Xia Ning, it would be very strange; and taking Su Cheng along to settle scores seemed like a fantastical idea no matter how you looked at it.

    However, Su Cheng had already gotten out of the car and, with solicitous attentiveness, opened the passenger door: "Fu Han, please don¡¯t worry that I have any untoward intentions. I may not be a gentleman, but I keep my word. I promised He Xing that I would stop pestering you, and I will definitely not pester you."

    The underground parking lot was extremely quiet. Sedans parked one after another were like soldiers positioned in formation, their headlights like their eyes, silently watching Fu Han and the others.

    Although Su Cheng¡¯s voice was not loud, the genuineness and fervency it carried echoed powerfully through the empty parking lot and almost seemed deafening.

    With the conversation having reached this point, it would seem too pretentious for Fu Han to continue insisting on not epting the ride.

    She said a word of thanks andpliantly got into Su Cheng¡¯s car.

    This was not the first time Fu Han had ridden in Su Cheng¡¯s car. When they studied abroad, every time they went out to y, Su Cheng would rent a car and drive Fu Han and Nan Qing around.

    After returning to Xia Country the year beforest, Fu Han soon started working at Su Cheng¡¯spany. They often used Su Cheng¡¯s car when going out for business talks or outdoor shots.

    Even today, although Su Cheng had taken over as the Chairman of Huangpu Group, he still drove the white Audi he had bought with his own money.

    But perhaps due to the high frequency of use, today when Fu Han saw the Audi again, she distinctly felt that it looked much older.

    The car slowly drove out of the underground parking lot, and the moment they emerged, sunlight shone on them, so dazzling, so blinding.

    It¡¯s just a pity that, no matter how dazzling the sun was, it was still winter¡¯s sunshine. It might make the world brighter but could not warm the icy coldness inside Fu Han¡¯s heart.

    Cheng Yihan¡¯spany was located in the city center. Today, A City had regained its usual hustle and bustle, with many people on the streets; there were elderly people taking walks, but even more young people were hurrying along with briefcases in hand.

    Humans are gregarious creatures, but at the same time, they are also solitary animals.

    Gregariousness arises because few people can endure loneliness for a long time, but even for two people who embrace each other to sleep every night, their thoughts are still solitary, because there is no such thing as true empathy in this world.

    Fu Han¡¯s gaze moved from the blue sky and white clouds overhead andnded lightly on the trees on both sides of the road.

    She felt that it might not be bad to be a tree in the next life, to root silently in the soil, enduring all weathers in silence, enduring everything.

    Throughout the journey, Fu Han was lost in thought, her mind wandering aimlessly, ideas bubbling up one after another, until finally, shepletely spaced out, not even knowing what she was saying herself.

    Su Cheng truly kept his promise. If Fu Han did not speak on the way, he would remain silent too, serving as an ideal confidant, receiving Fu Han¡¯s emotions but never expressing any of his own.

    The car came to a steady stop at the entrance of the hospital, and Su Cheng hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Fu Han, do you need me to apany you inside?"

    "No need," Fu Han suddenly felt somewhat guilty. She didn¡¯t dare to look into Su Cheng¡¯s eyes. Instead, she quickly turned her head, opened the car door, and rushed off as if escaping, without even saying goodbye.

    She asked at customer service which Ward Xia Ning was in, and when she heard the room number, the anger she had barely managed to suppress red up again.

    On the way there, she had reflected, wondering if she had been too aggressive. What if Xia Ning really was hurt this time? Wouldn¡¯t she have wronged He Xing?

    But now that she knew Xia Ning was staying in the very Ward she had been in during herst hospital visit, Fu Han really felt that she was too na?ve to think that Xia Ning had repented.

    Fu Han made her way familiarly from the outpatient department to the Inpatient Department, familiarly boarded the elevator; along the way, she attracted many nces, but her expression was terrible, deterring others from making eye contact with her directly.

    The distance between the elevator and the Ward was less than five meters. With every step Fu Han took, she felt an overwhelming heaviness in her heart. Even inside her mind, two little figurines were having a fight¡ªone was insisting she find out the truth for herself, while the other was advising her it was better to turn back.

    ...

    Before He Xing could exin the situation with Xia Ning, Fu Han had already hung up the phone. Moreover, every word she spoke before hanging up struck He Xing¡¯s heart like a dull thunderbolt.

    Without a second word, he called Fu Han back, but the call was cut off upon connection. He called again, only to hear the message, "The number you have dialed cannot be reached." From past experience, he knew this meant Fu Han had cklisted him again.

    He Xing sighed helplessly, feeling that he needed to see Fu Han immediately and rify the situation.

    He took out Xia Guoxiong¡¯s number, intending to ask him to apany Xia Ning, but before he could make the call, Xia Ning had already wrapped her arms around him, "He Xing brother, why are you ignoring me again? Wasn¡¯t I very obedient just now?"

    He Xing was incredibly frustrated. If it were the old Xia Ning, he might have simply kicked her away, but these past few days, Xia Ning had be as vulnerable as a child, both mentally and physically.

    His heart almost bursting, he patiently said to Xia Ning, "Yes, you did very well just now. But I have something urgent to attend to. Can you wait here for me, will that be okay?"

    "Will youe back?" Xia Ning looked up at He Xing with big, innocent eyes, like a deer.

    Such words would have nevere from the old Xia Ning. She would never pass up any opportunity to see He Xing, and would always scheme to spend more time with him.

    He Xing¡¯s trust in Xia Ning¡¯s selective memory loss grew another notch. His expression softened somewhat, and he spoke to her like coaxing a child, "Of course, I wille back. So you have to be good here, okay? Wait for your father toe, and don¡¯t be frightened." He paused before continuing, "Your father actually loves you; you just don¡¯t like the way he expresses it, right?"

 Chapter 648 - 649: A Reasonable Request

    <h4>Chapter 648: Chapter 649: A Reasonable Request</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s not like that..." Xia Ning¡¯s face clearly showed resistance, but when she saw He Xing¡¯splexion turn sour, she instinctively shrank back and nodded carefully, "I understand, Brother He Xing, but can you wait until Dad arrives before you leave?"

    The request wasn¡¯t excessive, and since the caregiver had gone out to buy breakfast, if He Xing left, Xia Ning would be alone, which was genuinely concerning considering her current state.

    He Xing walked to the window to call Xia Guoxiong, but unexpectedly, Xia Guoxiong¡¯s phone was unreachable; He Xing had a stomach full of questions, wondering if Xia Guoxiong had blocked him. But that made no sense, Xia Guoxiong had no reason to block him.

    Xia Ning sat on the bed, her knees hugged to her chest, watching He Xing. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t get through, she asked softly, "Brother He Xing, can¡¯t you get in touch with Dad?"

    "No," He Xing turned back and smiled at Xia Ning, "Perhaps your dad is busy handling something, so he didn¡¯t answer my call. I¡¯ve already sent him a message."

    Xia Ning obediently nodded. Since waking up, she hadn¡¯t seen her father, and due to the confusion in her memory, she didn¡¯t have a good recollection of Xia Guoxiong¡¯s treatment of her, so she wasn¡¯t particrly looking forward to seeing this father from her memories.

    Even a part of her secretly hoped, if her father didn¡¯te at all, then He Xing could stay with her the whole time.

    Thinking this, Xia Ning cheered up again.

    However, Xia Ning¡¯s cheerfulness didn¡¯tst long, because even though He Xing was in the ward, he had not looked at her once, continuously tapping on his phone, engrossed in who knows what.

    In fact, He Xing was writing an email to Fu Han. He knew Fu Han wasn¡¯t used to checking email on her phone, so even if she had blocked He Xing¡¯s calls, he could still send her an email to exin everything.

    He Xing didn¡¯t think Fu Han was being unreasonable; in fact, he felt it was right for her to be angry. He would have been angry in her ce.

    It took him nearly half an hour topose and send the email. Once he confirmed that the email had gone through, his mood finally calmed somewhat, confident that once Fu Han checked her email, she would definitely see his message and would no longer be angry.

    No sooner had He Xing sent the email than the caregiver returned with breakfast.

    He had no appetite for breakfast, so he told Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, your dad can¡¯t be here with you for now, and I have to leave for a while due to some urgent matters. Is it okay if the caregiver keeps youpany?"

    Upon hearing this, Xia Ning was on the verge of tears. She looked at He Xing with a saddened expression, "Brother He Xing, I¡¯m scared to be alone. Didn¡¯t you say you would leave after Dad came?"

    "Yes, but I have urgent matters and need to step out now," He Xing was adamant. Xia Ning was no longer in mortal danger, all she needed was time to recover. On the other hand, Fu Han¡¯s situation was urgent.

    Xia Ning retreated nervously, tentatively saying, "Brother He Xing, I am sorry, please don¡¯t be angry."

    Truth be told, Xia Ning would have been better off not saying those words at all. As soon as she uttered them, He Xing really grew furious. He had always disliked girls who were meek and overlypliant without their own convictions.

    He faced Xia Ning with a stern expression, "You¡¯re in your twenties now. You¡¯re capable of protecting yourself. If something happens, you can call me. There¡¯s no need to be so timid."

    "I understand," Xia Ning said she understood, but her expression clearly conveyed how fearful she was of making He Xing angry.

    A sense of weariness took over He Xing. He knew that saying more was futile; over the past decade or so, he had lectured Xia Ning many times, but did she listen? If she had, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up in her current predicament.

    He Xing didn¡¯t want to continue the topic any longer. He bent down to raise the bed for Xia Ning and then ced the specially purchased Red Dates and Bird¡¯s Nest Porridge on the little table, "All right, have your breakfast now, and I¡¯ll leave after you¡¯re done."

    Xia Ning looked up at He Xing just as he was bending down to arrange the spoon and steamed buns. To anyone unaware, they¡¯d assume there was an intimate rtionship between them.

    And coincidentally, it was this very scene that Fu Han observed from the doorway.

    The tall figure of He Xing bent over slightly towards Xia Ning, while Xia Ning looked up at him, her eyes shining bright and cheeks marked with a happy smile, clearly etching the words "He Xing, I like you" on her face.

    Truly, if such a scene had urred elsewhere, Fu Han would have undoubtedly captured it with her SLR camera.

    Unfortunately, no matter how perfect the scene, if you¡¯re the victim in it, you can only find it ringly painful.

    Fu Han had already stepped one foot into the ward when she suddenly halted. Perhaps it made sense to witness for herself how He Xing and Xia Ning interacted, because only when her presence was detected would this "peeping" make sense.

    He Xing had carefully arranged each piece of tableware for Xia Ning. He ced a small iron spoon in her hand, "Hurry up and eat, I¡¯ll leave after you¡¯re done."

    Obediently, Xia Ning nodded, "Thank you, Brother He Xing."

    Without a word, she took a big spoonful of the thin porridge to her mouth, only to let out a cry the next second, spitting the contents out onto her hand, "It¡¯s so hot, Brother He Xing, it¡¯s so hot, quickly get me the trash bin."

    Before they even began eating, the caregiver had already brought over the trash bin with a fresh garbage bag.

    Immediately, He Xing picked up the bin, signaling Xia Ning to throw the content from her hand into it. After Xia Ning did so, she looked at her hand sticky with rice paste, "Brother He Xing, my hand feels so sticky, can you help me?"

    "Sure, I¡¯ll get you some paper." Fromst night until this moment, He Xing felt utterly drained, bereft of any patience. He quickly pulled out a few tissues and handed them to Xia Ning, "Hurry up and wipe it off."

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t grasp the tissue firmly, and as it fell, she quickly bent down to pick it up. He Xing¡¯s reaction was quicker than hers, but though he sessfully rescued the tissue, his head collided intimately with Xia Ning¡¯s.

    "Ow, that hurts," Xia Ning immediately cried out sadly, grabbing He Xing¡¯s hand and cing it on her forehead, "Brother He Xing, you bumped into me; you have to rub it for me."

    "Rub it yourself." He Xing was about to withdraw his hand, but before he could, a crisp female voice came from the doorway, "No wonder you refused to bring me breakfast, it turns out you are here, having breakfast with someone else."

    "Xiaohan?" He Xing turned around in surprise, instinctively creating distance between himself and Xia Ning.

 Chapter 649 - 650: Angry Emotions

    <h4>Chapter 649: Chapter 650: Angry Emotions</h4><h4></h4>

    A cold snort escaped from Fu Han¡¯s mouth as she responded with angryughter, "He Xing, what exnation do you have for me now?"

    "Xiaohan, things are not what you think. Xia Ning got injured, lost her memory, can¡¯t remember anything. That¡¯s why she¡¯s acting this way," He Xing hurriedly tried to exin.

    As he spoke, he stood up, intending to reach Fu Han¡¯s side, his every nce and expression filled with urgency.

    Unfortunately, just as he stood up, Xia Ning had already grabbed hold of the hem of his clothes, "Brother He Xing, I... I¡¯m scared. Fu Han always bullies me, don¡¯t go to her."

    "Xia Ning, don¡¯t be scared, let go quickly, I have something to take care of," He Xing forced back his impatience as he pulled his clothes out of Xia Ning¡¯s grasp, "Stay here and don¡¯t wander off, I need to step out briefly."

    Fu Han, watching the scene unfold before her, felt as if she were observing a farce. She nodded her head, smiling with a mixture of sorrow and radiance, "He Xing, is this what you call amnesia? Remembering you and me, and also that I bullied her, is this amnesia?"

    "Xiaohan, no, it¡¯s selective amnesia," He Xing exined in a hurry. "The doctor has checked. Xia Ning suffered a trauma, resulting in some memory loss."

    "Selective amnesia?" Fu Han let out another coldugh, her arms crossed over her chest mockingly, "So, am I to understand that whatever Xia Ning ims to remember, she remembers, and what she doesn¡¯t, she doesn¡¯t?"

    He Xing felt that Fu Han¡¯s words were a bit too much, but he knew that if he objected, she would get even angrier.

    Thus, He Xing measured his words, trying to sound as objective as possible, "Xiaohan, you¡¯re not entirely wrong to say that. Theoretically, it¡¯s possible. But her doctor has made a diagnosis, so Xia Ning truly has amnesia."

    Seeing He Xing defend Xia Ning like this made Fu Han feel like exploding with rage, especially as she saw Xia Ning looking innocent while hiding behind He Xing, fuming even more.

    All reason and manners were gone; at that moment, Fu Han¡¯s heart was only filled with boundless anger.

    As she walked towards He Xing and the others, she said, "Doctor¡¯s diagnosis? How did the doctor diagnose her? Did they use high-tech equipment or just ask a few questions to confirm it?"

    "Xiaohan, stop making a fuss without reason," A feeling of exhaustion emerged in He Xing¡¯s heart as he looked at the fuming Fu Han in front of him, feeling somewhat estranged from her. Still, he managed to maintain hisposure, "Whether memory isplete or iplete is difficult to ascertain. I can only say that when you lost your memory, we used the same methods to diagnose you as we did for Xia Ning¡¯s selective amnesia."

    "I had amnesia?" Fu Han stopped one meter away from He Xing, her head nodding as her smile grew strangely radiant, "Alright, so you mean to say, if I now doubt Xia Ning¡¯s amnesia, you could also suspect my past amnesia was fake?"

    An abrupt scream rang out in the ward; Xia Ning had, for some reason, begun clutching her head and crying out, her state resembling madness.

    He Xing immediately turned to check on Xia Ning, "Xia Ning, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling ufortable somewhere?"

    "I... I..." Xia Ning threw herself into He Xing¡¯s arms, pointing at Fu Han, "Brother He Xing, tell her to leave, tell her to go away! She pushed me into the water; she wants to kill me, she wants to kill me."

    Fu Han was bing increasingly annoyed, as she took a step forward and was about to speak. But He Xing suddenly turned back to her, pleading, "Xiaohan, could you wait outside for me? I¡¯lle out and exin everything to you very soon."

    This was something Fu Han never dreamed would happen; no, more correctly, she never imagined this scene would rey before her, He Xing sheltering Xia Ning in his arms and even asking her to leave.

    Fu Han felt an overwhelming disappointment with He Xing. She considered walking away, but thought that would let He Xing and Xia Ning off too easily.

    Without any apparent motion, Fu Han reached out and grabbed Xia Ning by the cor.

    With a tug, she dragged Xia Ning towards her, and a loud p sounded throughout the ward.

    Apanied by the sound was Fu Han¡¯s angry voice, "Xia Ning, I¡¯ve long had an issue with you. It was you and your brother who pushed me into the swimming pool, yet you have the audacity to twist the truth here? Also, you think I don¡¯t know about the times you¡¯ve tried to have me killed? It was you who ordered Yi Lixing to find someone to take my life; don¡¯t think I am unaware."

    He Xing had already extended his hand to pull Xia Ning back, but upon hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, his movement abruptly stopped; he too was somewhat eager to hear how Xia Ning would respond.

    After a few minutes of silence in the ward, Xia Ning burst into loud tears, sitting on the floor with a thump, kicking her legs around in the manner of a petnt, upset child throwing a tantrum.

    She pointed at Fu Han and cried out heart-wrenchingly, "You bully me! You just know how to bully me, and Brother He Xing won¡¯t even help me!"

    Fu Han was stunned. Up until now, she had truly believed Xia Ning¡¯s amnesia was an act. However, given Xia Ning¡¯s extreme pursuit of beauty, it seemed highly unlikely that she would willingly throw a tantrum on the floor,cking all dignity.

    She couldn¡¯t help but think to herself, had she really misjudged the situation? Could Xia Ning have genuinely lost her memory?

    He Xing approached Fu Han, ncing at Xia Ning, who now bore a clear p mark on one half of her cheek, indicating Fu Han¡¯sck of mercy.

    Feeling an anger rising within him, he still managed to refrain from losing his temper. Instead, he bent down to help Xia Ning up, whisperingforting words, "It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s over. Don¡¯t cry."

    However, his attempt tofort only made Xia Ning cry even harder. She clung to He Xing¡¯s arm, her shoulders trembling with sobs, "Brother He Xing, you promised to protect me, please go hit Fu Han for me. She¡¯s so mean, a mean woman!"

    "Enough, stop talking." He Xing¡¯s face wentpletely stern, his expressionless demeanor as he faced Xia Ning was unmistakably intimidating, "I don¡¯t like people who cry all the time."

    "I... won¡¯t cry anymore!" Although tears still ran down her face, Xia Ning hurriedly held back the tears in her eyes out of fear, "Brother He Xing, as long as I don¡¯t cry, you won¡¯t leave me, right?"

    He Xing guiltily nced at Fu Han, whose face looked even worse than the bottom of a burnt pot.

    On the other side, Xia Ning, having not received a response, continued to ask in desperation, "Brother He Xing, speak up. You promised, you won¡¯t leave me, right?"

 Chapter 650 - 651: I Wonâ€™t Abandon You

    <h4>Chapter 650: Chapter 651: I Won¡¯t Abandon You</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing, having no other choice, especially when he faced the face that was identical to Du Wanting¡¯s, could only say helplessly, "Yes, you are my sister, I won¡¯t abandon you."

    The sky suddenly seemed to turn gray, something disappeared in the blink of an eye, and it wasn¡¯t anything else but thest flicker of hope in Fu Han¡¯s heart.

    She suddenly felt utterly exhausted, not understanding why she bothered toe here, facing what was clearly mockery directed at herself.

    Fu Han slowly turned around and walked towards the door, with He Xing calling out loudly from behind her, "Xiaohan, wait a second, I have something to tell you."

    But Xia Ning was prepared and clung tightly to He Xing¡¯s arm without letting go, crying out again with a squeal akin to the ughter of a pig, "Brother He Xing, don¡¯t go, don¡¯t leave Xiaoning alone."

    Now, every time Fu Han heard Xia Ning¡¯s cries, she felt utterly ufortable. She quickened her pace and hurried towards the elevator without stopping.

    With a ding, the elevator door opened before she reached it.

    Su Cheng rushed out hurriedly, smiling brilliantly upon seeing Fu Han, "Fu Han, you left your mobile phone in my car, I¡¯ve brought it to you. Lucky that I found you."

    Upon closer inspection, one could see the fine beads of sweat on the tip of Su Cheng¡¯s nose, clear and shiny like dewdrops on grass in the early morning.

    Fu Han guessed that Su Cheng must have run the whole way in his haste to deliver her phone, which exined the sweat. She recalled how she had been afraid that Su Cheng might follow her when she got out of his car.

    She felt a bit guilty and sincerely said, "Thank you."

    Su Cheng, embarrassed by Fu Han¡¯s politeness, chuckled in his simple and honest way, "No worries, no worries. Such a small favor doesn¡¯t warrant your thanks."

    Fu Han didn¡¯t insist on the issue and quickly changed the subject, "Let¡¯s go."

    "Have you finished handling your matters?" Su Cheng asked worriedly. It had only been about a quarter of an hour since Fu Han got out of the car, and he was genuinely concerned that she hadn¡¯t finished her business.

    "It¡¯s all taken care of," Fu Han replied urgently, pressing the elevator button while praying in her heart for the elevator doors to open quickly.

    Just now, since Su Cheng came out of the elevatorst, there were others who needed to take the elevator upstairs, hence it went straight up without stopping on this floor.

    It was exactly what one fears thates to pass; just as Fu Han was about to take the elevator, He Xing, calling out Fu Han¡¯s name, emerged from Xia Ning¡¯s ward.

    He ran all the way up to Fu Han before he noticed Su Cheng was there too. He Xing¡¯s face, previously full of urgency, froze upon seeing Su Cheng, and his expression calmed down a great deal.

    "Xiaohan, it¡¯s not what you think. Listen to me, let me exin," He Xing said, attempting to pull Fu Han¡¯s hand. By his usual standards, his tone today really sounded subdued.

    Fu Han knew that, but the anger in her heart was still raging, only hidden because Su Cheng was present.

    Quarrels between couples should be a private matter. There¡¯s no need to expose one¡¯s wounds to anyone whoes along, as it serves no purpose and is also embarrassing.

    Thus, Fu Han deftly avoided He Xing¡¯s hand and said in a lowered voice, "I don¡¯t want to argue with you right now. Someone is still waiting for you; you¡¯d better hurry back."

    "I can¡¯t let you leave like this, I have to make things clear." He Xing moved sideways, blocking Fu Han¡¯s way, making it clear he wouldn¡¯t let her into the elevator even if it arrived.

    Fu Han nced at Su Cheng and said significantly to He Xing, "Are you sure you want to make things clear here?"

    She feared that in the end, it would be He Xing who felt embarrassed. After all, the wrongdoing originated from He Xing, and she had no reservations. She spoke out of consideration for He Xing¡¯s dignity.

    He Xing¡¯s face underwent a slight change. A man¡¯s "face" is highly valued ¨C Fu Han knew this, and He Xing was all the more aware.

    His lips pressed tightly together, and it was evident that he hesitated, but he still showed no signs of letting Fu Han leave.

    Su Cheng caught on with one nce that there was a problem between the two and coughed knowingly, saying, "Well, Fu Han, now that I¡¯ve given you your phone, and since you¡¯ve still got things to do, I¡¯ll be going first."

    This was the best solution, a face-saving way out for all three of them.

    Fu Han was about to agree, but then she caught sight of a piece of clothing from the corner of her eye fluttering past the door of Xia Ning¡¯s ward. She knew it was Xia Ning eavesdropping from behind the ward¡¯s door.

    This realization made Fu Han change her mind on the spot. She turned and smiled radiantly at Su Cheng, "Didn¡¯t you say we were going to have breakfast togetherter? Why are you leaving? He Xing doesn¡¯t have anything that important to say, surely it will just take a couple of sentences."

    As expected, He Xing¡¯s face turned ugly as soon as she finished speaking.

    Fu Han stuck out her tongue and smiled yfully and sweetly, "Alright, He Xing, say whatever you want to say quickly. If there¡¯s nothing to discuss, then I¡¯m leaving. After all, you¡¯ve had your breakfast, and I haven¡¯t yet."

    She was intentionally emphasizing the breakfast issue. After all, it was He Xing himself who insisted on bringing Fu Han breakfast this morning. However, when Fu Han arrived at Xia Ning¡¯s ward, she had stumbled upon the ambiguous scene of He Xing and Xia Ning having breakfast together.

    He Xing¡¯s face, as ck as the bottom of a pot, suddenly became as white as snow. His body even seemed to sway, as if he couldn¡¯t quite stand steady, prompting an inexplicable softening in Fu Han¡¯s heart.

    Simultaneously, He Xing¡¯s usually clear and resonant voice chimed in, "Last night, in the middle of the night, I received a call from Uncle Xia saying Xia Ning attempted suicide. When I arrived at the hospital, she was still in resuscitation, having lost a lot of blood. The surgery did not finish until close to dawn, and Uncle Xia, being old and unable to cope, went back home to sleep, asking me to look after her here."

    "Does looking after her involve that?" Fu Han, her anger ring at the thought of the scene she had witnessed upon arrival, retorted with head raised, entuating each word, "You bowing your head, her lifting hers, if I hadn¡¯t appeared, would you two have kissed in the next second? Do you not want to exin this? Or do you think that no matter what you do, I won¡¯t mind it?"

    After considering what had happened when Fu Han entered, He Xing replied with augh that was more like a cry, "I was setting up the table for Xia Ning; you know those bedside tables can be a bit tricky. I swear on my life that even if you hadn¡¯te in, I would definitely not have kissed her."

    This was indeed true. Fu Han herself had stayed in this ward for several days; the bedside tables in the deluxe wards are indeed useful but a hassle to set up; patients were almost incapable of doing it themselves, and always required assistance.

 Chapter 651 - 652: Nothingâ€™s Wrong But Uncomfortable

    <h4>Chapter 651: Chapter 652: Nothing¡¯s Wrong But Ufortable</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing saw the tension on Fu Han¡¯s face ease a bit, and he quickly pressed on, "Xiaohan, we grew up together, our friendship is iparable, just like how I didn¡¯t doubt you today when I saw you with Su Cheng, I hope you would have no doubts seeing me with other girls."

    This sentence sounded fine at first listen, but Fu Han felt particrly ufortable hearing it.

    Her delicate eyebrows furrowed, her intuition told her to argue back, but at that moment her brain seemed to freeze, unable to find the words to refute.

    He Xing spoke again, "Fu Han, I know there have been some issues between you and Xia Ning, but she really got hurt this time, I¡¯ve confirmed it, so please don¡¯t be too prejudiced against her, okay?"

    His tone was very gentle as he finished speaking, treating Fu Han as if she was a child.

    Fu Han suppressed the irritation in her heart and said as calmly as possible, "Don¡¯t treat me like a child. I¡¯ve grown up, I can make my own judgments when ites to issues."

    Before He Xing could respond, Xia Ning unexpectedly appeared, thinking she was a patient because of her hospital attire. Everyone subconsciously blocked her path, allowing her to easily "squeeze" between He Xing and Fu Han, with her back towards He Xing.

    Xia Ning abandoned her previous weepy demeanor, standing arms akimbo before He Xing, she stared down Fu Han fiercely, "Fu Han, I¡¯ve been watching you, what right do you have to talk about He Xing? Isn¡¯t it just because He Xing likes you? You selfish person, always thinking of yourself, you don¡¯t deserve He Xing¡¯s affection."

    Truthfully, if this had happened five or six years ago, Fu Han would have been very angry hearing this, but today, looking at Xia Ning¡¯s face so close, she just felt Xia Ning was truly pitiable.

    Wearing an innocent and cute mask for so long, do you really start to think you¡¯re innocent and cute? What a joke!

    And what Xia Ning said, is that different from the melodramatic prime-time soap operas? No substance and brainless, especially like an olddy¡¯s foot-binding cloth, stinky and long!

    Her agitated heart suddenly calmed down, she stood there majestically, looking at Xia Ning expressionlessly. She indeed wanted to see how far Xia Ning would pretend to be the innocent damsel.

    "Alright, Xia Ning, stop talking. This is between Fu Han and me, it¡¯s none of your business," He Xing sighed, trying to pull Xia Ning away from them.

    But Xia Ning seemed determined to stay between them, she turned to look at He Xing and said righteously, "He Xing, don¡¯t be afraid, I will protect you. I know Fu Han always misunderstands that you like me, but I just like you, and I have the right to like someone, let Fu Han misunderstand if she will."

    After a pause, Xia Ning continued indignantly, "Also, Fu Han is really hypocritical, she hangs out with boys all day long, yet she restricts you from befriending other girls, that¡¯s just too much, He Xing, won¡¯t you do something about her?"

    Su Cheng, who had been silently holding back, finally couldn¡¯t refrain from speaking after hearing this, "He Xing, may I say something?"

    He Xing¡¯s face passed a fleeting chill, and the temperature around them dropped suddenly, he fixated a nk stare on Su Cheng, "Of course."

    Could he have refused? Of course not, especially since Su Cheng¡¯s request was not excessive, and he had always been very polite.

    "Thank you." Su Cheng nodded, looking at Fu Han and then saying to He Xing, "He Xing, I¡¯m worried there¡¯s some misunderstanding between you and Fu Han, so I think I should exin; today, I was going to the Photography Company to deal with some matters, hence the meeting with Fu Han; I invited Fu Han to have breakfast which she declined, saying she needed to find you, but her car¡¯s gas tank was broken, and it was difficult to hail a taxi today, which is why she reluctantly agreed to let me bring her here. It was all my own doing, and Fu Han had nothing to do with it."

    He Xing¡¯splexion turned rather unsightly, but he still spoke in a calm voice, "I understand."

    "That¡¯s good." Su Cheng nodded, his gaze shifting from Fu Han to He Xing with aplex expression, he said, "He Xing, my feelings for Fu Han are no less than Xia Ning¡¯s for you, but why can I speak up to stop the quarrel for both of your sakes, yet Xia Ning cannot?"

    Though He Xing¡¯s face remained dark, there was a noticeable improvement from before, his piercing gaze fell on Xia Ning, contemtive.

    Under such scrutiny, Xia Ning¡¯s face turned very ufortable, clearly resentful, looking like she wanted to speak but seemed at a loss for words.

    Fu Han, standing silently to the side, had a face asplex as her feelings. She was touched by Su Cheng¡¯s staunch support at such a moment, but also deeply disappointed with He Xing¡¯s behavior.

    She couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly where He Xing had gone wrong, even though He Xing never openly reciprocated Xia Ning¡¯s feelings; yet emotions are strange, your feelings will always overpower reason, and how you feel is always clearer than what you see and hear.

    The four of them maintained their previous positions, with Xia Ning standing obliquely between Fu Han and He Xing, and Su Cheng stood slightly behind Fu Han, like a knight protecting a princess.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, Xia Ning was the first to retreat. She rubbed her temples, looked pitifully at He Xing, "He Xing, my head hurts so much, could you please take me back?"

    He Xing¡¯s expression changed immediately, showing concern; yet, he looked to Fu Han as if seeking her opinion.

    Without a nce at He Xing, Fu Han turned her head and walked towards the elevator. When she passed Xia Ning, she couldn¡¯t help but bump into her with her shoulder.

    Before she even entered the elevator, she heard Xia Ning¡¯s affected cry, "Ow, Fu Han, why did you bump into me?"

    As Fu Han turned around in the elevator, she saw Xia Ning limp as if boneless, attempting to crawl into He Xing¡¯s embrace.

    While pushing Xia Ning away, He Xing looked anxiously at Fu Han inside the elevator, "Xiaohan, wait for me downstairs, I¡¯ll be right there."

    No sooner had he finished, the elevator doors closed, cutting off his view.

    In thest instant before the doors shut, not only did He Xing see Fu Han¡¯s cold face, but he also saw Su Cheng inside the elevator, looking at Fu Han with a deep, tender gaze that filled He Xing with a jealousy that seeped into his bones.

 Chapter 652 - 653: Full of Worry

    <h4>Chapter 652: Chapter 653: Full of Worry</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing looked at Fu Han with such a gaze, and he had always believed that only he would look at Fu Han with such a gaze, confident that he was the person who loved Fu Han the most in the world.

    But today, when he saw Su Cheng defending Fu Han like that, his belief suddenly wavered; he began to doubt whether Su Cheng¡¯s deep feelings for Fu Han were any less profound than his own.

    He Xing¡¯s mood grew heavier. He had previously exchanged a promise from Su Cheng with a transaction, the promise being that Su Cheng would no longer pursue Fu Han. He thought he could rest easy after that.

    Yet now, he felt he was wrong, not because Su Cheng didn¡¯t keep his promise; but because he suddenly started to worry that if Su Cheng continued to show such deep affection, Fu Han might waver?

    With these thoughts, He Xing¡¯s mood could no longer remain calm. After taking Xia Ning back to the ward, he directly asked the nurse to call the doctor to examine Xia Ning.

    Xia Ning still looked aggrieved, quietlyining about Fu Han and listing all the wrongs Fu Han had done to her.

    But in reality, He Xing had not taken in a single word she said, anxiously waiting for the doctor toe, and eager to get in touch with Xia Guoxiong. If possible, he wished he had wings to fly to Fu Han¡¯s side.

    ...

    After stepping out of the elevator, Fu Han took a deep breath of the cold air that reeked of disinfectant, almost freezing her nose off.

    She looked up at the sun overhead, which was a dull winter sun, not too dazzling, and without a hint of warmth. She sniffled and couldn¡¯t help but sneeze twice.

    "Fu Han, here¡¯s a tissue," Su Cheng immediately took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and handed them to Fu Han.

    Come to think of it, this habit had been in ce for several years. In the past, when Fu Han, Nan Qing, and Su Cheng went out together, the two girls often were careless and forgetful, always losing things and forgetting to bring tissues. When they had no tissues, they would ask Su Cheng to buy some.

    Later, Su Cheng drew from experience and started carrying tissues whenever he went out, just in case. He never imagined he would still have this habit now.

    The pale tissue carried a faint scent of jasmine, Fu Han¡¯s favorite fragrance. She inhaled deeply, and it seemed to make her whole being feel much better.

    Once her mood settled, Fu Han turned to look at Su Cheng with a faint smile on her beautiful face, "I¡¯m feeling much better now. You have things to do at yourpany, so hurry back to your work."

    "It¡¯s no big deal, even if I¡¯m busy, it¡¯s not urgent for this moment," Su Cheng didn¡¯t look at Fu Han. He slightly looked up at the sun, his face under the light looked as if it were coated in ayer of gold, sacred and detached from worldly concerns, "I didn¡¯t take a day off during Spring Festival. My mother went to thepany today, and I thought I¡¯d go out for a walk. Can you apany me?"

    Fu Han had already declined Su Cheng once in the morning. If she were to refuse Su Cheng now, it would be the second time she did so; what was most important was that Fu Han herself wanted to go out for a walk. If she did nothing, she felt she would go insane.

    Thinking this, Fu Han smiled, her beautiful face bright and sunny, "Firstly, I should say I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d like to go y. You saw earlier that I¡¯m in a bad mood; I just want to go out and calm myself."

    Her words had a double meaning. The first was the apparent one, and the second was to remind Su Cheng that her mood was a result of He Xing, hoping Su Cheng would not entertain any other thoughts.

    Indeed, the excitement that had just appeared on Su Cheng¡¯s face dissipated as quickly as it hade, but he soon recovered his mood, "I know, then I¡¯ll take you to a ce I used to go y quite often."

    The white Audi started up once again, and Fu Han sat back in her original spot. It wasn¡¯t clear what she was feeling at the moment, certainly not "good," yet it seemed to have improved from earlier.

    The Audi weaved through the streets of City A, which was even busier than in the morning. The streets were packed with people, shops on both sides were wide open, and many speakers had started up again, ying music and promoting sales ¨C a lively atmosphere indeed.

    If it had been before, Fu Han would have found it noisy, but now she found these sounds cozy, a touch of human warmth, exactly what she needed at the moment.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t ask where Su Cheng was taking her. Strangely enough, she suddenly felt a sense of trust in Su Cheng, a trust she had never felt before. It was as if, after experiencing recent events, her trust in Su Cheng had strengthened; subconsciously, she felt that he would not harm her.

    During the ride, they barely spoke, much like on the way there ¨C silent, yet not awkward.

    Unsure how much time had passed, the car finally stopped.

    Only then did Fu Han really take in the scenery outside the car window. They were in what looked like an open-air park, and it seemed quite spacious.

    Although there were many trees, many leaves had withered in the winter. As it was not yet the dead of winter, the scene looked empty and nearly deste.

    Fu Han looked around in puzzlement and asked, "Where are we?"

    "This is thergest outdoor ice skating rink in City A," Su Cheng answered with an exceptionally gentle smile. "Whenever I felt down, I¡¯de here to ice skate, and it always made me feel much better."

    "But..." Fu Han awkwardly coughed and said unnaturally, "But you seem to have forgotten, I can¡¯t ice skate."

    When they were overseas, Xia Ning and Su Cheng often went to the ice rink, but Fu Han never joined them. One reason was because she didn¡¯t have money and didn¡¯t want to use Su Cheng and Nan Qing¡¯s; the second was that she couldn¡¯t skate, and her grandfather thought it was a dangerous sport and didn¡¯t want her to participate.

    "Ice skating is easy, do you want to learn?" Su Cheng smiled, patting his chest, "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re smart, surely you¡¯ll pick it up quickly."

    Fu Han started to feel tempted by his words and hesitated before deciding to try something unknown; perhaps it would improve her mood. She smiled and said, "Then I¡¯ll give it a try, but I can¡¯t promise what I¡¯ll be able to do."

    "The willingness to try already shows courage," Su Cheng said, clearly happy.

    Ever since Fu Han learned about the Huangpu Group, she regarded Su Cheng with a tinge of pity. Yet, every time she saw him, he was always full of positivity.

    Always spirited, always sunny, a trait Fu Han admired. A little sun, always warming those around him, bringing nothing but positivity and light, something she certainly couldn¡¯t achieve with such cheerful uplift.

 Chapter 653 - 654: Able to Skate

    <h4>Chapter 653: Chapter 654: Able to Skate</h4><h4></h4>

    The ice rink was indeed huge, roughly the size of two basketball courts, with many people skating around, young and old, men and women, each with a smile spreading across their faces.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but think to herself how lucky she was to have worn shorts today. If she had worn a skirt, how embarrassing would it have been if she fell?

    Over there, Su Cheng had already run to the service counter and bought two pairs of new skates, one pair bright red and the other deep blue. With such vibrant colors, they looked especially attractive.

    Honestly, although Fu Han hadn¡¯t said anything at first, she was really worried that Su Cheng would simply rent two pairs of skates. If that had been the case, she would have definitely expressed her disgust. She absolutely, absolutely wouldn¡¯t wear shoes that others had worn.

    Fu Han looked at the skates before her, somewhat dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t know how to wear them, mainly because the several sps on the skates were too troublesome.

    Meanwhile, Su Cheng had quickly put on his own skates, and with an elegant start, he effortlessly glided over to Fu Han¡¯s side, "Let me help you with yours."

    A blush crept onto Fu Han¡¯s cheeks, and she hastily waved her little paws, urgently refusing, "No need, no need, just tell me how to do it."

    When Fu Han was very small, Grandpa He had seriously told her that a man¡¯s head and a woman¡¯s feet are for looking, not for touching. That phrase had remained in Fu Han¡¯s heart ever since.

    Thus, even though she and He Xing had a fairly good rtionship since childhood, she had never touched his hair, nor had she ever let He Xing touch her feet.

    If this was the case with He Xing, then what more with Su Cheng?

    Finally, Fu Han managed to put the skates on with difficulty. With Su Cheng¡¯s guidance, she struggled to get up using the handrail and moved forward step by step, feeling as if she would fall with every step.

    Honestly, when Fu Han first saw others skating so smoothly, she thought it looked easy. To her surprise, it was quite difficult to even stand properly.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Su Cheng¡¯s constant encouragement on the side, Fu Han would truly have given up; and even with Su Cheng¡¯s encouragement, she still thought countless times about quitting.

    Clinging to the handrail, she circled the rink several times. It had to be said, Su Cheng was indeed a very patient teacher, and Fu Han was an obedient student. About an hourter, Fu Han could already stand on her own without the support of the handrail.

    Su Cheng was very satisfied with this, and with Fu Han¡¯s permission, he began to skate around the rink holding her hand.

    They started off slowly, but even so, Fu Han almost fell several times. After a fewps and getting used to the rhythm, Su Cheng started to speed up, and so on. When Fu Han could already bnce herself well, he let go and allowed her to skate on her own.

    He stayed protectively close to her, his eyes vigntly watching the people around them, fearing they might bump into Fu Han.

    After learning to skate, Fu Han felt exceptionally happy. She suddenly fell in love with the sport. She didn¡¯t understand why she had been so resistant to the idea of skating in the past?

    Once she felt more stable on the ice, Fu Han asked Su Cheng to help her shoot a short video to post online.

    Being a photographer, she often shot advertisements for some manufacturers and took portraits for artists; naturally, she had social media ounts and quite a few followers.

    Nan Qing had told Fu Han that if she managed her ount well, it could indirectly boost the business of Cheng Yihan Company. After experimenting for a while and seeing it was true, she didn¡¯t update her social media often, but she still asionally uploaded some life photos or videos.

    ...

    Bai Wei was nestled on the rooftop garden of her home, basking in the sun and ying with her phone. She hade downstairs to give Luo Qinghe the cold shoulder. With her new movie not yet starting production, she suddenly had a lot of free time, idly browsing the inte every day.

    As soon as Fu Han had uploaded the skating video, Bai Wei immediately refreshed her feed and saw it.

    She excitedly called over Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, who were not far away swinging on the swings, "Dad, Mom,e look! Fu Han is ice skating."

    "It really is Xiaohan, and her skating skills are not bad." Bai Qianughed, "He Xing just called us to ask where Fu Han was. Look, she seems to be having lots of fun."

    Fu Xingbo nodded and casually said, "Someone let He Xing know, so he doesn¡¯t worry trying to find Fu Han."

    "I¡¯ll give him a call." Bai Qian immediately went to pick up her phone from the ss coffee table.

    But Bai Wei suddenly grabbed Bai Qian¡¯s clothes, "Don¡¯t, Mom, don¡¯t meddle in their affairs."

    "How is this meddling in their affairs?" Bai Qian frowned and looked at Bai Wei, "Didn¡¯t you see how anxious He Xing was when he called you?"

    "I know," Bai Wei smiled, showing all eight of her teeth, "That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m telling you not to call and inform him. If he¡¯s really searching everywhere for Fu Han, wouldn¡¯t he see the video?"

    "You have a point," Fu Xingbo nodded, "Do you have anything else to say?"

    "Yeah," Bai Wei held her coffee cup, pretending to take a sip with a look of feigned profundity, "Based on my experience, He Xing and Fu Han must have had an argument, and it must be He Xing who offended Fu Han. That¡¯s why she is ignoring He Xing and went to skate with Su Cheng instead. That¡¯s why He Xing can¡¯t find Fu Han."

    "I didn¡¯t know you were such an analyst," Bai Qianughed and affectionately stroked Bai Wei¡¯s hair, "Next time, still remind Fu Han. Since she is engaged to Su Cheng, she should avoid getting too close to other men."

    "I certainly won¡¯t," Bai Wei shrugged indifferently, "Fu Han is a girl with good sense. She wouldn¡¯t do anything inappropriate. And Su Cheng really respects Fu Han. He likes her so much that up until now, he hasn¡¯t even held her hand."

    "You¡¯re wrong," Fu Xingbo, who had gone back to reading his book, peeked out from behind it. The gold-rimmed sses made him look especially refined, but his words were less so, "In the video just now, Su Cheng clearly took Fu Han¡¯s hand for a moment."

    This remark managed to rile Bai Wei, who stomped her foot with force, "Dad, what exactly do you mean by that, picking an argument on purpose?"

    "Not at all," the sunlight made Fu Xingbo¡¯s smile particrly dazzling as he too pretended to be profound, "I saw you analyzingly sopetently, so I kindly reminded you to be a bit more rigorous."

    Bai Wei stomped her foot, puffing up her cheeks in irritation, "You¡¯re just nitpicking."

    Meanwhile, Bai Qian picked up her phone to watch Fu Han skating again. She noticed ament from Su Cheng and clicked into his ount, confused, "Didn¡¯t Su Cheng used to run apany with Xiaohan? Howe he¡¯s suddenly be the chairman of the Huangpu Group?"

 Chapter 654 - 655: The Garden in the Afternoon

    <h4>Chapter 654: Chapter 655: The Garden in the Afternoon</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei had already tossed her phone aside and was feeding herself grapes one by one, her big eyes squinting with contentment, resembling azy little fox.

    Hearing this, she tilted her head to think for a moment and said, "I heard from Fu Han that there was trouble with the Huangpu Group, something about using unfair practices for maliciouspetition, and vitions in certain projects. Su Cheng¡¯s dad took all the responsibility on himself, and now he¡¯s in prison, though I¡¯m not sure if he has been sentenced yet. Since Su Cheng is an only child, of course he had to go back to deal with these issues."

    "Howe I never heard you mention this before?" Fu Xingbo pushed up his sses, concern evident on his schrly face.

    Bai Wei leaned back in her chair, which began to rock slowly. She closed her eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun and said indifferently, "Why would I tell you about this? It has nothing to do with you."

    Fu Xingbo was momentarily at a loss for words, staring at Xia Ning, who unfortunately was not looking at him and was instead leisurely sunbathing.

    He sighed softly, a smile of helpless affection on his face.

    Adjacent, Bai Qian looked at her husband with simrly tender eyes. The sunlight fell on her face, making her glow faintly, radiating a pure and holy light from within.

    Another blissful moment passed, and the servant came upstairs with freshly cut fruit.

    Fu Xingbo peeked out from behind a thick, thread-bound book: "Big sis, can you prepare a few more dishes tonight that the youngdy likes?"

    "Of course, sir," the servant, whose hair was turning slightly white, readily agreed before promptly departing.

    Bai Qian, who had been arranging flowers, heard this and gently kicked Bai Wei¡¯s chair: "Let Xiaohan know toe home for dinner tonight."

    The Fu Family truly considered Fu Han as one of their own. In front of the servants, Fu Han was thedy of the house, and Bai Wei was the second youngdy. Moreover, just this morning, they went to add Fu Han¡¯s name to the deed of this house.

    It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t buy another house for Fu Han, but Bai Qian felt that this house was their home in City A, different from any other property, which is why they insisted on having both Fu Han¡¯s and Bai Wei¡¯s names on the property title.

    "Okay," Bai Wei obediently took out her phone: "Fu Han might still be on a date with Su Cheng. I don¡¯t want to be a nuisance. I¡¯ll just send her a message."

    On the other side, Fu Xingbo once again poked his head from behind his book: "Xiaowei, please also call Luo Qinghe and invite him to dinner."

    "Why?" Bai Wei was so excited that she nearly fell from the wicker chair. Once she had steadied herself, she blushed and said to Fu Xingbo, "Dad, are you doing this on purpose?"

    "Haha..." Fu Xingboughed heartily, closing his book and looking at Bai Wei: "Of course I¡¯m doing this on purpose. Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m trying to help you reconcile with Luo Qinghe?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned beet red, and she red at Fu Xingbo fiercely: "This is between us. Who asked you to worry about it?"

    "You have to understand us," Bai Qian¡¯s ever beautiful face showed deep helplessness: "The day after tomorrow is the day you try on engagement dresses. You say you won¡¯t go, I suggest cancelling the engagement ceremony, but you disagree. Now when we say to invite Luo Qinghe for dinner, you also disagree. What do you n to do? Wait until the engagement day when all the guests have arrived, and neither of you show up?"

    "I..." Bai Wei¡¯s face turned even redder, she bit down hard on her teeth, her voice filled with frustration: "I don¡¯t care, I just don¡¯t want to see Luo Qinghe right now."

    Her words sessfully amused Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo. Theypletely disregarded Bai Wei¡¯s upset expression andughed joyously as if they had heard the funniest joke.

    When theirughter subsided, Fu Xingbo finally spoke again: "I understand what you mean. You¡¯ll still get engaged to Luo Qinghe, but you¡¯ve had a fight, and Luo Qinghe hasn¡¯t made it up to you yet, right?"

    "I don¡¯t want to talk about this anymore. I have to go." Bai Wei stood up with her phone and walked towards the stairwell: "I¡¯m going to take a nap, you continueughing."

    With Bai Wei gone, only Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo were left in the vast garden. Bai Qian remained seated on the long couch while Fu Xingbo got up and sat down next to her, naturally wrapping his arm around Bai Qian¡¯s waist: "What do you think our daughter is really up to, huh?"

    Bai Qian rested her head on Fu Xingbo¡¯s shoulder and gently looked up at him, her gaze naturally filled with affection: "Don¡¯t you know our daughter? When she likes someone, she dives in headfirst, and no one can persuade her otherwise."

    At that point, Bai Qian¡¯s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she said with a hint of frustration: "I have heard Bai Weiin about Fu Xingbo before, but it was always very brief. This level of anger is a first for her; I don¡¯t know why they fought."

    Fu Xingbo ran his free hand through Bai Qian¡¯s hair, his smile warm and gentle: "Alright, you saw Xiaowei¡¯s attitude just now. Since she doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, we won¡¯t ask. Let her handle it on her own."

    "Mhm mhm," Bai Qian spoke softly, a blush of girlish shyness on her face: "Yes, after all, Xiaowei has grown up. She will manage her own affairs well. We shouldn¡¯t interfere too much."

    The afternoon sun cast their shadows upon the ground, creating a small heart-shaped silhouette.

    From the moment they met until now, these two have never spent a moment apart, and it has been nearly thirty years.

    They say time is the greatest enemy of affection, but that statement seemed inapplicable to them. Their love not only did not wane with the passage of time, but grew stronger day by day.

    Bai Qian remembered Fu Xingbo¡¯s proposal, how he promised that their marriage would never let her feel lonely again, that he would forever be by her side.

    That was a promise made only once by Fu Xingbo, but over the past two decades, he had kept it every single day.

    Even during the most challenging times of his business ventures, no matter howte he worked, he would always take a two-hour drive home to sleep beside Bai Qian.

    Bai Qian¡¯s affection for Fu Xingbo was equally deep. Although she hadn¡¯t spoken of evestingpanionship, whether when Bai Wei went abroad for her studies or when she returned home to act, Bai Qian stayed away from her daughter¡¯s side.

    Many couples tend to focus too much on their children, relegating the attention due to their spouse. When one party neglects the other, it breeds discontent, and their affection dwindles.

    Onemon trait between them as a couple is that in this family, they alwayse first for each other, while Bai Weies next.

 Chapter 655 - 656: Giving You Half an Hour

    <h4>Chapter 655: Chapter 656: Giving You Half an Hour</h4><subtxt> Bai Wei returned to her room to revisit the chat history with Luo Qinghe, and the more she read it, the angrier she became.

    They had arguedst night, and in the middle of the night Luo Qinghe had called Bai Wei. Initially, Luo Qinghe¡¯s attitude was alright, as he was apologizing to Bai Wei.

    Actually, after talking to Fu Han, Bai Wei had thought a lot and had done some self-reflection, so she intended to let the matter slide and not dwell on this issue any longer.

    But as the conversation went on, Luo Qinghe started to make more and more of a mess, dragging Fu Han and Nan Qing into it, uttering a pile of illogical remarks, and to top it all off, he said Bai Wei was willful, like an overgrown child.

    Of course Bai Wei would not stand for that; she thought it was clear that Luo Qinghe was in the wrong, so why should she have to apologize?

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she also began to retaliate against Luo Qinghe, needle and thread style.

    These two had been the center of attention since they were little, neither of them used to taking crap from anyone, notorious for being hard to deal with. Their arguments were like collisions between lit sticks of dynamite.

    Another inevitable argument ensued, even more intense than before, and in the end, Bai Wei only remembered being extremely angry, as for what exactly they said, she couldn¡¯t remember.

    But that feeling of being so enraged she felt like her lungs could explode was still there, and just thinking about it made Bai Wei want to rush to Luo Qinghe¡¯s house to sort things out, wishing she could just punch him.

    Suddenly, Bai Wei¡¯s phone rang, startling her and nearly causing her to drop the phone on the floor, but when she saw that the caller was Luo Qinghe, her expression softened a bit.

    Bai Wei felt slightly smug in her heart, thinking, so you still have to call me obediently, huh?

    However, the thought that Luo Qinghe only called in the afternoon, as if he had called earlier it might have spared her the embarrassment in front of her parents, reignited the anger in her heart, and she hung up the call directly.

    A few secondster, the phone rang again, still Luo Qinghe.

    Originally, Bai Wei nned on hanging up in one go, truth be told, with her temper, she really wanted to see how long Luo Qinghe would shamelessly keep calling.

    But after thinking about it, Bai Wei was a bit worried about giving him the cold shoulder in case Luo Qinghe got angry and then truly stopped caring about her altogether.

    So she silently waited a few more minutes, and then she picked up the phone. Deliberately using an impatient tone, she said to Luo Qinghe, "Hello, didn¡¯t you say you would never deal with me again? What do you want, calling me now?"

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s voice came through immediately, "Come down, I have something to talk to you about!"

    "You want me toe down just because you say so?" Bai Wei was also infuriated, her beautiful face full of rage.

    Could she not be angry? She had barely waited for Luo Qinghe¡¯s call, but the moment he opened his mouth, his tone was so offensive. It would be strange if she wasn¡¯t mad!

    "You have ten minutes. If you don¡¯te down, I¡¯m leaving," Luo Qinghe said in his usual arrogant tone, making one itch to punch him in the face.

    Bai Wei seethed for ten seconds, but after those ten seconds, she still very angrily said, "Half an hour, I can¡¯t be that quick."

    "Fine, I¡¯ll wait half an hour for you," Luo Qinghe agreed swiftly, but after saying that, he hung up the phone.

    After hanging up, Bai Wei sat in the hanging basket chair for several minutes, shaking all over with rage; she pondered for the first time why she even liked Luo Qinghe¡ªit was like she was looking for punishment.

    But thinking was one thing, Bai Wei still willing walked to her wardrobe and started to get dressed and do her makeup.

    She consoled herself by thinking, even if she had to go down to break up with Luo Qinghe, she wanted to look her best and let Luo Qinghe know what he was losing.

    ...

    He Group.

    From the moment He Xing returned to the office just after ten, the entire corporation plunged into a grave and oppressive atmosphere.

    Today was the first day back at work after the new year, and when everyone had no interest in working before He Xing arrived, they were all just going through the motions. But after He Xing¡¯s arrival, everyone immediately started working very vigorously, fearing identally provoking He Xing because anyone with eyes could see He Xing was angry.

    Liang Tao was one of them; he hadn¡¯t left his spot the entire morning. Although he didn¡¯t have much work to do today, he kept himself busy on theputer, putting on an appearance of being very upied.

    Come lunchtime, Liang Tao mustered the guts to ask if he should bring He Xing lunch and, given permission, he left the office in a trot.

    Once he was downstairs, Liang Tao took out his mobile phone intending toin to Zhao Ting about how miserably trapped he felt at work today, hoping to earn her sympathy and possibly seeing her tonight.

    He was heading towards the food street not far away while habitually checking various tforms to see if anything new had happened so that he¡¯d have something to talk about with Zhao Tingter, preventing any awkward silences.

    But no sooner had he connected to the inte than he saw the skating video posted by Fu Han.

    Liang Tao had already been specting that He Xing¡¯s sour mood was rted to Fu Han, and at this point it almost felt like confirmation. He gave up on getting lunch altogether and turned back to He Group.

    Ten minutester, perhaps not even that long, a Lamborghini slowly drove out from He Group, specifically He Xing¡¯s car.

    The traffic on the roads increased by noon, and it seemed like He Xing¡¯s luck was particrly bad that day, as he hit a red light at every intersection, seriously dying his travel time.

    Another red light, and seeing the painful "60" on the disy in front of him, He Xing hit the steering wheel hard, a sense of irritation gradually rising within him.

    He still couldn¡¯t get in touch with Fu Han, but Liang Tao knew the location of the skating rink Fu Han was at, and since Liang Tao had seen the video the moment it was posted, he surmised Fu Han might still be there, provided he moved fast enough.

    ording to the GPS, it should take about half an hour to reach the skating rink from He Group if he moved quickly, but given his luck, He Xing felt he¡¯d be lucky to get there within an hour.

    Fortunately, it was only a short stretch of road that was congested, and twenty minutester he managed to escape the curse of hitting every red light at each intersection.

    It took over forty minutes from the time He Xing left the office to his arrival at the skating rink.

    He Xing¡¯s mood was already foul, and this drawn-out ordeal only worsened it; it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that if someone careless annoyed him at that moment, he would get incredibly angry, and the consequences would be severe.</subtxt>

 Chapter 656 - 657: Climbing an Uphill Road

    <h4>Chapter 656: Chapter 657: Climbing an Uphill Road</h4><h4></h4>

    Life is always like this: when you fall to the bottom of the valley, no matter which direction you go, you¡¯re definitely on an uphill path.

    That was the case for He Xing, who had been wondering whether he would run into Fu Han and the others as soon as he entered the park. Unexpectedly, he didn¡¯t run into Fu Han, but he immediately spotted Su Cheng¡¯s car.

    Don¡¯t ask how He Xing remembered Su Cheng¡¯s car. Humans are advanced animals with the ability to perceive danger. Among a crowd, you can instantly sense who harbors hostility toward you and who holds goodwill.

    Su Cheng was someone He Xing disliked from the moment he became aware of his existence. Although He Xing never considered Su Cheng a rival, it didn¡¯t mean he held no "hostility" toward him.

    However, he wouldn¡¯t do anything harmful to Su Cheng because of this "hostility." He was confident in himself and never resorted to underhanded tactics. Even if he did take action, it would always be in an open and upright manner.

    Of course, there were exceptions, such as the Huangpu Group, which Su Cheng had begged him to leave alone. He Xing saw it as a deal, and knowing clearly that Fu Han had no romantic feelings for Su Cheng, he proposed that Su Cheng should stop pursuing Fu Han.

    His intention was to spare Fu Han from dealing with all the messy matters. Just like he was willing topete in drinking with Ji Liangchuan for the sake of Fu Han, it was all for her.

    Even if he had to do it all over again, he would make the same choice.

    There were far too many people in this world. To He Xing, the only important ones were the elder He and Fu Han. Even the people from the Xia Family were nothing but a responsibility to him.

    As his mind wandered, he made his way to the skating rink. The people on the street grew in number, most of them young, each carrying a pair of skates, obviously having juste from skating.

    The skating rink was now visible in the distance. He Xing adjusted his mindset, thinking about what he should say to Fu Han once he saw her, mentally rehearsing his words in anticipation.

    In front of He Xing was a small hill; he had just asked, and the skating rink was right below it. All he had to do was go down from here.

    He Xing climbed the hill with ease. It was an ordinary mound of earth, covered with a thickyer of grass, bathed in sunlight. Some people were sitting there, basking in the sun.

    Rather than going straight down, he stood on the hilltop and surveyed the skating rink.

    A veryrge skating rink, big enough to fit two basketball courts. It must have used artificial ice as it glimmered from above, like a vast mirror, somewhat dazzling to the eyes.

    He Xing stared intently for a while before finally spotting Fu Han. He hurriedly followed her with his eyes.

    Perhaps because she had gotten too hot from skating, Fu Han had taken off her wool coat and was wearing only a sweater on top, with id shorts and ck leggings on the bottom.

    Her long ck hair was casually tied in a ponytail at the back of her head. Her hands sometimes rested behind her, sometimes spread open. With a slight move of her feet, she would glide far away.

    He Xing remembered that Fu Han used to be unable to skate. After seeing news about a child getting injured while skating, his grandfather refused to let Fu Han learn. It was said these skills were better learned in childhood, as they became harder to master with age.

    But at the moment, watching Fu Han, she was like a beautiful butterfly, nimbly flying and leaving behind stunning trajectories in the air, so mesmerizing that one couldn¡¯t look away.

    Right then, He Xing thought that if his grandfather had sent her to learn gymnastics or figure skating when she was young, she might be winning glory for the country by now.

    He Xing¡¯s original n was to go down and find Fu Han as soon as he saw her, but now he had changed his mind. He found a clean stone and sat down, keeping his gaze fixed on Fu Han, unwavering.

    What prevented He Xing from going down to find Fu Han was the smile on her face: her perfect eight teeth, her crescent-moon eyes, and the faint dimples at the corners of her mouth.

    She was so bright and sunny, like a sunflower in full bloom; and she was the only sunflower in the barren desert of He Xing¡¯s heart.

    He Xing truly hoped to always see Fu Han¡¯s smile, even if it meant paying any price. His cell phone suddenly rang, pulling out his phone, he saw another message from Xia Ning.

    He patiently read through the message from Xia Ning, which was no different from her previous onescking any substance, all reiterating how bored she was in the hospital, how much she missed He Xing, and when he could visit her.

    He Xing let out a low sigh and replied, "I understand. If I¡¯m avable tonight, I cane to visit you."

    His good mood was mostly ruined by Xia Ning. He searched the skating rink once more, this time curious about where Su Cheng might be.

    He had been prepared to see Su Cheng and Fu Han skating hand in hand, especially since in one of the videos Fu Han took, there was a moment when she nearly fell and Su Cheng said, "Be careful," then reached out to support her.

    Truthfully, he was quite pleased not to have seen them skating hand in hand since he arrived.

    He was pondering this when, suddenly, he saw someone outside the rink waving to Fu Han from afar. Who else could it be but Su Cheng?

    Upon hearing the call, Fu Han immediately skated over to Su Cheng. Perhaps she was too hasty, and losing her bnce, she started to fall backward.

    He Xing stood up anxiously, calling out loudly, "Xiaohan, be careful!"

    Just as Fu Han was about to fall, Su Cheng grabbed her, not around the waist but by the elbow, and with a firm pull, helped her stand steady.

    He Xing breathed a sigh of relief, his expression softening considerably. His "hostility" towards Su Cheng subsided quite a bit, regardless of whether Su Cheng was keeping his promise, his actions befit a true gentleman.

    It was also at this moment that He Xing realized Su Cheng had just gone to buy lunch, and now they were sitting at a stone table outside the rink, preparing to eat.

    He Xing¡¯s stomach growled hungrily; he was hungry as well. Originally, he had nned to have lunch with Fu Han.

    "If I show up now, they should invite me to join them for lunch," He Xing thought as he began moving towards Fu Han and the others.

    Just at that moment, a voice rang out, "He Xing, what a coincidence, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here."

    The smile on He Xing¡¯s face vanished instantly as he turned and sure enough, he saw Ji Liangchuan. His brows furrowed, his tone unmistakablyced with hostility, "What are you doing here?"

