《Beg Me to Remarry》 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!