    Contrasting with He Xing¡¯s hostility, Ji Liangchuan was all smiles, "The reason you¡¯re here is the same reason I am here!"

 Chapter 657 - 658: Overestimating Oneâ€™s Abilities

    <h4>Chapter 657: Chapter 658: Overestimating One¡¯s Abilities</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> This sentence sessfully infuriated He Xing¡¯s inner ragepletely.

    Step by step, He Xing walked towards Ji Liangchuan, the surrounding air temperature dropping with every step he took. By the time he stood in front of Ji Liangchuan, the temperature around them was indistinguishable from that of a snowy wastnd.

    His words were equally cold, "Ji Liangchuan, I thought at least you¡¯d keep your word even though you overestimate yourself, but it seems I overestimated you!"

    He was referring to the time when Ji Liangchuan and He Xing had a drinking contest, agreeing that if Ji Liangchuan lost, he would no longer pester Fu Han.

    Yet, Ji Liangchuan didn¡¯t keep his promise. Over the brief Spring Festival holiday, he proposed with fireworks, decorated his bar with paintings of Fu Han, and sent trucks of roses to Lanwan Mountain every day. It was said that he even spent all day at the foot of Lanwan Mountain, all to catch a glimpse of Fu Han.

    Fu Han and He Xing stayed in the vi area of Lanwan Mountain during the Spring Festival, partly because Fu Han¡¯s injuries had not fully healed and partly because Ji Liangchuan was loitering at the mountain base like a lovestruck fool, ensuring that if Fu Han were to descend, she would inevitably be entangled by him. So she simply chose not toe out, adopting an out of sight, out of mind approach.

    Even with Fu Han¡¯s forthright refusal, rumors about Ji Liangchuan and Fu Han were bubbling over the inte. Everyone was saying that Ji Liangchuan was a lovestruck boy who had long harboured a crush on Fu Han, only for He Xing to snatch her away.

    Originally, anyone with a brain knew these rumors were false, and discussions about their clique on the inte were abundant. Many were aware that Fu Han and He Xing had grown up together as childhood sweethearts.

    But the problem still emerged when Ji Liangchuan started posting old, intimate photos with "Fu Han" every day.

    The photos were obviously old, dating back several years, a time when there weren¡¯t public photos of Fu Han and He Xing together.

    Therefore, when these photos surfaced, many genuinely believed that He Xing had stolen someone else¡¯s love, and that Fu Han had ked on her past rtionship.

    After all, there were articles on the inte paid for by Ji Liangchuan, iming that he and He Xing were long-time friends, hence his early acquaintance with Fu Han. He imed to have fallen for Fu Han first, pursued her first, and that Fu Han had even agreed to be his girlfriend.

    But then He Xing shamelessly sought his grandfather¡¯s help to arrange their engagement on the day Fu Han came of age. Fu Han was strongly opposed to the engagement, but her objections were futile, and eventually she and Ji Liangchuan eloped abroad together.

    Of course, such a full-of-holes story was easily debunked. For instance, Fu Han didn¡¯t go abroad immediately after getting engaged to He Xing; rather, it was several yearster.

    For example, before Fu Han went abroad, even before her engagement to He Xing, Ji Liangchuan had already left the country. Hepleted his high school education abroad; there was no such thing as an elopement for love.

    But the gossipy masses don¡¯t care whether the story has holes or not; what they¡¯re after is whether the gossip is juicy, fresh, and dramatic enough.

    Most importantly, Ji Liangchuan used intimate photos with his ex-girlfriend, who bore an uncanny resemnce to Fu Han, to the point of being nearly indistinguishable.

    Taking Fu Han as an example, she had heard rumors about her resemnce to Ji Liangchuan¡¯s ex-girlfriend, but she didn¡¯t realize the resemnce was so striking: If Fu Han didn¡¯t know about the look-alike issue, she herself might worry whether the person in the photos was her when she saw them.

    And precisely because the person in the photos resembled Fu Han too closely, even amidst numerous logical inconsistencies, the photos were taken as incontrovertible evidence by many.

    Ji Liangchuan seemed to have hired a professional team that had a clear grasp on public sentiment. Every move he made was calcted to hit the hot buttons of the public ¨C attracting attention, creating melodrama, and defying logic.

    Even though his concocted lies were full of loopholes, they still garnered a lot of attention, and some even participated in anonymous online polls. Although He Xing eventually won, the margin between them was not as significant as one might have expected.

    In fact, He Xing had once instructed the Public Rtions Department of He Group to handle the online public opinion. They had issued public statements twice, but to no avail.

    He Xing had considered revealing the truth about Ji Liangchuan and his ex-girlfriend, but the elder Mr. He advised against discussing a deceased person during the auspicious month, as it would be inauspicious and indecent. Fu Han also felt that Ji Liangchuan¡¯s ex-girlfriend had suffered enough. Exhuming her story to attack Ji Liangchuan would make them no different from him.

    So when these two met now, what was it if not the deep loathing of mortal enemies?

    Despite being so pointedly insulted, Ji Liangchuan remained unusually calm, even wearing a smile, "He Xing, save me your righteous lectures. Fate has brought Fu Han to me, and I will never give up!"

    "So you stalk Fu Han like an obsessed stalker every day?" He Xing¡¯s face was particrly grim, as cold as eternal ice, "Ji Liangchuan, don¡¯t you think your actions are insane? You¡¯re a madman."

    "If it means getting Fu Han, what does it matter if I¡¯m a little mad?" Ji Liangchuan seemed unhindered by the notion of beingplimented; instead, his smile grew even more radiant, "And He Xing, stop acting so saintly in front of me. You use me of stalking Fu Han, but aren¡¯t you doing the same thing?"

    At this, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s smile broadened with evident glee, "You and Fu Han had another argument, didn¡¯t you? Look at you; you¡¯re bound to fight whenever you¡¯re together."

    "That¡¯s between me and Fu Han, and it has nothing to do with you," He Xing said without anger, calmly looking towards where Fu Han was.

    She had put on her coat aftering off the skating rink; now she was having lunch with Su Cheng.

    Mr. He had raised Fu Han to be ady of high society, and dining etiquette was an essential part of that upbringing. To this end, Mr. He had specifically hired a teacher toe home to instruct both him and Fu Han. The cost of tuition was a buy-one-get-one deal, with the purchase being Fu Han, and the giveaway being He Xing.

    Eating was not to be apanied by talking or drinking, and it had to be quiet without smacking one¡¯s lips. The rice bowl was not to be set on the table... these were all the requirements imposed by the He Family on He Xing from a young age.

    There were many rules, and He Xing had a clear understanding of his own position. He participated in the training solely because Mr. He didn¡¯t want Fu Han to feel lonely and isted.

    He Xing remembered that when he first learned about dining etiquette, he hadined that his business administration courses were obviously more important. Why should he study this unproductive dining etiquette training?</subtxt>

 Chapter 658 - 659: The War Between Men

    <h4>Chapter 658: Chapter 659: The War Between Men</h4><h4></h4>

    Comining was one thing, but even if the elder He knew about it, he would only criticize He Xing, and the next day, he would still arrange for them to be together because the elder would force him to apany Fu Han.

    At this moment, He Xing was about ten meters away from Fu Han in a straight line. He could clearly see the expression on her face.

    Therefore, he also clearly saw Fu Han maintaining her usual dining etiquette as always; she would absolutely not speak while eating, keeping silent whenever possible.

    At that moment, He Xing thought it was wise that he had spent so much time learning dining etiquette with Fu Han back in the day; at least now, even if he watched Fu Han dining with another man, he wouldn¡¯t feel physically ufortable.

    Ji Liangchuan spoke up again beside him, his voice as gleefully schadenfreude as ever, "He Xing, I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, but I really don¡¯t understand why you keep shamelessly tagging along with Fu Han. Haven¡¯t you noticed that Fu Han seems much happier with other men than she is with you?"

    "So what if that¡¯s the case?" He Xing knew that Ji Liangchuan was deliberately trying to provoke him, but he wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he smiled even more brilliantly, "Even if Fu Han smiles more joyfully, so what? A girl can smile at anyone, but she will only cry for one person. Fu Han will only cry for me, for no one else but me. That¡¯s the difference!"

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face visibly worsened, his eyes filled with a mad and jealous light. It made his face, which was otherwise handsome, appear extremely twisted and terrifying, like that of an enraged beast.

    A gentle breeze blew by, bringing a hint of chill, but not particrly cold; it didn¡¯t even stir He Xing¡¯s clothes.

    In contrast, the breeze blew the hair on Ji Liangchuan¡¯s forehead into his eyes, slicing his view into fragmented segments, creating small, broken squares.

    It was like a cracked but unshattered mirror. You could still see aplete image, but you knew that some things had inevitably changed.

    He Xing took a deep look at Ji Liangchuan. He still had that familiar yet strange face that He Xing had known from his chubby-cheeked childhood. Now, the childishness had disappeared from that face, and his eyes were no longer as clear and transparent as before.

    Upon reflection, He Xing finally realized that the person before him was no longer the one he had known. Perhaps this person had changed in the torrent of time, or perhaps it was because He Xing had never truly understood him.

    With that thought, aplex mix of emotions suddenly rose in He Xing¡¯s heart. He kept his sigh buried within, but his spoken words were calm to the extreme, "Ji Liangchuan, from now on, our past friendship is severed; if you sincerely pursue Fu Han, I have no objections; but if you keep using your former girlfriend as a facade to chase after Fu Han, putting pressure on her, I won¡¯t be soft-hearted!"

    Ji Liangchuan was stunned for a moment, his gaze at He Xing bewildered for just an instant before he recovered his annoying demeanor, "He Xing, spare me your disy of superiority. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not afraid of your threats, and I definitely won¡¯t give up on Fu Han."

    "We¡¯ll see about that," He Xing snorted coldly. Even though the sun was still overhead, the temperature around them seemed to plummet, just like his voice, devoid of any warmth, "Ji Liangchuan, remember my words, make your own wise choices."

    After saying that, He Xing no longer lingered and turned around, heading straight for where Fu Han was.

    Left behind, Ji Liangchuan rolled up his sleeves and looked at the dense goosebumps on his arm the size of rice grains. The cold wind blew, and he realized that the back of his shirt was soaked with sweat without him knowing when, and fine cold sweat broke out on his forehead, sticking his hair down and making it particrly ufortable.

    Ji Liangchuan watched He Xing¡¯s retreating figure, his expression driven to the brink of madness; if anyone were to see his face right now, they might suspect he wanted to destroy the world.

    As Ji Liangchuan said, Fu Han was strict in following the ancient adage of silence at meals; coincidentally, Su Cheng was the same. So even though the two were dining at the same small round table, they didn¡¯t have to worry about the awkwardness of having no conversation.

    While eating, Fu Han felt as if someone was staring at her, a feeling she had while skating, but it wasn¡¯t as strong as it was now.

    She looked up inadvertently and saw Su Cheng had stopped his eating motions, his eyes clear ck and white looking behind Fu Han.

    Curious, Fu Han turned around and saw He Xing approaching them, now less than three meters away.

    Her face immediately darkened as she said discontentedly, "What are you doing here?"

    The events of the morning were still fresh in Fu Han¡¯s mind, the deepest hurt being He Xing¡¯s defense of Xia Ning. She didn¡¯t mind hardships or exhaustion, but she detested seeing He Xing defend Xia Ning.

    He Xing was originally making eye contact with Su Cheng from a distance, but when Fu Han suddenly turned around, it caught him off guard. He was supposed to be expressionless, but he froze and didn¡¯t know what face to make for a moment.

    Hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, he stepped forward two paces, full of concern, "Xiaohan, of course I¡¯m here to find you. Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me downstairs this morning? Why did you leave?"

    "Just because you told me to wait, I should wait for you? Who do you think you are, and why should I listen to you?" Fu Han¡¯s beautiful eyes widened, full of vivacity and pep, reflecting her current demeanor, brimming with life.

    He Xing was actually reprimanded, but his eyes lit up. God knows how much he liked Fu Han this way, cute and cunning with vitality, like a deer in the forest.

    He sat down next to Fu Han and his eyes scanned the table, "These are the lunches Su Cheng bought, right? Well chosen, they¡¯re all your favorites."

    "It¡¯s none of your business." Fu Han was still puffed up with anger, her cheeks bulging, "Su Cheng is much better at this than you, I really like it."

    After saying that, Fu Han proved her point by stuffing arge bite of food into her mouth, "You see, it¡¯s delicious, much better than what you buy."

    Su Cheng, watching the back and forth between the two, felt veryplex emotions. Before He Xing appeared, Fu Han was like a walking corpse with a body but no soul. Yet, when He Xing showed up, even though she seemed very angry, she suddenly became infused with energy.

    No need for further confirmation. Su Cheng had already confirmed countless times that Fu Han only loved He Xing, and she would always love only him.

    Isn¡¯t loving someone about making them happy? If your love brings her not happiness but chains, then it would be better to let go and let her find the love she seeks.

 Chapter 659 - 660: With You Here, I Can Rest Assured

    <h4>Chapter 659: Chapter 660: With You Here, I Can Rest Assured</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng cleared his throat, immediately drawing the attention of the two to him.

    He saw very clearly, Fu Han¡¯s eyes carried guilt when she looked his way, the kind that came from realizing she had neglected Su Cheng. He Xing, however, bore no hostility in his gaze towards him, but rather gratitude.

    If Fu Han¡¯s eyes were a knife to Su Cheng, then He Xing¡¯s eyes were like a sword, equally capable of causing harm.

    The first to speak was He Xing, who smiled kindly and said, "Su Cheng, thank you for keeping Fu Hanpany. With you by her side, I¡¯m much relieved."

    This statement was so impactful it nearly provoked Su Cheng to spit out blood from the stimtion, and he couldn¡¯t help thinking about what He Xing meant by those words.

    First of all, He Xing would definitely not give up on Fu Han. Under this premise, the meaning of He Xing¡¯s words became very intriguing ¡ª it could be that He Xing has never seen Su Cheng as apetitor, or that he believed Su Cheng¡¯s rtionship with Fu Han would only ever be tonic.

    Whichever it was, Su Cheng felt terrible. He would even prefer if He Xing looked at him as an enemy; that would be easier to bear.

    "No need for thanks." Su Cheng managed a bitter smile that he couldn¡¯t suppress, "Fu Han and I are friends. It¡¯s natural for me tofort her when she¡¯s upset. I didn¡¯t do these things for you, so you needn¡¯t thank me."

    In fact, Su Cheng had more to say. He wanted to say, "You can be assured, I will keep my promise," but he knew that to say it would be mean, and if he did, it would only intensify the conflict between Fu Han and He Xing.

    Because Fu Han had specifically sought out Su Cheng to tell him that there would be no rtionship beyond friendship between them, but she also asked him to disregard his promise to He Xing, for a true gentleman would not take advantage of others¡¯ vulnerability.

    He Xing ended upughing at Su Cheng¡¯s words, still wearing that sincere, kind smile.

    Except towards Fu Han, He Xing¡¯s smile always carried a certain distance when directed at others ¡ª even if he smiled at you, you could clearly sense his resistance to getting closer.

    But when He Xing smiled at Fu Han, it felt entirely different, or rather, just one look at her from He Xing was enough to tell how much she meant to him.

    Su Cheng slowly stood up and looked at Fu Han, "Fu Han, I¡¯ve had enough to eat. Now that He Xing is here, my duty is over. It¡¯s been a tough journey for you two; it¡¯s most important to clear up any misunderstandings."

    After speaking, Su Cheng didn¡¯t linger and stood up to leave.

    Fu Han looked at the half-eaten meal box across from her and felt a touch of emotion. Like her, Su Cheng had skipped breakfast. A tall guy like him had only eaten half a meal after two mealsbined ¡ª how could his body take it?

    He Xing, following Fu Han¡¯s line of sight, sighed almost imperceptibly and patted her shoulder, "Huangpu Group is facing difficulties, and a moment of inattention could bring everything tumbling down. It¡¯s normal for Su Cheng to have no appetite."

    He Xing didn¡¯t continue, but what he wanted to add was that whenever the He Group faced significant issues, he too would lose his appetite due to anxiety, but what was the point of sharing such thoughts? It would serve no purpose but to worry Fu Han unnecessarily.

    The warmest time of a winter day is the afternoon, and after eating, Fu Han leaned back against the stone table, slightly squinting up at the sky.

    The weather today was beautiful, with a gentle breeze and a warm sun, a blue sky, and white clouds, cotton candy-like and immediately lifting one¡¯s spirits just by looking at them.

    Especially when... Fu Han slightly titled her head to nce beside her, where He Xing was busily tidying up the leftovers on the table, the sunlight draping a light golden coat over his figure, sharpening his facial contours.

    There was always a particr maism about He Xing, a sense that whatever he did, he did with earnestness, as if everything was of great significance to him.

    Just like now, though He Xing was merely cleaning up after a meal, it felt as though he was crafting a piece of art.

    Watching him, Fu Han¡¯s lips began to curl up unconsciously, her smile overflowing.

    Basking in the sun with the one you love is such a blissful thing.

    When He Xing finally had the table cleaned, he sat down next to Fu Han again, and she immediately hid away her smile, pretending to be angry and turning her head away from He Xing.

    "Xiaohan, did you read the email I sent you?" He Xing asked with a smile, while brazenly reaching to hold Fu Han¡¯s hand.

    "Why are you being handsy? What difference does it make if I¡¯ve read it? I¡¯m telling you, I absolutely don¡¯t believe that Xia Ning wouldmit suicide, nor do I believe she has amnesia," Fu Han pped He Xing¡¯s hand away.

    She spoke her heart, and even with controlled emotions, what she said was rtively measured; had she let out all the words brewing inside her, she was sure she would end up arguing with He Xing.

    Fu Han¡¯s p wasn¡¯t harsh, indeed she had restrained herself; thus, He Xing threw caution to the wind and grasped one of Fu Han¡¯s hands firmly, no matter how hard she tried to wriggle free.

    He hurriedly began to exin, "Xiaohan, I think what you say makes sense, but these are things we need to verify before making clear, right?"

    Fu Han huffed coldly, her face showing dissent, but ultimately she didn¡¯t speak further.

    Meanwhile, He Xing eagerly continued, "Xiaohan, we should judge by actions, not intentions. Based on the current facts, it appears Xia Ning attempted suicide and nearly died from excessive blood loss. I don¡¯t think anyone would joke with their life; that¡¯s why I¡¯m willing to try and believe Xia Ning¡¯s reasons."

    Fu Han¡¯s first reaction was to object to He Xing¡¯s words, but thest bit of rationality in her mind held her back from continuing this futile debate.

    The sun flooded down in torrents, with waves ofughter and cheer emanating from the nearby skating rink ¡ª so youthful, so contagiously joyful.

    He Xing waited a while for Fu Han¡¯s response, fearing she was still angry, he gently squeezed her palm, "Xiaohan, did you hear what I said?"

    As if in slow motion from an old movie, Fu Han turned to look at He Xing, her stray hair fluttering in the breeze, half-obscuring her bright eyes.

 Chapter 660 - 661: Not Listening to You

    <h4>Chapter 660: Chapter 661: Not Listening to You</h4><h4></h4>

    Her long, curly eyshes were dense like little brushes, gently swaying up and down as if the world before He Xing¡¯s eyes was opening and closing with them.

    It was a simple action, yet when Fu Han did it, it gave off an air of elegance, like it was the result of high-end photographic coloring.

    There was a magic about her, such that when she appeared before you, she would automatically be the focal point of your vision, turning everything else¡ªevery scenery, person, and object¡ªinto mere backdrops for Fu Han.

    He Xing had once served as the producer of the film "Yearn for Return." Although his main goal at the time was to apany Fu Han to the Film and Television Base to shoot the movie, he actually took his job seriously and had earnestly learned a lot of relevant knowledge.

    Back then, Fu Han was just a photographer. One day, the crew¡¯s director told He Xing that if Fu Han entered the entertainment circle, she would surely be an even more outstanding actress than Bai Wei.

    Never mind that Fu Han herself had no interest in bing an actress; even He Xing wouldn¡¯t want Fu Han to be one. The more apuse you receive, the greater the responsibilities you bear, and likewise, the nder and harm you suffer would also increase.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze softened involuntarily; he felt he could spend the whole day doing nothing, just watching Fu Han.

    As he was immersed in admiring Fu Han¡¯s beautiful features, Fu Han¡¯s lips parted slightly and she began to speak slowly, "I think everyone may have different views on everything. I don¡¯t force you to agree with mine, and you shouldn¡¯t force me to agree with yours. In any case, I still stand by what I said¡ªXia Ning¡¯s motives are definitely not pure."

    He Xing initially wanted to say something, but then he thought about it and realized Fu Han was right. Many things are just like this: you don¡¯t have to agree, and I don¡¯t have to agree with you. Let¡¯s agree to disagree.

    Having understood this, He Xing felt much more rxed. He shook Fu Han¡¯s hand and said with a smile, "Xiaohan, do you still want to keep skating? If you skate, I¡¯ll join you; if not, let¡¯s go watch a movie instead."

    Fu Han gazed deeply at He Xing for a full two minutes, making him feel uneasy. Only then did she say with a smile, "I¡¯m quite busy, you know. If you want to watch a movie with me, I suggest you make an appointment in advance; to be clear, the afternoon won¡¯t work. I have to return to thepany; it¡¯s the first day back after the New Year, and I can¡¯t be absent from work."

    He Xing burst intoughter at these words. After he had hisugh, he yed along and said, "Alright then, what do you suggest? How about we watch a movie and have dinner together after you finish work in the evening?"

    "That won¡¯t work either." Fu Han said with her chin proudly raised, struggling not to chuckle, "I have to go to my uncle¡¯s house for dinner, so I won¡¯t have time to watch a movie."

    "Dinner?" He Xing frowned deeply, "Why do they invite you for dinner and not me? I want to go too!"

    "Howe I never noticed how thick your skin is?" Fu Han finally couldn¡¯t help butugh, biting her teeth as she pinched He Xing¡¯s hand. Despite her efforts, it had no effect due to his hand being thin yetrge. She pouted, "Uncle and Auntie only invited me; you shouldn¡¯t go, as you might spoil my mood."

    "I promise that I¡¯ll just go for dinner today at Uncle and Auntie¡¯s ce without causing any trouble." He Xing grinned, nuzzling his head against Fu Han¡¯s shoulder, "Fu Han, just agree to let mee."

    Under the sunlight, Fu Han¡¯s face was like the petals of a pink rose. She pushed He Xing away, saying indignantly, "Who are your uncle and auntie? Don¡¯t call them that; they¡¯re your little aunt and her husband."

    "What¡¯s the difference?" He Xing was determined to be shamelessly persistent today, his smile more radiant than ever, "We¡¯re going to get married one day anyway. At that time, we¡¯ll have to change how we address them. It wouldn¡¯t be nice for you to call them ¡¯little aunt¡¯ and ¡¯her husband,¡¯ so let me follow your lead and call them ¡¯uncle¡¯ and ¡¯auntie.¡¯"

    Fu Han blushed and squirmed, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. She mustered all her strength to push He Xing away, got up quickly, and as she ran off, threw back a line, "Who¡¯s going to marry you," before racing toward the distance.

    But she hadn¡¯t taken many steps before a hand wrapped around her waist from behind, easily pulling her into a warm embrace, the familiar arms with a trace of cool scent that belonged uniquely to He Xing.

    Fu Han pushed against He Xing¡¯s chest desperately trying to break free, "Let go of me, let go of me."

    "I won¡¯t let go." He Xing¡¯s arms firmly encircled Fu Han¡¯s waist like iron pincers, his gaze from abovemanding Fu Han to rify, "You must state clearly today, whether you will marry me or not."

    Their distance was incredibly close, and each breath He Xing exhaled brushed against Fu Han¡¯s face, turning it into a red apple.

    She could hear her heartbeat pounding as if it were drums ring in her ears.

    He Xing¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved unconsciously, one hand controlling Fu Han¡¯s waist, while the other lifted her chin, his lips drawing near.

    Since Fu Han confirmed her engagement to He Xing at the age of eighteen, they had officially started dating. Yet, neither Fu Han nor He Xing were the type to publicly disy affection, let alone engage in intimate contact in public.

    Though Fu Han¡¯s mind was mush, she was still aware that there were many people around; as He Xing¡¯s lips were about to touch hers, she quickly turned her head away.

    He Xing¡¯s lipsnded on Fu Han¡¯s cheek instead. Far from being angry, he took the opportunity to move from her cheek to her earlobe, gently taking it with his lips, "Xiaohan, I love you."

    "Don¡¯t tell me these things; I won¡¯t fall for it." Fu Han used what felt like herst bit of strength to speak, and if not for He Xing holding her waist, she might have copsed to the ground.

    "I¡¯m speaking the truth. What do you want me to do to prove it?" As he spoke, He Xing nibbled her earlobe again, then his lips slowly moved down to her neck, teasing her.

    At that moment, Fu Han felt as if she were engulfed in mes, an indescribable sensation that was both agonizingly pleasurable and frightening, barely clinging to a sliver of rationality.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t know when He Xing had started kissing her lips. All she knew was that she had lost all resistance, and it was only when He Xing kissed her that she felt her life wasplete.

    The warmth of the gaze around them was like autumn leaves falling from the sky, covering Fu Han and He Xing in an orange glow.

 Chapter 661 - 662: Kiss Under the Sunlight

    <h4>Chapter 661: Chapter 662: Kiss Under the Sunlight</h4><h4></h4>

    Many people still sat on the grass, basking in the sun¡ªcouples young and old, married spouses, families with children, and elderly with graying hair.

    A bit further, the skating rink echoed with theughter of children and the loud shouts of the youth, while spirited songs yed over the loudspeaker.

    Nobody knew how long their kisssted, but fortunately, this was a popr dating spot for young people, so though others saw them kissing, no one said anything.

    In fact, many even took out their phones to freely capture this romantic scene.

    After all, with a handsome man and a gorgeous woman kissing under the sun on thewn, it was such a picturesque and rare sight that just any snap could be aputer¡¯s wallpaper.

    At this moment, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t know that many yearster, when she and He Xing were sunbathing on an open-air balcony, she would still miss this moment the most.

    She wouldn¡¯t miss the act of kissing He Xing, but the way they kissed unabashedly under the sunlight.

    It was this passionate and tender kiss that deepened their trust in each other¡¯s feelings and heightened their anticipation of spending the rest of their lives together.

    What Fu Han also didn¡¯t know was that not far from them, a handsome man with a sinister glint in his eyes watched them intently. His unusuallyrge peach blossom eyes, void of their usual mirth, harbored bone-deep hatred and a relentless obsession.

    For couples arguing, kissing is often the best and quickest way to reconcile¡ªone kiss might not be enough, then make it two, and if two isn¡¯t enough, then a little more.

    When they left the park where the skating rink was, Fu Han and He Xing held hands, cleverly and tacitly avoiding any topics rted to Xia Ning. They discussed Grandfather He¡¯s health, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s uing engagement ceremony, the current state of Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan¡¯s rtionship, and even the movie they were going to start filming soon.

    There was a considerable distance from the park to Fu Han¡¯spany, and with He Xing privately wishing to spend more time with Fu Han, he drove slowly.

    As for Fu Han, although she imed she needed to get back to work, it was merely an excuse since she was still angry with He Xing and naturally wouldn¡¯t have agreed readily to apany him to a movie.

    Although deep down she actually wanted to see the movie, due to pride, Fu Han ultimately did not do a volte-face. Instead, she calmly asked He Xing to drive her back to thepany.

    The journey took about an hour. Fu Han previously disliked car rides, but today she felt the hour-long trip was a bit too short; she had much more she wanted to say to He Xing.

    However, the sense of longing did not make Fu Han feel regretful; she was just pleased that she and He Xing had so much to talk about, that their worldviews aligned so perfectly, and that their perspectives were so consistent. Often, before one could speak, the other would have already said the very words intended.

    Fu Han resolved tomunicate more with He Xing in the future. They should regrly share their views on matters, which would help maintain their highly simr philosophies.

    He Xing drove Fu Han all the way to herpany¡¯s building, where two bodyguards were already waiting for them.

    After alighting from the car, He Xing wrapped his arm around Fu Han¡¯s waist very naturally, rubbed his nose against her forehead as one would coax a child, and said, "Work well this afternoon. Make sure to finish on time; I wille pick you up."

    After some persistent coaxing, Fu Han finally agreed to have dinner with He Xing at the Fu Family home that evening. She also insisted that He Xing stop bringing up formal titles, and they should address each other as before¡ª"little aunt and little uncle," "uncle and auntie."

    ...

    In Xia Ning¡¯s ward.

    Xia Guoxiong paced back and forth, hands behind his back, in front of the hospital bed. His eyes often fell upon Xia Ning, his face clouded with doubt and disbelief.

    Xia Guoxiong at this moment differed from the one He Xing had seen the night before. Last night¡¯s Xia Guoxiong had hair so greasy it reflected light, was unkempt and dirty, and exuded a strange odor¡ªoverall, the image of a disheveled middle-aged man who had given up on appearances.

    But after going home to shower, wash his hair, and sleep, Xia Guoxiong seemed much refreshed. Added to that, with a stylish hairdo set in ce by some hair gel, a beautifully priced woollen coat, and shining, polished leather shoes, he had transformed back into the image-conscious CEO of the Xia Group.

    Xia Ningy half-propped up in bed, clutching her nket, her face flushed red, withrge, fearful eyes watching Xia Guoxiong.

    "Xia Ning, you have to make it clear to Dad¡ªare you truly unable to remember anything, or are you pretending not to remember?" Xia Guoxiong leaned in closer, his square face clearly etched with suspicion.

    "I..." Xia Ning shrank back, seeming very afraid of the man in front of her, "Dad, I... The doctor said I have selective amnesia."

    "What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face turned very ugly as he frowned at Xia Ning. "Just like you said, you¡¯ve forgotten some things and remember others?"

    Looking somewhat fearful, Xia Ning nheless obediently nodded her head, "That¡¯s what the doctor said, but I also don¡¯t know which things I remember and which I¡¯ve forgotten."

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s bushy eyebrows furrowed deeply, and a few minutester, he erupted into a loudughter that, although soft, was particrly grating. It was like the cry of a night owl¡ªa chilling sound to hear, "Then whenever someone asks if you did something wrong, you can just say you don¡¯t remember, couldn¡¯t you?"

    "That¡¯s what I thought too," Xia Ning agreed with a nod, only to then furrow her brow again the next second, "But Brother He Xing said he would try his best to help me regain my memory. Dad, what should I do?"

    This was the first time Xia Ning had called him "Dad" since she woke up. But when the word left her lips, it felt so strange. "Dad" should be a term of warmth and affection, buting from Xia Ning, it sounded so awkward¡ªas if it wasn¡¯t a term of endearment, but a cold, detached name or a code. In fact, if possible, Xia Ning would rather address Xia Guoxiong by his name. But being in need, she had to be a bit more polite.

 Chapter 662 - 663: Really Amnesia

    <h4>Chapter 662: Chapter 663: Really Amnesia</h4><h4></h4>

    Fortunately, Xia Guoxiong wasn¡¯t focused on that topic. After carefully considering his daughter¡¯s words, his face revealed a hint of ruthlessness, "What¡¯s the big deal? You¡¯re just having selective amnesia. No matter how they try to treat you, just say you can¡¯t remember, and that¡¯s that. Do you think they can pry open your head to check?"

    He Xing had left early that morning. Although he was gone, he arranged a bunch of tests for Xia Ning, along with many treatment ns, which greatly troubled her, yet she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    When she heard what Xia Guoxiong had said, her eyes lit up with excitement, and she nodded vigorously, "Dad, you¡¯re so brilliant, you¡¯re the best, howe I didn¡¯t think of that."

    This "Dad" sounded much more genuine than the previous one, at least tinged with a bit of surprise and gratitude.

    A fleeting look of pride crossed Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face, and the father and daughter talked some more, mainly with Xia Guoxiong asking various questions, wanting to rify what Xia Ning remembered and what she did not.

    Then he taught Xia Ning how to deceive He Xing, insisting that she must use her amnesia to close the distance between them; Xia Ning remembered everything he said.

    Indeed, Xia Ning did have selective amnesia. She only had a feeling that the memories in her mind were disjointed, but as to where exactly the gaps were, she had no idea.

    Yet, she lied about one thing. She told He Xing that she remembered the sweet memories between them, how Fu Han bullied her, and how her father was so biased.

    But the truth was, she had lied. Her memories actually included many instances where she herself had bullied Fu Han, as well as many moments when Xia Guoxiong was very kind to her.

    Xia Ning had selective amnesia, but she wasn¡¯t foolish; ever since she met He Xing, every moment was spentpeting with Fu Han for He Xing¡¯s attention. So when she realized she had selective amnesia, she didn¡¯t panic at all. Instead, she immediately used acting skills she never disyed on stage to deceive He Xing, hoping to earn more of his pity.

    Thus, at this moment, upon hearing Xia Guoxiong¡¯s words, she instantly understood.

    The afternoon sun shone brightly through the window, but due to the angle, arge patch of sunlight paradoxically did not envelop Xia Guoxiong and Xia Ning.

    Both of them felt like people who, even if they lived under the sun, didn¡¯t have a trace of sunlight about them, or rather, they had nothing to do with the sun at all.

    Xia Guoxiong talked with Xia Ning some more, mainly about how she should deceive He Xing, perhaps even take the opportunity to cling to him.

    When Xia Guoxiong finally left, the forced smile on Xia Ning¡¯s face disappeared instantly. She brushed her shoulder with a look of disgust, the ce Xia Guoxiong had just touched before leaving.

    Truthfully, Xia Ning didn¡¯t quite understand herself why she felt such aversion towards her father, an aversion mixed with fear and dread. Every time she saw Xia Guoxiong, she felt ufortable all over.

    Now that she had finally sent Xia Guoxiong away, she felt much more rxed. She then took out her phone from under the pillow and opened Whatsapp to send He Xing a message.

    She scrolled up through Whatsapp, finding a bunch of messages she had sent out. She scrolled for quite a while before finding He Xing¡¯s reply, a simple: "Got it."

    Only three words, it felt as if a teacher had just marked "seen" on a workbook, neither good nor bad, just that calm feeling, like a breeze over ake surface.

    It might stir a little ripple, but once the ripple passed, it seemed like nothing was there, making you wonder if it had ever been there at all.

    Xia Ning was not angry about He Xing not replying to her messages. It had always been this way since she was young. He Xing was very busy and seldom replied to her messages, but if Xia Ning really had an issue, he would definitely handle it immediately.

    It was precisely because of this that Xia Ning knew for sure that He Xing would read all of her messages; she didn¡¯t ask for much, just that He Xing read the messages she sent out.

    Thinking this, a smile crept onto Xia Ning¡¯s lips. She typed word by word, "Brother He Xing, Dad just came over and scolded me fiercely, saying I don¡¯t cherish my life and if I really want to join Mom below, he¡¯ll never bother with me again."

    After sending that message, she immediately sent another one, "Brother He Xing, Dad is so fierce, always yelling and scolding me, saying I¡¯m just causing trouble for everyone, it makes me so upset."

    Having sent those two messages, Xia Ning¡¯s smile grew smug. She typed another line and sent it to He Xing, "Brother He Xing, now it¡¯s just me alone in the ward, and I¡¯m really bored. Can youe see me early tonight and keep mepany for dinner?"

    Within a minute, He Xing replied, "I¡¯m busy tonight and can¡¯t make it. I¡¯lle to see you tomorrow if I¡¯m free."

    Visiting Xia Ning that evening was what He Xing had promised her when he left in the morning.

    Seeing this message, Xia Ning¡¯s face twisted in anger, but the words she typed were extra gentle, "But Brother He Xing, I¡¯m afraid all by myself, I won¡¯t dare to sleep at night if you¡¯re not here."

    "If you can¡¯t sleep, ask the doctor to prescribe you some sleeping pills," He Xing typed back more this time, but his tone was still nonpromising and made it clear there was no room for negotiation.

    Xia Ning was so angry that she smashed a cup on the bedside table to pieces and pounded the bed a few times. Once she had vented her rage, she began to send voice messages to He Xing, "I don¡¯t want them, Brother He Xing. If you don¡¯te see me tonight, I won¡¯t sleep at all."

    This time, her message was met with silence, and after waiting for quite a while, she received no response.

    Basing on her understanding of He Xing, Xia Ning knew this was his usual tactic¡ªcold treatment, letting Xia Ning deal with the matter herself. Simply put, He Xing did not agree to Xia Ning¡¯s request.

    Xia Ning bit her lip so hard, nearly drawing blood, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to get He Xing toe over. She was someone who would never give up until she achieved her goal.

    Suddenly, there came a knock on the door. A strange man stood at the doorway, hisrge, exaggerated peach blossom eyes seemed tough without speaking at Xia Ning, who remained silent.

    "Who are you?" Xia Ning¡¯s eyebrows shot up high, full of wariness. She already had her hand on the emergency call button, ready to call the nurses at any moment; but for some reason, she felt a strange feeling in her heart, as if the man in front of her was not simple, and in the end, she didn¡¯t press the call button.

    The man at the door was strange too. He saw Xia Ning with the emergency call button, but he appeared very calm, with no sign of panic whatsoever.

 Chapter 663 - 664: Awkward Overtures

    <h4>Chapter 663: Chapter 664: Awkward Overtures</h4><h4></h4>

    A strange man walked in, looking at Xia Ning with a deep and meaningful gaze. His scrutinizing eyes were brazen, as if evaluating someone without a stitch of clothing, which was incredibly ufortable.

    Xia Ning pulled up the nket to cover her upper body, even though she was wearing the thick, winter hospital gown. But she still found the man¡¯s gaze in front of her quite annoying.

    The strange man walked up to Xia Ning¡¯s bedside and looked down on her, "Xia Ning, have you really lost your memory?"

    The fact that he could say this indicated that he knew Xia Ning from before, but his presence gave Xia Ning a sense of danger. Her rational mind told her to stay away from him, yet emotionally she held the call button in her hand, unable to bring herself to press it.

    Xia Ning straightened her face, hiding all her anxiety, "Who are you, exactly? If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯m going to call the nurse."

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll tell you," the strange man stroked his chin, his words dripping with mockery, "My name is Ji Liangchuan, and to you, I am... a ¡¯partner¡¯."

    Watching Xia Ning¡¯s puzzled face, Ji Liangchuan smiled and exined further, "You like He Xing, I like Fu Han, so we hit it off and have been actively working together to break those two apart."

    Without much thought, Xia Ning believed what Ji Liangchuan said. She might not remember Ji Liangchuan, but her instincts were right¡ªwhen she looked at Ji Liangchuan, she knew he wouldn¡¯t be an enemy.

    Thinking this, Xia Ning spoke with disdain, "Then it seems your capabilities are quite limited. You¡¯ve made so much effort without sess; I should consider whether to continue our cooperation."

    As she spoke, Ji Liangchuan kept gauging her expression. Honestly, when he first heard about Xia Ning¡¯s suicide, he found it absurd. Xia Ning, who had always been so goal-oriented, didn¡¯t seem like someone who would take her own life.

    As for selective amnesia, that was even more ludicrous¡ªit was like a shameless charade. Whatever you say goes¡ªforget if you say forget, don¡¯t remember if you say don¡¯t remember. Isn¡¯t that shameless?

    So, Ji Liangchuan¡¯s primary reason foring here was to see if Xia Ning really had lost her memory. But now, looking at Xia Ning¡¯s demeanor, she didn¡¯t seem to be lying.

    His thoughts racing, he purposely said, "Xia Ning, stop berating me here. I delivered He Xing into your hands, and you didn¡¯t even score a home run. Do you really have the face to say this?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face turned red in an instant. She didn¡¯t recall this incident in her memory, but if it were true, she would regret it for life.

    After waiting a while without a response from Xia Ning, Ji Liangchuan was more convinced. He smiled, leaned in closer, and said in a low voice, "Xia Ning, don¡¯t get it wrong. Whether we continue to coborate or not is my choice to make, not yours. You have no say in the matter; if you don¡¯t behave, I¡¯ll tell He Xing all the things you¡¯ve done."

    "Stop trying to extort me. I haven¡¯t done anything," Xia Ning feigned calmness, unaware that her face had turned pale as snow.

    Amnesiac, but not foolish, she instinctively felt that Ji Liangchuan was telling the truth, and despite her rebuttal, she couldn¡¯t shake off the guilt.

    Ji Liangchuan watched her expressions closely, not bothering to argue with Xia Ning and simply whispered something in her ear.

    Xia Ning¡¯s expression went through multiple changes, from surprise to doubt and then to anticipation. Even when she smiled, it gave off a chilling feeling, like that of a witch in a fairy tale.

    The wind outside the window grew stronger, and the sunlight had disappeared without notice. It was still early, yet it was getting dark.

    That¡¯s winter for you¡ªone moment, there could be bright sunlight, and the next, the weather could turn.

    The bright ward turned gloomy as well, and the darkest aspects were the faces of Xia Ning and Ji Liangchuan, darker than the shadows under the trees.

    ...

    Bai Wei nced at the sky outside before changing her clothes; the sunlight was bright and warm enough to wear a lovely tweed coat without needing a bulky down jacket.

    With only half an hour, she changed clothes quickly and did her makeup speedily, yet meticulously, fearing any ws could mar her beauty.

    When she came out of the Makeup Room, she felt her room was much dimmer, as though it was already nighttime.

    With half an hour almost up, Bai Wei didn¡¯t dare dy further. She grabbed her phone and keys, and ran towards the door,pletely unaware of Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo muttering something about potential rain at the entrance not far behind her.

    Bai Wei descended the stairs at her fastest pace, even checking herself in the elevator mirror, finding herself very satisfied with her appearance.

    She had always worn her hair short, but after meeting Luo Qinghe, she began to appreciate long hair too. She hadn¡¯t cut her long-growing locks, and now, monthster, her hair had reached her shoulders, justifying the term ¡¯flowing long hair.¡¯

    Upon exiting the elevator, Bai Wei put on a haughty expression she had practiced, and walked towards the exit in high heels. From a distance, she could see Luo Qinghe standing near the entrance.

    The upscaleplex had good greenery, lush even in the depths of winter. Luo Qinghe, in a khaki trench coat, stood there resembling andscape painting from afar.

    His coat¡¯s hem wildly fluttered, as if a pair of butterflies were dancing. Regrettably, due to the wind, Bai Wei couldn¡¯t discern Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression and thus couldn¡¯t guess his mood.

    Bai Wei gently pushed the door open and leaned against the door frame in a posemonly used in photo shoots, eyeing Ji Liangchuan from a distance, "Hey, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to break up with me? What are you doing here now?"

    Luo Qinghe looked up at Bai Wei, with his deep eyes hidden behind dark hair, "Why are you so slow? Are you trying to freeze me to death?"

    After saying this, he walked towards Bai Wei, but didn¡¯t stop by her side; instead, he continued straight into the building.

    Once inside, he stamped his feet,ining while tidying his disheveled hair, "It¡¯s so cold, so cold. Didn¡¯t you know toe down earlier and open the door for me?"

    Bai Wei found his childish behavior both annoying and amusing, but outwardly she showed irritation, "Did I say I would let you in? Be careful, or I¡¯ll tell the property management you¡¯re trespassing in a Civil House."

    "Go ahead and say it; I need to warm up first." Luo Qinghe acted as if he had no weaknesses. He walked to the front desk naturally, asking the customer service to pour him hot water, and less than a minuteter, he returned with two disposable cups, handing one to Bai Wei, "Do you want to drink?"

    "Why wouldn¡¯t I?" Bai Wei wasn¡¯t thirsty at all, but she took the cup anyway, knowing this was Luo Qinghe¡¯s awkward way of extending an olive branch, and she awkwardly epted his gesture.

 Chapter 664 - 665: Unknown Liquid

    <h4>Chapter 664: Chapter 665: Unknown Liquid</h4><h4></h4>

    Warm water trickled down Bai Wei¡¯s throat and into her stomach, where she felt a warmth rising slowly from her abdomen. The warmth that the wind had carried away returned, or one might say, the warmth in her heart hade back.

    Using the act of drinking water as a pretext, she observed Luo Qinghe. Today, Luo Qinghe was still immactely in tune with Bai Wei¡¯s aesthetics, his slightly curled hair casually draped over his shoulders, his lips framed by a fine circle of stubble, giving him a literary appearance.

    Under the glow of the light, Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyes seemed to have a hint of dark green, which,bined with his deep-set eyes, tall nose bridge, and lips as thin as a de, made him incredibly charming. One nce was enough to make him unforgettable.

    Luo Qinghe had the most versatile temperament Bai Wei had ever seen. He could be refined or unrestrained, cultured or wild; his ever-changing demeanor required no deliberate disguise, as a change of clothes might alter it entirely.

    In fact, Bai Wei was very angry when she received Luo Qinghe¡¯s outrageous call. Even in her heart, she thought, "I¡¯m a great beauty with no shortage of suitors. I don¡¯t give a damn about you. Piss me off, and you can get lost!"

    But now, looking at Luo Qinghe, she couldn¡¯t help but swoon over him again. She thought that if she lost such a paragon, she would never find another.

    The more she looked, the happier she felt, the more reckless her gaze became, to the point that she didn¡¯t even notice the unidentified liquid dribbling from the corner of her mouth.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s eyebrows were deeply furrowed as he said irritably, "What are you looking at?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed a deep red, and she slowly lowered her head. "Who said I¡¯m looking at you? I¡¯m clearly admiring the scenery outside. Don¡¯t tter yourself; the scenery is much prettier than you."

    After saying that, Bai Wei nced through the floor-to-ceiling window not far behind Luo Qinghe, and she almost wished she could bite off her tongue.

    But in just a few minutes, the outside had been whipped into a frenzy by strong winds. Trees as thick as an adult¡¯s arm were spinning wildly in the storm, looking as if they could break at any moment.

    And that wasn¡¯t all; outside there was flying sand and rolling stones, blurring the view so much that it looked like a sandstorm was approaching.

    Luo Qinghe also turned his gaze following Bai Wei¡¯s, and after a while, he said leisurely, "So, you have quite a unique taste?"

    Bai Wei¡¯s face turned even redder, and with her cheeks puffed, she gritted her teeth. "Yes, if I didn¡¯t have unique taste, how could I ever fancy you?"

    "What¡¯s wrong with fancying me?" Luo Qinghe exaggeratedly ruffled his hair, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly as he gave a teasing look at Bai Wei. "I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯ve had lots of admirers since I was young."

    "I have had even more admirers," Bai Wei replied with a smile, her beautiful face brimming with confidence. "If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask my parents. My school bag was filled with love letters every day."

    She was exaggerating, but she had indeed been liked by many people since she was young, receiving at least a dozen love letters a day.

    When she spoke, she was prepared for Luo Qinghe to argue, but unexpectedly, when she waited for a while, he didn¡¯t say anything. Doubtful, she turned to look at Luo Qinghe and found that he too was looking at her.

    Bai Wei¡¯s face flushed red with embarrassment, and she lowered her head, full of shyness.

    It was then that Luo Qinghe¡¯s voice rang out, "Indeed, many people like you, and I am one of them."

    His deration was so sudden that Bai Wei¡¯s first reaction was to think Luo Qinghe was teasing her; it wasn¡¯t until her second reaction that she realized what he meant.

    By the time she understood, Bai Wei¡¯s face turned bright red, and the usually sharp-tongued girl found herself at a loss for words, her face blushing.

    On the other side, Luo Qinghe leaned slightly toward Bai Wei. "Xiaowei, has Fu Han said anything to you?"

    The question came out of nowhere, leaving Bai Wei bewildered as she looked at Luo Qinghe. "What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand."

    "It¡¯s nothing." Luo Qinghe chuckled, looking much more rxed. He moved close to Bai Wei, sitting beside her, and reached out to pull her hand. "Are you still angry?"

    Bai Wei attempted to pull her hand away, but Luo Qinghe was prepared for that. Moreover, as a man, he was much stronger than Bai Wei, so naturally, she was no match for him.

    Her hand began to hurt from the effort, forcing her to give up reluctantly. She tried to distance herself from Luo Qinghe. "I am angry, of course I¡¯m angry, and let me tell you, I am not going to forgive you."

    To her surprise, Luo Qinghe burst intoughter upon hearing her words. The hand not holding hers pinched Bai Wei¡¯s cheek. "Bai Wei, how did I never realize how cute you are before?"

    The flush on Bai Wei¡¯s face deepened. She pped Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand away and said indignantly, "Don¡¯t talk to me about such nonsense. I¡¯m not interested at all. Didn¡¯t you say you were going to find Nan Qing? Go to her then."

    "Who said I was going to find Nan Qing?" Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand got a smack from Bai Wei, and with exaggeration, he blew on his palm and said helplessly, "Xiaowei, I said that in anger. Why are you taking it seriously?"

    "I take it seriously, very seriously!" Bai Wei was still angry¡ªrather, Luo Qinghe¡¯s attempts to cajole her made her even angrier. She threw a punch at Luo Qinghe¡¯s chest. "Tell me, who¡¯s more important in your heart, Nan Qing or me?"

    This was the question Bai Wei cared most about, not just now but something she had always focused on. Ever since she and Luo Qinghe started dating, this question had been her chief concern.

    She could let go of anything else, but she couldn¡¯t ignore the answer to this question.

    They say first love is hard to forget, but what¡¯s even harder to forget than first love is unrequited love¡ªa hopeless and fruitless crush, which is an indelible memory for anyone. Moreover, Luo Qinghe¡¯s fixation on Nan Qing hadsted over a decade.

    Initially, when Qin Xiaonian openly courted Luo Qinghe, Bai Wei wasn¡¯t afraid nor worried because Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t care about Qin Xiaonian in the slightest.

    But facing Nan Qing, Bai Wei trulycked confidence; the rtionships between the three of them were like clearly defined steps of a hierarchy, with Bai Wei on the lowest rung of the food chain.

    Her fervent, unspoken love for Luo Qinghe; Luo Qinghe¡¯s quietly persistent unrequited love for Nan Qing¡ªthis straightforward cause-and-effect was what Bai Wei cared about the most.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s gaze alternated between Bai Wei and the furiously spinning trees outside the window, his thin lips tightly pressed together as if deep in thought.

 Chapter 665 - 666: The Long Time

    <h4>Chapter 665: Chapter 666: The Long Time</h4><h4></h4>

    Waiting was the hardest part, Bai Wei even felt that each second felt as long as a year.

    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when Luo Qinghe¡¯s voice finally came through, "Bai Wei, the question you posed is indeed difficult for me to answer. All I can tell you is that I truly like you and I do want to marry you; as for Nan Qing, I still treat her as a friend, and I will still help her when she is in trouble, that¡¯s all there is to it."

    Bai Wei carefully pondered Luo Qinghe¡¯s words again and again in her heart, and couldn¡¯t deny that with each thought a greater sadness filled her.

    But this sadness in her heart was different from the others, it was like a lotus seed, sweet on the outside and bitter inside. When you toss the whole lotus seed into your mouth, sometimes it¡¯s bitter, sometimes it¡¯s sweet, just like the vicissitudes of life. You want to articte a reason, but then you can¡¯t.

    At this moment, Bai Wei¡¯s heart was truly a mess of emotions; to say she was happy, yet she clearly felt the bitterness in her heart, to say she was unhappy, yet it didn¡¯t seem quite right either.

    When the howling of the wind outside the window subsided a little, Bai Wei finally spoke slowly, "Luo Qinghe, thank you for always being so honest with me. At least this way I know you are not lying to me."

    Since Luo Qinghe had entered, hisplexion had finally changed. Before now, he had felt that everything was under his control, but at this moment, he realized that this was not the case.

    He looked deeply at Bai Wei and slowly tried to exin again, "Bai Wei, what I mean to say is, I like you, it¡¯s just care that I feel for Nan Qing, you haven¡¯t misunderstood, have you?"

    "I haven¡¯t misunderstood," Bai Wei¡¯s voice was even colder than before, even with a hint of indifference. She said lightly, "I understand what you mean, your feelings for me are romantic love, while for Nan Qing, it¡¯s friendship, right?"

    "Yes, yes, yes, that¡¯s exactly what I mean." Luo Qinghe exined eagerly, his usually cool face tinged with urgency, "So don¡¯t get me wrong, I just don¡¯t want to give up Nan Qing as a friend. You know I don¡¯t have many friends."

    Bai Wei seemed to not really listen to what Luo Qinghe said next. She simply watched him quietly from the sidelines, more precisely she quietly watched his mouth move up and down, like watching a silent movie.

    Two hourster, when Fu Han and He Xing arrived at the Fu Family¡¯s house with a coldness in the air, Bai Wei pulled Fu Han to her room and told her in detail about the conversation between her and Luo Qinghe.

    Fu Han truly was an exemry audience, listening silently to Bai Wei¡¯s story, not saying an extra word. She knew that Bai Wei at this time only needed someone to listen.

    If one were to be more specific, perhaps Bai Wei also wanted an outsider¡¯s approval.

    Fu Han sat on the pink sofa in Bai Wei¡¯s room like a student attentively attending a lecture. She looked up slightly at Bai Wei pacing back and forth by the coffee table, intently processing every word Bai Wei said.

    Bai Wei¡¯s confused voice rang out again, "Fu Han, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange, ever since Luo Qinghe and I started arguing, I¡¯ve been expecting him toe and apologize to me, but why is it that when he does apologize, I don¡¯t feel happy at all?"

    "Perhaps it¡¯s because..." Fu Han started delicately, speaking with extra seriousness, "Perhaps it¡¯s because of Luo Qinghe¡¯s attitude towards Nan Qing."

    "Yes, it must be because of that." Bai Wei¡¯s eyes lit up, speaking with extraordinary excitement, "You know what I am most angry about? Luo Qinghe says he likes me, then says he wants to be lifelong friends with Nan Qing, what... what is this called again?"

    "Consort Huang and Fairy Ying sharing the blessings of the Qi people?" Fu Han knew this description of Luo Qinghe wasn¡¯t right, but she guessed that this was what Bai Wei wanted to express.

    As expected, Bai Wei excitedly nodded her head. She spoke animatedly, "Back when Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian made a big ruckus online, I wasn¡¯t pleased at all. You wouldn¡¯t know how distressed I was every time I went to events, those people looked at me with nothing but pity."

    How could Fu Han forget that incident? During the premiere of ¡¯Longing for Home,¡¯ Qin Xiaonian brought Luo Qinghe a bottle of water to the Waiting Room, which had something added to it, something that could immediately excite a man.

    If it weren¡¯t for Fu Han noticing something amiss and rushing over in time, Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian might have immediately ¡¯exercised,¡¯ and that too during a live broadcast across the whole nation.

    Fu Han¡¯s memory loss and disfigurement from the car ident were indirectly caused by that incident, too. It¡¯s something she could never forget in her lifetime.

    If Fu Han hadn¡¯t lost her memory at the time, she would have thoroughly investigated, not believing that such a plot could be orchestrated by a mere Assistant like Qin Xiaonian. An Assistant wouldn¡¯t have such grand means.

    Unfortunately, by the time Fu Han regained her memory, Qin Xiaonian had already been imprisoned ¨C the case was closed.

    Because so many other things happened afterward, Fu Han gradually let the matter go. After all, not all the me for her injury and memory loss could be ced on that incident.

    At that time, it was Bai Wei who rushed to the hospital to confront Qin Xiaonian, who, seeing someone recording, pretended to be pitiable. After Fu Han helped Bai Wei exact a bit of revenge, she forcibly took Bai Wei away.

    Who knew that despite their efforts, the incident still blew up on the inte, and He Xing, who had previously instructed Fu Han to take good care of Bai Wei, saw the news and, in a moment of anger, made a call criticizing Fu Han. Little did he know, this would cause Fu Han to get into a car ident in her distraught state.

    After regaining her memory, Fu Han did me He Xing, but not long ago she learned that at the time He Xing was being backstabbed by Lixing, and the He Group¡¯s financial chain faced some issues, so He Xing¡¯s bad mood at that time was understandable.

    Bai Wei, who had been talking for a long time and was now parched, hadn¡¯t received any response. Only then did she realize that Fu Han had been spacing out.

    Bai Wei sat down next to Fu Han unceremoniously and said, "Hey, Fu Han, have you been listening to me at all?"

    "I have been listening," Fu Han¡¯s face turned red, almost as if her guilt was written all over it. She stuck out her tongue andughed sheepishly, "But maybe you¡¯d like to repeat that? I¡¯m sorry, I spaced out for a moment there."

    "I really give up on you," Bai Wei sighed, but sheplied, "Alright, I was saying that when I saw Luo Qinghe apologizing to me, I suddenly felt like I didn¡¯t know him anymore."

    "There¡¯s nothing so strange about that," Teacher Fu Han replied candidly, "He Xing and I have known each other a long time, but aren¡¯t we still oftenpletely unreasonable with each other? Don¡¯t you sometimes think, howe I never realized you were like this before?"

 Chapter 666 - 667: Going Down a Dark Road

    <h4>Chapter 666: Chapter 667: Going Down a Dark Road</h4><h4></h4>

    "No, that¡¯s not how I feel," Bai Wei said earnestly with a furrowed brow. "What I mean is, I¡¯ve always thought Luo Qinghe was very aloof, the kind who wouldn¡¯t bother with you if he didn¡¯t like you; the kind who, even if he did something wrong, would absolutely not apologize. He¡¯d stick to his wrongs all the way to the end."

    "So..." Fu Han began with difficulty, frowning as she asked, "you mean to say that you think Luo Qinghe shouldn¡¯t apologize to you or admit he was wrong?"

    "Not exactly..." Bai Wei sighed deeply, her face full of conflict. "I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m trying to say, I just didn¡¯t expect Luo Qinghe to apologize."

    "You had a fight with him, don¡¯t you want him to apologize and admit he¡¯s wrong?" Fu Han¡¯s brows knitted together as she felt increasingly unable to understand Bai Wei¡ªshe had sessfully be bewildered by Bai Wei¡¯s logic.

    "Of course not, if he did something wrong, of course he should apologize, otherwise I certainly wouldn¡¯t forgive him," Bai Wei sighed helplessly. "But I don¡¯t know how to say it, I just feel like he¡¯s not the kind of person who would apologize."

    "So..." Fu Han shrugged with resignation, "you think Luo Qinghe should apologize to you, but when he actually does, you feel it¡¯s not something he would do and you be unfamiliar with him¡ªis that what you mean?"

    "Yes, yes, yes, that¡¯s exactly what I mean!" Bai Wei stood up excitedly from the sofa, saying eagerly, "Fu Han, you¡¯re really amazing, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m trying to say."

    Fu Han shrugged again with a helpless continuation, "So because Luo Qinghe apologized to you, you start to dislike him, thinking he¡¯s not the same awesome person you knew?"

    "I..." Bai Wei¡¯s face turned bright red, her hands fumbling with her hoodie as she murmured softly, "That¡¯s not entirely what I mean."

    "Then what do you mean?" Fu Han leaned painfully onto the couch, covering her face as she eximed, "Oh my God, Bai Wei, you are the most difficult person I¡¯ve ever met. When someone doesn¡¯t apologize, you say they¡¯re unrepentant and want to break up; when they do apologize, you say they used to be so cool and now they¡¯re not, and you want to break up anyway?"

    Bai Wei wanted to argue but found herself at a loss for words. In the end, she simply covered her face and looked away from Fu Han.

    For a moment, Bai Wei¡¯s living room fell into exceptional silence, so quiet that they could hear each other¡¯s heartbeats.

    Fu Han shook her head silently, full of resignation, "I feel like you never truly loved Luo Qinghe in the first ce. What you liked was an illusion, a Luo Qinghe you fantasized about in your own mind. Now that you¡¯ve discovered he¡¯s different from what you thought, you don¡¯t love him anymore."

    "I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve been with him for a while, and I really have been happy," Bai Qian said painfully as she grabbed at her hair, messing up her shoulder-length locks into a bird¡¯s nest, looking particrly ridiculous.

    Fu Han sighed deeply again, "Bai Wei, I think you should really reconsider your rtionship with Luo Qinghe; if you can¡¯t handle being wronged, and can¡¯t bear to see him humble himself before you, then I think you shouldn¡¯t torment Luo Qinghe anymore."

    "Torment?" Bai Wei immediately bristled, pping Fu Han¡¯s shoulder indignantly, "Why do you say I¡¯m tormenting Luo Qinghe? I feel like he¡¯s the one who¡¯s tormenting me."

    "That hurts!" Fu Han cried out dramatically, moving to the side to dodge Bai Wei¡¯s next p while saying helplessly, "How are you not tormenting Luo Qinghe? You were the one who chased after him in the first ce, not him bothering you; and now, Qinghe is the one apologizing for his mistakes. He¡¯s trying to make things right; you should take it and be content."

    "But..." Bai Wei¡¯s face was full of defiance as she rebutted, "That doesn¡¯t make it okay, Luo Qinghe also said he wanted to be lifelong friends with Nan Qing, it was he who first troubled my mind."

    Fu Han¡¯s mind immediately conjured an image of Luo Qinghe sitting alone on a huge sofa set at Huating No.1. Despite his height over one meter eighty, on that day Luo Qinghe seemed particrly small, nestled into the sofa.

    It was also on that day that Fu Han and Luo Qinghe went out for barbecue. Fu Han asked him whether he liked Nan Qing or Bai Wei more. At the time, Luo Qinghe did not answer, and after leaving him with a few harsh words, she walked away.

    Actually, thinking back, Fu Han felt she had been quite harsh by walking away like that¡ªif Luo Qinghe had drunk too much and something had happened that day, how would she exin to Bai Wei?

    But on the other hand, while the Luo Qinghe of that day couldn¡¯t rify whether he loved Nan Qing or Bai Wei, today¡¯s Luo Qinghe could urately say his feelings for Bai Wei were romantic love, and for Nan Qing, friendship.

    Fu Han knew Luo Qinghe well, aware he was not one to speak without thinking, and also knew Luo Qinghe was too proud to lie¡ªindicating that what Luo Qinghe said was the truth.

    Thinking of this, Fu Han turned to look at Bai Wei, who still had her eyebrows tightly furrowed, as if facing a tremendous dilemma.

    Fu Han smiled and patted Bai Wei on the shoulder, "Alright, stop agonizing over this. Since you¡¯ve already decided to call off your engagement ceremony, I¡¯ll go exin to your aunt and uncle right away, don¡¯t worry, they will handle it well; oh, and I¡¯ll also speak to your manager to make sure this won¡¯t affect your career."

    "You..." Bai Wei trembled with anger, ring at Fu Han through gritted teeth, "If you dare to talk, you¡¯re no longer my friend."

    "I¡¯m not your friend to begin with, I¡¯m your sister," Fu Han retorted, unfazed by the threat and evenughing louder.

    "I don¡¯t care, you¡¯re not allowed to say anything," Bai Wei insisted with flushed cheeks, "Also, don¡¯t meddle in this, I¡¯ll handle it myself."

    "Alright, alright, I get your point," Fu Han said, pping her hands and standing up to walk towards the door; her hand already on the doorknob, she suddenly turned back, "I get your point. The engagement ceremony in a few days will go ahead as nned, I¡¯ll try on my dress tomorrow to see if it looks good."

    After making that statement, Fu Han didn¡¯t linger and turned to leave.

    Only Bai Wei was left in the room, her face burning red, but her expression was not one of anger, rather it seemed more like bashfulness.

    She fished out her phone from beneath a pillow and checked it. There were no messages from the person she was hoping to hear from; she tucked the phone back beneath the pillow with a look of disappointment.

    In truth, some of what Fu Han said made sense, but that wasn¡¯t what Bai Wei was really thinking¡ªit was just that there were other issues on her mind, ones she didn¡¯t feelfortable sharing with Fu Han.

 Chapter 667 - 668: Happy Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 667: Chapter 668: Happy Dinner</h4><h4></h4>

    But thankfully, Bai Wei¡¯s heartstrings were untangled thanks to Fu Han¡¯s guidance, and she finally understood what was bothering her.

    First, she disliked how much attention Luo Qinghe paid to Nan Qing, especially loathing Luo Qinghe¡¯s deration that he would be friends with Nan Qing for life; to Bai Wei, this sounded as if he would always harbor an unrequited love for Nan Qing.

    Second, Bai Wei had indeed idealized Luo Qinghe to the point of absurdity, never having imagined that Luo Qinghe, like any other person, would spend time on the toilet while messing around on his phone; therefore, she found herself unable to ept Luo Qinghe¡¯s lowly attempts to apologize and make amends today, even as the apology was directed at her.

    It was because of these reasons that Bai Wei hastily sent Luo Qinghe away amidst the chaos of her emotions. The words she said as she did so truly sounded like those said during a breakup, yet deep down she knew all too well she had never contemted breaking up with Luo Qinghe.

    What troubled Bai Wei was, how could she make Luo Qinghe understand her true feelings?

    Moreover, if Luo Qinghe ran out of patience and truly believed they had broken up, what should she do? Should she take the initiative to contact Luo Qinghe?

    Of course not, Bai Wei clenched her fists indignantly, thinking, "I am a superstar, why should I be the one to yield and apologize? It should be Luo Qingheing to me thrice."

    "He definitely won¡¯t do that." Bai Wei muttered to herself in great distress while repeatedly hitting her head with a pillow: "With Luo Qinghe¡¯s temperament, it¡¯s already good enough that he came to coax me once; how could he possibly coax me a second time?"

    ...

    Fu Han held onto the waxed staircase handrail as she slowly descended from the second floor. The moment she came into view, the three people in the living room all fixed their eyes on her. Six eyes staring at her, Fu Han felt a great deal of pressure.

    She cleared her throat awkwardly and said, "Cough, cough, ask whatever you want to ask."

    Bai Qian pulled Fu Han to sit beside her, touching Fu Han¡¯s head eagerly as she asked, "What is actually going on between those two? Are they still nning to get engaged or not?"

    "Engagement? Why wouldn¡¯t they?" Fu Han began to smile as she affectionately leaned on Bai Qian¡¯s shoulder, "Auntie, just focus on preparing a grand engagement ceremony for Bai Wei. I just asked her if she wanted to cancel it, she didn¡¯t agree, so that¡¯s quite telling, isn¡¯t it?"

    Upon hearing this, the three others allughed, even He Xing, who was usually stoic, couldn¡¯t help but follow suit. Hisughter was simply because Fu Han wasughing too, despite not actually catching what she had said.

    After hearing Fu Han¡¯s words, both Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo seemed visibly more rxed.

    The two discussed that even though Luo Qinghe wouldn¡¯t be joining them for dinner that evening, they must still open a bottle of fine wine to celebrate, considering the rarity of having the whole family together for a meal.

    Dinner started promptly, as rich andvish as usual, with most dishes tailored to the tastes of Fu Han and Bai Wei. Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian had not known that He Xing would be joining, so they hadn¡¯t prepared his favorite dishes, but fortunately, he wasn¡¯t picky.

    Originally, the n was for Fu Han to go upstairs and call Bai Wei for dinner, but Fu Han felt there was nothing wrong with Bai Wei and that anyone could go call her. More importantly, Fu Han didn¡¯t want to miss the end of the movie she was watching.

    It was He Xing who eventually went upstairs to call Bai Wei. He was very quick, and they appeared downstairs in less than two minutes.

    It¡¯s actually quite funny when you think about it. Bai Wei, who had been fearless since childhood, was only truly afraid of her cousin whom she had seldom seen.

    Fu Han had noticed this much earlier, as often something that others told Bai Wei would have no effect, but if He Xing simply wore a stern face and said something, Bai Wei would instantly back down and obediently do as he said.

    During the dinner, the conversation inevitably touched upon Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s wedding nned for a few monthster.

    Bai Qian served Fu Han a piece of C Chicken Wings, "Xiaohan, why don¡¯t you and Bai Wei have your weddings together? It would be so lively."

    Fu Han nearly choked on the C Chicken Wings that filled her mouth, struggling to speak without suffocating. After gasping for air, she said in disbelief: "Auntie, why are you dragging us into this again?"

    She had thought the marriage-pressuring scenarios in TV dramas were exaggerated, yet the same melodramatic scene was now unfolding before her.

    As she was contemting how to redirect the conversation, He Xing nonchntly interjected, "Xiaohan, I think auntie makes a good point. Wouldn¡¯t it be great for everyone to get married together, so lively."

    His words fell, and the gaze of everyone in the roomnded on Fu Han; He Xing¡¯s intention was clear, it wasn¡¯t him who was reluctant to marry, but Fu Han. Hence, she was the one to be questioned.

    In that moment, the taste of the C Chicken Wings in Fu Han¡¯s mouth turned sour, and the atmosphere in the dining room changed, bing somewhat oppressive and no longer as light-hearted as before.

    Smiling wistfully, she said, "Won¡¯t Su Cheng and Bai Wei¡¯s wedding be lively? I don¡¯t believe that for a second. Uncle and auntie will surely give them a bustling celebration."

    If anyone asked Fu Han if she was ready to marry He Xing, she would proudly assert that she had been prepared to marry He Xing any minute since she was eighteen.

    But if asked why she didn¡¯t hurry up and marry He Xing, she would definitely say she wasn¡¯t ready yet. She truly wasn¡¯t ready, because marriage and dating are not the same; in a rtionship, one can simply seek happiness, but marriage carries the weight of responsibility.

    Also, in Fu Han¡¯s heart, while she might grudgingly keep He Xing and all sorts of other mess separate during dating, after marriage, He Xing¡¯s burdens were bound toe crashing down on her.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid of pressure. Rather, she didn¡¯t want to end up indebted to the Xia Family for saving her life because of their marriage. It would have been fine if it were someone else, but it was the Xia Family and Xia Ning¡ªpeople she would rather die than entangle with.

    As Fu Han pondered how to deflect the topic, Fu Xingbo suddenly spoke up, "Even if you all want Fu Han and Bai Wei to get married together, I don¡¯t agree. They are both my daughters, and I¡¯d dedicate two hundred percent of my effort to prepare for each of their weddings. How could I possibly allow them both to wed at the same time?"

    Bai Qian also immediately burst intoughter. She patted Fu Han¡¯s head, "Silly child, it was just a joke, don¡¯t take it seriously. Auntie has no experience in marrying off a daughter. Let¡¯s start by sending Xiaowei off first; who knows how many jokes we might make. When it¡¯s your turn to marry, auntie will be experienced and can give you a splendid wedding."

 Chapter 668 - 669: Heaven Made and Earth Set

    <h4>Chapter 668: Chapter 669: Heaven Made and Earth Set</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei was originally sitting back and watching the fight with amusement in her heart, when suddenly she heard this remark and her brows furrowed deeply. She said with great speechlessness, "Can you guys stop treating me like a guinea pig?"

    Finally, the topic was no longer about Fu Han. She let out a big sigh of relief. While her eyes flitted around, they inadvertently met with He Xing¡¯s gaze. There seemed to be a spark in the air, and Fu Han¡¯s face flushed suddenly.

    But fortunately, Bai Wei¡¯s family of three was busy bickering, and no one noticed the two of them tantly exchanging looks.

    Dinner ended in a rtively harmonious atmosphere. Fu Han had a full meal, and so did He Xing. Bai Wei, on the other hand, was so busy arguing with her parents and pretending to be mad at Luo Qinghe, not to mention having to discuss the engagement with her parents, that she was almost full from being angry and hardly ate.

    Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian really wanted Fu Han to stay the night, but Nan Qing had already sent a message, waiting for Fu Han toe back forte-night snacks.

    Since she wasmitted to helping, of course Fu Han chose to go back to Huating No.1.

    The return trip was still with He Xing driving Fu Han. Although He Xing also had an apartment in Huating No.1, and it was right across from Nan Qing¡¯s, he had arranged for two bodyguards to stay there at this time so that they could better protect Fu Han.

    On the return trip, He Xing was very intive, reminding Fu Han several times to quickly matchmake Nan Qing with Wang Yixuan and then move back to Lanwan Mountain as soon as possible.

    What he got in return was a light-heartedment from Fu Han, "Even if Nan Qing¡¯s issue is settled, I¡¯ll go to live at my uncle¡¯s ce. That¡¯s my home now, and I¡¯ll move to Lanwan Mountain after I truly marry you."

    Upon hearing these words, He Xing was close to exploding. His eyebrow twitched with anger, and he silently vowed to marry Fu Han as soon as possible, the sooner the better.

    ...

    Huating No.1.

    Thismunity barely qualifies as an upper-middle-ss neighborhood in City A, primarily due to its excellent location at the very heart of City A.

    Additionally, Huating No.1 boasts four entrances in all directions, with a subway station no more than a hundred meters from each, making travel anywhere very convenient, hence the high upancy rate.

    During the day, it¡¯s somewhat empty as most people are at work, but at night themunityes alive as everyone returns home, with lights shining in every window.

    The orderly arrangement of lights resembles stars in the sky, providing a warm sense offort.

    In the middle of themunity is a vast square, with man-made undting slopes covered in thick grass, a small artificialke stocked with goldfish and turtles¡ªwhere children feed them daily¡ªand statues representing the Chinese zodiac as well as models of popr animated animals.

    In the center of the square, a circle of seniors dance while long benches on the periphery offer a ce to sit and rest.

    Next to each bench stands arge silver umbre, which shelters from rain, shields from the sun in the summer, and features a smallntern that emits a warm glow at night.

    At the moment, a couple is sitting on one of the benches, basking in the warmth of the light, appearing as if they, too, could glow.

    The girl has her long hair tied up in a high ponytail adorned with a pretty bow. Even from behind, her energy is palpable.

    The boy next to her is half a head taller, with slightly curled hair tied into a little tuft on top of his head, drawing the eye.

    At present, neither of them is looking at the other; instead, both sets of eyes involuntarily fix on a little girl nearby.

    She¡¯s wearing a yellow puffer jacket and squatting close by, ying with a doll. It appears she was brought by her grandmother.

    The grandmother went to dance as soon as they arrived, leaving the little girl to y with her doll on the ground, trying hard to tie the doll¡¯s hair, but failing due to her tender age andck of dexterity.

    After watching the little girl for some time, mainly because she was incredibly cute with her plump face and big eyes, her long eyshes visible even at night, twinkling adorably, Nan Qing nudged Wang Yixuan with her elbow, "Why don¡¯t you go help out?"

    "Why don¡¯t you?" Wang Yixuan coughed awkwardly, saying somewhat uneasily, "I don¡¯t know how to take care of kids."

    "But you can braid hair," Nan Qing said, tilting her head and smiling adorably, "You¡¯re even better at it than I am. If not you, then who?"

    This was indeed true. Wang Yixuan had tied Nan Qing¡¯s high ponytail that day, and it looked better than when she did it herself. She had only learned of Wang Yixuan¡¯s skill today.

    An inexplicable blush appeared on Wang Yixuan¡¯s face. He coughed again and, without a word, quietly walked over to the little girl.

    Crouching down, he asked patiently, "What are you doing? Do you want some help?"

    The little girl lifted her head to look at Wang Yixuan and nodded innocently, "Thank you, uncle. I can¡¯t do this braid. Can you help me?"

    Her voice was so tender, it melted hearts.

    Nan Qing saw Wang Yixuan¡¯s profile visibly soften, his beautiful peachy eyes lighting up, and she couldn¡¯t help thinking, Wang Yixuan really likes kids. If their child had still been around, he would have been overjoyed.

    Meanwhile, Wang Yixuan skillfully finished the doll¡¯s braid and, holding the little girl¡¯s hand, walked her over to Nan Qing. "There¡¯s a sister here who really likes you. Do you want to go say hello?"

    The little girl stood in front of Nan Qing, her bright eyes surveying her from head to toe. Then, she looked earnestly at Nan Qing and said, "Sister, you¡¯re so pretty."

    Nan Qing had braced herself for the little girl to call her ¡¯auntie¡¯, but to her surprise and delight, the girl called her ¡¯sister¡¯. She reached out to pinch the girl¡¯s cheek, her smile overflowing with joy, "You are very cute too and will definitely be very pretty when you grow up."

    As she spoke, she rummaged in her pocket and astonishingly pulled out a lollipop, most likely put there by Wang Yixuan in case she got hungry suddenly.

    She handed the lollipop to the little girl. "This is from your sister. Do you like it?"

    "I like it," the little girl said in her milky voice. "Thank you, sister. You¡¯re pretty, and brother is handsome. You two are heavenly..." She seemed to forget how to finish the saying, scratching her head for several seconds beforeing up with, "made for each other, a perfect match."

 Chapter 669 - 670: Beautiful Sister

    <h4>Chapter 669: Chapter 670: Beautiful Sister</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing¡¯s cheeks flushed bright red. She pinched the little girl¡¯s face and said with a smile, "Who taught you that? How do you know about this? Do you know what it means?"

    "Nobody taught me, I heard it from Mommy," the little girl said in her baby voice, tilting her head, "That¡¯s what Mommy said when Auntie brought Uncle home."

    The conversation filled Nan Qing with joy. She touched the little girl¡¯s hair and was about to say something more when suddenly, a call rang out from afar. It was the little girl¡¯s grandma, telling her toe home.

    Nan Qing gently stroked her soft hair and said tenderly, "Go home, it was nice meeting you, goodbye!"

    "Goodbye, pretty sister." The little girl looked especially lovely as she smiled. She walked towards her grandma with her doll in her arms and after a couple of steps, she suddenly turned back to look at Nan Qing, "Sister, are these the wedding candies you and brother are giving out? They¡¯re so pretty."

    The little tyke shook the lollipop, blinked her big eyes twice, and walked away yfully.

    Earlier, the Square had been crowded, but as the throng of dancers left, it suddenly became deste. The vast Square was now upied by only Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan.

    The Square was still lined with lights and the cool pavilion surrounding the Square was connected with lights as well¡ªnothing had changed. Even the night breeze had be much warmer. Yet, it all suddenly seemed more deserted.

    Nan Qing felt the need to say something, but when words came to her lips, she didn¡¯t know how to begin. In the end, she sighed inwardly and quietly leaned back in her seat.

    Wang Yixuan also sat for a while, his gaze fixed on something not far off¡ªa candy wrapper discarded by the little girl.

    When the candy was still wrapped up, its paper was beautiful; but once it was unwrapped, the paper turned into trash, to be thrown into the bin.

    No matter how pretty the wrapper, once it had lost its use, it was destined to end up in the trash bin.

    Wang Yixuan shifted his head slightly and asked in a low voice, "When is Fu Haning back?"

    "Let me check." Nan Qing took out her phone to look and said softly, "She¡¯s already on her way, should be here soon."

    "Good," Wang Yixuan replied, standing up and walking towards the candy wrapper. He bent slightly and picked it up between two fingers, making his way to the trash can on the left.

    As Nan Qing silently watched him from her chair, an odd feeling began creeping into her heart¡ªshe had the growing sense that Wang Yixuan was moving away from her step by step.

    The closer Wang Yixuan got to the trash can, the stronger this strange feeling became.

    Nan Qing intended to stay seated and wait for Wang Yixuan, but she couldn¡¯t remain still. She ran up to him and hugged his waist from behind, "Are you leaving?"

    "Who... who said that?" Wang Yixuan¡¯s face stiffened for a moment¡ªa moment that Nan Qing didn¡¯t see.

    He patted Nan Qing¡¯s hand on his waist and said in a voice as gentle as possible, "Don¡¯t think nonsense, I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing."

    For some reason, Nan Qing felt a vast distance between them as he spoke, as if they were separated by mountains and seas.

    Instead of subsiding, Nan Qing¡¯s dissatisfaction was inmed, and she tugged at Wang Yixuan¡¯s arm, trying to see his profile when her phone rang¡ªit was a call from Fu Han.

    She hung up in less than two minutes and turned back to meet Wang Yixuan¡¯s gaze just in time.

    At that moment, Wang Yixuan had returned to his usual demeanor¡ªa handsome, exquisite face devoid of emotion and eyes that seemed neither turbulent nor calm, as though they contained nothing and everything at the same time.

    Nan Qing looked at Wang Yixuan earnestly, but the anxiety she¡¯d felt before had vanished without a trace.

    Yet she was certain her intuition was not wrong¡ªWang Yixuan must have had some troubling thoughts just now, which is why she had that feeling.

    She approached Wang Yixuan, intending to take his hand, but he subtly dodged her.

    Wang Yixuan elegantly turned to face her from above and said with a warm tone, "Didn¡¯t you say Fu Han is almost here? Let¡¯s go order first."

    Nan Qing opened her mouth to voice her doubts, only to be interrupted when Wang Yixuan suddenly flicked her with his finger.

    "Ow, that hurts." Nan Qing¡¯s attention was immediately diverted. Although she cried out in pain, her expression was smiling, not at all suggestive of true pain. Instead, her face seemed toe to life all at once.

    Before they were together, Wang Yixuan would asionally tease Nan Qing with this gesture. It really did hurt, but at those times, Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes would be extraordinarily tender, filled with an indissoluble depth of affection.

    Today Wang Yixuan repeated the gesture on Nan Qing, who was delighted, eager to see if his eyes held the same deep affection as before. However, just then the lights inside the pavilion went out, leaving only the surrounding streetlights. The sharp contrast in visibility momentarily obscured Wang Yixuan¡¯s face from her view.

    Once her eyes adjusted to the new lighting, Wang Yixuan was already pulling her forward, his expression back to normal.

    Pregnancy was a surprise for Nan Qing; miscarriage, even more so.

    The impact of both on Nan Qing was profound. After the pregnancy, Wang Yixuan had been determined to take responsibility, resolute in marrying Nan Qing. Yet following the miscarriage, although Wang Yixuan remained attentive to her, his heart seemed to have locked her out. Nan Qing wanted to reach him but didn¡¯t know where to find the key.

    Ever since his conversation with He Xing, Wang Yixuan¡¯s treatment of Nan Qing had improved. He would asionally share his views on things with her and continued to care for her every day as before.

    To outsiders and even to Fu Han, Wang Yixuan truly seemed to treat Nan Qing better than ever. They appeared blissfully in love, like a couple in their honeymoon phase.

    But only Nan Qing knew that something had changed. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly, but she had a strong feeling that Wang Yixuan was not the same man he had been before.

    Recently, Fu Han had talked with Mrs. Nangong, and afterward, Mrs. Nangong had seen Wang Yixuan a few times. Mrs. Nangong was consistently warm to him, never once bringing up the couple¡¯s rtionship issues, and clearly supportive of them.

 Chapter 670 - 671: Sweet Love

    <h4>Chapter 670: Chapter 671: Sweet Love</h4><h4></h4>

    Nan Qing was very satisfied with this. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want their romance to have more sweetness and fewer messy and unpleasant incidents?

    With this thought, Nan Qing looked up slightly at Wang Yixuan, who was ahead of her by half a step. Under the streetlight¡¯s glow, Wang Yixuan¡¯s silhouette seemed so tall, providing Nan Qing with a sense of security.

    Suddenly, her heart swelled with confidence. She began to feel that Wang Yixuan was trustworthy. She thought if Wang Yixuan hadn¡¯t left by now, he surely wouldn¡¯t leave; she thought perhaps some things her parents had said hurt Wang Yixuan, but what did it matter? The future was about the two of them together, and she couldpensate him doubly.

    Nan Qing¡¯s wrist broke free from Wang Yixuan¡¯s grasp, and she took the initiative to sp his palm instead. When their fingers intertwined, Nan Qing distinctly felt a momentary stiffness in Wang Yixuan¡¯s body.

    She quickened her pace to be level with Wang Yixuan, shaking his hand and looking up at him, "You once said you would never leave me. Do you remember?"

    Memory took her back to the day in the hospital when she found out she was pregnant. An unmarried woman¡¯s pregnancy was invariably a disgraceful affair, especially since Nan Qing had no prior mental preparation for motherhood. She sat in the hospital corridor with her diagnosis in hand, her face ashen.

    They were abroad, vacationing near the equator where the weather was extremely hot. A slight movement would drench you in sweat, making you wish you could shower countless times a day.

    Nan Qing remembered wearing a long chiffon dress with a floral print that day, while Wang Yixuan wore a white short sleeve shirt and capri jeans, his hair meticulously groomed, looking very stylish.

    Seeing Nan Qing¡¯s pale face, Wang Yixuan squatted down in front of her, held her hands in his, and proposed, "Nan Qing, before I met you, I never thought about staying in one ce or with one person for long. But after meeting you, the word ¡¯forever¡¯ suddenly popped into my mind. If you¡¯re willing to marry me, I will stay by your side forever."

    For as long as Wang Yixuan said those words, Nan Qing remembered them. This was the first time someone had spoken to her of forever, and she would never forget it.

    She had been well-protected by her family since childhood, but she wasn¡¯t a fool. She had the sense to know who was sincere to her and who was not.

    And it just so happened that when Wang Yixuan spoke those words, Nan Qing had looked intently at his expression, which clearly showed his heartid bare before her.

    If there was anything that could give her a sense of security now, after losing the child in her womb, it had to be this, it had to be the ¡¯forever¡¯ that Wang Yixuan had spoken of.

    Herrge eyes looked at Wang Yixuan, filled with undisguised expectancy, affection, and a touch of nervousness and insecurity.

    Under such a gaze, Wang Yixuan¡¯s breathing seemed to change. His first reaction was to avoid Nan Qing¡¯s eyes, but ultimately he didn¡¯t look away. Instead, he said deeply, "I said those words, of course I remember."

    "That¡¯s great, you remember," Nan Qing eximed joyfully, releasing Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand and leaping up to wrap her arms around his neck, giving his cheek a firm kiss, "Wang Yixuan, I also will never, ever leave you."

    Wang Yixuan was stunned. He touched the spot on his cheek where Nan Qing had kissed, the only warm spot on his face; the difference in temperature from the rest of his cheek felt significantly higher, as if her lips were mes.

    This time, Nan Qing was the one who grabbed Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand. She pulled him along as they ran forward, and after a few steps, she turned back to look at Wang Yixuan with an especially brilliant smile, "Come on, I¡¯m hungry."

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes, as cold as frosty stars, suddenly brightened up, as if a dark oil field had suddenly been ignited by a spark, the mes spreading wildly and engulfing the entire field.

    He tightened his grip on the small, delicate hand in his palm, fearing that the slightest overexertion might crush it.

    One nce at Nan Qing¡¯s hand, and it was clear that she had been raised in luxury, a child who hade out of a honey pot, adored by her parents, the hands of a pampered youngdy.

    And him? Wang Yixuan clenched his other hand into a fist. You could distinctly feel the thin calluses in his palm, the marks left by life.

    His family was indeed average, barely middle ss. The little savings they had were all spent to support his pursuit of painting and an art student¡¯s path.

    If it weren¡¯t for the sudden departure of his parents from this world, if they hadn¡¯t exchanged their lives for arge sum of wealth for Wang Yixuan, he probably would have be just another unremarkable, unpopr middle-aged man in the city by now.

    With mediocre work and no achievements; maybe with a wife and child, or perhaps still a bachelor, content with filling only his own stomach.

    But after his parents left this world, he knew that fate had a different n for his future. With no attachments, he pursued art single-mindedly. Now he was a somewhat famous painter both domestically and internationally, financially independent; plus most of the inheritance from his parents. His life could have been quite carefree and enjoyable.

    Yet, he had met Nan Qing, the jewel of the heavens, the only daughter of the Nangong Family, one of the four great families in A City. Although she had no princess title, she was a true princess.

    When Wang Yixuan first met Nan Qing, he told himself that she was different from any other girl he had encountered before, not someone he could afford to get involved with.

    Reason is understood by all, but not all can follow it.

    Wang Yixuan, while reminding himself internally to steer clear of Nan Qing, still fell for her against all odds.

    But realistically, if it weren¡¯t for Nan Qing¡¯s unnned pregnancy, Wang Yixuan wouldn¡¯t have proposed to her. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to propose, but he didn¡¯t dare to.

    Yes, he was an artist, but he wasn¡¯t a fool. His wealth, status, and position might be quite impressive to the average person, but they paled inparison to the Nangong Family.

    So he earnestly hoped that Nan Qing could sessfully give birth to the child, that way he could convince himself to ignore the insurmountable gap between them.

    But life is often like this; what you fear the most is likely to happen. The expected and unexpected, the feared¡ªall came to Wang Yixuan.

 Chapter 671 - 672: Expectations and Results are Different

    <h4>Chapter 671: Chapter 672: Expectations and Results are Different</h4><h4></h4>

    Almost every night after Nan Qing fell asleep, Wang Yixuan would gently stroke her belly and say to the baby inside, "You have to be good, your mommy and daddy are looking forward to meeting you."

    But even with Wang Yixuan¡¯s anticipation, the child was lost in the end.

    Truthfully, the moment he learned the child couldn¡¯t be saved, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say he felt as if the sky had copsed. At that moment, he truly hated Fu Han, even though he knew she hadn¡¯t done it on purpose.

    Thest straw was hearing Nan Qing¡¯s parents advising her not to rush into marriage.

    Even now, he vividly remembers how agonizing his feelings were back then as he listened to their conversation outside the ward. It felt like the sky suddenly darkened.

    It was also at that moment, he once again firmly felt that his decision to be with Nan Qing was irrational. Being together could not bring happiness to anyone; it could only bring pain to everyone.

    Because the price of marrying Nan Qing was his self-esteem being trampled upon, and that was more painful than killing Wang Yixuan.

    The streetlight behind them cast a very long shadow of the two on the ground; they were elongated, twisted little figures. Looking at these little figures, you¡¯d get a strange feeling, as if they¡¯d lean on each other the next second.

    But Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing¡¯s paces were so in sync that every time Wang Yixuan felt their shadows might merge, they remained apart.

    It turns out that sometimes walking in unison is also a mistake, and when fate decides you¡¯re not suitable for each other, even your shadows can¡¯t ovep.

    Walking along, Nan Qing suddenly let go of Wang Yixuan¡¯s hand and ran ahead, with the name Fu Han on her lips.

    Only then did Wang Yixuan realize they had unconsciously arrived at the entrance of theirmunity, which led to various ces offering midnight snacks.

    His gaze fell again on his own shadow, and whether by coincidence or not, every step Nan Qing tooknded precisely on his shadow¡¯s heart.

    A dull pain emanated from Wang Yixuan¡¯s chest, as if Nan Qing was stepping directly on his heart.

    Two meters away, Nan Qing and Fu Han excitedly chatted about something.

    The light from afar cast over, and their two shadows rushed towards Wang Yixuan from the opposite direction. In front of the enormous shadow, Wang Yixuan appeared exceptionally tiny, like an infant nestled in its mother¡¯s arms.

    Today, it was Nan Qing who suggested eating barbecue, and naturally, she decided on the location. Arm in arm with both Fu Han and Wang Yixuan, the trio strode forward.

    This was the back gate of a university, surrounded by eats, but there was a distinction among them. The shops on both sides of the street seemed ssier, cleaner, and morefortable to dine in.

    Yet, out of all the options, Nan Qing chose a street stall. The tables there were a particrly aged shade of dark yellow coupled with bright red stic chairs, exuding a down-to-earth vibe.

    Wang Yixuan had reservations about eating here, mainly worrying that the greasy tables might stain his white clothes.

    But there was no helping it. Fu Han seemed to have no objections to the ce, casually taking a seat. Faced with the keen gaze of the two girls, Wang Yixuan couldn¡¯t very well voice his disdain. So, he silently sat down as well.

    Nan Qing had a widely acknowledged talent for ordering food, mainly because she didn¡¯t suffer from decision paralysis. She almost ordered everything on the menu¡ªin fact, she¡¯d promptly order anything the server rmended.

    Fu Han was used to Nan Qing¡¯svish ordering style and wasn¡¯t surprised. She was busy chatting with He Xing on her phone and didn¡¯t say a word.

    He Xing had wanted to join them for thete-night snack, but Wang Yixuan specifically messaged Fu Han, asking her toe alone, so Fu Han had to grit her teeth and send He Xing away.

    The snacks were served quickly, and apart from Fu Han who had already had her fill that night, the other two ate joyfully, especially Nan Qing who rarely opted for cheap street stalls and was immensely curious.

    After a few bites, she eximed how delicious it was, urging everyone to eat up and even saying they shoulde here oftener in future.

    In truth, though Fu Han found the taste here eptable, it was far from the high praise Nan Qing was giving it, but she didn¡¯t have the heart to contradict Nan Qing and remained silent.

    It was understandable why Nan Qing felt this way, though. After the miscarriage, she¡¯d been eating very ndly for a long time. It was only because she insisted so that Wang Yixuan agreed to take her out for food. After such a long time without vorful food, it was understandable why a random barbecue tasted like a five-star hotel to her.

    Nan Qing seemed in high spirits throughout the meal, chatting continuously and disying a happy smile on her round face. Anyone could tell she was in a good mood.

    Due to her upbringing, Nan Qing¡¯s smile had a special charm, with a powerful infectiousness that made anyone who saw it smile without realizing it.

    Wang Yixuan was also in a good mood today, asionally stroking Nan Qing¡¯s head, his handsome face always wearing a smile. When he looked at Nan Qing, the warmth in his eyes was unmistakable, and anyone could see his affection for her.

    Fu Han watched from a distance, perceiving a significant change in Wang Yixuanpared to the previous days. Earlier, he had always seemed mncholic, radiating a thick, inescapable sadness. But today, that sadness was gone, or perhaps it was temporarily hidden.

    Honestly, seeing the couple¡¯s affectionate disy, Fu Han was truly happy for Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan. Maybe, as Nan Qing hoped, they would soon get engaged, married, and then have their baby...

    At this thought, a subtle sadness suddenly surfaced in Fu Han¡¯s heart, reminding her of Nan Qing¡¯s child, who left without a chance to meet them.

    Although no one mentioned it anymore, Fu Han knew it was a scar in everyone¡¯s heart. As time passed, the scar might heal, but Fu Han would never forget that child.

    Because Nan Qing couldn¡¯t drink alcohol, thete-night snack was consumed quickly, finishing in just over an hour.

    On the way back, Nan Qing walked in the middle, arm in arm with Fu Han and Wang Yixuan, a happy smile glowing on her face, as if she were the happiest person in the world.

    But Fu Han found it hard to smile like before, for a few minutes earlier, she had received a message from Wang Yixuan asking her to stay upte that night, toe out as he had something to discuss. He repeatedly instructed her not to tell Nan Qing.

 Chapter 672 - 673: Somethingâ€™s Not Right

    <h4>Chapter 672: Chapter 673: Something¡¯s Not Right</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han keenly felt that Wang Yixuan must have had something important to discuss with her today. An unease settled in her heart; after receiving that message, she had thought countless times of telling Nan Qing, but since Wang Yixuan explicitly told her not to, she ultimately resisted the urge.

    However, she resolved that once she figured out what exactly Wang Yixuan wanted, she would carefully consider whether to inform Nan Qing or not. She was Nan Qing¡¯s friend first, and only then Wang Yixuan¡¯s.

    After returning to her room in Huating No.1, Fu Han went to bathe and wash her hair as usual. Just as she barely finished drying her hair and was starting her skincare routine, a knock on the door startled her.

    Surprised, she thought, "What time is it? Has Nan Qing gone to sleep so early?"

    She looked down at her robe. Today, she was not wearing her usual V-neck robe but a pullover fleece pajama set that was thick and warm, which wouldn¡¯t reveal anything even if she wore no underwear beneath it. Of course, to avoid any potential embarrassment, she still wore underwear.

    "Coming," Fu Han said, rising to her feet to open the door. Wang Yixuan¡¯s name had already reached the tip of her tongue but she swallowed it back as she faced Nan Qing at the door, smiling stiffly, "Nan Qing, you... why haven¡¯t you slept yet?"

    "I can¡¯t sleep; I came here to chat with you," Nan Qing said, walking into the room on her own and scanning it with no particr focus. "He Xing hasn¡¯t slept here recently, right?"

    Fu Han was d Nan Qing didn¡¯t notice anything amiss, but her face blushed at the question. Turning away, she said in a low voice, "What are you talking about? He Xing has never spent the night in my room."

    "That¡¯s good," said Nan Qing, calling out before sprawling onto Fu Han¡¯s bed and taking up more than half of it. She patted the space beside her, "Fu Han,e sleep; let¡¯s have a good chat."

    "Chat... about what?" Fu Han was heavy with thoughts, inevitably sounding guilty as she spoke. She climbed onto the bed at a leisurely pace, her mind racing as she genuinely didn¡¯t understand what was going on, her questions tumbling out unconsciously, "You... you and Wang Yixuan aren¡¯t having issues, right?"

    "Of course not," replied Nan Qing with a smile, tilting her head to look at Fu Han, "Our rtionship is fine. I came here to share this good news with you."

    At this, Nan Qing sat up, her big eyes blinking rapidly with poorly concealed pride, "Wang Yixuan agreed to me today, saying he will never leave me, as in never. Fu Han, you don¡¯t know how happy I am, I¡¯m so very happy."

    "Really?" Fu Han smiled, her heart genuinely happy for Nan Qing, but as she smiled, her mood suddenly became heavy.

    If things were as Nan Qing said, why then did Wang Yixuan want to speak with Fu Han alone?

    Nan Qing continued, "I felt something was off with Wang Yixuan today, and I was worried he might be thinking of leaving, but it turns out he told me he¡¯d always stay with me."

    "He... why would he think of leaving?" Fu Han muttered in confusion beside her, feeling that something wasn¡¯t quite right, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what that was.

    "Just a feeling," Nan Qing said, shaking her head, her face conflicted, "I don¡¯t know how to exin it, but I¡¯ve felt this way these past few days."

    Nan Qing¡¯s fingers twisted the hem of her garment repeatedly, biting her lip hard enough to turn her face red as she murmured, "To be honest, I don¡¯t know how to say this, you have no idea what I¡¯ve been through these days."

    Only after Nan Qing spoke did Fu Han understand that although Wang Yixuan had been sleeping in Nan Qing¡¯s room every night, he would leave once Nan Qing fell asleep and return to his own room.

    His exnation was that since they were not yet married, they should be mindful and maintain some distance.

    Nan Qing felt that since they were bound to marry someday, there was no need to fret over such matters at this point, especially since if they had always been so proper, she would not have gotten pregnant.

    Wang Yixuan listened to her words, but it made no difference; he still returned to his own room after Nan Qing fell asleep the next time.

    Being a girl with thin skin, Nan Qing couldn¡¯t possibly keep asking Wang Yixuan to live with her all the time, so the matter was dropped.

    As Nan Qing spoke, Fu Han listened silently, her feelings growing moreplex. She hadn¡¯t realized how much Nan Qing had suffered; for Nan Qing, a miscarriage meant not only the loss of a child but possibly the loss of a lover too.

    Finally, Nan Qing stopped speaking. Her face flushed, she hesitated for a long time before looking at Fu Han and asking slowly, "Fu Han, tell me, do I seem desperate?"

    "Yes," Fu Han pushed all her thoughts aside and touched Nan Qing¡¯s forehead with a finger, "I don¡¯t think desperate is the right word; it¡¯s more like you are chasing after Wang Yixuan."

    Nan Qing¡¯s already flushed face turned a deeper shade of red; she grabbed Fu Han¡¯s hand, her eyes welling up, "Then... do you think what I¡¯m doing is right? Have you... have you ever felt I¡¯m embarrassing myself? I was like this with Su Cheng, and now with Wang Yixuan?"

    "Want to hear the truth?" Fu Han raised her eyebrows, looking meaningfully at Nan Qing.

    "Of course!" Nan Qing nodded vigorously like a pecking chicken or a primary school student, utterly adorable.

    The night outside was pitch ck, with not a single star in sight; the room was heated, as warm as spring, with lighting bright as day.

    Fu Han and Nan Qing sat on the bed, the pale pink sheets blooming quietly in the night like cherry blossom petals, beautifully tranquil.

    In such a lovely atmosphere, Fu Han¡¯s gentle voice was like a piano melody, slowly flowing.

    "I don¡¯t think you¡¯re desperate or anything like that. Instead, I find you brave, full of courage; your positive outlook on life is something I admire and envy."

    "You really mean that?" Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened with surprise and joy but also uncertainty.

    "Of course, I do," Fu Han took Nan Qing¡¯s hand, looking into her eyes, "Although I¡¯ve never told you, I feel guilty about you in my heart. I¡¯ve always felt that because of me, you and Su Cheng, even though childhood sweethearts, couldn¡¯t end up together."

    "That has nothing to do with you," Nan Qing interrupted Fu Han, her smile exceedingly open, "Even if it wasn¡¯t you, there would be someone else. Su Cheng doesn¡¯t like me, it¡¯s always been like that."

 Chapter 673 - 674: Mutual Affection

    <h4>Chapter 673: Chapter 674: Mutual Affection</h4><h4></h4>

    She had been better off not saying anything, but once she spoke so frankly, it made Fu Han feel even more heartbroken. She reached out, intending to pull Nan Qing into her embrace.

    But she didn¡¯t, realizing that a hug could onlyfort a child. An embrace could not heal an adult.

    Fu Han¡¯s soft voice began to rise, "Nan Qing, I want to tell you some things about He Xing, Xia Ning, and myself. Perhaps after you hear them, you will know that what I say is sincere and that I never lied to you."

    "He Xing and I knew each other first. Less than two yearster, Xia Ning¡¯s mother died saving He Xing, and that¡¯s when Xia Ning came into our lives. Xia Ning was younger than me by a bit, but she was precocious. I think she probably liked He Xing from the moment she saw him. As for me, I don¡¯t remember when I started liking He Xing."

    "The first time I met Xia Ning, she bullied me. She yanked the hairpin from my hair, threw it onto the ground, and stepped on it. I was just a few years old at the time and didn¡¯t know to go tell an adult. I ended up scuffling with Xia Ning, until He Xing arrived. Xia Cheng sided with Xia Ning, saying I was the troublemaker, and He Xing believed him. He scolded me and told me not to fight with Xia Ning anymore, saying she was younger and that I should give in to her."

    "How could He Xing be like that?" Nan Qing couldn¡¯t contain her anger, clenching her fists and puffing up as she said, "Next time I see He Xing, I¡¯ll take revenge for you."

    Fu Han gave a bitter smile, a touch of helplessness in her voice, "Such urrences were countless in my growing process. The scores between Xia Ning and me are impossible to settle because I was not weak. I would pull off her hair ribbons, and she would throw my shoes down the mountain; just as she would use a small knife to sh my skirt, and tear up my finished homework."

    "You did well, at least you fought back," Nan Qingughed, her face filled with admiration.

    "To survive in a harsh environment, if I had no ability to fight back at all, I might be living miserably now," Fu Han sighed, her voice as boundless as the night outside the window, tempting one to let go yet incapable of doing so.

    The words she uttered were like the extended voiceover in an old movie, filled with a sadness so profound it could not dissipate, "Perhaps you think He Xing has been good to me, and it¡¯s normal for you to misunderstand because when you met He Xing, he was no longer the He Xing of the past."

    "What was He Xing like before?" Nan Qing asked softly, her beautiful big eyes a mix of heartache, confusion, and of course, anger.

    "The He Xing of the past," Fu Han tilted her head slightly upward, a beautiful chandelier above her casting a warm, somewhat dazzling light, yet she did not avert her gaze.

    "At that time, I didn¡¯t know who He Xing held in his heart. I only knew I liked him and wanted to be good to him with all my might, to be with him forever. But his heart was hard to understand. It was difficult to elicit a smile from him regardless of what I did. Back then, I genuinely didn¡¯t know if he liked me or Xia Ning. Even now, I don¡¯t know where I found the courage to like him for so many years, to give my all to be good to him."

    "If I hadn¡¯t heard it from you, I might really think that He Xing was pursuing you," Nan Qingmented, "but now the tables have turned, and you have the upper hand."

    Upon hearing this, Fu Han didn¡¯t feel happy; in fact, she felt a bit sad. Love was never about who had the upper hand or who won; what she wanted was an equal love, one with undivided attention.

    "When I was eighteen, my grandfather asked what I wanted for my birthday gift. I said I wanted to marry He Xing," Fu Han¡¯s beautiful face flushed faintly, "I still don¡¯t know where I got the courage to say such a thing at the time. I hadn¡¯t even considered what I would do if my grandfather refused, but thankfully he preserved my dignity."

    "You¡¯re truly brave. If it were me, I couldn¡¯t do it," Nan Qing said with sincere admiration.

    "It wasn¡¯t bravery, it was recklessness," Fu Han said with a wry smile, "To ask to marry He Xing without havingmunicated with him in advance, although He Xing didn¡¯t refuse, our rtionship didn¡¯t inherently depend on the engagement. Nothing changed. In fact, the engagement made Xia Ning¡¯s hostility toward me even stronger."

    "Then..." Nan Qing imagined what Fu Han¡¯s past must have been like, her heart filled with extra sympathy, "Have you talked to He Xing about it?"

    "I haven¡¯t," Fu Han said with a smile, like a rose blooming amidst ruins¡ªbeautiful, yet shrouded in a thickyer of dust, "What¡¯s the use of saying it? He Xing, my brother, would only say, as before, that Xia Ning¡¯s actions were a child¡¯s prank, that she meant no harm. The most important thing is that he¡¯s very busy with his work, and he has neither the time nor the energy to deal with my matters."

    "But..." Nan Qing opened her mouth anxiously, eager to speak.

    Fu Han slightly tilted her head, interrupting Nan Qing, "I¡¯m not telling you this because I want yourfort, Nan Qing. What I want to say is that maybe because I¡¯ve already used up all my courage in the past without getting the result I wanted, I am angry but not enraged by what happens between He Xing and Xia Ning. I don¡¯t want to try for our rtionship anymore."

    "Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a pity?" Nan Qing still couldn¡¯t ept it, speaking excitedly, "After so many years of feelings between you two, I still hope you can be together."

    "I hope so too," Fu Han blinked yfully, her smile utterly adorable, "I never said I would give up on He Xing. I just said I wouldn¡¯t fight with Xia Ning anymore. If He Xing wants to be with me, then it¡¯s up to him to make the effort."

    "So that¡¯s it, you scared me to death," Nan Qing said, patting her chest, looking greatly relieved.

    Fu Hanughed again, her eyes steadfastly fixed on Nan Qing, "I no longer have the courage to be crazy for love; but you do. Even though you were so deeply hurt by Su Cheng, when you met Wang Yixuan, you still had the capacity to love, whether it was Su Cheng or Wang Yixuan, you gave it your all, and I think that¡¯s great."

    "I think so too," Nan Qing also smiled, her round face inherently cute, herughter more infectious, "And Wang Yixuan is different from Su Cheng, right? Su Cheng didn¡¯t have me in his eyes, but Wang Yixuan likes me, I know that."

    "You can feel whether someone truly loves you," Fu Han smiled, patting Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder firmly, "It¡¯s really hard to find someone who loves you back. You need to cherish it well."

 Chapter 674 - 675: Never Give Up

    <h4>Chapter 674: Chapter 675: Never Give Up</h4><subtxt> Nan Qing nodded vigorously, "I know, as long as I still love Wang Yixuan, as long as Wang Yixuan still loves me, I won¡¯t give up."

    The two girls talked about a lot, but in fact, they couldn¡¯t even remember what they talked about. They were both so happy chatting, as though they were letting out all the thoughts they had been umting for a long time.

    On reflection, their friendship hadsted over four years. They had spent more than a thousand days and nights together. They had intertwined their lives to the point where each of them would be a striking mark in the life of the other.

    Perhaps it was because it had been so long since either of them had heart-to-heart talks with others, Fu Han and Nan Qing talked as if they had endless things to say, non-stop.

    But in fact, neither Fu Han nor Nan Qing was the type to have a strong desire to confide; it was because they were perfect confidantes for each other, and their core values were mostly aligned, which made them willing to speak their minds when talking to each other.

    Unnoticed, the moon hid behind the clouds, and many of the neon lights of the night had gone out; only a few stars still twinkled sporadically in the sky, shining like diamonds, precious as pearls lost in the vast ocean.

    Nan Qing had already yawned several times and was finally ovee by sleepiness. She bundled up the nket over her body, looked up at Fu Han, and said, "Okay, I¡¯m going to sleep. So it¡¯s settled, whether the other gets married or not, we¡¯ll invite each other to be a bridesmaid."

    "Got it, you¡¯ve said that several times already," Fu Han replied with a smile. She too was feeling the weight of sleep on her eyelids. Reaching over, she turned off the light and closed her eyes to sleep.

    How much time had passed was unclear when suddenly, the sound of vibration came through, each buzz louder than thest.

    Fu Han was so sleepy that her eyelids felt as heavy as mountains. She thought fuzzily to herself that it would stop ringing soon; no need to bother with it.

    Suddenly, Nan Qing¡¯s drowsy voice rang out, "Fu Han, your phone is ringing."

    Fu Han could barely open her eyes. She fumbled around and finally found her phone on the nightstand. She managed to swipe at the screen and said in a dazed voice, "Hello?"

    A man¡¯s deep voice came through from the other end, "Fu Han, do you remember the message I sent you?"

    That voice sessfully drove away the drowsiness from Fu Han, and she was instantly wide awake, "Ah? You... I..."

    "Don¡¯t talk,e out!" the man cut her off and hung up the phone without giving Fu Han a chance to speak.

    Fu Han was holding the phone and nearly fell back to sleep. She forced her eyes open to see if the call had been a dream and indeed saw the caller was Wang Yixuan.

    Her sleepinesspletely vanished, and she propped herself up on the bed, ready to get up.

    Suddenly, Nan Qing¡¯s voice came over from beside her, "Fu Han, who¡¯s calling you sote at night?"

    If Wang Yixuan¡¯s words had just woken Fu Han up, Nan Qing¡¯s words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, chasing away any sleepinesspletely.

    "Ah... it was... He Xing," Fu Han replied with as calm a voice as possible. "He said I didn¡¯t reply to a message he sent, He was worried something had happened to me, so he called to check."

    Her words disappeared like stones sunk into the ocean, eliciting no response.

    The room was terrifyingly quiet, as if, apart from Fu Han, there was no one else around.

    In the pitch-ck night where she could not see her hand in front of her face, Fu Han strained her eyes to look in Nan Qing¡¯s direction, but all she saw wasplete darkness.

    She waited for Nan Qing to speak but feared that Nan Qing was also awake. Internally, she counted silently, and after approximately a minute, she tentatively called out, "Nan Qing? Nan Qing, are you asleep?"

    Still, there was no response. At this moment, it felt as if Fu Han was alone in the world.

    Out of caution, Fu Han waited nearly another minute. This time, her heart was much calmer, and she could hear Nan Qing¡¯s even breathing.

    Once she was sure Nan Qing was asleep, Fu Han finally let out a sigh of relief. Slowly she rose, her feet reaching toward the floor, tentatively searching for her slippers.

    Her feet touched the cold wooden floor, sending an icy chill through her. Fu Han had a thousand urges to return to the warmth of her bed, but she couldn¡¯t.

    Finally, she put on her shoes. Not daring to turn on the light, she groped her way toward the door, experiencing the profound sensation of blindness, devoid of any sense of direction.

    It was the first time in her life that Fu Han felt like a thief in her own room, fearful that any small noise might wake Nan Qing.

    Atst, she reached the doorknob. She held her breath and slowly opened the door, her nervousness pausing her very breathing. At that moment, she could even entertain the thought that spies of the past must have felt the same way, anxious and scared of being discovered.

    Fu Han only dared to open the door a crack, squeezing out through the slight opening.

    Once she was out, Fu Han leaned back against the wall, her chest heaving as she caught her breath, her heart pounding.

    When her breathing had steadied, she finally considered a problem. The living room was pitch-ck. Where was Wang Yixuan?

    Suddenly, there was a click¡ªa sound of the door lock turning, which, in the still night, seemed exceedingly piercing, like a deafening re.

    Light was spilling out from the room diagonal to Fu Han¡¯s, an area that used to be Nan Qing¡¯s Art Studio but was now Wang Yixuan¡¯s bedroom.

    Ever since Wang Yixuan moved in, Fu Han had not once entered that room. She had assumed he would be waiting in the living room, but now it seemed the living room wasn¡¯t a suitable ce for a conversation.

    Fu Han straightened her clothes, ensuring she was wearing the most modest pajamas she had. Her mind somewhat eased, she walked towards the open door step by step.

    With each step she took, countless thoughts flooded her mind. She felt a tremendous unease about what Wang Yixuan might want to talk about, unable to guess at all.

    Finally, Fu Han stood at the door and saw Wang Yixuan standing in front of the easel.

    From her angle, she could only see the side of Wang Yixuan¡¯s face. As for the painting on the easel, it waspletely out of her sight.

    The window on the other side of the room was not covered by the curtain, revealing a night of imprable darkness, thick as undissolvable ink, devouring everything in the world.

    Beyond the darkness was still just darkness. The world wasn¡¯t full of vibrant colors but a despairing ck.</subtxt>

 Chapter 675 - 676: Sad Profile

    <h4>Chapter 675: Chapter 676: Sad Profile</h4><h4></h4>

    Even with only a side profile visible, Fu Han could still discern the sadness in Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression. He was simply standing there quietly, doing nothing, not even speaking, but Fu Han felt as if she could perceive the tumultuous negative emotions crashing within him.

    A wave of sorrow began to spread through Fu Han¡¯s heart, giving her the surreal sensation that everything Nan Qing had spoken of¡ªforever, love¡ªwas nothing but a dream, nonexistent.

    Fu Han knew that an open door was an invitation to enter, but out of politeness, she still knocked. It wasn¡¯t until she heard Wang Yixuan say e in" that she slowly made her way inside.

    Standing not far from the doorway, Fu Han looked at Wang Yixuan. She concealed all her deepest emotions and asked in the calmest voice she could muster, "Wang Yixuan, did you want to see me about something?"

    It was like a scene ying out in slow motion from a movie; Wang Yixuan turned around slowly, his dark, shining eyes meeting Fu Han¡¯s. They held a rity as pure as light through water.

    Truthfully, Fu Han couldn¡¯t remember Wang Yixuan¡¯s age. He seemed much older, and yet the rity in his eyes was so... infantile, untouched.

    Equally clear and pure was his voice, ringing with the rity of a phoenix¡¯s cry, "Fu Han, I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m entrusting Nan Qing to your care. Can you promise me that?"

    "Why?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Wang Yixuan. Her premonitions hade true. She thought she would be furious, but somehow, her mood had be much calmer.

    Upon hearing her question, Wang Yixuan fell into reminiscence. He tilted his head slightly as if pondering something, his brows knitting together in a frown that seemed to hold a sorrow too dense to dissipate.

    Fu Han had been thinking about how to persuade Wang Yixuan, but upon reconsidering, she suddenly realized she didn¡¯t even know why he was leaving. How could she possibly convince him to stay?

    Wang Yixuan, as if expecting the question, said after a moment of silence, "There¡¯s no particr reason. I just don¡¯t like the idea of marriage restraining me. My dream of traveling the world isn¡¯t finished; I want to keep chasing it."

    If Fu Han¡¯s initial anger had been smoothed over before, Wang Yixuan¡¯s words now were like a bomb igniting the explosives in her heart, detonating with a loud bang, filling the air with smoke.

    "Traveling the world? Nan Qing also wishes to travel the globe. You could do it together." Fu Han tried her best to lower her voice, feeling on the verge of exploding.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fear that too loud a voice would awake Nan Qing, she really would have had a big argument with Wang Yixuan.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s gaze on Fu Han grew colder with each passing moment, eventually freezing over like eternal ice, "Fu Han, I¡¯m not discussing this with you. Please understand, I¡¯m merely informing you that I am leaving."

    Fu Han¡¯s anger red as well. She stared back at Wang Yixuan, speaking in an icy tone devoid of any emotion, "I think you¡¯ve notified the wrong person. Your leaving has nothing to do with me. If you really are a man, then you should be the one to speak clearly to Nan Qing. What does leaving like this amount to?"

    After speaking her mind, Fu Han turned and walked towards the door, her beautiful face as cold as frost, emotionless, "I believe any man with the slightest sense of responsibility wouldn¡¯t just leave without saying goodbye."

    "Wait!" Wang Yixuan sprinted to her, blocking her path, and pointed to the easel where he had been standing, "I left an exnation. Everything is rified in here; Nan Qing will understand once she sees it. I just ask... please ry this to her."

    Fu Han had actually intended to leave on purpose. She wanted to take the opportunity to wake Nan Qing; she really didn¡¯t want to get involved in this mess. Thus, her n was to wake Nan Qing, so the two of them could talk things through. Why should she act as the messenger?

    However, in this moment, when she saw the look in Wang Yixuan¡¯s eyes, her own heart was moved, and for the first time, she considered the matter from his perspective.

    Everyone has the right to make their own choices. But it seems that everyone had overlooked the fact that Wang Yixuan also had a choice to make.

    Falling in love involves two people. So does having a rtionship. No onepelled the other, the feelings were mutual, with no regrets. It was just that in their moment of impulsiveness, they hadn¡¯t anticipated the arrival of a new life.

    If that child hadn¡¯t appeared unexpectedly, they would still only be in a romantic rtionship.

    To many, love is something desirable, but marriage can seem like a sentence to despair. When in love, the only consideration is the two of you; marriage involves two families.

    Thus, when Wang Yixuan was merely dating Nan Qing, they could travel blissfully anywhere; but upon the prospect of marriage, Wang Yixuan had to choose to start a business in City A.

    Fu Han had known Wang Yixuan for some time and still remembered the boy in the white suit ying the piano so tranquilly that day. Sitting there, it was as though he had wings on his back, ready to take flight at any moment.

    But now, although Wang Yixuan appeared the same, it was as if the wings he once had were gone. Unable to take to the skies any longer.

    To her own surprise, Fu Han found she could understand why Wang Yixuan would depart without farewell. This realization filled her with sorrow, feeling as though she had let Nan Qing down.

    Fu Han¡¯s emotions were exceptionallyplex; dealing with others¡¯ rtionship issues truly seemed more intricate than handling her own. Her own rtionship struggles, if mishandled, affected only herself; but the implications of others¡¯ rtionships were evidently much more significant, and she did not want to cause any adverse impact due to herck of caution.

    On the other side, Wang Yixuan slung his backpack over his shoulder and ced his phone in his pocket, "Nan Qing might be very upset in the next few days, please... take care of her."

    Watching Wang Yixuan step by step towards the door, Fu Han stood still in her original spot. When she heard the sound of the door opening, she could no longer hold back and dashed after him as quickly as she could.

    She caught up with him at the elevator, panting as she asked, "Are you leaving today? By train or ne? Domestic or international?"

    "Does it matter?" Wang Yixuanughed, augh tinged with unmistakable bitterness.

    "Answer me!" Fu Han raised her voice, staring intently at Wang Yixuan with bright, earnest eyes, "I know you feel A City isn¡¯t freeing enough for you, and you want to pursue your artistic creation. That¡¯s not a problem; but as Nan Qing¡¯s friend, by letting you go, I¡¯m already failing her. If I can¡¯t tell her where you¡¯re going, I can¡¯t face her."

 Chapter 676 - 677: Dare You Say You Donâ€™t Love Her?

    <h4>Chapter 676: Chapter 677: Dare You Say You Don¡¯t Love Her?</h4><h4></h4>

    Wang Yixuan looked deeply at Fu Han but said nothing.

    In the quiet corridor of the 22nd floor at Huating No.1, only the two of them stood under the dim glow of amp overhead, which enveloped their bodies but somehow failed to illuminate their cheeks.

    Fu Han¡¯s face was indistinct, yet her eyes shone exceptionally bright, "Wang Yixuan, do you dare to say you don¡¯t love Nan Qing? If you dare, then I¡¯ll let you leave!"

    For a moment, Wang Yixuan¡¯s body stiffened, like a noble tree that would never bend its proud posture, or perhaps like a body frozen solid in the cold wind.

    On the other hand, Fu Han keenly seized on Wang Yixuan¡¯s mental vulnerability, relentlessly saying, "Wang Yixuan, do you know how rare it is in this world for two hearts to yearn for each other? You can give up love for freedom, and she can give up freedom for love. Whatever choice you make, I won¡¯t interfere, but Nan Qing also has the right to make her own choices; if you want to leave I can¡¯t stop you, but Nan Qing must ask. Before you go, you must tell me where you are going, or else I will stop you until Nan Qing wakes up."

    Wang Yixuan was stunned, staring deeply at Fu Han for a long while without speaking.

    A silent standoff began to spread between them; they looked at each other, Fu Han¡¯s gaze sharp as a judge¡¯s, carrying an immense lethality; Wang Yixuan¡¯s gaze was quiet as the ocean, seemingly calm without a ripple, but underneath, a turbulent undercurrent raged, invisible to all.

    After what seemed like an eternity, a thousand waves surged in the ocean, a power so strong it felt capable of overturning the entire sea surface.

    A subtle change came over Fu Han¡¯s expression, as if she was relieved but also as if all her strength had dissipated into smoke.

    Minutester, the elevator door opened, and Wang Yixuan entered with a backpack slung over his shoulder, his expression somber; in the instant before the door closed, he waved to Fu Han.

    Fu Han also waved, her lips moving slightly, what she said was, "See you next time!"

    She only mimed the words without making a sound, but Wang Yixuan¡¯s expression visibly changed, his long eyshes fluttering but unable to hide his tearful eyes.

    The night returned to its peaceful state, leaving only Fu Han in the narrow, empty corridor, apanied only by the warm light hanging overhead and, not quite, the red numbers dancing on the lift disy to keep herpany.

    Finally, when that number turned to the first floor, the sigh Fu Han had been concealing deep in her heart escaped; it was a whisper, like that of a person oppressed for a long, long time finally finding release for their emotions.

    She stood silently in front of the elevator for roughly two minutes. Although it was nearly spring, the night was still a bit cold, and she was only wearing a thin nnel pajama set, her body soon chilled to the bone, without a hint of sensation.

    Turning around was difficult for Fu Han, as she realized her hands and feet had also gone cold.

    The door to apartment 2201 was open, like a monster lurking in the night, waiting for a lost soul to inadvertently wander in and be an easy meal.

    The room used to represent warmth and friendship to Fu Han; but now, this apartment signified a heavy responsibility, an indissoluble worry to her.

    Several times Fu Han thought about turning around and leaving, but she didn¡¯t. Since Wang Yixuan had chosen her to convey this dreadful news to Nan Qing, she would not shirk her duty.

    Fu Han walked step by step into the room, not turning on the lights but moving forward entirely by instinct, groping her way so deftly that she didn¡¯t take a single wrong step and managed to arrive back at her own room without error.

    Upon entering her room, a wave of warmth greeted her, and she felt much morefortable, the temperature in her body gradually returning.

    It was still a night ck as ink, and even with her eyes wide open, Fu Han could clearly hear Nan Qing¡¯s breathing¡ªsteady, indicating the high quality of her sleep.

    Fu Han¡¯s mouth curved into a sweet smile regardless of what tomorrow may bring; at least she should let Nan Qing have a good sleep for a few more days.

    Feeling around for the edge of the bed, she returned to her ce andy down.

    Exhausted as she was, she couldn¡¯t understand why, now that she could finally sleep, sleep eluded her.

    For the first time, Fu Han spent the entire night with her eyes wide open, lying there, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, doing nothing else, not even touching her phone.

    Staying awake until dawn was something Fu Han had only ever heard of, but now that she had actually experienced it, she truly understood the kind of emotions that made a sleepless night inevitable.

    After who knows how long, a faint light began to seep through the gaps in the curtains, signaling to Fu Han that daybreak hade. Winter mornings startte, so this meant it was not early anymore.

    Fu Han rolled over to look at Nan Qing sleeping beside her; even though her vision wasn¡¯t clear, she could still make out the contours of Nan Qing¡¯s face.

    It had to be said that Nan Qing had a very peaceful sleeping posture, barely moving all night. At that moment, shey there quietly, her pure white face like an unblemished piece of jade.

    Her long eyshes slightly curled, casting arge shadow beneath her eyelids¡ªif one looked closely, one could see a slight upturn of Nan Qing¡¯s mouth, the curve of a smile.

    A flicker of anxiety crossed Fu Han¡¯s face. She really wanted to wake Nan Qing, but as she had said, she couldn¡¯t bear to do it¡ªfor Nan Qing might never again have such a pleasant moment after awakening.

    Suddenly, Nan Qing¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. Fu Han watched her with bated breath until she finally opened her eyes.

    Seeing Fu Han, Nan Qing asked with a sleepy voice, "Fu Han, why are you up so early? Is there something you¡¯re looking at me for?"

    "Hurry up and get up. I¡¯ll talk to you on the way in the car," said Fu Han as she pulled Nan Qing out of bed and pushed her quickly into her own room, urging her to get dressed.

    Fu Han also returned to her room and began changing out of her pajamas, only then realizing that she had slept the whole night in her underwear, never feeling any difort.

    Neither Fu Han nor Nan Qing were the kind of girls who took hours to leave the house. Under Fu Han¡¯s urging that day, they were out the door in just over ten minutes, a new record for them.

    As they left, Fu Han pulled along a suitcase. Nan Qing nced at it, recognizing it as the one she usually used for traveling. Thinking that whatever belonged to her was for Fu Han to use, Nan Qing didn¡¯t bother to ask any questions.

 Chapter 677 - 678: Taking You to the Airport

    <h4>Chapter 677: Chapter 678: Taking You to the Airport</h4><h4></h4>

    Both of them directly went to the basement level one, where Fu Han quickly got Nan Qing into her own sedan.

    Her car was leaking oil, and when He Xing found out, he immediately instructed Liang Tao to deal with it. Yesterday, when Fu Han returned to thepany from the skating rink, she had already received a call from the 4S shop that her car was repaired.

    Nan Qing sat in the passenger seat, barely fastening her seatbelt, when Fu Han started the car, moving at an extremely high speed. If Nan Qing had been any slower, she might have had an intimate encounter between her forehead and the car frame the moment Fu Han started the car.

    Fortunately, it was not the peak hour for going to work, and after waiting for two traffic lights, Fu Han smoothly got onto the elevated highway.

    Once on the highway, unless there were unexpected circumstances, there would unlikely be traffic jams. Fu Han nced at the time, and finally, a tense heart was able to rx.

    Meanwhile, Nan Qing finally came back to her senses and began to ponder the unusual behavior of Fu Han today. However, after thinking it over, she still waspletely clueless. She didn¡¯t even know where Fu Han was going; she had just followed Fu Han into the car out of an instinctive trust in her.

    But she could tell that Fu Han was in a bad mood, and since Fu Han wasn¡¯t talking, she didn¡¯t either, just sitting quietly in the passenger seat, her eyes fixed on the window, admiring the morning of City A.

    There weren¡¯t many cars on the elevated highway, but it was far from a continuous stream.

    The sunlight shone in through the window on the driver¡¯s side, making Fu Han¡¯s fair and clean face look especially beautiful in the sunlight, a sacred and invible beauty that involuntarily gave one an inferiorityplex.

    Nan Qing couldn¡¯t help but think that if she were a man, she would like Fu Han too. After all, Fu Han truly had charm inside and out, unlike her, who mored for independence all day yet only knew how to spend her parents¡¯ money.

    She remembered that just a few days ago, her parents were discussing Fu Han at home, saying that thepany she and Su Cheng ran now had great prospects for development, with several investment banks interested in investing.

    Regrettably, Fu Han and Su Cheng turned them down; they had their own ideas and believed they could reach the heights of their ambitions with their own efforts.

    In the distance on the road, trams raced by; cars became more numerous; asionally, motorcycles would zip along with them. Even though these were bulky vehicles, they seemed so small from here, giving one the feeling that they could be crushed by a single finger.

    As Nan Qing¡¯s mind wandered, Fu Han suddenly spoke, "Nan Qing, I have something to tell you, but time is limited so I¡¯ll make it short."

    Right away, Fu Han selectively shared with Nan Qing what Wang Yixuan had told herst night. In essence, the main point was that Wang Yixuan disliked being tied down and wanted to continue pursuing his yet unfulfilled dreams.

    Fu Han feared that being distracted could lead to another car ident tragedy, so her eyes were fixed on the road ahead. She couldn¡¯t see Nan Qing¡¯s reaction, but she could clearly feel the change in Nan Qing¡¯s emotions.

    Although Fu Han had anticipated that Nan Qing would be very upset, she still felt sad along with her.

    She truly could understand Nan Qing¡¯s feelings, after all, Wang Yixuan had talked about "forever" just the previous night, yet who knew that he would leave so resolutely in the middle of the night?

    Who could ept that, let alone a mother who had just lost the child in her womb?

    Fu Han steadied her nerves and with a hint of apology said, "I can¡¯t keep Wang Yixuan, but I asked for his destination, confirmed his flight information, and booked a flight for you to the same destination on a different flight. The ne will take off in an hour, your luggage is in the trunk; whether to go after Wang Yixuan or not, you decide."

    "So that¡¯s my luggage?" Nan Qing was somewhat surprised; she previously thought that Fu Han needed to use her own suitcase for a trip, but now...

    At that moment, there was an unspeakable sorrow in Nan Qing¡¯s heart, but amidst that boundless grief, a touch of warmth seeped in, allowing her finally to consider the problem from a different angle.

    Nan Qing leaned back slightly in her seat, her eyes fixed on the window, and spoke coldly, "But... but do you really think I should go after Wang Yixuan? I feel a bit tired."

    This was still the oue Fu Han had anticipated. She spoke calmly, "I can¡¯t make the decision for you; I can only give you one more choice. The flight in an hour is thest one today. Whether to go after him or not is up to you!"

    Nan Qing¡¯s expression underwent a huge change, biting her lip and falling silent without a word.

    Fu Han knew she was pondering the issue and didn¡¯t pressure Nan Qing, simply pressing the gas pedal harder, swiftly heading towards the airport.

    Even though it was early, the airport was notcking in people. Some were returning from overseas trips, with family picking them up; others were leaving the country again aftering home for the Spring Festival.

    Those whoe to the airport to pick up are greeted with a reunion of the whole family; those whoe to send off are faced with an inevitable separation.

    Fu Han parked her car in the underground parking lot, got out of the car, took out the luggage from the trunk, and then walked with Nan Qing towards the elevator.

    At the ticket collection point, Fu Han said to Nan Qing, "It¡¯s okay if you haven¡¯t made your final decision yet, but let¡¯s collect the ticket first, then we can talk about everything else."

    Nan Qing nodded woodenly, only knowing to follow Fu Han step by step, getting her ID card when she was told to, her visa when needed.

    Now she remembered that when she was about to leave the house, Fu Han had specifically asked if she had taken her ID card and visa. She waspletely influenced by Fu Han¡¯s urgency at the time and didn¡¯t think about why she needed a visa.

    When the ticket was printed out, Fu Han let out a long sigh of relief; her drive today had been exceptionally smooth, and now they still had nearly half an hour before the ne¡¯s departure, enough time to chat.

    Fu Han found a ce with Nan Qing to sit down, patted her shoulder and said, "Now if you want to cry orin, you can say it, I¡¯ll listen."

    Although a simple sentence, tears flowed out of Nan Qing¡¯s eyes. She looked at Fu Han with eyes brimming with moisture, "Why, why did he have to leave?"

    Fu Han had anticipated this question. She had thought it over alone in the darkness of the previous night, and now all she had to do was to state the answer as objectively as possible.

    She spoke as calmly as she could, "I think in the end, it¡¯s because both you and Wang Yixuan don¡¯t know each other deeply enough. You have only been together for a few months since you met and became a couple. Even from this moment, it hasn¡¯t been a year since you¡¯ve known each other; perhaps Wang Yixuan feels that marriage would cause him to lose himself, so he wants to start over and think about what he¡¯s really pursuing."

 Chapter 678 - 680: A Wonderful Breakfast

    <h4>Chapter 678: Chapter 680: A Wonderful Breakfast</h4><h4></h4>

    The weather today seems very warm; Fu Han stepped out without checking the weather report and donned a short, fruit-green down jacket at random, only to feel a bit hot at this moment.

    She unzipped her jacket upon exiting the elevator, revealing a simple-designed, beige knit sweater underneath with nothing but a row of tiny pearls adorning the cor.

    Fu Han doesn¡¯t like shy clothes; the only reason she likes this sweater is because it¡¯s of good quality andfortable to wear.

    Along the way, she encountered many staff members, each of whom greeted Fu Han energetically, and many actively mentioned that He Xing was waiting for her in the office.

    Everyone working at Cheng Yihan knew about the rtionship between Fu Han and He Xing, and of course, they were also aware of their boss, Su Cheng¡¯s fondness for Fu Han.

    With a smile for everyone who greeted her, Fu Han¡¯s mood improved the closer she got to the office, feeling as if with every step she took, she moved one step closer to happiness.

    The door to her office was open; she was eager to enter, but upon reaching the doorway, she suddenly stopped. She found herself wanting to know what He Xing did when she wasn¡¯t around.

    Peeking her head around the door, Fu Han immediately spotted He Xing sitting on the sofa, his head bowed as he fiddled with his phone, seemingly engrossed in something.

    His fringe slightly drooped, with a few strands of hair resting on his long eyshes, making his already thickshes seem like a mini fan.

    Golden light streamed through the window, illuminating He Xing¡¯s face, where a circle of faint fuzz refracted the light, as if the glow emanated from within his cheeks.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart softened instantly, her lips curling into a smile, her mood turning yful. She suddenly wanted to find out what He Xing normally did on his phone¡ªwas he reading news or chatting with someone?

    She tiptoed, leaning against the door frame to get a better look, but all she saw was He Xing staring at a photograph they had just taken together¡ªtheir cars parked side by side.

    It was truly a casually taken photograph by Fu Han, meant simply to share with He Xing; professionally speaking, the technique used in this shot did not do justice to her status as a photographer; indeed, one could say the photo was unworthy of her title.

    The only praise that could be given to the photograph might be that the pink and ck hues matched well¡ªnothing more.

    However, no matter what, the fact that He Xing liked her photograph was something that delighted Fu Han.

    She rapped her knuckles gently on the door, an action so crisp, it was like the ringing of a school bell.

    He Xing quickly looked back, his eyes as cold as winter starsnding on Fu Han¡¯s face, and a smile began to spread across his face, coloring it as if paint on a canvas.

    "Xiaohan, you¡¯re back?"

    While speaking, He Xing already stood up, walked over to Fu Han, and naturally took her hand, leading her back to the sofa.

    Today, Fu Han was unusuallypliant, sitting obediently next to He Xing and curiously asking, "Why did youe over today?"

    "I didn¡¯t bring you breakfast yesterday, so I came to make up for it today," He Xing said with a smile, pointing to the table Fu Han used to brew coffee and tea. "If you hadn¡¯te soon, this all would have gotten cold."

    A few minutester, He Xing had opened all the breakfast he brought, and the rich aroma of food started to fill the office, bing ever so inviting.

    Fu Han¡¯s stomach considerately growled then, and it was only at that moment she realized she was already quite hungry.

    That¡¯s not surprising, considering she hadn¡¯t slept at allst night; on top of helping Nan Qing pack, she had also been pondering the situation between Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan¡ªstaying awake indeed drains more energy than sleeping.

    Especially since she had driven Nan Qing to the airport early in the morning. The round trip took over an hour. She rarely drove, andbined with theck of sleep, it had been quite exhausting for her.

    Fu Han said "thank you" and picked up a small bowl, immediately snatching a Crab Bun and dipping it into the sauce before taking a bite. With the bun still in her mouth, she mumbled unintelligibly, "This is delicious, where did you buy them?"

    "I didn¡¯t buy them; Auntie from home made them," He Xing said, doting as he looked at her, his eyes tender as if dripping with moisture. "Our family changed chefs recently, didn¡¯t we? She used to be a head chef at a five-star hotel. How do you think her cooking is?"

    "Much tastier than the previous auntie," Fu Han said with a cocked head and an especially cute smile. "Thinking about it now, why did we let that auntie cook for us for so many years?"

    He Xing was amused by herment, curving his finger to scrape yfully at Fu Han¡¯s delicate nose, his face showing deep affection. "It¡¯s all because of you. Every time the cook asked if you liked the food, you always said it was tasty."

    Fu Han was in the midst of battling her second Crab Bun when she heard this and suddenly felt the Crab Bun in her mouth wasn¡¯t as delicious as before.

    She gave He Xing an exasperated look. "Can you me me? When she asked, could I say it wasn¡¯t tasty? Besides, I genuinely thought the vor was eptable."

    "You¡¯re just too kind-hearted," He Xing said as he ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair, cing another Crab Bun in her small bowl, coaxing her like a child, "Eat up, or it¡¯ll get cold."

    Fu Han smiled, bowed her head slightly, one hand holding back her hair to avoid touching the food, the other delicately holding her chopsticks, and she began eating again, bite by bite.

    The Crab Bun was indeed one of her favorites since she was young; she is a person of longstanding affections, and her love for certain foods hardly changes.

    The variety of dishes the previous cook made wasn¡¯t as extensive as that of the current one, but her attitude was quite earnest, and she was very dedicated to her cooking. Although the former cook¡¯s Crab Buns weren¡¯t as tasty as those from specialized shops, they were nevertheless decent, and eating them once a week, Fu Han never found them tiresome.

    Perhaps it was for this reason that everyone in the He Family knew that Fu Han¡¯s favorite breakfast was the Crab Bun, and today¡¯s selection was prepared by the chef under He Xing¡¯s direction.

    He Xing had brought a four-tier insted box, with eachyer containing three small, cute Crab Buns, like ingots hidden inside a box.

    The characteristic of homemade Crab Buns is having thin skins and ample filling, seasoned ording to one¡¯s personal taste.

    The Crab Buns made by the new chef at the He Family were just that, tailored entirely to Fu Han¡¯s pte. After one bite, she longed for another, eating continuously without feeling scarce.

    When thestyer of Crab Buns was finished, Fu Han still smacked her lips with lingering satisfaction.

    Seeing her like this made He Xing¡¯s heart melt; he wrapped his arms around Fu Han, asking in an extremely gentle voice, "Xiaohan, are you full now?"

 Chapter 679 - 681: Things Will Naturally Come Together When Conditions Are Met

    <h4>Chapter 679: Chapter 681: Things Will Naturally Come Together When Conditions Are Met</h4><h4></h4>

    "I¡¯m full." Fu Han leaned on He Xing¡¯s shoulder, her beautiful face disying an undisguised affection for him, just as her heart felt.

    He Xing touched Fu Han¡¯s cheek, encouraging her like a child, "Our Xiaohan is amazing. You ate a lot today, next time you need to keep up the good work and eat even more."

    "Cough cough..." Fu Han, with a soymilk straw in her mouth, choked on his remark; she nearly coughed herself to death and even brought tears to her eyes.

    "Drink slowly." He Xing immediately grew anxious, patting Fu Han¡¯s back up and down, but his so-called patting was no different from tickling and was no help at all for Fu Han¡¯s cough, which she eventually got under control on her own.

    Finally stopping her cough, Fu Han mmed the soymilk cup onto the table with a "pop," her hands on her hips as she looked angrily at He Xing, "Are you raising me like a pig?"

    "Not yet." He Xing stroked his chin with a meaningful look, "But your suggestion isn¡¯t bad; it¡¯s indeed worth considering."

    "What did you say?" Fu Han¡¯s hand shot out like lightning, grabbing He Xing¡¯s waist. She said triumphantly, "Hmph, I think you want me to gain weight because you¡¯ve put on some yourself."

    "Who¡¯s gained weight?" He Xing¡¯s face grew dark as he looked at Fu Han expressionlessly, saying word by word, "You¡¯re going to pay for your words!"

    "I¡¯m not scared!" Fu Han rubbed her arms, but there wasn¡¯t a trace of fear on her beautiful face as she yfully stuck out her tongue, "I¡¯m not afraid. Winter is the time to gain weight. It can¡¯t be just me getting fatter; you have to, too."

    Those favored are fearless, and in this world, probably only Fu Han dared call He Xing fat because He Xing¡¯s father always nagged that He Xing was too thin and told him to eat more.

    She was inwardly smug, thinking she would finally see He Xing angry yet powerless against her. The mere thought was distressing, let alone that she had orchestrated it.

    But before she could rejoice, the world spun, her feet left the ground, and by the time she recovered, she was lying on the sofa.

    Fu Han realized things were not good, struggling to flee, but would He Xing give her the chance?

    He held down Fu Han¡¯s hands to stop her from moving, while he himself was already pressing down on her.

    "You say I¡¯ve gained weight?" He Xing¡¯s voice suddenly became deep, his Adam¡¯s apple moving unsteadily, and in his usually expressionless eyes, there was a swirling darkness, as if it could swallow everything in the world.

    Fu Han already felt the change in He Xing¡¯s body, and she definitely didn¡¯t want to roll in the sheets with He Xing in broad daylight in the office. Besides the thrill, there was no benefit, and she was most afraid of thrills, especially when the thrill in front of her was enormous.

    While she struggled vigorously, her hands pressing against He Xing¡¯s chest, her beautiful face flushed red from congestion, "You... move away, this is thepany, you can¡¯t mess around."

    "Xiaohan, don¡¯t move." The pain in He Xing¡¯s face was apparent as he frowned, looking down at Fu Han, "Do you want to be a widow from now on?"

    Although Fu Han hadn¡¯t truly done anything with He Xing, during Spring Festival, whether in the hospital or at home, they both slept together. How could she not understand the changes in He Xing¡¯s body?

    She was truly scared andy quietly on the sofa, her expressive eyes full of concern, "Are you... okay?"

    "It hurts, I might need to lie down." He Xing continued to speak as he leaned down.

    As the distance between them closed, Fu Han¡¯s heartbeat pounded like a drum. She had many impulses to dodge, but she also knew that the spot was crucial for a man - a real problem there was irreversible.

    Watching his face loomrger in front of her, her heart in chaos, she hurriedly closed her eyes, not daring to look at He Xing again. But if she had opened her eyes, she would have seen the cunning in He Xing¡¯s eyes and the smile of a sessful scheme.

    As expected, a gentle kissnded. At first, Fu Han was genuinely scared stiff and dared not move.

    But He Xing was not in a hurry at all, his kisses were like a gentle breeze and soft rain, tenderly melting away all the fear in Fu Han¡¯s heart.

    He Xing was really good at kissing; his kisses deepened gradually. Initially, he kissed Fu Han¡¯s thin lips repeatedly, then he pried her lips open with his tongue, again and again kissing her tightly closed teeth;

    Meanwhile, his hand was stirring up the fire on Fu Han¡¯s body; even the most determined mind might surrender, especially since He Xing had always been Fu Han¡¯s exception.

    Fu Han¡¯s tightly clenched lips finally parted slightly, and He Xing¡¯s tongue slipped in like a fish.

    As their lips and teeth intertwined, Fu Han felt as if she had eaten honey, fully aware of the sweetness causing her to lose her teeth, yet her mind couldn¡¯t control her emotions, she just wanted to sink deeper and deeper without end.

    She distinctly felt her shoulder¡¯s clothing slip down, exposing her shoulder to the air, the coolness biting at her skin.

    Fu Han knew what would happen next, yet she couldn¡¯t control herself, having barely slept the night before and now bing increasingly groggy.

    She only knew to cling tightly to He Xing¡¯s neck,pletely unaware that his shoulders were also exposed to the air.

    "Cold!" Fu Han called out softly, curling up and rolling into He Xing¡¯s embrace.

    A simple movement and He Xing¡¯s breathing suddenly quickened. His kissing became violently intense, as if he wanted to bite through Fu Han¡¯s lips in his conquest.

    He pressed down on Fu Han with one hand to keep her from rising and freed his other hand to undo his belt.

    The sound of the belt buckle was crisp and pleasant. Fu Han¡¯s mind cleared slightly, but this little bit of rity made her anticipating even more what was toe.

    However, perhaps because He Xing had never unbuckled a belt single-handedly before, he tried several times today but failed to seed.

    Fu Han propped herself up on the sofa, sitting up slightly and said unclearly, "Let me help you."

    Yet just as He Xing managed to say "Okay," the sound of knocking resonated.

    The sound was like a bucket of cold water being dumped over her. Fu Han¡¯s consciousness recovered significantly, and she finally opened her eyes to see He Xing¡¯s bare upper body, her cheeks flushing red.

 Chapter 680 - 682: Someone Knocked at the Door

    <h4>Chapter 680: Chapter 682: Someone Knocked at the Door</h4><h4></h4>

    Her face flushed, she whispered, "Someone... Someone is knocking outside."

    At this moment, Fu Han felt incredibly grateful that she had locked the door behind her when she entered. She swore to heaven that locking the door was not because she had anticipated things would evolve into the current situation.

    She locked the door simply because her office was right where the staff worked, and she didn¡¯t want to keep it open to satisfy their curious minds. Usually, she just left it slightly ajar.

    But who would have thought that such an unintentional act would save her this time; otherwise, had the person knocking been able to burst in, she wouldn¡¯t have the face to stay at thispany any longer.

    "Damn it!" Anger surged like gigantic waves in He Xing¡¯s eyes; if looks could kill, the person knocking outside would have died bleeding from all orifices by now.

    Fu Han, already filled with shyness, couldn¡¯t help but burst into a giggle upon hearing this and said in a good mood, "Why angry? What¡¯s meant to be yours will always be yours."

    Once the words escaped her lips, she regretted them. What kind of inappropriatenguage was that? She wished she could find a hole to crawl into from embarrassment.

    For the first time in her life, she truly understood what it meant to be utterly mortified, especially with He Xing looking at her with appreciation - that was more unbearable than if she¡¯d been killed.

    A smile gradually appeared on He Xing¡¯s face. Ignoring the knockings that grew more intense by the moment, he nted a forceful kiss on Fu Han¡¯s smooth and slender neck until she let out a pained moan.

    Finally, He Xing sat up. With a long reach, he hooked his arm around Fu Han¡¯s bare waist and effortlessly lifted her.

    "Turn around, I need to get dressed," Fu Han covered her chest in a hurry, her face ame with a blush so deep it could bleed.

    "What are you afraid of? I¡¯ve seen everything I should and shouldn¡¯t have," He Xing said as he turned away, his face reddening with an unnameable blush and his movements betraying an unmistakable air of urgency.

    Fu Han hurriedly dressed while stealthily eyeing He Xing¡¯s back. Alright, her heart was mortified, but she couldn¡¯t control her own actions.

    The muscles on He Xing¡¯s back were as smooth as jade, carrying a warm, velvety quality. His shoulder des were clearly defined, resembling angel wings hidden behind his back.

    As a qualified and somewhat renowned photographer, Fu Han had a good eye for beauty.

    But even with the most critical gaze, she couldn¡¯t find a single w in He Xing¡¯s physique. His broad shoulders, narrow waist, and lean back without an ounce of excess flesh could rightly be described as a work of art.

    An evil thought crossed Fu Han¡¯s mind - if He Xing could model for her, she could make him famous in one shot.

    However, that thought was fleeting, as she suddenly remembered that He Xing¡¯s online poprity was higher than the average celebrity¡¯s; he had no need for more fame.

    Once both were fully clothed, He Xing stood up to answer the door.

    Standing outside was Fu Han¡¯s assistant, Zhao Ting. She usually gave a symbolic knock on Fu Han¡¯s office door and instantly entered after hearing "Come in."

    But today, after knocking for quite some time without a response, Zhao Ting, who had arrivedte for work and didn¡¯t know He Xing was inside, thought something might have happened in the office, which prompted the increasingly louder knocks.

    Eventually, it was Fu Han¡¯s voice that made her pause and wait quietly outside.

    At this moment, Zhao Ting was stunned to see He Xing open the door and finally understood why her coworkers had been looking at her with such interest.

    Zhao Ting¡¯s face turned thoroughly red. She nced at He Xing¡¯s stony expression and immediately realized that her timing couldn¡¯t have been worse. She bravely greeted, "Good morning, Mr. He."

    He Xing grunted in response and unexpectedly threw out, "Are you and Liang Tao currently dating?"

    "I..." Zhao Ting, already frightened by He Xing, needed a moment to process his words before quickly nodding, "Yes... we are dating."

    "Good." He Xing nodded again, a fleeting coldness in his eyes: "Then please inform Liang Tao that his rest day this weekend is canceled. He is to work overtime at thepany."

    "Huh?" Overwhelmed by shock, Zhao Ting forgot her fear, looking up at He Xing with confusion, suspecting she had misheard.

    Unfortunately for her, He Xing had already turned his attention away from Zhao Ting and back to Fu Han, who now sat at her desk with a sereneposure, as if nothing had happened.

    He Xing coughed lightly with a fist before his mouth, "Ahem, Xiaohan, I¡¯ll pick you up after work to go home."

    Fu Han, who was merely feigningposure, nodded absent-mindedly,pletely missing what He Xing said until his figure disappeared from her sight, which was when she finally snapped back to reality.

    Zhao Ting, holding a thick stack of documents, edged closer and spoke quietly, "Ms. Fu, this is the contract for the second part of ¡¯Yearning to Return.¡¯ They need the signed copy back today. Would you like to review it?"

    Contracts for film and television were quite extensive, and most people would consult awyer to check for any potential legal loopholes they might contain.

    However, considering it was from the He Group, Fu Han felt it was entirely unnecessary to spend money on awyer to review it, as she believed He Xing would never harm her.

    Fu Han opened the safe, took out the official seal, and signed and sealed the document in one go. Handing the document back to Zhao Ting, her face regained the usual calm of working hours, "Send the scanned copy to the He Group, and if they confirm there are no issues, then deliver the contract."

    "Got it, Ms. Fu." Zhao Ting had turned to leave, but then stopped and turned back, uncertainly asking, "Mr. He, has there been a problem with Liang Tao¡¯s work attitude recently?"

    "Why do you ask?" Fu Han¡¯s eyes were pinned on a newly opened email, her voice slightly lowered as she spoke, revealing a small portion of her delicate neck.

    Zhao Ting, with a blush, mustered her courage, "Because Mr. He just mentioned that Liang Tao needs to work overtime this weekend, so I assume it¡¯s due to unfinished work during the week."

    Thement sessfully rattled theposure Fu Han had worked hard to maintain. She hastily said, "No... that¡¯s not it... I... even I¡¯m not sure. Maybe... you should ask Liang Tao himself."

    Of course, she knew this was just He Xing¡¯s petty retaliation; he was upset Zhao Ting¡¯s interruption had disrupted them, so he took it out on Liang Tao. But how could she admit that?

 Chapter 681 - 683: Strawberry on the Neck

    <h4>Chapter 681: Chapter 683: Strawberry on the Neck</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhao Ting nodded and didn¡¯t ask further questions. After saying goodbye, she headed towards the door, and as she walked, she looked back again.

    This time, Fu Han didn¡¯t rush to lower her head to work. Instead, unusually for her, she watched Zhao Ting leave. Thus, when Zhao Ting looked back unexpectedly, the two made eye contact without any preparation.

    Zhao Ting¡¯s face turned red, and her beautiful eyes revealed an undeniable panic. Her lips trembled as she struggled to speak, "Mr. Fu... It might be better to cover your neck with some concealer."

    After uttering these words, Zhao Ting fled as if escaping and thoughtfully closed the door for Fu Han on her way out.

    Fu Han touched her neck for a long while without realizing what was wrong until she went to the restroom and looked in the mirror. Only then did she finally understand how embarrassing her situation was.

    It turned out that thest kiss from He Xing left a very clear strawberry mark on Fu Han¡¯s neck, and it was so close to her earlobe that her sweater¡¯s slight cor couldn¡¯t cover it at all.

    Thinking of He Xing¡¯s childish behavior, Fu Han felt both amused and annoyed, hurriedly took out her concealer, and carefully applied it. However, such an obvious red mark wasn¡¯t something you could simply cover up if you wanted to.

    ...

    He Xing had just set foot out of Fu Han¡¯spany building when he received a call from Xia Ning.

    As soon as the call connected, Xia Ning¡¯s characteristically coquettish voice came through, "He Xing brother, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯de to see me today and bring me breakfast? Why haven¡¯t you arrived yet? I¡¯m so hungry."

    He Xing¡¯s handsome face showed no expression as he replied in his usual indifferent tone, "If you¡¯re hungry, ask the nurse to buy you breakfast. I¡¯lle over in a while."

    "No, I don¡¯t want breakfast bought by someone else," Xia Ning immediately protested, her voice bing as sharp as if someone was cutting ss with a rusty knife.

    He Xing furrowed his brow and said icily, "In that case, just wait."

    Today was the day for Xia Ning¡¯s medical examination, and although He Xing didn¡¯t say much, he was very concerned about Xia Ning¡¯s amnesia.

    He had researched and found that indeed, some people could develop amnesia after a severe shock, although they were a minority. Furthermore, Xia Ning¡¯s amnesia was truly troublesome. Since the amnesia, she had been fearful of her father, which meant He Xing had to spend more time than usual with her.

    Liang Tao had already been waiting for He Xing at the Inpatient Department¡¯s entrance. As he approached, Liang Tao immediately greeted him, "Mr. He, the breakfast is ready for you."

    He Xing casually received the breakfast and walked towards the elevator without stopping.

    Liang Tao hesitated for a moment but mustered the courage to follow. It was already past the early hours, and the elevator was nearly empty except for them and an elderly person carrying a thermal lunch box.

    Liang Tao nced around with his small eyes and then hesitantly started, "Mr. He... I heard that you asked me to work overtime this weekend. What are the tasks you have arranged for me?"

    His question seeded in snapping He Xing back to the unpleasant experience earlier that morning. His expressionless eyes swept over Liang Tao, "Are you socking responsibility? If I don¡¯t assign work to you, won¡¯t you know what to do?"

    The sweep of those eyes sent chills down Liang Tao¡¯s spine, and he instinctively shrank his neck, wanting to flee the elevator.

    But a few secondster, he risked another query, "Um... Mr. He, did you suffer any upset this morning? Did someone offend you?"

    Liang Tao wondered if someone had offended He Xing, why else would he suddenly have Zhao Ting and himself work overtime on the weekend?

    A sh of realization struck Liang Tao, and he pieced together the disjointed hints from Zhao Ting with He Xing¡¯s reaction.

    He spoke before He Xing could answer, "Mr. He, is it possible that Zhao Ting has upset you by being thoughtless? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll talk to her sternly when I get back today. I guarantee such an incident won¡¯t happen again."

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly as he looked at Liang Tao with a meaningful gaze, "Then you should focus on this matter this weekend. If it isn¡¯t resolved satisfactorily, you won¡¯t get any rest for the next two weeks."

    It wasn¡¯t until the elevator doors opened that Liang Tao realized what He Xing had said. Overwhelmed with joy, he excitedly punched the wall¡ªhis weekend overtime was canceled, and how could he not be thrilled?

    He Xing carried the breakfast he had bought for Xia Ning and headed towards her Ward. Just as he was about to reach Xia Ning¡¯s Ward door, he suddenly noticed a figure flitting past the emergency staircase, a figure that seemed oddly familiar.

    A glint of cold light shed in his eyes but quickly faded away.

    Xia Ning burst into joy at the sight of He Xing, jumping up and cheering as she ran towards him, "He Xing brother, you¡¯ve finally arrived. I¡¯ve missed you so much."

    Although the previous Xia Ning spoke in a cutesy way, she didn¡¯t hang onto phrases like "I miss you" or "I like you" as if they were slogans, nor would she throw herself at He Xing at the drop of a hat as she did now.

    He Xing deftly dodged to the side and said coldly, "Stay there, don¡¯t move around, and speak properly."

    "Okay." Xia Ning obediently stopped and put on an exceedingly pitiful face, "He Xing brother, I just missed you."

    He Xing¡¯s eyebrow twitched as he replied coldly, "Didn¡¯t you say you were hungry? Hurry up and eat."

    "Thank you, He Xing brother," said Xia Ning happily as she took the breakfast.

    After opening the breakfast box, she spun her eyes and said with a mischievous smile, "He Xing brother, my hand still hurts and has no strength. Could you feed me, please?"

    "No," He Xing replied self-absorbedly as he sat on a single sofa. He began to take aptop out of his briefcase and said expressionlessly, "What strength do you need to eat? You seemed lively enough just now. If you don¡¯t want to eat, throw it in the bin. I¡¯m definitely not going to feed you."

    He Xing opened hisptop and couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, both of them women, why is Fu Han so independent that he wants to feed her yet can¡¯t, whereas Xia Ning is so delicate as if she can¡¯t take care of herself? She¡¯s selectively amnesiac, not handicapped.

    While eating her food, Xia Ning eyed He Xing, who looked as consistently handsome as ever, even more attractive than usual. His face bore a hint of cosmetics.

    Previously, He Xing never gave off the impression he was wearing makeup. Xia Ning scrutinized his face, puzzled, until finally, she noticed something off.

 Chapter 682 - 684: Making Me Lose Face

    <h4>Chapter 682: Chapter 684: Making Me Lose Face</h4><h4></h4>

    She left her half-finished breakfast and, pointing at He Xing¡¯s lips, asked, "He Xing, did you put on lipstick this morning?"

    He Xing was dealing with an email, and Xia Ning¡¯s words were not enough to make him look away. Without even blinking, he said, "No, I never wear makeup."

    A strange feeling rose in Xia Ning¡¯s heart. She pointed at the corner of He Xing¡¯s mouth and said, "But there¡¯s clearly lipstick on your lips. If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look for yourself."

    He Xing casually took a tissue and wiped his lips, and indeed, there was a red lipstick stain on the pale tissue. He thought for a moment and thenughed, "This is Fu Han¡¯s lipstick; it must have transferred onto my lips."

    Anyone with a functioning brain could understand what that meant, and Xia Ning was no exception. In fact, she had already guessed what was going on before she had even asked the second question.

    But that¡¯s just how people are, always needing to hit the south wall; not turning back until they hit it, and even then, many still won¡¯t turn back after the collision.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face froze with a rigid smile, like a movie paused at the brightest moment of herughter, making her smile look like a joke.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze lightly swept over Xia Ning, as if he hadn¡¯t seen her stiff expression. He remained calm as he continued to work, his fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard.

    Next to him, Xia Ning opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately swallowed her words. She feared that speaking up might only bring more sorrowful news.

    Sometimes ying the ostrich isn¡¯t so bad; if you bury your head in the sand, you can pretend danger hasn¡¯t arrived.

    She picked up her chopsticks again and started eating breakfast. She had sent He Xing many messages and made numerous phone calls the day before until he finally agreed to bring her breakfast.

    Though she initially thought the breakfast was delicious, now it tasted like wax to her, and she couldn¡¯t eat another bite.

    Eventually, she sat silently on the long sofa opposite He Xing, holding her breakfast. She wasn¡¯t actually eating, but was using it as an excuse to brazenly observe him.

    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when a knock on the door sounded.

    Liang Tao stood at the door, extremely respectful, and said, "Mr. He, the medical examination has been arranged. We can take Lady Xia Ning for her examination now."

    "Okay," He Xing finally took his eyes off theputer and calmly looked at Xia Ning, "Would you mind if Liang Tao apanies you to the examination?"

    It was only in such circumstances that He Xing would adopt a consultative tone with Xia Ning because he had personally promised to apany her to the examination.

    ¡¯Give up while ahead¡¯ and ¡¯retreat tactfully¡¯ were not phrases found in Xia Ning¡¯s dictionary; she only knew how to add fuel to the fire.

    Tears quickly gathered in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes as she looked at He Xing with them brimming, "But, He Xing, I¡¯m scared; I dare not lie there alone in the examination room."

    He Xing sighed and closed hisptop, with a touch of helplessness he said, "Fine, I¡¯ll apany you to the examination. Happy now?"

    Xia Ning immediately cheered up, the tears in her eyes vanished without a trace, nowhere was the pitiful look from before.

    Unlike the day Xia Ning had been brought in for a rushed suicide attempt, today¡¯s examination for Xia Ning was performed by experts invited by He Xing. After the examination, they would hold a small meeting to discuss her condition.

    In reality, He Xing¡¯s idea of apanying Xia Ning was simply waiting for her in the hallway outside one examination room after another because he was not allowed to go inside.

    He Xing was usually very busy during workdays, but he couldn¡¯t work today and felt that handling work on his phone was too slow. He simply chatted with Fu Han instead.

    "You made me lose face today," He Xing messaged Fu Han, then sent a photo of the tissue with lipstick. "Look, your lipstick ended up on my lips."

    Fu Han replied quickly, "The nerve of you, trying to shift the me. Take a look at my neck," she retorted.

    Along with this message came a picture: a delicate jawline, cute ears, a pale neck, and a conspicuous strawberry mark on it.

    This was He Xing¡¯s handiwork; he knew it when he was leaving that mark.

    His smile grew wider, and in a great mood, he sent a message back, "Did you find this yourself, or was it Zhao Ting?"

    "Of course, it was Zhao Ting." Through the screen, He Xing could almost feel Fu Han¡¯s anger. Her second message followed swiftly, "Do you have any idea how embarrassed I am? I¡¯m telling you, if you do this again, I¡¯ll definitely get back at you."

    He Xing couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud as he typed one letter at a time, "Sure, I¡¯d wee you giving me strawberry marks; the more, the better."

    This statement vanished without a trace, eliciting no response.

    A vivid scene from that morning appeared in He Xing¡¯s mind; Fu Han¡¯s skin was smoother than the finest silk, a touch that felt better than anything else he had ever felt.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, he sent another message, "Alright, Xiaohan, if you don¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t leave any strawberry marks next time. I believe I¡¯ve achieved my goal this time."

    He Xing¡¯s goal was clear: it was to assert his dominance. It wasn¡¯t just Zhao Ting who would notice the strawberry mark on Fu Han¡¯s neck; others would too, and naturally, people would assume it was from He Xing, leading to spection about what they had been doing behind closed doors in the office.

    This would ensure that in the future, when He Xing went to see Fu Han, he believed that even if the staff had the audacity, they would not dare to interrupt like Zhao Ting did that day.

    And¡ªHe Xing nced sideways at Liang Tao¡ªhis assistant was first-rate at reading the room. He Xing had made his purpose clear again today, and Liang Tao certainly understood his objective.

    The more He Xing thought about it, the better his mood became. Pleased with himself, he found Xia Ning much more pleasant to look at than before.

    Taking advantage of He Xing¡¯s good mood, Xia Ning seized the opportunity to invite him to lunch.

    Considering the examination results would be out in the afternoon and not wanting to shuttle back and forth, He Xing epted Xia Ning¡¯s invitation to have lunch together.

    However, in order not to give Fu Han the wrong idea, he not only asked Liang Tao to join them for lunch but also reported the arrangement to Fu Han in advance.

    Originally, He Xing had wanted to have lunch with Fu Han, but during their chat earlier, she had already mentioned having guests and needing to dine with them. Their conversation had also been cut short because of the arrival of these guests.

    This meal was the most rxed one He Xing had had for a while, with his good spirits tranting into a hearty appetite. Liang Tao also enjoyed the meal¡ªas a young man, although Xia Ning¡¯s murderous looks made him feel somewhat ufortable, his thick skin allowed him to eat happily nheless.

 Chapter 683 - 685: A Not So Romantic Lunch

    <h4>Chapter 683: Chapter 685: A Not So Romantic Lunch</h4><h4></h4>

    But Xia Ning¡¯s mood was far from good. The romantic lunch for two she had been looking forward to sincest night had turned into a breakfast for three. How could she be happy?

    To get ready for this lunch, she had woken up early in the morning to do her makeup, and was even touching up right before leaving. Little did she know, Liang Tao was already sitting in the passenger seat when she got into the car; it was He Xing¡¯s one-sided decision to invite Liang Tao to join them for a meal, and he hadn¡¯t informed Xia Ning in advance.

    For a moment, Xia Ning felt like she didn¡¯t want to go to lunch at all, but this thoughtsted for less than a second. In the end, she obediently got in the car.

    She thought it through clearly. Even with Liang Tao being there, it was still better than having lunch without He Xing; at least she could lift her head and see He Xing.

    But wishful thinking was plush, and reality was bony.

    During the meal, He Xing either remained silent or discussed work with Liang Tao.

    They were serious when talking about work, and Xia Ning, wanting to interject but not knowing what to say, couldn¡¯t. Moreover, although Xia Ning persistently badgered He Xing, she was actually quite afraid of him. As soon as He Xing¡¯s expression turned stern, Xia Ning didn¡¯t even dare to breathe too heavily, let alone insist on having a conversation with him.

    As a result, both He Xing and Liang Tao had their fill of the meal. Liang Tao kept praising the food, saying he would definitely bring Zhao Ting here next time. But what about Xia Ning? She didn¡¯t feel like eating in the morning and didn¡¯t eat much at lunch either. She was truly frustrated.

    By just before two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Xia Guoxiong had finally arrived. He waddled in, his lips greasy as sausages, clearly having enjoyed a hearty lunch.

    As a father, he was truly unqualified. Xia Ning was still in the hospital, and Xia Cheng was in prison, yet he went about his days as if nothing had happened, barely visiting Xia Ning.

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t to say that Xia Guoxiong hadn¡¯t done anything; at least he reminded He Xing to visit Xia Ning in the hospital with the frequency of three meals a day, making it seem like it was He Xing¡¯s responsibility.

    If it weren¡¯t for the meeting that afternoon, Xia Guoxiong would still not havee. Even when he did show up, it was just on time, showing no particr concern for Xia Ning¡¯s situation.

    He Xing had arranged for a small, round table office, and in the afternoon they discussed Xia Ning¡¯s condition there.

    The doctors first announced the examination results, stating that Xia Ning¡¯s physical injury from cutting her wrists had mostly healed, except for the deep wounds that couldn¡¯t bepletely removed.

    Then, they addressed Xia Ning¡¯s amnesia. Xia Ning had undergone almost all the exams rted to neurology, and the results showed no problems with her brain.

    This meant that, ording to the examination results, Xia Ning was not supposed to have amnesia, yet she insisted that she couldn¡¯t remember many things.

    To corroborate this, Xia Ning even underwent a lie detector test, but the results were that she hadn¡¯t lied.

    He Xing had spent quite a bit of money inviting experts from all over the country for Xia Ning¡¯s consultation today, but unexpectedly, the final conclusion wasn¡¯t much different from the initial one.

    He felt as if he had wasted a whole day, wanting to say something, yet not knowing what to say. He looked at Xia Ning and dropped the sentence, "Go rest, I¡¯m leaving," then prepared to leave.

    Xia Ning couldn¡¯t let He Xing leave like this. She immediately ran in front of him and cautiously said, "He Xing, the doctor said I should get out and walk around more. I didn¡¯t want to go down alone, but will you apany me for a walk, please?"

    Seeing He Xing¡¯s face darken, she quickly spoke again, "Just for a bit, just for a little while, okay? I wanted to ask Dad to apany me, but he left."

    It was only then that He Xing realized Xia Guoxiong was nowhere to be found. He had just been there a moment ago, so where could he have gone?

    But upon reflection, that made sense. ording to the news, Xia Guoxiong had been busy dealing with Xia Cheng¡¯s affairstely, naturallycking the energy to take care of Xia Ning.

    After thinking for a while, He Xing turned to Liang Tao and said, "Go wait for me by the car. I¡¯ll be there soon."

    He then walked ahead toward the elevator. Xia Ning knew he was going to apany her for a walk, and her heart bloomed with joy. She ran after him.

    Behind the Inpatient Department was a garden, specifically designated by the hospital for the patients to walk and recuperate. The garden was simple, with nts that weren¡¯t particrly valuable.

    Somehow, though, flowers bloomed here all year round.

    The small garden featured everything one might need: corridors, grapevines, ivies, andrge trees that several people couldn¡¯t wrap their arms around; there were swings, a pavilion, and long benches.

    Xia Ning chose a swing to sit on. She held onto the swing with one hand, her lively feet swinging back and forth underneath her, making her look particrly energetic.

    Tilting her head back, she looked at He Xing, who stood about a meter away, and smiled sweetly, "He Xing, can you give me a push?"

    He Xing nodded and, without expression, walked behind Xia Ning. He grabbed the rope and gently pushed, sending Xia Ning flying high.

    Herughter, like bells, rang out from her throat as she swung back and forth, a sound as delightful as wind chimes stirred by a breeze.

    But He Xing acted as if he heard nothing; he continued to push the rope next to the swing without any direct contact with Xia Ning.

    His eyes gazed at the sky, with its blue as piercing as if cleansed with water, and the clusters of white clouds looking as lovely as burst cotton.

    In this world, very few things are pure and unadulterated, but the blue skies and white clouds are the epitome of purity, just as Fu Han¡¯s smile and her eyes are the embodiment of innocence.

    He Xing decided that upon returning to the office, he needed to work quickly so he could pick up Fu Han from work and take her home. With Nan Qing gone, there was no reason for her to continue staying at Huating No.1.

    As he watched the sky, Xia Ning was also looking back at He Xing.

    His face was the most beautiful thing Xia Ning had ever seen in the world. She had once visited art exhibitions to cultivate her artistic appreciation and found that not even many sculptural works were as good-looking as He Xing¡¯s profile.

    As she watched, her body unconsciously leaned towards He Xing, initially managing to maintain her bnce. But as she got closer to He Xing, her body gradually fell out of control, and finally, she screamed and toppled over.

    No one knew exactly how it all happened. He Xing only realized something was wrong when he heard the scream. He quickly squatted down to check on Xia Ning. In just a moment, Xia Ning¡¯s face was smeared with blood, looking particrly horrifying.

 Chapter 684 - 686: Unexpected Incident

    <h4>Chapter 684: Chapter 686: Unexpected Incident</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing bent down and scooped Xia Ning into his arms, rushing towards the Emergency Room at a speed faster than a 200-meter sprint.

    The lights of the Emergency Room flickered again, and He Xing paced anxiously outside,pletely losing his usualposure.

    When Xia Ning had previously attempted suicide, he couldfort himself that it had nothing to do with him; but today, it was he who had been apanying Xia Ning on a walk in the hospital, it was he who pushed her on the swing, yet he still let Xia Ning fall.

    He was very worried about Xia Ning¡¯s face, as a girl¡¯s face is what she values most. If her face were injured, Xia Ning might find life unbearable.

    Not many people were in the corridor outside the Emergency Room, all wearing worried expressions; typically, those waiting here were awaiting the oues of their emergencies.

    For the first time in his life, He Xing felt a strong sense of guilt towards Xia Ning.

    His cell phone rang; it was a message from Fu Han, saying she would be apanying Bai Wei to try on clothes that evening, so she might not be able to make it home for dinner.

    He Xing had already typed his reply, but he decided not to tell Fu Han about Xia Ning¡¯s ident. The best scenario for the two women was to stay out of each other¡¯s way; whenever they met, it was like needles shing with thorns.

    ...

    After receiving He Xing¡¯s affirmative reply, the corners of Fu Han¡¯s lips turned up slightly, and she felt her mood lift instantly. She no longer found the absurd scene before herughable.

    It was indeed ironic that thest advertisement she had shot before the Spring Festival had been for Jiang Ling, and now the first photo shoot after the festival was for Jiang Ling again.

    Although Jiang Ling was far from being an A-list celebrity, she was still a four or five-tier superstar with a certain fan base.

    This time she wasn¡¯t shooting amercial, but just a personal photo shoot, which in industry terms was called the first opening of business after the Spring Festival.

    Jiang Ling was truly funny in her own way. She didn¡¯t like Fu Han, yet whenever she wanted a photo shoot, she insisted on having Fu Han take the pictures herself.

    Truth be told, Fu Han did not like taking pictures for Jiang Ling at all because she was pretentious and picky, which was really annoying.

    But in the end, Fu Hanpromised because the offer from Jiang Ling¡¯s side was very attractive; when money talked, Fu Han conceded since she was in the business of making money¡ªwho could afford to offend it?

    Moreover, it was strange that now Jiang Ling was much more polite to Fu Han than before, though nobody knew why. Even though Jiang Ling had thrown several tantrums during the shoot, strangely enough, she never directed her anger at Fu Han.

    Just like now, Jiang Ling disliked the style the stylist had created for her and refused to shoot, meanwhile, the makeup artist was busily making adjustments to Jiang Ling¡¯s hair and makeup.

    It was precisely because of this that Fu Han had time to y with her phone, reminding her that she hadn¡¯t yet told He Xing about her ns for the evening.

    After finishing the chat, Fu Han casually put the phone in her pocket. She picked up a photo nearby to check the yback when suddenly, Jiang Ling¡¯s scream broke out, "Fantastic, fantastic, that bitch Xia Ning got hurt."

    Fu Han¡¯s attention was immediately diverted as she looked up in Jiang Ling¡¯s direction, waiting for her to continue.

    Feeling Fu Han¡¯s gaze, Jiang Ling looked back at her with a meaningful nce. "Congrattions," she said, "your rival is injured, to the face. I wonder if she¡¯ll be disfigured."

    Honestly, Fu Han truly despised Xia Ning, but her disdain for Xia Ning should be more aptly described as revulsion. She loathed Xia Ning, yet she never thought of actually harming her.

    Like now, upon hearing of Xia Ning¡¯s injury, her first reaction wasn¡¯t joy but rather, her mood became heavier.

    If she had to say how this was rted to her, it was that Fu Han wondered whether Xia Ning¡¯s injury would mean He Xing spending even more time with Xia Ning than before, leaving them no time for a rtionship.

    Fu Han suddenly regretted telling He Xing that he didn¡¯t need to pick her up that evening, wondering if she hadn¡¯t said those words, perhaps she could see if He Xing would stille looking for her at night?

    Jiang Ling took out her phone and made a call. As soon as it connected, she immediately said, "Try to negotiate for me again. With Xia Ning injured, I have another chance."

    Fu Han¡¯s upbringing made her ufortable eavesdropping, but Jiang Ling¡¯s call was so abrupt, made before Fu Han could prepare herself, making it difficult not to hear.

    With a slight turn of her mind, she deduced that what Jiang Ling referred to must be the second part of the He Family Group¡¯s movie "Yearning for Return." She had heard that Jiang Ling had originally wanted the second female lead, but this role was snatched by Xia Ning.

    Apparently, the character of the second female lead was quite good. Even though she was a viiness, the character was substantial and more impressive than in the first part, potentially bing a breakout role.

    The reason Fu Han knew so much was all thanks to Xia Ning. When Xia Ningnded the role, she had evene to tout it to Fu Han, implying she was about to shoot another one of He Xing¡¯s works, and this time she might shoot to fame and be a superstar.

    Even after some time had passed, Fu Han still vividly remembered how despicable Xia Ning looked back then, so vile that Fu Han genuinely wanted to punch her in the face, because Xia Ning¡¯s arrogant expression was truly detestable.

    Having heard Jiang Ling¡¯s phone call, Fu Han quietly thought to herself, if Xia Ning really doesn¡¯t show up for the second part, then the greatest benefit for Fu Han would be that she wouldn¡¯t have to rack her brains to shoot Xia Ning in a more ttering light.

    But this thought only lingered in Fu Han¡¯s mind for a moment before she suppressed it, feeling suddenly guilty that with Xia Ning injured, her first thought was that she wouldn¡¯t have to shoot her anymore.

    A few minutester, Jiang Ling hung up the phone. Fu Han had been so deep in thought that, apart from Jiang Ling¡¯s first sentence, she hadn¡¯t heard a word of the rest of the conversation.

    What interrupted Fu Han¡¯s reverie was Jiang Ling approaching her to speak, "Fu Han, let¡¯s make a deal."

    Fu Han immediately stopped her untimely daydreaming and, with wide eyes, stared at Jiang Ling, asking with both alertness and confusion, "What deal?"

    Jiang Ling extended a slender, graceful finger to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, a simple gesture that came across as seductively graceful.

    A smile gradually appeared on Jiang Ling¡¯s cheeks as she said, "I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re quite close to He Xing. How about you speak to him and let me y the second female lead in ¡¯Yearning for Return¡¯?"

    "Ah?" Fu Han was so surprised that her cherry lips parted in astonishment, "Why are you asking me to do this? You should have your own agent contact them, they¡¯re the professionals."

 Chapter 685 - 687: Actively Seeking Cooperation

    <h4>Chapter 685: Chapter 687: Actively Seeking Cooperation</h4><h4></h4>

    A sh of malice swept across Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes, and herplexion noticeably darkened even more than before.

    But the next moment, she put on a smiling face again. The reason was simple: her assistant tugged at the hem of her dress, sessfully preventing her from losing her temper.

    Having calmed down, Jiang Ling began to speak more sensibly, "Fu Han, there¡¯s no reason our rtionship has to be so strained. We could be working together. Just tell me, would you rather shoot me or Xia Ning?"

    She paused, then added, "I¡¯m not wrong, am I? You¡¯re the Chief Photographer for the sequel."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She thought to herself that indeed there were few things in this world that could truly be called secrets. Just like this movie project¡ªLiang Tao said it was highly confidential, yet Jiang Ling, who wasn¡¯t even cast, knew she was the Chief Photographer. So much for keeping it a secret.

    Jiang Ling continued, "Fu Han, if you could get me to rece Xia Ning¡¯s role, I would definitely make it worth your while. I promise to cooperatepletely and not cause any trouble for you."

    Fu Han sighed deeply without replying, her mind racing with thoughts.

    Truth be told, she was strongly opposed to Xia Ningnding the second female lead in the film without an audition or screen test, but considering the drama was produced by He Xing, she chose not toment.

    But if Xia Ning really was injured and needed time to recover, how could they make the entire crew wait for just one person? It was well known that the set was already being built and every day a hefty sum of money was going up in mes.

    Fu Han had already reviewed the script for the sequel and even provided some feedback. She was well aware of the concept behind the character of the second female lead.

    In all fairness, Jiang Ling¡¯s appearance did indeed fit the role better than Xia Ning. Xia Ning was sweet butcked the sensuality, whereas Jiang Ling was famous for her youthful face and ample figure, which clearly made her a better fit physically.

    Under Jiang Ling¡¯s intense gaze, Fu Han, unusually solemn, said, "If we have to recast, I¡¯ll rmend you; but remember what you promised. If you get the part, you must not throw tantrums or disrupt the shooting."

    "Definitely, certainly," said Jiang Ling, overjoyed and hastily agreeing.

    Although Jiang Ling didn¡¯t like Fu Han one bit, she had to admit that this development was like a pie falling from the sky for her. Besides, it wasmon knowledge how amodating He Xing was to Fu Han. If it was something Fu Han wanted, He Xing never refused.

    Now that Xia Ning was injured, recasting was inevitable. As long as Fu Han was willing to rmend her, the role would undoubtedly be hers.

    Perhaps to demonstrate her willingness to cooperate, Jiang Ling was particrly receptive that day. Whatever Fu Han asked, she did ordingly, as docile as a student in kindergarten listening to the teacher.

    The subsequent shooting went smoothly, and to Fu Han¡¯s surprise, they even finished two hours ahead of schedule. She decided to visit the hospital.

    She wasn¡¯t there to see Xia Ning or to make fun of her¡ªshe was just worried about He Xing.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t inform He Xing of her visit to the hospital. She sent a message to Liang Tao in advance and, upon confirming their location, made her way there.

    It was also through Liang Tao that she learned Xia Ning¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t as serious as the inte rumors suggested. Xia Ning had merely failed to hold on while swinging and fell face-down.

    Because of that, Xia Ning¡¯s face was covered with wounds that looked quite shocking, but they were all superficial. With some time to heal, she would be fine. The only question was whether there would be any scars on her face in the future.

    The so-called rush to the Emergency Room was just to treat her facial wounds and apply some ointment. Within half an hour, Xia Ning was back in the Ward.

    Xia Ning¡¯s room was the same one Fu Han had stayed in before. She effortlessly arrived at the door of Xia Ning¡¯s Ward; inside, Xia Ning was sitting on the bed ying with her phone, while He Xing was seated by the couch with aptop in front of him, typing away with a portable keyboard on hisp.

    As for Liang Tao, he was sitting in a single-person sofa, hisptop propped up on his knees, appearing to be working as well.

    The scene in front of her seemed quite harmonious, with everyone minding their own business without disturbing the others¡ªtruly a picture of peaceful times.

    For Fu Han, the scene was indeed harmonious; she had even imagined herslelf walking in on Xia Ning feigning weakness and seekingfort in He Xing¡¯s arms.

    Fu Han¡¯s expression softened considerably as she knocked on the door with her knuckles; the sound seemed exceptionally loud in the quiet ward.

    The three people inside turned their six eyes toward Fu Han. Some were surprised, some angry, and others had eyes sparkling with excitement.

    Fu Han was calm; she didn¡¯t even nce at Xia Ning but gently said to He Xing, "Are you hungry? I brought some afternoon tea, let¡¯s eat together."

    The moment He Xing saw Fu Han, he stood up and walked toward her, naturally reaching to take the items from her hand. Then, with his free hand, he affectionately tousled Fu Han¡¯s hair, smiling indulgently, "You don¡¯t have to buy afternoon tea. Next time, just have Liang Tao do it."

    Fu Han rubbed her head against He Xing¡¯s palm, smiling especially sweetly, "I just happened to be passing by. Besides, Liang Tao is busy with work every day; it¡¯s nice to have something ready-made asionally."

    "Miss Fu is right, she is truly considerate of us staff," praised Liang Tao, his ttery shining bright. "We are so fortunate to have a boss like her."

    His words sessfully drew augh from He Xing, who turned to Liang Tao, "For this weekend¡¯spany outing, why don¡¯t you bring Zhao Ting along?"

    Liang Tao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, taking a few seconds to process what He Xing had said. Realizing the offer, he chuckled, expressing his gratitude to Fu Han, "Miss Fu, thank you for giving me and Zhao Ting the opportunity to travel on thepany¡¯s dime."

    Though He Xing was the one he should have thanked, Liang Tao deliberately expressed his gratitude to Fu Han, proving his adeptness at reading the room. He Xing wasn¡¯t annoyed by this but seemed even more delighted.

    Fu Han, feeling a mixture of sweetness and shy embarrassment, red at Liang Tao and quickly changed the subject, "Now I understand how you managed to win over Zhao Ting. You¡¯re quite the talker."

    Liang Tao chuckled and hurried over to unpack the afternoon tea with enthusiastic zeal, treating Fu Han as if she were his lifesaver.

    In the same ward, the three people on the sofa were getting along splendidly, chattering andughing in a lively atmosphere, but Xia Ning on the bed was turning ashen, almost cracking her teeth in suppressed rage, her eyes nearly spitting fire.

 Chapter 686 - 688: Leave Together

    <h4>Chapter 686: Chapter 688: Leave Together</h4><h4></h4>

    To be precise, ever since sheid eyes on Fu Han, she had been wearing an expression that wished she could just chase Fu Han out with a broom. Clenching her teeth, she red at Fu Han, "Fu Han, this is my ward. Who let you in? Please leave immediately, I don¡¯t want to see you. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll have the nurse drive you out."

    Fu Han had anticipated Xia Ning¡¯s reaction and was prepared. Without saying much, she simply looked at He Xing with innocent eyes, making it clear she wanted to know what He Xing would say.

    He Xing¡¯s face was ugly to behold. With an outstretched arm, he had already pulled Fu Han into his embrace and coldly looked at Xia Ning, "You want Xiaohan to leave? She came to find me, not you. We¡¯ll leave together."

    As if that weren¡¯t enough, there was Liang Tao, a busybody who seemed to relish stirring the pot, eagerly packing up things, "President He, why don¡¯t we go out for an afternoon tea?"

    The feeling in Xia Ning¡¯s heart was like a fireball ready to explode. Clenching her teeth in anger, she had originally just wanted to drive Fu Han out but hadn¡¯t expected that instead of managing that, she had now also antagonized He Xing.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t let He Xing go. Her facial injury was rted to him, and it was by leveraging that incident that she had kept him here until now, intending to have him apany her for dinner.

    Xia Ning immediately abandoned her hatred for Fu Han, saying urgently, "He Xing brother, don¡¯t go. I didn¡¯t mean that. Fu Han... I¡¯m really thankful that Fu Han came to visit me."

    Her words sounded gracious, but anyone with eyes or ears could tell she was speaking out of anger, clearly wishing Fu Han would disappear on the spot.

    He Xing didn¡¯t immediately agree with Xia Ning. He lowered his head to look at Fu Han and asked softly, "What do you think? Should we go out to eat, or what?"

    Fu Han had her reasons foring today, and she slowly shook her head with a smile, "Since Xia Ning wees me so much, I will begrudgingly stay here for the meal."

    "Lady Fu really is magnanimous," Liang Tao couldn¡¯t stop himself from taking advantage of any opportunity to curry favor. Today, he was determined to brown-nose to the fullest, "Despite Lady Xia Ning¡¯s harsh words, Lady Fu isn¡¯t even upset."

    "Thanks for thepliment, Liang Tao. Make sure you have your fill," replied Fu Han contentedly, thinking to herself that this guy had finally wise up today, wondering who had enlightened him.

    Meanwhile, He Xing, who was standing by and had been holding back augh, knew that he was the one who had "opened Liang Tao¡¯s meridians."

    Of course, He Xing¡¯s intention in doing so wasn¡¯t for no reason; it was because he wanted Liang Tao to properly educate Zhao Ting, so that she would stop appearing where she shouldn¡¯t in the future.

    If Fu Han were aware of this, her current mood would not be one of pure happiness, but also one of speechless frustration at He Xing¡¯s "immaturity."

    Sitting close together with He Xing, Fu Han looked up at Xia Ning, who was right in front of her, greeted her with a smile as if nothing had happened, "Xia Ning, when I bought the afternoon tea, I also picked up a fresh-pressed juice for you. Do you want it?"

    Ordinarily, most people would say "specially," but Fu Han deliberately chose to say "incidentally"; she truly felt bothering to bring Xia Ning a juice for the rest of her life was already quite generous.

    Furthermore, her only reason for buying the juice was because she thought it would please He Xing, nothing else.

    As expected, He Xing immediately touched Fu Han¡¯s head with both affection and concern.

    On the other side, Xia Ning was shaking with anger but no longer dared to argue with Fu Han, reluctantly moving over.

    The afternoon tea indeed tasted exquisite, and since it was bought by Fu Han, He Xing ate a lot; Liang Tao was even more unequivocal, ceaselessly praising how delicious it was.

    Xia Ning didn¡¯t touch a bite, her face expressionless, obviously in a bad mood.

    Because she had to strictly maintain her figure for fear of gaining weight, she rarely indulged in sweets, which she loved; moreover, these sweets were bought by Fu Han, which made her even less inclined to eat them.

    Fu Han hadn¡¯t eaten much during a business lunch with a client at noon; she seldom had afternoon tea, as it was usually given to the staff; today, however, she was enjoying it a great deal. Firstly because she was indeed hungry, and secondly, Xia Ning¡¯s displeasure made her even happier, naturally increasing her appetite.

    She and He Xing chatted andughed, eating happily. Near the end, she looked at Xia Ning with a smile, and seemingly offhandedly remarked, "Xia Ning, your face is injured. Does that mean you can¡¯t shoot the movie?"

    Honestly, if Xia Ning had been seriously injured, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t have been able to utter such words, but now Xia Ning¡¯s wounds looked severe but weren¡¯t serious; they would heal after some rest.

    Xia Ning had regrly sought to make Fu Han¡¯s life miserable when she was injured in the past, and Fu Han always believed that revenge, even if dyed for ten years, was still satisfying; now was her time for retribution.

    She wouldn¡¯t truly do anything to harm Xia Ning, but there¡¯s no harm in squeezing in a few pointed remarks.

    Xia Ning¡¯s already colorful face, due to thepounds from the dye shop, turned even more spectacr as she looked at He Xing with her eyes wide and a pleading expression, "He Xing brother, what should I do?"

    Given Xia Ning¡¯s abilities, she actually couldn¡¯t havended this role, but He Xing offered it to her entirely for personal reasons; she had been hoping to rocket to fame this time, to surpass Bai Wei¡¯s status.

    He Xing¡¯s expression also became solemn. He held the teacup with two fingers, sipping slowly, not speaking.

    Fu Han looked at He Xing with a premeditated caring gaze, saying with genuine sincerity, "Brother He Xing, as a photographer, I know all too well howplicated and costly shooting for a crew can be. Dying even for a day can mean flushing millions down the drain, so I resolutely oppose dying the entire crew¡¯s shooting schedule for Xia Ning¡¯s sake."

    "I don¡¯t want that..." Xia Ning immediately grasped Fu Han¡¯s implication. Her tears¡ªready at a moment¡¯s notice¡ªwelled up as she looked up at He Xing with pitiful eyes, "Brother He Xing, the doctor said it will get better in a while, please don¡¯t rece me."

    "A few days?" Fu Han shrugged with a nonchnt smile, "Of course that¡¯s an option. But Xia Ning, your facial injuries might heal in a few days, but the scars will take longer to fade. If you start filming before the scars are gone, you¡¯ll definitely need to use a lot of makeup to cover them. You know the risks of makeup, right? If you use too much now, the scars that could have faded will be permanent, staying with you for life."

    Xia Ning was taken aback, unable to articte a response, her eyes still brimming with tears, but the tears stopped short, not falling.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if what Fu Han said was true, but at least it sounded usible.

 Chapter 687 - 689: Please Help If You Can

    <h4>Chapter 687: Chapter 689: Please Help If You Can</h4><h4></h4>

    Seeing her like this, Fu Han couldn¡¯t hide her delight. She smiled maliciously and said, "Xia Ning, let me remind you, don¡¯t cry before the wound on your face is healed. Not only will it hurt, but it will also irritate your wound and make it very difficult to heal."

    At that point, Fu Han leaned on He Xing¡¯s shoulder and added nonchntly, "Xia Ning, think about it, do you want to take the risk of ruining your face to y the second female lead, or do you want to take good care of your beautiful face?"

    Xia Ning looked at Fu Han, grinding her teeth in hatred. Yet, she couldn¡¯t do anything because even she couldn¡¯t deny the truth in Fu Han¡¯s words.

    However, this was just the beginning. What Fu Han said next infuriated Xia Ning even more; she casually brought up Jiang Ling, and He Xing, without a second thought, agreed to let Jiang Ling rece Xia Ning¡¯s role.

    Xia Ning was so angry she trembled all over and eventually moved away from the sofa to sit back on the hospital bed, fuming.

    On the contrary, Fu Han was constantly snuggled up to He Xing, and since her arrival, He Xing had stopped working and found a movie to watch, holding Fu Han close.

    Xia Ning kept hoping in her mind for Fu Han to leave quickly, but she kept hearing Fu Han¡¯sughter and chatter, which nearly made her eyes pop out of their sockets in anger.

    In contrast, also witnessing the public disy of affection, Liang Tao was much calmer. He sat on a single seater, fingers tapping away on a keyboard with a serious look, appearing to be quite focused on his work, but in fact, he was chatting with Zhao Ting.

    When night fell, Fu Han¡¯s phone rang. It was Fu Xingbo, saying that he was about to arrive at the entrance of the hospital and asked Fu Han to go down.

    Bai Wei was going to try on clothes today, the dress for her engagement ceremony; normally, one would try on clothes during the day, but considering Bai Wei¡¯s superstar status, the Bridal Shop thought that if she were to try on clothes during the day, it might attract a crowd of onlookers.

    Inside the car, there was only Fu Xingbo. Fu Han was surprised why Bai Qian and Bai Wei didn¡¯te together. Fu Xingbo said he had already sent them to the Bridal Shop beforehand, and now he hade specifically to pick up Fu Han.

    The evening street lights had already lit up, casting a dim glow that made the entire city as bright as daylight. Huge advertisements on electronic billboards atop skyscrapers yed in sequence.

    The city turned into a city that never sleeps, its nightlife even more bustling than its daytime.

    On both sides of the road, many young men and women had shed their bulky winter coats for refreshing spring attire, radiating vitality.

    At a red light intersection, Fu Xingbo turned his head to Fu Han and asked, "Xiaohan, I heard that Huangpu Group is having problems, is it true?"

    Fu Han didn¡¯t understand why her uncle asked this, but she nodded obediently, "Yes, indeed, there are problems. Su Cheng¡¯s father might go to jail, and now all of Huangpu Group is relying on Su Cheng to keep it going."

    "So..." Fu Xingbo hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly, "Do you know how we can help Su Cheng?"

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. She looked at Fu Xingbo excitedly and asked, "Uncle, can you really help Su Cheng? If you can help him, I thank you on his behalf."

    "Silly girl, what are you thanking for?" Fu Xingbo gently stroked Fu Han¡¯s hair with one hand and started the car slowly, his smile was especially tender, "If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t help Su Cheng. So, it should be Su Cheng who thanks you."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes grew moist, and she sniffled as she looked deeply at Fu Xingbo. Tears began to gather in her eyes, and not daring to let her uncle see, she awkwardly turned to look out the window.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know that Fu Xingbo could still see her shaking shoulders, but he didn¡¯t say anything or point out Fu Han¡¯s difiture. He just pretended he hadn¡¯t seen anything and gave Fu Han all the face she needed.

    After several intersections, Fu Han finally regained herposure. She turned back to Fu Xingbo, curiosity in her gaze as she asked, "Uncle, how do you n to help Su Cheng?"

    Fu Xingbo smiled helplessly and said, "I don¡¯t know either, so I came to discuss it with you. Actually, I went to see Su Cheng today, but he refused my help, saying he could handle it himself."

    "Really?" Despite being prepared for bad news, Fu Han¡¯s expression didn¡¯t rx in the slightest; instead, it grew more solemn. She said, worried, "But I heard that Huangpu Group is getting worse, and many of their stores have closed down."

    "Two hundred stores have closed in two months." Fu Xingbo adjusted his sses, and in his gentle and refined manner, said, "Today, two of the subsidiaries have dered bankruptcy."

    "What?" Even with her mental preparation, Fu Han was still shocked. She stared at Fu Xingbo wide-eyed, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.

    Under the bright lights, Fu Xingbo¡¯s face alternated between yellow, red, green, and sometimes even multicolored, but his eyes remained unchanged, always the purest and brightest ck.

    Fu Han clearly saw pity in her uncle¡¯s eyes, and her heart began to sink even further.

    Huangpu Group¡¯s troubles beganst year, and Fu Han had asked Su Cheng about it several times, but every time Su Cheng would lightly skim over it. His calm always gave Fu Han the illusion that nothing had really happened.

    Because of this illusion, even though Fu Han had heard some things about Huangpu Group, she didn¡¯t take it to heart because it was all hearsay. She chose to trust Su Cheng¡ªif he said he could handle it, she believed he could.

    The Bridal Shop was now just ahead. Fu Xingbo found a parking spot close by. He didn¡¯t get out of the car but instead turned to Fu Han and asked with a very serious look, "Do you want me to help Su Cheng?"

    Fu Han¡¯s expression turned solemn again. She knew her uncle was asking a crucial question. After some thought, she responded seriously, "Yes, uncle. I hope someone can help Su Cheng because he has helped me a lot. If you can help him without affecting your own business, please do help him."

    "Alright, then join me tomorrow morning to visit Huangpu Group. This matter might still require your intervention," Fu Xingbo responded indifferently, his expression unchanged as if what he¡¯d said was the most ordinary thing.

    Fu Han coughed awkwardly, her cheeks flushing uncontrobly¡ªa fortunate thing that the dim light concealed her blush. She replied with as calm a voice as she could muster, "Alright, uncle, I understand."

    "Good, let¡¯s go try on the dress," said Fu Xingbo as he fondly stroked Fu Han¡¯s hair once more, smiling indulgently.

 Chapter 688 - 690 Trying on the Dress

    <h4>Chapter 688: Chapter 690 Trying on the Dress</h4><h4></h4>

    The bridal shop at night was very bright, with the exquisite chandelier above casting a warm glow, like a little sun warming everyone.

    Fu Xingbo and Fu Han chatted as they walked in, and immediately a warm greeting from the staff led them upstairs to the VIP room.

    The shop wasrge, and each floor wasvishly decorated, with dazzling wedding dresses hanging in the disy windows, an indication of its noteworthiness to have been chosen by Bai Wei for her custom wedding gown.

    More urately, many bridal shops had actively reached out to Bai Wei upon hearing the news of her engagement, eager to craft her engagement gown for free, some even offering to pay her.

    Think about it, a popr star wearing a wedding gown from their shop¡ªit was a perfect advertisement, with benefits beyond many bridal shops¡¯ wildest dreams.

    In the end, Bai Wei¡¯s agent Lin Na selected ten well-known wedding dress designpanies nationwide, and after these tenpanies sent their designs to Bai Wei, she made the final decision herself.

    The choice that Bai Wei ultimately made was the bridalpany where Fu Han and the others were, as the gown designed for Bai Wei by thispany was said to be very beautiful, and she had taken a liking to it at first nce.

    The carved spiral staircase slowly ascended, and Fu Han could not help admiring the disyed wedding dresses as she walked up.

    Objectively speaking, even with the most critical eye, Fu Han had to admit the wedding dresses here were indeed beautiful.

    The pristine wedding gowns, luxuriousce trimmings, and trailing skirts were stunning from every perspective.

    Fu Han herself had worn a wedding dress before, not just once but several times: she had posed with He Xing for wedding photos; she had worn one for their engagement, and she had worn one at their wedding ceremony as well.

    But as if fate had more tests in store for them, it didn¡¯t let them be together easily; they were only moments away from exchanging rings at their wedding when it was still interrupted.

    Thinking about this, Fu Han bit her lip forcefully, silently pledging in her heart that next time... the next time they got married, even if the sky fell, they would wed for sure.

    Lost in wild thoughts, she continued upstairs with her uncle, reaching the third floor in a blink of an eye.

    Earlier, Fu Han thought the second floor of the bridal shop was splendid enough, but she hadn¡¯t realized thatpared to the third floor, it paled significantly.

    The third floor had gold-threaded flooring, a huge crystal chandelier overhead, withrge genuine leather sofas glistening under the light. Even the coffee cups on the oval coffee table were high-end, not to mention the imported, expensive fruits in therge fruit bowl.

    When they arrived, only Bai Qian was seated on the sofa. She smiled and waved enthusiastically at them, "You¡¯vee at the right time. Xiaowei just went in, and she¡¯ll be out shortly."

    Fu Han had thought Bai Wei was almost done with trying on dresses and was surprised to find things had just begun. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what they were doing before.

    Bai Qian wasn¡¯t about to give Fu Han any time to ponder. Taking Fu Han¡¯s hand, Bai Qian led her toward the rack on the right while saying, "Xiaohan, you¡¯re going to be Bai Wei¡¯s bridesmaid that day. Have you thought about what dress you want to wear?"

    "That..." Fu Han genuinely hadn¡¯t considered this and said sheepishly, sticking out her tongue, "I don¡¯t mind wearing anything casual. It¡¯s important that Bai Wei looks great."

    "How can that be okay?" Bai Qian said earnestly, "You two are best friends, of course, you have to dress beautifully together. You can¡¯t just let Bai Wei dress up while you wear something casual."

    About this, Fu Han didn¡¯t really care. In her mind, a woman must look incredibly beautiful on her engagement and wedding day, and any attempt to outshine her on that day should be severely criticized.

    She felt that on the days of Bai Wei¡¯s engagement and wedding, she was more than willing to y the supporting role.

    However, under Bai Qian¡¯s insistence, Fu Han had no choice but to reluctantly pick her own dress. Every piece here wasvish, and Fu Han felt they were too formal for her taste; she still wanted something simpler.

    As she grappled with the decision, the fitting room curtain was drawn back, and Bai Wei finally emerged, summoned by many calls.

    The three originally busy with their own matters turned their heads upon hearing the noise. All three shared the same expression, taking a careful look at her before their faces showed genuine delight, clearly disying the word "stunning."

    Bai Wei faced the trio, looking left and right, and seeing no reaction, frowned with her pretty eyebrows, and said helplessly, "Is it nice or not? Give me a verdict, please."

    "It¡¯s nice, very nice, extremely beautiful," Fu Han was the first to speak up, full of admiration.

    No wonder Fu Han reacted so exuberantly, as Bai Wei truly looked exceptional, even more so than usual, captivatingly beautiful, the kind that made one unable to look away.

    The design of her engagement dress was really simple: a thick-strapped white satin gown with a pleated V-neck in the front and an irregr hemline that revealed half of her thigh in the front while trailing to the floor at the back.

    The dress¡¯s most ingenious stroke was how it unveiled her slender neck and sharp corbone, adding to her nobility and the slightly sloped shoulders giving her an extra touch of fragility.

    The gown retained Bai Wei¡¯s innate poise while wonderfully showcasing her soft beauty and the curvaceous female form.

    Rather than call it a wedding dress, it was more fitting to describe it as an evening gown; yet such a dress was truly special, with every detail designed to perfection, signifying the dress was meant for a very solemn asion.

    Bai Wei twirled in front of the mirror, quite pleased with herself; the dress was specifically tailored to her figure and temperament, naturally bespoke.

    Shemented with satisfaction, "Hm, this dress really is beautiful, I¡¯m very pleased. I¡¯ll go try on the others now."

    With that, she turned to return to the dressing room, but Fu Han suddenly stood up to stop her, "Wait before you change; someone else wants to see."

    "Who?" Bai Wei¡¯s pretty eyebrows furrowed again as she said helplessly, "Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s He Xinging to see, let¡¯s skip it if it¡¯s him. He¡¯s always nitpicky; even if I were a fairy, to him, I look ordinary, so I¡¯d rather not seek out the displeasure myself."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyebrows jumped several times as she responded helplessly, "Will you ever stop talking about your own brother like that? He... he may be a bit strict with you, but he means well."

 Chapter 689 - 691: Finally Made Up

    <h4>Chapter 689: Chapter 691: Finally Made Up</h4><h4></h4>

    "You¡¯re in a rtionship with him, so, of course, you¡¯d take his side," Bai Wei said bluntly, cutting off Fu Han¡¯s words. She walked past Fu Han towards the dressing room, adding, "I couldn¡¯t care less about He Xing¡¯s opinion."

    A flush of red slowly rose on Fu Han¡¯s cheeks. She coughed awkwardly a couple of times and said helplessly, "Did I ever say that He Xing was the oneing to see you? It¡¯s Luo Qinghe who wanted toe and have a look. He¡¯s almost here, it¡¯s up to you whether you want him to see or not."

    Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei had been in a quarrel for days. During that time, Luo Qinghe even took the initiative to reach out to Bai Wei, hoping to reconcile, but Bai Wei was too angry, and their conversation ended up failing to mend their rtionship.

    Today was the day Bai Wei came to try on clothes. Luo Qinghe had known about it long beforehand, but on the way here, his car had a t tire, which wasted a lot of his time. With no other options, he had to ask Fu Han for a favor.

    Although Fu Han had ended their argument that night on bad terms with Luo Qinghe, she couldn¡¯t make things too tense, considering he was someone Bai Wei liked. Besides, she had repeatedly confirmed that Luo Qinghe¡¯s affection was truly for Bai Wei and not Nan Qing; otherwise, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t bother helping.

    Bai Wei was already holding back the curtain to the dressing room when she heard this. She abruptly stopped, turned back awkwardly to look at Fu Han, and said unnaturally, "Are you telling the truth?"

    "Is there a need for me to lie about this?" Fu Han, in a rare mood for mischief, said with a meaningful nce at Bai Wei, somewhat gloating, "If I were lying about this, wouldn¡¯t it just expose itself when he doesn¡¯t show up?"

    "That does make sense," Bai Wei nodded, her cheeks reddening with an unnamed blush. She coughed awkwardly and stepped up to Fu Han¡¯s side, poking her in the waist with a finger, "Since when did you start ying these games? Keeping everything so secret and thoroughly concealed."

    Fu Han nced back at Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, who were whispering together. A sly smile appeared on her lips, "I think you two can end this cold war already, you¡¯re about to get engaged, after all."

    "What does that have to do with anything?" Bai Wei scoffed, but her expression clearly read ¡¯guilty,¡¯ which sadly didn¡¯t match themanding aura of her outfit.

    Hearing her say that did not anger Fu Han, who casually brushed her bangs, looking calm andposed as she responded, "If you insist on that view, then I¡¯ll just call Luo Qinghe and have him note over."

    After she finished speaking, she really started to search for her phone in her small bag, not looking like she was joking at all.

    Bai Wei¡¯splexion changed drastically. Without any visible effort, she snatched Fu Han¡¯s phone away; her face growing even more awkward, she stammered, "I mean... I didn¡¯t mean anything by that, I just think... I think it¡¯s okay for him toe and have a look. I look this good; why should I be afraid of being seen?"

    "That¡¯s more like it." Fu Han didn¡¯t call out Bai Wei¡¯s feignedposure, but she couldn¡¯t contain the triumphant smile that came with a sessful scheme, her eyes dancing like a cunning fox in the woods.

    Bai Wei realized then that she had been tricked, but given her current guilt, she knew she couldn¡¯t win if she kept bickering with Fu Han. Full of frustration, she had no choice but to hold it in.

    Minutester, Luo Qinghe sent a message saying he had arrived, asking if he coulde up.

    He had approached the situation with so much caution, giving Bai Wei plenty of face. She adjusted her skirt modestly, saying to Fu Han, "Considering how pitiful he¡¯s being, let hime up. Tell him I agreed."

    "You¡¯re quite good at putting on a show," Fu Han covered her mouth andughed, whispering to Bai Wei, "Now, you hide in the dressing room until Luo Qinghe arrives. Then, pretend you just finished changing and dazzle himpletely."

    Bai Wei approved of the idea immediately, lifting her skirt and scurrying back to the dressing room, calling two people to follow her inside¡ªafter all, it¡¯s best tomit to the act.

    Less than two minutester, footsteps resounded on the staircase. Fu Han, along with her uncle and aunt, looked towards the source of the sound. It was indeed Luo Qinghe who had arrived.

    Luo Qinghe, as usual, was impable in both his fashion sense and looks that day. He had cut his hair a bit shorter. His slightly curly mid-length hair matched his jade-like cheeks, making him look like the handsome male lead from an idol drama.

    Just from the perspective of a photographer, Fu Han honestly felt that Luo Qinghe¡¯s face was also greatly favored by the heavens. Despite being thirty years old, he looked young enough to pass for twenty-five.

    Fu Han nced at the nearby dressing room and smiled slightly. Perhaps she understood why Bai Wei was so taken with him.

    "Uncle, auntie, good evening," Luo Qinghe greeted everyone politely and, after receiving responses, looked at Fu Han with slightly furrowed brows, "Where¡¯s Bai Wei?"

    "She¡¯s trying on clothes," Fu Han said without a trace of a blush on her face, "She¡¯ll probably be out in no time, just wait a bit more."

    Actually, she couldn¡¯t help butugh to herself; it turns out she could act too, and not too shabbily at that.

    With a swish, someone pulled the dressing room curtain open, and Bai Wei appeared again in front of everyone, obviously for the first time in front of Luo Qinghe.

    Fu Han had already seen Bai Wei, but now she was even more interested in Luo Qinghe¡¯s reaction.

    Luo Qinghe instantly turned his head to look at Bai Wei upon hearing the sound. His pupils dted sharply at the sight of her, his eyes glued to her face like they were stuck with glue, and his mouth opened slightly, rendering him a perfect fool.

    Not just Fu Han, but even Bai Wei herself was pleased with Luo Qinghe¡¯s reaction. She walked towards him with a smile brimming with challenge, "What are you staring at? I didn¡¯t dress up for you."

    Luo Qinghe finally snapped back to reality, stood up slowly, and approached Bai Wei, stopping less than a meter away from her, his face filled with amazement, "Xiaowei, you... you look beautiful today."

    "Only today?" Bai Wei raised an eyebrow as her beautiful face fell.

    Fu Han covered her mouth andughed silently, thinking there was a good show to watch. Truly, nothing was more enjoyable than being a spectator to drama; if the main characters were her and He Xing, her mood wouldn¡¯t be the same at all, and she would not be so at ease.

    "No, no, that¡¯s not what I meant," Luo Qinghe waved his hands frantically, saying anxiously, "I mean, you always look good, it¡¯s just that today you look especially stunning."

 Chapter 690 - 692: The Prettiest Girl

    <h4>Chapter 690: Chapter 692: The Prettiest Girl</h4><h4></h4>

    "That¡¯s more like it." Bai Wei smiled, seemingly very satisfied with Luo Qinghe¡¯s response. But the next second, she felt she hadughed without enough reserve, and coughed dryly before saying unnaturally, "I haven¡¯t even put on makeup yet, I¡¯ll look even better after I do."

    "Yes, yes, yes, you¡¯re right," Luo Qinghe exceptionally didn¡¯t know whether it was an epiphany or being charmed by Bai Wei today as he hovered around her, "On the day of our engagement, you will definitely be the prettiest girl in the world."

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyebrows arched, once again nitpicking as she expressed her dissatisfaction, "So what you¡¯re saying is that normally, I¡¯m not the prettiest person in the world to you? Then tell me who, in your heart, is the prettiest? Is it Nan Qing?"

    Fu Han had resolved to be an unemotional bystander, and she understood that Bai Wei¡¯s nitpicking was just her way of seeking affirmation from Luo Qinghe. Thus, she didn¡¯t find Bai Wei arrogant, but rather endearing.

    However, as soon as Bai Wei mentioned Nan Qing¡¯s name, Fu Han¡¯s keen senses detected something amiss; indeed, Luo Qinghe¡¯s face changed, clearly bing unpleasant.

    Looking at Bai Wei, she likely regretted mentioning Nan Qing as soon as the words left her mouth; herplexion also changed, showing a hint of regret, yet she stubbornly tried not to let it show.

    It was understandable, just like Fu Han would instinctively feel physical difort upon hearing Xia Ning¡¯s name, it was not too much to consider Nan Qing a little knot in Bai Wei¡¯s heart, being Luo Qinghe¡¯s object of unrequited love for over a decade.

    Time slowed as Fu Han, acting before Luo Qinghe could speak, stepped between them and flicked Bai Wei¡¯s forehead with her finger.

    Pretending to be angry, Fu Han said, "Why do you have to bring up the most inopportune things? You and Nan Qing are both my good friends; to me, both of you are very pretty. As for Luo Qinghe, now that you are in his heart, of course he finds you the prettiest. But if he actually spoke ill of Nan Qing, you¡¯d probably be upsetter, using him of disparaging her because he couldn¡¯t get her love."

    "I..." Bai Wei, though simple enough to realize Fu Han was helping her save face, pulled at her stiff smile, managing a forced one that was uglier than crying.

    She looked past Fu Han¡¯s shoulder at Luo Qinghe, beginning with difficulty, "I... didn¡¯t mean that. I genuinely think Nan Qing is also very pretty, so I wanted topare myself with her. Don¡¯t be angry, please."

    Fu Han immediately turned to blink at Luo Qinghe, genuinely worried he¡¯d ignore the out Bai Wei offered and instead take the chance to lose his temper.

    On the other side, Luo Qinghe nced at Fu Han and then looked past her shoulder at Bai Wei, "I won¡¯t be angry, your concern is because you care about me; I care about you too, you¡¯re as important to me as my parents. We¡¯re going to spend our lifetime together, so don¡¯t worry about this anymore, let the past be the past."

    The smiles spread like droplets of cinnabar seeping into clear water, starting from the corners of Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe¡¯s lips, beautifying them both.

    Observing them both, Fu Han¡¯s mood lifted; her visit today wasn¡¯t in vain, as she sessfully helped Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe reconcile and also averted any potential disputes between them, which she found quite satisfying.

    Bai Wei tried on several dresses, eventually choosing three of her favorite gowns for her engagement ceremony.

    The three gowns she chose were all stunning, the kind that identified the asion as an engagement ceremony, formal enough to be distinguished from wedding dresses yet bnced to avoid overshadowing them.

    Luo Qinghe, however, didn¡¯t try on a single outfit, simply instructing the tailor to pair three suits with Bai Wei¡¯s dresses for him, which was sufficient.

    For someone like Luo Qinghe, who regrly exercised and had an excellent physique, not to mention a handsome face, there really was no need for a fitting, as he was the perfect mannequin for any attire.

    Fu Han had originally nned to wear only a pale pink silk dress for the day, but Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo firmly disagreed, stating that one outfit was too few. So in the end, Fu Han chose an additional pale greence cheongsam dress.

    Against Bai Wei¡¯s three gowns¡ªtwo white and one bright red¡ªFu Han deliberately avoided the same color; on that day, Bai Wei was the only one who should wear white. She couldn¡¯t steal the spotlight.

    Bai Qian and Fu Xingbo¡¯s outfits for the day were custom-made abroad and had already been brought back, eliminating the need for fittings.

    Thus, they quickly finished the dress selection process and moved on to dining.

    Luo Qinghe suggested dining at his family¡¯s hotel, the same one that Bai Wei had passed by on their return to the country and had remarked was delicious. It was also the venue for their engagement in two days.

    Fu Han wasn¡¯t picky about food; as long as it tasted good, that was enough. So she had no objections and followed everyone toward the hotel.

    On the way to the hotel, although Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei politely invited Fu Han to travel in Luo Qinghe¡¯s car; Fu Han was not the type to be spurned and directly refused their offer, bending down and sliding into Fu Xingbo¡¯s vehicle instead.

    The journey was genuinely awkward for Fu Han. Everyone else was paired up, and she was the sole single presence, a third wheel regardless of whose car she chose.

    For instance, now seated in the back seat, she was diligently trying to lower her presence but still caught several moments of Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian¡¯s affection, such as sharing a straw for drinks or Bai Qian wiping Fu Xingbo¡¯s lips and stealing a kiss.

    Fu Han contemted for the umpteenth time in her heart that if she and He Xing could be this affectionate at her aunt and uncle¡¯s age, it would be such a blissful thing.

    The nightlife in A City was even more vibrant than during the day, with shops on both sides wide open and dazzling lights making the city brighter than in daylight.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s car was eye-catching, with the wheels making a resounding noise on the pavement, drawing nces from pedestrians on both sides.

    Bai Wei had long since been ustomed to such attention and took out a prepared mask from her purse, putting it on. That way, even if people noticed the car, it was unlikely that they would recognize her.

    Luo Qinghe steered with one hand, the other holding Bai Wei¡¯s hand and swinging it gently, his sharply contoured chin bearing a tender smile. "Xiaowei, what would you like to eatter?"

    Hidden behind her mask, Bai Wei¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t stop moving, utterly lost in love like a little girl in over her head. Heaven knows that during their recent fights, although Bai Wei had the upper hand, she didn¡¯t even feel like smiling, unsure of Luo Qinghe¡¯s heart as her own feelings were too conflicted to see clearly.

 Chapter 691 - 693: Fingers Intertwined

    <h4>Chapter 691: Chapter 693: Fingers Intertwined</h4><h4></h4>

    She tightened her grasp on Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand, their fingers inteced and palms together, her voice as sweet as ever, "I¡¯m easygoing, you can have whatever you fancy. I... When I went before, I wasn¡¯t the one ordering, so I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s good and what¡¯s not."

    "This is simple," Luo Qinghe¡¯s fingers gently pinched the back of Bai Wei¡¯s hand, which was soft to the touch¡ªonly someone who has never had to lift a finger their entire life would have such hands, "I¡¯ll order the food. Have them serve up their signature dishes, and then you and your parents can decide which ones to include in our engagement banquet."

    It seems they really didn¡¯t concern themselves with small details, considering that their engagement was the day after tomorrow, but they had yet to decide on the dishes for the engagement banquet.

    But, their dy could be attributed to the fact that they had an argument a few days before the engagement, and both were too proud to concede easily.

    Last time, Luo Qinghe grudgingly admitted defeat, but his unwilling attitude not only failed to appease Bai Wei, it made her even angrier, hence their cold warsted until today.

    As a result, the decision kept getting postponed till today. If Luo Qinghe hadn¡¯te over, it¡¯s very likely they would only be able to choose the dishes tomorrow during the day.

    However, by the looks of their carefree attitude, they didn¡¯t seem to realize that making menu choices for their engagement ceremony the night before could cause a considerable inconvenience to the chefs.

    It was fortunate that the hotel belonged to Luo Qinghe¡¯s family, otherwise a typical hotel would have objected long ago and might have even canceled their event.

    The streetlights on both sides of the road were reflected on the car windshield and on their faces, making them look even more attractive under the brilliant lights.

    As traffic increased, Bai Wei voluntarily released Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand, "Focus on driving, be safe."

    Luo Qinghe chuckled, not saying much¡ªhis hands obediently took hold of the steering wheel, yet the corners of his eyes kept falling on Bai Wei¡¯s figure.

    Their year-long entanglement and almost six months of dating had rarely led to tender moments like this, as their rtionship had always been filled with arguments and noise.

    Whenever Bai Wei saw He Xing and Fu Han enjoying their peaceful moments together, she couldn¡¯t help feeling envious. She always thought that her way of interacting with Luo Qinghe was somewhat problematic and different from other couples, which could be one of the reasons for her insecurity.

    But now, there were no more issues between them. With the barriers removed, Bai Wei believed that there would be many more beautiful and tender moments like this in their future.

    Suddenly, Bai Wei¡¯s phone rang, "Who¡¯s calling me at this time? Are they not afraid of getting scolded?" Bai Wei muttered and took out her phone.

    Upon seeing the caller ID on the screen, her expression changed drastically, from initial impatience to an anger she couldn¡¯t express.

    She gritted her teeth and answered the call, "Hello, Cousin He Xing, what do you need?"

    Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t miss any nuance of Bai Wei¡¯s expression, he was especially pleased. Whenever Bai Wei mentioned He Xing, she seemed resentful, leading him to believe she disliked He Xing; but it appeared more like she was actually afraid of him.

    Not knowing what He Xing said, Bai Wei¡¯s voice rxed considerably, "Ah, you¡¯reing to have dinner with us? You should have told me earlier, I¡¯ll send you the location right now."

    After hanging up, Bai Wei stuck her tongue out at Luo Qinghe and yfully said, "He Xing knows Fu Han is having dinner with us, he¡¯s probably nning to surprise Fu Han, so he called me."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s lips remained curved upward, not intending to respond to Bai Wei, but feeling she was expecting an answer from him, he smiled calmly, "Yeah, that¡¯s probably it."

    Bai Wei spoke again, as if talking to herself, "Actually, it¡¯s good that He Xing ising. We¡¯re all in pairs, and Fu Han is a third wheel. Adding her is quite the influence, she¡¯s like a high-wattage bulb."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s lips were coaxed into a bigger smile by Bai Wei, and he pinched her cheek, which felt great, mirroring his current mood, "I think you have a point."

    The hotel where they were having dinner was a five-star establishment that had reserved a private room for them in advance.

    Before Fu Han entered, she looked up, trying to discern how many floors the hotel had. Luo Qinghe answered her casually, "The hotel is twenty-two stories high. The first five floors are dining areas, and the rest are hotel rooms. Our engagement ceremony will be held on the fifth floor."

    *Cough cough*, "This hotel is indeed quite expansive," Fu Han nodded and smiled, "Not surprising for the Li Family."

    Bai Wei looked up nonchntly, "What¡¯s so impressive about that? Fu Han, have you forgotten about our hotel in M Country? It¡¯s much bigger than this one."

    Sometimes, Fu Han really wanted to pry open Bai Wei¡¯s head to see what was inside¡ªhow did she manage to offend people so effortlessly?

    Just a second ago, pride was evident on Luo Qinghe¡¯s face, but in the next moment, his expression changed and following an awkward cough, he said helplessly, "Well, your family is certainly more impressive."

    Bai Wei lifted her chin, the words "Of course" almost slipping out before Fu Han grabbed her, whispering sternly in her ear, "You won¡¯t lose a piece of yourself by talking less."

    After that, Fu Han pulled Bai Wei into the hotel.

    The five-star hotel deserved its de; upon entry, it exuded opulence and brilliance. The lobby reached the height of a three-story building, adorned at intervals with gigantic crystal chandeliers that bathed the area in daylight-like brightness.

    The ground floor featured an open dining area, with tables seating a maximum of five people. It was almost full at the time, indicating good business.

    A staircase at the center of the lobby, with thick red carpeting and finely carved railings, suggested everything was luxurious and spotless.

    Private dining rooms were located on the second floor and above. They were led to a spacious private room, not only equipped with a dining area but also a sitting room with facilities for watching TV and singing, plus a separate restroom. The huge sofa wasfortable enough to sleep on, and a hint of fragrance lingered in the room, creating a truly cozy atmosphere.

    Waiters filed in to set the dishes and arrange the table settings. Fu Han noticed six sets of cutlery being ced, but there were only five of them. Curious, she wondered if Luo Qinghe¡¯s parents were alsoing. However, with their arrival, there should have been seven sets instead.

 Chapter 692 - 694: I Wonâ€™t Eat You

    <h4>Chapter 692: Chapter 694: I Won¡¯t Eat You</h4><h4></h4>

    The dishes were served promptly, arraying a table with a dazzling spread. Fu Han hadn¡¯t even started eating, but she was convinced that anything arranged so exquisitely must taste good.

    It was already well past the prime time for dinner, and everyone¡¯s stomach was growling non-stop. Fu Xingbo called everyone to take their seats.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe sat together, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian sat together, with Fu Xingbo to Fu Han¡¯s right and an empty seat to her left, beyond which sat Luo Qinghe.

    Fu Han had been taught since childhood that one does not start eating until the elder says so; at this moment Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian were whispering to each other, not seeming ready to eat, so Fu Han did not urge them but quietly waited. After all, she wasn¡¯t very hungry since she had had afternoon tea.

    Rather than focusing on eating, she was more curious about who the empty seat beside her was reserved for.

    A few minutester, a knock at the door was heard, and Fu Han, along with everyone else, turned to look at the entrance of the private room.

    The door was pushed open slowly, and inexplicably, Fu Han¡¯s heart started to race. She widened her eyes, looking at the doorway, her breathing slowing down.

    An unknown breeze wafted in from the door bringing with it the faint scent of plum blossoms, cool and collected, giving an impression of extreme calmness. This smell belonged to only one person, or rather, she had only ever smelled it on He Xing.

    The first thing to appear before everyone was a fair, slender hand with distinct, pretty knuckles that could have been a hand model; followed by a pair of eyes shining like cold stars, a tall nose bridge, and sculpted lips.

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes lit up, and she excitedly dashed over to the entrance, "Why are you here?"

    Indeed, Fu Han¡¯s intuition was right. From the moment she detected the familiar scent, she knew the person outside was He Xing, and it turned out to be He Xing indeed.

    He Xing yfully scraped Fu Han¡¯s nose with a finger, his smile filled with exceptional fondness, "I came to see you, and incidentally to join you for dinner."

    After finishing his words, he magically produced a massive bouquet of flowers, as if by sorcery, and bright roses appeared before Fu Han.

    The crimson roses bloomed brilliantly, making Fu Han¡¯s beautiful face even more lovely.

    She looked at the roses in surprise, "Are... are these for me?"

    "Yeah," He Xing replied with a melting smile, "These weren¡¯t bought on a whim; I went out of my way to get them for you. Do you like them?"

    The "on a whim" and "out of my way" remarks clearly bore a hint, referring to the incident today when Fu Han bought Xia Ning a juice; her face flushed red in slight embarrassment.

    Without saying another word, He Xing stuffed the bouquet of roses into Fu Han¡¯s arms, "It¡¯s been a while since I bought you roses; I hope today¡¯s roses bring you a good mood."

    Holding the roses close, Fu Han felt as if she was holding a sincere heart, handling it with utmost care, afraid that it might fall and shatter.

    Meanwhile, Bai Wei was stirring the pot, "I¡¯m telling you, He Xing cousin, you insisted on joining us for dinner tonight, so you wanted to show affection, huh?"

    He Xing set the roses on the coffee table and naturally took Fu Han¡¯s hand to sit down in their designated seats, "If I didn¡¯te, with you two couples being all lovey-dovey, wouldn¡¯t Fu Han feel ufortable?"

    No exaggeration, before He Xing arrived, Fu Han was indeed feeling awkward, seeing that everyone else was in pairs and she was the odd one out, even deciding to stay quiet during the meal.

    Now that He Xing was here, and had brought her roses, she didn¡¯t know how to describe her current feelings.

    In movies, the male lead would always show up when the female lead was most upset, saving her from dire straits and leaving her moved to tears.

    Watching these scenes, Fu Han always felt rather awkward, yearning to fast-forward through them.

    Now she finally understood where her awkwardnessy. It stemmed from the fact that life is just life, mostly in and simple, and the ordinary, everyday moments are what truly moved Fu Han.

    Like now, she felt awkward dining with them, but then He Xing showed up, and the awkwardness dissipated; these simple urrences were more touching to Fu Han than the roses¡¯ transient delight.

    The dinner was indeed delicious, with excellent vors; He Xing would taste each dish first, only then offering it to Fu Han.

    Moreover, since tonight was about finalizing the engagement menu for Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, there was an abundance of dishes, nearly all the hotel menu¡¯s offerings were brought out.

    Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, as the stars of the engagement dinner, showed no interest in making decisions, pushing it all onto Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian.

    Fu Han was happy to help, but with He Xing by her side, her time for affection was far from enough, leaving little room for her to think about these things.

    In the end, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian made all the decisions regarding the dishes.

    By the time they left the restaurant, it was past midnight. Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t say much; he hugged Bai Wei and then said goodbye. He Xing, however, kept holding Fu Han¡¯s hand tightly.

    Fu Xingbo had mentioned during dinner that Fu Han should stay at home tonight, and she had agreed.

    She attempted to pull her hand from He Xing¡¯s grasp, "It¡¯s gettingte, you should head home. I need to rest early, too, since I have work tomorrow."

    He Xing hugged her waist, whispering into her ear, "I can¡¯t sleep alone; juste back with me for one night, I promise not tomorrow."

    Under the Fu family¡¯s burning stares, Fu Han blushed deeply, wishing she could immediately break free from He Xing¡¯s embrace.

    But He Xing wouldn¡¯t let her get away easily, pressing on, "Grandpa really misses you, and you haven¡¯t visited him for several days. Can you really bear it?"

    "Ahem..." Fu Xingbo was the first to speak up, clearing his throat, "Well, Xiaohan, it¡¯s good for you to go and see He... Grandpa He. Juste back early tomorrow to help us out... that¡¯s fine."

    Then, the trio left as though fleeing a disaster scene, jumping into the car at record speed, as if afraid they wouldn¡¯t get away if they moved a second slower.

    In the blink of an eye, only Fu Han and He Xing were left in the vast square in front of the hotel. Fu Han couldn¡¯t help but think the scene in front of her was like a farce.

    He Xing, however, was in an excellent mood. Holding the massive bouquet of roses in one hand and Fu Han¡¯s hand in the other, they headed towards his car, "Don¡¯t be conflicted anymore. Your aunt and uncle have both agreed. Juste back with me, rx, I¡¯m not a bad person, I won¡¯t eat you up."

    "You..." Fu Han was so frustrated she could hardly speak, yet found herself at a loss for words, unwillingly closing her mouth.

 Chapter 693 - 695: Inner Peace

    <h4>Chapter 693: Chapter 695: Inner Peace</h4><h4></h4>

    The Lamborghini roared through the night, its tires screeching against the pavement, howling like a beast in fury.

    Fu Han sat quietly in the passenger seat, beside her was He Xing, and on the back seat were the ny-nine roses He Xing had given her, quietly blooming in the night.

    The nights in City A were bustling, filled with the mor of people; but this liveliness was specific to certain areas, it was very regional, where they had dined was lively around the clock.

    Yet, the road to Lanwan Mountain became quiet, this area was residential, and because it was close to Lanwan Mountain, it was all high-end housing.

    Here, aside from the street lights on either side of the road, the night was truly pitch ck.

    In the distance was the vast night, the light that streetmps could cast was very limited; looking towards the distant night, Fu Han always had the feeling that there were monsters waiting for her, her heart thumped nervously, feeling inexplicably afraid.

    Suddenly, a hand covered Fu Han¡¯s back, He Xing¡¯s palm¡¯s warmth slowly passed through the back of her hand, bringing with it a gentle strength that smoothed out all the unrest in her heart.

    Fu Han suddenly felt much calmer, turning her head to look at He Xing.

    Under the not-so-bright street lights, He Xing¡¯s chiseled face seemed much softer than usual, like the hazy moonlight far in the sky, with a gentle luster and aforting power.

    The mountain road unfolded before Fu Han like a jade belt, this was the ce where her memories began, where she had grown up; it was also the ce she had missed the most during her three years abroad, the ce she longed for in her midnight dreams.

    "We¡¯re going home," He Xing smiled and let go of Fu Han¡¯s hand, then ced both hands on the steering wheel and drove up the mountain road.

    Ever since thest time they had a near-miss with a car ident, He Xing had never dared to be careless on this mountain road again, especially now with Fu Han in the car.

    As expected, Grandpa He had indeed gone to sleep, the entire He Family vi quieted down, like the castle where Sleeping Beautyy, so peaceful.

    An hourter, Fu Han finally finished washing up and came out of the restroom; as expected, He Xing was lying on her bed in a pose reminiscent of a drunken concubine.

    He wore a white nnel bathrobe, loosely tied in front, revealing much of his chest.

    Not only could Fu Han see his sturdy chest, but she could also vaguely make out his abs; when she realized her gaze was drifting further down, her face finally reddened.

    "Xiaohan,e here," He Xing stretched out his hand, not just curling a finger, but reaching out his palm to Fu Han.

    In the light from the restroom, Fu Han saw He Xing¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple involuntarily moving up and down, along with his deep voice, there was a different kind of enchanting allure.

    She obediently ced her palm on He Xing¡¯s, and as their palms touched, the world spun, and she found herself forced onto the bed with He Xing¡¯s hands on either side of her face, his face looming above hers.

    The quiet night, the dim light, the asional chirping of insects, everything was just right.

    Bright eyes intertwined in the air, breathing grew heavier, and the warmth of their bodies pressed together through theyers of clothing.

    It was as if the sound of crackling or a intive melody filled the air.

    A breeze entered through the gap in the window, and the sheer curtains fluttered as though they were gently caressing each other.

    They gazed deeply into each other¡¯s eyes, Fu Han¡¯s hands entwining around He Xing¡¯s neck like vines, her eyes misting over, but gleaming like obsidian.

    Her cherry lips parted slightly, and a muffled sound emerged.

    He Xing¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, as if something inside him was about to break free but was forcibly held back by him, yet it seemed uncontroble, ready to burst forth at any moment.

    In the corner of the room was a small table, where the huge bouquet of roses now sat quietly blooming.

    Gentle kisses fell like rain, clothes were tossed out from under the quilt,nding on the floor, almost like lilies.

    In fact, when He Xing insisted on bringing Fu Han back, she knew what would happen, so she wasn¡¯t surprised by the moment¡¯s arrival.

    Although she would have preferred everything to happen on their wedding day, if He Xing wished, they could take a step forward early, after all, it was inevitable that they wouldplete that crucial transformation together.

    He Xing¡¯s hands had alreadynded on Fu Han¡¯s smooth waist, and with a slight movement, thest veil between them would be torn.

    But... but after waiting for what felt like an eternity, Fu Han received nothing; instead, she saw the conflicted light in He Xing¡¯s eyes grow stronger, as if he was enduring some painful torment.

    Time passed, and suddenly He Xing let go of Fu Han, rolled over, and got off the bed, picking up his clothes from the floor and putting them on.

    There wasn¡¯t much for him to wear; he only needed his underwear and a bathrobe, but he dressed hurriedly, as if dressing was a torture for him.

    Fu Han watched He Xing¡¯s back, she could no longer find words to describe her feelings.

    Forever and ever, she knew that He Xing would never force her to do anything, and she also knew that He Xing loved her to the core.

    Fu Han¡¯s heart softened, especially when He Xing, after dressing himself, went to the wardrobe to fetch a clean set of clothes for her.

    While Fu Han dressed, He Xing turned his back to her.

    Somehow, the sight of him sitting at the end of the bed seemed pitiable, like an abandoned child, all alone.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t bear it, quickly dressed, crawled behind He Xing and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering softly, "You don¡¯t have to restrain yourself like this, I¡¯m okay with it."

    He Xing caught her head with a reverse gesture, and it rested in the crook of his arm.

    He looked down at Fu Han, his hoarse voice resounding, "Xiaohan, don¡¯t say such things anymore. If you keep saying that, I really can¡¯t promise that I can control myself."

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned thoroughly red, unsure of what to say, she could only caress He Xing¡¯s cheek with her hand.

    Who said that fate was fair? Fu Han had never seen He Xing take care of his skin, yet his cheeks were so smooth, like a peeled egg, truly a blessing from heaven.

 Chapter 694 - 696: Get Married Early

    <h4>Chapter 694: Chapter 696: Get Married Early</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han¡¯s lips curled slightly, forming an exceptionally beautiful smile. She thought to herself that her own face wasn¡¯t bad either, fair and good-looking, a match for He Xing¡¯s.

    He Xing slowly stood up, scooped Fu Han into his arms princess-style, and gently ced her on the bed before lying down beside her.

    His arm was wrapped around Fu Han¡¯s waist, and his other hand yed with the wisps of hair by her forehead, while he spoke with a mix of feelings, "Xiaohan, let¡¯s get married sooner, shall we? I¡¯m afraid if I keep being able to see but not touch, I might have some problems with my body, and you wouldn¡¯t want to be a widow, would you?"

    Proposing was usually a very serious matter, and He Xing was indeed very serious when he spoke; but for some reason, Fu Han really wanted tough. Not only did she want tough, but she also actually didugh out loud.

    He Xing felt quite frustrated being interrupted and said helplessly with a frown, "Is it that funny? Why don¡¯t I see it that way?"

    "I¡¯m sorry, I... haha, I just can¡¯t help it, you¡¯re too adorable," Fu Han said as she cradled He Xing¡¯s face and gave him a peck, and the more downcast He Xing looked, the more she wanted tough.

    He Xing, irritated, gave her a couple of yful smacks on her perky behind. His actions were exaggerated, but he didn¡¯t have the heart to really hit her; it was all bark and no bite.

    Once Fu Han stoppedughing, she finally realized her schadenfreude might have been a bit too much. She cleared her throat, put on a serious face, and said, "Then, let¡¯s get married after we finish shooting this movie."

    He Xing¡¯s first reaction was to think that Fu Han was saying it was still too early, that they should wait and talk about itter. He hummed and hawed his agreement, even looking somewhat disappointed.

    It took him a full two minutes to finally realize that Fu Han had agreed, and even proposed a specific date for the wedding.

    Immense joy surged within He Xing¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t quite believe it as he cradled Fu Han¡¯s cheeks in his hands and pleaded, "Xiaohan, what did you just say? Could you please repeat it?"

    Fu Han, feeling shy and unable to utter a word, was ovee by joy no less than He Xing¡¯s. Looking into his eager eyes, she summoned the courage and said word by word, "Once we finish shooting our movie, let¡¯s get married."

    "I love you, Xiaohan!" Besides that phrase, He Xing couldn¡¯t say anything else. He kissed her cheek forcefully, then contentedly fell asleep holding Fu Han in his arms.

    Fu Han curled up like a little shrimp in He Xing¡¯s embrace, listening to his heartbeat.

    As the twilight deepened, she could clearly hear He Xing¡¯s steady breaths. Her mood was peaceful, but her mind was anything but calm.

    Before, she used to think marriage was far off, and many things didn¡¯t need immediate attention;ziness on her part was indeed a factor in this.

    But now, with marriage officially on the agenda, it was time for her to start getting things in order as well.

    Unable to sleep, Fu Han simply took out her phone and sent message after message. After addressing all the matters on her mind, she finally felt at ease. She found afortable spot in He Xing¡¯s arms and drifted into a deep sleep.

    ...

    When the first light of dawn streamed through the gap in the curtains, He Xing opened his eyes.

    Fu Han¡¯s head rested on his arm, which felt a tad sore and numb. Yet, seeing Fu Han lying peacefully in the crook of his arm, he felt an unprecedented happiness.

    He Xing watched Fu Han quietly, as though admiring the most precious jewel in his heart.

    Last night was indescribable for He Xing. If asked how he felt, he would describe it as a mix of grief and joy¡ªthe pain of nearly exhausting all his sanity to control his desire; the joy was because Fu Han had finally agreed to marry him once more.

    Yes, she had agreed to his proposal again!

    The ring had almost been slipped onto Fu Han¡¯s fingerst time, but in the end...

    At that thought, He Xing¡¯s expression hardened with determination. He silently vowed that nothing would disrupt their wedding this time; he would nip any and all potential obstacles in the bud.

    Fu Han had gone to bedte the night before, and when she woke up, several hours had passed.

    As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a pair of bright eyes staring at her, filled with a tender and lingering gaze, as if spring water capable of melting all things.

    A smile gradually appeared on Fu Han¡¯s cheeks. She rolled over, nestling into He Xing¡¯s embrace, and hooked her arms around his neck, "When did you wake up? Why didn¡¯t you sleep in a bit longer?"

    "I¡¯ve had enough sleep," He Xing said as he kissed Fu Han¡¯s forehead, his smile exceptionally doting. "I haven¡¯t slept this well in a long time."

    "It will always be this peaceful from now on," Fu Han murmured against He Xing¡¯s chin. Her voice was soft and tender: "Once we¡¯re married, we¡¯ll be together every day, never parting."

    "That won¡¯t do," He Xing objected without a second thought. Seeing the surprise in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, he spoke earnestly, "Xiaohan, to always be together and never part is my promise to you. You don¡¯t need to do anything for me; just remember that I¡¯ll always be with you, that¡¯s enough."

    Tears began to well up in Fu Han¡¯s eyes, shining brightly as they swirled within, much like her emotions at that moment¡ªso moved she couldn¡¯t say anything other than cry.

    But she didn¡¯t want to cry, especially not first thing in the morning. She had decided the night before that from now on, every day would be happy; she would not let sundry things dampen her mood.

    She buried her head in He Xing¡¯s shoulder, embracing his neck as she calmed herself.

    He Xing had informed the family chef early in the morning that Fu Han had returned, hence today¡¯s breakfast was particrlyvish. Crab Buns, crystal dumplings, meat sauce noodles, hot and sour ss noodles, Bird Nest Porridge, tofu pudding, soy milk, dairy milk, juice¡ªnothing was amiss.

    Old Master He only learned that Fu Han hade backte the previous night upon waking up in the morning and was overjoyed. When he found out He Xing and Fu Han nned to have their wedding after the movie was done, he was even more delighted.

    He patted his chest and said he would handle everything, telling Fu Han and He Xing to focus on filming the movie, and leave all other matters to him.

    Many people, especially women with high expectations for their weddings, hope to n their own nuptials, as it¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime event. They wish to be involved in every step, desiring a wedding that¡¯s perfect and unforgettable.

    So, most people don¡¯t leave the nning of their weddings to others, since tastes vary greatly; especially when the aesthetics of young people often differ from those of the elderly.

 Chapter 695 - 697: Grandfather in Charge of the Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 695: Chapter 697: Grandfather in Charge of the Wedding</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing¡¯s mouth was open, ready to speak, but Fu Han had already started, a smile on her face, "Grandpa, you¡¯re the one who brought this up, so I¡¯ll leave this matter in your hands, okay?"

    Even as He Xing drove Fu Han to Huangpu Group, he was still brooding over the matter, "Xiaohan, I know you have deep feelings for Grandpa, but you have to understand that marriage is a lifelongmitment. Grandpa has been very sessful in business, but that doesn¡¯t mean he can n a wedding that will satisfy you."

    Because she had woken upte in the morning, Fu Han went out without makeup so as not to keep Fu Xingbo waiting too long. At this moment, she was holding a small makeup mirror, applying her makeup meticulously.

    Without even lifting her eyelids, she said calmly, "Who said Grandpa has to n it himself? He is the director of our wedding. All the details will be handled by a nning team. If everything was left to Grandpa, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed. I wouldn¡¯t want him to go through so much trouble."

    Her words instantly swept away the gloominess in He Xing¡¯s heart. He felt as if he had parted the clouds to see the sun, not because of anything else, but because he realized he hadn¡¯t thought of this aspect at all.

    On the other side, Fu Han calmly spoke again, "He Xing, do you look down on Grandpa¡¯s taste, worried he will organize an old-fashioned wedding with red silk everywhere?"

    "I didn¡¯t say that," He Xing retorted with an inexplicable blush on his face.

    In fact, what Fu Han said wasn¡¯tpletely urate, but it was close to the truth. He had been reluctant to let Grandpa prepare the wedding because he was indeed worried that Grandpa¡¯s taste might not be up-to-date.

    But no matter, there was no more trouble now. What Fu Han said was right. Not everything needed to be done by Grandpa personally; he just had to find a reliable wedding nning team to do the practical work, and then let Grandpa have the final say.

    And the old Mr. He just had to choose from the options provided by the top wedding nning team. Whether he chose option A or B didn¡¯t matter, because both options A and B came from a top team and certainly wouldn¡¯t be bad.

    Thinking about this, He Xing¡¯s mood immediately improved. He even felt that the sky had suddenly be brighter, the warm sunshine falling on him, dering today a beautiful day.

    He Xing parked the car precisely at the base of the Huangpu Group building, holding Fu Han¡¯s hand naturally, "Xiaohan, I am very willing to help Su Cheng through this ordeal, so please make sure to tell me if you need anything."

    "Okay, I know," Fu Han nodded without saying much else. She gave He Xing a peck on the lips, said goodbye, and then got out of the car.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to kiss He Xing properly but because she had lipstick on her lips and didn¡¯t want it to smudge, bing aughingstock.

    Moreover, He Xing knew Fu Han was going to see Su Cheng with Fu Xingbo today, and he hadn¡¯t acted too surprised, even showing agreement.

    Originally, Fu Han had braced herself for He Xing to oppose the idea, so his reaction had already scored full marks in her eyes. Not only did she not dare to hope for more, but she even feared that if they continued to discuss it, He Xing would be angry, leading to an argument.

    Fu Han had never been to the Huangpu Group before and didn¡¯t know what it looked like in its heyday, but now it seemed quite deste.

    The vast square had only a few cars scattered about. Fu Han almost immediately recognized Su Cheng and Luo Qinghe¡¯s cars; not because she was impressed with their cars, but because there were so few on the square, making them very easy to spot.

    Fu Han walked inside in her high heels. The security guard at the door wasn¡¯t even dressed properly, one pant leg still tucked into his sock, and his hat was askew, with none of the vitality one would expect from a security guard.

    What made Fu Han speechless was the guard¡¯s reaction to her entrance; he just looked at her as if blind, not even bothering to ask whom she was there to see.

    The first floor of the Huangpu Group headquarters looked decent, with several huge chandeliers hanging overhead that appeared luxurious and obviously expensive.

    The floor was covered with exquisite tiles, but it was a pity that the cleaning seemed inadequate, as obvious stains marred their surface. It gave a poor impression as though this wasn¡¯t the home of one of the four major families of City A but rather some small, less wealthypany.

    Fu Han felt a touch of sadness as she headed forward and soon saw Fu Xingbo using a tablet for work in a nearby rest area.

    Sess always favors the prepared, like Fu Xingbo, who was undoubtedly a sessful man. Yet he still worked with diligence, especially cautious with significantpany decisions, for fear that one irrational choice could harm the corporation.

    ording to Bai Qian, no matter how busy, Fu Xingbo would definitely finish all of the day¡¯s tasks, never leaving anything for the next, because he said there would be tasks the following day as well. If one couldn¡¯t finish the tasks of the day, they would umte like snowkes, turning into an ever-growing snowball.

    Fu Han set aside all theplex expressions in her heart and slowly approached Fu Xingbo, "Uncle, I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting."

    "It¡¯s fine, I haven¡¯t wasted any time," Fu Xingbo smiled and put away his tablet. He looked Fu Han up and down and sincerelyplimented her, "Xiaohan, you look very beautiful today."

    "Thank you, Uncle," said Fu Han, who, like any other girl, appreciatedpliments on her appearance. She tilted her head towards the elevator not far away, "Uncle, let¡¯s go find Su Cheng now."

    The two headed to the elevator room, one after the other. Fu Han noticed there were six elevators, separated into single and double-levels, with each specified to stop at certain floors.

    This indicated the building used to house many people; otherwise, the elevators wouldn¡¯t run efficiently.

    But today, besides Fu Han and her uncle, there wasn¡¯t a single soul in the vast elevator room. All six elevators were on stand-by, the doors firmly closed, like sleeping giants.

    Fu Han¡¯s feelings wereplex. Suddenly, she could understand why thedy of the Huangpu had changed her personality; after all, it was easy to grasp that not many could remain calm and unchanged after such a significant upheaval.

    The elevator stopped at the floor of the CEO¡¯s office. Fu Han waited for Luo Qinghe toe out before she stepped out slowly. Her heart began to race, already visualizing the silent scene akin to a graveyard.

 Chapter 696 - 698: Huangpu Group

    <h4>Chapter 696: Chapter 698: Huangpu Group</h4><h4></h4>

    Fortunately, the scene that Fu Han had envisioned, one with deserted corridors, had note to pass. As soon as she emerged, she saw several staff members passing by, each wearing a serious expression, clearly indicating they were working hard.

    Fu Han felt somewhat reassured in her heart. At least there were people in Huangpu Group who were diligently at work, not just Su Cheng single-handedly holding the fort as she had thought.

    However, as some staff members passed by them, they neither greeted them nor inquired about their business there, as if they were invisible.

    This was Fu Han¡¯s first visit to Huangpu Group, but Fu Xingbo had been there the day before, so he led Fu Han through the cubicles with ease, arriving smoothly at an office door with the sign, "CEO¡¯s Office."

    If it hadn¡¯t been for these circumstances, Fu Han believed she would have been genuinely happy for Su Cheng bing the CEO of Huangpu Group.

    Fu Xingbo patted Fu Han¡¯s shoulder reassuringly before he curved his fingers and knocked lightly on the door.

    "Come in!" Su Cheng¡¯s voice immediately responded.

    Fu Xingbo pushed the door open, ushering Fu Han into Su Cheng¡¯s office along with him.

    Fu Han scanned the room; the office was spacious and impressive, with a leather sofa set, a mahogany tea table, a bookcase that took up the entire wall filled with various certificates.

    And there was the desk that Su Cheng was sitting at, two meters long and one meter wide, as well as the high-end automatic massage office chair.

    It took Su Cheng several seconds to look up. When he saw Fu Xingbo and Fu Han, his face underwent a dramatic change, and he looked at Fu Han in surprise, "You... Uncle Fu, Fu Han, what brings you here?"

    "We¡¯vee to talk to you about a coboration," said Fu Xingbo, tilting his head toward the sofa, "Aren¡¯t you going to invite us to sit for a while?"

    "Oh, yes, please have a seat," Su Cheng said, standing up so flustered he nearly knocked over his leather massage chair, even bumping into the corner of his desk.

    Fu Han¡¯s brows furrowed deeply as she couldn¡¯t help but think how lucky it was that the desk was round; otherwise, thatst bump might have sent Su Cheng to the hospital.

    Su Cheng was indeed in a panic; after making sure Fu Xingbo and Fu Han were seated, he rushed out of the office without a word.

    Instead, Fu Han and Fu Xingbo stayed in the office and heard him ordering staff to make coffee and prepare some high-quality pastries to bring over.

    Fu Xingbo gave Fu Han a meaningful look, "It seems that Su Cheng is really fond of you. He wasn¡¯t this flustered when I came here yesterday."

    His words sessfully changed Fu Han¡¯splexion, and she gave a dry cough before saying unnaturally, "Uncle, why are you joking about this now?"

    "I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m stating a fact," said Fu Xingbo as he touched Fu Han¡¯s head with a particrly tender smile, "But I know our Xiaohan likes He Xing; however, you can still be friends with Su Cheng. There¡¯s no need to be so evasive."

    This was probably the first time someone had discussed this matter with Fu Han so seriously, discussing how she should treat Su Cheng. Fu Han was quite shocked because she had never known how to deal with Su Cheng herself.

    Fu Xingbo¡¯s voice rang out again, "After some understanding, I feel that Su Cheng is a decent young man who is ambitious, willing to fight and endure hardships. Although he has some way to go to match He Xing, given a few years, he will undoubtedly grow rapidly. That¡¯s also why I¡¯m willing to give him a hand, consider it an investment."

    Actually, if Fu Xingbo had decided to help Su Cheng just because of Fu Han, she would have felt insecure.

    But now that Fu Xingbo said he was willing to assist Su Cheng because of his own potential, it gave Fu Han a great sense of security and even more confidence about persuading Su Chengter.

    From outside the door, muffled voices could be heard. Even though the people outside were deliberately keeping their voices down, Fu Han still heard them. It sounded like someone was reporting to Su Cheng that a bank was pressing for payment, demanding that they repay the loan before the bank closed for the day, or the bank would initiate legal proceedings.

    Fu Han had not been very familiar with corporate operations in the past, but she had crammed some relevant knowledge at the end ofst year.

    If it was as the person outside said, once Huangpu Group¡¯s assets were frozen and liquidated, their closure wouldn¡¯t be far off.

    Su Cheng¡¯s muffled voice came through, "Don¡¯t talk about these details now. Just email me, and I¡¯ll check itter."

    Fu Han wanted to listen more, but Su Cheng clearly didn¡¯t want to discuss it further and dismissed the person after a few words.

    Fu Han grabbed Fu Xingbo¡¯s sleeve, her face assuming an anxious look, "Uncle, you must help Su Cheng, even if I have to beg you. He really has helped me a lot in the past."

    "I know," Fu Xingbo said, touching Fu Han¡¯s hair with that same tender smile, "It is precisely because he has been good to you that I am here today."

    A few secondster, someone knocked on the office door, and Su Cheng¡¯s voice came through, "May Ie in?"

    Fu Han found his actions both amusing and cry-worthy. This was clearly Su Cheng¡¯s office, yet because Fu Han and Fu Xingbo were there, Su Cheng felt he needed permission to enter.

    When Su Cheng re-entered, he brought three cups of coffee and an array of fruit pastries that covered the table, looking very tempting.

    Just as Fu Xingbo had mentioned the day before, Su Cheng was opposed to the investment proposal made by Fu Xingbo; he even preemptively stated today before Fu Xingbo could speak, "Uncle Fu, I know you mean well. Our Huangpu Group really needs help right now, but I won¡¯t ept help like yours, that asks for nothing in return. That¡¯s not assistance; that¡¯s pity."

    Fu Han listened with rising anger. In these desperate times, Su Cheng still acted this way, putting on airs of integrity for whom to see?

    Leaned forward with irritation, she wished to speak candidly with Su Cheng about hisck of rity. With things the way they were, did he wish to save Huangpu Group or not?

    But before she could speak, Fu Xingbo pulled her back. He took over the conversation, "Su Cheng, I¡¯m not offering help without expectations. When I invest in you, we will sign a contract. I will receive my returns annually. I want to acquire shares in Huangpu Group by purchasing stock from you. Would that be eptable to you?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together, struggling to speak but not knowing what to say. It seemed he was tempted, though probably still wrestling with the decision internally.

 Chapter 697 - 699: Kind Help

    <h4>Chapter 697: Chapter 699: Kind Help</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Xingbo nudged Fu Han with his elbow, looking at Su Cheng with an obvious implication.

    She knew it was time for her to step in. Oddly enough, despite her earlier distress and the sparks of anger in her heart, she now felt calm upon hearing her uncle¡¯s words. She knew her next words might influence the life and death of a business.

    Fu Han cleared her throat and spoke deliberately, "Su Cheng, honestly, I can understand why you refused He Xing¡¯s help. I heard you also declined the Nangong and Li Families¡¯ aid, because your business sectors differ; but my uncle is purely investing to acquire shares for dividends. I really don¡¯t get why you would turn him down?"

    "Because..." Su Cheng¡¯s face was already flushed as he coughed awkwardly, "Because I am afraid Uncle Fu¡¯s investment might go to waste, like water sshing away."

    "I think instead of worrying about that, you should take the investment and seriously consider how to revitalize Huangpu Group to give my uncle some return on his investment."

    Su Cheng¡¯s expression visibly rxed, but his lips remained tightly sealed, and he said nothing.

    Off to the side, Fu Xingbo nudged Fu Han again, obscuring Su Cheng¡¯s line of sight with his body and gave her a thumbs-up, signaling her to keep at it.

    Fu Han rolled her eyes ungraciously, swallowed hard, and continued, "Su Cheng, aren¡¯t you working here every day because you don¡¯t want Huangpu Group to fail? I just heard your staff discussing the bank situation, so if you don¡¯t want Huangpu Group to fail, ept my uncle¡¯s investment and then manage Huangpu Group well, understood?"

    "Don¡¯t speak any more, I need to think about this." Su Cheng¡¯s cheeks twitched, but he ultimately did not fully ede to Fu Han¡¯s proposition.

    Fu Han took a deep breath to contain her anger, but it simply wouldn¡¯t subside.

    Unable to control her emotions, she stood up abruptly, towering over Su Cheng and spoke with cutting sharpness.

    "Su Cheng, do you think He Xing, Nan Qing, Luo Qinghe, my uncle, that they are all eagerly throwing investments at you and yet you righteously decline our help? Do you think you¡¯re being noble?"

    "I¡¯m not!" Su Cheng¡¯s face turned visibly paler, his voice trembling as he spoke.

    "Not?" Fu Han scoffed, "Go out and ask how manypanies on the brink of copse are grateful to see an investmente their way. But what about you? When you see an opportunity for investment, what¡¯s your attitude? You act as if others are begging to invest in you."

    "I... I don¡¯t." Su Cheng buried his hands in his hair, bowed his head in agony and stayed silent.

    Fu Xingbo tugged gently at Fu Han¡¯s clothes and whispered, "Alright, Xiaohan, that¡¯s enough."

    "No, I must make this clear today." Fu Han shook off Fu Xingbo¡¯s sleeve and pointed at Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, do you just feel sorry for yourself because everyone wants to help you? Let me tell you clearly, yes, everybody finds your situation pitiful, which is why they help. Otherwise, who would willingly associate with the hot potato that is Huangpu Group?"

    Even as she spoke, Fu Han felt a twinge of pain, but she knew there was no turning back. She said coldly, "You¡¯re truly like a naive young master raised in a greenhouse, prouder and straighter-backed than anyone. Even now, do you think your dignity is more important than the survival of Huangpu Group? The staff who have stayed need to support their families, and this is the result of your family¡¯s generations of hard work. The bank must get paid today; aren¡¯t all these things more important than your pride? Yes, pride is important, but once you¡¯ve restored Huangpu Group, can¡¯t you regain your dignity then?"

    After speaking, Fu Han attempted to pull Fu Xingbo to his feet, "Uncle, let¡¯s go. I really want to see if Huangpu Group can survive today without anyone¡¯s help."

    Fu Xingbo turned to look at Su Cheng who still had his head lowered, his bangs covering his eyes, unclear what he was thinking. But a sad aura surrounded him.

    "Alright," he sighed softly, rose slowly, and left the office with Fu Han.

    Fu Xingbo ruffled Fu Han¡¯s hair, her face red with anger. He smiled and said, "Alright, stop thinking about it, let¡¯s go back."

    They were now close to the elevator. Fu Han pressed the button, and the red numbers above it quickly changed.

    The building was no longer bustling as before; it was quiet, with few people using the elevator, so the wait was brief.

    Ding¡ª the elevator doors opened.

    As Fu Han lifted her foot to step in, an oddly familiar voice called out from behind, "Fu Han, wait a moment!"

    They turned towards the voice and saw Su Cheng sprinting toward them, shouting Fu Han¡¯s name as he ran.

    How to describe Su Cheng at that moment? He ran toward Fu Han like a young man chasing a light, yet his voice calling her name carried an elderly man¡¯s world-weariness.

    Such a contradiction made it all inexplicably saddening; this was especially true considering the youthfulness in Su Cheng¡¯s speech just minutes before.

    Fu Han knew she had pressured Su Cheng with her words, but what else could she do? She couldn¡¯t just watch Huangpu Group copse.

    Compared to the grief of thepany¡¯s downfall, what she did to Su Cheng didn¡¯t seem worth mentioning.

    With that in mind, she slowly turned to Su Cheng, her tone even as she asked, "Mr. Huangpu, is there something else you need?"

    Su Cheng¡¯s already vulnerable expression became more fragile as he looked at Fu Han with deep-set eyes, his parched lips parted as he said hesitantly, "Fu Han, I was too naive. After thinking it over, I feel that..."

    He paused there, turning to Fu Xingbo, "Uncle Fu, thank you for being willing to help me. I will never forget your great kindness and generosity."

    "That¡¯s more like it." Fu Xingbo smiled with relief, patted Su Cheng on the shoulder in a friendly manner, "Su Cheng, I hope you understand that epting help is not disgraceful. As long as you live up to the expectations, that¡¯s all that matters."

    Su Cheng¡¯s eyes reddened; he didn¡¯t speak, just nodded vigorously.

    In truth, he couldn¡¯t find the words as he was too overwhelmed emotionally. He feared that any attempt to speak would end in tears, which would be too embarrassing in front of Fu Han.

 Chapter 698 - 700: Spirits are High When Good Things Happen

    <h4>Chapter 698: Chapter 700: Spirits are High When Good Things Happen</h4><h4></h4>

    Three people returned to Su Cheng¡¯s office, and this time more people were present since investment involves numerous issues, each requiring meticulous verification¡ªa task of utmost precision.

    Although Fu Xingbo usually seemed gentle and refined, he actually worked very diligently. He might not have brought any staff with him, but he was there, on his own, checking details with high efficiency and speed.

    Fu Han had initially been daydreaming at the side, thinking of quietly waiting for Fu Xingbo to finish before leaving together, but her leisure was cut short when Fu Xingbo conscripted her into the task.

    In the face of futile resistance, Fu Han had no choice but to help her uncle with data verification until Su Cheng and Fu Xingbo finally signed the contract.

    Fu Xingbo made a call, and within less than ten minutes, Su Cheng¡¯s Finance Director entered with an excited face, announcing they had received the investment funds.

    With the bank matters no longer a concern, and even the production work at Huangpu Group no longer needing worry¡ªFu Xingbo¡¯s capital infusion was set to solve many issues.

    There¡¯s an air of rejuvenation with good news, and Su Cheng, having ovee a major personal hurdle, seemed even more spirited. He proposed lunch together, and neither Fu Han nor Fu Xingbo declined.

    Joining them for lunch was Su Cheng¡¯s assistant, Liu Rui. "Assistant" was his own description; Su Cheng had always regarded Liu Rui as thepany¡¯s Finance Director, attributing the current chaotic state of thepany as the reason for Liu Rui¡¯s multiple roles.

    About this Liu Rui, Fu Han had also heard from Nan Qing. Reportedly, Liu grew up with Su Cheng¡ªthough he was a few years older¡ªand Mr. Huangpu funded his overseas studies.

    Liu Rui himself was impressively driven, earning excellent grades and schrships every semester, and he worked hard enough to obtain two degrees within the same time others earned one.

    Moreover, he valued loyalty. With his capabilities, he could havended many excellent jobs abroad, but uponpleting his studies, he insisted on returning to work for Huangpu Group.

    Before the crisis at Huangpu Group, he had been the assistant to Mrs. Huangpu, the Finance Director¡¯s assistant.

    After Mr. Huangpu¡¯s trouble, Mrs. Huangpu suffered a severe blow, her health declining daily; Su Cheng, out of concern for his mother, stopped her froming to thepany, and the crucial position of Financial Department Director was filled by Liu Rui.

    The reason Fu Han remembered Liu Rui was mainly that Nan Qing had mentioned, in passing, that Liu was the son of the Huangpu family¡¯s old butler.

    There are many who add flowers to the brocade, but few who bring coal in snowy weather; there are many who kick a man when he¡¯s down, but few who stick by through thick and thin.

    So when Fu Han happens to learn of someone who understands and pays back the kindness they¡¯ve received, she naturally pays them a bit more attention.

    During today¡¯s financing dealings, Fu Han had been an observer and noticed that Liu Rui, seemingly ordinary-looking and softly-spoken, was quite capable. Although he still fell short of Fu Xingbo¡¯s prowess, he already exhibited some of Fu Xingbo¡¯s elegance.

    Fu Han had been somewhat worried about Su Cheng standing alone and unsupported, but now she felt reassured with Liu Rui by his side; their coboration was bound to resurrect Huangpu Group.

    The greatest pain is not found in suffering hardship, but in discovering there¡¯s no one to rely on after facing adversity¡ªthat is truly the most painful thing.

    Now, Fu Han believed that although Su Cheng was going through tough times, his future would surely get better, and as his friend, she could rest easy.

    After lunch, Fu Han excused herself; she had matters to attend to and left with Fu Xingbo¡¯s permission.

    While they were eating, Liang Tao had brought Fu Han¡¯s car and delivered the keys into her hands.

    Fu Xingbo was tolerant towards both Fu Han and Bai Wei, seldom making demands or inquiring into their affairs.

    Therefore, even without any exnation from Fu Han, Fu Xingbo asked no questions, simply reminding her not to forget toe home for dinner before he drove away.

    Fu Han had not yet left in her car when Su Cheng¡¯s call came through.

    Upon answering, Su Cheng¡¯s anxious voice came through, "Fu Han, don¡¯t go, I have something for you."

    Bewildered, yet without a chance to respond, Fu Han was left with no option but to wait for Su Cheng as he abruptly hung up.

    Luckily, the wait wasn¡¯t long. A few minutester, Su Cheng approached from afar, sweat the size of soybeans visible on his forehead.

    It was clear he had run here with great effort, evidenced by his sweat-soaked back.

    Furrowing her brows deeply, Fu Han asked with confusion, "Su Cheng, is there something else you need to tell me?"

    "I... I have a video that you might find useful," he said, panting, "It¡¯s a video of Yi Lixing I took previously. I mainly did it in case he harassed my mother again in the future, so I haven¡¯t watched it since recording it. Today, it suddenly came to mind that it might be beneficial to you."

    In fact, Su Cheng wasn¡¯t being entirely truthful. He had recorded the video unintentionally, capturing Yi Lixing attempting to coerce Mrs. Huangpu, nning to assault her.

    At that moment, Su Cheng had been just outside the office. He chose not to intervene immediately to put an end to Yi Lixing¡¯s scheme but, on the butler¡¯s advice, filmed the scene instead.

    Later, when Yi Lixing was caught off guard, they rushed in and gained the upper hand, coercing Yi Lixing into confessing some of his disgraceful deeds.

    When Su Cheng recorded this, it was solely to avoid Yi Lixing¡¯s future ckmail; thus, he barely listened to Yi Lixing¡¯s confessions, overwhelmed by the immense humiliation no man could endure¡ªwatching his mother being insulted.

    This incident had be a knot in Su Cheng¡¯s heart, and he had resolved to bury this video forever, never to resurface.

    But today, a conversation with Fu Han untied Su Cheng¡¯s inner knot, and with the crisis at Huangpu Group resolved, whaty ahead was the gradual revival of the enterprise, the slow return to its heydays.

    The change in mood enabled him to recollect deliberately forgotten memories, and Yi Lixing¡¯s video was the first thing that came to mind.

    Watching the video in front of her, Fu Han felt a bit embarrassed. Yi Lixing was shirtless in the video; although his lower body wasn¡¯t visible, she still felt ufortable, a strange sensation washing over her.

 Chapter 699 - 701: The Ward in the Afternoon

    <h4>Chapter 699: Chapter 701: The Ward in the Afternoon</h4><h4></h4>

    Su Cheng¡¯s clear voice rang out, "I just remembered that Yi Lixing seemed to have mentioned Xia Ning¡¯s name, but I¡¯ve never verified anything about Xia Ning. However, Yi Lixing clearly admitted in the video that he had betrayed He Group¡¯s business secrets, so I think it should be of use."

    Fu Han always felt it was strange to watch Yi Lixing¡¯s bare upper body alongside Su Cheng; discussing it here made it even more so.

    She coughed to clear her throat and turned off the video, seriously saying to Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, thank you very much for this video, I think it will be of great help to me."

    Su Cheng smiled, "I hope it can help you, if that¡¯s the case, then that would be great."

    ...

    Hospital Inpatient Department, Xia Ning¡¯s ward

    Her hospital bed was propped up, with two pillows behind her and a tablet on a stand on the bed table ying a movie. It was a romantic art film with no deep meaning, but Xia Ning liked watching it!

    However, at this moment, the picture on the tablet froze, and it stopped ying.

    Xia Ning¡¯srge eyes stared at Xia Guoxiong standing in front of her bed, silent without a word!

    Xia Guoxiong¡¯s face was gloomy and ugly. He paced back and forth restlessly, saying impatiently, "He Xing is getting serious this time. That mercenary promised not to give up Yi Lixing, but the Detention Center still won¡¯t release him. Think of a way to get He Xing to let Yi Lixing go, otherwise Xia Cheng won¡¯t be released, and I won¡¯t let you off."

    "It¡¯s not like I told Xia Cheng to rape Qin Nuan," Xia Ning muttered unhappily in a low voice, "You should be looking for Qin Nuan, whye to me? Brother He Xing won¡¯t listen to me anyway."

    "What did you say?" Xia Guoxiong red furiously, his eyes nearly popping out, "If that bitch Qin Nuan were that easy to deal with, would I stille to look for you?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, saying nothing, but the look on her face made her refusal very clear.

    Xia Guoxiong stomped on the floor fiercely, dering without doubt, "I don¡¯t care; if you don¡¯t handle this matter, I¡¯ll go tell He Xing that you¡¯re faking amnesia."

    These words sessfully hit Xia Ning¡¯s sore spot. Her expression changed drastically, but still unwillingly she said, "I understand, but I can only try my best, it¡¯s not guaranteed to seed!"

    "Don¡¯t give me that talk!" Xia Guoxiong waved his heavy hand a few times, saying impatiently, "I don¡¯t care about your excuses. I¡¯ve told you my demands, you¡¯d better consider them carefully. I¡¯m only giving you two days!"

    After saying this, Xia Guoxiong left without another word, his retreating figure bristling with rage.

    Xia Ning watched her father¡¯s retreating figure, falling into deep thought. Her beautiful face flickered with a dark light, more befitting a vicious woman than a girl in her twenties at the prime of her life.

    After thinking for a few minutes, she pulled a phone out from under her pillow and dialed He Xing¡¯s number. It rang for a long time before a very cold "Hello?" came through.

    "Brother He Xing." Xia Ning¡¯s cutesy voice practiced since childhood suddenly appeared, "Brother He Xing, I haven¡¯t seen you all day today, will youe keep mepany for dinner tonight?"

    "No." He Xing¡¯s voice was as cold as ever,pletely unfluctuating, "I have to work overtime tonight. You should go have dinner by yourself."

    A cold gleam shed in Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, but the words she spoke were just as cutesy as before, "Don¡¯t be like that, Brother He Xing, I really miss you. How about I bring dinner to you tonight, the doctor said I can be discharged tomorrow anyway."

    Actually, the hospital had rules that none of the patients were allowed to go out at night, but Xia Ning had always been spoiled and never took the hospital¡¯s rules to heart ¨C such behaviour was typical for her.

    "Stop fooling around!" He Xing¡¯s voice suddenly rose sharply, expressing dissatisfaction, "Don¡¯t wander around with your injuries; I¡¯ll bring dinner to you tonight."

    Xia Ning hung up the phone jubntly, her face beaming, a striking contrast to the gloom just moments before.

    She was happy for two minutes, then suddenly remembered something and made another phone call.

    This time the call was answered quickly, and a voice as sweet as honey came through, "Xia Ning, what¡¯s made you free to call me? Is Yi Lixing about to be released?"

    "Qin Nuan, dealing with this matter is my task for today. If you want to save Yi Lixing, you¡¯d better bring me something quickly, or it might be toote," Xia Ning shifted from the sweet and docile tone she used with He Xing to a chilling coldness, like a freezing wind sweeping over an icyke.

    "Alright, got it." Qin Nuan¡¯snguid voice sounded, thick with allure despite being through a phone, "I¡¯ll bring it to you shortly, and thanks for getting my sister out, but since you falsely used her, she had to stay there for so long, what do you n to do about that?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s teeth gritted audibly; if Qin Nuan were in front of her right now, she would likely have killed her with a re - but s.

    After calming down, she said, "What¡¯s the rush now? We can deal with that after Yi Lixing is out. Also, how¡¯s tomorrow¡¯s ning along?"

    "I¡¯m much more reliable than anyone in your family, just wait for the show tomorrow," Qin Nuan chuckled lightly, the softness andziness swept away, reced by coldness and gloom.

    Less than half an hour after hanging up, Qin Nuan arrived, bringing two white pills.

    The two tiny pillsy in a transparent bag, looking like the little candies thate with toys for children, quite adorable.

    Qin Nuan ced the small bag solemnly into Xia Ning¡¯s hand, "These pills are very potent; taking too many can harm the body. One is enough at a time. I brought an extra one just in case."

    "Got it, when did you be so naggy?" Xia Ning frowned deeply, disying her distaste.

    Qin Nuan rolled her eyes unapologetically, knowing well that no one heeded her words; she couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak more. After briefly discussing the ns for tomorrow with Xia Ning, she left.

    No sooner had Qin Nuan stepped out did Ji Liangchuane in.

    At that moment, Xia Ning was holding the transparent little bag,ughing heartily. Ji Liangchuan saw and mocked her immediately, "Xia Ning, what is that you¡¯re holding that¡¯s got youughing so joyfully?"

    Startled, Xia Ning instinctively hid the little bag behind her back. Upon realizing it was Ji Liangchuan who had spoken, she retorted unhappily, "Why are you here bothering me instead of stalking Fu Han?"

 Chapter 700 - 702: Busy afternoon

    <h4>Chapter 700: Chapter 702: Busy afternoon</h4><h4></h4>

    "I haven¡¯t seen you for several days, so I came to visit you," Ji Liangchuan¡¯s smile was radiant, his mouth wide, but his peach blossom eyes did not turn into crescents with the smile, which meant he wasn¡¯t really smiling.

    The temperature in the ward began to drop sharply, as if the air conditioning was broken, malfunctioning.

    Xia Ning felt as if a cold wind had blown over, seeping into her clothes from the back of her neck, she touched her arm, and found it covered in dense goosebumps,rge and prickly to the touch.

    She had to make a considerable effort to appear calm, "What exactly are you here for? If you¡¯re really here to see me, please leave. I don¡¯t want to see you at all."

    "Don¡¯t say that. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would still be someone with unclear recognition of your past. You should be thanking me for helping you recover your memory," Ji Liangchuan¡¯s smile was exceptionally bright, "But looking at you now, you don¡¯t seem grateful at all. Instead, you seem to be filled with hatred towards me. Why is that?"

    In fact, Xia Ning had genuinely experienced selective memory loss. He Xing was so clever that if Xia Ning¡¯s amnesia had been feigned, he would naturally have sensed it.

    But Xia Ning¡¯s memory loss was short-lived¡ªless than three days in total. It was during Ji Liangchuan¡¯s first hospital visit that she remembered everything.

    However, this process was not worth recalling. Xia Ning didn¡¯t want to think about it because, in her eyes, Ji Liangchuan that day was a demon.

    This was also why Xia Ning was so terrified upon seeing Ji Liangchuan today.

    Her fear was unique, the kind from the bottom of the food chain towards the top, like a mouse in the presence of a cat, truly frightened to the point of immobility.

    Although Xia Ning was not as exaggerated, indeed, seeing Ji Liangchuan today made her truly ufortable.

    She reached for the emergency call button with trembling hands, trying to maintain herposure, "Please leave, I don¡¯t wee you here."

    "Why? Are you afraid I¡¯ll bump into He Xing?" Ji Liangchuanughed even more joyously, resembling a cat ying with a mouse, casually watching Xia Ning, "Last time I visited, didn¡¯t I leave before He Xing arrived? It¡¯ll be the same this time. I¡¯m a man of principle; I won¡¯t ruin your rtionship with He Xing."

    Not mentioning this would have been better. Once Ji Liangchuan did, Xia Ning was furious. During his previous visit, she had already been feeling horrible and wanted him to leave quickly, but he stubbornly refused to go.

    Moreover, Ji Liangchuan imed that He Xing hadn¡¯t seen him that day, but He Xing entered no more than ten seconds after Ji Liangchuan left. Who knows if he actually saw anything? After all, they had known each other since middle school and could probably recognize each other just by their silhouettes.

    The more Xia Ning thought about it, the more she felt something was off. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed, and irritably she said, "What do you really want? Just say it, and then please leave quickly. I need to rest."

    "As long as He Xing consumes what¡¯s here, the two of you can flip the situation around, right?" Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes scanned Xia Ning¡¯s pillow, under which hid the two pills given to her by Qin Nuan.

    Though Xia Ning despised Ji Liangchuan to death and had secretly resolved not to be swayed by him, she couldn¡¯t help blushing at his words.

    Ji Liangchuan raised his eyebrows, saying with a significant tone, "Do you need my help tonight?"

    "No!" Xia Ning nearly cried out instinctively, looking at Ji Liangchuan as if he were a viin, "Your absence is the biggest help."

    As if he hadn¡¯t heard Xia Ning at all, Ji Liangchuan casually continued, his eyebrows raised, "Give me one of those things."

    "Why?" Xia Ning¡¯s eyes widened in resistance, "I only have two; I can¡¯t give you one."

    "What did you say? Do you want to repeat that?" Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face darkened, and his gaze upon Xia Ning was as if he were looking at a dead person.

    Xia Ning instinctively shrunk her neck back, her beautiful face showing unmistakable fear, as though she hadid eyes on some fearsome ghost.

    ...

    The nightfall of winter always came especially quickly; outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was pitch-ck night, the usual bustling lights of A city in the distance. Sadly, even the splendor of those lights, too far away, couldn¡¯t radiate over here.

    The Office of the General Manager of He Group was extremely spacious, muchrger than a regr living room, and sparsely furnished. The decor was minimalist in style, yet every piece of furniture and even each ornament was unaffordable for ordinary households.

    The office desk, two meters long and one meter wide, housed two desktopputers and aptop. At the moment, all three screens were glowing, each disying different pages with intricate charts jumping around ¨C these were the data from various departments of He Group, including financial statements and the like.

    He Xing multitasked effectively, his brain working at high speed, asionally typing on one of theputers, oblivious to the encroaching dusk outside.

    Suddenly, a knock on the door echoed, jarringly loud in the quiet office. Without lifting his head, He Xing said, "Come in!"

    Liang Tao entered with a stack of documents, seeing He Xing¡¯s furrowed brows he felt sympathy, hesitatingly he spoke, "Manager He, it¡¯s gettingte. Didn¡¯t you say you were going to the hospital tonight? Why don¡¯t you call it a day early? Lady Bai Wei¡¯s engagement is tomorrow, and there¡¯s much to be done."

    He Xing slowly looked up, his voice husky from not speaking for a while, "Where¡¯s Fu Han now?"

    "An hour ago, the bodyguards reported that Lady Fu Han has already returned to the Fu Family¡¯s duplex vi," Liang Tao said, his back instinctively straightening, his voice robust, "Manager He, Lady Xia Ning has called several times asking when you will go to the hospital."

    He Xing nced at the threeputer screens in front of him. Overall, the data for the day were normal. His reason for not having left work yet was because he wouldn¡¯t be able to work the day of Bai Wei¡¯s engagement, so he was trying to get some work done in advance.

    He stretchedzily, the hoarseness in his voice diminishing, sounding clearer, "Go ahead and order the food, have it sent to the hospital. I¡¯ll be there shortly."

    Liang Tao nodded and left in a hurry, thinking to himself that he wouldn¡¯t have to endure any more persistent calls from Xia Ning. She had been urging He Xing to go to the hospital since before dusk. He Xing hadn¡¯t responded to Xia Ning, so she didn¡¯t dare to pressure him further and instead kept reaching out to Liang Tao, urging him to make sure He Xing left work sooner.

    Initially, Liang Tao wasn¡¯t willing to deal with Xia Ning, disliking the haughty and disrespectful youngdy, yet he dared not offend her openly, so he could only silently pray in his heart for He Xing to leave work soon.

 Chapter 701 - 704: The Same Thing Happens Three Times

    <h4>Chapter 701: Chapter 704: The Same Thing Happens Three Times</h4><h4></h4>

    About half an hour earlier, Ji Liangchuan bombarded Fu Han with calls. With no choice left, Fu Han answered the phone, and after Ji Liangchuan employed some reverse psychology involving He Xing, she ended up going to the hospital with him.

    Upon arrival at the hospital, Ji Liangchuan sneakily led Fu Han to the ward next to Xia Ning¡¯s and then turned on the projector, which disyed a scene from the adjacent ward.

    Fu Han felt this action was nothing but an invasion of privacy. She considered spying a despicable act and was vehemently against it, but since it was He Xing they were talking about, it felt different. Truth be told, she was indeed curious about what He Xing was like with Xia Ning in private.

    Having watched for some time, honestly, He Xing¡¯s behavior towards Xia Ning wasn¡¯t as good as she¡¯d imagined, nor was it as bad. Their interaction seemed more like ordinary friends.

    Fu Han couldn¡¯t say she was upset, but neither could she say she wasn¡¯t. However, the sarcastic remarks Ji Liangchuan made by her side were truly irritating.

    She red fiercely at Ji Liangchuan and said with annoyance, "I must have been out of my mind toe here with you to watch people eat. If you¡¯re so interested, then keep watching. I have other matters to attend to and am leaving first."

    "Wait a second!" Ji Liangchuan quickly stepped in front of Fu Han, his voice urgent as he said, "Just wait a bit longer, and you¡¯ll see for yourself what He Xing has been up to behind your back with Xia Ning."

    "Don¡¯t you dare talk about He Xing like that!" Fu Han¡¯s beautiful face darkened as she looked coldly at Ji Liangchuan and said sharply, "It¡¯s your own dirty mind that thinks of He Xing that way. I¡¯m telling you, He Xing is definitely not that kind of person."

    "Definitely not?" A cold flicker passed through Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes, but he quickly regained control. With a strangely mocking tone, he said, "He Xing has spent several nights with Xia Ning. Do you really think nothing happened between them?"

    "I trust He Xing, anyway." Fu Han turned her head away, not looking at Ji Liangchuan. Her beautiful face was as fair as frost and snow, and she carried an elegance that made it hard for others to look directly at her.

    There, Ji Liangchuan spoke again, his voice much calmer than before: "Fu Han, you are a very naive girl, so you always think the best of people, but the world isn¡¯t as naive as you."

    "Can you stop it with these words? I¡¯m so tired of hearing them I could grow calluses on my ears," Fu Han said, turning away and clearly showing her impatience on her face.

    A coldness shed in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He handed over a bottle of mineral water to Fu Han: "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about that anymore. Take a drink and calm down, and if you¡¯re still upset after that, then I¡¯ll take you back."

    Fu Han looked down at the bottle of mineral water in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hand. It was indeed the brand she usually drank. She had left in a hurry and hadn¡¯t had any water. With the dry winter air, she was indeed thirsty and wanted to drink.

    She took the bottle and looked at it, then unapologetically pushed the mineral water back into Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hands: "You¡¯ve already opened this bottle, I don¡¯t want it."

    At this, Fu Han¡¯s eyes quickened, and she noticed another bottle of mineral water on the coffee table. She picked it up, checked that it wasn¡¯t opened, and with a smile, she said, "I¡¯ll drink this one."

    While talking, Fu Han unscrewed the bottle cap and drank several big gulps. The sweet mineral water slid down her throat, making her feel much moreposed.

    She pointed at the mineral water bottle in Ji Liangchuan¡¯s hands and sneered, "Why don¡¯t you drink?"

    "Drink, drink, I will." Ji Liangchuan bent one corner of his mouth into a smile and guzzled down most of the bottle.

    Suddenly, the image on the screen changed. Xia Ning, with a yet unfaded bruised face, ran to He Xing and settled next to him. She grabbed He Xing¡¯s neck in one move and called out in a low voice, "Brother He Xing."

    That call was filled with a lingering and heart-wrenching desire, enough to make anyone listening itch with restlessness.

    Fu Han¡¯s expression changed instantly. Her beautiful eyes fixed on the screen as her heartbeat elerated faster and faster. She harbored a hidden hope that He Xing would push Xia Ning away, yet at the same time, she feared He Xing might act impulsively.

    "See, what did I tell you? When a man and a woman are alone together, it¡¯s a tinderbox ready to ignite," Ji Liangchuan murmured, unbeknownst to her when he had moved close to her.

    "Stay away from me," Fu Han said, recoiling with clear disgust on her face, only then noticing that Ji Liangchuan¡¯s face was flushed red, as if he had drunk a great deal of alcohol.

    Ji Liangchuan touched his own cheek, his smile notably bright: "Fu Han, it¡¯s not easy for the two of us to be together, wouldn¡¯t it be a pity not to do anything about it?"

    As he spoke, he lunged at Fu Han with a lustful smile. Fu Han screamed and threw her bottle of mineral water at him, then turned and ran towards the couch.

    Meanwhile, the image on the projector changed again. He Xing picked up Xia Ning horizontally and walked toward the bed, then the projector flickered several times and ultimately went ck.

    Fu Han¡¯splexion turned ashen. Although she felt something was off about Ji Liangchuan, her main concern was still themotion in the next room. She hurried towards the door, wanting to find He Xing in the neighboring room.

    But how could she be a match for Ji Liangchuan? Before she could open the door, he had already caught up with her, grabbed Fu Han by the hair, and threw her fiercely onto the couch, then he himself pounced on top of her.

    When Fu Han came, she had an inkling that Ji Liangchuan¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t pure, but she still came because she really wanted to know what He Xing was like with Xia Ning in private. However, she had been very cautious, not having any physical contact with Ji Liangchuan, and even the water she drank was an unopened bottle.

    Yet she hadn¡¯t anticipated Ji Liangchuan¡¯s audacity.

    Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck Fu Han¡¯s mind, and she stared in surprise at the bottle of water casually left on the coffee table by Ji Liangchuan. Could there be something wrong with the water?

    Ji Liangchuan¡¯s lips were already descending. Fu Han had no more time to think. She struggled to push him away and screamed desperately.

    But how could Fu Han contend with Ji Liangchuan? Her resistance not only failed to send Ji Liangchuan away but also seemed to excite him further, making him more eager to strip away her clothes.

    This was the third time Fu Han had encountered a situation like this. The first time was Xia Cheng, resulting in her facial disfigurement; the second time was an assassin, leading to Nan Qing¡¯s miscarriage; and this was the third time. She didn¡¯t know what might happen if she enraged Ji Liangchuan, but she was determined not to give in and desperately iled at him, trying to push him away.

 Chapter 702 - 705: Earth-Shattering Turnaround

    <h4>Chapter 702: Chapter 705: Earth-Shattering Turnaround</h4><h4></h4>

    Just as Fu Han was engulfed in despair, suddenly a loud bash of a kicking door reverberated, and Fu Han felt she finally saw a glint of hope. She excitedly looked towards the door.

    Standing outside were the two bodyguards who were inseparable from Fu Han. After they entered, they pulled Ji Liangchuan away in one swift move.

    In front of them, the nearly 1.8-meter-tall Ji Liangchuan had not a smidgeon of strength to resist.

    They started pummeling Ji Liangchuan with a storm of fists and kicks. Fu Han coldly watched after tidying up her clothes, only reminding them, "Don¡¯t hit the face, and no vital spots."

    She should have been the one to act, but she didn¡¯t even want to touch Ji Liangchuan again; the thought disgusted her.

    Finally, when Ji Liangchuan¡¯s wails became somewhat pitiful, she waved her hand, turned around, and strode out. It was only then that she realized she had no idea what had be of He Xing in the next room.

    Fu Han stood in front of the neighboring door¡¯s handle, took a deep breath, and then slowly pushed the door open.

    What she saw was a surreal scene that made her furrow her brows heavily, looking at the sight in the ward with an expression of ironic amusement.

    Xia Ning¡¯s face flushed red as she ran towards He Xing, calling him brother, while He Xing avoided her with a darkened face but agile movements.

    Fu Han had never seen He Xing being chased around like this, so seeing him evade Xia Ning now seemed somewhat funny to her.

    But something seemed off. Hadn¡¯t she seen He Xing carrying Xia Ning towards the bed in the surveince footage? By all ounts, even if they were "exercising," it shouldn¡¯t be this kind of exercise.

    "Fu Han, Fu Han, where are you?" Ji Liangchuan¡¯s voice echoed, sounding strangely eerie in the ward.

    It was like someone gravely injured and on the brink of death, who, despite his numbered days, seemed under some spell, blind to pain, mindlessly following the goal his heart had set.

    As Fu Han turned towards the voice, she saw Ji Liangchuan staggering against the doorframe, approaching her in a way that was reminiscent of zombies in "nts vs. Zombies," oblivious to pain and just moving forward.

    At that moment, He Xing finally spotted Fu Han. He ran toward her as if seeing a savior, yelling while running, "Fu Han, save me, Xia Ning is going crazy, she¡¯s throwing herself at me."

    While speaking, He Xing had reached Fu Han, grabbed her shoulders, and hid behind her, borating, "Xiaohan, I need to exin, nothing happened between me and Xia Ning; I suspect she added something to the orange juice, so I switched ours, and this happened."

    When Fu Han arrived, they were already eating. The cups on the table were empty, and she had wondered what they had been drinking to finish it sopletely.

    At that thought, her eyes suddenly brightened. She instructed the two bodyguards to control Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning, then she herself took He Xing and left Xia Ning¡¯s ward.

    The hospital¡¯s Inpatient Department corridor was very quiet. Although hospitals are always quiet at night, there are always staff on duty. It made no sense that nurses hadn¡¯te even though Xia Ning and Ji Liangchuan had been shouting.

    No doubt, some force had made the nurses and doctors invisible. Either they had been tripped up, or they had chosen to be selectively deaf.

    Fu Han whispered in He Xing¡¯s ear. After listening, He Xing nodded thoughtfully, "You make sense. I had hit the emergency button when Xia Ning was entangling me but no nurse came. It seems no one will bother with us today. We better take them to another hospital."

    The two headed back to Xia Ning¡¯s ward. The door was open, as they had left it, but something seemed to have changed inside still.

    Fu Han¡¯s brow furrowed deeply as ambiguous sounds wafted from the room, making listeners blush and their hearts race.

    The two mercenaries, with keen hearing, turned at the sound of footsteps. After seeing He Xing and Fu Han, they exchanged a nce and with no particr expression calmly stated, "We¡¯ve tried to pull them apart, but we can¡¯t hold them."

    After speaking, they nced again inside the ward, turned, and left directly.

    Their main mission was to protect Fu Han, and they also had an unwritten rule that they should be invisible when He Xing was present.

    Previously, Fu Han had found these two mercenaries quite intrusive, shadowing her everywhere. Perhaps following He Xing¡¯s directive, the mercenaries weren¡¯t sticking as close as before. At least, Fu Han wouldn¡¯t see them unless she looked for them in a crowd.

    Like tonight, Fu Han didn¡¯t see them when she came to the hospital, but when Ji Liangchuan was about to take advantage of her, these two timely appeared and gave Ji Liangchuan a good beating.

    For the first time in her life, Fu Han felt that having a mercenary with her was a good thing, as at least she didn¡¯t have to worry about her safety.

    Now Fu Han and He Xing had reached the door. The ambiguous sounds were more evident than before; Fu Han instinctively looked in the direction of the sounds and saw Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning doing the indescribable, their moans producing the sounds.

    "Damn it!" He Xing was quite enraged. He covered Fu Han¡¯s eyes while saying, "Xiaohan, wait for me on the side; I¡¯ll pull that bastard Ji Liangchuan away."

    This was Fu Han¡¯s second time witnessing a live erotic scene. The first was at Pan Sigu¡¯s movie premiere where Luo Qinghe was nearly broadcast live by Qin Xiaonian¡¯s plot, but ultimately Fu Han arrived in time to stop them.

    This time the main characters were Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning. Honestly, both were people Fu Han disliked, and seeing them perform primal acts, she genuinely felt queasy, seriously wondering if she would get sty.

    But she still suppressed her nausea, grabbed He Xing, and in the lowest voice possible said, "He Xing, think this through. They both may have taken something that necessitates this. If you separate them now, can you guarantee they won¡¯t be harmed more?"

    He Xing halted in his tracks, deeply ncing into the ward where two bodies were rolling on the bed, their noises getting louder. Just listening made He Xing¡¯s skin crawl.

    Actually, intervening now was of little consequence, as whatever could or shouldn¡¯t have happened had already taken ce. The only thing they could do now was shut the ward door to minimize the spread of the incident as much as possible.

 Chapter 703 - 706: Spectacular Scene

    <h4>Chapter 703: Chapter 706: Spectacr Scene</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> The two returned to the ward next door where Fu Han and Ji Liangchuan had stayed before. The projector had been turned on again at some point, and it was currently disying live footage of Xia Ning and Ji Liangchuan, with ambiguous sounds filling the ward, sounding jarringly unpleasant.

    Fu Han wanted to turn off the projector, but she couldn¡¯t find the remote control no matter how hard she looked. Ultimately, it was He Xing who pulled the plug, and the world finally fell silent.

    The incandescent light overhead shone brightly, casting a glow on the faces of Fu Han and He Xing.

    In professional terms, this would be called "death lighting," but whether it was He Xing or Fu Han, both withstood the re from above perfectly. Under the intense illumination, they looked like the most wless sculptures, breathtakingly beautiful.

    Fu Han was actually quite calm. If she had to describe it, she felt a sense of exhration. She even thought that Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning hadpletely brought disaster upon themselves.

    But from the corner of her eye, Fu Han saw that He Xing¡¯s expression was very unpleasant. She swallowed and wanted to say something but didn¡¯t know what to say.

    The temperature in the ward was dropping bit by bit, matching the room¡¯s atmosphere. There was a breeze outside the window, but it wasn¡¯t the howling winter wind anymore, it was much gentler ¨C spring had arrived.

    He Xing slowly lifted his head and looked at Fu Han after who knew how long. His eyes were like cold stars as he stared deeply into Fu Han¡¯s and said word by word, "Xiaohan, weren¡¯t you having dinner at your uncle¡¯s house tonight? Howe you are here?"

    The way he spoke made Fu Han feel ufortable, but she still hid her deepest thoughts and, with as calm a voice as she could muster, replied with a smile, "It was Ji Liangchuan who called me and said that something would happen at the hospital tonight. That¡¯s why I came over."

    "How did Ji Liangchuan know something would happen?" He Xing¡¯s eyes flickered several times before finally settling deeply on Fu Han, with a glimmer that shed on and off within them.

    Fu Han felt increasingly ufortable, always sensing that He Xing saw her and Ji Liangchuan as coborators or that he suspected her true purpose for being there.

    She tried very hard to control her emotions, but she couldn¡¯t help herself and burst out, "He Xing, if you have something to say, just say it directly. Why beat around the bush? Are you suggesting that I orchestrated the events of today?"

    "I didn¡¯t say that," He Xing replied curtly but said no more and didn¡¯t provide any further exnation.

    Fu Han¡¯s face darkened as she could no longer conceal her anger, speaking forthrightly, "He Xing, you want to know the truth, right? Then I¡¯ll tell you the truth."

    As she reached this point, Fu Han took a deep breath, expelling thest bit of vulnerability from her heart, and said coldly, "Ji Liangchuan came to me and told me that you and Xia Ning would do something to betray me tonight; yes, I didn¡¯t trust you, so I came to confirm it, and it turns out I was right toe."

    "Right toe?" He Xing looked up at Fu Han, his eyes, usually calm, now shimmered with a cold and imposing light.

    Unfortunately for him, Fu Han had grown up under such pressure from a young age; she was well-practiced at ignoring the intense pressure that He Xing naturally exuded.

    She snorted derisively and said bluntly, "Yes, of course I¡¯m right toe. If I hadn¡¯t, who knows whether you would have sumbed to Xia Ning?"

    "What did you say? Say it again!" He Xing suddenly looked up, his eyes growing exceptionally deep, with a cold light twinkling within.

    Fu Han¡¯s anger was rising like a tide. She could no longer sit still, she got up and walked around but still couldn¡¯t control her emotions. She spoke with unrestrained excitement, "Ask yourself, what did you do before I entered? You could have run straight out of the ward, but instead, you got entangled with her inside?"

    As she spoke, the scene Fu Han witnessed when she opened the door to Xia Ning¡¯s ward shed through her mind ¨C at that time, He Xing was in a state of flight.

    Her rage was like a fireball on the verge of exploding. At this moment, she red furiously at He Xing, flipped through her phone, and sent him a video: "Take a look at this video and think about what kind of person Xia Ning really is."

    After saying this, Fu Han didn¡¯t linger any longer but headed straight for the ward¡¯s door.

    He Xing took out his phone and saw that indeed there was a video message from Yi Lixing showing his upper body. He opened it and after a few seconds, his facial expression underwent a drastic change.

    The few minutes of video were packed with content, explosive enough topete with prime time melodramas.

    In the video, Yi Lixing explicitly admitted that Xia Guoxiong had told him even if he betrayed the secrets of the He Group, He Xing wouldn¡¯t me Xia Guoxiong.

    He also said in the video that it was Xia Ning who wanted to eliminate Fu Han. To do so, she went abroad and paid Qin Nuan to help find someone to take out Fu Han.

    He Xing¡¯s expression worsened as he watched, eventually looking as stony and foul as a rock in a cesspool.

    It was exactly what he feared; previously, Xia Guoxiong and his daughter Xia Ning had tried to guide everything towards personal grudges between He Xing and Yi Lixing, and He Xing had believed it.

    Indeed, He Xing believed it because he knew Yi Lixing hated him; he also genuinely didn¡¯t want to implicate Xia Ning in any of this.

    Moreover, the most crucial point was that the assassin who hurt Fu Han was captured on the spot; he never mentioned Xia Ning. As for Yi Lixing, who was also in the Detention Center, he never spoke of any connection between this incident and Xia Ning.

    It was for this reason that He Xing had cleared Xia Ning of suspicion.

    A notification ding sounded, and another message from Fu Han popped up on He Xing¡¯s phone.

    "Qin Xiaonian is Qin Nuan¡¯s biological sister. Xia Ning used a loophole in the contract to frame Qin Xiaonian for fraud and send her to jail. Yi Lixing is Qin Nuan¡¯s current boyfriend; Qin Nuan has dated both Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng, father and son, at the same time."

    He Xing was aware of thest statement, but he was unaware of the sisterly rtionship between Qin Nuan and Qin Xiaonian, as well as the legal case between Qin Xiaonian and Xia Ning; he hadn¡¯t thought to investigate it either.

    However, if this was true, many things would start to make sense.

    He Xing¡¯s expression changed several times, and finally, he picked up his car keys, stood up, and headed for the door. At the same time, he was dialing his phone, trying to contact Fu Han, but the call he made was rejected.

    On his way to the elevator, he inevitably passed Xia Ning¡¯s ward, where the ambiguous sounds continued relentlessly, loud and inexhaustible, clearly audible even in the hallway.</subtxt>

 Chapter 704 - 707: What If....

    <h4>Chapter 704: Chapter 707: What If....</h4><h4></h4>

    As He Xing was in the elevator, his mind echoed with the words Fu Han had said. If she hadn¡¯te in, what would He Xing have done¡ªignored the situation as if he saw someone dying?

    He clearly understood that before he saw the video sent by Fu Han, he would never have ignored Xia Ning¡¯s situation. After all, Du Wanting had saved his life, Xia Ning had also saved him, and He Xing was partly to me for the injury on Xia Ning¡¯s face.

    But was the only way to save Xia Ning really to pledge himself to her? He Xing didn¡¯t believe so, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t actually do that sort of thing with Xia Ning.

    When he was hiding from Xia Ning in the ward, it wasn¡¯t for any other reason, but because he had already pressed the emergency call button; he was waiting for the doctor toe and handle the situation.

    Fu Han had said he could simply knock Xia Ning out, but Xia Ning¡¯s facial injury hadn¡¯t yet healed, and he was genuinely worried that if he hit her again in the back of the head, her already intermittent amnesia would be even more chaotic.

    When He Xing reached the underground parking lot, ready to drive away, a new message from Fu Han came: "Xia Ning once spent money to hire someone abroad to deal with me. And this time, her hiring people to chase after me resulted in Nan Qing¡¯s miscarriage. I definitely won¡¯t let this go so easily."

    Originally, his foot was already pressing on the elerator, but upon hearing this message, he let out a deep sigh, finally stopping in ce and saying word by word, "I support you in defending your legal rights."

    He waited a while but did not get a reply from Fu Han. Knowing that Fu Han was still angry and would not bother with him, he pressed down on the gas pedal, and the car shot out like a bolt of lightning, heading for the Fu Family¡¯s duplex vi.

    Usually, it would take at least half an hour to get from the hospital to the Fu Family¡¯s vi, but today He Xing arrived in less than twenty minutes.

    He managed to knock on the door of the Fu Family easily, but Fu Xingbo didn¡¯t let him in, instead blocking He Xing at the entrance.

    Above the hallway were fist-sizedmps spaced a short distance apart, warm orange light turning the corridor bright and giving off a sense of warmth.

    He Xing¡¯s handsome eyebrows furrowed, and in his ck eyes surged a tidal wave of wrath. His voice deep and tinged with coldness, he said, "Uncle-inw, I came to see Fu Han. What do you mean by blocking me?"

    As he spoke, the temperature in the corridor seemed to plummet. Although there were no sounds of wind or cranes outside, the hallway felt as chilly as a snowy field.

    If it had been anyone else facing He Xing, they might have already been frozen as if in a snowy field.

    Unfortunately for He Xing, the person standing opposite him was Fu Xingbo, someone who had made a proud name for himself in the bloody and violent international business market of M Country, relying solely on his own strength. He was no ordinary person.

    Not even fluttering his eyelids, Fu Xingbo simply stretched out his somewhat pale hand to push up his sses, and said with profound meaning, "I don¡¯t care what happened between you and Fu Han, nor do I want to hear that there¡¯s been a misunderstanding between you two. All I know is that Fu Han told me she doesn¡¯t want to see you today. So please leave; I¡¯m not going to let you in."

    He Xing¡¯s expression changed several times, and in the end, he asked reluctantly in a low voice, "Uncle-inw, has Fu Han told you anything?"

    "No," Fu Xingbo¡¯s eyelids twitched. Under the light, his excessively pale face gleamed with an almost jade-like luster. "I¡¯m not interested in what happened between you two. Fu Han won¡¯t tell, and I won¡¯t ask. But I will not allow anyone to harm Fu Han."

    He Xing had not spent much time with his uncle-inw. From childhood to adulthood, he could count the number of times they had met on two hands, so their rtionship was neither deep nor shallow.

    Yet, strangely, ever since He Xing learned of the rtionship between Fu Han and Fu Xingbo, he had felt a certain fear towards Fu Xingbo.

    It was as if... he felt an innate fear of a son-inw towards a father-inw, worried that he would not give his daughter away in marriage.

    He Xing could see from Fu Xingbo¡¯s eyes that no matter how hard he tried today, Fu Xingbo would not let him in. He let out a deep sigh, said goodbye, and left.

    The night was no longer cold. He Xing stood outside the building, looking up and trying hard to see Fu Han¡¯s room.

    Finally, he located Fu Han¡¯s room at a high floor at a great distance. The light shining from Fu Han¡¯s window was not as big as He Xing¡¯s palm.

    But this tiny patch of warm light was the warmest ce in his heart, giving him strength wherever he was.

    He Xing didn¡¯t know how long he had stood there, nor did he remember when the light in Fu Han¡¯s room had been turned off. Before leaving, he sent a message to Fu Han: "Xiaohan, I¡¯ve been standing outside your window until now. I have to go take care of some things and must leave. We¡¯ll see each other at Bai Wei¡¯s engagement ceremony."

    After sending the message, He Xing drove away.

    The headlights of the Lamborghini tore a small gash through the darkness, yet the night gathered again behind him as if it had never been cleaved.

    He Xing¡¯s gaze was resolute, eyes fixed on whaty ahead; and behind him, the window that he had stared at for hours cracked open slightly, a pair of shining ck eyes appeared and quietly watched the Lamborghini drive away.

    ...

    The Li family¡¯s five-star hotel, the site of Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s engagement ceremony.

    As the sun just began to rise above the horizon, and the daylight had not yetpletely dispelled the darkness, the hotel was already buzzing with activity.

    The Bai family of four arrived early, and the Li family arrived not long after.

    Many hotel staff had been up since midnight, busy preparing for today¡¯s engagement ceremony between Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei.

    Luo Qiluo and Li Huazhi had promised while in M Country to prepare a grand engagement ceremony for Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, wanting the whole city and even the whole country to see their ceremony.

    This couple intended to unt the high status of the Li family in A City in front of Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, who were well aware of their intentions.

    As adults, the most important thing is to show respect to others even if there is no understanding, and after knowing the intentions of the Li family, Fu Xingbo and his wife simply replied that they can make all the arrangements, thereby bing contented figureheads.

    However, this morning, when the four of them¡ªFu Han, Bai Wei, and their spouses¡ªarrived, Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian couldn¡¯t help but murmur that the hotel was a bit too extravagant.

    The entrance was adorned withnterns and bright colors, and inside, the hotel was blooming like a garden. Everywhere on the ss windows,rge red ¡¯happiness¡¯ characters were pasted, and even the chandeliers weren¡¯t spared¡ªthe decor inside and out was exceptionally festive, more so than an average wedding.

    Fu Han teased Bai Wei, saying, "You might as well not just get engaged¡ªjust get married."

 Chapter 705 - 708: No Problem with Getting Married Directly

    <h4>Chapter 705: Chapter 708: No Problem with Getting Married Directly</h4><h4></h4>

    Bai Wei seriously contemted for a moment before equally seriously saying to Fu Han, "I think your suggestion is great. Why don¡¯t you go and tell Luo Qinghe to get married today? I have no objection."

    Fu Han¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She had only meant to tease Bai Wei and gleefully watch a spectacle unfold; she never expected... Okay, she admitted that she had misjudged how much Bai Wei wanted to marry Luo Qinghe.

    The makeup artist had already been waiting in Bai Wei¡¯s personal waiting room. Anticipating a long and tedious makeup process, Fu Han was eager to find a ce to catch up on some sleep. She hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night after being woken up early by the sound of Bai Wei pounding on her door.

    Yet Bai Wei, in a rare overflow of girlish sentimentality, adamantly refused to let Fu Han leave her side and insisted on having herpany, iming she was too nervous and scared to be alone.

    Although Fu Han felt her eyelids heavy, she couldpletely understand Bai Wei¡¯splex emotions, recalling her own nervousness when she got engaged.

    Bai Wei was like a wooden doll in front of the dressing table, her mouth nonstop chattering away; Fu Han half-heartedly chatted with her while idly opening her phone to browse the web out of sheer boredom.

    No sooner had she turned on her phone did a message pop up with an eye-catching headline: "Xia Group¡¯s heiress and the nightclub prince¡¯s romantic escapade couldn¡¯t be more scandalous."

    Fu Han had spected that morning about how Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning would react upon waking up¡ªwhether they would break down crying or angrilye to blows. Seeing the news, she immediately opened the video on her phone.

    As soon as she started the video, a noisy mor filled the air, followed by the incessant clicking of cameras¡ªa voice repeatedly could be heard pleading in the video not to take any more photos.

    But despite themotion, the footage was quite clear.

    The location was Xia Ning¡¯s hospital ward. Though Xia Ning was wrapped in a nket, the smooth expanse of her shoulders and arms was visible; Ji Liangchuan, on the other hand, was bare-chested.

    Even though their lower bodies were obscured, their clothes, including clearly identifiable undergarments, were haphazardly scattered on the floor at the foot of the bed.

    The most shocking part was that, even on her phone, Fu Han could distinctly see the strawberry marks on Xia Ning¡¯s neck, shoulders, and chest; Ji Liangchuan¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t any better, with scratch marks all over his chest and back.

    Any adult with a modest understanding of the birds and the bees could easily deduce that the pair had had a fierce encounter the previous night.

    Fu Han only watched for a moment before feeling her cheeks flush and her heart race. She was aware of the ways of men and women but still felt embarrassed watching such scenes as a pure-hearted girl.

    Yet, just as she was about to close the video, Bai Wei¡¯s voice came from above her head: "Oh my, this is so explosive. Why are you turning it off? I want to see it too."

    When had shee over? Fu Han had no idea.

    Fu Han frowned with resignation, "What are you doing watching this stuff as a girl? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting sty in your eyes?"

    "What¡¯s the problem with that?" Bai Wei casually took Fu Han¡¯s phone into her hands and said, "I¡¯ve seen more sensational stuff than this; besides, it¡¯s not as if I haven¡¯t eaten pork before, that doesn¡¯t mean I haven¡¯t seen a pig run. And I¡¯ve even done kissing scenes in the movies, okay?"

    Fu Han certainly didn¡¯t want her phone to fall into Bai Wei¡¯s hands, so she got up quickly to try and snatch it back, speaking urgently in her haste, "Give me back my phone, go watch it on your own."

    "Don¡¯t be so stingy." Bai Wei dodged Fu Han¡¯s hands while shamelessly saying, "My agent has reminded me several times not to use my own ount to view gossip news. If my hand slips and I identally like it, that would cause a huge scandal."

    This was indeed true. Given Bai Wei¡¯s status in the industry, any casual action of hers could indeed be a storm. Take her engagement ceremony today¡ªoriginally scheduled to start at eleven in the morning, makeup was supposed to take no more than three hours. They could¡¯ve arrived around eight.

    But Bai Wei¡¯s agent earnestly advised her toe over early, worried that arrivingte might result in her being cornered by journalists at the door, making it difficult to enter.

    As a result, they arrived just before six, yet there were already quite a few journalists outside. Bai Wei managed toe in smoothly by disguising herself as crew with a face mask.

    Having no other choice but to hand over her phone, Fu Han resigned herself to watching the video together with Bai Wei.

    The video wasn¡¯t long, as the swarm of journalists was soon chased away.

    It was now the time when people¡¯s rms were going off, signaling it was time to get ready for work, yet the online discussion was bustling, almost creating a full-blown media frenzy.

    But the responses varied.

    Some said Ji Liangchuan was hypocritical, making high-profile derations of love for Fu Han during the Spring Festival yet ended up in a scandalous tryst with Xia Ning at the hospital; many also dug up Ji Liangchuan¡¯s past as the nightclub prince,beling him a womanizer, not even worthy to bepared with He Xing.

    There were even those who uncovered details about Ji Liangchuan¡¯s ex-girlfriend, providing aplete timeline of their trips abroad. Simrly, they proved that Fu Han and Ji Liangchuan hadn¡¯t known each other before, ruling out the possibility of He Xing taking someone else¡¯s beloved.

    Many critiqued Ji Liangchuan online, suggesting his pursuit of Fu Han was merely because she resembled his ex-girlfriend, that he was using Fu Han as a recement and didn¡¯t genuinely love her.

    Others exposed the rtionship between Xia Ning and Yang Kaitai, iming Xia Ning hadn¡¯t been faithful to He Xing for over a decade but had approached him deliberately, capitalizing on the Xia Family¡¯s gratitude to morally coerce He Xing into a rtionship with her.

    Previously, online opinions were distorted, with many believing Ji Liangchuan was truly devoted to Fu Han and that Xia Ning was also deeply in love with He Xing. Many felt He Xing and Fu Han shouldn¡¯t be together, thus enabling two pairs of star-crossed lovers to unite.

    Though Fu Han didn¡¯t understand why the public held such views¡ªboth she and He Xing had repeatedly rified their rtionship online to little effect, which troubled Fu Han for a long time.

    She never imagined that a brief video of Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning wouldpletely reverse public opinion, leading to a surge of online support for He Xing and her.

    Fu Han was helpless; she didn¡¯t anticipatest night¡¯s events to ultimately bring her such benefits.

    But something wasn¡¯t right. He Xing had once told her that manyments online were paid for and advised her not to pay too much attention. Yet now, thements mirrored her own feelings; how could she exin this? Had the online crowd changed, or were today¡¯smentators also paid in advance?

 Chapter 706 - 709: Staring Too Closely

    <h4>Chapter 706: Chapter 709: Staring Too Closely</h4><h4></h4>

    So who was the kind soul behind this rapid response?

    As she was lost in her thoughts, her phone rang. Bai Wei nced at the caller ID and tossed the phone to Fu Han: "Your He Xing is really keeping a close watch on you, calling so early in the morning."

    Fu Han¡¯s face had already turned red. She cleared her throat, took the phone, and turned to leave the room.

    The hotel today was reserved exclusively for the engagement ceremony. To prevent journalists from posing as customers and "disrupting" Bai Wei¡¯s wedding, the hotel had stopped amodating guests since yesterday.

    Thus, the corridor was empty, which provided Fu Han with a rtively quiet space. She walked to the end of the hallway before answering the call: "Hello, what do you want?"

    The call was from He Xing, whose voice, cool yet warm, rang out: "Have you seen the news about me online?"

    If they hadn¡¯t argued yesterday, Fu Han would¡¯ve eagerly shared her feelings with He Xing, but now she was reluctant; the unpleasantness ofst night was still vivid in her mind.

    Fu Han arched her eyebrows unnaturally and said, "I saw it, what about it?"

    "How do you feel after seeing it?" He Xing¡¯s voice rang out, filled with eager anticipation: "Has your mood gotten any better?"

    Fu Han¡¯s lips unconsciously began to curve upward, but she still stubbornly said, "How does it matter whether I¡¯m happy or not? Does this have anything to do with you? It¡¯s not like you did these things to cheer me up."

    "Who says it wasn¡¯t me?" He Xing¡¯s voice immediately rose, carrying the excitement of someone seeking recognition for a good deed: "You saw the message I sentst night, right? After I left, I dealt with the situation. I discovered that Xia Ning had indeed contacted the journalists in advance to ambush at the Ward; I could¡¯ve found a way to prevent the journalists from showing up, but I didn¡¯t do that. So tell me, wasn¡¯t it my doing?"

    Fu Han mused, so that¡¯s what happened. No wonder journalists were blocking the door; it was Xia Ning reaping what she sowed. If everything had gone ording to Xia Ning¡¯s n, the journalists breaking the news of her and He Xing would have forced He Xing, morally and logically, to take care of Xia Ning, effectively cornering him.

    But something didn¡¯t add up: how did the online sentiment change so quickly?

    She didn¡¯t realize that she had inadvertently voiced her thoughts.

    The next second, He Xing¡¯sughter came through: "Of course, that¡¯s thanks to me. After I knew Xia Ning had brought the journalists to take photos, I made a little arrangement."

    He Xing then changed his tone, bing very serious: "But I¡¯m not like them, making things up. I just took the opportunity to state some facts online; Xiaohan, you saw it too, the people I found stuck to the facts."

    Fu Han had intended to maintain a serious demeanor, but she was amused and giggled. That was it, she couldn¡¯t keep a straight face anymore and teased: "That¡¯s not right. I remember you used to defend Xia Ning. Why did you have people speak against her online this time? You even brought up her affair with Yang Kaitai, which I didn¡¯t even know about."

    "I didn¡¯t bring those things up; they¡¯ve always been a topic online, just brought up again today," He Xing¡¯s voice suddenly turned cold, like a winter wind sweeping over a frozenke: "The reason I did this wasn¡¯t only to make you happy, but also to let Xia Ning know that I¡¯m aware of her actions. She doesn¡¯t need to pretend in front of me; I know who truly loves me."

    Fu Han¡¯s face turned red, feeling as if He Xing was speaking about her. But indeed, she was hopelessly in love with He Xing and couldn¡¯t refute him.

    Then He Xing¡¯s voice came through again, back to being gentle as a mild spring rain: "Xiaohan, I¡¯lle to find you in a while. What do you want for breakfast? I¡¯ll buy it for you."

    A smile appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face, and her voice softened as well: "Anything is fine; I¡¯ll eat whatever you buy."

    After hanging up, Fu Han turned around to go back to Bai Wei, but as she did, she saw Luo Qinghe.

    He was dressed casually, his hair styled and his face evidently made up. His eyes, thoughtful, rested on Fu Han: "What are you doing here?"

    "I..." Fu Han¡¯s blush deepened, and she coughed awkwardly before saying unnaturally: "I... I just stepped out for some fresh air, I... I¡¯ll go back inside."

    Luckily, Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t notice Fu Han¡¯s difort. He nodded solemnly: "I¡¯ll be very busy today. I¡¯m entrusting Bai Wei to you¡ªmake sure to take good care of her for me."

    "Of course," Fu Han said with a smile, her expression bing much warmer: "You¡¯ve had a difficult journey to this point. I¡¯ve seen it all; I¡¯m truly happy for you today."

    As they spoke, they had reached the vicinity of Bai Wei¡¯s Makeup Room. Suddenly, Luo Qinghe stopped, and Fu Han halted as well, looking at him with confusion.

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression grewplex, as if he had something to say but didn¡¯t know how to express it, his face conflicted.

    His hesitation only piqued Fu Han¡¯s curiosity. She looked at Luo Qinghe with a smile, calmly waiting for what he was about to say.

    Almost two minutes passed before Luo Qinghe finally spoke: "Nan Qing... How is Nan Qing doing now with Wang Yixuan?"

    "You can¡¯t let go of Nan Qing?" Fu Han¡¯s expression darkenedpletely, disappointment clearly etched on her face.

    "No, that¡¯s not it..." Luo Qinghe became unusually flustered, waving his hands frantically: "That¡¯s not what I meant. I was just... just expressing concern as a friend."

    Fu Han remained doubtful, but once she reaffirmed that Luo Qinghe¡¯s feelings for Nan Qing weren¡¯t romantic, she slowly relented.

    There wasn¡¯t much to say about the rtionship between Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan. It was nothing more than amonce love story that was all the sweeter for its banality.

    Ultimately, Wang Yixuan couldn¡¯t bear it, or perhaps he had never truly forgotten Nan Qing. Once he knew she hade after him, he found it even harder to be hard-hearted.

    Wang Yixuan arrived at the airport ahead of time and didn¡¯t leave. He waited there for Nan Qing.

    ording to Nan Qing, whoter shared with Fu Han, as soon as she got off the ne, she saw Wang Yixuan. He embraced her without a word, and they shared a passionate kiss amidst the hustle and bustle of the airport.

    Nan Qing didn¡¯t borate on what happened after, but seeing the joy in her eyes and smile, Fu Han knew she didn¡¯t need to ask anymore; Nan Qing herself had said it all.

    Fu Han felt genuinely happy for them; Nan Qing had finally received the reward for her efforts, and despite the distance, the couple had reunited atst.

 Chapter 707 - 710: I Beg You

    <h4>Chapter 707: Chapter 710: I Beg You</h4><h4></h4>

    Luo Qinghe nodded after hearing this, and his whole demeanor visibly rxed.

    Perhaps sensing Fu Han¡¯s gaze, his face stiffened for a moment before quickly regainingposure. Looking down, he earnestly said to Fu Han, "I¡¯ve asked you about Nan Qing before, please don¡¯t tell Bai Wei, okay?"

    There was a pause before Luo Qinghe changed his tone slightly, adding a pleading note, "Consider it a favor to me."

    Fu Han¡¯s expression was neither pleasant nor ugly as she looked deeply at Luo Qinghe and slowly spoke, "I don¡¯t want to get involved in either your situation with Nan Qing or with Bai Wei; but both Bai Wei and Nan Qing are my friends, and I don¡¯t want them to get hurt. Especially now that you and Bai Wei are nning to get married, I hope you understand what is truly important in your heart."

    "I know," Luo Qinghe¡¯s face flushed with urgency as he said hastily, "I swear to heaven, my heart is set only on Bai Wei. If I were to be fickle-hearted, may lightning strike me."

    Though Fu Han thought vows were the most insubstantial things, she recognized that when a person swore such a weighty oath, it showed they really didn¡¯t know how else to express themselves and resorted to cursing themselves.

    Fu Han felt somewhat guilty for pressuring Luo Qinghe into making a vow, but her heart finally settled down.

    After all, he was someone she had once liked very much. Even though she didn¡¯t like him now, she couldn¡¯t just put him behind her instantly, because he was someone she had truly loved.

    She smiled at Luo Qinghe and then followed him back to Bai Wei¡¯s makeup room.

    Before long, just as expected, He Xing arrived, bringing breakfast just for Fu Han, which earned him some yful teasing from Bai Wei.

    However, the matter did not escte further, as Luo Qinghe had already arranged breakfast, tailored to the preferences of Bai Wei¡¯s family of three, sessfully allowing Bai Wei to one-up Fu Han in her presence.

    For women, love is always the most nourishing elixir. Fu Han and Bai Wei, bathed in the glow of love, were stunningly beautiful, a beauty no cosmetic could replicate, and not even the most skillful makeup artist could achieve such natural radiance.

    By ten o¡¯clock, guests started to arrive in droves, making the already lively hotel even more bustling with an air of festive joy.

    Li Huazhi and Luo Qiluo as a couple, along with Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, greeted guests at the hotel entrance, all four elders beaming with pleasure.

    Usually, it would be the couple themselves who do the greeting for either an engagement or a wedding, but due to Bai Wei¡¯s special status, having her at the door would likely attract all the gossipy journalists waiting outside, making it difficult for the guests to enter.

    Fu Han had intended to help out, but both He Xing and Luo Qinghe insisted that she stay put inside the hotel; at first, she didn¡¯t understand why, but eventually, it dawned on her.

    Today, the situation between Ji Liangchuan and Xia Ning wasmon knowledge across the city, which consequently raised the level of attention on both Fu Han and He Xing much more than before.

    The journalists lurking outside the hotel were there hoping to kill two birds with one stone; capturing either Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe or He Xing and Fu Han would all be lucrative for them.

    An engagement ceremony is much simplerpared to a wedding ceremony, and today¡¯s event was expertly managed by the host, Lin Na, who Bai Wei¡¯s agent had hired for a hefty sum for her first-ssmand of the event.

    After several thunderous rounds of apuse, Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei finally made their eagerly awaited appearance.

    Before the ceremony began, Bai Wei wore a mermaid silhouettece gown with exquisite handwovence details, paired with delicate makeup that made her look like a princess emerging from a deep forest.

    During the ceremony now, Bai Wei had changed into her favorite satin gown.

    This gown too was handcrafted, its smooth satin shone like a mirror, giving Bai Wei an aura of radiance.

    Previously known for her chic short hair, Bai Wei hadn¡¯t cut it short for over half a year, and now it reached her shoulders.

    The hairstylist for the day had arranged her hair into an updo, on which a sparkling diamond tiara sat. Wisps of hair delicately framed her face, the gentle curls entuating Bai Wei¡¯s exquisite features even more.

    In truth, Bai Wei hadn¡¯t gone to extreme lengths with her attire today, besides the crown atop her head, she merely wore a pair of diamond earrings, a slim silver-chain diamond ne, and a matching bracelet.

    The fine chainsplemented Bai Wei¡¯s white satin gown perfectly, enhancing her entire disposition.

    These pieces of jewelry were also sponsored, with countless sponsors having sent their gems in hopes that Bai Wei would wear them at her engagement ceremony. In the end, Bai Wei had kept only three sets, to match her three different gowns.

    While Fu Han was lost in thought, Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei alreadypleted their mutual confessions. Next came the most thrilling moment of the engagement ceremony: Luo Qinghe would kneel on one knee and propose in public, slipping the diamond ring¡ªdesigned by himself¡ªonto Bai Wei¡¯s finger.

    It was her cue. Fu Han was already standing at the side of the stage; the tray carrying the ring and everything else had been prepared well in advance. ording to the n, she was to deliver the ring, while Su Cheng would bring the Champagne.

    Privately, Fu Han had wanted to go up with He Xing, but Bai Wei mentioned that Luo Qinghe had grown up with Su Cheng, and since Luo Qinghe had invited the best man, it wouldn¡¯t have been right for her to change that.

    Moreover, He Xing wasn¡¯t keen on such affairs, and he had even told Fu Han in private that as a couple, their joint appearance might divide the audience¡¯s attention. Therefore, it was better for him not to act as the best man.

    Fu Han thought his reasoning was solid, she didn¡¯t want to overshadow the bride and groom, so she let the matter go without bringing it up again.

    "Alright, you can go up now," He Xing gently tousled Fu Han¡¯s hair and said with a breezy smile, "Don¡¯t be nervous, think of it as gathering some experience in advance."

    Fu Han almost rolled her eyes right then and there¡ªplease, she was not inexperienced. She had been engaged twice and had wedding experience too, it was just that none of them had ended in sess.

    Perhaps heaven thought they deserved a much better future, which was why things between her and He Xing were always like this, with good things nevering easily.

    Lifting her skirt, Fu Han took step after step toward the stairs, and when she reached thest step, she turned back for a nce. He Xing was watching her, his eyes exceptionally tender, her tweed coat resting in the crook of his arm.

    Luo Qinghe was already kneeling on one knee in front of Bai Wei, while Bai Wei¡¯s beautiful eyes were filled with glistening tears, her look of tearful anticipation moving everyone¡¯s hearts.

 Chapter 708 - 711 Engagement Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 708: Chapter 711 Engagement Ceremony</h4><h4></h4>

    Fu Han took step by step towards Luo Qinghe. She slightly bent over to hand over the tray, on which the velvet-covered satin glistened with two shimmering rings.

    The rose diamond ring meant for Bai Wei hadyers uponyers, with a central diamond asrge as a baby¡¯s fingernail and surrounded byyers of smaller diamonds. It was said to have a total of thirteen diamonds, symbolizing a lifetime.

    This diamond ring was handcrafted, costing Luo Qinghe the money he had earned over the years; he said the ring he prepared for Bai Wei must be custom-made with his own money to prove his feelings for her.

    Luo Qinghe pinched the tiny ring to put it on Bai Wei¡¯s finger when suddenly, with a ng, the door was pushed open from the outside.

    Their location was a site within the hotel designated for weddings, with two doors: one connected to the makeup area behind the stage, and the other was the main entrance for guests.

    The door that was pushed open was this solid main entrance. As it swung open, a gust of cold wind blew in. Although it was early spring, it was still quite cold, and Fu Han, dressed in a thin long gown, shivered from the chill.

    She turned, along with everyone else, to look at the doorway, curious to see who would arrive at such a crucial moment and disrupt the engagement ceremony.

    Standing by the distant door were two people¡ªthough backlit, Fu Han still recognized them: on the right was Qin Nuan, and on the left was someone whom, at first nce, she found vaguely familiar. After searching her memory, she remembered this person was Qin Xiaonian.

    Speaking of which, although the things Qin Xiaonian did were not directly rted to Fu Han, they still had a huge impact on her.

    During the movie premiere of "Homing", she had tampered with Luo Qinghe¡¯s drink, luckily Fu Han had arrived in time to stop it.

    Fu Han immediately took Luo Qinghe and Qin Xiaonian to the hospital for a check-up. Bai Wei, in a fit of rage, arrived at the hospital and hit Qin Xiaonian, before being taken away by Fu Han.

    On the drive back to the city with Fu Han at the wheel, He Xing called. Because of the incident involving Bai Wei and Qin Xiaonian, he reprimanded Fu Han. Due to her emotional state and not watching the road, a tragedy urred.

    As a result, Fu Han lost her memory and was disfigured. She did not know how Luo Qinghe dealt with Qin Xiaonian afterwards, only that when she regained her memory, Qin Xiaonian had already been imprisoned for extortion.

    Logically, Qin Xiaonian should not be appearing here, but why?

    Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about these things. Sensing Bai Wei¡¯s gaze, Fu Han immediately said to the bodyguards at the foot of the stage, "Those two are not on our guest list. Haven¡¯t you gotten them out yet?"

    Four bodyguards headed towards the entrance, but Qin Xiaonian preemptively screamed out, "Luo Qinghe, I have suffered so much for you, do you deserve me?"

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s face had already darkened. If this wasn¡¯t the engagement ceremony, he would probably have cursed openly.

    Even so, his words were harsh, "Qin Xiaonian, I advise you not to spread rumors here. I have nothing to do with you, and it wasn¡¯t I who sent you to prison. If you continue to make a scene here, I wouldn¡¯t mind getting awyer to properly handle our issues."

    His words turned Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face ghostly pale, and she wanted to say something but could not, instinctively retreating two steps.

    Qin Nuan grasped Qin Xiaonian¡¯s arm and dragged her step by step toward the stage, word by word she said, "Luo Qinghe, if you intend to force my sister, we won¡¯t let go of the incident where Bai Wei hit her."

    Fu Han, listening by the side, was confused. Could it be that Qin Xiaonian didn¡¯t suffer any punishment for her actions back then? Or was it because Bai Wei hit Qin Xiaonian, Luo Qinghe didn¡¯t pursue Qin Xiaonian¡¯s responsibility?

    Thinking of this, she turned to look and indeed saw the expressions change on Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s faces, confirming that what Qin Nuan said was true.

    Bai Wei¡¯s face was deathly pale with not a hint of color, making her lipstick-painted lips appear even more vivid.

    With the engagement ceremony disrupted, Fu Han fully understood Bai Wei¡¯s emotions. She patted Bai Wei¡¯s shoulder soothingly, stuffed the diamond ring into Luo Qinghe¡¯s hand, and then turned to walk off the stage towards Qin Nuan and her sister.

    Qin Nuan watched Fu Han warily, "What are you doing here? Today¡¯s matter doesn¡¯t concern you, you¡¯d better stay away from me. Otherwise, if you get hurt by mistake, I won¡¯t take responsibility."

    "Hurt by mistake?" Fu Han¡¯s lips slightly curled up in a mocking smile, "Qin Nuan, if you still care about Yi Lixing¡¯s well-being, thene with me."

    Qin Nuan¡¯s face changed several times, her gaze drifting past Fu Han to someone behind her. He Xing hade over at some point, seemingly with the intention of protecting Fu Han.

    She then looked down at Qin Xiaonian, whoseplexion was not good either; she could even see her hand trembling slightly under her sleeve.

    Though Fu Han had braced herself toe down and deal with the situation, seeing Qin Nuan like this steadied her heart even more.

    She gave Qin Nuan a meaningful look, speaking again, "Qin Nuan, opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared¡ªAre you sure you don¡¯t treasure yours?"

    Almost biting through her lip, Qin Nuan stomped, with a sink-or-swim attitude, "Let¡¯s talk then, who¡¯s scared?"

    Fu Han smiled satisfactorily and gestured to a bodyguard, "Take the two Miss Qins to my Waiting Room to wait; I will be there shortly."

    After they left, Fu Han¡¯s gaze swept over the guests and she raised her voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, Qin Nuan is here to see me, and we have something to sort out. The engagement ceremony shall continue, please give your blessings to the couple."

    Not sure who started it, everyone smiled kindly.

    Under the grateful gaze of Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, Fu Han headed towards the area Qin Nuan and her sister had left for. At that moment, she felt like a hero.

    After walking a few steps, a warm hand caught Fu Han¡¯s. Looking up, it was He Xing. She smiled, her lips slightly upturned, with a faint warmth, "Will youe with me?"

    "Yes, I¡¯ll be with you," He Xing said in a deep voice, clear as a whisper against the noisy background music.

    Reaching backstage, Fu Han instantly knew where Qin Nuan and her sister were, simply because the two Security Guards stood like gatekeepers outside, making it hard to miss.

    Approaching the door, Fu Han squeezed He Xing¡¯s palm and whispered, "Maybe you shouldn¡¯t go inter, I can handle it myself."

    "Is there something you don¡¯t want me to know?" He Xing smiled, his voice asforting as a gentle breeze over ake, warming Fu Han¡¯s heart. As he spoke, he draped Fu Han¡¯s wool coat over her shoulders.

 Chapter 709 - 712: The Little Deer in the Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 709: Chapter 712: The Little Deer in the Mountains</h4><h4></h4>

    "It¡¯s not entirely like that." Fu Han tilted her head as she looked at He Xing, her demeanor as adorable as the most spirited deer in the forest, "I¡¯m just worried that you might feel ufortable after hearing what I have to say."

    "I see, in that case, I¡¯m even more curious to listen now." He Xing¡¯sughter grew even more hearty as he reached out his long arm and wrapped Fu Han into his embrace, "I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing how you negotiate with others."

    Fu Han looked up at He Xing, and in the depths of his eyes, she saw concern. She knew that He Xing didn¡¯t really want to watch her negotiate with others; on the contrary, he was just worried that Fu Han would be at a disadvantage facing Qin Nuan¡¯s sisters alone.

    This was the waiting room for major events on the first floor of the hotel. It wasn¡¯t too big or too small, and the furnishings were simple: just a sofa, a table, and a dressing table.

    In fact, although this room was arranged for Fu Han to rest in, this was her first time entering it. Bai Wei had been dragging Fu Han around all this time, so she never had the chance toe here.

    When she entered, Qin Nuan and Qin Xiaonian were seated on the sofa, seemingly whispering to each other.

    The upbringing Fu Han received from childhood reminded her that even though this was her own waiting room, since there were people inside when she entered, she still had to knock out of politeness.

    When the Qin sisters heard the noise and turned their heads, seeing it was Fu Han and He Xing, they nodded, following Fu Han with their eyes.

    Fu Han chose a solo sofa near the window to settle down on, while He Xing didn¡¯t sit. He went straight to the window and looked outside, leaving everyone else to only see his back.

    Silence began to spread in the room, and as time tick-tacked away, the atmosphere inside grew more and more oppressive. asionally, cheers from outside could be heard over, likely from Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s engagement ceremony.

    Finally, Qin Nuan couldn¡¯t contain her impatience and slowly began to speak, "Fu Han, didn¡¯t you say you had something to discuss with us? If you don¡¯t start talking, I¡¯m going to leave."

    "Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll get straight to the point." Fu Han¡¯s bright eyes looked at Qin Xiaonian as she spoke word by word, "Qin Xiaonian, I want to know if it was your own decision toe here today or if someone else asked you to do it?"

    Ever since Fu Han entered, Qin Xiaonian had been avoiding her gaze. When she heard Fu Han speak, she instinctively turned her head toward her, but after just one nce, like a startled deer, she immediately diverted her gaze again.

    To say she was like a startled deer wasn¡¯t quite urate. After more than half a year, Qin Xiaonian had changed significantly.

    In the past, although her hair quality wasn¡¯t great, she at least had long hair that reached her shoulders. Now her hair barely touched her ears. With no hair to frame her face, her facial imperfections were exposed, particrly herrge but dull eyes with scarceshes, and the prominent dark circles underneath which indicated herck of rest recently.

    Qin Nuan opened her arms and shielded Qin Xiaonian behind her like a mother hen spreading her feathers, "Fu Han, why do you care if she came here on her own or someone asked her to, what does it have to do with you? This is between Qin Xiaonian and Luo Qinghe."

    This remark instantly ratcheted up the tension in the room so much that even He Xing turned to re at Qin Nuan. If he hadn¡¯t turned around, the words from Qin Nuan might have been even more unpleasant.

    On the other hand, Fu Han, who was being confronted, was very calm. She looked deeply at Qin Xiaonian, "Lady Qin, I have no intention of meddling in your affairs, but love is between two people. Even if you really like Luo Qinghe, since he likes Bai Wei, shouldn¡¯t you wish them well?"

    Qin Xiaonian bit her lip without speaking, her body trembling slightly, as if she might copse at any moment.

    Seeing her like this, Fu Han felt somewhat sympathetic, but she resisted showing it and instead struck while the iron was hot, "Qin Xiaonian, although you are Xia Ning¡¯s assistant, we¡¯ve interacted during the movie shooting. You¡¯re a very responsible girl. It¡¯s fine to fancy Luo Qinghe, and you¡¯ve confessed to him, but he rejected you. I think it¡¯s time to let go. Obsessing over someone who isn¡¯t meant for you doesn¡¯t do you any good."

    "What gives you the right to say my sister shouldn¡¯t like Luo Qinghe?" Qin Nuan wrapped her arm around Qin Xiaonian¡¯s shoulders, ring fiercely as if she was a hen protecting her chick, "Is it just because Bai Wei is prettier than Xiaonian, or because her family is richer than ours? Why shouldn¡¯t we like Luo Qinghe?"

    "If that¡¯s your attitude, then there¡¯s no point in continuing this conversation." Fu Han shrugged her shoulders indifferently, "I thought perhaps Qin Xiaonian was being used by someone. I was considering exining the situation to Luo Qinghe for you, so that even if you two can¡¯t be together, at least his impression of you wouldn¡¯t be too negative. But now it seems like I¡¯m interfering unnecessarily."

    After Fu Han finished speaking, she patted her knees and slowly got up, seeming to be about to leave.

    Qin Nuan¡¯s expression turned rigid, as though she had something to say but didn¡¯t know what; in contrast, Qin Xiaonian¡¯s face underwent a drastic change, biting through her lip.

    Finally, as Fu Han started to leave, Qin Xiaonian also stood up, saying in a rush, "Fu... Fu Han, can you really help me exin things to Luo Qinghe?"

    A faint smile appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face as she slowly turned around and earnestly said to Qin Xiaonian, "Of course!"

    The subsequent conversationsted for almost an hour. Throughout the discussion, He Xing remained silent. After it ended, Fu Han shook hands with Qin Nuan and Qin Xiaonian and personally saw them off.

    During this entire process, He Xing stayed by Fu Han¡¯s side.

    The taxi slowly drove away. Fu Han turned her head back, only to see He Xing with aplex expression, standing two steps away; his eyes like cold stars, were filled with suppressed darkness.

    Above her was a blue sky with white clouds as fluffy as cotton candy, and the sun hung in the sky like a giant orange. The roadside trees were budding with tender green shoots, everything full of vibrant life.

    Fu Han sometimes nced at the sky, sometimes at He Xing¡¯s face. The bright sky contrasted sharply with He Xing¡¯s somber face.

    She knew He Xing had something to say, but there was a stubbornness in her heart that just wouldn¡¯t let her be the first to speak.

    After what seemed like a long time, He Xing was the first to break the silence, "Do you think what they said just now was true or false?"

    "Of course, it was true." Fu Han spoke the words she had long prepared, calmly starting, "Do you think they have any need to lie at this point?"

    Facing Fu Han¡¯s intense gaze, He Xing turned his head for the first time, "I don¡¯t know. They aren¡¯t good people, so I think we can¡¯t take their words at face value."

    "Then do you think Xia Ning is a good person?" Fu Han tilted her head and looked at He Xing with a smile, her beautiful eyes curving up, pure and without any trace of impurity.

 Chapter 710 - 713: The Engagement Ceremony is Perfectly Completed

    <h4>Chapter 710: Chapter 713: The Engagement Ceremony is Perfectly Completed</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing was momentarily lost in thought, but when he recovered, he sincerely said to Fu Han, "I never fully trusted Xia Ning¡¯s words."

    "I hope so," Fu Han nodded. Her beautiful face remained calm, betraying neither happiness nor displeasure. Blinking, she smiled at He Xing and said, "Actually, it¡¯s very simple to find out if what they¡¯re saying is true. We just need to confirm it."

    A few minutester, the two returned to the engagement ceremony hand in hand. By now, the formalities of the engagement ceremony had beenpleted, and everyone was enjoying avish lunch.

    Smiles were on everyone¡¯s faces, and they all seemed to be in a good mood, not at all as if someone hade to disrupt the engagement ceremony.

    Especially Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, who had now changed into a set of red Chinese-style wedding attire, matched with Bai Wei¡¯s gold jewelry. They looked less like they were engaged and more like they were actually getting married.

    Each holding a wine ss, they went from table to table to toast the guests, smiles on their faces.

    Upon seeing He Xing and Fu Han, they immediately set down their sses and came over.

    Bai Wei made no attempt to hide her anxiety as she grabbed Fu Han¡¯s wrist and asked anxiously, "How did things go? Did Qin Xiaonian leave?"

    "It¡¯s been taken care of," smiled Fu Han, patting Bai Wei¡¯s shoulder reassuringly. "Don¡¯t worry, they left a long time ago, and Qin Xiaonian won¡¯t bother you two anymore."

    "Why?"

    These words came simultaneously from both Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, achieving true unity of mind and voice.

    Fu Han covered her mouth, giggling. "Because Qin Xiaonian didn¡¯te here by herself today; it was Xia Ning who wanted them toe and make trouble. Qin Xiaonian came today also to exin to Luo Qinghe that it wasn¡¯t her intention to add anything to his drink; it was Xia Ning who, knowing her feelings for you, schemed up this plot."

    Luo Qinghe¡¯s expression changed several times, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say a word.

    On the other hand, Bai Wei¡¯s delicate beauty scrunched up in confusion. "But are their words reliable?"

    Fu Han nced at He Xing, speaking more carefully when she spoke again: "Indeed, everything said today was just from Qin Xiaonian¡¯s perspective, so I can¡¯t guarantee its truthfulness. I¡¯m only rying what Qin Xiaonian said to you¡ªshe..." Fu Han looked at Luo Qinghe, "Qin Xiaonian didn¡¯t want Luo Qinghe to misunderstand her."

    Bai Wei asked a few more questions, and when the worry on her face had lightened considerably, Fu Han bid them farewell, saying there were important matters to attend to.

    Minutester, a Lamborghini sped out from the underground parking garage and raced away into the distance; its tires screeched against the pavement, making a jarring noise.

    Fu Han sat obediently in the passenger seat with her seatbelt fastened, while He Xing beside her had a grim look on his face, his lips tightly pressed together; he was silent, so Fu Han also remained quiet.

    Before long, the car stopped in front of the hospital¡¯s Inpatient Department building where Xia Ning was staying. Today was supposed to be the day Xia Ning was discharged, but afterst night¡¯s incident, Xia Guoxiong announced that Xia Ning was unwell and needed to stay in the hospital for a few more days, thus dying her discharge.

    The knocking began slowly. Xia Ning was wrapped in her nket, spacing out, but when she heard the sound, she immediately looked toward the door. Seeing Fu Han, her face instantly darkened, and she said coldly, "Qinghe, leave. You¡¯re not wee here."

    "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t stay long; just a few words and I¡¯ll be off," Fu Han said with a smile, not upset at all as she elegantly walked in.

    She stood in front of Xia Ning¡¯s hospital bed, smiling amiably. "You¡¯re so eager to chase me out; are you feeling guilty?"

    "You¡¯re the one who¡¯s feeling guilty. I have nothing to be guilty about," Xia Ning red fiercely at Fu Han, but her gaze carried no threat to Fu Han at that moment.

    Fu Han tapped the armrest of the sofa rhythmically with one finger. "Xia Ning, it¡¯s just the two of us here today. Let¡¯s be direct and say what we have to say," she suggested.

    Under Xia Ning¡¯s guarded gaze, Fu Han¡¯s crisp voice drew out with texture, "Xia Ning, you added something to Luo Qinghe¡¯s drink, had Qin Xiaonian deliver it, and then wanted to livestream the two of them together. Qin Xiaonian told me everything."

    "I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about," Xia Ning¡¯s cheeks flushed red. "Don¡¯t talk nonsense; that matter has nothing to do with me."

    "It has nothing to do with you?" Fu Han¡¯s mouth curved up in a smile. "Let me ask you, when you did all this, did you think about He Xing? Do you know that at that time, He Group almost copsed, and that movie was a lifesaver, yet because of your actions, its release was dyed? Do you have any idea how He Xing managed during the months of dy?"

    Xia Ning¡¯s face paled, her teeth leaving a clear mark on her lips.

    Fu Han looked at Xia Ning with undisguised disgust. "I know you don¡¯t like me, but I thought we were clear that although we might fight, we could not hurt He Xing. Yet you couldn¡¯t even manage that."

    Today¡¯s Xia Ning seemed determined not to speak. She turned her head away from the window, silent.

    Regrettably for her, everything was already within Fu Han¡¯s expectations. Fu Han smiled and spoke shockingly, "Xia Ning, I don¡¯t care about the matter with Qin Xiaonian. Should we settle our score between us? You¡¯ve tried to plot against me several times: once in the movie theater restroom, once in the stairwell of mypany¡¯s building. How do we settle this ount?"

    "I didn¡¯t." Xia Ning finally spoke, her originally beautiful face distorting as she spoke, making her appear somewhat fierce.

    "Denying it is pointless. Listen to this before you talk," Fu Han said, smiling as she pulled a silver recording pen from her purse.

    Several recordings were yed in session: there was Su Cheng¡¯s recording given to Yi Lixing, including today¡¯s recording of Qin Xiaonian speaking, and one obtained by a private detective hired by Fu Han¡ªadmitting she was instructed by Xia Ning to try and kill Fu Han.

    Xia Ning¡¯s expression became ugly; she didn¡¯t know what to say and could only force out, "You think you can nder me with just a few words. I will not admit defeat."

    "A dead duck¡¯s mouth is hard to close," Fu Han pulled out her phone to show Xia Ning a video: "Look at this. To prevent He Xing from finding me in M Country, you kidnapped Grandpa He. Do you realize you almost cost Grandpa He his life?"

    "Damn it, Qin Nuan, that bitch, dared to record it!" Xia Ning was so angry that her face turned ck, and she made a grab for Fu Han¡¯s mobile phone.

 Chapter 711 - 714 Absolute Victory

    <h4>Chapter 711: Chapter 714 Absolute Victory</h4><h4></h4>

    Unfortunately, Fu Han was well-prepared. She snorted coldly, put away her phone, and looked down at Xia Ning on the hospital bed with a superior gaze, "What do you think He Xing will say when he sees this?"

    "Don¡¯t show it to him," Xia Ning pleaded with a pale face. "I¡¯ll do anything you ask, but please, I beg you, don¡¯t tell Brother He Xing."

    Fu Han looked at Xia Ning with some surprise; she hade today to break everything out in the open. However, she had not expected Xia Ning to surrender so easily, let alone to beg her in such a humble manner.

    In that moment, Fu Han came to a realization, even though she was reluctant to admit it, she had to acknowledge that Xia Ning truly loved He Xing.

    Fu Han turned to look towards the door, where beyond was a stretch of white walls. Looking carefully, one could barely make out a shadow cast upon the wall.

    A moment of weakness appeared on Fu Han¡¯s face but was then reced by firmness the next second.

    She looked down at Xia Ning, enunciating each word, "The things I just mentioned, do you admit to them? Did you stage your own direction and performance to save He Xing¡¯s life?"

    "I admit it!" Xia Ning hurriedly defended herself with a look of anxiety. "Fu Han, I didn¡¯t really want to kill you. You..., you are fine now, so please don¡¯t hold it against me. I promise I will never do it again."

    "Come out," Fu Han said, turning back towards the ward¡¯s doorway without responding to Xia Ning.

    At this moment, Xia Ning felt as if she had fallen into an icy cavern; her heartbeat thundered tumultuously, yet she was rooted to the spot like she had been ensnared by a freezing spell, simply staring at the door.

    It felt like a century had passed when the figure Xia Ning could never forget appeared at the door. However, this time, the only time, Xia Ning wished she hadn¡¯t seen He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯s face was cold as frost, his gaze towards Xia Ning as if she were a stranger, "Xia Ning, I have always been grateful to Aunt Du Wanting for saving my life, which is why these past years I¡¯ve been very lenient with the Xia Group and your family of three, always ready to help and forgive when I could. But I never expected my leniency to lead to your taking liberties, to the point where you even dared to harm Grandfather?"

    "I was wrong, Brother He Xing, I was wrong," Xia Ning trembled all over in fear. She struggled to get down from the bed and walked up to He Xing. With a meek and lowly posture, she cautiously reached out to touch He Xing.

    But her hand was disgustingly flung away by He Xing, "Don¡¯t touch me; you make me feel sick. Thew will punish you for all you have done. Take care of yourself." He spoke and left without looking back.

    Xia Ning¡¯s knees gave out, and she copsed onto the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    Fu Han had seen Xia Ning cry countless times over the years, but only today did she feel a pang of pity for her. s, no matter how beautifully Xia Ning cried, there was no one left to appreciate it.

    ...

    Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei¡¯s engagement ceremony went smoothly. In the blink of an eye, it was the weekend. It was a tradition at the He Group to invite all staff to the nearby Resort Vige for a two-day fun retreat after the beginning of the year to lighten the atmosphere.

    These two days were especially joyful for the couple, Liang Tao and Zhao Ting, who shamelessly disyed their affection and whose rtionship developed at a rapid pace. Their colleagues would oftene up with a smile and ask when they were getting married, making Zhao Ting blush so deeply she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Fu Han also went on the retreat. All the staff held her in high esteem, treating her as if she was already the future Chairman¡¯s wife.

    Fu Han felt a bit embarrassed by this, but He Xing casually stated their marriage was inevitable, and Fu Han couldn¡¯t escape being the Chairman¡¯s wife. Having no choice, she epted with a flushed face, though her heart was filled with shyness.

    There was one thing, though, that He Xing was not particrly enthusiastic about. During their stay at the Resort Vige, he spent most of the time cooped up in his room working. On the rare asions he did show up, it was because Fu Han had forcibly dragged him out.

    Fu Han knew that He Xing was somewhat upset. She didn¡¯t want to advise him and felt this was something for He Xing to adjust to on his own.

    After the vacation, they went directly to H City with the crew. The second installment of "Longing for Home" was to be shot there. He Xing was still the Chief Producer, and Fu Han, the Chief Photographer.

    Thanks to the sess of the first film, the investment in this one was much higher, and the filming environment had vastly improved.

    But filmmaking is a demanding craft that taxes both brain and body.

    Most of Fu Han¡¯s energy was spent on filming the movie, and she was exhausted at the end of each day, copsing into bed to sleep; although she and He Xing were staying in a suite together, it seemed they didn¡¯t have any discussions outside of work.

    Nevertheless, there were sweet moments, like every night before Fu Han went to sleep, He Xing would kiss her forehead. Every morning she would wake up in He Xing¡¯s arms, no matter how busy they were, they would always eat three meals together.

    Hard work pays off. The original wrap-up date was a week away, but they were actually able to wrap up today.

    The wrap party was lively. He Xing, who had to drive, didn¡¯t drink any alcohol, while Fu Han was coaxed into drinking quite a bit of white wine, leaving her feeling dizzy. As they left, Fu Han had practically be an essory draped over He Xing.

    Deep into the night, the Lamborghini sped along the quiet highway; the air conditioning in the car was turned up high. Worried that Fu Han might catch a cold, He Xing covered her with his jacket. He couldn¡¯t help but curve his lips upwards as he gazed at Fu Han.

    Fu Han was awakened by amotion to find herself in the room she had lived in for over a decade. This was the warmest ce in her heart, the He Family vi.

    Before she even had time to wonder why she was there, the noise at the door grew as Bai Qian and her daughter Bai Wei, both dressed extravagantly, led several women into the room. Some were carrying makeup cases, and others were holding pristine wedding dresses.

    "Hurry up and brush your teeth, wash your face." As Bai Qian pushed Fu Han into the restroom, she said, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m not ming you, but how can you still sleep on your big day? He Xing spoils you too much, not even letting us wake you up; you better hurry, otherwise there won¡¯t be enough time for makeup."

    Fu Han waspletely bewildered as her mind was in a fog, unable to process thoughts. At that moment, she was like a puppet, being fussed over by everyone around her.

    After what felt like an eternity, Fu Han descended the stairs, nked by the crowd. A red carpet stretched down into the Garden.

    In that dreamy Garden, a stage had been set up, He Xing stood right in the centre of it, waving at Fu Han from a distance, "Xiaohan,e here."

    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Fu Han lifted her skirt and step by step walked towards He Xing. As she walked, she wondered if this was a dream, surely it was a dream. She had married He Xing many times in her dreams.

    The master of ceremony rattled off like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, uttering many words that Fu Han didn¡¯t catch at all. She simply gazed dazedly at He Xing, thinking since it was a dream, she might as well take it all in.

 Chapter 712 - 715: A Dreamy Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 712: Chapter 715: A Dreamy Wedding</h4><h4></h4>

    He Xing slowly knelt down before her, producing a sparkling diamond ring. He slowly ced the ring on Fu Han¡¯s finger, "Xiaohan, you¡¯re finally marrying me."

    "Yes, I¡¯m finally marrying you."

    Thinking it was all a dream anyway, Fu Han pulled He Xing up and kissed his cheeks. "Now I dere, you¡¯re my husband."

    "What did you call me?" He Xing¡¯s voice suddenly turned hoarse. "Xiaohan, call me that again."

    "Husband." Fu Han licked his lips and smiled triumphantly, "Since it¡¯s a dream, I might as well take advantage."

    "You think this is a dream?" He Xing lowered his head to look at Fu Han, his eyes exceptionally clear and bright. "Then let me tell you whether this is a dream or not."

    Everything spun, and before she knew it, Fu Han was being carried horizontally by He Xing.

    Minutester, He Xing carried Fu Han into a newly decorated room, therge bed covered in roses, and their wedding photos hanging in the room¡ªit was the bridal chamber that the elder Mr. He had prepared for them in advance.

    Fu Han was bewildered, the dream felt too real.

    The next second, He Xing was upon her, his heavy breathing and tender murmurings filled the room; and outside, the eavesdroppers chuckled with ambiguous delight.

    Everyone whispered among themselves, never having seen such eagerness.

    Inside the room, Fu Han finally realized this was not a dream, and she was so ashamed she wished she could disappear into the floor, but He Xing wouldn¡¯t give her the chance.

    ...

    Eight monthster, Fu Han¡¯s belly had ballooned like a balloon, making her walking difficult, forcing her to support her waist just to move.

    At that time, Bai Wei was apanying Fu Han in a maternity store to shop for clothes for the twins in her belly.

    While shopping, Bai Weiined, "Isn¡¯t it too exaggerated to wait until you¡¯re about to give birth to buy clothes for the kids? Couldn¡¯t you have prepared earlier?"

    With a gentle smile radiant with maternal love, Fu Han said, "You know He Xing doesn¡¯t let me do these things. If he didn¡¯t have to go to thepany at thest minute today, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance toe out."

    "He Xing is indeed excessive," Bai Wei said with her tongue out and a shudder. "I really can¡¯t figure him out; he¡¯s terrifyingly strict in separating business from personal matters and is ruthless¡ªno, very decisive¡ªin his actions."

    Fu Han smiled and remained silent; He Xing was indeed like that.

    "Look, isn¡¯t that Xia Ning?" Bai Wei pointed at the shop across the street and eximed in surprise, "How did she get so fat? Isn¡¯t she managing her figure while pregnant? And her eyes, has she been hit again?"

    Xia Ning and Xia Cheng were supposed to remain in prison, but Fu Han did not pursue the matter further regarding what Xia Ning had done to her. She also forged a partnership with Qin Nuan and issued a letter of forgiveness for Yi Lixing, and Qin Nuan forgave Xia Cheng as well.

    As a result, He Xing and the Xia Family cut ties, never to interact again.

    Fu Han felt this was the most correct decision she had ever made; she forgave Xia Ning, which led to He Xing¡¯s liberation.

    As for the Xia Family, they were on a visible downhill path with Xia Guoxiong no longer having the He Group as his backing and his bad reputation within the industry.

    As for Xia Cheng, although he¡¯d toned down some, he still looked every bit the dissolute nobleman, totally unaware of helping his father with his troubles, so much so that Xia Guoxiong was furious enough to want to beat him.

    As for Xia Ning, the day after He Xing left, she attempted suicide but was stopped. The person who stopped her was none other than Yang Kaitai, who had been released early for good behavior.

    Yang Kaitai demanded marriage to Xia Ning, whom, while unwilling, dared not refuse and had no choice but to marry him.

    It was said that her life in the Yang Family had been difficult. Yang Kaitai, a spoiled yboy, mostly married her to save face, and after marriage, neglected her, leaving her tonguish alone at home, beating her when he was displeased.

    Strangely, Xia Ning did not resist and bore it silently; it was rumored that Xia Guoxiong forbade her from divorcing or resisting because the Yang Group had be the Xia Group¡¯s mainstay.

    All this was told to Fu Han by Bai Wei, who listened and left it at that, neither pleased nor displeased.

    For every action, there is a consequence; one must face the fruits of their own sowing.

    Fu Han gently touched her belly, her smile exceptionally tender, her only thought now to meet the babies inside her soon.

    Suddenly her phone rang. She took a nce and stuck out her tongue, "He Xing."

    He Xing¡¯s anxious voice came through the phone, "Xiaohan, where are you? You¡¯re about to give birth, why are you still wandering around?"

    "The due date is still half a month away, it¡¯s not that soon," Fu Han said with her gentle smile, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of myself. Ah...my belly...ah, it hurts so much!"

    Bai Wei grabbed the phone from Fu Han and yelled into it, "He Xing, your wife is going intobor, hurry up with the delivery package to the hospital."

 Chapter 713 - 716 Overwhelming Fear

    <h4>Chapter 713: Chapter 716 Overwhelming Fear</h4><h4></h4>

    Side Story About He Xing

    Outside the hospital delivery room corridor, He Xing anxiously waited,rge beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, as if he had juste from swimming and rushed over without drying off.

    Bai Wei sat in the corridor, watching He Xing with a hint of disdain in her voice, "Cousin, can¡¯t you be a bit calmer? You are, after all, the general manager of the He Group. Can¡¯t you act like a man who has seen the world and not some green youth who has just entered society?"

    He Xing red fiercely at Bai Wei, but the next second, a piercing scream came from the delivery room, heart-wrenching and reaching the skies; just listening to the sound, one could tell how immense the pain must be inside.

    At this moment, Bai Wei clearly saw He Xing¡¯splexion turn pale white. Originally, she only felt pity for Fu Han, but now she couldn¡¯t help but feel some pity for He Xing as well.

    The elder Mr. He also arrived upon receiving the news, and he came over in high spirits. As the wait outside the delivery room dragged on, his anxiety grew, looking as if he was undergoing some kind of torture.

    In the end, it was Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian who took turnsforting both the elder Mr. He and He Xing. This scene seemed somewhat amusing to Bai Wei.

    As it turned out, Bai Wei was the mostposed of all. She had once gone through the experience of childbirth pain to urately portray a pregnant woman¡¯s role, so she was prepared for everything that was happening now.

    Finally, the cries from the delivery room stopped, and two nurses, each carrying a baby, came out brimming with excitement, "Congrattions, congrattions, both mother and child are safe. Your wife has given birth to a pair of..."

    However, before the nurse could finish, He Xing interrupted her, "How is my wife? Why hasn¡¯t shee out yet?"

    "Sir, it¡¯s like this, your wife is still being stitched up inside," the nurse continued with a smile on her face: "Your family has this pair of..."

    "Alright, no need to say more, take the children away," this time, the person who interrupted the nurse was the elder Mr. He. His face, pale for hours, finally regained some color, "Hurry and take care of the adults inside, make sure nothing happens to her."

    The two nurses hesitated, wanting to say something but without finding the words, mainly because there were many people waiting outside the delivery room, but not a single one of them nced at the children. Instead, they all crowded around the delivery room door.

    Bai Wei did take a look at the children in the nurses¡¯ arms but didn¡¯t approach. She just waved indifferently to the four middle-aged women standing not far away, "Take the children away and take good care of them," she said.

    The nannies had been hired in advance, with two for each child, and with Old Zhou following them, there surely wouldn¡¯t be any problems.

    Finally, Fu Han came out from the delivery room, her face pale, with bloodshot eyes that were usually clear and distinct, making her look so pitiful.

    He Xing rushed over, kissed Fu Han¡¯s forehead and then the back of her hand, distressed beyond measure, "Xiaohan, we won¡¯t have more children, these two are enough."

    "He Xing, have... have you seen our children? Are they good looking?" Fu Han weakly asked. Her hair waspletely wet with sweat, making her look exceptionally feeble.

    But her question made everyone pause, as they realized that indeed, not a single person had looked at the children. Everyone had stayed outside the delivery room without ever leaving.

    "Ahem..." He Xing cleared his throat awkwardly, his face reddening as he whispered, "I... I¡¯ll have a look in a moment, I¡¯ll go soon."

    Fu Han gave He Xing a reproachful look, clearly unamused, "Don¡¯t you care about your own children at all?"

    Bai Qianughed and spoke up, "He Xing¡¯s heart has room only for you; how could he pay attention to anything else?"

    At these words, Fu Han smiled, sweetly like the first apricot blossom of spring caressed by the breeze.

    The hospital ward was exceptionally quiet at night; if you listened carefully, you could hear the quietness, a sound that seemed to have a special magic capable of soothing the heart.

    Not two meters from the hospital bed was a sofa, and at this moment, there was someone lying on it as well. His eyes shone like cold stars, wide open and perhaps even more dazzling than the stars on the horizon. It was He Xing.

    It was midnight now, several hours since Fu Han had left the delivery room. She had endured the hardest part and had been allowed to sleep by the doctor.

    He Xing had been guarding by Fu Han¡¯s side the entire time, never once taking a look at the two children.

    He truly regretted it. Why had he wanted Fu Han to have children? What if something had happened to Fu Han? If anything had happened to her, he would have hated himself to death.

    He had once heard that giving birth for a woman was like walking past the Ghost Gate, but back then they were young and hadn¡¯t thought about having children, so yearster, this saying had faded to a faint memory in his mind.

    Now, it surged back into He Xing¡¯s mind, and he thought he must not let this happen; he must not let Fu Han get hurt; there must not be a next time.

    He Xing turned over, nearly rolling off the sofa due to hisrge frame.

    He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight, so he figured it might be better not to try; in fact, he didn¡¯t want to sleep at all, but Fu Han had insisted that he should lie down and rest, and he couldn¡¯t argue with her.

    He Xing quietly got up, sat down by the bed under the dim moonlight, and as usual, propped his chin up to watch Fu Han.

    Herplexion was still pale, but it was a marked improvement from when she had emerged from the delivery room.

    He Xing knew he would never forget the moment Fu Han came out, no, he would never forget his feelings throughout Fu Han¡¯s delivery process.

    He should have been by Fu Han¡¯s side 24 hours a day, but an urgent meeting at thepany required his attendance, and he had briefly left.

    The moment the meeting ended, He Xing returned to the Lanwan Mountain vi with various documents. He wanted to work from the vi as usual while also apanying Fu Han, killing two birds with one stone.

    Little did he know, when he returned, he didn¡¯t find Fu Han; making a call to her, he heard her screaming in pain after exchanging just a few words.

    In fact, He Xing and Fu Han had arrived at the hospital one after another. He Xing had taken care of the admission procedures. Shortly after arriving, the doctor sent Fu Han to the delivery room. He Xing wanted to follow, but the doctor stopped him outside, saying that many men are traumatized after witnessing childbirth.

    This wasn¡¯t enough to deter He Xing, but what ultimately made him give up was Fu Han herself. She adamantly refused to let He Xing in, leaving him no choice but toply.

    Under the hazy moonlight, Fu Han¡¯s cheeks looked especially tender, like a warm jade glowing from the inside out, warming He Xing¡¯s heart.

    If... if time could be reversed, He Xing certainly would not let Fu Han scream heart-wrenchingly alone in the delivery room; no, if time could be reversed, He Xing definitely wouldn¡¯t have Fu Han suffer through childbirth; if she were still determined to give birth, then he would insist on a cesarean section, not a natural birth.

 Chapter 714 - 717: She is the only one I canâ€™t lose

    <h4>Chapter 714: Chapter 717: She is the only one I can¡¯t lose</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> He Xing knew all too clearly that he could lose everything, but he simply could not lose Fu Han. Fu Han was not just a part of his life, she was his entire life. Without her, he would be no different from a walking corpse.

    Cries of children came from the distance, whimpers and sobs so faint they seemed they might disappear at any moment.

    He Xing knew those were his boy-girl twins crying in the neighboring ward. The children were supposed to stay in the same ward as their mother, but He Xing did not want the kids to disturb Fu Han¡¯s sleep. Since the room next door was vacant, he arranged for the hospital to open it just for the twins.

    Before sleeping, Fu Han had asked about the children¡¯s condition. Although he still didn¡¯t know much, this time he had learned his lesson and had a nannye over to update Fu Han.

    Mothers are truly incredible. He Xing could not understand how Fu Han could look at the two red, wrinkled babies and see them as beautiful.

    To this day, He Xing still found those two children quite unpleasant to look at; after all, they were the reason Fu Han had suffered for over eight months. Today was especially tough, as Fu Han had walked through the gates of death, an ordeal that was too much for He Xing to even think about.

    Yes, too much.

    He Xing remembered there were two instances of devastation in his life, both rted to Fu Han.

    The first was several years ago when Fu Han left the country in a huff, and the second was today, as he stood outside the delivery room, listening to Fu Han¡¯s heart-wrenching screams.

    They had grown up together since they were children, and He Xing still remembered the first time he saw Fu Han.

    She was the first person who had grown up alongside him in his life, a sister who was younger and quite cute.

    When he knew nothing of the world, many people joked that he should marry Fu Han when he grew up. The young He Xing, clueless about it all, still kept his cool fa?ade but blushed fiercely, his heart filled with joy.

    In time, after his parents passed away and with the kindness of the Xia family that saved his life weighing on him, these became heavy burdens on He Xing¡¯s shoulders, from which there was no escape, turning an already solemn man even more silent.

    Fortunately, there was Fu Han. His bits of happiness each day came entirely from her. Every time she looked at him with exceptional tenderness and smiled, warmth spread through his heart.

    However, the heavy burdens he bore did not permit him to rx, and he couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down. Thus, he rarely smiled at Fu Han, except asionally, when it was just the two of them, he couldn¡¯t help but do something extravagant for her.

    At that time, He Xing truly believed that Fu Han would always be by his side, that no matter what he did, she would never leave.

    The day his illusion was shattered was when he saw Fu Han leave behind the engagement ring and walk away, the first time he truly understood the pain of losing her.

    In reality, using the power of the He family to find Fu Han wouldn¡¯t take long; in fact, He Xing often traveled abroad. But...

    But when he saw that Fu Han had arranged for school on her own, had managed her life so orderly, he suddenly felt that he should give her freedom. Since she wanted to enrich herself, the only thing he could do was to silently support her without interference.

    In fact, Fu Han didn¡¯t know that during those three years she was abroad, He Xing would travel to see her nearly every month. But he just watched from afar and never showed himself.

    Not disturbing her, that was the only thing He Xing could do for her at the time.

    Countless times he wanted to appear directly in front of her, yet he always restrained himself.

    Fu Han¡¯s academic journeysted three years, and he wanted her toplete her education, to fulfill her dreams, to be outstanding, to turn into the person she wanted to be.

    Once those three years were over, He Xing knew that Fu Han had received her degree certificate. He used his grandfather¡¯s poor health as an excuse to have her return.

    He Xing held Fu Han¡¯s hand against his cheek, sparkling tears sliding down his face as his deep, hoarse voice started to resonate, "Xiaohan, I will never let you leave me."

    ...

    Bai Wei Side Story

    Today the sun was shining brightly, and the blue sky was dotted with white clouds, so dazzling you might find it piercing if you looked up.

    In arge farm in the suburbs of City A, many people would bring their families and children on weekends to enjoy the rural life.

    As always, it was bustling with activity today, which was a weekend.

    But unlike usual, today there would be a wedding here, the wedding of superstar Bai Wei and the rich and talented Luo Qinghe.

    Their romance had its fair share of ups and downs. From meeting to falling in love to getting engaged, they faced numerous twists and turns, yet the pace of their rtionship was still rtively swift.

    However, it took a whole four years from their engagement to their wedding day: four years after their engagement to tie the knot.

    There were many rumors regarding the marriage of Luo Qinghe and Bai Wei, but to this day, no clear exnation has emerged, because not only did the two involved not respond, but their families also never publicly addressed the matter.

    The question of when they would marry resurfaced every now and then over the years and remained a hot topic of discussion.

    Some said Bai Wei was wary of marriage hindering her acting career; some imed the couple often broke up and their rtionship wasn¡¯t ready for marriage; others spected Luo Qinghe partied all the time and Bai Wei was unhappy with him, wanting to break up; and there were even whispers of Bai Wei being kept by a wealthy patron who disapproved of her marriage.

    Whenever the rumors got out of hand over those four years, Bai Wei would join hands with Luo Qinghe to dispel them.

    Then, on Valentine¡¯s Day this year, Bai Wei posted a message on her personal social media, blunt and straightforward ¡ª she would be holding her wedding on Children¡¯s Day; the post shocked as much as the picture that apanied it, showing her marriage certificate to Luo Qinghe, dated four years back, the day after their engagement ceremony.

    From Valentine¡¯s Day to Children¡¯s Day, those few months sparked a frenzy of discussion online about their wedding.

    Despite the intense public discourse, Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe steadily moved forward with their ns, sharing the details of their wedding dress, home, and cars on social media without missing a beat.

    Finally, June 1st arrived. With the help of the Li and Bai families, they decided to hold a countryside wedding at thergest farmhouse in City A, without any media in a ten-mile radius.

    With thebined effort of both families, they aimed to give the couple the most romantic and unforgettable wedding possible.

    In the simple makeup room, Bai Wei wore a white wedding dress, in in style, but its defining feature was the swath of light-colored flowers around the hem, creating the illusion of lotuses blooming with each step she took.</subtxt>

 Chapter 715 - 718: The Reason for Not Getting Married

    <h4>Chapter 715: Chapter 718: The Reason for Not Getting Married</h4><h4></h4>

    Today¡¯s Bai Wei was as simple and pure as her wedding dress, her beautiful face lightly made up, seemingly only lined with eyeliner and dabbed with lipstick.

    Over three years, Bai Wei¡¯s hair had grown to waist-length, her ck and long locks permed into egg curls, draped over her shoulders and trailing down to her waist.

    Her hair was unadorned with any essories, save for a handmade wreath.

    But you mustn¡¯t underestimate this wreath; its craftsmanship was passed down from the royal court, the green leaves made from wire pinching, and the red flowers all crafted from rubies, although not invaluable as a city¡¯s ransom, it¡¯s certainly worth a vi in city A.

    Standing in front of the mirror, Bai Wei looked herself over from left to right, growing increasingly pleased with her appearance. With one hand supporting the wreath and the other on her hip, she turned with a smile to the girl beside her, who was looking down at her phone, and said, "Fu Han, do you think I look pretty today?"

    "Pretty." Fu Han replied without lifting her head, her eyes still fixed on her phone¡¯s screen, which disyed an image, to be precise, a chart filled with dense numbers representing the data of Fu Han¡¯spany.

    "Hey, that¡¯s a bitckluster, don¡¯t you think? You didn¡¯t even look?" said Bai Wei, now with her hands on her waist, her beautiful eyes wide with apparent displeasure.

    Finally, Fu Han lifted her head. She gave Bai Wei a quick once-over from head to toe and said with a resigned expression, "Fine, I¡¯ve looked carefully, that dress suits you very well, showcasing your slender and tall figure perfectly; the wreath on your head is pretty, too, fitting for today¡¯s setting."

    Bai Wei was not entirely satisfied with her performance, but she was quite happy with her words.

    The smile that blossomed on Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks was like a roseing into bloom as she leaned closer to Fu Han, grinning exuberantly with an almost ingratiating air, "Fu Han, where are your prince and princess? Bring them here for me to see?"

    The prince and princess were naturally Fu Han¡¯s boy-girl twins. Except for being slightly neglected for a few hours after birth, they had since been treated like stars circled by a moon.

    They were so popr mainly because they really were too cute; they had perfectly inherited their parents¡¯ best features and skipped their parents¡¯... no, rather their parents didn¡¯t have any physical ws to begin with, so naturally, the children turned out handsome.

    However, as boy-girl twins rather than identical twins, while both were beautiful, they were not carbon copies of each other.

    The brother had the dashing eyebrows and eyes of his father but below the nose, he inherited his mother¡¯s rosebud lips and perfectly chiseled jawline that no stic surgery could replicate; the sister had the mother¡¯s exquisitely delicate features, but the lower half of her face resembled her father, with a sharp, axe-cut jawline and the thinnest of lips.

    These two little ones turned heads every time they went out, achieving a 200 percent turnaround rate, a level even Bai Wei couldn¡¯t match.

    Fu Han¡¯s brows twitched, tilting her head slightly, she said, "I have no idea, they just ran off to y somewhere here, they mighte backter, I guess."

    "Are you really their mother?" Over the past three years, to be precise, ever since Fu Han gave birth till now, Bai Wei had repeated this phrase many times, if not to Fu Han, then to He Xing. Thinking of this, Bai Wei added, "I¡¯ve really never seen parents like you two."

    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Bai Wei spoke with a tinge ofint since she had watched the two little ones grow from birth to the present size, and throughout their growth, their parents had held them very few times.

    The couple seemed unaffected by the arrival of their children, or rather, their rtionship improved after the birth, bing more affectionate than before, but it seemed their attention to the children diminished, or rather, they never seemed particrly focused on them.

    Fu Han¡¯s mood was not at all affected by Bai Wei¡¯s words as sheughed it off, saying indifferently, "It was long agreed upon that their grandfather would take care of the children. He¡¯s been teaching them well, and there¡¯s no need for me to interfere."

    "Right, you always have your reasons." Bai Wei continued admiring her own beautiful reflection in the mirror and said, "Fu Han, call them and ask them toe over quickly; we¡¯re about to start the rehearsal."

    "Alright then." Fu Han repliedzily and began tapping on her screen with slender fingers, sending out a message.

    A few minutester, noisy sounds could be heard from outside the makeup room, and if you listened carefully, you could also hear theughter and chatter of children.

    Bai Wei¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and, lifting the hem of her gown, she raced toward the door, her beautiful face beaming with a 200 percent smile.

    The next second, two milky voices chimed in unison, "Hello, Auntie."

    Bai Wei gazed at the two delicate and wless little ones in front of her, their fair cheeks as tender as freshly steamed buns, their round, lively eyes shining in the sunlight, making the finest gemstones pale inparison.

    She crouched down to pick up the sister in a princess dress, "Momo, you look so pretty today, like a little princess. Did you miss your auntie?"

    "I did." Momo¡¯s chubby hands embraced Bai Wei, and her plump red lips kissed Bai Wei¡¯s cheek, inevitably leaving behind a dab of glistening saliva. She then reached out her pudgy hand to wipe Bai Wei¡¯s face, saying, "Auntie, sorry, you¡¯ve got saliva on your face."

    "It¡¯s okay." Bai Wei brushed her cheek with her hand, then put Momo down and bent down to lift up the brother, Ruirui, "Little fellow, tell me, have you been bullying your sister?"

    "Of course not." Ruirui puffed out his cheeks, trying hard to appear mature and stable, "As her brother, I should protect my sister, not bully her."

    "Good boy." Bai Wei patted Ruirui¡¯s head andughed even brighter, "Then do you know what you¡¯re supposed to doter?"

    "Auntie¡¯s wedding."

    "We¡¯re flower children!"

    The two little ones immediately lit up with excitement, hopping and jumping joyfully, their chubby rosy cheeks resembled apples.

    Bai Wei was even more excited than the little ones; she had been waiting for this moment for over three years, and now that her dream was about toe true, how could she not be thrilled?

    There were numerous spections about Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe from the outside world, with some theories involving astronomy and geography; but the actual reason Bai Wei waited four years after her engagement to get married was solely due to her two little flower children.

    Right after her engagement, Bai Wei immediately went on to shoot the second part of Expecting Homing, during which, after over three months of filming, Fu Han and He Xing got married.

    And a little over a month after their wedding, Bai Wei received the news that Fu Han was pregnant and there were twins in her womb.

    At that time, a thought urred to her: if Fu Han¡¯s little ones could be her flower children at her wedding, what a romantic scene that would be.

 Chapter 716 - 719: The Battle for Mom

    <h4>Chapter 716: Chapter 719: The Battle for Mom</h4><h4></h4>

    She had not expected that Luo Qinghe would support her idea, which was a pleasant surprise for Bai Wei.

    But in fact, getting married was a matter of time for Bai Wei, because to be on the safe side, she had already registered the marriage with Luo Qinghe the day after their engagement, meaning their marriage had been legally protected for over four years.

    A smile bloomed on Bai Wei¡¯s face like a rose as she magically produced two lollipops. The two little ones cheered, each grabbing a lollipop, and were ecstatic.

    "Auntie will open it for you?" Bai Wei squatted down and asked with a smile, her beautiful face glowing with maternal brilliance.

    The two little ones shook their heads with innocent, wide eyes, and their little mouths puckered, their mood dropping from initial joy to disappointment: "Mom said we can only have one candy a day, and we already had one just now."

    "Is that so?" Bai Wei tilted her head and pretended to think for a moment, then said with a grin, "Shall I go and talk to your mom about it?"

    After getting the approval of the two little ones, Bai Wei strolled over to Fu Han and kicked her chair leg, "Hey, it¡¯s my wedding day, can they have one more piece of candy?"

    At that moment, He Xing was standing behind Fu Han¡¯s chair, bending over to whisper something to her, with their heads close together, looking particrly affectionate.

    These two had been married for four years yet still acted like lovebirds, which Bai Wei found somewhat unfathomable, and okay, she refused to admit she was jealous.

    Bai Wei shrugged her shoulders helplessly and said, "Fu Han, the two of them want to eat lollipops but are afraid to tell you, so they asked me to talk to you."

    Before Fu Han could reply, He Xing¡¯s brow furrowed first, and he said with dissatisfaction, "You already had candy just now, from Grandpa, and now you¡¯re not allowed to have more."

    The two little ones looked at Fu Han with unified actions and pouting mouths, their eyes twinkling so lively that it melted hearts.

    Fu Han smiled and beckoned them, and the two little ones ran into her arms while calling ¡¯Mom¡¯, racing to say, "Mommy, I love you so much, you are so beautiful."

    "You guys, don¡¯t think that ttery will work, you can¡¯t have any more candy no matter what, or you¡¯ll get cavities," He Xing said with a changed face beside them, trying hard to reim Fu Han¡¯s attention, but the children clung to her like sticky candy.

    The two little ones, initially beaming at Fu Han, deted at their dad¡¯s words, looking at Fu Han with aggrieved eyes and saying nothing.

    Fu Han chuckled and pinched their cheeks, "Is it that you want candy?"

    "No, no," the twins said in unison, disying their unique understanding as they pointed at Bai Wei, "Mom, we don¡¯t want candy, Auntie is the one who insists on giving it to us."

    "You guys..." Bai Wei ced her hands on her hips, looking at them indignantly, "You¡¯re just opportunistic and abandoning me."

    The twins stuck out their tongues at Bai Wei, then turned back and hugged Fu Han, "Mommy, were we good today?"

    Fu Han gave Bai Wei a sympathetic look and stroked the children¡¯s heads, "Considering you didn¡¯t eat candy, you did great today."

    "Then can Mommy sleep with us tonight?" the twins asked with wide eyes, staring unwaveringly at Fu Han with irresistibly cute expressions.

    Fu Han smiled again and nodded, "Yes, you can."

    He Xing¡¯s face fell on the side, "No, I don¡¯t agree, you are stealing my wife again."

    "Dad, it¡¯s you who¡¯s stealing our mom," the daughter Momo said confidently to He Xing, "I saw in cartoons that kids sleep with their moms, you¡¯re an adult and you can sleep by yourself."

    He Xing rubbed his head in pain, wanting to say something, but Fu Han touched his arm, and he ultimately held back.

    Bai Wei watched with amusement, when suddenly a warm hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned to see Luo Qinghe with sparkling eyes.

    "Bai Wei, you like children so much, why don¡¯t we have one too?" Luo Qinghe¡¯s breath grazed Bai Wei¡¯s cheek as he spoke, turning her face beet red.

    She rested her head on Luo Qinghe¡¯s shoulder, coquettishly replying, "But don¡¯t you dislike children? Didn¡¯t you say they are troublesome?"

    Indeed, one of the reasons Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe had not married before, was beyond magical.

    Initially, Luo Qinghe was neither fond of nor averse to children, but the issue arose when Luo Qinghe¡¯s brother had his own children.

    The real problem was that his brother and sister-inw had two boys in three years.

    The mischievousness of these two children could not be summed up in a few books, and no nanny hadsted three months in their house, which was a perpetual scene of chaos.

    Previously, Luo Qiluo never went without her cheongsams, but now she was harassed by the two boys to the point of wearing sportswear daily unless she had to dress up for a social event.

    In just five years, Luo Qiluo visibly aged, despite being close in age to Bai Wei¡¯s sister, Bai Qian; people would mistake them for having a decade age difference when they went out together.

    Luo Qiluo warned Luo Qinghe countless times to think carefully before having children, insisting that the Li Family could not bear any more little devils, and after seeing his own nephews, Luo Qinghe was even more determined not to have children.

    Now, hearing Bai Wei say this, Luo Qinghe kissed her cheek with a smile, "If they¡¯re kids like these, I won¡¯t mind having ten."

    "You think I¡¯m a sow? I¡¯m not having that many," Bai Wei blushed deeply, red as blood.

    The farmhouse became more and more lively, as most of the guests had already arrived.

    Staff members came to urge them on, because the wedding was about to start.

    Bai Wei visibly tensed, with fine beads of sweat on the tip of her nose and sweaty palms.

    Though she had acted in wedding scenes numerous times, none made her as nervous as this moment.

    Luo Qinghe had already gone out, and Fu Han stood up, walked over to Bai Wei, and patted her shoulder, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be watching from down below, there won¡¯t be any problems."

    "Okay," Bai Wei nodded, her gaze returning to the two children.

    The twins started tough and waved their little fists at Bai Wei, "Auntie, since you are getting married today, you are the most beautiful bride, and we will all cheer for you."

    Bai Wei let out augh, indeed less nervous than before.

    A farmhouse wedding was what Bai Wei had always longed for, mainly because her celebrity status hadn¡¯t given her the chance to enjoy a rustic wedding; today was a dreame true.

 Chapter 717 - 720 Finally Got Married

    <h4>Chapter 717: Chapter 720 Finally Got Married</h4><h4></h4>

    The summer vegetable garden was bustling with life, filled with green beans, cucumbers, hot peppers, bok choy, loofah, bitter melon, eggnts, and so forth, all vibrant and green, interspersed now and then with yellow and purple flowers, making it a particrly delightful sight to behold.

    At the end of the vegetable garden, a stage had been set up, where Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe would soon hold their wedding ceremony; it may notpare to the stages Bai Wei was ustomed to when receiving awards, but it was her own design.

    The backdrop featured a huge wedding portrait of Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, wearing the very clothes they would don for their wedding today, a handsome man and a beautiful woman easy on the eyes.

    A man-made path had beenid from the makeup room to the stage, topped with thick velvet carpet to ensure that Bai Wei wouldn¡¯t trip in her high heels.

    The emcee on stage spoke with great enthusiasm, and Luo Qinghe, d in a white suit, was exceptionally cooperative.

    Bai Wei, her arm linked with Fu Xingbo¡¯s, emerged slowly after the host had built up the atmosphere and invited her three times, stepping onto the pristine velvet carpet.

    In front of them, Fu Han¡¯s boy-girl twins, each holding a flower basket, would scatter handfuls of petals into the air every few steps; the little ones were not at all stage-shy, even sneakily waving to He Xing, the esteemed elder guest, during the procession.

    Today, Fu Han was the unseen stage director of the wedding, controlling the event with a walkie-talkie in hand; as for He Xing, he was not particrly focused on the wedding outside, as usual, his attention was solely on Fu Han.

    Today, Bai Wei¡¯s wedding dress was very simple, even basic, but the simpler the attire, the more it entuated Bai Wei¡¯s delicate features, making her seem even more stunning.

    Luo Qinghe was unusually talkative, sharing the changes he had undergone since meeting Bai Wei and expressing his love for her; finally, he knelt on one knee and took a ring from Momo¡¯s hand, slowly slipping it onto Bai Wei¡¯s ring finger, "Xiaowei, I want to be with you, a lifetime isn¡¯t enough, I want it for all eternity."

    Pearl-like tears fell gently down Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks, and she covered her face, sobbing uncontrobly, "How I hate this, I don¡¯t want to cry, crying ruins my beauty, why did you have to invoke my tears?"

    Luo Qinghe held Bai Wei¡¯s cheeks in his hands and kissed her deeply.

    The apuse was thunderous, one wave after another, and it was unclear how much time had passed when Luo Qinghe finally released Bai Wei. Their foreheads touching, his deep voice was somewhat hoarse, "I won¡¯t let you shed tears again."

    Memories shed before Bai Wei¡¯s eyes, the year she was reluctant to go to Antarctica, but now she was grateful she went, because only having gone then could she now reap such a beautiful love.

    The sky in Antarctica was so blue that it was almost piercing to look up at, just like the sunshine of this peak summer moment.

    Bai Wei leaned on Luo Qinghe¡¯s shoulder and smiled; she knew she would be happy for the rest of her life.

    ...

    Xia Ning Extra Story

    A scream pierced the quiet of the night, as Xia Ning awoke from her sleep, confronted with a face so magnified it appeared grotesque, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a piercing scream.

    Though her fear swept over her like an overwhelming tide, she quickly reined it in, forcibly muffling her own mouth to prevent any sounds from escaping.

    But it was already toote, "p," the sound of a resounding p rang out, even louder than her previous scream.

    Even though the sound of the p was loud, Xia Ning still managed to endure and didn¡¯t scream.

    Even though she was terribly scared inside, she held it in forcefully.

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you, you¡¯re not allowed to sleep until Ie back?" Yang Kaitai¡¯s voice rang out, a man¡¯s robust tone, yet in the dead of night, it sounded as horrifying as a demon reaper¡¯s call.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I was just too tired, so I fell asleep," Xia Ning apologized while getting up to help Yang Kaitai out of his clothes, her movements as skilled as if it was her born duty.

    Yang Kaitai had a good figure, his upper body a mass of knotted muscles that clearly resulted from gym workouts; and since he had been in prison twice, his strength was even greater than that of a typical gym instructor.

    Xia Ning had also thought about resisting, but countless experiences taught her that she wouldn¡¯t get anywhere against Yang Kaitai.

    Sure enough, Yang Kaitai pushed Xia Ning onto the bed, and after groping her thigh, he instantly expressed his dissatisfaction, "Who told you to wear underwear? Haven¡¯t I said you¡¯re not allowed to wear underwear at home?"

    "I¡¯ll take it off right now," Xia Ning said while pleasingly wriggling and hastily stripped herselfpletely clean of her clothing.

    Amorous sounds filled the still night, the man¡¯s panting could make listeners blush and their hearts race.

    But a closer look would reveal no expression of pleasure on Xia Ning¡¯s face; instead, she exhibited numbness, an indifferent kind of insensitivity.

    Suddenly, another p rang out, "Xia Ning, what high and mighty act are you putting on here? Scream for me, if you don¡¯t satisfy me, you won¡¯t get to sleep tonight."

    This p was direct to Xia Ning¡¯s nasal bone, and she clearly felt the blood dripple out, but she didn¡¯t dare say anything because to do so would only result in a more severe beating.

    The woman¡¯s delicate, amorous sounds mixed with the man¡¯s panting filled the room, making listeners blush with a pounding heart.

    It was uncertain how much time had passed, but after Yang Kaitai had uttered countless obscene words, he finally stopped tormenting Xia Ning andy down beside her, turning over to fall asleep.

    Xia Ningy with eyes open, gazing at the ceiling, barely discerning the outline of the chandelier, which was shaped like an unopened lotus.

    It was not Xia Ning¡¯s preference, as an unopened lotus is also called a ¡¯han,¡¯ from Fu Han¡¯s name, that woman Xia Ning could never forgive even to her dying breath.

    Tears streamed down Xia Ning¡¯s face and fell onto the nket, making a pitter-patter sound like rain.

    Xia Ning was skilled at crying, as her father told her that tears would soften a man¡¯s heart; if she knew how to cry, He Xing would give in to her.

    Indeed, over the years, every time Xia Ning cried and spoke of her mother, He Xing would relent.

    So, Xia Ning was very good at crying, having long learned the art of summoning tears at will.

    But at some point, she realized that her tears were bing increasingly ineffective on He Xing; not just He Xing, but now even Yang Kaitai, upon seeing her cry, would first react with impatience rather than pity.

    The night stretched endlessly, with the sound of Yang Kaitai¡¯s loud snoring filling the air.

    Xia Ning¡¯s tears flowed more freely than ever; previously, she would cry only when asking for something, but now she cried out of pure self-pity for her miserable life, even ensuring her tears were unseen.

 Chapter 718 - 721: Canâ€™t Understand

    <h4>Chapter 718: Chapter 721: Can¡¯t Understand</h4><h4></h4>

    Unknowingly, her pillow had be soaked, sticking unpleasantly to her face, just as ufortable as Xia Ning¡¯s body.

    Yang Kaitai had gone mad today, tormenting her for so long that her body was sticky and slick. She longed to take a shower, but feared that getting up might disturb Yang Kaitai and surely another round of punches would await her.

    Havingin on her back for a long time, Xia Ning felt ufortable and carefully turned over, wanting to face away from Yang Kaitai.

    But just as before when Yang Kaitai had been snoring loudly, he suddenly rolled over, and his long, sturdy arm embraced Xia Ning tightly. His gloomy voice rang out, "Where do you think you¡¯re going?"

    Xia Ning had already been trembling with fear when Yang Kaitai rolled over, and at his words, she shook even more violently, her voice thin and sharp, "I... I¡¯m not going anywhere. I just wanted to turn over. I... I feel too ufortable."

    Therge room fell silent, and Xia Ning exhaled a long breath, thinking she had finally passed this hurdle.

    But then, Yang Kaitai suddenly released her, pushing her away, and with distinct disdain, he said, "Go take a shower quickly. Your body reeks of sweat, it¡¯s disgusting."

    If anyone else dared to say Xia Ning¡¯s body smelled, Yang Kaitai would have been the first toe out and teach them a lesson. Yet now, the situation hadpletely turned around, and the person using all sorts of maliciousnguage to describe Xia Ning was Yang Kaitai himself.

    To Xia Ning, the saddest things in life were two-fold: first, she watched helplessly as the man she loved married a woman she loathed; second, the man who once loved her to the bone now detested her just as deeply.

    How did thingse to this? Xia Ning just couldn¡¯t understand.

    The water pouring from the showerhead made her already wet face even wetter, warm water sliding over her smooth body, eventually leaving through the drain.

    In the heat of summer, the temperature in the restroom was high, akin to steaming in a sauna. One moment, you¡¯d be rinsing off sweat beads, and the next, new beads would start to emerge. Countless, unceasing beads of sweat would keep forming, forcing you to wash over and over to ensure your body didn¡¯t smell.

    Time rewound to four years ago, the loneliest year for Xia Ning. Filled with hope, she had intended to use her hard-earned millions in savings to deal with Fu Han¡ª a permanent problem solver.

    But unexpectedly, the assassin she hired proved unreliable, swayed by Fu Han¡¯s beauty and ultimately interrupted by Nan Qing¡¯s appearance. The assassin was caught on the spot.

    Xia Ning lived in fear for several days, and sure enough, Yi Lixing got caught, but the case hadn¡¯t been brought to court yet as it was close to the New Year¡¯s.

    At the same time, Xia Cheng did something that infuriated Xia Ning: unable to control his lower body, he forced himself on Qin Nuan in her home while Xia Guoxiong was out handling matters.

    In fact, Xia Ning took a dislike to Qin Nuan from their first meeting.

    She hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, but looking back now, a woman¡¯s intuition is terrifyingly urate, and Qin Nuan¡¯s fox-like eyes indeed held a cunning just like that of a fox.

    Truly, if Xia Guoxiong, a man who had been in the mall for decades, could fall for Qin Nuan¡¯s trap, what chance did Xia Cheng, a yboy who thought with his lower half, have of resisting her?

    Back then, how could Xia Ning have known that the beautiful-looking woman harbored so many devious thoughts?

    At that time, Xia Ning thought Qin Nuan was no different from the other women Xia Guoxiong had been involved with: they approached Xia Guoxiong for his money, and once he grew tired of ying, a sum for the loss of youth would suffice.

    So when she learned of Qin Nuan¡¯s existence, Xia Ning wasn¡¯t on guard at all. Now, in retrospect, she had been too careless; she should have been alert as soon as it was revealed that Qin Nuan had ties with both Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng.

    If Xia Ning had been more cautious of Qin Nuan, her life wouldn¡¯t have been so miserable now.

    Four years earlier, under her father¡¯s instruction, Xia Ning feigned suicide, hoping to soften He Xing¡¯s heart and spare Yi Lixing. But contrary to her wishes, she lost her memory, albeit only for a few dozen hours, and missed the best chance to plead with He Xing.

    Then there was the time she hurt her cheek while swinging; in fact, that was unrted to He Xing¡ªshe had done it on purpose.

    The reason was simple: Xia Guoxiong constantly pressured Xia Ning, stating if she couldn¡¯t save Xia Cheng, he wouldn¡¯t bother with her affairs. Having no other options, Xia Ning resorted to injuring herself to make He Xing feel guilty.

    This was a desperate move from the start, and Xia Ning had no other strategies left. She threw out herst card in a final gamble, thinking if only He Xing would soften just this once.

    But ah...

    She never dreamed that things would turn out the way they had now.

    Xia Ning knew she would never forget that day, the day she lost He Xing forever.

    That day, Fu Han revealed some of Xia Ning¡¯s past deeds. Xia Ning had intended to deny them, but somehow, Fu Han provoked her; looking back, she had fallen right into the trap Fu Han had set.

    After Fu Han left, He Xing arrived. When Xia Ning thought about He Xing having heard everything she had just said, she trembled all over with fear.

    With tears streaming, she tried to exin to He Xing that what she had said was out of anger, that Fu Han was framing her, and she desperately beseeched He Xing to give her another chance.

    But it was useless. He Xing had taken Fu Han¡¯s words to heart, convinced that everything was Xia Ning¡¯s doing. He said, word by word, that he was utterly disappointed in her.

    In despair, Xia Ning brought up her mother, Du Wanting, hoping He Xing would forgive her for her mother¡¯s sake. She even babbled that she would die for He Xing.

    But He Xing mentioned Du Wanting¡¯s terminal illness, stating that even if she wasn¡¯t saved by him, she had less than three months to live. He also exposed Xia Ning¡¯s collusion with Qin Nuan in the kidnapping of Grandfather He, and Xia Ning¡¯s scheme of having someone threaten He Xing with a knife so she could y the hero and save him.

    That day, He Xing looked down at Xia Ning with a cold disdain, as if she were a stranger.

    His face, as handsome as a deity¡¯s, was devoid of expression, indifferent like a bystander¡¯s: "Xia Ning, just because I don¡¯t talk about things doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m unaware. I will always be grateful to Aunt Du Wanting for saving my life; therefore, I¡¯ve been silent about many things the Xia family has done over the years. But now, you even dare harm Grandfather and Fu Han, I will never forgive you."

 Chapter 719 - 722: Do Good Deeds

    <h4>Chapter 719: Chapter 722: Do Good Deeds</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning remembered that she had wanted to grab He Xing, but lost control of her center of bnce and fell straight off the hospital bed,nding in pain. She couldn¡¯t help but cry out.

    At that time, He Xing slowly turned around and looked at Xia Ning, who was sitting on the ground in pain, and said word by word, "Xia Ning, you don¡¯t need to pretend in front of me anymore. Your acting is Oscar-worthy; it¡¯s a disservice not to recognize it. Acting pitiful won¡¯t work on me. Whether you live or die from now on has nothing to do with me. Take care of yourself."

    After He Xing said this, he turned and walked away without staying any longer.

    At that time, Xia Ning struggled to get up from the ground, but she was powerless. The final diagnosis was that she had fallen on her cyx, fracturing it, which resulted in her having to stay in bed for nearly three more months.

    During this period, the number of times Xia Guoxiong came to see Xia Ning could be counted on one hand. All his attention was on dealing with Xia Cheng¡¯s issues, reportedly spending money like water.

    However, it seemed to be effective. On a certain day just before Xia Ning was to be discharged, Xia Cheng came to visit her with Xia Guoxiong.

    It was the first time Xia Ning had seen her brother since New Year¡¯s Eve. He was darker, thinner, and older, with a vacant look in his eyes as if he had aged more than five years after being weathered by the elements.

    When Xia Ning locked eyes with Xia Cheng, she was startled, feeling as if she were targeted by a beast.

    A few dayster, Xia Ning was discharged. By then, her face had healed, returning to its carefully made-up beauty that turned heads on the street.

    Even though He Xing had blocked Xia Ning thest time he left the ward, at that time, Xia Ning hadn¡¯tpletely given up on He Xing. She nned to find him when he returned from filming the movie.

    But who could have expected that He Xing would marry Fu Han the day after the movie was finished filming?

    Over four years had passed, but He Xing and Fu Han¡¯s wedding was still one for the history books, because it was truly a wedding without precedent.

    Because no one knew in advance that the heir to the He Group would get married that day, all the guests receivedst-minute invitations, but even so, there were several hundred tables at the banquet, demonstrating the He Group¡¯s clout in City A.

    It was said that some people, upon receiving news of He Xing¡¯s wedding while out of town, immediately flew back to attend.

    But, to say that this unparalleled wedding was hastily arranged would also be incorrect, as the He Family had organized the several hundred tables of the banquet wlessly.

    Moreover, Lanwan Mountain was so beautiful that day it resembled Wondend, while the He Family¡¯s vi looked like a castle.

    Those who attended Fu Han and He Xing¡¯s weddingter remarked that even a wedding prepared months in advance could not match the fantasy of theirs.

    Xia Ning remembered that when she heard about He Xing¡¯s wedding, she felt as if the sky had fallen. She had thought about ruining the wedding but couldn¡¯t even get past the gate at the foot of Lanwan Mountain.

    Afterward, Xia Ning lived like a walking corpse for some time, trying different ways every day to find He Xing, as if haunted by a nightmare trying to snatch him back.

    The end of all this was brought by Yang Kaitai. One day, as Xia Ning was staring nkly at a photo of He Xing on herputer screen, her door was suddenly flung open, and in barged Yang Kaitai.

    Xia Ning was frightened once again. Seeing Yang Kaitai in front of her was like seeing a demon. She desperately yelled for Yang Kaitai to leave and not to touch her.

    But her resistance was futile. Instead, Yang Kaitai grew more and more aggressive, and ultimately, what should not have happened, did happen.

    Content, Yang Kaitai got up, identally pressing theputer keyboard, and He Xing¡¯s photo appeared in front of him without warning.

    To be fair, most men would feel inferior just looking at He Xing, let alone a twice-incarcerated, crew-cut, almost bald Yang Kaitai; he sought out Xia Ning entirely for her, and now seeing that Xia Ning thought about He Xing every day, how could he not be angry?

    Theputer, filled with videos and photos of He Xing, was smashed to pieces by Yang Kaitai. Still not satisfied, he destroyed Xia Ning¡¯s tablet and phone, shattering them into a mess.

    As Yang Kaitai ransacked Xia Ning¡¯s room like a madman, she tried to escape several times but was dragged back by him each time. She screamed her throat raw, yet not a single servant came to help, and she finally realized no one woulde to her aid.

    She was trembling with fear, finally knowing what it felt like to be truly afraid.

    Afterward...

    Afterward, what happened was something Xia Ning didn¡¯t want to recall or dare to think about. All she knew was that she married Yang Kaitai, that pervert, at her father¡¯s insistence.

    In recent years, Xia Group had been declining day by day, while Yang Kaitai, who had once been in prison, used underworld tactics to make Yang Group increasingly sessful. Xia Guoxiong began to seek Yang Kaitai¡¯s protection.

    This only added insult to injury regarding Xia Ning¡¯s already low status in the family. She begged her father numerous times to try to run thepany on his own rather than rely on Yang Kaitai.

    But each time, Xia Guoxiong scolded her mercilessly, calling her an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.

    Xia Guoxiong always spoke with conviction, iming that since he had raised Xia Ning for so many years, it was time for her to repay him. Since Yang Kaitai was his son-inw, he naturally should help him.

    Ironically, Yang Kaitai treated Xia Guoxiong just as He Xing used to, agreeing to help as long as the requests weren¡¯t too excessive, and each time Yang Kaitai appeared very generous and willing.

    Every time Xia Ning saw Yang Kaitai greet Xia Guoxiong with a smile, she would have a feeling of unreality, as if the Yang Kaitai in front of her was not the same person she knew.

    The thing that drove Xia Ning to despair the most was that after Xia Guoxiong left, Yang Kaitai would ridicule her. Calling it ridicule wasn¡¯t quite urate, as the vile words Yang Kaitai used were more aptly described as humiliating. Every time Xia Ning heard those words, she wanted to die.

    For the current Xia Ning, the only thing she could decide for herself was probably her own life; but unfortunately, Xia Ning had been left with a psychological shadow after a previous fake suicide attempt. She was genuinely afraid of death.

    So even though she was so tormented by Yang Kaitai, she never contemted death.

    Perhaps Yang Kaitai knew that Xia Ning didn¡¯t dare to die, and that¡¯s why he degraded her so mercilessly.

    If Xia Ning used to hate Fu Han the most, now she had another person to add to that list, Yang Kaitai. One had stolen the love of her life, the other had trampled all her pride and dignity underfoot.

    When Xia Ning went out after her bath, her ears were filled with thunderous snoring sounds. She truly had never heard louder snoring; it was earth-shaking.

    In the pitch darkness, Xia Ning skillfully returned to her bedside. It was a huge round bed, designed like a beautiful seashell, but it was Xia Ning¡¯s nightmare.

 Chapter 720 - 723: Four Years like a Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 720: Chapter 723: Four Years like a Nightmare</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning had barelyin down when she smelled the distinctive, almost suffocating sweat odor emanating from Yang Kaitai¡¯s body. Fortunately, she covered her mouth in time, or she really would have been unable to hold back the urge to vomit.

    Usually, as long as she covered her mouth, she wouldn¡¯t vomit, but today was different. Her stomach was churning tumultuously, and she couldn¡¯t control the feeling of nausea. In the end, she still rushed to the restroom with her mouth covered.

    Early the next day, Xia Ning got up; in fact, she had almost not slept at all the previous night. Yet her biological clock and the immense fear in her heart made her get up early as usual.

    Countless painful experiences told Xia Ning that waking Yang Kaitai when he hadn¡¯t slept well had very serious consequences.

    Even barefoot, Xia Ning deliberately lowered her footsteps as she inched toward the door. After exiting the room, she put on the spare slippers she had strategically ced outside the door and tied her long hair at the back of her head while heading downstairs.

    The Yang Family¡¯s vi kitchen was spacious and tidy.

    Xia Ning got hold of an apron smoothly and started preparing breakfast with practiced hands. The dough, which had been kneaded and left to rise the night before, was ready to use today.

    Speaking of which, over the past four years, the suffering Yang Kaitai inflicted on Xia Ning was all-epassing, from mental to physical, not sparing any aspect.

    After Yang Kaitai married Xia Ning, he hired many servants specifically to attend to her; yet paradoxically, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t behave like a young mistress since she needed to take care of Yang Kaitai¡¯s daily needs.

    Whenever Yang Kaitai ate at home, the food had to be prepared by Xia Ning, nobody else; if Yang Kaitai discovered Xia Ning had enlisted the help of a servant, both she and the servant would be punished.

    Gradually, all matters rted to Yang Kaitai were left untouched by the other servants, all waiting for Xia Ning to handle.

    Xia Ning, from initially resenting her duties, was coerced into eptance, andter, silently formed the habit and came to believe calmly that all this indeed should be done by her.

    When Yang Kaitai came downstairs, Xia Ning had just finished preparing breakfast.

    She disyed the breakfast on the table with a sense of aplishment, "Husband, I made your favorite crystal steamed dumplings, mixed-grain soy milk, and Dumpling Soup for breakfast. Try them and see if they taste good."

    "Indeed, a woman needs to be trained," Yang Kaitai¡¯s eyes roamed shamelessly over Xia Ning, "When I used to adore you, you wouldn¡¯t even look at me. Now see how well-behaved you are; you do whatever I tell you to do."

    Xia Ning¡¯s face momentarily stiffened, but she quickly regainedposure and responded with a forced smile without a word.

    But no sooner had she forced a smile than her stomach churned violently, and she couldn¡¯t bother with greetings as she ran outside.

    By the time Xia Ning had vomited everything out of her stomach, she finally lifted her head from the toilet only to see Yang Kaitai, looking contemtive, leaning against the restroom door.

    "You... Husband, what brings you here?" Xia Ning shook with fear, fumbling to press the flush button on the toilet.

    ording to the rules set by Yang Kaitai, Xia Ning had to address him with the prefix "Husband" when speaking to him; failure to do so would result in a brutal beating.

    The furrowed brows on Yang Kaitai¡¯s face, resembling two caterpirs, made him look extremelyical and ridiculous.

    Terrified, Xia Ning shivered and instinctively wanted to flee, but the only exit from the restroom was blocked by Yang Kaitai, unless she could burrow a tunnel to escape through.

    There, Yang Kaitai moved step by step towards Xia Ning, his iron grip snatching her wrist and lifting her up, draining all color from her face until it was ashen and bloodless.

    He uttered, word by word, "Go change your clothes, go to the hospital."

    "Huh?" Xia Ning gaped at Yang Kaitai, her mind aplete muddle, notprehending what he intended.

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s caterpir-like eyebrows twitched, and his expression grew even uglier, "I won¡¯t repeat myself. I¡¯m leaving in ten minutes; if you are not ready, you¡¯re in for it."

    Shaken to her core, Xia Ning scrambled up and ran, with Yang Kaitai following behind. The word "Be careful" nearly left his lips, but in the end, he said nothing at all.

    His expression turned ugly, as if he was experiencing a tremendous inner struggle, feeling an anguish that he wanted to let go of but couldn¡¯t.

    Driven by her profound fear of Yang Kaitai, Xia Ning changed her clothes and came downstairs in less than ten minutes; by then, Yang Kaitai was already sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

    Xia Ning, reacting instinctively, felt her heart contract violently. She hastily opened the passenger door, got in, and clumsily fastened her seatbelt.

    The next second, Yang Kaitai floored the elerator, and the car shot away like an arrow released from its bow.

    Xia Ning was clueless about the reason for the hospital visit. She rummaged through her bag for her makeup kit, preparing to put on makeup; Yang Kaitai demanded she look impable whenever they went out, she couldn¡¯t afford to embarrass him.

    Yet, just as she took out her makeup kit, Yang Kaitai snatched it from her hands and threw it out of the car.

    Xia Ning¡¯s mouth fell open, wanting to say something, but seeing Yang Kaitai¡¯s furious face, she didn¡¯t dare provoke him. All she could do was shrink in her seat, silent and not daring to say an extra word.

    Two hourster, Xia Ning held the test result in her hand¡ªpositive. She couldn¡¯t calm down. She nced around the Hall, noticing Yang Kaitai standing in the smoking area with a cigarette flickering between his fingers.

    Even the mere sight of Yang Kaitai instilled fear in Xia Ning. She braced herself and walked over to him, mentally preparing how to break the news to him.

    Yang Kaitai caught sight of her immediately. He stubbed out his cigarette and quickly walked towards her. Extending his hand, Xia Ning instantly handed over the test report, "I... I didn¡¯t know. The doctor said to get an ultrasound scanter."

    Yang Kaitai stared at it for a full two minutes. During those two minutes, Xia Ning distinctly observed his expression softening, although it was a marginal improvementpared to before.

    Finally, the long two minutes passed. Yang Kaitai handed back the test report to Xia Ning and coughed awkwardly before saying, "What... what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll go buy it for you."

    Stunned, Xia Ning stared at Yang Kaitai, speechless. The man before her seemed both strangely unfamiliar and yet intensely familiar. Unfamiliar because never in the past four years had he treated Xia Ning this way; familiar because in the time before that, Yang Kaitai had awkwardly shown his affection for her simr to this.

    Unexpectedly, a blush crept onto Yang Kaitai¡¯s face, his brows furrowed deeply, and he turned and walked away abruptly, "Forget it, it¡¯s like talking to an idiot. Asking you gets me nowhere. I¡¯ll buy whatever, and you¡¯ll eat whatever I get."

 Chapter 721 - 724: Finally Pregnant

    <h4>Chapter 721: Chapter 724: Finally Pregnant</h4><h4></h4>

    Xia Ning watched Yang Kaitai¡¯s departing figure with tears falling down her face, clutching the test result in her hand and praying incessantly that this time she must be pregnant, she must be. This would be herst chance to change her fate.

    Over these four years, Yang Kaitai indeed hadn¡¯t treated Xia Ning well. Firstly because Yang Kaitai found out that Xia Ning was deeply in love with He Xing; secondly because he discovered that his second time going to prison was thanks to Xia Ning; thirdly, because Xia Ning hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant in four years due to her underdeveloped uterus, which the medical examination said made it very difficult for her to conceive.

    Nobody expected that after four years of marriage, Xia Ning was actually pregnant.

    The wait for the ultrasound wasn¡¯t long and soon it was Xia Ning¡¯s turn. The results were very pleasing: an intrauterine pregnancy.

    Xia Ning, holding several test results, prepared to go to the outpatient doctor to see the results, when she happened upon Yang Kaitai holding a bag containing a transparent disposable lunchbox. She knew this was the breakfast Yang Kaitai had bought for her.

    Sure enough, seeing several people waiting to see the results, Yang Kaitai found a ce to sit with Xia Ning and handed her the opened Pigeon Soup he had bought while carefully reading through her test results.

    A voice called over the loudspeaker for Xia Ning. She hesitated, not knowing what to do with the Pigeon Soup in her hand, but Yang Kaitai naturally took it from her and gestured for her to go and listen to what the doctor had to say.

    A few minutester, Xia Ning came out and Yang Kaitai immediately went up to her asking, "How is it?"

    Xia Ning, touching her t stomach, started smiling, "The doctor said I¡¯m over a month pregnant."

    Yang Kaitai¡¯s hand immediately covered hers, as if he could feel the baby¡¯s heartbeat, and a smile slowly spread across his face. He threw the Pigeon Soup, which was about to go cold, directly into the bin. "Let¡¯s go home, I¡¯ll have someone make you something delicious to eat."

    In the four years of marriage, Xia Ning had never heard such words from Yang Kaitai¡¯s mouth, and for a moment she was so taken aback that she almost thought she had misheard, staring at him with eyes wide open, looking rather silly and funny.

    "Have you gone silly?" Yang Kaitaiughed, scraping his finger across Xia Ning¡¯s nose.

    Even though they had been passionately intimate just the night before, Xia Ning was still not used to this kind of affection. Her first instinct was to pull away, but thest shred of rationality in her mind stopped herself.

    Although Yang Kaitai seemed to be doting on her now, the countless lessons from the past four years reminded Xia Ning that any act of defiance against Yang Kaitai would surely result in his harsh punishment.

    Yang Kaitai scraped Xia Ning¡¯s nose and then touched her cheek, before taking her hand and going home.

    The servants were shocked to see them holding hands as they returned, with almost everyone startled into silence, some wondering inwardly if the sun had risen from the west today.

    The moment he returned, Yang Kaitai started giving orders, instructing that all restrooms in the house should be equipped with anti-slip mats, all stairways covered with carpets, and that all slightly sharp furniture should be wrapped up.

    When the two left in the morning, Xia Ning was still the image of a wife suffering mistreatment, but now she had be a treasured artifact, carefully protected by Yang Kaitai.

    Many of the Yang Family servants had been around for many years and everyone knew of Yang Kaitai¡¯s previous obsession with Xia Ning¡ªto the point where his room was filled with her photos, covering the walls.

    Perhaps because of this, the servants hadn¡¯t treated Xia Ning harshly over the years despite Yang Kaitai¡¯s attitude towards her having plummeted.

    Perhaps it was human nature: when Yang Kaitai pampered Xia Ning like a princess, she wouldn¡¯t even spare him a second nce.

    But after four years of desperate struggle for survival and now Yang Kaitai suddenly treating her so well again, she felt no sense of security, even a hint of being overwhelmed by his attention.

    Unexpectedly, the one who wasn¡¯t ustomed to these changes in the end was Xia Ning herself.

    However, the good times were short-lived. Just as the servants had prepared avish lunch and Yang Kaitai was leading Xia Ning to eat, a group of unwee guests barged in.

    The visitors, dressed in neat uniforms and holding an arrest warrant, took Yang Kaitai away without a word.

    Today, Xia Ning felt like she was on a rollercoaster, her life full of ups and downs. She thought that after bing pregnant, life would get better, but she didn¡¯t expect it to turn out this way.

    Yang Kaitai had been to prison twice before and at those times, Xia Ning only felt a sense of relief, even personally sending him there once.

    But today, as Xia Ning watched Yang Kaitai being taken away, her feelings were especiallyplex, inexplicable, as though there was joy, but overshadowed by confusion about her future life. Without Yang Kaitai, she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Xia Ning had the driver take her back to the Xia Family home, where she started crying the moment she entered the door.

    Xia Chengy on the sofa as if he was permanently glued to it, barely lifting his eyelids at the sight of Xia Ning, then continued to fixate on his phone screen as if Xia Ning was just air.

    Xia Ning was no longer phased by such behavior; Xia Cheng had always been a profligate before, and had only gotten worse since returning home after Qin Nuan dropped thewsuit.

    Nevertheless, as Xia Guoxiong firmly controlled the family¡¯s financial power, Xia Cheng, without money, hadn¡¯t caused any major problems.

    Moreover, under pressure from Xia Guoxiong, he had gotten married and now had a two-year-old daughter whom Xia Guoxiong didn¡¯t fancy much and insisted that Xia Ning¡¯s sister-inw continue to bear children. However, with constant conflict between Xia Cheng and his wife, she stubbornly refused to conceive again.

    ustomed to Xia Cheng¡¯s behavior, Xia Ning cried as she told him about Yang Kaitai being arrested, finally begging Xia Guoxiong to save Yang Kaitai with tears.

    To her dismay, Xia Guoxiong red at her fiercely, "Did marrying make you a fool? Yang Kaitai conducts his business using gang methods; so many people begrudge him. If I go save him now, isn¡¯t that just sending myself to death?"

    Xia Ning pleaded a whole bunch, even bringing the child in her womb into the discussion, but Xia Guoxiong was unmoved.

    The most unpredictable weather is the summer weather, and while it had been sunny when Xia Ning arrived, as she left, lightning shed, thunder rolled, and the storm raged violently.

    The driver advised that a typhoon was approaching and suggested she stay put for the time being.

    But Xia Ning, recalling the chilling words her father had spoken, felt that she couldn¡¯t bear to stay another second and had to leave immediately.

    The wipers waved frantically in front of the car, and even though the windows were shut, Xia Ning could still keenly feel the power of the storm outside.

    She touched her belly, thinking of the tiny life inside, and suddenly regretted why she chose to leave the Xia home just then.

 Chapter 722 - 725: Everything is Worth It

    <h4>Chapter 722: Chapter 725: Everything is Worth It</h4><h4></h4>

    The doctor¡¯s words lingered in Xia Ning¡¯s ears, and the doctor said it was a miracle that Xia Ning could get pregnant. If this pregnancy couldn¡¯t be saved, she might never have another chance to be a mother in her lifetime.

    When she found out she was pregnant, Xia Ning¡¯s emotions wereplex, but after hearing what the doctor said, and with the change in Yang Kaitai¡¯s attitude towards her, she felt that having this child wasn¡¯t so bad.

    But now Yang Kaitai had an ident, leaving her to raise the child alone and wait for Yang Kaitai, it again felt impossible.

    But was she really ready to give up this hard-won opportunity to be a mother?

    Leaning back in the leather seat, looking out the window, Xia Ning couldn¡¯t help thinking to herself how wonderful it would be if the child in her belly belonged to He Xing.

    Bang!

    Xia Ning¡¯s head mmed hard against the seat in front of her. The world turned upside down as they had an ident; the car flipped over.

    She saw blood streaming down her cheek, as red as the most brilliant rose, her favorite flower, but one He Xing had never given her.

    Dull pain btedly emerged from Xia Ning¡¯s abdomen, and she finally felt fear. Her voice hoarse with desperation, she shrieked, "Save my child."

    But it was a typhoon day, with howling winds and torrential rain. The road was littered with trees broken by the strong wind, her vision was a blur, she couldn¡¯t see anything, and no one would see her.

    Suddenly, Xia Ning thought of Qin Nuan. She had used just a small trick to get Qin Nuan¡¯s sister, Qin Xiaonian, into prison for a while, and as a result, Qin Nuan almost destroyed the Xia Group. It was also because of her that Yang Kaitai learned so much and became so ruthless towards Xia Ning.

    There was also Ji Liangchuan, the only man aside from Yang Kaitai who had been intimate with Xia Ning. The two of them were allies, both wanting to break up He Xing and Fu Han, and in the end, they became theughingstock of the world.

    After the incident, Ji Liangchuan said, "Xia Ning seduced me," and then he left without looking back. Over the years, Xia Ning also heard some news about him; it seemed he had suffered some irreversible damage to his body due to overindulgence.

    ...

    Thevender field stretched out, touched by the sky. Nan Qing and Wang Yixuan each had an easel set up, one with an oil painting and the other with a sketch, capturing the beautifulvender permanently on their paper.

    A breeze blew over, making thevender bow and rise, swaying slightly, like a moving sea of purple, so beautiful it seemed like a scene straight out of an anime.

    Nan Qing¡¯srge and round eyes swirled, trying to engrave every scene before her into her memory.

    By her side, Wang Yixuan¡¯s charcoal made swift strokes on the pristine paper, thevender field bing increasingly vivid, and the four big letters "love" in the distance made their way onto his canvas.

    He rubbed his chin thoughtfully with one hand, reaching into his backpack with the other, pulling out a row of paints.

    Without a noticeable move, he quickly mixed the colors. Swapping for a different brush, he started to apply the paint.

    Wang Yixuan painted at a leisurely pace, casual as if taking a stroll in a peaceful garden, yet his paintings were remarkably lifelike. Whether it was flowers, animals, or portraits, everything under his brush seemed so vivid that one might think they were not painted but captured with the finest camera.

    When Nan Qing came back to her senses, a painting by Wang Yixuan was nearlyplete.

    Covering her face, she let out a low squeal, "No, no, I¡¯ve lost again."

    Wang Yixuan smiled indulgently and gently touched Nan Qing¡¯s head, "No, you haven¡¯t lost. I¡¯m not done yet. I¡¯ll stop and wait for you, alright?"

    His tone was extremely doting, like a father soothing his beloved daughter.

    "Okay, you said it." Nan Qing cheered and immediately startedughing as she rummaged through her backpack, finally finding the oil painting supplies tucked deep inside.

    ncing at the unopened paint tubes, she stuck out her tongue and handed them to Wang Yixuan, "Help me mix the colors."

    "Sure." Wang Yixuan gently touched Nan Qing¡¯s hair, naturally took the paints from her, and with ease, opened them and mixed the colors for her.

    Wang Yixuan was indeed skilled at painting, a name well-known globally in the art world. He had a natural talent for painting. Though he had never formally studied oil painting, he had mastered it effortlessly with a few words from Nan Qing.

    But in reality, painting was just a hobby for Wang Yixuan. His true profession was that of a musician; skilled in piano, arranging, and singing. He had no interest in being a star, which is why he worked behind the scenes instead.

    Wang Yixuan lightly turned his head to look at Nan Qing. Because she was painting, her long hair that reached her waist was casually tied up behind her head, looking bothzy and beautiful.

    Especially when she bowed her head to apply the colors, a small section of her fair neck was exposed, and strands of hair fell along her cheeks, making her seem as gentle as a pool of spring water.

    The more Wang Yixuan looked, the more beautiful he found her. He casually took out a small sketchbook from his backpack and began sketching quickly. With just a few strokes, the outline of Xia Ning¡¯s face appeared on the nk page.

    When Nan Qing finished applying the colors, Wang Yixuan had also justpleted hisst stroke. With nimble movements, he tucked the sketchbook away. It was his secret haven, filled entirely with sketches of Nan Qing in various forms.

    Holding up her painting, Nan Qing asked, seeking praise, "Does it look good?"

    "It looks great," pronounced Wang Yixuan seriously, "I think this painting should be framed and hung in our wedding room."

    "Sure," Nan Qing instinctively agreed to anything Wang Yixuan said. It took a moment for her to register what he had said, and then she finally realized. Widening her eyes, she looked at Wang Yixuan, "What? What did you say?"

    "Getting married," Wang Yixuan pinched Nan Qing¡¯s cheek and pretended to scold, "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re unwilling?"

    "I¡¯m willing, of course I¡¯m willing." Nan Qing verged on incoherence, as uncontroble tears streamed down her baster cheeks.

    "Fool, you should be happy when dreamse true, not cry," Wang Yixuan said with a smile, gently wiping the tears from Nan Qing¡¯s face.

    Nan Qing just kept nodding, desperately trying to stop the tears from falling.

    How could she not be happy? That year, she had followed him out with Fu Han¡¯s encouragement. Over the past four years, she traveled the world with him. When they had money, they stayed in hotels; when they had none, they even slept under bridges.

    All Nan Qing wanted was to show Wang Yixuan through her actions that once she had made her choice, she wouldn¡¯t give up.

    For the past four years, Nan Qing had stayed by Wang Yixuan¡¯s side without leaving, not even for Fu Han¡¯s wedding four years ago, Su Cheng¡¯s wedding half a year ago, or Luo Qinghe¡¯s wedding a few days ago.

    The reason was simple: if Wang Yixuan didn¡¯t want to go back, she would stay with him.

    She had always been a person of pure and simple heart. When she loved, it was passionate and resolute, and she would never admit defeat once she set her mind on something.

    That¡¯s why she had stayed by Wang Yixuan¡¯s side for four years, waiting for him to agree. And now it seemed her wait was over.

    Nan Qing thought about the video call with Fu Han the day before, where Fu Han¡¯s twin babies followed her like little shadows, and how He Xing had treated Fu Han with the same devotion for decades, to the point of envy.

    But she no longer had to envy in secret because her persistence had brought her Wang Yixuan. Everything was worth it.

 Chapter 723 - 522: Evading the Problem

    <h4>Chapter 723: Chapter 522: Evading the Problem</h4><h4></h4>

    "Do you really think so?" He Xing¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, still wearing that imprable expression that gave nothing away, making it difficult to guess what he was thinking.

    The light had already turned yellow, and the cars in the neighboringne were moving slowly, as if these one or two seconds could help him close a multimillion-dor deal.

    Xia Ning scoffed disdainfully and shifted her gaze back to He Xing.

    The sunlight streamed through the ss and fell on He Xing, the high-quality wool appearing to have a halo around it, separating He Xing from the rest of the world.

    If you looked closely, even the faint peach fuzz on his face was tinged with gold, his handsomeness making it hard to look away.

    Xia Ning felt for the umpteenth time how good her taste was, her smile growing even sweeter: "Of course, Brother He Xing, although I don¡¯t like Fu Han, I like you, so I would never say harsh words to upset you like Fu Han does."

    The light turned green and the car began to move slowly. He Xing¡¯s gaze stayed fixed ahead; he spoke lightly only after they had passed the intersection: "Whether I¡¯m happy or not is not important, Fu Han¡¯s happiness is what matters most. So if you really want to make me happy, don¡¯t do things that would make Fu Han unhappy."

    Swear to God, Xia Ning had never dreamed that He Xing would say such things; and because she was so shocked, a crack appeared in her mask-like, fake smile; a crack that, like creeping vines, instantly crumbled Xia Ning¡¯sposed fa?ade.

    She forgot to pretend, and instead looked at He Xing with an expression of heartbreak and anger, as if He Xing had done something unforgivable: "Brother He Xing, do you really like Fu Han that much?"

    He Xing¡¯s expression grew determined as he spoke without any hesitation: "Yes, I like Fu Han, and I will only like Fu Han in this lifetime. So for your own good, you¡¯d better find someone who truly cares for you as soon as possible."

    Immense pain began to spread, the color draining from Xia Ning¡¯s face as she turned to look out the window, filled with a desire to feign deafness, to act as if nothing had happened, to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard anything.

    But reality was cruel, because He Xing didn¡¯t intend to let her off.

    While steadily driving, He Xing spoke calmly: "Xia Ning, I did stand up for you today in front of Fu Han, but I was defending your reminiscence of your mother, not you personally. If you and Fu Han were fighting today, I would side with Fu Han without hesitation. I hope you understand that."

    "Hehe... How could it be... There won¡¯t be any fighting." Xia Ning¡¯s lips trembled, but she still forced herself tough, albeit augh uglier than crying: "Brother He Xing, I won¡¯t fight with Fu Han, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that."

    He Xing looked up at Xia Ning again through the rearview mirror. His expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained resolute: "Xia Ning, stop running away. You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about, right? So from now on, let go of me, and let go of yourself, okay?"

    Xia Ning, in pain, clutched her head: "I¡¯m not listening, I¡¯m not listening, Brother He Xing, let¡¯s hurry to the hospital, don¡¯t talk about these confusing things anymore."

    A honk sounded from behind, urging them to speed up.

    He Xing nced again at Xia Ning in the rearview mirror. Herplexion was pale as if she had suffered a great blow.

    But without destruction, there can be no construction. He Xing pressed the gas pedal to speed up and tried to speak again: "Xia Ning, I..."

    However, before he could finish, Xia Ning suddenly looked up at He Xing.

    What a look that was, like a dying person grasping at theirst straw¡ªshe knew it wasn¡¯t her lifeline, yet that straw still bore all her hope.

    He Xing had seen such an expression before, on a face identical to Xia Ning¡¯s. Only that face was covered in blood¡ªit was Du Wanting¡¯s face.

    That day was a nightmare He Xing never wished to revisit. The car had malfunctioned suddenly, his parents leaving the world in an instant. He, sitting in the back seat¡¯s safety chair, was spared, but a fuel leak and potential explosion threatened at any moment.

    Not even ten years old, he struggled to unlock himself from the seat, but his leg was stuck, immovable.

    Despair. Such overwhelming despair, he thought he was doomed. He looked at his parents¡¯ mangled faces, imagining that he¡¯d meet the same end after death.

    But suddenly, a pair of delicate hands reached out. Though seeminglycking strength, their owner still managed to drag He Xing out violently from the vehicle.

    Even today, He Xing marvelled at Du Wanting¡¯s burst of strength back then. She had saved He Xing but also caused his legs to be dislocated.

    Butpared to life itself, what was dislocation?

    Still, in that situation, it turned out to be fatal¡ªnot to him, but to Du Wanting.

    The car was about to explode, and Du Wanting was already exhausted; yet, she clenched her teeth and dragged He Xing, trying to get him away, but she just didn¡¯t have the energy left.

    In the end, she saved He Xing with a tragic gesture¡ªholding him in her arms, she used her own body to shield him from the power of the car¡¯s explosion.

    Luckily, by the time of the explosion, they had already been a few meters away from the car; otherwise, not only would Du Wanting¡¯s life have been imed, so would He Xing¡¯s.

    As heat waves surged over them, Du Wanting breathed heavily but stillforted He Xing: "It¡¯s... it¡¯s okay now, there¡¯s... there¡¯s no trouble."

    The young He Xing turned around uncertainly, only to see Du Wanting¡¯s head loll to the side, her body falling straight to the ground.

    He wanted to reach out to pull Du Wanting back, but his arms were devoid of strength. He could only watch as her beautiful face made contact with the filthy ground.

    He Xing¡¯s cries rose to the heavens, but Du Wanting still smiled. She struggled to reach out, wanting to caress He Xing¡¯s face, using all her remaining strength to say: "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t cry, I... as a mother, I... I can¡¯t stand to see someone¡¯s child die before... before my eyes."

    In her life¡¯s final moments, Du Wanting didn¡¯t ask He Xing to take care of her children or say anything of the sort. Instead, she focused all her efforts on trying to see the sky.

    The sky that day wasn¡¯t pretty, overcast as if rain was imminent; the air wasn¡¯t clear, filled with the smell of gasoline, burnt stic, and various other indistinguishable scents overwhelming He Xing¡¯s senses.

 Chapter 724 - 679: Clear Explanation

    <h4>Chapter 724: Chapter 679: Clear Exnation</h4><h4></h4>

    "I know," Nan Qing nodded, a touch of destion in her voice, "It turns out my presence was a restraint to him."

    "It¡¯s not like that," Fu Han said, staring at Nan Qing with a pair of shiny ck eyes, speaking with extra seriousness, "I think Wang Yixuan is just uncertain about whether he should dock at the shore; moreover, I can assure you that he indeed heard what your parents told you, suggesting you two shouldn¡¯t rush into marriage."

    "What?" Nan Qing¡¯s eyes widened in immense shock.

    She had always harbored this worry, especially since Wang Yixuan¡¯s attitude changed significantly before and after her miscarriage. She had also shared her concerns with Fu Hanst night.

    And it was also because Fu Han was aware of Nan Qing¡¯s worries that she decided to ask Wang Yixuan about it during their conversationst night, determined to get a clear answer.

    At first, Wang Yixuan tried to change the subject, but eventually, under Fu Han¡¯s persistent questioning, he admitted that he had overheard Nan Qing¡¯s parents¡¯ conversation by ident.

    Thinking of this, Fu Han patted Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder and said in a low voice, "Men¡¯s pride is very strong, especially for someone as talented as Wang Yixuan; you might think it¡¯s terrible for him to leave like this, but from his perspective, he believes that even if he leaves, you¡¯ll be well-taken care of by your parents."

    Nan Qing fell silent, not speaking for a long time.

    Today, from the moment she opened her eyes until now, her mood had been like a roller coaster, with highs and lows, overloaded with information and without enough time to process it all.

    Fu Han didn¡¯t urge Xia Ning; she just stood there quietly, watching Nan Qing with a caring gaze, hoping to lend her a bit of strength.

    Suddenly, the airport announcement sounded, interrupting Nan Qing¡¯s thoughts. She turned her head sharply as people swarmed towards the boarding gate.

    Nan Qing¡¯s gaze became clearly frantic. Her eyes darted around aimlessly, inadvertently seeking Fu Han¡¯s gaze, a look of pleading in her eyes.

    Fu Han smiled and patted Nan Qing¡¯s shoulder, "Now you only have two choices¡ªeither you go back with me, and I¡¯ll be there for you, or you get on the ne to find him; the ticket is in your hands. As for the luggage I checked for you, there¡¯s nothing but a few sets of clothes inside. If you don¡¯t board the ne, the stuff will be here in a few days."

    The second airport announcement sounded, and there were noticeably fewer people at the boarding gate; most passengers had already boarded the ne.

    Fu Han looked at Nan Qing deeply, her eyes sympathetic but not pressing.

    Nan Qing hugged Fu Han tightly, then turned and left, walking towards the boarding gate, her departure resolute as if nothing would stop her return once she set out.

    She walked step by step towards the gate, and even when passing through the ticket barrier, she didn¡¯t wave goodbye to Fu Han. But Fu Han wasn¡¯t upset; on the contrary, she smiled even more joyfully.

    Love is like this; mutual affection is hard toe by, and two people¡¯s firm decision to be together is even harder. So, when onecks courage, it doesn¡¯t matter if the other is a bit braver, a bit thicker-skinned.

    This act isn¡¯t about losing dignity to chase someone; it¡¯s about making an effort to draw two souls that have begun to drift apart a bit closer, to give them more confidence in their future.

    Fu Han sent a message to Wang Yixuan, basically saying that Nan Qing had gone to find him. It was his right to leave, and Nan Qing had the right to chase after him. It was up to Wang Yixuan himself to decide what to do.

    She very seriously added, if he was determined to cut ties with Nan Qing, then this was the best opportunity.

    Wang Yixuan¡¯s flight had been off for several hours, and his phone had been turned off for a while, but Fu Han knew he would check his phone first thing afternding, and she believed he would definitely wait for Nan Qing at the airport.

    Fu Han thought, once Wang Yixuan arrived at his destination, he could easily wait for Nan Qing at the airport and then give her a piece of his mind before turning and leaving her behind, prompting her to return on her own.

    Fu Han also asked Wang Yixuan not to do what he didst night again. He had promised Nan Qing he wouldn¡¯t leave, but then, a few hourster, he boarded the ne, and even his farewell to Nan Qing was conveyed through someone else.

    But Wang Yixuan had already bought his ticket when he spoke of ¡¯forever¡¯st night.

    This was the very thing that angered Fu Han the most; he could have taken the chance to rify things with Nan Qing yesterday. Why didn¡¯t he do it, and why, after giving Nan Qing hope, did he just turn and leave?

    However, angry as she was, Fu Han still calmly found out Wang Yixuan¡¯s destination and immediately booked thest first-ss ticket for Nan Qing.

    When Fu Han couldn¡¯t sleep in the middle of the night, she got up to pack for Nan Qing¡ªsome clothes to change into, skincare products, and the like. Her n was to exin everything to Nan Qing when she woke up in the morning. If Nan Qing was willing to chase, Fu Han would take her to the airport.

    Perhaps the only variable was that Nan Qing had slepttest night and woke upte this morning, leaving them little time, so Fu Han had to take her to the airport as soon as possible.

    She didn¡¯t want it to be like those melodramatic TV shows, where despite a thousand ways to catch a flight, the main characters still miss the ne in the end.

    Fu Han had just hung up the phone with He Xing, who had called to ask where she was, saying he was waiting for her in her office.

    She told He Xing about Wang Yixuan and Nan Qing¡¯s situation, not mentioning that she hadn¡¯t slept all night, just that she had learned Wang Yixuan¡¯s destination and booked Nan Qing on the next flight, and that she had just sessfully seen Nan Qing off.

    He Xingvished praise on Fu Han over the phone, repeatedly urging her to drive carefully and to be safe.

    Honestly,st night Fu Han wondered most about whether what she was doing was right. Now that she had He Xing¡¯s affirmation, she felt much lighter.

    Despite having stayed up all night, Fu Han didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all but rather full of life.

    Fu Han easily parked her car in the parking lot, and she spotted He Xing¡¯s car right away. Indulging her girlish whims, she parked her own car right next to his.

    Getting out of the car, she couldn¡¯t help but look back, feeling especially sweet inside, like when she leaned on He Xing¡¯s shoulder. She couldn¡¯t resist taking out her phone to snap a photo and sent it to He Xing.

    Before she entered the elevator, she received a response from He Xing¡ªa screenshot of his phone¡¯s wallpaper, which happened to be the photo Fu Han had just taken.

    Fu Han¡¯s smile grew even sweeter as she hummed a lively tune and entered the elevator, her beautiful face beaming with a charming smile.

 Chapter 725 - 703: Having Dinner Together

    <h4>Chapter 725: Chapter 703: Having Dinner Together</h4><h4></h4>

    Half an hourter, the Lamborghini departed from the underground parking garage of the He Group, heading towards a nearby hospital.

    Traffic at night in City A was not heavy, and He Xing arrived at the vicinity of the hospital quickly. He drove into the hospital¡¯s underground parking, then took the elevator straight to Xia Ning¡¯s ward.

    When the elevator doors opened, He Xing had just finished chatting with Fu Han on Whatsapp, "Xiaohan, I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll stop chatting for now; after dinner with Xia Ning, I¡¯lle to see you, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll head back after checking in on you."

    After receiving a positive response from Fu Han, he smiled, slipped his phone into his pocket, straightened up, and headed toward the ward.

    When He Xing arrived, aside from Xia Ning, there was also a hotel employee in uniform in the ward, the two of them arranging dishes on the coffee table.

    Although the scene did not appear particrly warm, it was at least much better than when He Xing had visited before. On several asions, he had seen Xia Ning scolding the caregivers, uttering quite unpleasant words.

    He Xing knocked on the door, "May Ie in?"

    Xia Ning, who was arranging the juice cups, jumped at the sound, pausing in her movement and almost dropping the cup of orange juice in her hand to the floor.

    Fortunately, after some frantic scrambling, Xia Ning managed to save the cup.

    However, herplexion did not look good; it was as if she had been frightened, with her face flush red, her eyeballs flitting about non-stop, and she dared not look at He Xing.

    As He Xing took a measured step inside, his gaze grew much deeper, but his eyshes were so thick that, despite the intensity in his eyes, it was difficult for others to see clearly.

    The dinner was ordered by Liang Tao from a five-star hotel, and it was sumptuous. He Xing was already hungry and quickly devoured the food.

    But today, He Xing behaved peculiarly. Although there were many dishes on the table, he only ate a few specific ones, and these were the dishes Xia Ning usually favored and ate the most of that evening.

    Xia Ning had always had a light appetite. She ate slowly, asionally looking at He Xing, seemingly deep in thought; she was much quieter than usual at dinner today.

    Seeing He Xing about to finish his bowl of rice, Xia Ning bit her lip hard and said timidly, "Brother He Xing, this orange juice is freshly squeezed. It¡¯s good for vitamin supplementation, you should drink more."

    In fact, neither He Xing nor Xia Ning had drunk any orange juice from the beginning of the meal until now, not even a sip.

    He Xing looked down at the cup of orange juice in front of him, which was the cup Xia Ning had put there when he entered. The orange liquid rested quietly in the ss, without a ripple, as if frozen in time.

    In fact, He Xing did drink orange juice every day, a fact known to those around him; even one of Liang Tao¡¯s daily tasks was to squeeze orange juice for He Xing.

    He Xing¡¯s slender fingers touched the ss, curved slightly, and lifted the ss. As he brought it to his lips to drink, he suddenly thought of something and smiled at Xia Ning, "I¡¯m not full from one bowl of rice; could you get me another one, please?"

    The hotel had delivered rice ording to the number of dishes ordered. For their table setting, the hotel provided five small bowls of rice, and He Xing had eaten only one. The rest were ced on the tea cab by the door.

    Xia Ning, who had been fixated on the orange juice in He Xing¡¯s hand, was immediately distracted when she heard his request, especially after meeting He Xing¡¯s piercing gaze. Without thinking, she nodded, "Alright, Brother He Xing, you should eat more."

    It only took a few seconds to walk from the coffee table to the tea cab, and smiling, Xia Ning turned around with a still-warm bowl of rice, looking at He Xing, who remained in the act of drinking his orange juice¡ªhalf of it was already gone.

    A smile bloomed on Xia Ning¡¯s face, as sudden as a flower¡¯s, and she walked merrily to He Xing, her voice as coquettish as ever, "Brother He Xing, tonight¡¯s meal is delicious; you should eat more."

    "Alright," He Xing agreed readily, pretending to put the ss of orange juice down, but when he did, Xia Ning raised her voice in rm, "Brother He Xing, you... you should finish all of the orange juice; it¡¯s... it¡¯s nutritious."

    He Xing¡¯s handsome eyebrows furrowed; he looked deeply into Xia Ning¡¯s eyes, and she, once again, hastily looked away, as if afraid to meet his gaze.

    "Okay," He Xing agreed without a second word to Xia Ning¡¯s request. He picked up the ss again and, smiling, said to Xia Ning, "To celebrate your discharge tomorrow, let¡¯s drink this orange juice instead of wine and celebrate."

    For Xia Ning, everything had gone more smoothly than expected, and she had no reason to disagree. She immediately picked up her ss and took a big sip of the orange juice.

    He Xing finished the rest of his orange juice in a few gulps, raising his eyelids slightly, looking at Xia Ning with a half-smile, "Make sure you finish your orange juice, the Doctor said you need to supplement your nutrition as well."

    "Yes, yes, yes," Xia Ning couldn¡¯t withstand the look in He Xing¡¯s eyes and hurriedly took a cheerful gulp, finishing the entire ss of orange juice.

    The dinner continued, with He Xing elegantly consuming his food. If one looked closely, they could see the slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, clearly in a much better mood than before.

    Xia Ning¡¯s mood also lightened, and perhaps due to her tion, her appetite surged, leading her to eat more dishes than usual that evening.

    The dinner today was livelier than when they usually dined together, and although it wasn¡¯t very lively, at least He Xing would respond when Xia Ning spoke to him.

    Even though He Xing¡¯s face was as cold as ever, he was willing to talk, which was already a great improvement over the past.

    In another ward, just a wall away from Xia Ning¡¯s, there was also a man and a woman, lit by the bright overhead light, with their faces clearly visible.

    The girl had a cold expression, and it was difficult to say whether her face looked good or bad; the boy looked rxed, and if one looked closely, they could see the schadenfreude in the corners of his eyes and brows.

    Each was seated on a single-seater sofa, with a distance of over a meter and a coffee table between them. Directly in front of the coffee table, a projector was disying real-time footage of the room next door.

    The current scene on the screen showed Xia Ning and He Xing having dinner. The handsome man and beautiful woman were easy on the eyes, but the "beautiful woman" had to be put in quotes, as her face still bore the purple and blue marks of previous injuries.

    "Fu Han, see what I told you? He Xing has always been thinking of having his cake and eating it too," said Ji Liangchuan, his voice as pleasant as always. Even his disproportionatelyrge peach blossom eyes curved beautifully like crescents as he spoke.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!